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Reloading tecniques and work flow.

To prep new brass I lube (Imperial wax), size (Hornady New Dimension dies with expander), neck turn (Gracey Neck Shaver), size (the shaver alters neck diameter), tumble in cob, trim/chamfer (Gracey Trimmer with Giraud blade), primer pocket uniform (Sinclair), debur flash hole (RCBS), and select a 0.5 gr range of case weight (see below) for long range; the rest are used for short range.

With fired brass I tumble in walnut, lube, size, tumble in cob, uniform (to clean the pocket), and trim/chamfer. Since I use the expander when sizing, any donut will be moved to the outside. If a donut is visible or the necks have thickened from repeated sizing, I add a pass through the shaver. Neck turning goes much smoother with the sizing lube left on the case; much less heat is generated and the cut is smoother. I lube the outside of the case with my fingers and inside the neck with a cotton swab.

I try to use power tools when possible and minimize handling to make processing go faster. For instance, I use a FL sizing die and decap at the same time, seeing no advantage in using 2 or 3 steps to accomplish the same thing. Similarly, the Gracey Trimmer does the inside and outside chamfers while trimming, so 2 steps are eliminated; the Dillon would actually be much slower since the chamfers would still have to be done. At one time I had the trimmer and shaver set up side by side and used them back to back, but found that the shaver worked better with the lube on, but the trimmer got fouled relatively quickly, even when tilted back ~30 degrees.

I try to have ~4000 cases fully prepped at the start of the season so I can defer processing until Winter sets in. I tumble the fired brass in walnut when I get back from the range, then set it aside until free time is available; in the meantime, I spend as much time shooting as possible.

I did an experiment several years ago to determine just how much effect brass weight has on .223 loads. I used WW brass (sized, trimmed and deburred, primer pockets uniformed, flash holes deburred, and neck turned) , WSR primers, charges of RL-15 or N-550 powder weighed to 0.1 gr, and 75 gr A-Max bullets. Using the lightest and heaviest cases (sorted from 1000 once-fired I had on hand), I had two lots of 10 cases with a 3 gr difference in weight. The average muzzle velocity difference was 16 fps, just a bit more than the 12 fps due to 0.1 gr of powder. I choose to sort 0.5 gr lots of .223 brass for my long range loads, but the effect will only matter at 800-1000 yards - the vertical displacement on the target from such a small velocity change is negligible at shorter distances. Unless you control all other sources of variation, the effect of brass weight is negligible. I also shoot .284, and because the brass is twice as heavy I batch in 1 gr lots.
 
So what am I doing wrong or what can I do better? Am I missing anything?

Thanks

Coming from a fellow tool junkie I would say you are missing a 21c hand primer and 21c pocket reamer. And you should have a tuned old ohaus balance beam and a set of check weights!
 
Coming from a fellow tool junkie I would say you are missing a 21c hand primer and 21c pocket reamer. And you should have a tuned old ohaus balance beam and a set of check weights!
I really want the hand primer. i was actually just thinking about asking about which is the best hand primer out there. what I dont like about the 21st century is the single primer feed. I am using lapua brass, should I be messing withthe primer pockets?
 
I think the primer tray feed is a lee. (plastic pos) At least it was last year and I returned it.
I dont have any prob hand picking my primers. After all it is precision loading or i'l use my 550
Nylon brush
 
@Richard Coody

Thank you. that is what I am looking for.

Rest I am using a Farley rest setup for fclass

I do use lapua.

Necks are turned and very concistant.

I am using a Warner Tool Company die for my 6br.

I anneal every firing. i use an anneaze but am getting an annie soon.

I was thinking about trying the scoops. i will look into geeting some this week.

So that leaves tumbling, brass sorting and bullet sorting.

I have not sorted by weight or length before. you say odd balls. how much away from the mean do you consider an odd ball?

I did try to weigh cases by volume before but could not repeat my weights so I stoped. i am going to try it again with the new scale unless the person coming up with a new method comes up with something soon.

Is it worth weighing cases by weight? if so, does it have to be virgin brass or can you sort by prepped brass?.

As for wet tumbling, the guy who I bought the rifle from wet tumbles his brass. he has shot some 1's with the rifle and 2's are the norm. I am trying to get me reloading to the level that the gun is capable of. So I am going tonstick with tumbling for a while anyways

Although I have only shoot fclass, a do plan to try a benchrest shoot or two this year.

