Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Reloading Kit... is it good?

[RonAKA]

I would second what Kenny says about the Lee Classic Cast. When you decide to move up, I would get the Lee Classic Cast press.

As for powder, I like the Hodgdon extruded type. In Canada with our temperature extremes it is less affected. Cold reduces pressure and hot increases. See this link:

http://www.hodgdon.com/extreme.html

For the 270 (which is an excellent choice in cartridges) I would pick H1000 or H4831. Currently there seems to be a powder and primer shortage in Canada. For sure call and ask them if they actually have stock before ordering. Higginson may be worth trying if Wholesale or Cabelas have no stock or are expensive.

http://www.higginsonpowders.com/

For a 270 you really don't need a magnum primer. However you can try one to see if it improves accuracy. Just start with a reduced load and work back up. It may add a little more pressure. In general powders that fill or nearly fill the case tend to be more accurate. H1000 should be of that type, and H4831 close to it.

You can get Hodgdon load data here

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

 

[bheadboy]

I have had excellent result with the 270 with 130 and 150 gr using imr4350 or H4350, standard primers only, 1/2 inch groups from 700bdl. of mine

130 on deer and 150 on elk very clean kills out to 375 on the elk by a friend using my reloads in his 700 with a 24 inch bbl.

Bob

 

[sonofagun231]

A lot of advice here on what equipment to get but the most important equipment you need is knowledge. Read everything you can on the reloading process, especially the manuals' instructions, but I would also highly recommend you get one or more of the instructional videos to watch - Hornady has a good one and I'm sure there are others.

 

[Kenny474]

A lot of advice here on what equipment to get but the most important equipment you need is knowledge. Read everything you can on the reloading process, especially the manuals' instructions, but I would also highly recommend you get one or more of the instructional videos to watch - Hornady has a good one and I'm sure there are others.

Sonofagun231 has brought up a very good point. Knowledge is probably the most important tool you can have while handloading.

I would highly recommend buying "The ABC's of Reloading" and "Modern Reloading Second Edition". Modern Reloading was written by Richard Lee and has some very good information and some of the best load data I have seen. He also has instructions and details of all the equipment that Lee produces.

The ABC's of Reloading is very in depth and is one of the best books on reloading I have read. It was recommended to me by several people when I got started, and I would recommend it to you as well.

 

[RonAKA]

Here is a link to a basic online how to reload manual. I believe it also covers the Lee Handloader.

http://www.bcwf.bc.ca/programs/core/downloads/reloading.pdf

 

[K0na_stinky]

Now for load data. These loads are for standard large rifle primers. You don't need magnum primers, and they should only be used when the manual states they are necessary. IMR4064 isn't slow enough to necessitate magnum primers, nor does the .270 contain enough powder unless you get into the really slow powder like Reloder22. I use standard in my 30-06, and also use slower powder in a few loads as well with no issue.
If you don't mind me asking, who told you it's better to use magnum primers and what was their reasoning?

I personally would have went with a different powder choice for better load density. Reloader22 and 19, H4350, H4831, H450 and several others would have provided better load density for a fuller case. But IMR4064 should work well also.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOAD DATA FOR .270 WINCHESTER 130GR NOSLER BALLISTIC TIP
(POWDER)(START GRS)(CC's)(VEL@STRT)(MAX GRS)(VEL@MAX)(PRESSURE)(MIN. OAL)
IMR4064 42.9 3.20 2728FPS 48.0 3030FPS 51200CUP 3.250"

RE22 55.8 3.89 2956FPS 60.0 3160FPS 61500PSI 3.250"

RE19 53.4 3.77 2909FPS 57.5 3110FPS 61600PSI 3.250"

H4350 51.0 3.70 2844FPS 54.3 3012FPS 63125PSI 3.280"

H4831 56.0 4.06 2824FPS 60.0(c) 3019FPS 63750PSI 3.280"

H450 55.0 3.59 2918FPS 60.0 3150FPS 60875PSI 3.065"

(c) is for compressed load.
All info taken from Modern Reloading Second Edition and has been triple checked for errors in charge weight or OAL. All info is identical to the book itself.

The Sierra 135gr SMK is not suitable for hunting. I also don't have data for it either.

Any questions just ask. If you end up with the Lee dipper set, I can explain to you how to use them properly

So I just made my first 10 bullets. I used CCI Large rifle primers and 53.4 gr. of reloader 19 with a Nosler 130 grain spitzer bullet seated to 3.255.

