Hand loading for Precision Rifle (Pic Heavy)

[TinM@n]

Awesome thread, Ive been wanting to get into reloading rifle for a while now, and have been looking for a clearcut no BS guide to it.
Thanks, keep em coming!

 

[Barney88PDC]

I re-uploaded the pics that TinyPic had taken down so the thread is back to its original glory.

 

[ChicomJunk]

Best damn post I have ever seen. very informative and accurate. Thanks for taking the time to place this post. I am passing this on to a good friend that is in the process of loading some Fed GMM once fired brass in qty. He also has a Giraud trimmer like yours and most of the other great equipment. I told him to slow down and do it right. Now I can direct him to this post as a prime example of how to DO IT. Thanks again..

 

[Barney88PDC]

Bump for new guys.

 

[kengel2]

You know, I really hate that you made this thread. So far I have upgraded everything I have.

Just cant convince myself to order up the Giraud trimmer even though its my most hated part of reloading. I think I have like 200 260 cases that need to be trimmed, just cant force myself to do it.

 

[Barney88PDC]

Mail them to me with a check for return shipping and ill run them through for you.

 

[Barney88PDC]

Bump for the new guys getting started.

 

[Emperor]

Very well done, Sir.

Would whoever is running this place make these informative threads have a static place and a heading so that pupils and students can go straight to them?

And fix the damn search function while you're at it.

 

[HogHunter1203]

Barney88PDC, I've been reading this forum and reloading (for plinking and relative precision) for several years, but just came across this thread. Excellent information. Thanks.

 

[ol shep]

Great job, I'm looking to get into reloading and realize no one of brand equipment is the best. Nothing like a cheat sheet on what's the best to use before I start spending money. Thanks for the detail.

 

[ELeBlanc]

New to reloading . Thanks for putting up such a good post

 

[5erbye]

Very well done! I am confused about one thing, though. First, when you measure the case shoulders, do you do this individually for every one and push back accordingly? That seems like a lot of work. When I fire new factory ammo and then measure the shoulder for all of them, they will vary only 2-3 thousandths. It seems you could used the lowest or average number and push back according to that.

Second, I'm confused about the competition shell holder set you mentioned. It seems it uses shell holders of different thicknesses so that you push the shell up from the bottom to set the shoulder. If that's true, why do you start with the thickest one, 0.010, and work your way down. It seems you'd start with the thinnest one and work your way up.

 

[Barney88PDC]

Measure say 10 and use the average or favor the LONGEST measurement, the chamber isn't going to shrink. It may take a few firings before all the cases are the same. Also MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT RIDING ON A HIGH PRIMER which can cause irregularities in the measurment! That is why I use a universal decapping die to knock out the spent primers on the 10 cases I am going to measure BEFORE I measure them. The acid test is to take the resized case and see if it will chamber without any or only very slight resistance. You only want to bump the shoulder 0.001-0.002". If you bump it back say 0.010" you won't have resistance but the brass will not last and you will see case head separation after only a few firings.

Seems that way but start at 0.010 and go to 0.002. I didn't come up with the naming convention and my instructions are CORRECT.