New cases

[Dangermouse]

I have just picked up my re loading components from a very quiet Bisley, this includes 300 new .308 cases.

Before I start on the load development and OAL game, so I need to do anything to the cases?

Looking at them it appears that some may have been chamfered, but others I am not so sure!
I have a flash hole tool coming from Sinclair's, so will give them a check before loading,
All of a sudden having an electrical motor on the bench sounds like a good idea,
DM

[ovenpaa]

Case prep for new cases .308 no turn cases for me is:

Mandrel to ensure neck concentricity
Trim to length
Gently VLD chamfer and de-burr
Finish neck with a worn out green scourer
Primer pocket uniform
De-burr the inside of the flash hole
Check neck run out if needed
Sort by weight if needed.

It is debatable whether you should size and then trim or trim and then size but otherwise this would be about the sequence I would use. Use Imperial sizing wax for the mandrel and size operations and do it gently to minimise neck run out.

[Dangermouse]

Just sat down to get my start load and max load from the Viht spread sheet and have been left without an answer for the 175gn SMK HPBT with Viht 550.

As I was shooting these last year I must have had loads then, but unfortunately have started afresh with a new log for this barrel - and binned my old figures / log (live and learn).

Anyone got the start load and max load for this round?

DM

[rox]

Anyone got the start load and max load for this round?

Scan of reloading manual sent by PM.

..

[Dangermouse]

Friday night saw me loading some test rounds for 155gn and 175gn SMK's.
The flash hole tool that I ordered from Sinclair's was removing quite a bit of brass and I am glad that I bought it. I know that you are only suppose to use it once on each case but I wonder if anyone gives their old brass a once over to keep the hole clear/uniform?

I got up to the Zero range this morning and used the test rounds to shoot my barrel in. I was surprised to be able to fire off all the rounds without seeing excessive high pressure signs. I loaded both bullet weights up to the maximum recommended loads. I will keep in mind that today was relatively cold, around 3 degrees, and things may change in the summer.

Now that I have an idea of what is OK, I will load my next batch and check them out at a target more than 20 yards away! I was pleased to see one hole for 40 rounds, it was a big hole, but still just one hole all the same.
Both batches using Viht 550.
The 155's went up to 49.7 grains but I will test some rounds around the 47 grain mark and see how they group.
The 175's went up to 45.8 grains without serious signs of pressure, so I will load a batch at 45.5 grains and see how they do.
Should I still be lucky to have the borrowed chronograph, I will put the next batch over it.

On wards and up wards,

DM

[ovenpaa]

How did you get on with COAL repeatability? I would be interested to hear what sort of MV you get with the N550 and 155's Are they Scenars?

Should I still be lucky to have the borrowed chronograph, I will put the next batch over it.

Don't tell me you are eBaying it! :lol: :lol:

[Alpha1]

I am not sure I would of went straight to the max loads.
In fact I know I wouldnt especially with a new barrel I had not shot before and not knowing how fast they were travelling.

[Dangermouse]

A1

I did not go straight to max loads, I started at the minimum and worked my way up in .5 grains to the max loads. I was fully expecting to have to stop along the way but in the end fired all loads off.

Ovenpaa,

Apologies for not answering sooner, work, cold and food poisoning over the weekend knocked me out of the game for a couple of days.

The Lee dies that I have work on the "breach" design. They are held in place with an indent button as well as a lock ring. As far as I am aware I do not have a problem with them moving whilst making adjustments. I have marked the main body with a mark on the press and have not seen it move.
My frustration with both the Bullet seater and the neck sizer is that there are no instructions on which way to turn to achieve your goal, and the adjustments do not appear to have consistent results.
In fact if I re set the dies to a pre marked setting I can get different results to the first batch.
I even find that several loads from the same setting can differ marginally.
So in answer to your question I did not get a solution to the problem. The cases that I loaded all fell between 54.150 to 54.210.

DM

[The Gun Pimp]

Now that I have an idea of what is OK, I will load my next batch and check them out at a target more than 20 yards away! I was pleased to see one hole for 40 rounds, it was a big hole, but still just one hole all the same.

DM

DM

New barrel? 40 rounds? There will be sooo much copper in there - make sure you get it all out!

Normally, it would be 'shoot one, clean' for five rounds, then strings of five and clean for the next 20 rounds. It usually takes all day to get those first twenty-five shots down the barrel as the copper build-up can be severe.

Vince

[Dangermouse]

Despite not being a woman I was able to test the new rounds and clean the barrel at the same time!

I was on the zero range all morning, in fact up to the point that I saw you and was following the shoot in procedure, actually a little slower than the one you describe.

I found that I was not removing as much copper as I was expecting, so when I got home I let the "wipe out" sit in the barrel for half an hour + before wiping through, and it was still clean on the first patch.

You have me concerned now that I am either not using wipe out correctly, or it is not working as advertised.
Or possibly it is and everything is OK,

DM