Now my question is how do you know how much longer you can make the over all length? What does makeing the bullet length longer do?

Can't wait until tomorrow to shoot them and see how they work.

Thanks.

 

[bozo699]

K0na_stinky,
That is great,now you are new to this and I mean nothing negative @ all but just in case you have done somthing wrong ( and I am sure you didn't) Wear your safty glasses and only load one cartridge @ a time,if all goes well and I am confident it will I hope you have as much fun with this sport as most all of us out here have had and continue to have Be safe don't get in a hurry and most of all enjoy yourself, One word of caution to everyone, I saw in one of kenny474s posts about vacumeing up gun powder The motor could set the powder off but the primary worry is static electricity from the powder going up the plastic tube,Bad news I have personally seen the results from this more than once. I know people have gotton by doing this but the potential risk of detination is too high!! sweep up your spilled powder PLEASE
Wayne.

 

[Whacker44]

One thing to consider with the Hornady is the special they offer with free bullets when you buy a press. I think they will give you 500 free bullets for loading. Easily worth the difference in price.
I have used their stuff for years and it has been great. I started reloading in 1967, and have their LnL progressive press. Its great

Check out their special .

 

[K0na_stinky]

K0na_stinky,
That is great,now you are new to this and I mean nothing negative @ all but just in case you have done somthing wrong ( and I am sure you didn't) Wear your safty glasses and only load one cartridge @ a time,if all goes well and I am confident it will I hope you have as much fun with this sport as most all of us out here have had and continue to have Be safe don't get in a hurry and most of all enjoy yourself, One word of caution to everyone, I saw in one of kenny474s posts about vacumeing up gun powder The motor could set the powder off but the primary worry is static electricity from the powder going up the plastic tube,Bad news I have personally seen the results from this more than once. I know people have gotton by doing this but the potential risk of detination is too high!! sweep up your spilled powder PLEASE
Wayne.

Thanks for worrying for me. I was wareing safty glasses and I am loading one at a time.

I just got back from shooting my 10 shots. They worked amazingly. All the bullets in one hole at 50 yards and about 5/8" group at 100. I think thats about as good as I can personaly shoot so I rifle might be better yet.

I'm still wondering what seating the bullet out further does. How do I know how far I am off the lands?

Thanks all.

 

[bozo699]

K0na_stinky,
Awesome!! glad to here you had a great day Glad you and your rifle worked good together. Hornaday sells a c.o.a.l tool that is inexpensive,but you can make your own, take a fired case from your rifle just start to resize it,I mean just barley start the case into the part where the neck starts to size then stop,now start a bullet into the case,now put the unprimed uncharged case into your rifle and close the bolt,open the bolt and take the case and seat it about .010 more then mark the whole bullet with felt marker and put it back into your chamer continue this process untill you can just faintly see where the lands made a mark int the felt marking of the bullet that will be concidered slightly into the lands,now you can jump or jam as you like. If you don't understand (and the way I explain things you may not you can P.M me and I will try to explain better). Hope this helps. I didn't completly answer your question but I will get back to it later.
Wayne.

 

[bozo699]

K0na_stinky,
I have a better Idea ??? P.M Kenny474 about your coal question he can explain much better than I ever could and he probably has a link to show you how to do it somewhere here on 6br.
Wayne.

 

[K0na_stinky]

I watched a few youtube videos and now I have a pretty good idea how to find my rifles COAL.

Today I tryed some Sierra 135gr HPBT bullets seated at 3.255 with 53.4 gr. of reloader 19. Shot about 2" to 2 1/4" 3 shot groups at 100 yards.

Now I want to start making the length longer. Should I move the bullet out slowly? How far should I move it out each time?

Tonight I'm going to find my COAL and make more bullets.

 

[K0na_stinky]

So i just tryed finding my COAL with a fired case and a new bullet. I have not got the same reading twice. So I'm not sure what to do.

EDIT:

My problem was that the case I was useing was alittle to loose. I found that the rifleing starts at about 3.44" does that sound about right?

 

[Kenny474]

If you want to avoid purchasing the Hornady OAL gauge, take a sized case and cut two slits down the neck stopping just before the shoulder using a dremel and a cut-off wheel. You can use a hacksaw blade but it's a bit of a pain. Now squeeze the end of the case in just a bit so as to add a little more tension, but not too much so as to smash the mouth shut or deform the case. Now the case should be able to hold the bullet tight enough so it doesn't push in too easily, but not so much that the bullet gets stuck in the lands. You may need to adjust tension slightly for best results. If two slits won't provide enough tension, use one slit.

