First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

[Canis Latrans]

I have been wanting to reload for a while now, and finally have all the components together and I'm ready to start, but before I did I wanted to make sure I am being safe.

My set up:
Lee Classic Loader (the one where you use a mallet to re-size the case neck, tap the primer in and seat the bullet).
1lb IMR 4064 Powder
1000 CCI Large Rifle Primers
168gr Hornady Amax Bullets
I'm loading for a Reminington 700 .308 Rifle

So far I have de-primed, cleaned and neck sized 20 Winchester brass cases, which were fired in my rifle.
I tried several methods to determine the OAL that would leave my bullet touching the lands of my bore. The one that seemed to work best for me is shown in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaA3GECbbVA .

It involves removing the firing pin from the rifle's bolt to remove tension. Then you take an un-primed case with no powder, and with a bullet lightly held in the neck and carefully push it into the barrel and close the bolt on it. By carefully removing the cartridge you have a dummy round with an OAL which will touch your lands just barely when chambered.

The OAL on this dummy round gauge was 2.945" according to my cheap dial calipers. Through trial and error, I adjusted my lee unit until it would seat a bullet at a depth giving it an OAL of 2.925".

I believe I am ready to start loading. The data I found on IMR's website lists the starting load of 41.5gr of IMR 4064 with a Sierra 168gr bullet.

Now, as a novice I am worried that changing the OAL above the maximum recommended case length will dangerously increase the presser when fired. It was my intention to start with the starting load of 41.5gr. Is this safe to do with my bullet being closer to the lands or do I need to start with a lower charge? How much will the pressure increase with an increased OAL? Thank you.

 

[uafgrad]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Why not invest the small amount of money in the tools to do it right?

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Funny thing about everyone on here telling me to just spend more money. I don't have a few hundred more dollars to spend on something I might not enjoy. This tool has worked for others like me (about 140 of them on cabelas.com) Could any one help me out here and answer my question. I would really appreciate it.

 

[i_Adam_i18]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

increase OAL = decreased pressure. Pretty sure normal OAL for .308 is like 2.800 or so. read the reloading manual that I hope you have.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I have the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading on my lap. I read the discussion of reloading in general, and looked at the included .308 charts. 168gr bullets are not listed unfortunately. Hence my caution and my questions here.

So WASP, you're saying that if you have a long OAL and that the bullet is touching or close to touching the lands you will have decreased pressure over all? Thank you for being so helpful, in telling me to read a book. Maybe you should read one yourself?

"WHEN THE BULLET IS SEATED TO TOUCH THE RIFLING, IT DOES NOT MOVE WHEN THE PRESSURE IS LOW. IT TAKES GREATLY INCREASED PRESSURE TO FORCE IT INTO THE RIFLING. AS THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING GASES NOW FIND LESS ROOM THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE AT THIS TIME IN THEIR BURNING, THE PRESSURE RISE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS IS BOTH RAPID AND EXCESSIVE. VELOCITY IS HIGH BUT AT THE EXPENSE OF RATHER DANGEROUS PRESSURE." - Hornady

So I guess I should spend more money and increase the OAL to be safe!

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I should add that soon after this quote Hornady mentions you can safely seat the bullet on the lands, but you must reduce your charge by "a few grains" to be safe. Since I know many hear reload for .308 using 4064 and 168gr bullets resting near their lands, I was looking for some guidance on what more experienced people have found to be safe. After all, I am inexperienced with this and it is an explosive. Should I not look for more detail than "a few grains" if I'm unsure?

 

[notquiteright]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

If you had read some of the reloading threads some other options might have come to mind.

First you would learn the factory rem 700 is waaaay long throated due to use of a 220 RN. So most of us just jump from approx. 2.82" will no ill affect.

Your technique of removing the firing pin?

Never done that, just markered the dummy round and chambered it.

I'd really recommend dropping the hand press and mallet if you are making any quantity of accurate ammo.

Some reading on modern powders might have directed you toward Varget or one of the Reloder powders as safer than IMRs in summer heat.

