Suggestions for benchrest setup?

toxic

toxic

CGN frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
22   0   0
So I have been reloading ammo for several years on a Dillon 550B progressive. While this press is awesome for hammering out pistol ammo I'm finding some limitations for making accurate rifle ammo.

I think it's time for a second setup. What is everyone using to making benchrest quality ammo?
 
Are you shooting bench rest or just want to make bench rest quality ammo? What caliber we talking about? What rifle? I compete in BR, and 1000 yard Fclass so can help you out equipment wise if you want to take your reloading to that level. Or I can suggest what I used when I first started to compete that would still work great for everyday use and give you nearly perfect consistency.
 
Well F class is in my future and I learned a while ago to stop buying stuff that is "just good enough for now" because it costs me more in the long run. I probably didn't really need a Nightforce on my AR but that was my logic there too...

The most accurate rifle I have now is an AR15 build from ATRS with a Lilja 1:9 match barrel (.223 Wylde). Because it's an AR15 I know that I am limited in how accurate I can make it shoot - the magazine is limits how long I can load unless I want to load singles. I do howevers suspect that I can make it shoot better and I think that my press and dies are limiting factors.

Any input is greatly appreciated.
 
The Bonanza talked about is now the Forster Co-ax and is prolly the most precise press out there, with Redding Comp. dies, alot slower but used by benchresters are Wilson dies which don't use a reg. press but an inexpensive arbor press.
 
I agree. Get yourself a good single stage press is your first step. The Redding Competition dies are great and I used them in the past for loading for bench rest with great results. I use the Wilson dies now and a Harrels combo press but that I feel would be a waste for your current situation unless you want to load at the range to tune your loads to the conditions. You'll need a Redding type S full length die for your AR. The type S will allow you to control neck tension which is important. The standard neck bushings require lube, the titanium nitride ones don't the carbide bushings are supposed to be the best in terms of trueness. Something to do with how they are manufactured. I don't remember the details exactly.

Have you shot your AR loads over a chrony to see how consistent your velocities are? If you're not getting good accuracy, and your AR should, then maybe your load isn't tuned properly. I had an old Colt AR Hbar elite that rivaled some of my bolt guns in accuracy.
 
Brass prep consists of resizing in a full size RCBS die. I trim with a Giraud which seems to give me consistant lengths. I tumble my brass in a vibratory tumbler before sizing and again after trimming. I have also started to clean primer pockets but haven't range tested that yet. I measure individual power weights with an RCBS Chargemaster. Most of my reloading for accuracy has been with winchester and remington once fired brass (in seperate batches).

My AR is not really shooting badly. I have shot MOA groups and even one sub MOA (probably a fluke). I do tend to get some wild flyers though and that's where I think better equipment will really help. I shot 700 rounds in two days at Prairie Dogs in South Dakota with this AR last year and next year I really want to improve on my hit percentage. Learned a ton in those 2 days about shooting at 300 yards and compensating for wind. Probably a good intro to F classs type shooting...
 
http://www.harrellsprec.com/
Check this out for presses and powder measures. Do yourself a favour and buy a Harrels powder measure if you don't already have a measure. They are the best especially if you don't plan to weigh each load. Oh and that brings me to the scale. Get the best digital scale you can justify. The cheap ones are not consistent. One that reads to the 100th of grain not the usual 10th. If you do get into Fclass like you mentioned then a good scale will help keep your velocity inconsistencies in the single digits which is important for long range shooting.
 
hend238 said:
http://www.harrellsprec.com/
Check this out for presses and powder measures. Do yourself a favour and buy a Harrels powder measure if you don't already have a measure. They are the best especially if you don't plan to weigh each load.
Click to expand...

I have been using Varget so I don't know how feasible a measure would be - at least I know it didn't meter well in my Dillon setup. It meters stuff like Titegroup great but it doesn't like the extruded stuff.

I might have to see if I can snag a scientific scale from work before my next range trip...
 
toxic said:
Brass prep consists of resizing in a full size RCBS die. I trim with a Giraud which seems to give me consistant lengths. I tumble my brass in a vibratory tumbler before sizing and again after trimming. I have also started to clean primer pockets but haven't range tested that yet. I measure individual power weights with an RCBS Chargemaster. Most of my reloading for accuracy has been with winchester and remington once fired brass (in seperate batches).

