To Re-Load or Not???

[storeyteller]

Nice.
Here is a 5 shot group with 69gr SMK's over Varget from the sportie. Always seem to pull that 5th shot though. Think I may have discovered 'shot group fever'.

 

[philevans]

I'm a Varget man as well, but have tried IMR4895 H335 and Benchmark. Some of 'em do better with certian wt. bullets but not others. Varget will git 'er done with all of 'em though. Just wondering if the CFE223 was getting good groups and with what bullets. I would much rather clean a little more after shootin' bullet holes in bullet holes than clean a little less and have >MOA groups. Groups are what I'm after! If I wanted my gun to stay clean, I'd leave it in the case.

with cfe around 1-1.25moa or larger, using 55-69gr bullets; a-max, nosler custom com 69gr, sierra 60gr mk, and others.
shooting now mostly nosler 69gr as i got 1k with club order at ~ half price. i've attained best moa's with 55gr hornaday a-max - but still experimenting.
my sport barrel seems to clean up easily with homeward bound squirt of clp, then bore snake at home.
some at our range keep anal notes, and swear by ar comp when we informally shoot on tuesday and then the following tuesday they swear by reloader 15.

 

[storeyteller]

Thanks Phil. That's what I wanted to know.

 

[GMC man]

I just bought 2000 more Winchester 55 grain BT's from midway at .10 a round. they seem to shoot well in my sport and a good price so I think I will stick with them until something better comes along

I am reloading all day today I have about 600 rounds to reload right now and I am keeping the 25 grains of CFE 223 in them.

 

[Maddmax]

For instance it has a chart that tells you how much powder fits in what size of lee dipper and it has a lot of powders listed.

I never use/rely on a dipper so to speak. Never cared for them. I have an adjustable powder drop on my C&H press that gets super close with any powder. I only use it to fill the scale "cup" to get the grain weight close and then use my powder trickle to to bring it to the EXACT grain weight I'm shooting. It's time consuming,but it also gives me excellent groups when shooting. After going that route for powder measuring my groups tightened up dramaticly. If I don't trickle to a knats arse and just us the powder drop (save time),my groups open up.

 

[GMC man]

I am using the Lee Precision 90058 Perfect Powder Measurer (Red) and a digital scale. after cal the first 25 grains. I check after the 50th drop and it seems to drift sometimes by .2 grains but I don't think that's to bad.

and Im using CFE223 which of course wasn't listed so I went with the old fashioned drop and weigh until I got it on target lol.

 

[oneyeopn]

Ok this is how I load them and I do not recommend my loads for anyone else but with 55gr bullet I am pushing 26.8 gr, with my 68gr BTHP Match bullets I am running 25.5gr and I havent decided on the 75gr Amax yet. Out of my rifles and the distances I shoot, I find that a little extra velocity pays off. I do like the CFE223, I have tried with IMR4895, it was ok but with the CFE I get a little more velocity with less chamber pressure, I have been using the IMR4895 on my 308 rounds but when I run out they are going to the CFE. I do like the extra velocity with less pressure. I also shoot a lot of lever actions and I have found the CFE matches up to the new LeveRevolution powder. I like having one powder that gives me great performance out of all my rifles, you just have to play with it to figure out what loads work for you. I dont notice the copper fouling but I never really have.

 

[storeyteller]

I use the lee ppm or lyman #55 and powder trickle if needed for most of my loading, but have recently started stacking 2 disks on my pistol disk charger to load for the sport. It's working pretty good so far and really saves time as well.

 

[BHarada]

Guess who just primed 100 .223 cases before resizing them? Doh!

They have since been decapped (carefully to save the primers for reuse), resized and are now tumbling.

I guess I just wanted to spend some extra quality time at the reloading bench today. haha

 

[oneyeopn]

Now I dont feel so bad, I had tumbled about 130 cases and primed them before looking at the primer holes for walnut shells in them. I only had to deprime about 49 and reprime. I used my universal deprimer but shoved walnut shells into most of the primers so I couldnt use them again. too busy thinking about deer hunting...focus focus focus!!!
I use the Lee PPM and once I get it set using CFE223 it doesnt really vary much. I do check loads along the way and visually check every load. My loads all turn out within +/- .1 gr.

