Keeping it simple with reloading

[2buffalo]

Its a lot easier to read and repeat stuff your read on a forum. Not just on this subject but many. If you have been around the forums a while, you see a lot of stuff that gets repeated

I would say very few people actually test but many regurgitate what they have read.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

What step in the load work up process are you testing neck tension? Is this after you have found a powder charge and seating depth?

Depends. If things are going well with the tuning process then its towards the end. If the guns fighting you it might be because of the neck tension and Id do it right away.

 

[Monteria]

Alex, high level what would your tuning process be in a perfect world? IE:

1) Seeting depth
2) Powder charge
3) Neck tension
4) Primer testing

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Alex, high level what would your tuning process be in a perfect world? IE:

1) Seeting depth
2) Powder charge
3) Neck tension
4) Primer testing

Thanks,

Steve

Steve,
With tuning you need to get a handle on what to do next based on the target. If things are looking like they should, powder, seating, primer, nt. But you need to know when the harmonics are wrong, and your wasting your time. Sometimes you need to jump right to nt or primers to try and fix things and give up on the powder if you cant. No amount of tuning will make a barrel shoot a powder it doesnt like.

 

[Donneric]

Heres a good example of a neck tension test at 1k. This is a 257 Kulzer, my version of a 25x47. We already know it doesnt like .0024" of neck tension from other test so this test went from .002 and down. As you can see theres about a .0005 window it likes. This is typical and this shows how critical the correct neck tension is. This is not annealed. But since this combo likes the lighter side it probably would work ok. But its not gonna shoot smaller than that.View attachment 588121

Alex what do the numbers 0.7,1.4,1.6 and 2.0 mean?
Those velocity spreads are so close.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Thats the interference fit or what we call "neck tension"

 

[Wedgy]

How did you go from 2.0, 1.6, 1.4 to 0.7 ? and are you setting it with mandrels ?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

How did you go from 2.0, 1.6, 1.4 to 0.7 ? and are you setting it with mandrels ?

No, just different bushings. While bushing are sold in .001" increments thats not how they actually size. Even if you buy 3 from the same manufacturer they will size different. They also have taper so flipping them over can change how much they size. Those numbers are actual before and after neck diameter before and after seating the bullet. Thats a good question and brings up a good point. Dont trust the number on the bushing.

 

[Wedgy]

No, just different bushings. While bushing are sold in .001" increments thats not how they actually size. Even if you buy 3 from the same manufacturer they will size different. They also have taper so flipping them over can change how much they size. Those numbers are actual before and after neck diameter before and after seating the bullet. Thats a good question and brings up a good point. Dont trust the number on the bushing.

LOL Yes I found that out messing around with a 0.290 pin gauge and two of the "same" bushings, one fit and one didn't.
Are you honing bushings to your own specs ?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Sometimes I bore them.

 

[fruitnut]

Very interesting thread. Thank you everyone for sharing.

One question. Why is powder charge weight so critical if ES isn't?

0.1 grain of powder makes about 9fps difference in a 220 Swift with 40 gr bullets. That's the extreme.

In 6.5 mm with 150 gr bullets it's about 5 fps per 0.1 gr.

This makes me realize I need to bear down on getting charge weight close. However, digital scales can drift and that makes me nervous about throwing a dangerous charge. And spending $1,000 for a powder scale is a bit much for many. My balance beam type isn't very accurate, but it will keep me out of danger, I think.

 

[cajun]

Very interesting thread. Thank you everyone for sharing.

One question. Why is powder charge weight so critical if ES isn't?

0.1 grain of powder makes about 9fps difference in a 220 Swift with 40 gr bullets. That's the extreme.

In 6.5 mm with 150 gr bullets it's about 5 fps per 0.1 gr.

This makes me realize I need to bear down on getting charge weight close. However, digital scales can drift and that makes me nervous about throwing a dangerous charge. And spending $1,000 for a powder scale is a bit much for many. My balance beam type isn't very accurate, but it will keep me out of danger, I think.

Imo your better off with a beam than a cheap digital strain gauge. The drift on these can be terrible. Many people dont see it because they leave the pan on the scale between loads. The scales have programming that keeps them reading zero. If you remove the pan and watch the negative tare weight you will see it. This is also why they dont respond well to trickling.

 

[Mark37082]

Very interesting thread. Thank you everyone for sharing.

One question. Why is powder charge weight so critical if ES isn't?

0.1 grain of powder makes about 9fps difference in a 220 Swift with 40 gr bullets. That's the extreme.

In 6.5 mm with 150 gr bullets it's about 5 fps per 0.1 gr.

This makes me realize I need to bear down on getting charge weight close. However, digital scales can drift and that makes me nervous about throwing a dangerous charge. And spending $1,000 for a powder scale is a bit much for many. My balance beam type isn't very accurate, but it will keep me out of danger, I think.

I've struggled with beam and cheaper electronic scales for way too long. There is a sale on A&D FX 120i scales going on in July at Old Will Knot. $581 is still pricey, but made it worth it to me.

 

[cajun]

I've struggled with beam and cheaper electronic scales for way too long. There is a sale on A&D FX 120i scales going on in July at Old Will Knot. $581 is still pricey, but made it worth it to me.

What are you using for a trickler?