Want to get set up to reload.

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by bladeracer » 12 May 2017, 10:25 pm

sungazer wrote:It can be a bit more thou than Bladracer and Gwion have stated they are giving prices for specials and bulk and not necessarily top brass such as Lapua that will set you back a bit more and may not get you that many more reloads depending if you anneal it or not which again adds cost.
Retail prices can be $60 for 500g of AR2206H at the LGS if you can buy from the VRA and get a 4kg it works out probably the cheapest.
Lapua cases for 308 about $150-$170 for 100 for a 243 they are $170-200
CCI Primers $60/1000
Projectiles I normally find the ones I want are about $55-$90/100 some are $260/500 a Sierra 180gr can be $89/100
On the other hand you can get Remington Core lokit for $34/20 or Hornday Precision Hunter for $65/20 and even up from there. So it really depends on your wants/needs .



It can be a great deal more expensive than the figures I used, and also quite a lot cheaper, but they weren't special or bulk prices.

I like Norma brass, but often it's too expensive for my needs. For something like the .204 which I shoot hot and a lot, then the Norma is worth while, but for the milsurps in which I generally shoot fairly relaxed loads, I use cheaper brass - but never Winchester - that stuff is garbage. Lapua is totally unnecessary in my opinion, unless you're shooting for extreme accuracy. Annealing doesn't cost anything that I'm aware of, perhaps a little propane?

I've never bothered asking for prices on 4kg powders as it's too hard to store several of them in the safe. But I have a lot of empty 500's now so I could transfer a 4kg into eight 500gm bottles. I have AR2206H, AR2209, BM8208, Trailboss and blackpowder currently. The last two are cheaper than the normal $60/500gm, which is why I use a figure of $100/kg as an average.
What do the 4kg bottles cost, and do you actually save anything?

For bullets I'll buy several different types for testing a new caliber, generally looking for a slow heavy bullet and a fast light bullet, and perhaps something in between if the range is wide. Plus a few types of the cheapest bullets for Trailboss loads.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by brett1868 » 12 May 2017, 11:18 pm

The 4kg bottles of 2218 generally run around $350 so you're effectively getting .5kg for free. I try to buy 12-16kg at a time for even better price and because 4kgs doesn't go far when loading 225gr a round. I do the same with AP50 when doing a big run of 9mm and buy 6-8kgs but back to the OP's position, a 500gm bottle may last some months. Much will depend on how much the OP shoots, budget and how obsessed they get with accuracy.

A couple of simple calculators from Dillon
Cost per round
https://www.dillonprecision.com/calculator.html

Break even calculator
http://dillonprecision.net/break-even-calculator/
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Gwion » 13 May 2017, 10:48 am

Oldbloke wrote:Link still works. A few ph calls for prices and you can work it out for your self.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qx02amlb5at33 ... .xlsx?dl=0


Thanks for reposting, OB. I had lost that spreadsheet.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Tom Foolery » 14 May 2017, 9:11 pm

Big thankyou for all the replies and apologies for not getting back here sooner. There is alot of food for thought there.

Cost is a factor. I'm not a fan of spending money but as I will likely be going halves with a mate I can afford to spend what's required for a decent setup, with a view to saving time/making the process simpler and repeatable but the setup has to be robust enough to handle 300WSM and possibly full length size 358 or 375 somewhere down the track. May mean a higher initial investment but will be worth it in the long run I'm sure.

I'm a tradie and have worked as an electronics tech so I'm pretty confident I can handle that side of it. (Hand skills)

Can't give a definite answer on shooting volume. Right now the benefit would be considered marginal I suppose, but I'm currently in the process of upgrading my license to include target so volume will definitely increase, possibly by a lot knowing me.

So far I'd be happy to shoot sub MOA at 100m. I'm still learning but I know the rifle is capable as it's bedded, floating barrel and reinforced Howa factory stock and my mate (who was a pro shooter) loves it and can hit with it using factory ammo out to around 400m no worries.

Plan is to work up a couple of accurate and cheap loads, say one for spotlighting and another for open country work, maybe 150gr SST and then maybe a premium load for large deer and pigs, like a Woodleigh, Partition or A-Frame, which are prohibitively expensive as a factory load if available at all.

Brett, thanks for the offer I'll take you up on it if you're willing to put up with me. I'm on the Central Coast but I do get down to Baulkham Hills to visit my mum every now and then.

Thanks again everyone.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Oldbloke » 15 May 2017, 12:21 am

And so the journey begins. Enjoy.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Tom Foolery » 20 Aug 2017, 8:17 pm

OK, so after a bit of research I settled in the Hornady Classic Reloader kit. I'm in the process of setting it up and reading the book etc. I'll post some pictures when I get a spare couple of minutes.

Thinking about one of the RCBS hand priming tools but I'll make an informed decision once I've had a play with the press.

