A question for the experienced reloaders

[Mwalex]

I have just started reloading, am taking my time and learning as I go along. I buy what I think is decent equipment and have a friend that has been reloading for a while that I can fall back on for advice. At this point I am focusing on .223 and processing a decent amount of once fired brass. That means through priming and ready to charge powder. I am not reloading for super accuracy at this point, I just want dependable ammo that is not over pressured. I want to pull the trigger and the gun go bang and not boom. Since I have no experience with bullet seating I am leaning toward buying a concentricity tool to measure run out, just so I don't flub up the seating step. I have read many posts on different boards where a good number of reloaders don't use that tool. What is the general feeling, experience, thoughts about me using the concentricity tool at this stage of my learning curve?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jet_lagged]

Not worth the $ or the time.

 

[pmclaine]

If you are going for increments of accuracy get a concentricity gauge.

If as you state you are looking for serviceable ammo you should be able to make that without it.

 

[sea2summit]

.223 in a semi auto? Not worth it.

One thing about .223/5.56 is crimped so you need to swage the more you’re going to get frustrated

 

[ShtrRdy]

Don't worry about concentricity until you're trying to make very accurate ammo.

 

[padom]

Get good dies like Forster or Redding and a concentricity gauge will be a huge waste of money. Just sold mine, had an inch of dust on it.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Everything that everybody said already, above, is exactly "spot-on". Take ALL that advice, and get more reloaded rounds under your belt.

Long before you start playing with the concept of 'checking concentricity' you should be focusing on both "powder charge" variables as well as "seating depth" differences.

That will make differences FAR SOONER than anything to do with 'concentricity'. For where you are at in the learning stages. Good job, and keep it up.

 

[Country]

A trick to getting better concentricity without extra gear is when you seat your projectiles only seat a short way at first then rotate the round in the shell holder roughly 90 degrees and seat a bit more then rotate 180 degrees and fully seat the bullet . This eases the bullet into the case neck . How you do things is more important than having all the high tech gear . Put your money into a good press , good quality dies , quality set of scales and powder measure first .

 

[Mwalex]

Thanks everyone for the input and the concentricity tool is off the table for the time being.

@Sean the Nailer and @Country - thanks so much for the tips.

 

[flashhole]

I load 223 for both my semi auto rifle and my bolt action rifle. I have two different setups, one for each.

Cranking out ammo for the semi auto I use a Lee system with the auto indexing Classic Turret, all Lee dies (Powder Through Expander Die is great) and a Lee Auto Drum powder dispenser.

Loading for the bolt gun is done on a single stage press with Forster dies (hard to beat their sliding sleeve bullet seat die) and a Redding powder dispenser. Takes a lot more time but the ammo is very accurate.

 

[Strykervet]

A Hornady comparator gauge and seating gauge WOULD be a good investment though if you don't already have one. And I'd probably get a cheap set of Franklin calipers to mount it all on (that way you'll have it all on there permanently and not have to mess with your regular caliper).

Didn't mention what you load on, but a 650 Dillon may be up your alley too. Quality, mass produced ammo. And if you weigh each charge, it can be consistent and accurate mass produced ammo too.

No, concentricity guages are for those guys with the analytical scales and who hand turn necks and all that other shit. They probably load 20 rounds in a sitting I'm guessing.

My advice is to buy the tool WHEN YOU NEED IT. And usually only if you plan on using it more than a few times, otherwise find one to borrow.

Good luck, stay safe!

 

[Steel head]

Get good dies like Forster or Redding and a concentricity gauge will be a huge waste of money. Just sold mine, had an inch of dust on it.

This is what I found out as well.

 

[Jack's Dad]

Don't worry about the trick gear. Do good brass prep and use the appropriate seeing stem in your die and you won't need a concentricity gauge because you will be see the proof down range.

 

[Mwalex]

I am currently using a Lee turret press with Redding and Forster dies, with the Forester being the seating die for the .223. I am starting with full length sizing and resizing just enough to gauge properly in a JP .223 gauge. If brass doesn’t gauge to my liking it goes into a rework pile.

I am currently doing one step at the time for a batch of brass. Deprime, decrimp, wet tumble, resize, trim, chamfer/debut, dry tumble and prime. I am not set up for powder charging yet and I want to do more research on scales before buying one. At this part of my learning curve I am being very detail oriented and keeping notes on each batch of brass and I also gauge the brass a lot, depending on the process step. This is more for my learning than making perfect reloads, at this point.

Thanks again everyone for the input.