Reloading equipment

[Guest]

Hi,
For the "How To" on reloading, get the Precision Shooting "Reloading Guide", available from Cabelas for about $30. It will tell you the ins and outs of precision ammo building. It covers the different presses, neck turning, etc., and gives you the when and whys.

Hope this helps.
C'ya. John.

 

[Coyoter]

Essentially, when using a threaded die, there's too much slop in the mateing of the die and the press for them to be alligned "perfectly" by simply screwing the die in and locking it down. By measuring the neck runout first to insure you're starting out with little to no neck runout, you can find out if your die is making things worse. Find the high spot on the case neck (if there is one) and mark it with a marker on the body of the case. Try to find a repeatable spot to line the index mark up with on your shell holder and then neck size the case. Remeasure the case neck. If it has the same amount of runout in the same place, you're good. If it has more runout, or the runout it has is in a different place, back the die out of the press, rotate the locking collar an eight of a turn or so. Lock it down and thread the die back into the press. Grab a new piece of brass, and repeat the process. The Hornady style locking rings are perfect for this... They clamp to the threads, rather than dig into them. I wish Redding would get their act together and send the dies with that type of collar. Anyway, keep futzing with it untill you get thing aligned. If manipulating the die doesn't get the job done, you can try rotating the shell holder too. My .243 IMP cases and die require the die to be in just such a spot, and the shell holder too. When they're where they need to be though, I'm getting consistant .0005" bullet runout and very tight groups as a result. Did I mention it doesn't hurt to do the same procedure with your seating die?
Hope this clears thing up a bit. If not, let me know.
Coyoter

 

[Nicholas]

I understand now, thanks for clearing that up Coyoter. How long does it usually take you to find the right spot?

 

[Nicholas]

I just ordered to good reloading guides from sinclair, thanks.

 

[Coyoter]

With my Redding Comps, less than an hour per die. Understanding that involves alot of B.S.ing with WyoJeepeer and a few other distractions along the way. If you put your mind to the task, probably 20 minutes per die.
One thing I should have mentioned earlier... If you're using a full lenght die, it's all for naught. The body sizer part of the die will align the case with the neck part of the die and if the neck part of the die is imparting .002" neck runout, the only cure is to buy a different die. ie, it took me $300+ to find out that my RCBS neck die was puting .008" neck runout into my cases for .012" bullet runout and I couldn't hit the ground with a bullet if I aimed farther than 3' from my feet! OK, maybe not that bad, but you should have seen my targets.
Coyoter
Better Shirley?

[ 01-09-2002: Message edited by: Coyoter ]

 

[Guest]

Darn, Coyoter,
After all the beer we drank together.
"Wyo" as in Wyoming.
"Jeep" as in my nickname.
"Peer" as in my last name.
That's TWO "E"s in Jeep and the same in peer.
LOP! (inside joke).

Hey, Len, How do you change your handle on this board?

I think I want to change it to something masculine like Shirley.

Ya'all take care.
C'ya. John.

 

[Len Backus]

I don't blame you for wanting to change it!

With this software you simply can't. But---you could create a new membership and I could delete the old one.

 

[rlipson]

Ok folks, I posted a bunch of pictures of my toy room here for your review!

ENJOY!
http://photos.yahoo.com/rlipson_2000

Look in the "my photos" folder...

[ 01-17-2002: Message edited by: rogerinneb ]

 

[Nicholas]

Very nice setup! Lots of neat toys Roger. I noticed you have 3 different reloading presses (Forster, Redding Boss, and something else) What do you use each press for?

 

[rlipson]

sr90,

Thanks, I was going to put a little fridge in there to go with my TV, but my wife was afraid I'd never come out...

On the presses, I started out with the Hornady Pro-jecter progressive press at the far right of my bench, because of course I thought that was a must have. I pretty much leave it set up for adding powder and seating bullets for my .223 prairie dog rounds. As I learned more about ACCURATE reloading, I realized there isn't much that a progressive press is good for except pistol loading.

