Join me on my EPIC AR accuracy journey! From reloading to bullet hole @600yards! WITH PICS

[elfster1234]

I got to hand it to brownells... they shipped the new .308 10round pmags to me in less than 3days. They fit awesome & the bolt locks back nice. Just need to test them out in the field now with my "sissy bag" being that the 20rounders was too long & would hit the bench = possible incoming crazy LMT groups!!!.......

 

[DocGlenn]

Tag for later. Thanks!

 

[elfster1234]

I think I just picked up on a "live and learn" experience tip for using a Dillon Super 600 swager & removing the crimp from 1fired brass. In the past I was using the super 600 to swage the crimp AFTER my final 3hour cleaning while doing brass prep.

I got to be honest with you all here with my experience using the super 600... I wasn't totally impressed. I've tried everything. Making sure you clean pocket hole burrs. Sorting by brand / year. Deeper plunger depth. Keep the super 600 oiled & so on.. Even using my lymann reamer after using the super 600 to produce a better / smoother crimp removal set up.... Blah blah blah. I kept on getting primers that would "hang up" or not seating ultra smooth like butter. Maybe I was expecting too much from the super 600.....

Anyway..... I came up with the idea.... Being that I use stainless steel media to clean my brass, why not swage right after I size & BEFORE my final 3hour stainless steel media cleaning WHILE the brass is still lubed = in hopes that the 3hour stainless steel media cleaning would help smooth out the super 600 swage & possible "fine brass hairs" that swaging can produce. So far, I've had really good results swaging right after sizing while the brass is still lubed / before my final 3hour stainless steel media cleaning. In my opinion, swaging BEFORE the final 3hour long stainless steel media cleaning helps knock down / smooth out the swage.

So far, I've tried over 200 pcs of brass with this method without a single primer seating issue as if the brass didn't even have a crimp to begin with. I'll keep ya all updated.

Well, lets just say I had absolutely no intentions of picking up reloading equipment today... Just some bullets. Anyway, as I'm walking past the shelf guess what I see,,,,, a Dillon super 600 swager for $99 dollars brand spankin new. Someone forced me to buy it and his name was ME... LOL. It should really help for the crimped primers in this lake city brass & my AR ammo load development. Well, at least for speed of reloading that is. Next on my list is the Giraud power trimmer. Will keep you all informed for those looking to reload for their AR's / just starting out reloading for AR's & how well it works for me and crimped primer brass such as lake city brass..... This thing is HUGE! and is one serious PC of metal. Pictures do no justice for the size & weight of this pc of reloading equipment. There is no plastic on this bad boy. It screams = well constructed.

LOL! this is awesome!

Dillon Super Swage 600 AUTO EJECT Mod - YouTube

Automatic Dillon Super Swage 600 Modification - YouTube

 

[GlockandRoll]

Good info, thanks for this.

 

[elfster1234]

1slow01z71, how is your personal AR journey going my friend?

Also, for those that are new to AR's & reloading, feel free to post your own personal info & pics here. It is nice to see how others do things for a change.

Very nice, thank you for sharing everything in such detail. I consulted it a lot while I was starting my own epic AR journey. Just wish I could find some 55 or 60gr vmaxs in stock. Had to settle for 50s but they ought to work well for my 14.5 gun. Have you messed with heavier pills yet? Ive got a 20" barrel and a ton of 77s to try they just got really compressed after 23.6gr with 77smks.

 

[elfster1234]

no problem at all my friend... I'm glad you enjoy it!

Good info, thanks for this.

 

[irondude]

no problem at all my friend... I'm glad you enjoy it!

Great write up, Thanks for your time putting this together!

 

[elfster1234]

guys, this is the easiest, most simple, damn near no ammo needed way to sight in your rifle... I personally use this method and it works great. Just pull the bolt out of the AR! even better with bolt actions! Hell, I'll do this in my living room with my upper only & bipod deployed looking out the picture window of my livingroom with a point of aim about 25yards away BEFORE I even jump in my car to hit the range. A 25yard zero is damn near the same as a 300yard zero for most AR calibers. This will get you close enough within a few clicks for a 100yard zero. You should have your zero within 3 shots minimum just as long as your rifle is set up correctly. Usually takes me all of one to two shots to get dead nuts zero with a new rifle. Don't waste your ammo!


