Can bullet weight alone make a big difference in precision, or powder?

[clearwater]

Shooting a 25-285 with various ballistic tips. With 100 grain BT's and Reloder 17 I can get as small as 1/2" 5 shot groups if I can do my part and deal with my heart beats.

With 115 grain BT's (2nds, but weight sorted) and Reloder 17 or Staball 6.5 or H450, groups are never better than 1 and1/2" for 3 shot groups.
Yesterday I tried some 85 grain BT's with several weights of Reloder 16 and got 1 and 1/2 inch 3 shot groups.

What gives? Can a rifle be that picky of bullet length? Nearly out of Rx17 too. Can't really play with that anymore as I need it for my hunting loads.

Seems like those 85 grain BT's should shoot well. Any powder suggestions? I find the case capacity similar to my 25-06 minus 1 grain.

ALSO Cabela's has the 100 grain BT's on sale. Got 4 boxes yesterday with free ship, minus club discount, plus tax for $64

 

[Aussie Wanderer]

Yep, rifles can be choosy. I have a 338wm that won’t shoot 225sst’s worth a damn, but the same weight AccuBond is a genuine sub moa rifle. My little 7mm08 shoots the cheap interlocks better than any other bullet at the same weight and I have a 9.3x62 that you can feed anything to and it simply just shoots tight groups.

 

[JD338]

Are you referring to the 25-284?

JD338

 

[RL338]

I can honestly say yes. Nosler 260gr E-tip will not cooperate with my 375 Wby. Every bullet otherwise will flat out shoot.

 

[SJB358]

ETips and Sciroccos are the two bullets that either shoot or don’t. No amount of goofing around will make my rifles like them if they don’t show a little promise from the get go.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

My Model 70 300 H&H Mag with Factory loads of Winchester 150gr Silvertips would average 1.5-2.0 inch three shot groups at 100 yards but Winchester 180gr Silvertips were sub MOA. All I reload is 180gr Nosler Partitions or AB but I think I will try some Nosler 180gr BT next, but I will stick with 180gr

 

[PJGunner]

It depends on the rifle I think. I did a lot of work with Ruger #1s and found if one didn't shoot all that well with the commonly used bullet weight, switching to the next heaviest or the heaviest for caliber would usually give a usable group. Most people would use say a 180 gr. bullet for use in the .300 Win. Mag. and the five rifles I have in that chambering do reasonably well with the 180 grain bullet. But, switch to the 200 gr. Speer Hot Core or 200 gr. Nosler Partition and those rifles become very very accurate. Groups run from .375" to .50" with those two bullets compared to 1.0" to 1.25" with the 180 gr. bullet.
I have a load that does an easy .75" in most of my 7x57 rifles with the 150 gr. Nosler except a Rger #1A. Probably 1,25" to 1.5" depending o its mood and time of day. Run anyrhing in 175 gr. and .50" to .8o" is the norm for that one.

I have a 30-06 that will not shoot anytjing accurately if the bullet weighs more that 165 gr. but is easily .50" all day long with the 165 gr. AccuBond.

When I started working up loads for my custom .280 Rem. I started with IMR 7828 SSC. Speed was great but I never got much better tham 2.0 to 2.50" groups. Switched to the lond gone WMR powder and tiny bug hole with the same speed as 7828.

So yes, I think powders and bullets can make a difference.
Paul B.