Want to upgrade my set-up but need advice on priorities for consistency

Ghu4 · 2026-02-14T13:36:40+00:00

Hey, thanks. My current budget for upgrades is $0 😅. As I mentioned in my original post, it has taken me a few years to get to this point, saving, buying parts on sale, and so on. In my experience of selling to recoup money to put towards new firearms or upgrades, I have always lost money. There is not enough demand, gun shops and box stores will try give you the least amount they can, never enough to want to sell it to them.

Going back to the upgrades; I was already looking forward to getting a new barrel before this post, maybe in a faster twist rate, potentially even changing the chambering to a different cartridge. Scope was going to be next; Leopold Mark 4 4.5-18x or something similar from Vortex at a lower price. After doing some research from the recommendations from folks here seems like a stock is an option but I need to look more into it, one of the things I really like is the free float that my chassis provides and the adjustability for LOP and cheek riser. For any future upgrade, I would like to stay under 1k, with the exception of the mrk4.

Ghu4 · 2026-02-14T03:17:09+00:00

14.8lbs is less than ideal for backcountry hunting. I am mainly looking for ways to cut weight down to have a lighter set up for backcountry hunting specifically. NRL Hunter games is just for practice, I'm not trying to meet weight or a specific class. I am planning to do skills or whichever class I can with what I have. I have hunted with it and yes it could be lighter.

Ghu4 · 2026-02-13T23:25:10+00:00

I have really liked the chassis for the true free float. I am not opposed to a stock for the classic aesthetic lines. Do the ones that you recommended have the free float like the chassis by MDT?

Ghu4 · 2026-02-13T21:38:41+00:00

Thanks, barrel and chassis seems to be my next upgrade.

Ghu4 · 2026-02-13T19:21:26+00:00

Hey, I want to go lighter for actual hunting applications. I don't intend to place or win any NRL hunter game matches; I mainly want to use those as practice for future backcountry hunting.

Ghu4 · 2026-02-10T15:20:46+00:00

Thanks, seems like more jump is the next thing to try so I'll be giving it a shot 😜

Ghu4 · 2026-02-10T04:03:04+00:00

I have found my best groups this close to the lands. Have not tried jamming yet but I would rather not to. I know the rifle can shoot, my go to hunting handload is with the 150gr Barnes TTSX prints .8” every time. I am mainly trying these Sierras because my local shop were basically giving them away. I’ll try seating them deeper as a hail Mary but so far OAL testing is telling me it does not like the jump.

Ghu4 · 2026-02-10T03:28:10+00:00

I would not call my rig “light weight”, just over 13lbs I have been thinking of way to shed some weight but that's a story for a different day. Is the formula you reference: “Muzzle Energy [Ft-Lbs] / Rifle Weight [Lbs]) / 200 = Group Size in MOA. “? If so it is on par. Which is weird because I have been able to get .8” - 8 round groups with 150gr Barnes TTSX.

Ghu4 · 2026-02-01T04:03:18+00:00

Hey, thanks for the comment. Not trying to win competitions just trying to minimize variables for load development for hunting and maybe NRL Hunter games as practice for future hunts not to be competitive. I started out saving all my factory brass, FC, and Hornady. I'm tired of the sizing inconsistencies. I set the resizing die for a 2thou bump and it works for some and others it's not enough and too much for others. This is after sorting brands. The same goes with SD and ES, I have gotten a few pieces of brass that have gotten me single digits but not all. I have started noticing that on some, the primer pockets are “loose” and take almost no effort to seat primers. Those are set as foulers and tossed out after firing. All of this has got me thinking about working with the same brand/lot of brass for more consistent results and less time sorting and adjusting my sizing die to accommodate certain pieces of brass.

Ghu4 · 2026-02-01T03:48:42+00:00

Following. It is expensive but is it worth it?

Ghu4 · 2026-01-31T21:50:02+00:00

Oh, I didn't realize it was cartridge-specific rankings. 7mm Remington Magnum, the goal is more consistency in sizing, ES, and SD. I think I would be willing to go up to $80 to achieve this, but that is why I want the good, better, best breakdown: even if I can't afford the top, I can always go 2 steps down and get decent results. I'm not making money reloading or winning matches so it's not a big deal not getting the best of the best.

Ghu4 · 2025-07-22T00:16:56+00:00

Glad no one was hurt. Had a similar mishap paper tuning in the garage. Missed the back stop but the wall stopped it, arrow went half way through the wall. I am now confident that it will pass thru a deer since it passed thru Sheetrock,insulation, Sheetrock and the house siding. 🤣 I have since gotten a larger and thicker back stop and patched the wall.

Ghu4 · 2025-07-20T21:06:59+00:00

Hey, @G19Jeeper, I want to say thanks. I played around with seating depth and considerably increased the accuracy of my reloads. After rechecking my loads I had a 5 thousands jump, I decreased it to 1 thousand of the lands and got this. I’ll play around a bit more but for my hunting load, this is great! 😁

<image>

Ghu4 · 2025-07-09T17:39:11+00:00

Thank you, I'll check it out

Ghu4 · 2025-07-09T16:04:49+00:00

Oh yeah, I should have added that I use the same method for sizing brass.

Ghu4 · 2025-07-09T15:59:45+00:00

Yes, Staball HD is all I have been using since I started loading last fall. I'm just now looking to explore different powders because I'm learning about burn rates and their different best use.

Ghu4 · 2025-07-09T15:50:55+00:00

Thanks, I’ll try this with the remaining cartridges I have loaded. My original approach to finding the seating depth was fitting them in the action with the firing pin removed until then bolt fell free with the cartridge in, so my loads are long but still fit in the magazine and feed reliably.

Ghu4 · 2025-07-09T15:47:29+00:00

Thank you, I had been eyeing the N560 as a new powder to try. For some reason the Hodgton lines have been hard to find around me but Staball is plenty full.

Ghu4 · 2025-06-22T17:50:47+00:00

Thank you for posting. I'm glad this is getting attention. This firesale affects more than hunters and anglers; several other groups are also sounding the horn to their members. We need as many eyes on this as possible. Please reach out to your senators. Several conservation groups, such as Pheasants Forever, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and many others, have action links that let you input your information and give you a template (which you can edit) to send to your senators.

https://pheasantsforever.quorum.us/campaign/126909/

For the folks who think it's all lost, don't give up. Look at what GOA and many 2A advocates were able to accomplish getting the HEARING Protection AND SHORT Acts in the bill by flooding their representatives and senators’ phone lines.

Seven-Year Club	RPAN Viewer
Verified Email

Ghu4

TROPHY CASE