Now you can either chamber the round and remove it with a bullet seated long, or you can do what I do, which requires a bit more effort but works well. It's my version of a poor man's OAL tool. You need a Bic pen, cleaning rod that fits through the pen, drill stop collar that fits around the cleaning rod without excessive slop, and a wooden dowel or second cleaning rod, and a case with a slit cut in the neck.

I drill out the primer pocket of a case with a slit in the neck so that a bic pen tube will fit in the hole with a tight interference fit, making sure it's straight inline with the case. I wrap a thick layer of electrical tape around the tube so it will butt against the head of the case, assuring it won't slide any farther into the case when inserted. I trim the tube so it ends in the center of the ejection port with the case inserted in the chamber.
Now I seat a bullet into the case, pushing it in far enough so it won't hit the lands. Put the stop collar on the cleaning rod and tighten it enough so it will still slide with slight effort. Now push the case with the pen tube into the chamber until the case stops. Slide the cleaning rod with the stop collar on it into the tube and case so the stop collar is against the end of the tube and insert the allen wrench and loosen the collar, leaving the allen wrench in the set screw.
Now, with the collar loose enough to move freely, use the rod to push the bullet in until it makes light contact with the lands, slide the collar to the end of the tube and tighten, making sure the rod stays in contact with the bullet, but making sure you don't push the bullet in any further either. It's best to have the wooden dowel in the barrel while doing this, as you can sandwich the bullet between the rod and dowel and adjust the bullet for good contact with the lands.
Now use the wooden dowel to push the bullet and case out of the chamber.
Reinsert the rod with the stop collar into the tube and against the back of the bullet to assure the bullet is in the correct position, remove the tube from the case and measure the OAL.

I used my Poor Man's method many times until I bought the Hornady tool, and have even checked the results against my Hornady tool. It has always worked very well for me, and gives results extremely close to that of the Hornady OAL gauge and better than chambering a slit case with a bullet seated long.

 

[bozo699]

I told you Kenny could do a better job of describing it to you than I
Wayne.

 

[K0na_stinky]

Thanks Kenny.

Now if I seat the bullet closer to the lands do I increase the pressure?

The bullet is touching the lands around 3.44" and I had it set at 3.255" so I'm far off the lands and it wasn't shooting tight groups.

My question is how much closer should I move it? Do I take small steps? Or do I just put it 0.01 of an inch into the lands and go from there?

 

[Kenny474]

I would go .010 or .020 into the lands, and then back off in .005 increments until you find where it shoots best. Some like jam, some like jump, you just need to find the sweet spot.

As far as pressure is concerned, unless you are near max, jamming won't have enough effect to really matter. Just watch for pressure signs anyway and back off a little if they show up.

Due to variances in bullet shape, I always recommend going at least .005 off if you want jump, and .005 in if you want light jam. If you go .001 off, some will be just touching and others off a little. I have never had any real difference or improvement by going that close anyway. If anything it made things inconsistent. But I run a lot of jam in my rifle with little neck tension, as that's what works for me.

 

[K0na_stinky]

Well I took my time and found exactly where the rifleing starts. It starts at 3.441" with 135gr Sierra match king bullets.

Tonight my girl friend and I made 10 bullets with the over all length at 3.451". Hopefuly give them a try tomorrow night. We also cleaned my barrel on my 270.

 

[Kenny474]

Kona, are you measuring from the bullet tip, or from the ogive with a comparator? The bullet tip will give mixed measurements as bullet tips get deformed and are usually a bit off from one to the next. If you don't have a comparator, you can use the seating stem from your seating die with your calipers, as that will also measure from the ogive. It's not the best, but it does work and gives consistent measurements.

Sinclair sells special nuts with holes in the flats for this purpose, and they are relatively cheap at $19. They are worth the money.
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=34262/Product/Sinclair_Hex_Style_Bullet_Comparators

 

[K0na_stinky]

Well I went out shooting and got very inconsistent results. First group was about 1 1/4 “. Next was about ½” maybe a touch under. 3rd was about 2”.

That’s with the bullet 0.01” into the lands. The pressure also jumped up a bit. The primer flattened out a bit.

I guess my next step is trying 0.01” away from the lands.


Today I bought a Lyman T Mag Expert Reloading Kit. And a Vortex Crossfire 6-24x50 scope. ;D