A deeper dive into reloading

[southernfella]

I come to this site often looking for tips and there seems to be a lot of knowledgeable folks posting here, can anybody direct me to some good resources for understanding and applying techniques for reloading?

I've been working up a load for my 45-70 and getting decent results, now I have a nice 6.5PRC I'd like to work up a load for as well but I don't really know how to gauge what seating depth or jump I want or how it affects the node.

Side note: does anybody have experience loading for the new marlin 1895SBL? Mine will shoot the same hole with dusty boxes of rem 405gr core-lokt but opens up to about 1.5in @100 with Leverevolution 325gr FTX. I like the softer recoiling rounds as I plan to use it for a bear gun and I find it way easier to shoot fast but I want to be able to reach out a little. Could this also be a seating depth or powder charge issue? This was with factory but I have components.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[cohunt]

I've not had luck with factory leverevoloution ammo-- but I've changed powder charges and found great loads with ftx bullets
On a side note, factory corelok seems to shoot about moa with every gun I've ever tried it in.
In lever guns you'll need to roll crimp bullets too. How much you crimp can affect accuracy too
Powder charge, seating depth, type of powder, primer, case prep, roll crimp, neck tension, can all affect accuracy.
As far as seating depth, I'd buy something like the hornady comparator to figure out the seating depth limits of your gun,-- iirc- they make a 90 degree one for lever guns, or you can remove the bolt and use the straight one.

It's a rabbit hole from here, jump in with both feet and have fun!

 

[Backwoods towny]

Welcome from PA.

 

[Elliott Fitchett]

hooo boy.
reloading... I use redding s bushing dies to set neck tension. I like to shoot .20 caliber. I have a 20 vartarg turbo that is an absolute laser out to about 500 yards with only 18 grains of powder.
learn to love the ladder test.
find the right bullet, powder, primer and cases for your rifle and barrel.

then load and shoot and keep accurate information.
every one of my rifles has a book that i use to keep load information in. what load is good, what load is bad.
i'm a novice though.

 

[nksmfamjp]

nice 6.5PRC I'd like to work up a load for as well but I don't really know how to gauge what seating depth or jump I want or how it affects the node.

What rifle is it? Can you disassemble the bolt?

The easiest way to set your OAL is simply to measure base to tip and set the same as your load data says. This is typically good enough, but hardly something you can tune with.

The next step is seating long enough that a stripped bolt won't close. The, shorten until the bolt closes and you don't feel the primary extraction cam upon opening. Then you have a max length round from base to ogive..max CBTO. You can measure tip to base, but you will find more consistency with the Sinclair or Hornady tools.

Then, once you find max, I think you are going to need to do some testing to find ideal length in your gun.

I like to target where the rear of the bearing surface is even with the bottom of the neck. Often the throat and/or magazíne are too short for this. I don't like to be right up against the lands in most hunting or monolithic loads. I like to be off the throat/lands by about 0.020".

Tip: you don't need micrometer dies. They are mostly a waste of money, except that sometimes the incorporate sliding sleeves and other aligning features.

If you don't have a die set, I would strongly suggest Forster or Hornady dies. Forster being the best dies available, IME.

 

[crystalgayleguy]

Welcome and greetings from North of the dfw texas area glad to have you on board this is an awesome forum you'll love it too

 

[southernfella]

What rifle is it? Can you disassemble the bolt?

The easiest way to set your OAL is simply to measure base to tip and set the same as your load data says. This is typically good enough, but hardly something you can tune with.

The next step is seating long enough that a stripped bolt won't close. The, shorten until the bolt closes and you don't feel the primary extraction cam upon opening. Then you have a max length round from base to ogive..max CBTO. You can measure tip to base, but you will find more consistency with the Sinclair or Hornady tools.

Then, once you find max, I think you are going to need to do some testing to find ideal length in your gun.

I like to target where the rear of the bearing surface is even with the bottom of the neck. Often the throat and/or magazíne are too short for this. I don't like to be right up against the lands in most hunting or monolithic loads. I like to be off the throat/lands by about 0.020".

