BCL/NEA102 Ammo tryouts - function tests
- Thread starter mikethebike
- Start date
Peel it off and give it a try.
American Eagle 150 gr FMJ BT worked pretty well today.
Only shot at 50M indoors but best 5 shot group was just under 1/2". No failures at all. Shot with a bipod and Bushnell Tactical scope.
PPU 154gr MFJ BT functioned but lousy accuracy and ammo seemed quite inconsistent.
Only shot at 50M indoors but best 5 shot group was just under 1/2". No failures at all. Shot with a bipod and Bushnell Tactical scope.
PPU 154gr MFJ BT functioned but lousy accuracy and ammo seemed quite inconsistent.
I use small base dies for loading semi. Is it needed?? I don't know but it's what i did for my 305 and what I'm doing for the 102. Same with factory crimp I do it to all my semi loads some say it's good some say it's bad. Personally I would load with what you have and see how it works for you and you rifle.
I tend to agree. I am going to try without crimping first because adding crimping to the equation complicates things and can result in differing velocities due to minute length differences and/or brass thickness or hardness. If racking rounds in the chamber pushes bullets in I will crimp them. How do you like the factory crimp die?
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
It is not about using any one type or brand of die, it is the sizing required to fit the chamber in your rifle. Semi autos tend to have the widest range of chamber dimensions. It can range from typical to very big.
When you size a case, you want to reduce the size to be a proper fit in that chamber.... not necessarily any and all chambers. Sizing dies vary in operation and quantity of sizing. Even the same type of die from different brands can vary. So you may need to try various options to see what is going to provide the dimensions you prefer.
For my precision testing, I will make up dummy rds at various level of sizing to see what it ideal for each rifle. I do not expect the cases to interchange between brands/types... maybe not even between rifles of the same make.
From there, chambering tests will be done to see how well the rifles feed. If there is set back in the dummy rds and there is no remedy wrt to mags, then crimping becomes a necessity. In general, a bullet nose shouldn't hit the feed ramp... that is actually a misunderstanding of how a semi should feed. The shoulder is what rides up the feed ramp and why that angle is shallow and has been since auto feed rifles were invented.
I will provide alot of info about my reloading procedure as the rifle tests progress.
Jerry
I've never needed small base dies to load for any semi auto I've owned and that includes around ten AR-15's, both my ACR's (6 different barrels), Three HK SL8-4's, AR180B-2, my Swiss Arms, a couple AR-10's, three M305's, my RFB, and my Modern Hunter. I always suggest that people try regular dies first and if there are problems with chambering then try small base. All you can do is try and see if it works. It's starting to sound like these rifles are not very consistent from one rifle to the next so even if regular dies work fine for one person they may not work for the next.
The most important thing is to full length size every time. I've known a few guys that tried to reload for their semi the same as they do for their precision bolt action and it just won't work if you only neck size them. Also remember that these are not precision bolt actions, you have to consider the needs of the gas system which means keeping projectile weight in range with what they were designed for which means 147-180 grain projectiles and a powder with a burn rate slightly slower for the projectile weight. I've seen them function outside that range but if you go too heavy it can be hard on the rifle and cause functional issues with high bolt speeds.
(no I don't still own all those rifles but I handloaded for all of them)
And of course Jerry is 100% correct, your bullet tip should not contact the feed ramp at all while chambering if everything is set up correctly. An out of spec mag or a projectile loaded too far out may change that and cause issues but the bullet tip shouldn't contact the ramp. Crimping is mostly to prevent the bullets from being pushed into the case while they are in the magazine and the rifle moves backward under recoil and the cartridges don't move until they are pushed by the front of the magazine hitting the bullet tip, same idea as to why you push your scope/optic mount forward on the rail till it stops before tightening it down so it doesn't shift forward when the rifle recoils.
That shouldn't affect accuracy unless you mean not square as in cross threaded and maybe the bullet is striking the brake. Have a look at your brake, it should be very obvious if there has been contact with the projectile.
It's a brake not a break by the way, and yes it makes a difference even though we all know what you are talking about. Sorry, just a little pet peeve of mine.
Good, bad? it depends what you are doing it for, typically it seems that crimping reduces accuracy slightly from my experience but at the same time it can be necessary with some rifles to prevent projectile push back or just to make your neck tension a little more consistent. If you are using one and are happy with the results you are getting then keep doing it. I own a factory crimp die for 223, 300BLK, 6.8 SPC, and 308win but have only used the one for the 300BLK so far and it did reduce my accuracy slightly but not enough that I was concerned about it.
That's the best thing about the factory crimp die, case length does not affect the crimp given as the die bottoms out on the shell holder to create the squeeze around the entire neck, it doesn't rely on the case moving up into a constriction to create the pressure.
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So today I ran Winchester silver box 150gn, norinco green box, my m305 load 42gn of h4895 behind a hornady 150gn fmj, and my test loads for hunting start load of 40gn max load of 43.5gn of h4895 behind a 168gn tsx bullet. The rifle feed all of it but the norinco. I had about a 20% failure to chamber. The
cartridge would jam in the top of the chamber. No ftf or fte.
I ended up getting some pressure signs at 43gn so I will load up some 42 and 42.5 and pick from that. I would prefer to run a little hot as those bullets need some velocity to properly expand. And my group at 43gn was very nice.
cartridge would jam in the top of the chamber. No ftf or fte.
I ended up getting some pressure signs at 43gn so I will load up some 42 and 42.5 and pick from that. I would prefer to run a little hot as those bullets need some velocity to properly expand. And my group at 43gn was very nice.
Federal fusion 165's shot 10 rounds between two mags with 1 stove pipe with the next round half chambered. 4.5" group.
Winchester power point 180's. 9 rounds out of Xcr mag no failures. 5.2" group. One comment here, these rounds had a noticable increase in recoil.
Won't be hunting with these so I will shoot the rest off and see how it goes.
Winchester power point 180's. 9 rounds out of Xcr mag no failures. 5.2" group. One comment here, these rounds had a noticable increase in recoil.
Won't be hunting with these so I will shoot the rest off and see how it goes.
I have had close to and possibly sub MOA results (note only at 50 m) with cheap AE 150 gr FMJ Bt with perfect function to date.
Does anyone know where to find Hornady Black? Some US forums I've checked out have reports of sub MOA with 10:1 16-18" barrelled AR10 and LR308 using those pills.
Does anyone know where to find Hornady Black? Some US forums I've checked out have reports of sub MOA with 10:1 16-18" barrelled AR10 and LR308 using those pills.