Good Luck

 

[skinney_7]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

if you haven't "handloaded" and tried any test loads yet using the books OAL, i would try that first, you might end up with a .5moa group without even having to worry about setting your ogive into the lands, each rifle is different, on my Armalite Super SASS, my COAL is 2.810 not touching the lands, of course this is semi auto and there are mag restrictions, but i can get .5moa on a really good day, and .6-.75moa almost everytime i shoot with my worked up handloads.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Thank you for a thoughful comment. Yes I read that the 700 has a very long throat several times. I did not see a trend where most with 700's jump 2.82". Are you saying that is what most people do? I would love to make this easier and just do that then! I will look into that but the thing is I thought it seemed everyone was varying the OAL based on their rifle and what bullet they shot.

It is not my technique, it is a technique I found on the video, and one that actually worked for me. I tried the sharpie method and the candle smoke method before I tried this method. This method seemed to work much better, as I was having trouble reading if the bullet was touching part of the lands or just getting scraped upon careful ejection.

I am definitely on a budget so not looking to make tons of ammo. I had read that Varget and IMR 4064 are great for .308, and the 4064 was in stock so I got that... I didn't know it was dangerous in the summer?

Thank you for being such a help I will look into what you said now.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Thank you as well skinny, maybe I will try that for say 10 or 15 rounds and see how it shoots. My rifle has been inaccurate so far though with factory. Mostly around the 2" mark at 100 yards with 3 different kinds. I have heard distance of the ogive to the lands was one of the best ways to improve accuracy. Is that not the main thing that makes reloading more accurate than factory ammo?

Of course consistency is important as well, but I didn't think I'd be more consistent with this set up than the factories, and I know people get accurate rounds using this system. Thank you also for being very helpful.

 

[notquiteright]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

How dangerous a powder is/can be depends on how hot a load you attempt and how hot a summer you have. Many a shooter from your neck of the woods has brought their favorite pet load down into the SW for schools/matches and blown primers in the summer heat.

One thing Varget/Reloder does for everyone is not change point of impact as much as other powders through the year's temperature swing.

You cant swing a dead cat in the Hide search genie and not hit thousands of excellent loads, good write ups, and a literal shit ton of references to 2.80- 2.825" as the OAL of choice.

Take a minute or seven and read some of the pet load threads here.

All that said, you might like the more anal benchrest websites if you wish to kiss the lands with bullets that are not VLDs.

(don't go down the VLD path with a mallet

)

Best of luck

Oh, what rifle have you shot that did .5moa, that is a half inch, at 100 yards?

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I don't know that I said I have shot any such rifle. If I did it must have been a typo? My .22 will shoot 1" and sometimes under on a good day with no wind. On an average day with the .22 about 1.5" is average when I'm trying. If you are trying to suggest I may not be a very good marksman, you are probably right compared to many on this site, but I believe I am capable of 1 MOA at 100 yards from what I've seen with a few .22's.

I know I can shoot more accurately than what I'm seeing in this rifle. Once I get some decent ammo I'll see how good I can get with it.

 

[i_Adam_i18]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

My point was, the shorter the OAL means the less space inside the round and the increase in pressure and vice versa.

Are you asking if the lack of the bullet having to jump before engaging the lands would cause a significant increase in pressure? I wouldn't think so. An increase in pressure would come from a bullet being set back farther (shorter OAL) or increase in powder charge.

You mention a specific load. What is the listed OAL in that load? Thats what I would start with, then adjust powder charge, but that's just me.

If you really wanted the bullet touching the lands, then do as you said, figure out what your OAL is going to be to do that and start your load development from there.

If your OAL is the only thing that is different from the load that you mentioned and the difference in the OAL is that it is longer, I don't think you'll have a problem. Your pressures should be lower and so will your velocity. Then work up from there.

If the powder you are using is a stick powder, you probably won't have to worry about temperature too much. Ball powders are usually more temperature sensitive.

I say read the reloading manual because there is a lot of information in there. I read and read and read before I ever attempted to make my first hand load because I didn't want to blow my own face off.

If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will chime in.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

WASP,
While I understand what you are saying about the pressure being high inside the cartridge if you pack the bullet in tighter, that is not the only concern with pressure (and not my concern here). Did you read what I typed above in caps? That is a direct quote from the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading 4th Edition. Please reread it as it deals directly with our conversation here!