Tip: you don't need micrometer dies. They are mostly a waste of money, except that sometimes the incorporate sliding sleeves and other aligning features.

If you don't have a die set, I would strongly suggest Forster or Hornady dies. Forster being the best dies available, IME.

It's nothing fancy but it sure is shiny, it's a Savage 110 ultralight with a proof barrel on it. I actually haven't even been home to open the box and clean it yet but the bolt should strip. From what I've read the mag will definitely be a starting max for COAL but I'm not sure how to determine whether to seat deeper or not when I'm taking results on paper.

Find a powder charge that seems suitable then change depth in both directions until groups tighten up?

 

[southernfella]

hooo boy.
reloading... I use redding s bushing dies to set neck tension. I like to shoot .20 caliber. I have a 20 vartarg turbo that is an absolute laser out to about 500 yards with only 18 grains of powder.
learn to love the ladder test.
find the right bullet, powder, primer and cases for your rifle and barrel.

then load and shoot and keep accurate information.
every one of my rifles has a book that i use to keep load information in. what load is good, what load is bad.
i'm a novice though.

I'll definitely be keeping records! Thanks for the tip+

 

[Chadp82]

I would recommend starting at SAAMI OAL.

Settle on a bullet and powder first. Then worry about seating depth at a later stage.

Only change one variable at a time.

 

[sable tireur]

can anybody direct me to some good resources for understanding and applying techniques for reloading?

While there are dozens of videos on YouTube about reloading, they are difficult to use when having to watch some of the information repeatedly.

Good or rather best manuals written on the subject of accurate reloading can be worth their weight in gold for a ready reference on your reloading bench.

This one is highly recommended and reasonably priced:

Amazon product ASIN 1571573712
Handloading for Competition Making the Target Bigger. Paperback – January 1, 2002 by Glen D. Zediker (Author)

https://www.abebooks.com/9780962692598/Handloading-Competition-Making-Target-Bigger-096269259X/plp

From a manual costing $34.95, this volume has rocketed in cost since the death of Zediker. Amazon lists it at $209+ but other vendors have lightly used volumes at $109+. Try a search starting with Abe Books, it's worth the effort.

Remember to always keep records of your work and the targets shot.

Enjoy the process!

 

[nksmfamjp]

It's nothing fancy but it sure is shiny, it's a Savage 110 ultralight with a proof barrel on it. I actually haven't even been home to open the box and clean it yet but the bolt should strip. From what I've read the mag will definitely be a starting max for COAL but I'm not sure how to determine whether to seat deeper or not when I'm taking results on paper.

Find a powder charge that seems suitable then change depth in both directions until groups tighten up?

The Savage is a good rifle.

I'm not sure about new ones, but the bolt can be disassembled with a big Allen wrench…..you will want a moderate torque screwdriver to reassemble. I use locktite on it because the bolt is way oversized and nut way to thin to get much clamp load.

I have paid to true and time a Savage, but I'm not sure it is required. I would avoid all the bolt lift kits….in general I'm not sure they smooth things up much.

I usually set at something experience tells me will shoot. Adjust charge weight until Sd is minimized or good enough. Then try adjusting seating depth as a final tune. Often times a good load gets little out of seating depth and a bad load never gets anything repeatable out of it… there is still value in adjusting it.

 

[Critter Picker]

A side note on your 45-70 loads,case length or variation in case length greatly affects crimp. Trim all cases to uniform length before loading.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I come to this site often looking for tips and there seems to be a lot of knowledgeable folks posting here, can anybody direct me to some good resources for understanding and applying techniques for reloading?

Here is one of MANY good videos on basic/precision reloading techniques. It provides an understanding of the terminology and some basic principals of measuring & reloading ammo.


Reloading A-Z

 

[birddog 68]

You tube videos can be hit or miss in my opinion. Every reloader should have at least one or two reloading manuals. These not only give you powder options for different bullet weights but also COAL. There's much information about basic reloading up to advanced techniques at the front pages of reloading manuals and shouldn't be skipped over.
Welcome to the forum, be safe and shoot straight.