HOW TO BORE SIGHT A RIFLE - YouTube

 

[velillen]

guys, this is the easiest, most simple, damn near no ammo needed way to sight in your rifle... I personally use this method and it works great. Just pull the bolt out of the AR! even better with bolt actions! Hell, I'll do this in my living room with my upper only looking out the picture window of my livingroom with a point of aim about 25yards away BEFORE I even jump in my car to hit the range. This will get you close enough within a few clicks for a 100yard zero. Don't waste your ammo!


HOW TO BORE SIGHT A RIFLE - YouTube

That how i do it for most of my rifles! Just bring bags to help hole the upper...its interesting just tying to hold it and sight it in

I just got (well 2 months ago now) a white oaks armory 18" spr barrel (223 wylde 1-8). Got to shoot it with a pretty...cheap/crappy load and it was under MOA so pretty happy so far (at 100 yards). Only around 50 rounds down the barrel so far!

Load was
WC844 (surplus powder) - 21.5gr
Powder Valley 77gr second
2.26OAL
CCI small rifle primers
Mixed brass of all sorts.

 

[elfster1234]

you should run the rifle on the shootout threads! would be nice to see a picture of the rifle.

I just got (well 2 months ago now) a white oaks armory 18" spr barrel (223 wylde 1-8). Got to shoot it with a pretty...cheap/crappy load and it was under MOA so pretty happy so far (at 100 yards). Only around 50 rounds down the barrel so far!

Load was
WC844 (surplus powder) - 21.5gr
Powder Valley 77gr second
2.26OAL
CCI small rifle primers
Mixed brass of all sorts.

 

[elfster1234]

thank god! snow is finally starting to melt in Wisconsin with damn near 2 total months of negative temps!! I have sooooo much ammo reloaded from this long winter that I should be able to shoot through the entire summer without the need to reload!!! LOL! I'm thinking I'll be back on the range in the next couple weeks with some more information with my continued AR journey.

 

[bruddah]

thank god! snow is finally starting to melt in Wisconsin with damn near 2 total months of negative temps!! I have sooooo much ammo reloaded from this long winter that I should be able to shoot through the entire summer without the need to reload!!! LOL! I'm thinking I'll be back on the range in the next couple weeks with some more information with my continued AR journey.

Excellent! I'll be eager to see and hear the reports!

 

[Virginian]

Wow! What great thread and I appreciate all your time to document the "how to's" of what you do.

Thank you,

Eric

 

[problemchild]

Nice write up. I have an lmt as well and worked up a nice load. My gun seems to prefer XBR over Varget. The XBR reduced the group size by 50%. I found my best shoulder bump to be .003 back from a 10 average of once fired in my chamber. I am using LC brass, CCI BR primes, XBR or WC846(pulled military) and either 168amax or 175smk projectiles.

I do not spend all the time with brass prep like you but I do not shoot 700yds. My range goes to 200yds. I would not mind trying 600 to see what my groups are. I am getting about 5/8ths at 100yds with 175smk's.

The gun is a blast to shoot and dead on accurate. Its repeatble accurate too. Not just one group out of 10 but 10 out of 10.

Thanks for the nice write up.........

All pulled components and no work done to brass, just bang it out on dillon 650 and shoot it. Pulled projectiles even had marks in them.

 

[problemchild]

I had the same problem but its worse as I use the dillon 650 and I would have jammed and tilted primers. I finally made a motorized carbide reamer to ream at a specific angle the crimp. It works so good I can take range brass of all different years, makes etc and run it through the reamer and then my press. Not one single hang up, primers fit super tight in pocket (much tighter then after using d600). After the d600 I either have crushed primers or loose pockets. There was no in between with the d600.

I think I just picked up on a "live and learn" experience tip for using a Dillon Super 600 swager & removing the crimp from 1fired brass. In the past I was using the super 600 to swage the crimp AFTER my final 3hour cleaning while doing brass prep.

I got to be honest with you all here with my experience using the super 600... I wasn't totally impressed. I've tried everything. Making sure you clean pocket hole burrs. Sorting by brand / year. Deeper plunger depth. Keep the super 600 oiled & so on.. Even using my lymann reamer after using the super 600 to produce a better / smoother crimp removal set up.... Blah blah blah. I kept on getting primers that would "hang up" or not seating ultra smooth like butter. Maybe I was expecting too much from the super 600.....

