Prioritizing new reloading equipment.

[zanemoseley]

I'm getting a used 6br rifle and what to upgrade my loading equipment to maximize accuracy and consistency.

What I have:
Rock Chucker
Small primer pocket uniform tool
Flash hole deburr tool
RCBS charge master
Beam scale
Franklin armory digital scale
RCBS case trimming lathe
Redding trickles
Lee scoops

Things on my "want" list:
21st century arbor press
Wilson micrometer seating for
Wilson neck sizing die
21st century single micrometer hand priming tool
Neck turning lathe


So what am I missing and what should I prioritize on the list? The arbor press and Wilson dies will probably be first because otherwise I'll have to buy $150 worth of Redding dies for my rockchucker.

With the standard 6 BR using Lapua brass will neck turning be necessary or important to get good concentricity and neck tension?

 

[savagedasher]

I'm getting a used 6br rifle and what to upgrade my loading equipment to maximize accuracy and consistency.

What I have:
Rock Chucker
Small primer pocket uniform tool
Flash hole deburr tool
RCBS charge master
Beam scale
Franklin armory digital scale
RCBS case trimming lathe
Redding trickles
Lee scoops

Things on my "want" list:
21st century arbor press
Wilson micrometer seating for
Wilson neck sizing die
21st century single micrometer hand priming tool
Neck turning lathe


So what am I missing and what should I prioritize on the list? The arbor press and Wilson dies will probably be first because otherwise I'll have to buy $150 worth of Redding dies for my rockchucker.

With the standard 6 BR using Lapua brass will neck turning be necessary or important to get good concentricity and neck tension?

QL is a good addition. Larry

 

[joshb]

Turn your necks 2 k to 3k less than your chamber,. If it's a no turn "used gun", get some cerrosafe and verify. Heck, verify any used gun for safety's sake. Maybe a skim would help a no turn. Some opposing opinions on that. Take a good look at Whidden dies and the PMA turning tools. Also, I don't see any annealing equipment on your list. I used a torch and socket for years to save that expense, but an important step for brass longevity and consistent neck tension.

 

[zanemoseley]

Larry, what is QL?

 

[joshb]

I think he means Quick Load software.

 

[savagedasher]

Larry, what is QL?

It is a program the list all the bullets powder And give you much information on your loads amount of fill pressure changes .
Look up neco Quick Load Larry

 

[22DASHER]

The number one thing you are missing is an annealer.

 

[savagedasher]

The number one thing you are missing is an annealer.

You can do it with a touch to start with .
But for sure it is a great addition.
Larry

 

[22DASHER]

You can do it with a touch to start with .
But for sure it is a great addition.
Larry

Agreed. That's how I started.

 

[Jet]

FX120I or similar type scale. Best prices have been found at:

http://cambridgeenviro.com/searchResults.php?userQuery=FX-120i#

Good Shooting

Rich

 

[zanemoseley]

I forgot to list my annealer, I made a black betty copy, seems to work well but one of the speed controllers (luckily the one for the case feeder) is messing up, need to fix that.

 

[RonAKA]

The size of the neck in your gun will tell you if you need to neck turn or not. I do not neck turn my 6BR brass, and for my needs I find the Forster Bushing Bump Die the most critical piece of my equipment. I believe this die is unique in that it is the only die that you can use to leave the body of case alone, bump the shoulder, and partially resize the neck. You can neck size with the bushing only, or do the very final touch up with an expander ball located very high in the case to minimize any induced runout.

 

[savagedasher]

The size of the neck in your gun will tell you if you need to neck turn or not. I do not neck turn my 6BR brass, and for my needs I find the Forster Bushing Bump Die the most critical piece of my equipment. I believe this die is unique in that it is the only die that you can use to leave the body of case alone, bump the shoulder, and partially resize the neck. You can neck size with the bushing only, or do the very final touch up with an expander ball located very high in the case to minimize any induced runout.

I don't care for expander balls . If you get a donut the change the shoulder bump.
Larry

 

[LRPV]

I'm getting a used 6br rifle and what to upgrade my loading equipment to maximize accuracy and consistency.

What I have:
Rock Chucker
Small primer pocket uniform tool
Flash hole deburr tool
RCBS charge master
Beam scale
Franklin armory digital scale
RCBS case trimming lathe
Redding trickles
Lee scoops

Things on my "want" list:
21st century arbor press
Wilson micrometer seating for
Wilson neck sizing die
21st century single micrometer hand priming tool
Neck turning lathe


So what am I missing and what should I prioritize on the list? The arbor press and Wilson dies will probably be first because otherwise I'll have to buy $150 worth of Redding dies for my rockchucker.

With the standard 6 BR using Lapua brass will neck turning be necessary or important to get good concentricity and neck tension?

Arbor press and Wilson seater are good. After you have the rifle, find out whether or not it is a tight neck, unless you have to turn necks to safely shoot the rifle don't spend your money on it. Buy a full length bushing die from Harrels precision (it comes with a bump gauge) Buy a few neck bushings. Hand primers are nice and you can spend varying amounts on them. I use a universal RCBS. If you're shooting 600+ save up for a better scale. Buy some measuring tools so you can try to ascertain what's going on while your loading/sizing/shooting. Read this forum as well as articles on the accurate shooter website. These are free for the taking. Buy the best bullets you can afford and start saving up for a new barrel and try to find a competent gunsmith to put it on.

 

[savagedasher]

I use a charge master .I find the case capacity changes more the the powder drop difference. Larry

 

[Scott Harris]

I'm getting a used 6br rifle and what to upgrade my loading equipment to maximize accuracy and consistency.

...

Things on my "want" list:
21st century arbor press
Wilson micrometer seating for
Wilson neck sizing die
21st century single micrometer hand priming tool
Neck turning lathe


So what am I missing and what should I prioritize on the list? The arbor press and Wilson dies will probably be first because otherwise I'll have to buy $150 worth of Redding dies for my rockchucker.

With the standard 6 BR using Lapua brass will neck turning be necessary or important to get good concentricity and neck tension?

I'd get a Redding F/L Bushing Die and Competition Seater and drop the Wilson dies and arbor press. It's a myth that you get better results with these tools. Now, if you want to load at the range, that's a legitimate reason to get an arbor press and Wilson seater. Full-length sizing every time produces very consistent ammo. Float the dies in your Rockchucker and it will produce straight consistent sized cases and seated bullets. The neck sizer is an unneeded complication. The 21st Century Hand primer and turning lathe are awesome.

 

[LRPV]

I use a charge master .I find the case capacity changes more the the powder drop difference. Larry

So you're content with a .3 grain variance in case as small as a BR/Dasher while shooting at 1k? I know you don't shoot paper Larry but I thought you'd be pickier than that.

 

[RonAKA]

I don't care for expander balls . If you get a donut the change the shoulder bump.
Larry

I wonder if you get donuts when you use an expander ball? Have not seen an issue yet. I believe my expander ball only opens the neck up about 0.001". A standard FL die expander ball may open the neck up close to 0.010".

 

[savagedasher]

So you're content with a .3 grain variance in case as small as a BR/Dasher while shooting at 1k? I know you don't shoot paper Larry but I thought you'd be pickier than that.

.02 in case capacity is .01 change in powder In a dasher . When I shoot I want my ES 5 or less Larry

 

[savagedasher]

I wonder if you get donuts when you use an expander ball? Have not seen an issue yet. I believe my expander ball only opens the neck up about 0.001". A standard FL die expander ball may open the neck up close to 0.010".

Sure the only way I know how to remove them is a reamer . Larry