To Re-Load or Not???

[oneyeopn]

what is your best OAL for loading Nosler varmageddon 55 gr ?

I load to 2.225 to 2.230 OAL for the Varmageddon HP's for the Tipped I load to 2.250+/- a few thousandths. That works for me!

 

[GMC man]

I tested my first .300 blackout rounds out today that I hand loaded and the Hornady book says I should be at 2050 and I avg 2030 so I will decrease the COL a little.

the Book data says 22 grains of accurate 1680 with 150 grain Hornady round at a COL of 2.220.
Mine was 22 grains of accurate 1680 with 147 grain M80 round at a COL of 2.220.

The blackout version of the 15 is even more accurate then my 15-5.56 I would have saved the target but it got soaked . She doesn't kick as sharp but with a bit more authority, you can tell the difference for sure.
here's a pic of me I'm in the heavy grey coat lol
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums...128F0EEA-922-0000004E7035230F_zpsf4da9716.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/cDlZVtJ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KcmFvQt.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/STeTUaV.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/b0d3UPx.jpg?1

 

[BHarada]

Grafs has gotten some Alliant powders in. So being the Alliant fanboy that I am I ordered some Reloader 10X, Pro Varmint, and AR-Comp. Of the three only AR-Comp is listed by Alliant as an all around bullet powder (52gr – 90 gr bullets). The other two are for bullets 55 gr or lighter.

I should be getting it by the end of March. By then I should have gotten the 50 and 60 gr V-MAX bullets from them as well.

 

[stavman11]

Its Tuesday Range Day..

Testing some more loads and FINALLY got my Big red Truck Back... 94' Powerstroke Crew Cab.... So can REALLY load up stuff

When I get home i am going to process some 5.56 Brass... Try my new primer pocket reaming Process and see if it works better.

Looks like I am closer to 2000 Brass now.. Still not one split Case....

Should be a Fun 70deg day today

be safe all

 

[BHarada]

Update to my reloading setup...

Got my new Lee Classic Cast press today along with a Chinese knockoff .001g (.02gr) digital scale. Unlike the pocket scale I bought to weigh the Armscor bullets, this one can actually accurately update while trickling powder into the pan.

My old press will serve secondary duties which will make up for not buying the turret press.

 

[stavman11]

Had a Really fun day out Shooting on Tuesday... Big Red LOVED the desert... long Time since he was out there..

So did a few fun things... But seems i am getting my Bushnell 6-24 scope dialed in.. or maybe just me...LOL

This is at 100yds, Laying Down with my Bi-Pod, No wind
1st Group is the independence 5.56 Rounds... not Bad really (disregards Strays on Far left) 2 way low show the inconsistance of the rds, but still was able to get 3 in the RED

Next is my Loads, Hornady 55gr FMJ-BT with WC844 Powder...
Same situation but probobly a 7mph R-L wind... Buy really moved the Lead to the left... Still got 1 in red , wind musta died for a second..LOL... but still grouping was pretty good

then I placed a Gong out at 200yds and some pop cans..... Man That is Fun.... Next trip Moving the Gong out to 300+yds and see how i do... Cept my Knee hurts from all that walking...

Also found out my S&W .357 Rear site was low.. Fixed that.. Spent a lot of rounds on handguns and accuracy... Seemed to really help alot. and got pretty good with my XDM 9mm..

I tell Ya my Buckmark .22 is STUPID accurate with open Sites.... Really Fun Gun...

Now I need ta sit down and Load some Brass... stop shooting all my factory rounds....LOL

Mixing up the Guns, types, Games and Skill tests makes for a Nice 4hr Day in the sun....

Now off to Cabelas ta see what they gots... and off to the Shop to play with RC cars

..............

 

[zip777]

Good deal! Those hand loads really made a difference!

.....and now I feel much better about my shooting during that 35 mph crosswind! lol

Glad you had a good time!

 

[stavman11]

So just loaded some new rounds... also Trying my NEW Primer pocket Reaming Technique...

Got a 5/8 Chamfer bit from Home Depot.... saw this on youTube... works Great.... Takes the crimp off Fast...and clean....

Tried the Pocket Uniformer and the entire Lyman case care Kit and didnt do squat but clean it up..... so after about $75 on various Items... the Chamfer bit is the Bomb Diggity for sure..

So finishing up loading about 50rds... then gunna deprime a few Hundred NEW 1 shot 5.56 Brass.... Then Ream em.... and clean em.....

Lots of Brass now for Sure...

Left to right
Dirty 1 shot 5.56.... Clean ready to De-Prime 5.56 Brass
Clean ready to De-Prime 5-8 shot .223 Brass...
and a Bunch of 9mm, .357, .38S Brass

 

[stavman11]

Very Productive day yesterday..

Prepped, De Primed, then cleaned again about 260 .223 Brass
Then Loaded 160rds

Prepped, De Primed, then cleaned again about 220 5.56 Brass
then Reamed about 50 primer pockets with the Chamfer Bit and Loaded about 20.... all where like Butter.. so I then went thru all the PMC .223 Brass and Reamed them as well since some of those seemed a bit tight when priming

ill try and get the rest of the 5.56 Reamed and ready ta Load..

so all in all went thru about 700 brass yesterday...

Fun Times...

 

[Stimpy]

New guy here to the reloading part of life, and this thread has been a great source of information!. I've got an Hornady AP press outfitted for both .223 and 9mm. I have the die's pretty much setup except for the powder measure and how much poweder it will drop. Just need to take the time to finish that part of the setup and I'm ready to go.

