• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Hello- new here and to reloading. A couple questions:

That is a fallacy that NS extends brass life. Bushing dies allow you to adjust neck tension. For your factory Tikka I would stick with the standard FL die. It is also untrue that NS yields better accuracy. With mid to full power loads, you will eventually have to FLS....but the case will now resist being sized and eventually get too big at the base.

Awesome. I like to stick with the KISS principle, but I also want to do what I can to make my equipment as accurate as I can. Then when I miss the bull, I know it's just me :) At least I don't need to add neck sizing to the complications...

Thanks for all your help.
 
SigSavage -

Welcome ...... read your list and here is my advise back:

1) Reloading Manual
2) Calipers - that can be used to measure everything starting out
  • Get a caliper type headspace gauge
  • Get a caliper type bullet comparator
3) Dies - Full/Length Sizing die + Seating die
4) Full size every cycle
  • Learn how to measure headspace
  • Learn how to adjust and maintain shoulder bump and sizing
  • Learn how to trim and maintain case lengths
  • Learn how to prep case necks and primer pockets
  • Learn how to seat primers to consistent depths
5) Weight and pour consistent charges

<> Skip worrying about annealing until you have experienced reloading for a while
<> Start with the basics, and expand your tooling/equipment as you go along and are gaining experience
<> Read the instructions from a reloading manual and fallow them with every step you make
<> Measure and record everything into notes (keeping good records is important)

Good Luck, reload safe, and enjoy it all
Donovan

Thank you for this reply. I have everything you list here except the headspace gauge, but it will be coming soon.

Something you said stood out though- How do I seat my primers to a consistent depth every time? I have the Lee hand primer tool, and just give it a good steady squeeze until it doesn't seem to have any more give. When I look across the base of the cartridge, the primers are all below. Do I have to get more precise than this?
 
The best way to maintaining accuracy is learning to read the wind.... use survey tape in the bullets path especially in the load development stage so you learn when to shoot....and when not to.
 
If it isn't a competition rifle you don't really need to measure chamber length, shoulder set back or head space. It's very unlikely a case is to long for the chamber. Just trim to published length. As long as the bolt closes easily on an fired empty case there isn't any problem. I adjust my die for a 6BR varmint rifle by Tony Boyers method. It cost nothing. You take the firing pin assembly out of the bolt so you can feel the true pressure to close the bolt on the case. Back your die out a little, size a case and put it in the rifle. If the bolt handle doesn't fall half way down with close to zero finger pressure, screw the die down a tiny amount and size another case. Keep doing this until the bolt handle falls half way down just barley touching it and slight pressure with one finger closes the bolt. I like the method because the determination is used by some of the best shooters in the country. The proper die setting is determined directly with your bolt face and chamber. No gauges required. You need to take the bolt apart at least once a year anyhow for cleaning.

You need to remember that a lot of people on this website are shooting $5000+ rifles in national competition. You never know if your talking to a deer hunter or a national champion.They are not shooting factory rifles. If your shooting a $700-1200 factory 222 at varmints a lot of the techniques you see on this website won't help your accuracy.
I hand lap all factory rifle barrels before we shoot them and then I put dyna-tex bore coat into barrel. last one I did was a Mossberg mvp .223 with 24in barrel and it shoots into same hole 5 shots @100yds. worked up load with 70gr bergers and gun now holds range record of 4.89in @ 900yds 5 shots! this gun cleans up with KG-1 in no more than 4 patches.
 
If you hand lap the barrels, why would you need a rough bore jacket fouling inhibitor like Dyna-Tek?


Dusty - betting you could be right.
Donovan
you don't understand Dyna-tek. it is not a rough bore inhibitor! it helps in the cleaning of the barrel. like they say if barrel is a dog it is still a dog after treatment but it will be the easyist dog you ever cleaned. you should read John Barsness report on product. this stuff really works. we use it on all muzzleloaders and the last bullet goes down the barrel the same as first and this was in a 25 shot string!
 