I rely heavily on the CoAx. I wouldn't be without one, really. The other is an older Hornady O press that I inhereted from a friend. I have it mounted to a board so I can C clamp it or store it. My kids like to help me load, so my younger ones de-cap using that press with a universal de-capper. I also use it for 45-70 work since you have to flip the universal shell holder on the CO-AX. Not hard to do, but I'm lazy.

I'm intrigued witht using the C press for the idea of making a portable powder/bullet seating rig for using at the range. Got the idea from the "bench tips" on the CED chrono site.

One thing I really like is the Midway gun cradle set up on the WorkMate..it's in the center of the room. It gives me a place to work on a rifle, clean it, etc. without taking up bench space. Plus, I can work my cleaning rod from squarely behind the gun, at waist level. This helps ensure that I'm not bowing the rods.

Roger

[ 01-18-2002: Message edited by: rogerinneb ]

 

[Guest]

I started out almost 40 yrs ago with a Pacific press and their dies, scale. etc. Now I use a Sinclair arbor press,Wilson,Neil Jones dies, Bruno powder measure, Neilson neck turner,K&M primer tool,RCBS scale,Harrell press and Redding type S die. I load for almost 50 rifles from 17mach1V to a 30-338 with hand dies and I also load for a 45-70 and 38-55 plus 38 spl and 45. With the Neil Jones dies instead of full lenght sizing you can just bump the shoulder back. It took me alot of years and money to purchase all the loading equipment and learn how to use it I have now. To start out an RCBS package deal is good for the first time loader. I'd stay away from the Co-Ax press also get a Bonanza case trimmer and I would get Redding type S dies with a sizer and the package deals come with scales and just about all you need to get started. If you move up the ladder in loading like hand dies etc you will need most of what you have anyway. When you get into the hand dis etc it's good to have someone show you how to use all the equipment you don't want to get into a trial and error thing. One of the ways I learned was to go to a BR match and most of those guys will help you if asked. I don't shoot BR but wanted to learn to reload better and tailor my loads for each rifle. If I can be of any help let me know!
Tom

 

[rlipson]

Tom,

Out of curiosity, what don't you like about the CoAx?

I always wanted to try Neil Jones arbor dies. I bought an AR-15 bore guide and rods from him years ago. I always follow stainless rods vs. coated rod debates, I remember calling Neil and being convinced! I don't have a bore scope, but so far I don't regret using stainless rods.

Roger

 

[No Fear in Accuracy]

Fullsize dies and neck size dies

Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought when you purchase a new case and fired once. You will need a fullsize die. When you fire again and the case will expand to fit perfectly to the chamber therefore you may not need the fullsize die, just use a neck size die. Does it depend on how much the case/brass stretch?

Thanks,
-DG

 

[milanuk]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Fullsize dies and neck size dies

Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought when you purchase a new case and fired once. You will need a fullsize die. When you fire again and the case will expand to fit perfectly to the chamber therefore you may not need the fullsize die, just use a neck size die. Does it depend on how much the case/brass stretch? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

From what I've read, yes. Eventually cases are supposed to need the shoulder 'bumped' back w/ a full-length die. I have about 3-4 loadings so far on my Hornady .220 Swift brass, and don't see the need yet...

Another reason that full-length dies are some times better than neck-sizing is that in the modern world of mass production CNC machining, some manufacturers still don't always get the chambers right in factory guns. If you have a less than concentric chamber (say, the neck is a little off center, or maybe oval), not a lot, but just enough, it can throw you fits when it comes time to neck-size/partial full-length size that brass. You would be only correcting the size of the neck, but your brass would now be crooked or off-center, just like your chamber. Unless your brass gets indexed to exactly the same point in the chamber, i.e. right-side up so to speak, it's going to be wedging in there and putting adverse forces at work on your brass. In that case, you might be better off to either a) get a new chamber ;p or b) full-length resize so tha your brass gets reset to the proper dimensions every time. Not a perfect fix, but kinda makes the best of a bad situation.

HTH,

Monte