Thanks for the advise. much appreciated.

first whatever works for you. for me this is what i have found

leaving the carbon in the necks leads to more consistent neck tension

weigh sorting brass. just find a range of weights and look for the oddballs. maybe 4 or 5 cases out of 100 with lapua.

same with bullets. bergers are consistent.
 
first whatever works for you. for me this is what i have found

leaving the carbon in the necks leads to more consistent neck tension

weigh sorting brass. just find a range of weights and look for the oddballs. maybe 4 or 5 cases out of 100 with lapua.

same with bullets. bergers are consistent.

No I understand that. thanks for posting what you do. I do use imperial dry lube on my bullets before I seat them.
 
No I understand that. thanks for posting what you do. I do use imperial dry lube on my bullets before I seat them.

yep i used to use an ultrasonic. still do on occasion. i do use imperial dry neck lube for neck sizing with an expander ball. i also use it for bullet seating on new and wet cleaned cases. i have a 21st century hydro press and i can assure you there is no comparison in consistency of seating effort with clean necks and dry neck lube and leaving the carbon in the neck
 
As far as the hand primer with/without feed tray.... I was 'raised' on the RCBS with a tray but now use a K&M single feed. I can prime 80 cases for a 3x20 match in near the same time it would take with a tray feed...and I don't think I am alone on this. It is not as slow as I guessed when I made the swap.
 
As far as the hand primer with/without feed tray.... I was 'raised' on the RCBS with a tray but now use a K&M single feed. I can prime 80 cases for a 3x20 match in near the same time it would take with a tray feed...and I don't think I am alone on this. It is not as slow as I guessed when I made the swap.

How do you load the primers? Put them in a tray and use your fingers?
 
I guess what my question is whatnis the difference between the two primers on the 21st Century site? they both have the ability to control the depth.
 
Since Ive recently acquired a top of the line midrange f class rifle, I figured I would try and fine tune my reloading process. i knew my weak link was my scale. I just set up the new FX120I with Trickler.

Ao here is my process. any critique or reccomendations welcome.

New Brass.

Size brass
Trim to length
Turn shoulders
Tumble
Dry
Chamfur and deburr
Prime
Powder
Seat bullet.

I measure after every step where apropiate. i use mitutoyo dial caliper with rtz and a datum dial to measure shoulder, case length and cbto. i use ball calipers to measure necks. National match sizer and a WTC, Wilson seater. i use a 21st century lathe, a wilson trimmer, an arbor press, a t-7 and a rock chucker 2 for the wtc die, an Annealeze, fx120i and chargemaster.

On fired cases

Deprime on a decapper,
Anneal
Size
Tumble
Dry
Light chamfur
Prime
Powder
bullet

I measure or at least try to measure everything to .001. i weigh to the kernel. i use one led light while weighing charges.

Record everything. all brass is assigned batch numbers and kept together. all measuremnts and lot numbers are recorded.

So what am I doing wrong or what can I do better? Am I missing anything?

Thanks

I for one am very impressed.


May I ask what type of F Class rifle are you loading for?

Do you see the results in your scores?
 
I for one am very impressed.


May I ask what type of F Class rifle are you loading for?

Do you see the results in your scores?

Ive shot 600 yard f class mostly for the last two years with a custom 6.x47. I held my own with it. won a couple small club matches. i just picked up a custom 6br. its a masterclass stock Krieger 30" heavy palma in a Barnard action.

As my reloading has progressed over the last two years my scores have gone up. I contribute it mostly to producing more concistant reloads.
 
Ive shot 600 yard f class mostly for the last two years with a custom 6.x47. I held my own with it. won a couple small club matches. i just picked up a custom 6br. its a masterclass stock Krieger 30" heavy palma in a Barnard action.

As my reloading has progressed over the last two years my scores have gone up. I contribute it mostly to producing more concistant reloads.

The f class is prone only I take it.

It's nice to see ones hard work pay off.
6.5 x47 is definitely a caliber I've thought about with the low recoil and superb accuracy.
Without a custom action I wonder about small primer problems as well as the shortage of Lapua brass for 47l and 6 br, hate to be cornered when it comes to supply.
Sounds like your on course for success my friend.
 
The f class is prone only I take it.

It's nice to see ones hard work pay off.
6.5 x47 is definitely a caliber I've thought about with the low recoil and superb accuracy.
Without a custom action I wonder about small primer problems as well as the shortage of Lapua brass for 47l and 6 br, hate to be cornered when it comes to supply.
Sounds like your on course for success my friend.

No issues finding brass. when it comes I buy a box of each. i run batches of 200 pieces. besides the 200 I have 500 more piecrs of x47 an 200 of br. the lapua brass gors a long way before you need to dx it.
 

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