Competition BR Loading
This is a tough subject so be careful in your responses. Try and stay within the short range BR areas. Most of this will be guided toward first year BR shooters.
New Brass
First I buy weighed Lapua 220 Russian brass for either my 22 or 6 PPC loading. I have found buying as is Lapua I would get about 80% within a 4 tenth range about 15 % outside this range and 5% worthless. You pay $10 more per/100 but all 100 are within a tenth.
Brass Prep
One thing I highly recommend first is do a mike on your chamber neck. Different ways of doing this. If you don't feel comfortable with this ask your smith do it when he chambers your barrel. The reason this is important is because your neck is almost never .262. It is in a range. That could be say .2622 to maybe .2627. That is a 1/2 thou variance. The majority of shooters don't know and just call their chamber .262. If you are turning in that careful zone of a bullet seated .2615 range you should know your neck to 4 places.
Trim all your cases to 1.495 before starting to turn necks. I do this so I can set the cutter on my turner to stop in the same place each time. I set my turner to cut to the juncture of the neck and shoulder. My cutter has a radius so it will actually shave into the shoulder. Hopefully this pushes the donut into the shoulder area. Run an RCBS nylon brush inside each neck before cutting and finger dab the mandrel and neck with imperial lube. I hand turn so you need a tool to hold the case tightly and provide leverage. Sinclair has a nice handle and several nice neck turning tools. So does K&M. So does Hart. So does Nielson. I use a small brush to remove chips and peelings from your tool. Check and make sure your case holder stays tight. If your turned cases come say .2618 and you want .2610 run the case through a second time this will skim off a small amount and get you close to your .2610. One key here always turn in the same direction whether turning on or turning off. As you finish each case place them in a loading block. I use Haydon white blocks that hold 25 brass.
Check your brass with whatever mike tools you have. To be on the safe side for a .262X neck I recommend a .260 seated bullet measured from the widest point on the neck. Inside flash hole deburring is common any retailer sells one. This allows your decapping pin to come out of the primer hole easily.
Fire forming Brass
There are several ways to do this. I still prefer the shooting method. Place a .258 bushing in your neck sizing die for a .260 seated bullet. This is a 2 step process. I use 133. Fill the case half way up the neck seat a bullet long letting the bolt closing seat the bullet. Load and fire all 25 brass. The brass will be about 95% fire formed after one firing. Clean the rifle. Clean the cases. Now go back and load up the cases a second time. Keep the powder level half way up the neck. If your bullet seats snug you have the right bushing if it goes in loose go to a .257. Remember you can always turn over a Wilson bushing and tighten things up 1/3 thou. Seat the bullet the same as before and shoot them again. Now you should be fully fire formed. You can feel the sharp ridge on the shoulder. One note use the RCBS nylon brush after each firing to smooth the bullet seating.
I don't recommend bullets so whichever one you choose give them an honest test, 1000 ought to be a test. Check your case length every 4 or 5 firings. If trimming is needed usually a pocket case trimmer will do. Be sure to inside and outside deburr after the trim. Cleaning primer pockets often gives a solid feel when you seat new. I don't see a need to discard cases but make new ones when you buy a new barrel.
Priming Operation
A simple but technique driven step. Do it right and every other part of the ignition process does it's part. Do it wrong and nothing gets launched. I mill my primer pockets to make sure the cup contacts the primer pocket evenly. I also do cleanup on the pocket judiciously so as to not loosen the pocket. Sinclair, Skip Otto,D), Bruno, Hoehn, and Haydon are some that sell the priming pocket tools. Don't be concerned if you are not skimming the bottom of the pocket you are getting the sides which is enough. The primer will now feel the same as seated each time. That's what you want.
Seating primers goes fast. Here it is shooter presence. Most BR guys go for the single priming tool. You only reload 6-10 brass after each Match. What is important her is that you feel the primer seat in the primer pocket. If no feel you need to clean your cups of residue. Only enough pressure to feel the seat. If you are flattening primers while seating you need to mill those priming pockets. Some the priming tools that I have used and familiar with are:
K&M The best in my opinion. Indestructible. Adjusts for comfort and pressure.
LEE Both tray and single. Not Indestructible. Trays are fast and do a good job. I have both. The original that I still use and the silver one which I rate up there with the K&M.
RCBS I feel the RCBS is a good unit but lacks the feel that I want in a priming tool. Almost Indestructible.
HORNADY Same as RCBS.
SINCLAIR Never tried on. Indestructible. The design promotes excellent priming.
CUSTOM I have several custom priming tools. Usually cost more than they are worth. I much prefer a thumb tool to a hand tool.
