Which addition for reloading

[bcott]

Thinking about my next "upgrade" in reloading equipment. The choices: 1) LabRadar, I currently have a Oehler 35P, Satorius 64-1 powder scale, I currently have a Denver MXX 123, or a AMP annealing machine, I have no equipment for annealing.

I am a hunter and NOT a competition shooter. I only use Lapua cases for my 6mmBR, 6XC and 6.5x55SE. Not sure of the benefits of annealing, but it sure is enticing with the write-ups on the AMP Annealer.

Given my $$$ budget I will only get one of the three, or possibly none of the three. If I do get one of the three it probably will be the AMP Annealer.

The real question: Are there any significant benefits for a guy that rarely shoots at greater than 300yds at anything? Other than reducing the number of split necks....which I have never had.

I guess I should add that I am 80yrs old and have been actively shooting and reloading for the last 53 yrs.

Carl L.

 

[expiper]

Hi Carl,,,the equipment you mentioned is all first class stuff,,,but if you do not shoot competitively (no matter what your age ) on a regular basis I would not buy any of it,,,,spend your money on powder/bullets/primers/barrels and use them up,,,,Roger

 

[T-shooter]

Hello Carl, I'm on a tighter budget too (and retired) but I would rather have several less expensive things that work than one top of the line item and be without the others. If you want to anneal, a propane torch and portable drill will work. Not too nice for volume but with me, 50 at a time and never over 100. It's good enough to see if annealing is beneficial to you. Second, the Lab Radar would be nice but out of my budget too. A Magnetospeed is about as accurate and under $200, and will work under all weather conditions. That's on my "to buy" list. Your Oehler P35 is very nice and accurate but still depends on the lighting conditions outside. I broke the bank and recently bought an A&D FX-300i scale (basically the same as the FX-120i). That was $600 but I wanted to have closer powder charges. And had to spend $100 more for a line conditioner to get the scale to work reliably. If your Denver scale will weigh to .02 grain and is repeatable, it should work for you. Whatever you get, good luck, and let us know how it works out.

 

[bcott]

Thanks for the replies guys. Sometimes my Daughter accuses me of having FOMO(Fear Of Missing Out). This annealing thing could be that malady cropping up. What I have does work and I can buy a tremendous number of cases for the cost of the AMP. Sigh....... no new adventures.

A comment on the Oehler 35P. I acquired that in 1988. It replaced the Oehler 33 which I purchased in 197?. I sold the Oehler 33 as it still worked as new. The Oehler 35P still works as new. Just a little slow to set up the triple screen system. My praise about the Oehler company is ENDLESS.

Carl L.

 

[people]

I would not buy any of it. I would just shoot more. Try odd things. I have tried crap bullets and got them to shot as well as they could. I have loaded bullets backwards. One when point forward shot no better than 2 inch groups at 100yds but was a tack driver backwards. Heck I even tried cast bullets to see what I could get.

 

[mgunderson]

Not a bad idea to split the cost with a shooting buddy. You can each buy something off the list.

 

[tmwinds]

Unless you would be annealing a large amount of brass a great option to spending the funds for a annealing machine would be to send your brass to DJ's Brass. His prices are very reasonable and it will be annealed correctly. Check his website for services and prices. www.djsbrass.com

 

[Nature Boy]

Get the Amp Annealer and take one step closer to the dark abyss we euphemistically call "reloading"

 

[243Lapua]

I'm a hunter to. And I would rather save my money on any of this items. It way lot cheaper just to send brass and get it annealled.

 

[Richard Coody]

Thinking about my next "upgrade" in reloading equipment. The choices: 1) LabRadar, I currently have a Oehler 35P, Satorius 64-1 powder scale, I currently have a Denver MXX 123, or a AMP annealing machine, I have no equipment for annealing.

I am a hunter and NOT a competition shooter. I only use Lapua cases for my 6mmBR, 6XC and 6.5x55SE. Not sure of the benefits of annealing, but it sure is enticing with the write-ups on the AMP Annealer.

Given my $$$ budget I will only get one of the three, or possibly none of the three. If I do get one of the three it probably will be the AMP Annealer.

The real question: Are there any significant benefits for a guy that rarely shoots at greater than 300yds at anything? Other than reducing the number of split necks....which I have never had.

I guess I should add that I am 80yrs old and have been actively shooting and reloading for the last 53 yrs.

Carl L.

One question. How much do you shoot?

Annealing has really made a difference in the consistency of my groups. Now i don't have an AMP. i use an antiquated Geraud. Works fine for me. Round count would be the deciding factor to buy an annealer or just buy more brass and send it off to be annealed. I am considering selling my geraud and getting an AMP though.

I really like my magnetospeed. Only use it after load development. Keeps me from chasing velocity or SDs. I let my target tell me what my rifle likes. There is another more economical choice. The 2 box crono.

I have tried every powder handling method out there. I now have Adam's autotrickler system. Best money i have spent. Fast and accurate.

Hard decision there.

 

[RCobb]

Carl,
As far as anealing goes.
Buy a small propane torch like you would use on soldering copper tubing. Along with a small "Coleman propane camping gas" tank. Get both less than $25.00
And watch a few YouTube videos.

As Chronographs go, the magnetospeed is nice. Cost more than conventional chronographs, while less expensive than the lab radar unit. Magnetospeed isn't dependent on weather.

Best advice ever though is this:

"Tell your best friend, that when you die, is not let your wife sell your stuff for what you told her you paid for it."