I read an analogy about this that may help you visualize it better. Seating the bullet back allows it time to gain speed before hitting the resistance of the rifling. This is like hitting the gas on a car and driving 20 feet into a curb- the car goes right over it at a steady rate. If you put the car up against and in contact with the curb and hit the gas, it will take a second for the car to overcome the resistance of the curb, and then it will JOLT over the curb- like the high pressure when the bullet can't move and then suddenly is forced to when seated against the lands.

The Max OAL for .308 is 2.800 in the manuals. I know this. As was brought to my attention above, many people here definitely ARE using 2.800 or close to it. But the reason they are using it isn't because that's the best length they have found. Most of them are using it because that's what fits in their magazine. That isn't somethin I care about right now. I'm trying to increase my accuracy any way safely possible.

I have read the parts of this book which are relevant to me, as well as many things online. This final question I posted is me making sure I don't blow MY face off, by seeking advice from those more experienced.

 

[i_Adam_i18]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I understand the concept, but if you are starting low and working up, there shouldn't be an issue at all. If you were starting with near max loads, then yes I could see a potential face grenade.

Some guns shoot better when there is a bit of jump to the lands. If you are worried about it, I would start with the bullet set back from the lands, work up your powder charge and watch for pressure signs, then start adjusting OAL if you aren't getting the desired results.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Thanks for helping, it's just that I couldn't find any information on HOW MUCH more pressure I might see. And HOW MANY less grains I should use to stay safe. I guess maybe I will just start with 2.80" OAL and play with charge first. Then I will start adjusting AOL maybe .01" at a time.

 

[jimbob_walker]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

there are sites on the net that you can look up to see what will shoot the best out of your gun. guys that have spent hours and a money working up a load. id find one that fits your gun and work it from there. when i first started thats what i did. i even do it still sometimes. learn all the fundamentals while using a safe load.

 

[doc76251]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Canis,

By all means use a single load length and vary the powder charge to arrive at some semblance of consistency. Use standard loading practices out of the gate and when you begin to understand the variable that are affected in the process you can begin to "play with things". I dare say using the dies you have that you will be hard pressed to maintain a very tight tolerance in your seating depth. You may wish to purchase some high quality rounds to determine what exactly your rifle is capable of prior to trying to find the grail via reloading. If the best your rifle will do is 2 MOA it won't really matter what you do on the reloading bench.

Cheers,

Doc

 

[notquiteright]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Canis-
yes I was trying to politely ask just what you base the accuracy expectation on. (some guys equate questioning their ability to innately shoot a high powered rifle with questioning their penis size)

I find using different sighting systems can influence my scores. I peep well enough, fair at best with the notch and am most consistent with mid power scopes. REAL high power scopes with tight eye relief can add a bit of struggle to the string of fire.

Every shooter is different, I would say your shooting ability is still an unknown variable. Perhaps you can find a guy with a good high powered rifle and load to see just how well you do. Or have that guy shoot yours with his pet load to see how it does.

The reason no one is going to give you exact numbers on pressure/grains/how far into the lands you go is the variables are many. Same load, same OAL, same rifle but increase air temp and the pressure can change to dangerous levels.

But I think you are on a better track if you go 2.82" OAL, establish your accuracy ability on a known rifle/ammo combination and look into the Lee Anniversary Reloader Kit with a real press. I know you worry about spending money on something you might not like,(are you sure you are an American

), but its like going cheap on a first date. Might save money when she refuses to go out again but going cheap may have caused that.

Course that said, I have been married for 25 years to a woman who only takes two wine coolers to get all giggly, and I have spent big bucks for a chaste kiss at the door many times...

awwww hell what do I know!

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Canis, the reason you find no references to "how much" of anything is that it's not a fixed thing AND it's not all that critical anyway. You've gotten some good comments and some BS.

First, unlike handguns using very fast burning powders, rifle loads aren't highly sensitive to most seating depth changes.

Seating deeper in rifles allows the bullets a running start before hitting the lands and that reduces peak pressures quite a bit. We generally get highest pressures when the bullets are seated out to or very near to the lands. A few rifles shoot most accuractly seated on the lands but mostly that's a "bench rester" technique because they use much different rifles and reloads than the rest of us. Most factory rifles do best with bullet jump between 20 and 40 thou off the lands. Some prefer even more jump. Best OAL/seating depth can only be determined by experimentation.

