Reloading for Accurate Rifle

[baddarryl]

so steel/iron frame and parts, nor an early potmetal/alum thing ??

Steel and Iron

 

[baddarryl]

This fella is a beginner and needs to learn how to load ammo first before doing anything else. One step at a time.
Advanced reloading might be easy for us, but the less he has to think about the less likely he will make a mistake.

Once he knows the basics, the other stuff will be easy to learn. But having to learn everything all at once makes it harder.

I guess it depends on what a new is. I can load pistol just fine, but have only done it for plinking. What is new is rifle work.

 

[Zero333]

I guess it depends on what a new is. I can load pistol just fine, but have only done it for plinking. What is new is rifle work.

great... I should of caught on that... you clearly state it in your first post. That's what I get for trying to read faster than my brain can process.

Since rifle ammo doesn't need crimping (unless it's for a semi-auto and the bullets have a cannelure,.. and for that I only recommend the Lee Factory Crimp die), like others been saying, you need a headspace comparator (comes in a kit with different inserts for different cartridges, and most of us have the Hornady comparator) to know how far the brass is being sized.
Not enough sized and it will not chamber smoothly.
Too much sizing and the brass will have excess headspace in the chamber.
Usually when adjusting the Full Length sizing die as per the die manufacturer's instructions, it tends to push the shoulders a few thousands farther than needed at best, and up to several thousands more than optimal, which will reduce brass life drastically.
With out a headspace comparator you will never know how far you're sizing the brass.

Then the next part is a bullet length comparator and tool that will tell you exactly how far the bullet bearing surface is from the rifling.
If you have a rifle with out a floating bolt head, you don't need the tool because there is another way to find the lands (we call it the Wheeler method since Alex Wheeler, a forum member and gunsmith showed us how with a video he made).
But you will need a bullet comparator to get repeatable measurements.

But at the beginning like I said you can get away with those things and still load good ammo.
You can use a Full Length sizing die to Neck Size until you get the headspace comparator. This way you will not be over sizing/working the brass. Most of us don't care about neck sizing because FL sizing the right amount is the most optimal for accurate ammo. When Neck Sizing, you can neck size the same brass only a few times before the bolt is hard to close on the NS brass, thus requiring you to eventually FL size anyways.

Here is the "Wheeler find your lands" video...

 

[Albany Mountain]

I am currently a not very active Instructor in Training at Project Appleseed and shoot service rifle and Garand with slings. I want to get into CMP/NRA High Power more locally and to the 600 yard events to start with. I will start by developing loads for a Rock River National Match A2 that I just got. Thank you.

Go to National Match forum and get some information there. As stated the target is 2 MOA for the ten ring and if you have a decent rifle, calipers, a lee trimmer and perhaps a hornady headspacing measuring tools (or even a 5/16 socket with the calipers), you can get standard loads that will work fine for 69, 77, 80 grain bullets. To gain the most benefits, you will need to learn the positions, procedures, and targets. That will gain you the most points so far, well beyond ammo that you shoot if you are using 69 gr, 77 gr, 80 gr grain bullets in most any sort of brass. After 4-6 thousand rounds, you can evaluate the rifle barrel and then your equipment. At that point you may want to play around with bullet depths for single loading, the other stuff has to fit in the magazine and chamber so no rocket science there.
Most High Power Shooters (including the best ones) aren't doing anything exotic with 200-300 yard ammo. They will tweak the 600 yard stuff a little but not a whole lot. If you are one or two barrels into shooting with a service rifle, then you may notice the finer aspects of reloading. Just use Hornady, Sierra or Berger bullets, buy in bulk for price savings what you can afford, and spend your time reloading in volume and shooting in volume instead of getting into benchrest techniques that is just going to waste your time that could be spent trying to learn the sport and wearing barrels out in the meantime.

 

[baddarryl]

This ^^^

 

[rsmithsr50]

setting up a die the right way is easy. there is no reason to learn the wrong way. just wrong thinking.

This fella is a beginner and needs to learn how to load ammo first before doing anything else. One step at a time.
Advanced reloading might be easy for us, but the less he has to think about the less likely he will make a mistake.

Once he knows the basics, the other stuff will be easy to learn. But having to learn everything all at once makes it harder.

 

[Liven The Dream]

Lots of Information posted above.
Has the Teacher said you won't retain 25% .. That is good Maxim Overload..

I suggest a # 8 Speer Reloading Manual Read it Twice. The Trouble Shooting Part is the Best.
The Press is Important ! RCBS Rock Chucker Older one used would be on my list ? Redding Boss or Boss 2 ?

I would check the OAL of the Brass after every sizing ?

I would like to Help you out Lyman Case Trimmer Used but Good to You for shipping Cost only ?
PM if you are interested

 

[hfinkle]

Find a range in your area that has a bench rest league. go watch and ask questions, you will find someone near you that will show you how. The guys in my league helped me more than any chat room could.

 

[338 dude]

I have a cheap dial caliper from Harbor Freight. It feels solid but something I should up grade?

YES If you want to look at quality caliper check out I gauging calipers on Amazon if you search YouTube you’ll find a video comparing several calipers and I gauging was rated fairly high

 

[baddarryl]

Lots of Information posted above.
Has the Teacher said you won't retain 25% .. That is good Maxim Overload..

I suggest a # 8 Speer Reloading Manual Read it Twice. The Trouble Shooting Part is the Best.
The Press is Important ! RCBS Rock Chucker Older one used would be on my list ? Redding Boss or Boss 2 ?

I would check the OAL of the Brass after every sizing ?

I would like to Help you out Lyman Case Trimmer Used but Good to You for shipping Cost only ?
PM if you are interested

PM’d

 

[baddarryl]

Ok guys, OP here. Thanks to everyone for your input. Is safe to assume that as long as I properly sort, match and prep range brass it is ok for plinking ammo? I have a carbine AR for that.

I have decided I am going to only use fire formed brass either from new brass
or factory loads I have shot in my other rifles. I have a press, the Lee crimp die (as suggested) and a trimmer coming. I have the Lee chamfer and primer pocket tools that came in the kit and the priming system on the turret. Can you guys list for me in order the tools and measuring instruments I’ll need to produce consistent ammo without going bench rest crazy? Thanks

 

[Homerange]

Dependable scales with check weights and a flash hole chamfer tool are high on my list.
It wasn't apparent my beam scales were out until I got a Chargemaster.
YMMV

 

[ebb]

Back before there Accurate Shooter I used to be on another forum, there was one older guy that was my hero. When he got an Idea that someone had that much top of the line stuff and insisted that you had to have to have any chance of an accurate shot. He called them "gear queers". I don't know if he was right but over the years I am suspecting he may have been.

 

[sqrlgtr]

Anybody remember using the ol lee loader?The one you used a hammer to hit the resizing die with and just measured your powder with the little dipper that came with it.Made a lot of accurate 243 cartridges with one sitting at the kitchen table lol.Pretty sure I still have it around here somewhere.Ultimate KISS kit..

 

[Homerange]

Anybody remember using the ol lee loader?The one you used a hammer to hit the resizing die with and just measured your powder with the little dipper that came with it.Made a lot of accurate 243 cartridges with one sitting at the kitchen table lol.Pretty sure I still have it around here somewhere.Ultimate KISS kit..

Yep, got a Target model in 308 here. They included a neck reamer and while leaving a beautiful job the neck wall thickness was too thin except for custom chambers. Stuffed up a heap of good LC brass and rebarrelled a rifle before we worked out what was going on and after trying a conventional FL die with once fired brass that shot miles better with the same load.
Went to a LCD and still there.