Recommendation: Buy a K&M and don't look back. Ease of operation and price is right around $40. All priming tools will do the job with varying degree of difficulty.
Presses
I use an arbor press my smith made 30 years ago. Works with my Wilson and JLC dies. I also have a custom the size of a Sinclair. When using threaded dies I use a Hood and RCBS Partner Press. Read all the stuff about Forester Presses never see any at a BR Shoot. See a few Rockchuckers. Remember most writers on this site are not benchrest shooters. Other presses used for BR are the Bruno, Harrell, Dodd, even Lee hand presses with custom dies.
Sizing and Seating Dies
Whichever brand you buy learn how to set them up. I have several types they all do a good job. Let me talk about the Harrel FL sizing die I have. Harrel's come in numbers. Stamped on the bottom I have 3. This is an all around number. This means the die will size an additional .003 more than the standard PPC size at the web area. Good choice smooth feeding. The numbers go from 1-4. I have separate sizing dies for my 22&6 PPC. These dies accept sizing buttons I use Wilson. You get a great little brass cup to use on the case shoulders to help you get that 1 thou sizing that most use.
A Wilson neck sizing die with bushing works great also.
I use Wilson seating dies exclusively. I could afford others but I consider Wilson the best. I use shims to get that last thou if I want it. I have used Wilson Dies since 1977. Loading BR ammo needn't be difficult or costly.
Recently I bought a JLC seating die. Operated with my arbor press it has some nice adjustments. You can use the die for 22 & 6 bullets. I also bought a Sinclair seating die for my 22's. Mainly I bought these dies for the adjustment features.
Pre Loading
I don't do this so I would recommend you look at San Gabriel BR School section on Lawrence Weisdorn explaining his methods.
Odds & Ends
Use sizing lube. I use Imperial Sizing Die Lube. Most others do too. Primers is not a hard choice. Federal is choice of most. Here I agree with some the std Fed primer gets the job done and saves $10 a thou. I use WSR now because I bought 25 thou. The silver ones are the ones to look for. Store your load cartridges in an MTM box. Develop loading techniques that get you on and off the table in good time. Position your press and powder measure for maximum comfort and concentrate on loading, talk can come later. Lastly have fun at your shoots compare notes about loading with other shooters. Look smart at what your doing even if you feel the other way.
Stephen Perry
This is a tough subject so be careful in your responses. Try and stay within the short range BR areas. Most of this will be guided toward first year BR shooters.
New Brass
First I buy weighed Lapua 220 Russian brass for either my 22 or 6 PPC loading. I have found buying as is Lapua I would get about 80% within a 4 tenth range about 15 % outside this range and 5% worthless. You pay $10 more per/100 but all 100 are within a tenth.
Brass Prep
One thing I highly recommend first is do a mike on your chamber neck. Different ways of doing this. If you don't feel comfortable with this ask your smith do it when he chambers your barrel. The reason this is important is because your neck is almost never .262. It is in a range. That could be say .2622 to maybe .2627. That is a 1/2 thou variance. The majority of shooters don't know and just call their chamber .262. If you are turning in that careful zone of a bullet seated .2615 range you should know your neck to 4 places.
Trim all your cases to 1.495 before starting to turn necks. I do this so I can set the cutter on my turner to stop in the same place each time. I set my turner to cut to the juncture of the neck and shoulder. My cutter has a radius so it will actually shave into the shoulder. Hopefully this pushes the donut into the shoulder area. Run an RCBS nylon brush inside each neck before cutting and finger dab the mandrel and neck with imperial lube. I hand turn so you need a tool to hold the case tightly and provide leverage. Sinclair has a nice handle and several nice neck turning tools. So does K&M. So does Hart. So does Nielson. I use a small brush to remove chips and peelings from your tool. Check and make sure your case holder stays tight. If your turned cases come say .2618 and you want .2610 run the case through a second time this will skim off a small amount and get you close to your .2610. One key here always turn in the same direction whether turning on or turning off. As you finish each case place them in a loading block. I use Haydon white blocks that hold 25 brass.
Check your brass with whatever mike tools you have. To be on the safe side for a .262X neck I recommend a .260 seated bullet measured from the widest point on the neck. Inside flash hole deburring is common any retailer sells one. This allows your decapping pin to come out of the primer hole easily.