As for using special measuring tools, when I started reloading (in '65) few loaders owned even a dial caliper and few loading manuals even suggested an OAL. We made safe loads that shot well in spite of that and so can you. But, a steel dial caliper measureing in thousants is a VERY HELPFUL TOOL for any reloader; get one! Not a machinest grade caliper but one like MidwayUSA sells for around $20. It and those from Harbor Freight Tools are exactly the same as much more costly calipers but with loading tool brands pasted on them.

Finding the max cartridge OAL just as you have is fine, in fact there is no real need to remove the firing pin. Seat maybe 20 thou deeper than lands contact and start your load development there. That is, unless it's too long for your magazine or the bullets fall out of the case! If that happens, just seat where you need to and find your best shooting charge at that point. Later, if you wish to find better accuracy, experiment with seating depth in 5 or 10 steps thou until you have tweaked that load for its best groups.

Your Lee (Classic) Loader kit is a very good tool. It's a bit slow of course but so what, it makes excellant neck sized ammo. You can be sure your powder charges will be quite safe unless you try adding more than Lee suggests.

Good luck!

 

[LawnMM]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Canis Latrans</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for helping, it's just that I couldn't find any information on HOW MUCH more pressure I might see. And HOW MANY less grains I should use to stay safe. I guess maybe I will just start with 2.80" OAL and play with charge first. Then I will start adjusting AOL maybe .01" at a time. </div></div>

If you are going to screw with seating depth, I would do that first and whatever depth yields the best accuracy at the same charge weight, go with it, and then mess with your charge.

Its generally accepted that moving closer to the lands increases pressure, as mentioned here, and that can be dangerous.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

"If you are going to screw with seating depth, I would do that first and whatever depth yields the best accuracy at the same charge weight, go with it, and then mess with your charge."

That'll work too.

 

[VKC]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

In order to load to an accurate seating depth, you need an accurate caliper and a bullet comparator, otherwise you are just ballparking and wasting your time. COAL is not as accurate since meplats vary, bearing surface measurements are more consistent.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

What are you using for a case gage to confirm, that you are in fact, bumping the shoulder back about .002" when you resize?
I like Wilson's.......
LG

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I was planning at first to adjust the seating for accuracy using the starting load so I think I will do that. lumpy, what do you mean how am I confirming? I am using dial calipers to measure OAL. Using the method above I believe that a AOL of 2.945" touches the lands. I adjusted my bullet seater to make the AOL of produced rounds 2.925". I don't believe I said I adjusted it .002". I confirmed that the bullets are seating to make a cartridge of 2.925" by measuring them with a caliper...

If you are asking how I am confirming the cases are resized, I am not. I am neck sizing them only as you are supposed to with this loader. All brass is fire-formed to my chamber so I don't need to resize the brass fully.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Do you know what a case gage does? It measures the case headspace from mid point of the shoulder to the case head.
OAL has nothing to do with that unless your case is to long.
What is the OAL of you cases before you load them? What do you trim them to?
After you N/S, how do the empty cases feel when you close the bolt?
LG

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I have no experience with a case gauge. As I said I do not size or trim my cases, just neck size. Maybe after firing them a few times I would need to, but most people don't with this system. The empty cases feel fine when closing the bolt after neck sizing.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

You REALLY NEED to measure your case O.A.L. They will "grow".
A case that's to long, can/will give the pressure issues you are having.
.308 case should be no longer that 2.015" and trimmed back to 2.005".
Cheers,
LG

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Lumpy, did you read my OP? I am not having pressure issues... I was asking questions on seating depth and overpressure before I begin reloading. The cases I just measured average less than 2.01". Like I said they are once fired and I don't expect them to grow until they are fired more...

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Ok, my bad

Start at what the book sez for OAL(about 2.800" me thinks) and then go out .010" then .020" then .030 etc till you find a "sweet-spot", if you do.
What factory ammo gave you 2 MOA?
Tell us more about the "stick" and how you shoot, bags, rest etc.
LG

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

No problem Lumpy, thanks for trying to help me! I wasn't sure if you read it or if I was explaining something wrong.