I think you don't understand. In rifles (not muzzleloaders or pistols) it is to eliminate copper. Dyna-Bore bonds a .25 microns thick coat, that is to have no effect on velocity, point of impact, or group size. Its a chemical bore treatment to produce a reduction in fouling, so you can shoot more and clean less often.
So by the manufacturers own descriptions, your accuracy claims should have in no way been do to your use of Dyna-Tek Bore Coat.

A properly hand lapped rifle barrel won't copper foul, so why would you need to coat it?
Rough bores copper foul, and is where a copper inhibitor would have a good purpose.
Muzzleloaders are totally different animal and hardly comparable, but glad to hear it works good for you with your muzzleloaders.
Donovan

Well I just learned another pearl then. Time to get some of this stuff for my muzzleloader :)
 
Find someone who has ben reloading and ask if he will help. If the gun is a hunting and target . Before you go getting things that others have told you to get Don't . Most good reloaders will help. Nothing replaces a good mentor. Larry
 
So, I put a number of once fired Lapua brass into my chamber and closed the bolt without the FP assembly. The bolt handle doesn't drop at all. Without a case in the chamber, it drops freely. I screwed my FL die all the way down so it is right against the shell holder and it makes no difference after sizing. So does this mean I need a thinner shell holder to allow the die to come down onto the case more?

I find it difficult to believe that once fired Lapua brass could be too big for my chamber and in need of shoulder bumping already. I can close the bolt with just a little pressure on the bolt handle. Would this not be more of an indication that the brass has expanded to perfectly fit my chamber with very minimal excess space, which is what my goal is? If the round chambers without abnormal force on the bolt, would that not be my goal?

I feel as though if I were to neck size only, my cases would very soon be stretched too large for my chamber.
 
Yes if you neck size youll have problems pretty quick. That was a short lived fad that went out of style in the 50's. It sounds like you do need a different shellholder. Sometimes a different one the same brand will get it. Or you can have a machinist friend take your shellholder down a bit or the base of the die. Id fire em 2-3 times to get a good read on where theyre at
 
Your ejector spring may be too strong to allow your bolt to drop. Take a piece of scotch tape and apply it to the back of an unsized case- trim it to fit the head and see if that prevents the bolt from camming down.
 
Your ejector spring may be too strong to allow your bolt to drop. Take a piece of scotch tape and apply it to the back of an unsized case- trim it to fit the head and see if that prevents the bolt from camming down.

That may have to wait, as all the cases are sized and prepped for the next round of shooting. Why a fired unsized case? I thought I'm trying to find the correct case length to size down to, by sizing bit by bit.
 
That may have to wait, as all the cases are sized and prepped for the next round of shooting. Why a fired unsized case? I thought I'm trying to find the correct case length to size down to, by sizing bit by bit.
Then take a sized case, close the bolt 1/2 way and try to push the bolt forward with your thumb.....is there much forward movement...also try it with a new piece of brass and it should move noticably.
 
Clarification and edit to simplify- with your just sized case close the bolt and push forward against the bolt shroud with your thumb and report if you have forward movement....do same with a new piece of brass
 
Last edited:
Clarification and edit to simplify- with your just sized case close the bolt and push forward against the bolt shroud with your thumb and report if you have forward movement....do same with a new piece of brass

I don't have a fresh case, but I did this with my sized case and there is just the slightest bit of movement. This is with no FP assembly in the bolt. It's a Tikka T3 so the shroud is off as well. I'm just pushing on the very back of the bolt where the FP assembly would be.

If I replace the FP assembly and shroud, it feels like I still get the teeny bit of movement but it's harder to tell if it's going forward or on an angle. This is with the FP decocked. With it cocked there is zero movement.
 
Sigsavage....you should list an approximate location and I'm sure someone on here would be more than happy to help you better in person. Eliminates a lot of confusion and if your a visual type, would be a valuable asset...just my 2
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
166,261
Messages
2,215,140
Members
79,506
Latest member
Hunt99elk
Back
Top