loaded for the first time today

Goose25

Goose25

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I reloaded for the first time today. Besides a couple drawbacks….It was quite amusing! It took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I have to admit I kept double and triple checking all my work. I also was learning how to use and adjust all of my equipment.

I was loading for my .30-06 and loaded a total of 100 rounds (180gr Interbonds, and 165gr BTSP Interlocks). I started with the minimum load in my manual and worked up to my maximum load by .5grains increments (5 rounds of each).

My Speer manual listed their max load for IMR-4350 at 58grains/165 and 57grains/180, and my Lyman manual listed theirs at 57grains/165 and 56grains/180. (I went with the max load from the Speer manual). Why were the max loads different? Seemed like the loads were referring to the same style of bullet.

I used unfired bulk Winchester brass. After attempting to trim them all to 2.484" I did find a couple of them measuring between 2.485-2.4865".... I even had one case that measured 2.4805. I was using a Lee case trimmer and had it set up on a drill press. (Using the lock stud/shell holder in the chuck of the drill). Are the variations in case length I encountered normal/acceptable? 1000-2000th of an inch might not seem like much, but I would suspect that I might run into problems with different case length when having to crimp a bullet with a cannelure? Also, would accuracy suffer from these minor discrepancies? Should I load the shorter case (2.4805), is it safe?

I also ran into a couple problems with my scale (RCBS 5-0-5). There were a few loads that weren’t coming out right, I couldn’t and still haven’t found what I was doing wrong. I would check my zero every few rounds and it had to be readjusted a couple times during the weighing process. (It is on level ground, wasn’t moved, dust free, weights all on zero, pan seated properly). I don’t get it? There are also 4-5 rounds that came up short, I would visually inspect the powder level inside the case and could see the rounds that were coming up short. This was quite discomforting. I decided to weigh every charge twice, it was extremely time consuming and somewhat frustrating.

Finally, I’m still unsure which/when I have to crimp a bullet. I have a LEE deluxe die set and it states in the instructions that it is not necessary to crimp loads other than for hunting purposes. Other sources mention it is only required to crimp when loading for semi’s and tube fed mags. And some have told me it is only necessary to crimp for bolt guns that have extreme recoil. I’m confused? Do I have to crimp bullets with a cannelure? Do I have to crimp altogether? When is it required to crimp and when is it not?
 
reloading

My two cents on crimping. I don,t crimp for any of my bolt guns. The friction between the bullet and case are enough to hold the bullet in place. This has worked on a 300 Win. Mag. as well as a 6mm etc. I seat bullets with a canneliture (SP) so the brass just hits the centre of the groove. Hope this helps??
 
Your brass will stretch when you resize it. .001"-.005" +/- either way will not make that much difference as long as it fits your rifle. I find I have to trim again after about 5 loadings.
As you have already loaded everything up, watch for pressure signs when testing. Approach the maximum with caution.
Not sure what you mean about having problems with your scale? Sounds more like a powder measure problem. Visual inspection is OK for making sure you have powder in the cases, however I don't think you would be able to tell the difference of 1-3 grains of powder in a .30-06 case. Trust your scale before trusting a visual check. Scales can also be effected by air flow, so if the furnace kicked on and you have an air vent in the room, it could cause the scale to act up.
Most of my loading it done for a single shot target rifle, I do not crimp.
 
Thanks for the replies guys.

I have another question...

If I were to try to seat a bullet about .010"-.020" off of the lands of the rifling, could this be done safely with a 150gr bullet? will the 150gr be seated deeply enough into the case? what is the minimum depth a bullet has to be seated in a case?
 
Goose25 said:
Thanks for the replies guys.

I have another question...

If I were to try to seat a bullet about .010"-.020" off of the lands of the rifling, could this be done safely with a 150gr bullet? will the 150gr be seated deeply enough into the case? what is the minimum depth a bullet has to be seated in a case?
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I think rule of thumb is at least 1 caliber length should extend into the case neck, or in your case .308. You may or may not be able to achieve this with your gun.

To find out if you need to crimp, take a loaded round that you know the length of and push the tip against the edge of your bench or other suitable surface. Use a reasonable amount of force, and then measure again to see if the OAL changed. Occasionally, the expander ball in your particular die may be a bit big and the case neck may not grip the bullet properly.
 
Seating a bullet deep enough and still going for 0.010 - 0.020" off the lands depends on your rifle. On my Savage Mod 12, I don't think the bullet would be in the case to get 0.020" off the lands. Yes, the throat is that long :eek: . I seat mine to the max length I can get into the mag, minus a couple-ten thou. The 40 gr gopher pills @ 0.224 dia are only in there ~0.190". Almost one caliber, but they still shoot under 0.5". No crimp on them.

As for seeing the powder coming up short, I wouldn't worry unless it was seriously short (like, 2/3 full with the other being at the neck). Even though you were using non-mixed new brass, there's probably a bit of variation in the case volumes. Like maynard said, trust your scale.

(E) :cool:
 
Goose25 said:
My Speer manual listed their max load for IMR-4350 at 58grains/165 and 57grains/180, and my Lyman manual listed theirs at 57grains/165 and 56grains/180. (I went with the max load from the Speer manual). Why were the max loads different? Seemed like the loads were referring to the same style of bullet.
Click to expand...

In practical terms, that is 1/56th of a measure. There are any number of reasons why the manuals differ - case capacity, test chamber dimensions, irrational or arbitrary choices made by the author, etc. The point is they give you a range of maximum values for your decision-making. No single manual or source will be absolutely right. There are always margins for error. This is why in statistics, the more times a measurement is taken, the better the statistical chance of accuracy.

Goose25 said:
I used unfired bulk Winchester brass. After attempting to trim them all to 2.484" I did find a couple of them measuring between 2.485-2.4865".... I even had one case that measured 2.4805.
Click to expand...

Everything that is mass produced is tested to tolerances. Your brass fits within a range of measurements. But you are worrying too early in the reloading game, and only concentrating on one dimension. All brass is a loose fit in the chamber until it is fired. It might be long or short. It might be smaller around the shoulder or the base. Once it is fired, then you can get precise. And, some cartridges have a known brass flow phenomenon that you can't avoid.
 
Good luck with it...... I just started reloading last summer and have spent the winter creating rounds for several different calibres. It sure goes a far way to make you value each shot that you take and increase confidence in your ammo's ability to achieve its intended task.

Regards,

Frank
 
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