Reloading bench build...
- Thread starter TerryH
- Start date
The surface of the primers are smooth. They pass the fingernail test.
What’s causing that circular stamp-shape adjacent to FP depressions? In your first pic it’s at 5 o’clock on left, then 7 on right. 5-case pic has it moving from 11-9-9-4-12 L>R. I’d have some reservations over whether a bolt face defect could lead eventually to primer leakage.
Surprised you’re not using Palma brass, by now generally accepted to withstand repeated reloadings as well as moderately higher pressures w/o stretched primer pockets better.
Otherwise, carry on! Let us know how this rig performs once you can bear to shoot outdoors! (Warm-up where I am, all of +1F this AM, might top 20 next Monday! First time in three weeks!)
Surprised you’re not using Palma brass, by now generally accepted to withstand repeated reloadings as well as moderately higher pressures w/o stretched primer pockets better.
Otherwise, carry on! Let us know how this rig performs once you can bear to shoot outdoors! (Warm-up where I am, all of +1F this AM, might top 20 next Monday! First time in three weeks!)
I'll recheck the bolt face when I get back home. Did not see anything abnormal on initial inspection. I'll probably move to the Palma brass once what I have on hand is consumed. That's in the category of "if I knew then what I know now" I would have bought Palma from the start.
Hopefully will get to do some real shooting before too long. Have made arrangements to do some testing on a friend's land where I will be able to shoot 600. I willfully confess to being a fair weather shooter. I'd like to see at least 40 degrees or so when I begin testing. I'm not convinced that results obtained in such low temps as we have now are going to play out anywhere close to the same once the weather warms up anyway.
Probably a good idea, but if you do bother, take good notes.
I was elated to find early in 2016 my go-to load for Fullbore worked superbly at our first match early in April. We started out, it was +19F & by the end never got above +28F. No mis-fires using Palma brass & Wolf/Tula KVB223M primers behind Benchmark. Cold fingers though, on both hands! Hope I never have to repeat that experience.
I much prefer +50F minimum for anything outdoors. Testing at those temps hasn’t led to any surprises when it tops +90F here or elsewhere.
I'm always a note taker but no danger in me shooting unless it's at least in the 40's and there is sunshine.
Terry, Here is the Loading Data on the .308 Win for a 200gr bullet using Varget from Hodgdon. As you can see their maximum is 42gr. http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
I had read that previously. Every listed load that I've seen with Varget and the 200.20x's are substantially higher. Seems the velocity node that everyone is landing on is 2625ish to 2650ish. Obviously not going to happen with 42.0.
The point is, that you want to start with the lower loads and work your way up. Remember that temperature has a lot to do with the powders performance. Although Varget is pretty temperature friendly, it will create higher pressures when the temperatures are higher during the summer. The flattening of the primers you are seeing is an indicator of high pressures.
I wouldn't worry about velocity, just pay attention to the groupings and look for the nodes that have been discussed here in other threads. I generally start with 0.5gr increments from the lowest to the highest with the round seated 0.015" OTL. Once I find a load that performs, I then work up loads 2 levels above and below that load with 0.2gr increments. After refining that I will then play with the seating depth. Moving the round closer and farther from the lands.
memilanuk
Gold $$ Contributor
And that might actually mean something if the bullet they were using had something besides diameter & weight in common with the bullet under discussion.
Maybe this from Berger will be more help. The point is that the recommendations for powder loads are far below what Terry is starting with. Does this mean that he cannot have a safe hotter load, NO, but he should be cautious in his development.
memilanuk
Gold $$ Contributor
Not really. Berger's load manual is one of the more laughable ones out there in my opinion - 200 Hybrid seated to 2.810", really? They continue the same nit-wittery with the 230 Hybrid. Pretty much zero use as a reference for heavy bullets. Good supplementary articles, though. Apologies to the folks at Berger, but that's the way I see it. If Sierra can figure out how to get their lawyers to let them publish 'target bolt-gun only' loads for the specialty LR bullets, Berger can too.
That said, I understand what I think you're trying to get at - start low, work up for *your* gun, and don't get hung up on what 'everybody else' is *saying* they're getting. *Especially* for a novice hand loader, even if you have the 'best' tools available to you.
The standard advice of knock at least 10% off suggested loads to start with is not a bad practice for newbies.
Do I do it with a .308 with bullets and powders I'm familiar with? Not really - but I've been loading that particular cartridge at 'competitive' performance levels for 10+ years, and probably (well) north of 20k rounds - I have a pretty good idea what to expect.
Do I do that when I start out with a cartridge I'm not familiar with, or a new powder that I have no real experience with? Oh hell yes.
I'll admit, it pains me a little to do so, but I still have all 10 fingers and both eye balls, and plan to keep them for a long time to come, so yes, I back off the load and work up, no short cuts.
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This is my point. Most bullet and powder manufacturers post very conservative load values. I agree to this and their reason is pretty simple to understand from a legal point of view. However, I believe it is important to build up to the load that a gun will like. It may be within the ranges provided or above them. I agree with you that it is highly possible that the final load could be above the max values and still safe. But as you pointed out, it is only good practice to approach the higher load values with caution.
Couple of updates to the thread. First, I did find a nice load for the .308. I did the @Erik Cortina 100 yard load development and it worked out great. I bought a Magnetospeed V3 which I also love. Here's the results of the load and seating tests.
