uncle b and goodgrouper help please loading equipment

[BountyHunter]

Get a catalog from Sinclair, Kinnemans and RW Hart. Also go to Neil jones website and look up address for KM tools (no web but call him and get catalog)also catalog from Darrel Holland. Holland has the best case neck mike for the money and love KM neck turners.

All the good tools and decent prices.

Sinclair used to procuce an excellant book on precision reloading for under $15 call and ask if they still have it.

Kinnemans has excellant video for under $20

www.sinclairintl.com
www.rwhart.com
www.merchantcircle.com/business/Kinnemans
www.precisionreloading.com/KMProducts.htm
www.neiljones.com
www.hollandguns.com

 

[Chawlston]

[ QUOTE ]
Chawlston I believe you said the bushing style dies were better then expander ball dies? I think kirbys 338am dies are expander ball dies. I gess i shoud have kirby make bushing dies is that right? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know what dimension you have in the chamber of your gun or the size that Kirby's dies get the neck to. What I would do is either start out with bushing dies or try the ones you get and if they work your done. If you are not satisfied, send them to Jim Carsterson as he will modify redding dies to accept bushings.

The other alternative is to use the dies you get without the expander ball and just use them as bushing dies. You will have to turn your necks for this to work. If the dimensions work out and you can have thick enough necks, this works fine. I do it on several of my chambereings.

James

 

[Chawlston]

[ QUOTE ]
New Shooter,
I appreciate your enthusiasm, but at the rate you're going, I afraid you are going to spend a small fortune on a bunch of gadgets that in the long run will shrink your wallet a lot more than your groups. If you want smaller groups at long range you need to spend your time actually shooting. Even shooting clay pigeons at 200 yards with a rim fire will do more for you than measuring bearing lengths and brass neck thickness. A meplate trimmer? Just how much shooting past 1000 yards are you going to be doing? Kirby builds the accuracy into the rifle. Once it arrives all you will really need to do is find a place to stretch its legs.

If I were you, I would continue to shoot every chance you get and get things that will really help. A set of wind flags, weather station, range finder, pda with a program in it for the come up's and a chronograph. If you have money to burn an auto scale will be handy. These things will get you closer but still you will need actual trigger time with a spotter to see how you are doing at reading mirage and the wind. These skills will cut feet off your groups. The loading bench will only cut a few thousandths. I'm afraid you are making this way harder than it needs to be and may burn out.

Tell us about the specs on your new 338AM. My buddy just received his and it is awesome.

Shawn

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree....... Taking a new gun and shooting its' barrel life out of it without tatking the steps necessary to find out where you are at with regards to aptitude, is a gross waste of money. The incorrect tools are a huge waste of time but, the correct tools are time savers as well as barrel savers. Specificaly, less shots to find out the answers to accuracy questions.

Personally, I would stick with wilson and sinclair case prep equipment. Additionally, I would stick with wilson, redding and forster dies.

Finally, you guys are forgetting he is a bow hunter. Those guys have all sorts of gadgets.

James

 

[goodgrouper]

new shooter,

The websites of the things I use have been put up by Bountyhunter. Thanks BH.

Good advice has been given here by Chawlston and others.

Phone numbers should be on the websites.

As for getting the tools, I'm sorry to say, but I would get them all. Hired gun has a point as well as Chawlston. I would get as many of the mentioned tools as you can afford. Get some now and some later if you have to.

Doing all the nitpicky benchrest reloading techniques is very necessary with some bullets and less important with others. For instance, measure bearing surfaces on VLD style bullets and Matchkings and don't worry about it too much with Accubonds. I assume you will be shooting hunting bullets?

Also, bearing surfaces are not too critical in my opinion unless you are shooting at 1k or further (for big game). If going for varmints, measure them for everything because they are a smaller target.

Forget the meplat trimmer.

Use two stoney point comparators for measuring bearing surface.

Use a K&M neck turner with carbide mandrels and cutters. Second choice: SInclair's (although lately they have sucked).

Use a Sinclair neck thickness micrometer for checking neck turning.

Bushing dies are by far the most accurate as a general rule. And used properly, you won't need an expander ball. Expander balls just wear out brass quicker.

If you can't find the phone numbers, send me a PM and I'll see if I have time to round them all up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

PS sorry! I am a bad influence. All my friend's wives hate my guts. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Chawlston]

PS sorry! I am a bad influence. All my friend's wives hate my guts.


Ditto here. I know where you are coming from.

James

 

[new shooter]

Quote from K-M. The K-M Epandiron is required for proper final neck expansion. Virgin competition brass isn't quite ready to neck turn when you buy it and the commercial die manufacturers have no set standard for expander button in their die. Large variations from manufacturers it makes it necessary to properly size the inside diameter before turning. Is that true goodgroper do you do this first?

 

[goodgrouper]

I run a .001" oversized expander mandrel through the neck to get it to properly fit onto the turning mandrel. Then I take off the needed material in steps until the desired thickness is obtained. Then after firing the brass, it is wise to check the thickness again and if needed, make additional passes on the turner. But once the brass is fired, it is much harder to turn.

After being fired a few times, the brass will straighten itself out usually.

 

[AJ Peacock]

[ QUOTE ]
AJ Peacock thanks four your help. Are you going with bushing style dies or kirbys expander ball dies?

[/ QUOTE ]

NewShooter,

As far as the 338AM Dies. I'm going with the Dies Kirby uses. As long as the dies don't overly work the brass and I can keep the run out under control, I will just go with them. Depending on the thickness of the necks and the chamber, I may be able to do as Chawlston says and go without the expander ball by appropriately turning the necks.

Good luck,
Don

 

[BountyHunter]

Darrel Holland has a case neck mike at half the price of any other and it is just as good. Look at all the tools, buy quality the first time.

BH

 

[Alan Griffith]

Goodgrouper,

Would you mind running a fully detailed, step by step, description, taking new brass through the steps to get the necks where you want?

Appreciate the assistance you give us here!

 

[wildcat]

New-shooter-please-see-my-add-on-this-site-I-am-selling-what-you-need-for-your-338AM.-Here-is-what-I-am-selling;
1.David-Tubbs-Bearing-Surface-Tool-with-indicator-with-338-lower-and-Upper-insert.
2.-David-Tubbs-Meplat-uniformer-for-338-cal

Here-is-my-e-mail-if-your-interested;
[email protected]

Wildcat

 

[new shooter]

I tride to e-mail you wouldent go through. I am enterrested in daved tubbs bullet bearing surface comparitor and meplat uniformer. give me a call or e-mail me fishing @ polson.net for price plus shiping. phone is 406 270-3791. thanks joe

 

[BountyHunter]

FYI

The Tubbs metplat trimmer is actually the Tooley made by Dave Tooly in NC.

The Tubbs Bearing Surface (ogive) checker is actually the Buhay checker made by John Buhay in PA.

Both are very good tools and available either directly from both or at www.Rwhart.com also.

BH

 

[new shooter]

Wildcat i will take 408 tti brass tubbs equipment also. call me 406-270 3791 or e- mail me fishing @ polson.net thamks joe