Help me step up my reloading game

[Adam4pt6]

So I'm looking to take my reloading to the next level. What I'm doing now it producing some good accuracy and isnt bad at all, but I would like to improve on my consistency and tighten up those sd/es numbers. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Current components: (6.5cm)
Hornady brass(looking to switch to something a little more consistent, but staying large primer)
147 eldms
H4350/reloder 16
And an assortment of primers to try.

Current set up: deprime with universal die. Dry tumble for a while. Bump size(.002) with a lee full length die. Measure OAL and trim if needed. Chamfer/deburr if trimming was needed. Prime by hand. Throw powder manually, and weigh on a small hornady digital scale. I then seat with a hornady seating die.

Upgrades I'm thinking about:
Anealing(open to suggestions, anealeze is looking like the direction I will go)
Some kind of auto powder measure. Looking at the rcbs lite.
Switching to a mandrel die. I've heard good things but I'm still a little in the dark with the smaller details for this, like what else I need to support this idea, I know my old sizing die will need to be replaced. Suggestions?

 

[joel65]

Look at upgrading your dies. I bought a dedicated expander mandrel, but only used it a couple of times before I moved on. The Forster and Redding dies are great. I’ve had better success with the Redding FL Type S bushing and Redding seating dies.

 

[Precision Underground]

So I'm looking to take my reloading to the next level. What I'm doing now it producing some good accuracy and isnt bad at all, but I would like to improve on my consistency and tighten up those sd/es numbers. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Current components: (6.5cm)
Hornady brass(looking to switch to something a little more consistent, but staying large primer)
147 eldms
H4350/reloder 16
And an assortment of primers to try.

Current set up: deprime with universal die. Dry tumble for a while. Bump size(.002) with a lee full length die. Measure OAL and trim if needed. Chamfer/deburr if trimming was needed. Prime by hand. Throw powder manually, and weigh on a small hornady digital scale. I then seat with a hornady seating die.

Upgrades I'm thinking about:
Anealing(open to suggestions, anealeze is looking like the direction I will go)
Some kind of auto powder measure. Looking at the rcbs lite.
Switching to a mandrel die. I've heard good things but I'm still a little in the dark with the smaller details for this, like what else I need to support this idea, I know my old sizing die will need to be replaced. Suggestions?

I use the Lee collet die for my bolt 6.5 and my numbers are ridic low and consistent. I am using lapua brass which prob helps as well. My concentricity is usually less than .001. I only bump when the brass gets tight.

 

[bfglowkey]

For brass try Starline or Peterson LRP varities available. Lapua is awesome but only SRP.

 

[Adam4pt6]

Look at upgrading your dies. I bought a dedicated expander mandrel, but only used it a couple of times before I moved on. The Forster and Redding dies are great. I’ve had better success with the Redding FL Type S bushing and Redding seating dies.

So you suggest just a better FL size instead of a mandrel?

 

[Adam4pt6]

For brass try Starline or Peterson LRP varities available. Lapua is awesome but only SRP.

Starline is actually what I was looking at. I also considered buying a few hundred rounds from prime, and using that brass (norma I believe). Price wise it seems like a good move, I just dont know if I really want to shoot a few hundred rounds of it before I get into running my own loads for this new rifle.

I suppose I should mention the rifle as well. Everything I currently do loading wise is for a factory RPR. This new and improved reloading plan will be for a remington700/criterion barrel.

 

[Changed]

Three things. One, purchase a Sinclair Expander Mandrel, and the die to use it in. This guarantee's you .01 neck tension. Two, buy the annealing machine. Three, Redding or Forster full length bushing die with the correct size bushing (Projectile diameter + Neckwall thickness + Neckwall thickness - .02.

Also, Look at the scale you are using make sure it is accurate.

 

[XLR308]

Better brass would be the first thing I would get, I am partial to Lapua and use it in every caliber i can get it in but have had great experience with Nosler and Norma. All three are high quality.

As allready stated don't dismiss the Lee collet die, they are inexpensive but produce very consistent ammo with near zero run out and work the brass very little.

The RCBS charge master has been one of my favorite investments and is plenty accurate enough for me but there are some more expensive and more precise options out there.

Many on here don't neck turn but I prefer to so it's just part of my brass prep process now. All though going with a manufacturer that produces high quality brass it has negligible gains but I may be the oddball since I actually enjoy the sort and prep part of reloading.

The only thing I haven't invested in yet is an automated process for annealing but it's on the radar.

 

[Stpilot12]

If you wanna stay with LRP, just get new Norma brass, its identical to Prime brass (made by Norma)
Annealing is always good
Mandrel for sure
Full length bushing die
I dumped my chargmasters for the FX120/auto throw set up. Spendy, but worth it to me. YMMV

I run mostly Norma/Prime and now some Lapua brass in 6.5 CM, 2 different rifles. SD's run 3-6

 

[Adam4pt6]

Three things. One, purchase a Sinclair Expander Mandrel, and the die to use it in. This guarantee's you .01 neck tension. Two, buy the annealing machine. Three, Redding or Forster full length bushing die with the correct size bushing (Projectile diameter + Neckwall thickness + Neckwall thickness - .02.

Also, Look at the scale you are using make sure it is accurate.

I'll look into them fir the mandrel now. So just to make sure I'm reading right, I'm basically going to size the neck .002 under with the bushing die. Then expand .001 with the mandrel which will end up with .001 neck tension when I seat a round. Is that understood correct? And potentially dumb question. But is .001 enough tension?I was under the impression that .002 may be a better idea. The ammo will be used for prs type matches.