The rifle is a rem 700 SPS Sporter barrel version in .308. It has a Bushnell 3200 Tactical 10x mounted with an EGW 20 MOA base and Burris Signature Zee rings. I shoot it off a simple wooden range bench with a front sand bag and a rear bean bag (made with an old sock).

I have tried Winchester Powerpoints, Ultramax Bulk ammo and Federal Fusions and groups range from 1.5" to 3". I have gotten groups under an inch but not often. I thought something may be wrong with my scope mounts etc. because of the low accuracy, but remounting several times has not shown a change. I figured if I bought/ made better ammo and my groups shrank I would know all was good. I have wanted to reload anyway so now we'll see what happens.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Get a box each of Fed Gold Metal Match in 168 grn and 175 grn.
Use this ammo to see what YOU and the rifle can do.
You want 5 shot groups.
LG

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Personally, I would work on ladder testing and determining optimum powder charge before messing with seating depth. We always do it this way with our benchrest 6PPC 's. Take a piece of fire formed brass, use a headspace gauge to determine case OAL. Set up your neck sizing die to resize 0.002 smaller. Then use this brass and make your dummy round. Put that in your chamber, and then Use a bullet comparator to determine your cartridge OAL "jammed". We then make a few rounds starting with the minimum powder charge, and work up in 0.2 grain increments. Working up powder charges with the bullet jammed will ensure that you find the MAX charge load for your chamber. When you see signs of overpressure then you know the limit. Once you know your MAX charge limit, load some rounds from min to max charge using jammed bullets and ladder test. Your ladder test will tell you your optimum charge. Only after determining your optimum charge would I start to play with seating depth. Messing with seating depth before determining optimum charge could lead to an overpressure scenario and lost eyes, fingers' etc...

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Jig Stick, according to your process it would seem you are completely comfortable using a starting load even when the bullet is jammed. That pretty much answers my original question. If I seat what I believe to be .02" off the lands, using a starting charge should be safe should it not? Should it also not be safe to increase the load in .2gr increments as long as I don't also very the OAL? Thanks.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I'l look into the gold match as well lumpy. Thanks for the suggestion I wasn't sure what everyone was referring to on this site by FGMM.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

I actually just got do e reloading some 208g Amax for my Bat Actioned 300winmag. Jammed I'm at a COAL of 3.915 from the ogive. I use 70gr of Reloader 22. My bullets are seated at 3.910, only 5 thousandths from the lands. And I'll be ladder testing at 3.910, 3.905, 3.900, etc until I see what the bullet likes. But I found my max powder charge with bullets seated at 3.915. When I saw good ladder results and absence of overpressure it was right near 70 grains. Now that I have that figured out I can play with seating depth. I know that backing off the lands, with powder charge and bullets/brass constant, pressure should most likely go down.

But, say I started NOT JAMMED, like at 3.900, and say I got all the way up to 75 grains of powder and thought that was the sweet spot and went with it. And then I decided to see how 75grains performs with the bullets jammed at 3.915....this could lead to OVERPRESSURE and badness

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Yes I think I'm following you. Basically if I pick a OAL I can use the starting load and gradually increase it looking for signs of pressure. If I change my seating depth, I had better start over at a starting load and slowly work up again or risk dangerous pressures. Does this sound about right to everyone? My original question was basically just can I be sure a starting load is safe even if the bullet is close to or touching the lands? I feel like this may be how starting loads are decided upon, but I would like to be sure.

 

[Jig Stick]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Youre getting there. You should always start with the OAL JAMMED into the lands. Use that OAL until you find what your maximum powder charge is. I start in the middle of what the Lyman manual recommends for a particular load, and increase by 0.5 grains until i start to see signs of over pressure. Once you see those signs, mark down what your MAX powder charge is for your particular rifle and chamber. Then, determine what charge is shooting best out of your gun with your bullet of choice (you do this by ladder testing).

Now you should of found what powder charge your gun / bullet is liking.

NOW you can start to play with seating depth. Take your JAMMED OAL and start backing off in 0.005 or 0.010 increments and go shoot. See where the bullet likes seated.

