the perfect reloading set up...everything

Nobama

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Oct 15, 2015
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Wyoming
If you were to build the perfect reloading set up...what would you assemble to build the prefect cartridge...
 
  • Brass Prep: Everything Forster. Coax Press, Original or classic Trimmer with Neck Turner, Chamfer and Debur tool. Except primer pocket cleaning and uniforming, use RCBS
  • Dies: Forster for body, full length and bullet seating, Lee Collet for neck.
  • Lube: RCBS pad with Forsters lube.
  • Scale: RCBS Chargemaster 1500 with tuning
  • Tumbler: If virabtory, Lyman Turbo, if stainless steel pins Thumbler.
  • Annealing: Annealeez

I may have missed some.
 
I second jf though i will add that my precision long range ammo gets a secondary weight check on a beam scale. I have had electronic scales drift sometimes.

I also prefer imperial size wax.

I like sinclair bullet and shoulder inserts for the comparators on a good set of calipers.

Hornady oal tool to measure the lands.
 
  • Brass Prep: Everything Forster. Coax Press, Original or classic Trimmer with Neck Turner, Chamfer and Debur tool. Except primer pocket cleaning and uniforming, use RCBS
  • Dies: Forster for body, full length and bullet seating, Lee Collet for neck.
  • Lube: RCBS pad with Forsters lube.
  • Scale: RCBS Chargemaster 1500 with tuning
  • Tumbler: If virabtory, Lyman Turbo, if stainless steel pins Thumbler.
  • Annealing: Annealeez

I may have missed some.

I would make one change, and add a small handful of other pieces.

* I'd use a Wilson case trimmer, and buy a NECO case gauge setup with a good quality .0005" indicator. Also a good pair of digital caliper, plus a good 1" micrometer for starters. Down the road I'd add a small hole gauge set to measure case I.D.'s. Get the one with the flat bottomed face as you'll soon find other uses for it.

* now as complete as your system is, I also see some failures. You can't load at the range with it! <g> I like to do load development at the range, as it's cheaper and also pretty easy. Here I would use Wilson inline dies, and an arbor press (K&M is a good one). You'll need a battery powered scale or a beam scale (I prefer both). You'll also want a neck turner to use with the Wilson dies. Once again the K&M is the standard others are measured against. I'd also recommend the K&M priming tool. For a thrower (powder), I'd at least buy a Lyman #55 and an RCBS trickler. The Harrell is better, but only with ball powders. A tricked out Lyman is better than 97% of the others and still comes in cheaper. Just remember the Harrell measures via clicks, and you want to keep a good log book on your load data.

I'd also recommend a good primer pocket tool. I like the K&M, but wish it were about .00075" smaller in diameter. Also get your hands on an electric screw driver to use with it.
gary
 
I'm going co ax press
I like what I hear about at redding "S" comp dies...
You guy's have brought up a whole new round of research, brands I had not thought of...it's in the details...
 
I'm going co ax press
I like what I hear about at redding "S" comp dies...
You guy's have brought up a whole new round of research, brands I had not thought of...it's in the details...

no better than the Forster for a lot more money. You want better than the Forster, then the next move is Wilson. Even then your maybe going to gain .0005" at best. You start out with strait cases, and the seater will work if it's a Forster (or a Redding clone).

I'd pretty much forget about neck sizing unless you've done it in the past. Plus it's a waste of time in a factory chamber, but with a couple of exceptions.

gary
 
In my reloading room at home I have two co-ax presses with shellholder housings I designed and built.

But I just got home last night from hunting 900 miles from here. I was reloading in my back seat. That was with two little RCBS partner presses that are just Aluminum castings.

I set up a rifle vise on my tail gate and cleaned the rifles there. I stayed out in the sage brush and shot and shot. I had a jug of IMR4166 powder that is temp compensated and Copper fouling resistant.

I did get Forster to make me a 6.5-06 FL die from a 25-06 die. They charged me for double honing.
I did get Lee to make me a 6.5-06 collet neck die from a 270 die. The charged me triple mandrel reduction.
 

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Rock chucker press for sizing
21st century hydro arbor press for bullet seating by seating force
21st Century neck turning station
RCBS charge master for initial throw
AD FX-120i for weighing to the kernel-----A Prometheus II would replace both
Giraud trimmer with meplat trimming attachments
Giraud Annealer
Hoover Bullet pointing system
Redding bushing dies and Forster fl dies with raised expanders
 
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