Reloading necked cartridges for the first time

[Deavis]

I doubt 75% or more reloaders even load 1k rounds a year total. You do that, what, before your first cup of coffee is gone?

You wear out pro level tools. Most rookies will never wear out entry level equipment.

Fair enough, I loaded about 25k and primed about 20k today before my first "cup" of coffee was done but to be fair I was converting one priming machine while doing that and was distracted from my coffee. Busy first hour and a half this morning.

I understand and the "rookie" reloader in me hears you but every single machine has a case gage next to it. Way easier than pulling out a test gun to check rounds. They are just so cheap and easy to have a standard to work from that it is hard NOT to have them.

 

[xkon]

Used the dillon 550 to start the process on some 308 rounds. Used a toolhead with just a decapping die and was able to fly through this step quickly on it. Much quicker than on the forster coax press as it was just less time interacting with the brass for a step where consistency doesn't matter. So that was a big plus on saving some time.

On thing I noticed though, for depriming, the 550 is extremely dirty. The primers and priming compound seem to get everywhere under, on the press, and sometimes on the floor. The Forster had this all contained which was nice.

Anyone have any tips for fixing or improving this or it is what it is on this press? I've seen a few 3d printed extended lips for the primer collection cup but don't think that will fully solve it.

 

[benenglish]

Used the dillon 550 to start the process on some 308 rounds. Used a toolhead with just a decapping die and was able to fly through this step quickly on it. ... extremely dirty. The primers and priming compound seem to get everywhere under, on the press, and sometimes on the floor ... Anyone have any tips for fixing or improving this or it is what it is on this press? ..

Not on that press but if you're dedicated to making de-priming be a separate operation, you can simply move it to a different location.

Find an old Lee C-press, the cheapest one they ever sold, and add a separate universal decapping die like this one.

IOW, create the mess somewhere away from your main press and other equipment.

I wonder how many people de-cap as a separate operation? I do but I've often wondered if that's a common thing.

 

[xkon]

Would like to keep it on the 550. Could move it to the forster coax as that contains 100% of the primer in the tube setup it has but its a bit slower.

Bought this extended rim for a few bucks which may help a bit with some of the primers on the floor, just maybe not the mess on the press itself.

 

[xkon]

Have dialed in my 308 rounds pretty well. 5 shot group with 175 gr factory second bullets, 42.5gr varget, at 300 yards off a bipod and using a rear bag. Right at .5 MOA. The other two rounds on paper were two shots to get dialed in. Appreciate the feedback in here that helped me get rolling on reloading rifle rounds.

Moved out to 450 yards on steel targets. Was able to dial up the elevation 9.5 MOA off my zero and was hitting 6" plates consistently. However with my scope at a 100 yard zero and 9.5 moa hold over off the reticle, I was missing all shots. Any ideas what that could be? I'm assuming I wasn't holding the rifle perfectly level and at a slight cant. At 300 yards I can hold over and hit spot on, but there is quite a bit more of a drop where a cant would be exaggerated at 450 is my guess.

 

[TexMex247]

What rifle are you shooting them in ? I'd call that excellent results. My best reloading groups are 1/2" with most around 1"@100. All from a Howa 20" heavy barrel bone stock rifle. Some days it likes 168s better some days 175s.

 

[xkon]

I built a rifle off a Defiance action and bartlein barrel. It is a shooter.

I'm actually surprised it is shooting this well so far. Using factory second hpbt bullets from powder valley. They mainly just look discolored and a few of the points are just a little disfigured. Also using mixed headstamp brass.

Have a large batch or starline brass and 168gr smk bullets that I plan on using once I get everything down but I may reconsider with how these are performing especially for the price of the bullets.

 

[TexMex247]

You can't argue with the results! It's a shooter indeed. I have a Tikka tac3x in 6.5 creed that's been collecting dust a couple years. I need to pony up the dough for a proper optic and put it through the paces. I think if you sort and weigh some cases you'll shrink those groups a touch more. I did some capacity testing a while back. Used to use Fed cases but actually got slightly better consistency from some PMC brass. Glad I bought 1k of once fired. I'm sitting on 1.5k 175gr SMKs and 1k 168s.

I'm still tweaking powder charges but once I find my sweet spot it will be time to crank em out. I've had good luck with midway seconds. I bought some nice 60gr black coated bullets(not moly) that have ballistic tips that glow. They shoot great but I missed the boat on buying bulk. Only have about 4 hundred left. The way those shoot I'd probably stock up.