First time reloader!

[nmkid]

I also started with a Lee. Scooped many a charge for 3 rifles. Set seating die to seat bullets to the same length as a factory round and went a-shooting! Deer and coyotes never knew what I was doing!

 

[hoz53]

So just getting into reloading and have a safety concern with the set up I am starting with! Any help would be great!
I am reloading .308 with once fired Hornady brass. I have the cheap lee reloading kit and it seems to work great. However, going from 150 SST to the 178 eld-x it seems that the bullet grain increase is to much.

I am using IMR 4064 and a lee 3.1 dipper(41.6 grains). So when setting the bullet I went to 2.785. Book calls for a COL of 2.800 but rounds wont feed or load into mag. at this length. I shortened by .015 to get everything to feed correctly.

My concern....


It appears that the bullet is so long that it is hitting the powder most certainly compacting the powder as I drive the round home to the correct depth. Can anyone tell me if I just made a bomb? I have not fired these and wont until I can get from feed back. I am leaning towards it being ok because the eld-x is used in .308 guns and it has to sit low in the case but again I'll wait to get some opinions before I go and shoot these rounds.

havent seen a reply from OP. I started reloading with a scoop made from a cartridge case with a copper wire handle soldered to it. You dont say if you have one but if you dont and youre going to reload much at all you need a good scale. I suggest a good beam for starters.

 

[Rsadams]

Some of you guys are sooooooo sensitive. Retired’s post was in no way personal or condescending. He just stated an opinion different than Vahen. I thought his perspective was helpful.

To the op, work up and watch for pressure signs.

Ohh it's not just one it's all of them...

 

[retired]

a 25 dollar digital scale is a good waste of money.
i lee perfect scale is a pain in the butt , but for a fixed weight load not so bad. set it and add powder, keep it moving.

I One way to cheaply know is to spend about $25 and get a portable digital scale..

 

[Falfan2017]

a 25 dollar digital scale is a good waste of money.
i lee perfect scale is a pain in the butt , but for a fixed weight load not so bad. set it and add powder, keep it moving.

Frankford arsenal has a 29$ digital scales. Worked fine and much easier than using manual. Is it going to give you the precision of the fxi20? No but it costs 20 times less. .1 or 2 grains is plenty for all but long range benchrest shooting

 

[HillBilly98]

Just a suggestion if you are new to reloading. I apologize if it was already mentioned. I always check my scales accuracy before measuring any powder. I have the same 3 bullets that I have used for years. I weigh a 52 grn a 100 grn and a 140 grn. That way I am checking it at three points. I had on occasion many years ago scales reacting really slow and off by a bit due to crude accumulation.

 

[Stumpy1]

So just getting into reloading and have a safety concern with the set up I am starting with! Any help would be great!
;
;
It appears that the bullet is so long that it is hitting the powder most certainly compacting the powder as I drive the round home to the correct depth. Can anyone tell me if I just made a bomb? I have not fired these and wont until I can get from feed back. I am leaning towards it being ok because the eld-x is used in .308 guns and it has to sit low in the case but again I'll wait to get some opinions before I go and shoot these rounds.

Jason, if you could post where you are from, I am absolutely positive that one of our very helpful members here would offer to mentor you through your first weeks or months of learning how to load -SAFELY. There are a lot of really smart folks here, and a lot of information waiting to be shared with those new to our sport.

Good On 'Ya for proceeding with caution!

Frank

 

[retired]

if they worked well and were consistent.
they work on a step function,
a cheap beam is much better.
you are entitled to your OPINON,
it does not make it a FACT.
i am talking a beam that cost the same and works better.

Frankford arsenal has a 29$ digital scales. Worked fine and much easier than using manual. Is it going to give you the precision of the fxi20? No but it costs 20 times less. .1 or 2 grains is plenty for all but long range benchrest shooting

 

[rwj]

havent seen a reply from OP. I started reloading with a scoop made from a cartridge case with a copper wire handle soldered to it. You dont say if you have one but if you dont and youre going to reload much at all you need a good scale. I suggest a good beam for starters.

Yup... gravity has a pretty good record!

 

[Falfan2017]

if they worked well and were consistent.
they work on a step function,
a cheap beam is much better.
you are entitled to your OPINON,
it does not make it a FACT.
i am talking a beam that cost the same and works better.

The frankford scale can easily get groups in the .2s and weighs very quickly. That's more than enough precision for all but the most extreme competition circumstances.

 

[ireload2]

The short coming of a cheap chumpy digital scale is the safety issue. If it sticks you may get a much higher powder charge intended. Precision of groups does not compare with keeping your eyes safe.

Newbies using dippers without a scale to check the dippers and your technique leave you flying blind so to speak. Newbies often make erroneous assumptions that include loading to max loads. If you load to maximums with dippers and no scale you are asking for trouble.

The frankford scale can easily get groups in the .2s and weighs very quickly. That's more than enough precision for all but the most extreme competition circumstances.

 

[Ccrider]

Get two cheap digital scales and double weigh. I have a couple that are more accurate than my Pact dispenser and scale.

 

[HillBilly98]

Jason312 I am new to the site so I don’t know how everything works. That said if you message me(if there is a way) I would be happy to give you my number.

 

[270WinDude]

Get two cheap digital scales and double weigh. I have a couple that are more accurate than my Pact dispenser and scale.

I have an rcbs balance scale that's a pain since it picks up every grain of powder and I measure exactly. I also have the b-mart 25 dollar Hornady digital scale, it is reasonably priced for a part time reloader. It' fairly accurate actually. Not sure why but at work it bounces all over the place in weights but works fine at home or in the field. My only complaint about the cheaper digital scales is when you're watching it go up and down for a while you start to question it. On the plus side digital is faster then balance scales and makes sorting brass(and primers...) much easier.

 

[Homerange]

I have an rcbs balance scale that's a pain since it picks up every grain of powder and I measure exactly. I also have the b-mart 25 dollar Hornady digital scale, it is reasonably priced for a part time reloader. It' fairly accurate actually. Not sure why but at work it bounces all over the place in weights but works fine at home or in the field. My only complaint about the cheaper digital scales is when you're watching it go up and down for a while you start to question it. On the plus side digital is faster then balance scales and makes sorting brass(and primers...) much easier.

Environmental EMI.

 

[270WinDude]

Environmental EMI.

I was wondering about that... I work in a hospital also. I think there is x-ray upstairs. My area is also the bramuda triangle of cell service.

 

[Homerange]

I was wondering about that... I work in a hospital also. I think there is x-ray upstairs. My area is also the bramuda triangle of cell service.

You can try a few simple EMI issue checks at home by just using them next to various appliances.
Even just you cell WiFi'ng to your access point might be enough to send it nuts.

 

[Falfan2017]

Get a gempro 250. Weighs to .02 grains and costs 100 bucks.

 

[jds holler]

Has it occurred to anyone else that the OP, Jason312 hasn't popped back in to comment or thank us for the "brilliant advice" that we've heaped upon him.

Could it be that we've morphed the thread from his question of whether he is safe to shoot the loads that he has assembled -- to which electronic scale he should buy.

Methinks we are just tooooo helpful. jd

 

[Jason312]

I am no expert, in fact new to this as well. I do have some questions though. Are you measuring to your lands at all or just going by case overall length from bottom of brass to top of bullet? I had a similar issue and have completely ignored the Lee books COL recommendation as it state "minimum" howver I believe they mean "maximum" length. Also compressed charges are not bad at all with proper loads. Could be a good thing in my mind really.

I have not measured from the lans. just trying to load a big more accurate round. thought that would be a good start. You know?