I ended up with 43.0 gr of Varget seating at .012 off. Shot 594 25x in my first 300 yard match including a 200 14x so I guess it worked out.
I've also continued to add to my reloading bench and room. I decided that I didn't want the TV in there so I took it out. I bought an American flag just to take up some wall space and that started a theme that I continue to add to. Bought a bulletin board to display the 200 14x target and whatever else ends up there. I also bought a used Giraud annealer I found in the classifieds here. This place never disappoints in spending my dollars. lol... Anyway, feel like I've got it pretty well set up now.
One of my favorite flag related things is this eagle that a friend made for me.
I also moved my old Hang Up Pro vac from my shop into the gun room. Very seldom used it in the shop but use it all the time in the gun room. It has a long hose that will reach virtually the entire room. Super handy.
The Giraud has wheels for the .308 and .223 cases. There was no back plate for the chute so I cut a piece of aluminum scrap and got that installed. I've ordered a regulator for the LP system because I can't ever leave anything alone.
I'm sure it'll continue to evolve so I'll continue to update...
I ended up with 43.0 gr of Varget seating at .012 off. Shot 594 25x in my first 300 yard match including a 200 14x so I guess it worked out.
I've also continued to add to my reloading bench and room. I decided that I didn't want the TV in there so I took it out. I bought an American flag just to take up some wall space and that started a theme that I continue to add to. Bought a bulletin board to display the 200 14x target and whatever else ends up there. I also bought a used Giraud annealer I found in the classifieds here. This place never disappoints in spending my dollars. lol... Anyway, feel like I've got it pretty well set up now.
One of my favorite flag related things is this eagle that a friend made for me.
I also moved my old Hang Up Pro vac from my shop into the gun room. Very seldom used it in the shop but use it all the time in the gun room. It has a long hose that will reach virtually the entire room. Super handy.
The Giraud has wheels for the .308 and .223 cases. There was no back plate for the chute so I cut a piece of aluminum scrap and got that installed. I've ordered a regulator for the LP system because I can't ever leave anything alone.
I'm sure it'll continue to evolve so I'll continue to update...
Terry,
Congrats on the shooting, very nice for your first match. The room is looking fantastic. I love the Eagle Flag that you friend made for you. Keep up the reports, enjoy seeing your room develop.
Congrats on the shooting, very nice for your first match. The room is looking fantastic. I love the Eagle Flag that you friend made for you. Keep up the reports, enjoy seeing your room develop.
Thank you sir! I'm enjoying working in and on the room very much.
My thoughts also,when I saw the lam going on.
LarryDScott
Site $$ Sponsor
I dont think there is ever a stopping point on a reloading room.
There is always a bird bell or whistle to add, whether ya need
it or not. LDS
There is always a bird bell or whistle to add, whether ya need
it or not. LDS
joshb
Gold $$ Contributor
Well done! Really well done! You need to add a lot more boxes of dies and bullets and such to give it that "lived in" look. That'll come in time. Get that fire extinguisher out of the corner and hang it by the door and please tell me where you bought that cool overhead light on the bench. LED? Nice shooting, by the way!Nice bench, i hang benches from e2re2e49i wall studs. Less material and unobstructec access below. Bench depth 20".I have never reloaded in my life. After buying an F-T/R .308 I had to take the plunge. I've purchased quite a bit of equipment that needs a home so a reloading bench is next on my project list. Figured I'd document the build. Hopefully some useful information will be shared. It's really more than just reloading bench. I'm planning on doing general gun work on it as well. I'm overtaking a spare bedroom to house the bench, safes etc... More on that later.
I've saved about a bazillion pics of reloading benches and benches in general and I've based my design on those along with input from regular woodworking benches and such. I have a pretty nice woodworking shop at my house so milling lumber etc.. is no issue. The bench will be built from regular construction lumber that I bought a Lowes along with 3/4" plywood, mdf and melamine.
No formal drawings. I'm working from my usual hand scrawled diagrams. Bench top has a finished size of 80x30. The work surface will be 3/4" almond colored melamine with 2 layers of 3/4" mdf glued and screwed together underneath it. The 3rd layer is just around the edge to support the edge banding. Completed top will be edge banded with 1 1/4" x 2 1/2" pine. The base is 68" x 22" and 35" tall made from more construction lumber milled to 1 1/4" thickness.
I've used lots of construction lumber for such projects before and I've learned to buy oversize and mill to finish widths. Here are the leg parts milled and cut to rough dimensions. These will be finished to 3 3/4" x 3 3/4".
And the glue ups.
Next was the milling and cutting to rough dimensions of the base parts.
I've also learned that these pieces are likey to warp and/or twist so I stack and weight them until I'm ready to continue.
Next is cutting the sheet goods for the top. I'm very blessed to have a nice table saw with Exactor sliding table for such. I also have my shop arranged so that full sheets are supported by benches on both sides of the table saw. Makes working with full sheets by myself a breeze.
Also in the lessons learned category is the way I make the sandwich of sheet goods for the top. I cut the center layer of mdf to perfect dimensions and then use my router with a flush trim bit to size the top layer that I've cut 1/4" oversize. Very difficult to screw the layers together perfectly if they are all cut to exact size and the flush trim bit produces a perfect edge on the melamine.
Hope someone enjoys the pics and the process. I'll post more as I go.
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