Recent content by Katbird

I am not from Texas, but when we go there to visit our daughter, everything we see is branded with the Lone Star. I have to say it's Texas.

Enter Me In The Nikon Scope Contest

If this is your first venture into bedding, I would recommend Acraglass gel. It is easy to work with and is a proven bedding material.

A ball tube micrometer, especially if you are going to neck turn. You can check the brass thickness at various locations on the case.

I forgot to mention that partial full length resizing can introduce another variable to your load. The further you back the sizing die away from the press, the less the case is supported by the die. You can easily get out-of-concentric loads. You have to start watching more carefully for runout.

I'm with britz. Get a bolt action, preferably a single shot. And get one that fits. Chipmunk or whatever. Just make sure it fits the shooter. Your 7 year old will enjoy shooting more if the rifle fits. Learning to shoot properly requires all concentration to be on that one shot. You can...

Averaging three 5 shot groups is what most use to determine the rifle's accuracy potential. Statistically, that really isn't enough of a sample, but it is probably the most practical. Unfortunately, it is possible that your groups may not really be all over the place. Get your barrel down to a...

The chamber is obviously much bigger than unfired brass. Part of the energy in your fireform loads was spent just blowing the brass out to fill the chamber. You now have a slightly larger capacity case if you neck size-only. You can probably add a tad more powder to your load, but work up...

I use Wilson Dies and Sinclair arbor press for all calibers 6mm and smaller. It doesn't get any better than that.

There are no dumb questions. They keep us from actually doing dumb things. You can't neck size with a full length sizing die without also partially resizing the case, but you can size the case less by backing out the die until only about 3/4 of the neck is sized. Screw your full length...

I buy brass in large quantities and full length size, trim to uniform length, uniform primer pockets, deburr flash holes, and sort into groups by weight within 1 1/2%. Then I measure for variation in neck wall thickness with a ball tube micrometer and cull brass that is not reasonably uniform...

When working up new loads, this is my philosophy. Good barrel, good bedding, and good bullets are the three most important factors in accuracy. Many other things count, but those are the most critical for starters. Assuming the barrel and bedding are up to snuff, bullet selection is your next...

More than likely, there was a "trap door" of brass covering the flash hole that didn't get punched out all the way when the case was manufactured. That is what your decapping rod hit.

Be advised that there is normally a lot of play in the chamber of a factory magnum cartridge. The initial fireform can stretch brass to the point of nearing a case head separation. I always use new brass and open up the case neck to .308 and neck back down to 7mm slowly until there is a crush...

A little longer than 22" will buy you an insignificant increase in velocity, but becomes a little less handy. A little shorter than 22" will cost you an insignificant decrease in velocity that no game or target will notice. If your purpose for the rifle is hunting, I think 22" is perfect for a...