 

[GMC man]

Since I switched over to the pet stores zilla lizard small crushed walnut shells I dont have to worry about shells sticking in the primer holes but I do have to make sure I knock the shells hard to get all the little bits out of the shells. I tried something new I think I read here after resizing and decapping I place the shells in rubbing alcohol to clean the lube off then let them dry for a hour, then clean the primer hole and trim and then into the polish for a final turn before priming. what do you guys think?

 

[Twoboxer]

. . . I tried something new I think I read here after resizing and decapping I place the shells in rubbing alcohol to clean the lube off then let them dry for a hour, then clean the primer hole and trim and then into the polish for a final turn before priming. what do you guys think?

Seems like an extra step to me. What benefit do you see?

 

[oneyeopn]

I will bet you get way prettier brass, I sometimes run mine through the dishwasher in a woman's delicates laundry bag I have for that purpose, I tend the think that the case lube shortens the life of my media? But I dont know just a theory of mine.

 

[storeyteller]

I was taught many years ago not to tumble after decapping. Said it would enlarge the primer pockets. I see that many of you are doing it though. Wondering if anyone else has heard this and if any of you who are doing it have seen any problems with it?

 

[GMC man]

Seems like an extra step to me. What benefit do you see?

It seems to keep the media a lot cleaner and it also helps remove the burned powder residue from inside and makes the brass easier to hold for cleaning the pocket and trimming plus being quicker to be ready to finish prepping. I don't really need to tumble and polish at the end but it makes the brass really shinny.

I havent seen any problems with the primer hole enlarging yet but I have only reloaded 900 rounds so far.

 

[oneyeopn]

I havent had any problems with the primer pockets enlarging, I still have to clean them out when I am done usually, I dont have any signs of the primers trying to come out or leakage around them. It could be an old wives tale but I am no expert. I do know my primers still fit pretty tightly in their holes. I loaded 100 68gr BTHP Match today and 20 75gr Amax's today. I loaded the A-max's at the 2.390 length and cant hardly wait to check them out, I also did I light factory crimp on them. I bought a box of 100 of the 75gr bullets but am going to play with them to figure out what the best load will be for me.

p.s. after seeing how they are shaped and pointy they are I can see why their B.C. is well over .4

 

[storeyteller]

Those 75's sure are pretty. Like a work of art! Let us know how they do and post pics.

 

[oneyeopn]

Those 75's sure are pretty. Like a work of art! Let us know how they do and post pics.

I was doing some ballistics calculations using Hornady's ballistic calculator, their numbers say that I dont get any real wind drift with these bullets. Is that so? Also on yours can you tell me what the muzzle velocity is? I want to compare to mine and see what I come up with. According to my loads I should be just under 2800fps, but everyone knows I am crazy and I have found I get the best results between 2800 and 3100fps with my reloads generally, although I do have a box of 53gr A-max that I pushed a little faster and they run great.

It is muzzle loader season and I will be taking my nephew out with my muzzle loaders deer hunting. I am not sure when I will get the chance to shoot the 75's yet. But for those who havent seen them here are a couple of pics of a 75 Amax next to a 53 Amax, plus one of the black powder rifles.

 

[storeyteller]

I didn't chrony any of the 75's so got no data for ya. I will do some when I get back though and we can compare. You already know this, but I'm gonna say it anyway; work 'em up slowly. Every bullet drifts, even the high BC 6.5mm 142's I shoot, just not nearly as much as some of the smaller, lower BC bullets.

Here is my reloading area.

 

[oneyeopn]

OK, seeing as everyone else is showing the reloading benches here is a pic of my "mini" reloading bench. It is positioned in our Bedroom/computer/reloading/gun & guitar room. Our house is 835sqft, it in a former life was a 2 1/2 car detached garage. We are on a little over 3 acres, read all of this as "no mortgage". We built it out of pocket and it is super energy efficient, but there is a small lack of space throughout the house. My components and powder are stored in our closet. So when you laugh at my gun pictures on my cleaning bench (bed) know that I laugh with you.