Regarding case cleaning, I think I've found a use for the ultrasonic cleaner at work. Winning!
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Tom Foolery » 24 Oct 2017, 2:57 pm

Right then. I had my first session at the reloading bench on Sunday but unfortunately can't post any pictures as my phone camera is out of action.

One question for you learned gentlemen if you don't mind?

I loaded some 150gn Ballistic Silvertips in 300WSM, just a small trial batch for a mate and the first test round I made chambered fine, so thinking I was all good to go, I smashed out half a dozen or so only to find out approximately half were hard (some very hard) to close the bolt on. Bugger!

I know they weren't too long (outside COAL) as I had some factory loads for comparison and measured max COAL using a cleaning rod and projectile then measured again just to make sure. Checked them over, the hard to chamber ones, and found they appear to be slightly too fat at the shoulder/case junction. Maybe this is because I sized too far down the neck using a full length die? I got pretty close to the neck/shoulder junction but was being careful not to go too far when setting up the die but maybe I wasn't careful enough and put too much pressure on the shoulder? Or maybe not enough lube, although I did lube each case pretty well or so I thought, even did inside the neck with a cotton bud, using the Hornady supplied case lube?

Would anyone like to offer a suggestion? Long post I know, thanks for reading.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Tom Foolery » 24 Oct 2017, 7:17 pm

Thanks Sungazer and no not werewolves but we have some pretty big cats! :lol:

I'm sure it's not an ogive issue as the silvertips are of anything longer and more tapered than the Win power points I compared them to. Also I couldn't find a mark on the black lubalox coating on the silvertips.

I'm leaning towards full length sizing too much and pushed the shoulder back.

Cheers
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Oldbloke » 24 Oct 2017, 7:40 pm

I always check about 1 of 4 empty cases after resizing .
Then check first 3 or 4 rounds once loaded.

Best way.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by marksman » 25 Oct 2017, 11:05 am

to check for the mushroom effect from over full length sizing measure just under the shoulder

but usually with the WSM cases having this problem you need to full length size with a small base die as the brass is much thicker for these cases and there is not as much spring back causing this problem with hard chambering in wisms, maybe you will need a forster full length sizer to fix the problem, this has been the answer to this problem for myself and others who I know that have had this problem with WSM cases, they are made with tighter tolerances and work for this problem
you can also trim a bit off the bottom of your existing die or shell holder that may work but you firstly need to measure under the shoulder to make sure this is not the problem, you should really be able to see the bulge with the naked eye or even roll the case on a flat piece of glass and look for a gap under the case as you roll it, if there is no gap it's not the problem and you will need a smaller base die or the forster full length die, BRT sell them
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Tom Foolery » 25 Oct 2017, 11:18 am

Oldbloke wrote:I always check about 1 of 4 empty cases after resizing .
Then check first 3 or 4 rounds once loaded.

Best way.


Thanks for that Oldbloke. I think it will be the plan from now on.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Tom Foolery » 25 Oct 2017, 11:26 am

marksman wrote:to check for the mushroom effect from over full length sizing measure just under the shoulder.


It is the problem. Can be seen with a straight edge held against the case.

I'm hoping I can eliminate the problem by neck sizing with a proper neck die. The Hornady ones have a good reputation with the shooters I know so might give them a try.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by marksman » 25 Oct 2017, 11:47 am

good you have identified the problem, back off the die a bit and it will full length size properly
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by Oldbloke » 25 Oct 2017, 8:54 pm

Tom Foolery wrote:
Oldbloke wrote:I always check about 1 of 4 empty cases after resizing .
Then check first 3 or 4 rounds once loaded.

Best way.


Thanks for that Oldbloke. I think it will be the plan from now on.


Just a tip. If clambering a few loads to check everything is OK. It's a good idea to remove the firing pin first.
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Re: Want to get set up to reload.

Post by brett1868 » 25 Oct 2017, 10:11 pm

A few random thoughts with a few assumptions :)

Are you by chance crimping? Have the cases been trimmed at all? Is the bulge uniform around the shoulder? What brand of dies?

I suspect that possibly the seating die might be a little deep and some of the longer cases are hitting the crimp, causing the shoulder to bulge.

Resize a few cases and test chamber them before loading to eliminate the sizing operation from the cause. Run the unloaded cases through the seating die and test chamber again to test if your inadvertently crimping the longer cases.

Verify the seating die is correctly setup, Empty case, Top of stroke, Screw Die down till you feel the crimp, Back off 0.5-1 turn, lock and the use the screw / nut on the top to set seating depth.

If the case is too deep in the sizing die you generally dimple the shoulder or concertina the neck rather then bulge a shoulder. If case length varies too much and the seating die / crimp is setup on a short case then when you crimp a longer case it'll bulge the shoulder (I've done this and had to scrap 300 cases :().

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