Recent content by HBoothe

I have and use the Hornady collet-style bullet puller and like it fine. You may have an easier time finding the collects for it. I seem to recall it was fairly inexpensive. I have an inertial bullet puller and it works. But I have to whack the snot out of it to get the bullets out, it's not...

Yes, you do. If nothing else it can help you identify how consistent your loads are shooting (ES and SD of MV). It's nice to see how much MV you give up (or gain) as you adjust powder. It's one way of measuring the performance of your load. Short of a strain gauge, it is, in my opinion...

A thought: is it possible that the "pellet" of composition in the primers is either getting damaged during seating or other handling operation (like loading a primer tube on the press)? Someone suggested trying a hand primer to be sure they are seated fully. I think that's a good idea. Seat some...

FWIW: In this time of component scarcity, choosing a weapon that has the highest likelihood of finding ammunition/components would seem to be the prudent choice. I don't think that, in practical terms for hunting, either of those cartridges will be significantly better ballistically than the...

FWIW: I was "annealing" brass the way you describe. I had some problems with: 1) overheat and shrivel brass, 2) overheat and anneal the case head (blown primers, supah loose primer pockets), 3) very inconsistent results. I have an Annealeez now. Why I'm annealing my brass: I have a 6.5...

I can't stop laughing... So well said... --HC

I called the folks @ Lee about 3 weeks ago. Lovely to speak with, as always, COVID crap or no. Got what I needed and got it fast. Just sayin' --HC

Longer barrels can give greater velocity for a given load. But shorter barrels usually give tighter groups. The point behind me cutting this barrel down that I have is to see what the FPS cost per inch is. With the 6.5 Grendel, FPS drops about 25fps/inch in the 16-20" range. Not worth the extra...

I'm glad I got it right. Good guy to deal with. I like to pass along positive experiences when I can. Not gonna get any garbage from me about taking that for elk. Especially as a backup rifle. With the right bullet and careful aim, you should be fine, particularly at those "short" ranges...

*IF* I am recalling correctly, the 6mm Predator is made by the guy w AR15Performance.com. I have one. It shoots fast (high MV for load data) and it shoots very well (consistent groups). The only thing for me is that the barrel I have is 22", not useful as a run-and-gun AR. But the barrel I got...

I have received all the components now. I have dies (direct from Lee), 2 Green Mountain 1:7.5 barrel blanks, the reamer, and a GO gauge. Still no barrel from CMMG. Day before yesterday I cut the chamber on the barrel and affixed the barrel extension for the AR-15 platform. I have finished...

FWIW...this isn't the Gospel. I had a Sightmark something or another. I liked it fine and it was about $700. I had an ATN XSight 2...it sucked something awful and the company didn't care to hear about the problems I had when I called them so I sent it back supah quick. I have thermals now...

I did that. I had a pistol I bought just to put a suppressor on it and still waited 2 years to get the ball rolling. Meh, that's about my speed. You'll be hard pressed to complain about having a .30 cal rifle suppressor as you can use it on that caliber and down (various cartridges may exceed...

David Emerson said it: maybe die too long. My story, short form: Radical Firearms (Latin for ***), 6.5 Grendel. Tough to chamber Hornady factory ammo. Gsmith touched up chamber, fixed. Still tough to chamber reloads. Die set properly, slight cam over on press. Not quite sized properly per case...

I tried to find answers a few years ago when, as a middle-aged adult, I got into centerfire rifles. Jeez, what a quagmire. Guys buy something and it instantly the best ever. Their cartridge choice is "the best" cartridge. The applications for and the actual application of a firearm vary so...