 

[bcott]

Richard; I shoot around 40 to 60 rounds per week. I have not annealed in the past as I did not feel that I needed that particular benefit. Still not sure I need it. My groups, at 100yds, for my 6mmBR are running 3/8" to 3/4" for 3 shots. Groups are 1 1/4" @ 225yds, again 3 shot groups. Ten shot average velocity over my Oehler 35P is 3812fps, ES 26fps. Not benchrestiffic, but certainly adequate enough for my purposes.

I did notice that my bullet seating pressures are starting to vary. I have a Bonanza Coax press and Redding Comp dies for loading. I started using a Sinclair 6mm expander mandrel to expand the necks to .268" after neck sizing with the Redding .268 titanium bushing. This did away with most of the seating pressure anomalies. I do not turn necks on the Lapua brass which run about .0135" avg. I have a Giraud power trimmer and do trim the cases.

Anyway, I just feel that annealing will make the cases last longer and perhaps improve my accuracy a little.
I should add that I am shooting 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip Lead Free bullets in front of 38.1gr/AA2230 powder and a CCI450 primer. This is my coyote load.

Carl L.

 

[DHuffman]

Carl I would definitely get some type of annealing equipment. I have the Annealeze machine and for $275 it does what I need it to do. I can easily tell the difference in sizing effort and seating consistency.

I enjoy the process as well. I decap then tumble the cases clean. This makes the color show better and keeps the case turning on the drive wheels.

 

[Richard Coody]

Well

Richard; I shoot around 40 to 60 rounds per week. I have not annealed in the past as I did not feel that I needed that particular benefit. Still not sure I need it. My groups, at 100yds, for my 6mmBR are running 3/8" to 3/4" for 3 shots. Groups are 1 1/4" @ 225yds, again 3 shot groups. Ten shot average velocity over my Oehler 35P is 3812fps, ES 26fps. Not benchrestiffic, but certainly adequate enough for my purposes.

I did notice that my bullet seating pressures are starting to vary. I have a Bonanza Coax press and Redding Comp dies for loading. I started using a Sinclair 6mm expander mandrel to expand the necks to .268" after neck sizing with the Redding .268 titanium bushing. This did away with most of the seating pressure anomalies. I do not turn necks on the Lapua brass which run about .0135" avg. I have a Giraud power trimmer and do trim the cases.

Anyway, I just feel that annealing will make the cases last longer and perhaps improve my accuracy a little.
I should add that I am shooting 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip Lead Free bullets in front of 38.1gr/AA2230 powder and a CCI450 primer. This is my coyote load.

Carl L.

Well if you want to test the waters on annealing before investing a grand in an annealing machine send some brass off and have it annealed. shoot some annealed brass up against your unannealed brass. Try that for a month or so.

I too shoot about 50 rounds a weekend. It is hot as Hades here in Florida. I start to lose my focus after about 2 hrs.

Co-ax is my go to press for sizing but i use an arbor press and wilson dies for bullet seating. I too have experimented with seating bullets after using an expandrel mandrel. With my hydropress i can measure seating force. It is light. Works well soft.seating.

Don't want to make anyone mad but what we are trying to do with annealing is create consistent neck tension. Consistency is the key word. What method is most likely to create consistency in the annealing process.

 

[Ggmac]

Gadgets are fun , but if I were you I'd buy another rifle , pistol , powder or anything else . Your asking to screw up your shooting skills , get more trigger time !

 

[Jet]

Not on your list but I would recommend purchasing items that will allow your reloading to be portable. Being able to load at the range is not only more efficient, it also allows you to tune loads in one sitting. A portable press like a Harrell's and a few hundred 1-2 dram glass vials to place your pre weighed powder charges in may be all you need to get started.

Good Shooting

Rich

 

[Richard Coody]

Not on your list but I would recommend purchasing items that will allow your reloading to be portable. Being able to load at the range is not only more efficient, it also allows you to tune loads in one sitting. A portable press like a Harrell's and a few hundred 1-2 dram glass vials to place your pre weighed powder charges in may be all you need to get started.

Good Shooting

Rich

This is the one in my portable reloading set-up

http://harrellsprec.com/index.php/products/combo-press

 

[onelastshot]

As others have mentioned, if you're going to change chronographs look at the magnetospeed. Picked one up this week and I'm very happy with it.

 

[expiper]

the ideas about equipment and loading at the range are the best advice ,,,I would add a Harrells powder measure,,,that is all I use,,,when loading at the range and you need more or less powder ,,just crank on the knob,,,viola!!....Roger

 

[Larryh128]

Thinking about my next "upgrade" in reloading equipment. The choices: 1) LabRadar, I currently have a Oehler 35P, Satorius 64-1 powder scale, I currently have a Denver MXX 123, or a AMP annealing machine, I have no equipment for annealing.

I am a hunter and NOT a competition shooter. I only use Lapua cases for my 6mmBR, 6XC and 6.5x55SE. Not sure of the benefits of annealing, but it sure is enticing with the write-ups on the AMP Annealer.

Given my $$$ budget I will only get one of the three, or possibly none of the three. If I do get one of the three it probably will be the AMP Annealer.

The real question: Are there any significant benefits for a guy that rarely shoots at greater than 300yds at anything? Other than reducing the number of split necks....which I have never had.

I guess I should add that I am 80yrs old and have been actively shooting and reloading for the last 53 yrs.

Carl L.

Annealer, I'm a hunter and I anneal. If you don't accuracy will fall off on your brass and at some point, you start splitting necks. By that point, the brass is not yielding the accuracy that it should. Brass lasts a LONG time if you properly anneal it. I'm assuming that you are doing the necessary steps to the brass on cleaning up the necks and flash holes so don't hand cuff yourself by not annealing.