I'm in the process of collecting supplies and have about 4k 9mm brass and just under 2k .223 de-primed, cleaned and ready to go. The .223 are all non-crimped brass.

I can find both crimped and non-crimped .223 brass. The non-crimped is a couple dollars more. Is it worth getting the crimped brass for less, but having to do more prep work on them?

 

[rebs081]

I have been loading 55 gr bullets with 24.0 of H335 and accuracy has been great, but I noticed on the jug of H335 that is says to load 55 gr bullets with 25.2 of H335. Now thinking maybe I should try working up more powder, what is you guys opinion on this ?
Should I be happy with what I have been loading or venture into using more powder ? I am shooting these in my Sport.

 

[stavman11]

Right Now... get what you can get

Reaming the Crimp isnt that hard...

New guy here to the reloading part of life, and this thread has been a great source of information!. I've got an Hornady AP press outfitted for both .223 and 9mm. I have the die's pretty much setup except for the powder measure and how much poweder it will drop. Just need to take the time to finish that part of the setup and I'm ready to go.

I'm in the process of collecting supplies and have about 4k 9mm brass and just under 2k .223 de-primed, cleaned and ready to go. The .223 are all non-crimped brass.

I can find both crimped and non-crimped .223 brass. The non-crimped is a couple dollars more. Is it worth getting the crimped brass for less, but having to do more prep work on them?

 

[stavman11]

I have been loading 55 gr bullets with 24.0 of H335 and accuracy has been great, but I noticed on the jug of H335 that is says to load 55 gr bullets with 25.2 of H335. Now thinking maybe I should try working up more powder, what is you guys opinion on this ?
Should I be happy with what I have been loading or venture into using more powder ? I am shooting these in my Sport.

Rebs... thats part of the FUN

get a crono... then you can test different loads, leads and such and see what works best for You

Thats what i did... was a lot of fun testing, logging, testing again

 

[GMC man]

Update to my reloading setup...

Got my new Lee Classic Cast press today along with a Chinese knockoff .001g (.02gr) digital scale. Unlike the pocket scale I bought to weigh the Armscor bullets, this one can actually accurately update while trickling powder into the pan.

My old press will serve secondary duties which will make up for not buying the turret press.

That scale looks like what I use in my lab at work

 

[GMC man]

home made Annealing station for brass cases

I wanted to keep the 20 lbs propane cylinder and the rotating drill but without holding the trigger down so I went to harbor freight and bought a $17 3/8 drill that is a adjustable variable speed with trigger lock a carriage bolt with a steel sleeve and a slide bolt that I used a small piece of bent aluminum flat bar in.

I will test it and if it works like I want it to I will pretty it up

so what do you guys think about it?

 

[BHarada]

That scale looks like what I use in my lab at work

It's a LW Measurements Tree HRB 203 that I picked up on ebay for $279. Back when I worked in manufacturing our testing lab had similar style Mettler scales, but there's no way I'm going to spend $2000+ to get one of those.

so what do you guys think about it?

I think that'd we's all be in trouble if it weren't for Harbor Freight. hahaha. Good idea on the pivoting drill.

 

[GMC man]

It's a LW Measurements Tree HRB 203 that I picked up on ebay for $279. Back when I worked in manufacturing our testing lab had similar style Mettler scales, but there's no way I'm going to spend $2000+ to get one of those.



I think that'd we's all be in trouble if it weren't for Harbor Freight. hahaha. Good idea on the pivoting drill.

WoW thats a good bargain for that scale, I know I couldnt afford one just for hand loading at new prices some of the ones in the books are freaking unreal prices and I dont need to weigh a strand of hair like the ones at work lol

I agree about Harbor while I was there I also picked up a variable speed control for my router ( always wanted one of those ) and a storage rack for my bullets and small parts
I hope it works well then all I got to do is pretty it up I even got to use my joiner on the 2 x 4 's they had a crown on them, My local Lowes was getting rid of them so I go it half off and have been wanting to use it since then, I have it on a wood base with locking casters so its movable

btw I just noticed that this post is now in second place on the forum for most views

 

[oneyeopn]

I love having friends who are so ingenious!!...great job. Bill sent me one that he had made up. I ordered the tempilaq. Gonna see what I can do.

Rebs...a lot of competition shooters in certain classes load their bullets a little softer for better accuracy. If you want to load a few test rounds at larger charges and see what they do for you. Running not as hot a load is not a bad thing and way easier on your rifle.

Yeah that scale is the bomb, but not in my foreseeable future. I have toys I am fixing up instead. I traded for my first 1911 and I have my mini back into a wood stock and looking good.

I found a use for all the Armscor 55gr BTJHP bullets that I have. I am loading them up for the mini...its not a tackdriver but is more than reasonably accurate and seems to like the Armscors where they arent as accurate out of my Sport.

 

[GMC man]

Is anyone having problems with brass only lasting 3-4 reloadings due to the primer pocket being to loose. Somewhere else(.300) a guy was complaining about reaming out the crimp on LC brass and only getting 3-4 reloads before the pockets are to large to keep the primers from falling out. I haven't had that problem but figured I would ask if anyone else has heard of this problem. Even tho its for the .300 its the same brass.

 

[BHarada]

So far I've had to discard one LC case for a loose primer pocket. The primer didn't fall out but it also didn't fully seal when the primer went off. I heard a soft fizzle sound when the round went off and checking the fired case could see soot around the primer. I kept this case aside tried repriming it. It took almost no effort to insert the primer so I decapped it and tossed it into my annealing box.

When Grover sent me some of his LC brass to test I found four out of 80 that had the same loose feeling primer pocket so those, too, ended up in the annealing box.