As for the scale, agreed. I'm not thrilled with what i have and question its accuracy, I'm thinking a chargemaster lite to resolve this issue and speed up the loading process

 

[slm9s]

Lapua brass, turn your necks for uniformity if you use hornady.

 

[Adam4pt6]

Better brass would be the first thing I would get, I am partial to Lapua and use it in every caliber i can get it in but have had great experience with Nosler and Norma. All three are high quality.

As allready stated don't dismiss the Lee collet die, they are inexpensive but produce very consistent ammo with near zero run out and work the brass very little.

The RCBS charge master has been one of my favorite investments and is plenty accurate enough for me but there are some more expensive and more precise options out there.

Many on here don't neck turn but I prefer to so it's just part of my brass prep process now. All though going with a manufacturer that produces high quality brass it has negligible gains but I may be the oddball since I actually enjoy the sort and prep part of reloading.

The only thing I haven't invested in yet is an automated process for annealing but it's on the radar.

Agreed on the brass. Currently I'm using hornady, and want to take a step up in this department.

As for neck turning, it wasn't on my to do list, but if it's worth the effort I'll definitely consider it.

 

[spife7980]

So I'm looking to take my reloading to the next level. What I'm doing now it producing some good accuracy and isnt bad at all, but I would like to improve on my consistency and tighten up those sd/es numbers. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Current components: (6.5cm)
Hornady brass(looking to switch to something a little more consistent, but staying large primer)

Peterson has been really appealing looking

147 eldms
H4350/reloder 16
And an assortment of primers to try.

Current set up: deprime with universal die. Dry tumble for a while. Bump size(.002) with a lee full length die. Measure OAL and trim if needed. Chamfer/deburr if trimming was needed. Prime by hand. Throw powder manually, and weigh on a small hornady digital scale. I then seat with a hornady seating die.

Upgrades I'm thinking about:
Anealing(open to suggestions, anealeze is looking like the direction I will go)
Some kind of auto powder measure. Looking at the rcbs lite.
Switching to a mandrel die. I've heard good things but I'm still a little in the dark with the smaller details for this, like what else I need to support this idea, I know my old sizing die will need to be replaced. Suggestions?

The sinclair set up has been mentioned, its nice. I have a sinclar mandrel myself. I went with the 21st century set up for the TiN coated mandrels but its basically the same thing, and as mentioned, I can use sinclair mandrels in my 21st die body, I think PMA will fit too. The "expander" mandrels are sized .001 below bullet diameter, the "turning" mandrels are .002 under. Most people use the turning mandrel to open the necks for bullet seating.

You dont need a new sizing die, Im sure yours would work just fine. Strip the expander out of it and it would size down just fine. Then the mandrel will open the necks up to the proper dimension. That said the lee will probably size the neck down way further than necessary and using a honed forster or a redding type s bushing die (or anyones bushing die really) will eliminate much of that over working to the brass. Getting a bushing .003-.004 under the loaded diameter lets the expander actually open the neck to the right diameter while over coming spring back. Only .001 either way might not be enough to actually stick and would just make every thing more uniform.



I agree on automated powder dispensing, its a life saver.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I just dont know if I really want to shoot a few hundred rounds of it before I get into running my own loads for this new rifle.

Yes you do. And it may shoot well enough that you won't want to reload.

 

[Adam4pt6]

Yes you do. And it may shoot well enough that you won't want to reload.

You may be correct. But reloading is just as much a part of the hobby for me as shooting is, and it gives me something to do during the week when I cant get to a range to shoot. However, buying a case of 200 is tempting. And doesnt cost much more than the brass itself would

 

[Changed]

I'll look into them fir the mandrel now. So just to make sure I'm reading right, I'm basically going to size the neck .002 under with the bushing die. Then expand .001 with the mandrel which will end up with .001 neck tension when I seat a round. Is that understood correct? And potentially dumb question. But is .001 enough tension?I was under the impression that .002 may be a better idea. The ammo will be used for prs type matches.

As for the scale, agreed. I'm not thrilled with what i have and question its accuracy, I'm thinking a chargemaster lite to resolve this issue and speed up the loading process

Yes, but you have to ensure that you're sizing the neck enough for the mandrel to have an effect. I use the expander mandrel, many use the turning mandrel. One is .001 under (expander) the other .002. You have to find what works best for your rifle/chamber. These numbers are not the actual final dimensions of the brass. The brass will spring back. So, in my case, although I set to 0.001 it springs back to .0015-.002. You have to experiment with what works for you. Measure and confirm. It differs depending on brass and annealing. Even if 0.001 was the actual number it would still take a good bit of force to seat.

Don't do what I do, take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

[XLR308]

Yes you do. And it may shoot well enough that you won't want to reload.

Just to add to the above, Norma Match 65 creedmoor ammo can be found for $23 a box at LAX but a 25 count box of just the Norma brass is listed as on sale at Grafs for $34.19.
That's the primary reason the only factory 65 creedmoor ammo I've bought so far is the Norma Match.

I know that the Hornady ammo can be very accurate but their brass just doesnt compare to Norma IMHO.

 

[Adam4pt6]

Yes, but you have to ensure that you sizing the neck enough for the mandrel to have an effect. I use the expander mandrel, many use the turning mandrel. One is .001 under (expander) the other .002. You have to find what works best for your rifle/chamber. These numbers are not the actual final dimensions of the brass. The brass will spring back. So, in my case, although I set to 0.001 it springs back to .0015-.002. You have to experiment with what works for you. Measure and confirm. It differs depending on brass and annealing. Even if 0.001 was the actual number it would still take a good bit of force to seat.

Don't do what I do, take my advise with a grain of salt.

I see what you're saying now, that makes sense.