Recently there seems to be one or two new cold weld / wet tumbling threads per week. So I started thinking through how I could give back to the Hide for everything I’ve learned by starting a year long test to prove/disprove theories or at least prove to myself what works best for me. I typically don’t leave reloads sitting around very long so I have no idea what to expect. I’m not looking for a doctorate but I’m interested in the results and rather than just wait and post them at the end I thought it would be beneficial to get input up front.
All brass will be once fired Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor SRP that goes through my typical process:
1) Do nothing control group (what I do now)
2) Necks dipped in dry graphite group (only do this on new brass to open up necks)
3) Brush inside of necks with bore brush - up and down twice on a drill group (used to do this)
4) Bullets will be dipped in Lyman ultra fine dry neck case lube group
I would load up 15 rounds of each group, 20 of my control group. All powder will be dropped with an AutoTrickler with a known load. I will wait to do this test until I can order an AMP press and digitally record all seating pressures. Any round that “fails” the pressure test will be culled so we know we are starting with consistent neck tension across a group. For me this is going to be a huge benefit...not that I can’t do it with a gauge but consistent pressure in vs by hand is one less variable. Hearing late April for release of the AMP and if I can get one and play with it I’ll start the test in May/June.
I would shoot groups as follows recording SD/ES for each group on a LabRadar.
Now: 5 rounds of each of the 4 groups
6 Months: 5 rounds of each of the 4 groups
12 Months: 5 rounds of each of the 4 groups and I will also take an additional 5 pieces of prepped brass from now, save them in the same box, and load them with no neck treatment (I.e. is it the brass/bullet combo or if the brass oxidizes/corrodes over time without a bullet loaded, or nothing at all)
24 Months: 5 rounds of my control group
All rounds will be stored indoors - temp/humidity controlled.
Any other thoughts on what else I should do/or you would like to see? Given the analysis will take more than a year to perform I want to make sure I think through this and then I’ll share my data along the way.
All brass will be once fired Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor SRP that goes through my typical process:
- Deprimed
- Wet tumbled with pins, dawn, lemishine in Franklin Arsenal Tumbler
- Dried in dehumidifier
- Anneal with AMP
- Homemade lanolin lube
- Neck sized with Redding Competition die on a Zero Press
- Shoulders bumped .002
- Mandrel set to .002
- Trimmed and chamfered
- Vibratory cleaner in walnut and polish
- Primed on CPS (I don’t typically touch my Lapua brass - pockets or flashholes but if the general consensus is I should I can)
1) Do nothing control group (what I do now)
2) Necks dipped in dry graphite group (only do this on new brass to open up necks)
3) Brush inside of necks with bore brush - up and down twice on a drill group (used to do this)
4) Bullets will be dipped in Lyman ultra fine dry neck case lube group
I would load up 15 rounds of each group, 20 of my control group. All powder will be dropped with an AutoTrickler with a known load. I will wait to do this test until I can order an AMP press and digitally record all seating pressures. Any round that “fails” the pressure test will be culled so we know we are starting with consistent neck tension across a group. For me this is going to be a huge benefit...not that I can’t do it with a gauge but consistent pressure in vs by hand is one less variable. Hearing late April for release of the AMP and if I can get one and play with it I’ll start the test in May/June.
I would shoot groups as follows recording SD/ES for each group on a LabRadar.
Now: 5 rounds of each of the 4 groups
6 Months: 5 rounds of each of the 4 groups
12 Months: 5 rounds of each of the 4 groups and I will also take an additional 5 pieces of prepped brass from now, save them in the same box, and load them with no neck treatment (I.e. is it the brass/bullet combo or if the brass oxidizes/corrodes over time without a bullet loaded, or nothing at all)
24 Months: 5 rounds of my control group
All rounds will be stored indoors - temp/humidity controlled.
Any other thoughts on what else I should do/or you would like to see? Given the analysis will take more than a year to perform I want to make sure I think through this and then I’ll share my data along the way.
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