My AR is not really shooting badly. I have shot MOA groups and even one sub MOA (probably a fluke). I do tend to get some wild flyers though and that's where I think better equipment will really help. I shot 700 rounds in two days at Prairie Dogs in South Dakota with this AR last year and next year I really want to improve on my hit percentage. Learned a ton in those 2 days about shooting at 300 yards and compensating for wind. Probably a good intro to F classs type shooting...
Click to expand...

You should definitely uniform your primer pockets and de-burr the flash holes. Be sure that the case lengths are all the same before de burring. The Wilson case trimmer is very precise though some guys don't like the function of the handle and case holder but IMO it's the best out there. Sinclair is a great source for all your tooling needs.

Buy some Lapua 223 brass, uniform the primer pockets (this is a must!) and don't worry about the flash holes. Measure a loaded round and then decide how much neck tension you want. I'm not an AR shooter anymore so I won't comment on that as my advice won't carry any weight.
 
toxic said:
I have been using Varget so I don't know how feasible a measure would be - at least I know it didn't meter well in my Dillon setup. It meters stuff like Titegroup great but it doesn't like the extruded stuff.

I might have to see if I can snag a scientific scale from work before my next range trip...
Click to expand...

If you have a charge master then that is fine. Just weigh each charge and compare your results.
 
hend238 said:
Measure a loaded round and then decide how much next tension you want. I'm not an AR shooter anymore so I won't comment on that as my advice won't carry any weight.
Click to expand...

Crimping is something I struggle with. I have not been brave enough to run without crimping but I really wonder how much is really necessary. I did have a batch of ammo that actually had a crimp mark on the pulled bullets - I decided that maybe that was too much crimp...:rolleyes:lol
 
I never crimped when I reloaded for my AR. I don't crimp when I load for my M14. I think most guys who reload for semi auto rifles feel the same but there are always two schools of thought. If you don't feel comfortable not crimping, then don't. I personally feel it is unnecessary and introduces another variable in the reloading process. You want to control or eliminate as many variables as you can. That is the key to consistent hand loads. Consistency is the key to accuracy. If you're going to make bad hand loads at least make them consistently bad. ;)
 
This is my process when reloading new brass for my bench rest rifle.

Expand the Lapua 220 Russian brass to 6mm with an expander die.
Trim cases all to the same length.
Lightly chamfer the inside of the flash hole.
Uniform the primer pockets.
Turn the necks so they measure .2675" with a bullet seated. My chamber neck measures .269"
Tumble brass.
Reload with a Wilson seater die and Harrels powder measure.
Fire form the case.

Tumble to clean brass.
Full length resize with a .266 neck bushing using a Redding Type S FL small base die only sizing part of the neck.
Uniform the primer pockets again. Brass can flow into the pocket after firing.Sometimes
Verify case length.
Tumble brass.
Clean inside of case necks.
Reload.

For Fclass;

Uniform primer pockets.
Trim to length.
Uniform flash holes.
Turn necks only slightly to clean up any high spots. I don't have a tight neck chamber.
Neck size only with appropriate bushing using Redding Competition dies.
Tumble brass.
Segregate my bullets by ogive to base length.
Uniform the bullet metplat.
Reload using my RCBS powder measure and scale measuring each charge. I need to take my own advice because my RCBS scale sucks!
I will check randomly the loaded rounds for TIR. If not within my spec I will try to find out why and fix the problem. If not those rounds are for fowlers/sighters.
 
TIR - Total indicated runout. A measure of how straight your loaded rounds are. 0.000" is ideal but very difficult to achieve. I'm happy with no more than .003" with my competition loads and would like to see my varmint reloads less than .006" I don't care about hunting loads. I measure at the bullet just fwd of where the bearing surface starts to curve in towards the tip.

Sinclair has a nice tool for this. Seriously you're going down a path of never ending spending. Precision reloading is very rewarding but it isn't cheap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom