Finer Points of Reloading

[jasonco]

You have most of the tools you need to play this game of Long Range shooting/hunting. Use the 6.5CM to learn with, for shooting, handloading & hunting. I got into the Creedmoor's in the beginning, more for just the shooting aspect and to save on shooting my big boomer's, they are costly, but that there way more, when you start loading and shooting them.

 

[jstanton]

1) No. Neck sizing only can even be dangerous.
2) There are bump dies, also there are caveats but most generally yes, you set a FL sizing die for your shoulder bump.
3) neck tension can be set by buying the appropriate equipment. There are several ways.
Expander mandrel, bushing die, or with good success, lee collet dies. I would look around. This might get you started https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/how-do-you-control-neck-tension.56993/?amp=1.

4) kiss your bank funds good bye. Also look into annealing, and neck concentricity.

I was just confused on the expander mandrel. I was looking at a K&M mandrel and it looked like it went in place of the expander ball in the FL die.

 

[jstanton]

Also, if you do not have one, Hornady Bullet comparator, this will aid in measuring Cartridge Base to Ogive on the bullet, you want this to be a constant when reloading.

I have that. Used it when determining optimal seating depth during initial load development.

 

[jstanton]

You have most of the tools you need to play this game of Long Range shooting/hunting. Use the 6.5CM to learn with, for shooting, handloading & hunting. I got into the Creedmoor's in the beginning, more for just the shooting aspect and to save on shooting my big boomer's, they are costly, but that there way more, when you start loading and shooting them.

Agreed! Will start with it first!

 

[jasonco]

I didn't see a 'chronograph" on list of items, that's must have tool!

 

[Jud96]

If you remove the expander ball from your FL die the decapping pin will typically fall out. What I do is chuck the whole depriming stem in a drill and use emery cloth to "turn" down the diameter of the sizing ball. Do this until you can size a case and the sizing ball doesn't drag inside the case neck. You can also order a sizing ball that's smaller diameter. For example, buy a 6mm sizing ball and put in your 6.5 dies.

Doing this will allow you to size and deprime in one step and then mandrel expand. I went from sizing and depriming separately to doing them at the same time with the method I described above. This saves a lot of time.

 

[Jud96]

I didn't see a 'chronograph" on list of items, that's must have tool!

I agree. I highly recommend the Magnetospeed Sporter. You can pick one up for around $150-170. It's the best bang for your buck chrono you can get.

 

[jstanton]

I didn't see a 'chronograph" on list of items, that's must have tool!

Definitely. I use a Magneto Speed V3

 

[Jud96]

Definitely. I use a Magneto Speed V3

Excellent! A chronograph is a must have for anyone loading precision ammunition for use at long range.

 

[jstanton]

The process I described in my initial post was what I do after load dedevelopment originally was using a Caldwell Chrono. After too many missed readings I blew it up with some tanerite and bought the V3!

 

[jasonco]

The process I described in my initial post was what I do after load dedevelopment originally was using a Caldwell Chrono. After too many missed readings I blew it up with some tanerite and bought the V3!

You gotta start somewhere. I started with the Shooting Chrony Alpha, then, to the Beta. One day at the range, one of the OldTimer's let me use his Oehler 35P, I was like, what the hell am I doing with this ***

 

[ShtrRdy]

Do you do #5, "Uniform Flash Hole", each time?

 

[Jud96]

I started with a Pro Chrony. I was always getting errors and inconsistencies. I was questioning my reloads because of it. So I replaced it with a Magnetospeed sporter that was about $30 more than the original cost of the Pro Chrony. WAY better system. I've shot literally hundreds of rounds over them and can count on one hand how many errors I've had with the Magnetospeeds. One thing I'll say, don't shoot groups or pay attention to any points of impact when using the Magnetospeed. I have personally had it change both group size, shape, and point of impact. I solely rely on it for velocity data. It would be nice to kill two birds with one stone, but only a LabRadar and Oehler are capable of that and they have their own host of issues. For me the Magnetospeeds are reliable and easy without breaking the bank.

 

[jstanton]

I started with a Pro Chrony. I was always getting errors and inconsistencies. I was questioning my reloads because of it. So I replaced it with a Magnetospeed sporter that was about $30 more than the original cost of the Pro Chrony. WAY better system. I've shot literally hundreds of rounds over them and can count on one hand how many errors I've had with the Magnetospeeds. One thing I'll say, don't shoot groups or pay attention to any points of impact when using the Magnetospeed. I have personally had it change both group size, shape, and point of impact. I solely rely on it for velocity data. It would be nice to kill two birds with one stone, but only a LabRadar and Oehler are capable of that and they have their own host of issues. For me the Magnetospeeds are reliable and easy without breaking the bank.

Agreed. It shifts my POI but I don't pay any attention to that. Just looking at velocities.