Fire forming Brass
There are several ways to do this. I still prefer the shooting method. Place a .258 bushing in your neck sizing die for a .260 seated bullet. This is a 2 step process. I use 133. Fill the case half way up the neck seat a bullet long letting the bolt closing seat the bullet. Load and fire all 25 brass. The brass will be about 95% fire formed after one firing. Clean the rifle. Clean the cases. Now go back and load up the cases a second time. Keep the powder level half way up the neck. If your bullet seats snug you have the right bushing if it goes in loose go to a .257. Remember you can always turn over a Wilson bushing and tighten things up 1/3 thou. Seat the bullet the same as before and shoot them again. Now you should be fully fire formed. You can feel the sharp ridge on the shoulder. One note use the RCBS nylon brush after each firing to smooth the bullet seating.
I don't recommend bullets so whichever one you choose give them an honest test, 1000 ought to be a test. Check your case length every 4 or 5 firings. If trimming is needed usually a pocket case trimmer will do. Be sure to inside and outside deburr after the trim. Cleaning primer pockets often gives a solid feel when you seat new. I don't see a need to discard cases but make new ones when you buy a new barrel.
Priming Operation
A simple but technique driven step. Do it right and every other part of the ignition process does it's part. Do it wrong and nothing gets launched. I mill my primer pockets to make sure the cup contacts the primer pocket evenly. I also do cleanup on the pocket judiciously so as to not loosen the pocket. Sinclair, Skip Otto,D), Bruno, Hoehn, and Haydon are some that sell the priming pocket tools. Don't be concerned if you are not skimming the bottom of the pocket you are getting the sides which is enough. The primer will now feel the same as seated each time. That's what you want.
Seating primers goes fast. Here it is shooter presence. Most BR guys go for the single priming tool. You only reload 6-10 brass after each Match. What is important her is that you feel the primer seat in the primer pocket. If no feel you need to clean your cups of residue. Only enough pressure to feel the seat. If you are flattening primers while seating you need to mill those priming pockets. Some the priming tools that I have used and familiar with are:
K&M The best in my opinion. Indestructible. Adjusts for comfort and pressure.
LEE Both tray and single. Not Indestructible. Trays are fast and do a good job. I have both. The original that I still use and the silver one which I rate up there with the K&M.
RCBS I feel the RCBS is a good unit but lacks the feel that I want in a priming tool. Almost Indestructible.
HORNADY Same as RCBS.
SINCLAIR Never tried on. Indestructible. The design promotes excellent priming.
CUSTOM I have several custom priming tools. Usually cost more than they are worth. I much prefer a thumb tool to a hand tool.
Recommendation: Buy a K&M and don't look back. Ease of operation and price is right around $40. All priming tools will do the job with varying degree of difficulty.
Presses
I use an arbor press my smith made 30 years ago. Works with my Wilson and JLC dies. I also have a custom the size of a Sinclair. When using threaded dies I use a Hood and RCBS Partner Press. Read all the stuff about Forester Presses never see any at a BR Shoot. See a few Rockchuckers. Remember most writers on this site are not benchrest shooters. Other presses used for BR are the Bruno, Harrell, Dodd, even Lee hand presses with custom dies.
Sizing and Seating Dies
Whichever brand you buy learn how to set them up. I have several types they all do a good job. Let me talk about the Harrel FL sizing die I have. Harrel's come in numbers. Stamped on the bottom I have 3. This is an all around number. This means the die will size an additional .003 more than the standard PPC size at the web area. Good choice smooth feeding. The numbers go from 1-4. I have separate sizing dies for my 22&6 PPC. These dies accept sizing buttons I use Wilson. You get a great little brass cup to use on the case shoulders to help you get that 1 thou sizing that most use.
A Wilson neck sizing die with bushing works great also.
I use Wilson seating dies exclusively. I could afford others but I consider Wilson the best. I use shims to get that last thou if I want it. I have used Wilson Dies since 1977. Loading BR ammo needn't be difficult or costly.
Recently I bought a JLC seating die. Operated with my arbor press it has some nice adjustments. You can use the die for 22 & 6 bullets. I also bought a Sinclair seating die for my 22's. Mainly I bought these dies for the adjustment features.
Pre Loading
I don't do this so I would recommend you look at San Gabriel BR School section on Lawrence Weisdorn explaining his methods.
Odds & Ends
Use sizing lube. I use Imperial Sizing Die Lube. Most others do too. Primers is not a hard choice. Federal is choice of most. Here I agree with some the std Fed primer gets the job done and saves $10 a thou. I use WSR now because I bought 25 thou. The silver ones are the ones to look for. Store your load cartridges in an MTM box. Develop loading techniques that get you on and off the table in good time. Position your press and powder measure for maximum comfort and concentrate on loading, talk can come later. Lastly have fun at your shoots compare notes about loading with other shooters. Look smart at what your doing even if you feel the other way.
Stephen Perry