284 Shehane reloading questions.

[articmp]

Anybody use the Hornady standard neck sizing die to reload, and if you do what model number? Or would I be better off to just send some once fired brass out to Lee and have a custom collet die cut for my chamber? What off the shelf bullet seater works for the Shehane? I plan on running 160-180 grain bullets through mine, mainly AMAX and VLD. Already ordered 5 pounds of R17 to load with. Should I use magnum primers or regular? This rifle is mainly going to be used for a hunter/plinker, no plans of jumping into the BR game just yet. This is my first rifle build and first wildcat chambering.

 

[Steve Blair]

Bill Shehane carries dies for the cartridge. He can be found at: http://scopeusout.com/ [br]
My experience with RL17 was not very good but I have not tried any bullet weights under 175, either. My best results are with H4831 SC behind a Berger 180 Hybrid. Regular primers are fine. In fact, my match load uses Wolf/Tula KVB-7 LR primers which are considered mild. The velocity spreads are low and consistent. [br]
Just an aside: the .284 Shehane is not a wildcat, it is an improved cartridge. A wildcat is one that requires case forming before it can be fired. An improved cartridge is one where the parent cartridge is fired in the improved chamber with no forming.

 

[articmp]

I know Bill carries dies, but I am not ready to spend that kinda money on dies. That is why I asked about off the shelf options for the Shehane chambering. I am sure there are other people out there looking for options also.

 

[Steve Blair]

There are no other "off the shelf" options. Custom dies are reasonably affordable from Mark Spencer at Spencer Tool & Grind in Standish, Michigan. Wilson standard seaters are available for .284 Win and can be reamed to Shehane with the chamber reamer. That's what I did and it produces very straight ammunition.