I hadn't heard of this one: "Indexing" Does it make a difference for you?

[Four-Sixty]

This one is new to me. Anyone notice an improvement in accuracy? It sounds like it might make sense. Here is a quote from an article on the web I saw:

"For best accuracy with cast bullets, it's important for all the bullets to start out in the barrel the same way. Indexing is achieved by marking the mold with a scribe or a punch, lightly marking the mold so that when you see the newly cast bullet, you can identify the mark. Then, the brass is marked, often with the simple expedient of a marker pen, so that all the cartridge brass is aligned to the mark with the bullet. For example, I'll often put a single dot of ink on the case rim, near a specific part of the manufacturers stamp. Then, when loading the bullet into the case, I'll align the mark on the bullet with the mark on the case. Then, I make sure that each case goes into the chamber with the mark on the rim pointing straight up. By taking these steps, I insure that all the bullets go into the barrel with the same orientation. This makes for more accurate ammo because the imperfections in the bullet hit the rifling the same way each time. Consistency is the key to accuracy."

This is the link to the story: http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/handi.htm

[44man]

NO, Just a waste of time.
That came about when boolits could not be seated straight and run out is bad.

[dakotashooter2]

I've heard of it but what I heard was more in relation to orientation of the case neck. The idea being the if the case neck were slightly off center all the bullets would hit the rifling at the same angle. I suspect that the accuracy gain is so small the average shooter would not even notice. Considering that cast bullets are generally oversized for the bore, once it gets "sized" by the bore upon firing any imperfections will be a moot point. Even so there is no guarantee the imperfection in the bullet will cause it to react exactly the same every shot even if it is aligned.

[Baja_Traveler]

Thats the type of anality that benchrest shooters will go through - and I doubt there isn't a benchrest shooter alive that would compete using cast bullets...

[high standard 40]

First of all, this would only work in a firearm that can be loaded in such a way to assure the indexing would be consistant, like a break action single shot......not a bolt action where you can never be sure the indexing stays as you chamber it. Next, indexing would only work with cases that are fireformed to the chamber and then neck sized only after that. Plus, you would have to index the case in the loading dies as well. I have considered this technique in the past but when you consider all of the variables that can affect the way a case orients itself in a chamber, it is easy to understand how hard it can become to control.........at least as it applies to currently manufactured, across the counter firearms and ammo components.

[huntrick64]

I index my boolits by making a consistent scribe mark on the base after I cut the sprue but before I dump the boolit. My fire-formed cases are indexed with a dremmel tool on the rim of the case. I size and seat my cases using that mark in the same position each time in my press. When loading the boolit I index the scribe mark on the bottom of the boolit with the mark on the case rim. Then when I load that cartridge into the chamber I make sure that mark is at 12 O'clock each time. Now that I have said all of this I will tell you that I only do this for my 45 2.1 BPCR loads. Does it make a difference? Not noticeable at 100 yds but at 500 and beyond? Yes.

Would I ever do it on a pistol or revolver, not for the type of shooting I do. I am reloading with a progressive press for handguns so that type of analism (my word) wouldn't matter anyway. As was mentioned above, bench rest shooters would see a benefit. I think what indexing does is give you the confidence of what your gun and ammo is capable of. Then, when you are off one day, you know it's not the gun or ammo, just you. That's also the bad part. Last night I was wishing I had not indexed the rounds or even weighed the powder charges, then I could have said it was the jus the ammo!

[williamwaco]

I have tried it and can see no improvement.

.

['74 sharps]

"Much ado about nothing".........

[rockrat]

I am not a good enough shot to bother with it.

[shooter93]

I'll be the odd man out here....can it make a difference.....yes....will it.....in the vast majority of rifles out there you'd never see the difference. A SERIOUSLY built bench gun or a rail gun it can shave very small fractions. Those small fractions can now mean win or lose. Everything has to be indexed, brass, bullets where in the chamber etc. Brass has to be prepped as close to perfect as humanly possible. It can make a measurable difference it's just a small measurement. Long ago Merril Martin did quite a bit of testing both this and the turbulence point and built some very sophisticated measuring tools. It was suprising in how few a rounds he could also measure uneven throat wear from the process.

[45 2.1]

It does make a difference.... in some rifles and with some molds. It all depends on just how well you can shoot to see a difference in what happens. Case in point: A Browning BPCR in 45-70 + a custom Hoch mold for it (nice nose pour single cavity job). That rifle and mold didn't like each other.... barely got 3" groups at 200 yards. Took to orienting case = no better, then orienting case and boolits = good. Cut groups in half. You could shoot a 3" group non oriented with it (tracking shot placement) then orient the boolits and produce a small group in about the 4 o'clock position inside the other group. An old ratty Navy Arms RB in 45-70 shot much better with a Saeco 1881 Boolit with no orienting.

[TCFAN]

I index my 30-30 Encore rifle loads when trying to shoot small groups off of the bench.I index the boolit from the mold through the sizing die seating gas checks to the boolit. Seating the boolit in indexed neck sized cases with hand weighed powder charges.Boolits are inspected under magnification and weighed plus or minus one tenth grain cast from 3 parts WW and one part Linotype. It does make a difference for me with this rifle.........Terry

[waksupi]

MAYBE worthwhile for benchrest. Using ONE case for all shooting.

[Nickle]

Thats the type of anality that benchrest shooters will go through - and I doubt there isn't a benchrest shooter alive that would compete using cast bullets...

Partially correct. Most benchrest shooters don't do this. Most have found out weighing your powder is also a waste of effort.


MAYBE worthwhile for benchrest. Using ONE case for all shooting.

If using older rifles, loading the bullet from the muzzle, then maybe. Using current centerfires, no they don't. They (should say we, as I'm one of them) do reuse the same few cases many times. Same 10 cases to shoot. 5 for the group, 5 for sighters. Reload as we go. Some preload, load up 50 rounds, 30 for the 6 groups (1 warm up match, 5 for aggregate).

I don't weigh powder, I measure it, using a real good measure, either one that's been tweaked, or one of my Belding and Mull measures. I do weigh bullets ahead of time, sometimes spin them for run out and sort them out as record or sighter.

Bottom line - Does indexing really work? Yes, but most rifles aren't anywhere near accurate to make use of it. I've got a lot of them, and some can use it, but the amount gained is so trivial, it's near nothing, not worth doing. So, in practical use, I don't, nor will I.

I don't drag my 30 pound single shot .222 Rem out in the woods, and I don't shoot Heavy Bench with my 6.5 Rem Mag or .264 Win Mag. Different tools for different jobs, folks.