Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

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bamachem
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Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by bamachem »

Getting started in reloading can be a very daunting and confusing task, but once you get started, it can be very rewarding.

This thread is for posting helpful hints and links for beginners and experts alike.

This should NOT be used for chat or chatter about anything at all. This should be a catalog of informational advice and helpful tips.
bamachem
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by bamachem »

bamachem
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by bamachem »

Official SAMMI Specifications:

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k2ue
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by k2ue »

Clyde Washburn
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Schneeky
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by Schneeky »

Not sure if this qualifies as advice or chatter, but I'll have a lash at it. Delete it if it ain't cool.
Just "re-learned" this one recently.

Noveske Diplomat 8" in 300BLK. Formed and prepped brass from a very reputable brass man on this site. Took 20-30 pcs of brass to the range and used these for load development. After a few rounds I had one or two out of the bunch that just wouldn't feed completely. To remove the round took removing the scope (gotta love LaRue QD!), and pulling on the charging handle while applying sufficient "shock" to the butt of the weapon. Disconcerting. And mighty "inconvenient" if the weapon ever had a more serious role. Anyways, found a good solid load with the rest of the brass being cycled thru several times, no issues.
Skip ahead to a year later and I'm ready to load up a nice l'il pile of the BLK for "whatevers". My memory being what it is I'd forgot about the coupla sticky cases. Wrote it off to the brass man short stroking the press or some such. Loaded up 500+ of the good 150gr load with the previously purchased "processed" brass. Leu & behold after trying a few out I find several more sticky cases. No land marks on the bullet, nothing but the usual magazine "exit wounds" on the brass. After much head-scratching, measuring and cursing I find out that any piece of brass with a web measurement of .375 or bigger results in a stuck cartridge in the chamber. So I give the chamber/bolt lug area a good cleaning. Same results. Checking the SAAMI specs I see that the measurement closest to my concern is .3759 for the cartridge and .3769 for the chamber. The brass is in spec, it just ain't going in this chamber. After measuring all those rounds I had just loaded I found a solid 30% or so were @ .375 to a skosh over .376. More cursing ensued.

Solution: I'm currently contacting Noveske in an effort to determine if I have an undersized chamber. This will happen occasionally, especially if the mfg "sharpens" their reamers. The brass man's product was mostly in spec. A l'il tight sometimes, but passable.
Not wanting to trash or pull a coupla hundred rounds I came up with a reasonable-to-me solution that I'm sure will get me thrashed by the safety police. I took a 5.56 small based die to the local machinist and had him bore out the top of the die with a .375 carbide end mill till a .340 center marking punch would fit thru so the top of the loaded cases would clear without pressure while allowing me to put the .001 squeeze on the base of the cases. All cases now feed and are back in inventory. I kept thinking it had something to do with the bullet 'cause the cases were all in spec. But with no marks it was a hard sell. Finally determined it was "case-related" after chambering an empty case and having it get stuck.

Lesson- Check'em out, then check'em out again. I reckon.
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AR-300
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by AR-300 »

Best advice is to get a case gauge here: viewtopic.php?f=151&t=81348

If it fits in this gauge, it will run like clockwork in any gun!
PSA 10.5" & 16'' FN CHF CL 300 AAC Blackout
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Schneeky
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by Schneeky »

AR-300 wrote:If it fits in this gauge, it will run like clockwork in any gun!
Sounds good on the front. 'Specially for checking basic setup of the brass for an "in spec" or even a "loose" chamber. But I can't say it's a 100% foolproof solution. Correct me if I'm mistaken.
The gauge was cut with "a" reamer, not the "same" reamer as my chamber was cut with. If my chamber is tighter than spec due to reamer sharpening or whatever, then passing in another chamber cut to spec will not necessarily tell me if it'll fit in my specific chamber. The prepped brass I have is in spec and would prolly pass with a gauge and fit in a true SAAMI spec chamber. But won't fit in my chamber.
The problem seems to lie in my chamber, which is something I have to either fix or deal with. Make sense? 8)

Back on topic: This is a thing that drove be bonkers wayyy back when I first started loading. OAL measurements. Have ya ever got yer seater set up "dead nuts on" to a specific measurement, then loaded a few rounds and checked them only to find OAL's all over the place? The seater's fine, it's usually the bullets. Lead tips get dinged, plastic tips ain't seated all the way, jackets are different lengths, and I don't know WHAT in the heck goes on with those pulled bullets! They can be over .020" off. Ya get what ya pay for, as usual.
A comparator will help a bunch with this. Measure off the ogive instead of the tip of the bullet. The better the bullets, the more consistent the measurements will be. Personally, I use the Sinclair "Nut". But there's several versions around.
Anyways, using those has saved a bunch of headaches over the years. d:^) Schneeks..
Outside the wire it's just us chickens, dig?
roundabout
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by roundabout »

Thank you all for the information. I appreciate your time in sharing information.
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Schneeky
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Re: Reloading: How-To Resource Guide

Post by Schneeky »

Aaaight then.. Since I haven't been dejected I'll assume my ramblings are ok.. So here's another one. Worth every penny it cost ya. :lol:

Reload at the range...

..When I first got into this I did like a lot of guys do. Load several different combinations and tak'em to the range to see how they do. Very annoying and wasteful. Then when I got into competitive BR shooting those cats showed me a trick. Load right there at the bench or nearby, make the most out of your time. I've been to a bunch of BR shoots, and all your reloading gear is portable. Most of those cats are using Harrell's gear. But even the usual RCBS, Lee's and such can be made easily portable. Make a plate with a coupla threaded holes in it, some C clamps and you're ready to roll. Not really sure what you'd do with a Dillon in this respect.
..I'm sure the "grain cutters" will shriek, but in my years of BR shooting, which is arguably the most precision shooting discipline going (.250 MOA 5/5 100/200/300yd groups and you're a loser!), you very rarely see anyone weighing charges. They're generally thrown thru a Harrell's Custom 90 or variation and "clicks" become your increments. Bump your charges, adjust seating depth, switch components, tweak brass, yadda yadda. All right there as you're testing. My complete reloading set up with components fits in a large Flambeau tackle box. Very handy.
..Anyways, just food for thought. You have options to the "norm". If you've already invested inna big home setup I can see the advantage of sticking with it. If you're just getting started, considering all options is key. I have pics, but am currently "between FTP servers" so I can't post them here. In light of the "no chatter" rule of this thread, please IM me for more info, or to gimme crap cause I do things the way I do.. Hehehe. :lol: 8) d:^) Schneeks..
Outside the wire it's just us chickens, dig?
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