Lately, I have been bullet-sorting in preparation for my upcoming competitions. I decided this is the perfect time to fill up my email folder. This one is pretty technical, so I hope I don’t lose you. No matter how many times I rewrote this article, it’s still a hot mess. I hope you enjoy the latest installment in the Advanced Reloading Series.

What is bullet sorting?

Bullet sorting is weighing and then measuring the length of your projectiles. Then fire them in segregated groups. What can this accomplish? It will help you achieve a more consistent ballistic coefficient or keep them in your accuracy node. In other words, all other things being equal, your shots should go where they’re supposed to.

Should you sort bullets?

The answer to that question depends on what you’re hoping to accomplish. If you are making ammo for hunting or just having some fun at the range, the answer is no. Are you shooting long-range or competitions? The answer depends on the bullet size and if it has been pointed.

What is pointing?

In short, it is a process where a reloader, with the assistance of custom, dies, uniforms (points), the tip of a bullet. This will uniform the bullets BC. A company is now offering this process in-house. That sure saves a hell of a lot of time for people. Not only that, but it also renders this article a waste of air.

Bullet weighing

When you first start weighing, depending on the brand, get ready for an unpleasant surprise. What they’re supposed to be, and what they tend to be, are two different things. Suppose you have a smaller projectile with a weight problem. That can have an unfortunate result at a distance.

Please don’t take my word for it; enter the numbers into a ballistic program, and see yourself. Don’t forget to enable environmental conditions on the application. Otherwise, it will show absolutely no change. And I will probably get an email from someone who missed that step and has a reading comprehension problem.

The projectiles I shot when initially writing this article were lightweight. When doing the math, if there was a weight difference of 0.1gn. That alone moved my point of impact on target roughly two inches at 1000 yards. Now, keep in mind my X- Ring is only five inches. That cost me a few matches before I figured it out.

Bullet lengths

I have learned from people much smarter than me. Variations in bullet length will not affect your ballistic coefficient. I believe them since I don’t have a Ph.D. and work out complicated math formulas for an afternoon lunch.

Why would you want to measure your bullet length?

Simple, it boils down to bullet jump/barrel harmonics. Let’s say you have an accuracy node of six thousand, and your bullets have an 11 thousand spread in length. If you kept up with me so far. I’m sure by now you see the problem.

It’s like dating twins. They might look the same, but they certainly are not.

If you are pointing your bullets, those variations can change your BC. Longer rounds will be more pointed, and vice versa. I do believe that’s probably not a good thing.

I recommend you read my write up on “Bullet-Pointing.” That subject alone warranted an entire day sitting in front of my computer.

It would help if you kept in mind that several things affect making a perfect shot. Answering the question: What is bullet sorting is a small part of a much larger picture.

Shooting accurately at long-range is a process of elimination. Sorting your bullets is one less variable keeping you from making a great shot.

I hope this article in the Advanced Reloading Series has answered the questions: What is Bullet Sorting, and should you do it?

Update: The shooting season after initially writing this article. I was in the top four spots in 95% of all my matches. I’m not saying bullet sorting was the reason, but it certainly didn’t hurt.