Now at this point you should have determined the exact powder charge your gun likes, and the exact seating depth your bullets like. Now its time to load up a bunch of rounds and go SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT. Work on making your DOPE card. And have fun. I personally recommend shooting fire extinguishers at say...600 yards. Lots of fun.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Thanks for your tips. I primed 9 of my cases today and will load them with powder and seat bullets tomorrow. I will go to the range soon after and shoot 3 3-round groups. (I know people say 5 is better but 3 3-rounders should be fine to get an idea and will use less ammo.) I think I will seat at .02" off the lands for now with a starting load. I will do this just because it's what my seater is set for and I will know the pressure will be very low. If I change depths at all I will certainly use a starting load for the new depth. What does your manual say is the recommended starting load for IMR 4064 with 168gr round? Thanks for the assistance I really appreciate it.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Well I made a batch of 9 rounds. I discovered that I may need to hammer more firmly to seat the round fully. Basically I thought I had a seatng depth of 2.925 set since that's what y dummy round came out to, and that no matter how much I hammered it wouldn't fall below that. It turns out that was incorrect, and by hammering my first real round more the OAL was decreased to 2.905".

I decided to just leave this as my new AOL for this batch. I made the rest match this one in length by tapping the bullet, then measuring it with the calipers until it was close. I screwed up on one round and seated it about .01" too deep so I just pulled it from the batch. This is what I was left with.

I went to the rand and warmed up with my .22 at 100 yards. Was getting about 1.5" groups with that. Had to come down .2 mils on my elevation to 1.5 mils from a zero at 50 yards. I'm not sure why this was but I'm guessing because of temperature?

I first tested out 3 shots of Hornady Superformance 150 grains.

It came to about 2.1", which I was a little disappointed with, but it was only one group. I didn't shoot that much as I was running out of time, but my next 3 rounds after a 5 minute cool down for the barrel were my first reloads ever.

I was nervous about having the gun blow up in my face, and about hoping my rounds wouldn't be a terrible disappointment, but I calmed myself down and concentrated on shooting. The first shot was about .9 mils low, and this was what I ended up with:

I was so happy when I looked and saw the first two holes so close to each other, and the third one not far off confirmed to me it was more than chance.

I was now definitely about to be late for work, but fired one more group. I was rushing, but tried to not to mess up my shots because of this. My third shot when a little high and left, and I can't rule out my shooting as opening the group up to 1.55".

While two three-round groups don't prove anything, to me they strongly suggest that the ammo I reloaded is at least as consistent, and likely more accurate than any of the other ammo I have tried so far. I feel it is unlikely that I have found the best powder charge and seating depth on a basically random first try. My seating depth consistency and charge consistency is also not the best I can produce, and as I now better understand the process, I am optimistic that through trial and error, I can find a combination which will keep my average groups at least under an inch, which has been my goal since I got this rifle. I will shoot again tomorrow.

Lee Classic Loader .308
168gr Hornady Amax
2.905" OAL
IMR 4064 41.6gr starting load
CCI Large Rifle Primers

 

[Furtaker_.223]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Looks like you are starting to get it. Your hand loads are wanting to group, a little tweeking on the charge and some trigger time, you will be shooting bug holes.

Then you will like reloading and invest in a few tools. A little at a time. Thats what I did.

And just remember, if you find you dont like it, you can always sell the tools here. Someone will buy them.

 

[Canis Latrans]

Re: First time reloading: Seating Depth and Safety

Thanks. I kind of like doing it the old fashioned way to be honest . I know it's slow, but it seems like it might be accurate enough, and I don't have the money to shoot tons of ammo anyway. I also like having all of my stuff as small and compact as possible. Lots of people say they would throw these in their bug out bags, but I can't imagine why they would do that over loaded ammo... I can't wait to see how accurate I can get, and maybe start shooting out to at least 300 meters.

 

[misterc01]

Another two cents on this. Accurate enough? Then just buy commercial ammunition. Any companies match ammo will get you out accurately to well over 300 meters, as far as 1000 (1KM) . For precision shooting, you have to do precision reloading, which requires precision equipment. Most companies offers packages at a reasonable price for a press and related equipment leaving you to just buy your dies and consumables. You can't measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk and cut with and axe and hope to hit much. At least read Berger's info on seating depth for many answer to questions raised here.