Let’s talk reloading

[Mickp7]

This is once fired now. So the first firing after I formed the brass.

De-prime
AMP anneal
Henderson Trim
Imperial Sizing Lube
FL size
Wipe off case
Brush neck with nylon brush on drill
Moly inside of neck
Mandrel with .3075 mandrel
Prime

remembered right after I sent that it was NMI, so had to be fire formed.
What is "moly inside of neck"?

 

[Huntnful]

21st century dry moly lube. Brush it in there with a cotton bore brush

 

[nealm66]

@Huntnful , what is your shooting platform if you don't mind? Rear bag, front rest? Bipods? Very impressive shooting

 

[Huntnful]

@Huntnful , what is your shooting platform if you don't mind? Rear bag, front rest? Bipods? Very impressive shooting

Most of these recent groups are shot with a leather bunny ear bag, and a pheonix bipod, out of the bed of my truck.

Once I know the load is good. I switch over to my hunting bipod and zero with it, so I don't have any POI shift.

 

[nealm66]

What are you using for a mat for the ski feet?

 

[marksman1941]

This is once fired now. So the first firing after I formed the brass.

De-prime
AMP anneal
Henderson Trim
Imperial Sizing Lube
FL size
Wipe off case
Brush neck with nylon brush on drill
Moly inside of neck
Mandrel with .3075 mandrel
Prime

At the risk of sounding silly, you trim before you size? I have seen cases grow during resizing. Why would you trim after that step?

 

[nealm66]

And are you shooting free recoil or applying forward pressure somehow?

 

[Huntnful]

@Huntnful you have convinced me, having custom rifles makes reloading way easier. You don't have to be a reloading genius to produce great groups and have an accurate rife. Or, maybe a better way to put it, you don't have to "tinker" or "tune" near to the level of a 20-30 year old factory rifle.

That being said, some of the new factory rifles produce some nice groups with very little work up. I've had very good luck with the Tikka CTR in .308 WIN. I'm very interested in the Seekins rifles as I've only heard good things out of those for a factory rifle. Perhaps a Seekins 6 CM is in my future…

Lastly, the groups I'm seeing you post are from cartridges that seem to be "inherently accurate." The newer cartridges are designed to shoot factory ammo well, so…reloading is a snap.

Regarding Hornady's podcast/vlog on the OP's post, their simpleton way of looking at reloading and having good results is totally achievable for the reasons I've mentioned above. I'm guessing the ballistians at Hornady are not shooting $500 Mossburg Patriots. Certainly not on their comp rifles.

Well built rifle with good components and a decent sized steel barrel is definitely the easy button for shooting groups.

But you don't have to shoot tiny groups to kill most animals, they're just cool to see on paper and know that a rifle does shoot exceptional.

I'd probably kill 95-99% of the same animals with a tikka CTR as well.

 

[Huntnful]

At the risk of sounding silly, you trim before you size? I have seen cases grow during resizing. Why would you trim after that step?

Not a silly question at all!!

Specifically the Henderson trimmer, has an internal alignment dowel that sticks out that goes into the neck to center up the brass. It's only about .001 smaller than bullet diameter. So if I size first, that alignment dowel scratches the crap out of the insides of the necks. And that's the most important part of the whole piece of brass.

It actually even does it slightly when I trim before sizing. And I don't like it. Which is why I don't trim every time. But it's so consistent and easy to use, that I sacrifice a couple of neck scratches basically lol

 

[Huntnful]

And are you shooting free recoil or applying forward pressure somehow?

Some forward pressure. Definitely not free recoil.

 

[nealm66]

What are you using for a mat to apply the forward pressure?

 

[Barehandlineman11]

I use similar setup and i let it float and recoil naturally. The phoenix is hard to put any pressure on it. Smoother surface the better with it. Relaxed shoulder is the best pill for it. I prefer sitting up vrs laying down doing this. Laying down causes barrel too buck up more vrs sitting at table for me.

 

[marksman1941]

Not a silly question at all!!

Specifically the Henderson trimmer, has an internal alignment dowel that sticks out that goes into the neck to center up the brass. It's only about .001 smaller than bullet diameter. So if I size first, that alignment dowel scratches the crap out of the insides of the necks. And that's the most important part of the whole piece of brass.

It actually even does it slightly when I trim before sizing. And I don't like it. Which is why I don't trim every time. But it's so consistent and easy to use, that I sacrifice a couple of neck scratches basically lol

Do you check OAL after sizing to make sure they didn't grow beyond spec? Or is that a nonissue?

Is that specific trimmer worth using if it causes that much neck damage? Or would a Forster with standard pilots, or even a Giraud, work better and cause less damage?

 

[Huntnful]

What are you using for a mat to apply the forward pressure?

Great question!!

I made this plate for my tailgate.

Grip tape in the middle for my hunting bipod, and then on the outskirts where the Phoenix bipod rides, I put a small layer of silicone on the plate for some traction so I can put a little pressure without sliding it.