Anyway..... I came up with the idea.... Being that I use stainless steel media to clean my brass, why not swage right after I size & BEFORE my final 3hour stainless steel media cleaning WHILE the brass is still lubed = in hopes that the 3hour stainless steel media cleaning would help smooth out the super 600 swage & possible "fine brass hairs" that swaging can produce. So far, I've had really good results swaging right after sizing while the brass is still lubed / before my final 3hour stainless steel media cleaning. In my opinion, swaging BEFORE the final 3hour long stainless steel media cleaning helps knock down / smooth out the swage.

So far, I've tried over 200 pcs of brass with this method without a single primer seating issue as if the brass didn't even have a crimp to begin with. I'll keep ya all updated.

 

[pmclaine]

I had the same problem but its worse as I use the dillon 650 and I would have jammed and tilted primers. I finally made a motorized carbide reamer to ream at a specific angle the crimp. It works so good I can take range brass of all different years, makes etc and run it through the reamer and then my press. Not one single hang up, primers fit super tight in pocket (much tighter then after using d600). After the d600 I either have crushed primers or loose pockets. There was no in between with the d600.

I blew up the primer stack on my S1050 last week trying to load a batch of brass that the swage rod was just a little backed off on.

I saw another post on the hide advertising these go/no go gauges for primer swaging.

3 gage pack, small and large primer pocket and .224/308 neck tension

Seemed a reasonable price so I bought the 3 pack deal that includes small/large primer as well as a quick gauge for checking necking sizing on .223/.308 cartridges.

 

[problemchild]

If you live in socal I can let you try my system. i have been loading for 30+ years and its the best I have ever used. Works 100% on any kind of crimped brass. Took me 3yrs of trials to get it perfect.

I blew up the primer stack on my S1050 last week trying to load a batch of brass that the swage rod was just a little backed off on.

I saw another post on the hide advertising these go/no go gauges for primer swaging.

3 gage pack, small and large primer pocket and .224/308 neck tension

Seemed a reasonable price so I bought the 3 pack deal that includes small/large primer as well as a quick gauge for checking necking sizing on .223/.308 cartridges.

 

[elfster1234]

I totally hear ya on the xbr powder... Ive been trying to get my hands on it in my area with no luck. I cant wait to try xbr as ive heard nothing but good things about it.

Nice write up. I have an lmt as well and worked up a nice load. My gun seems to prefer XBR over Varget. The XBR reduced the group size by 50%. I found my best shoulder bump to be .003 back from a 10 average of once fired in my chamber. I am using LC brass, CCI BR primes, XBR or WC846(pulled military) and either 168amax or 175smk projectiles.

I do not spend all the time with brass prep like you but I do not shoot 700yds. My range goes to 200yds. I would not mind trying 600 to see what my groups are. I am getting about 5/8ths at 100yds with 175smk's.

The gun is a blast to shoot and dead on accurate. Its repeatble accurate too. Not just one group out of 10 but 10 out of 10.

Thanks for the nice write up.........

All pulled components and no work done to brass, just bang it out on dillon 650 and shoot it. Pulled projectiles even had marks in them.

 

[pmclaine]

If you live in socal I can let you try my system. i have been loading for 30+ years and its the best I have ever used. Works 100% on any kind of crimped brass. Took me 3yrs of trials to get it perfect.

Hmmmm, sounds intriguing. More info?

I really like having the brass drop from the case feeder on the S1050 than do its thing travelling through the stations for swaging and trimming. I got lazy thinking a batch of WCC 08 and WCC 10 would would be close enough on the swage scale that I didn't bother to check when I changed from 08 to 10. Live and learn.

Nice thing was Dillon actually ate the parts and the S1050 is not covered under the no BS guarantee. Great guys those Dillon kids.

 

[pmclaine]

I blew up the primer stack on my S1050 last week trying to load a batch of brass that the swage rod was just a little backed off on.

I saw another post on the hide advertising these go/no go gauges for primer swaging.

3 gage pack, small and large primer pocket and .224/308 neck tension

Seemed a reasonable price so I bought the 3 pack deal that includes small/large primer as well as a quick gauge for checking necking sizing on .223/.308 cartridges.

Got these gauges about 2 days after ordering. They are great!

Are they necessary - no, but they are neat to have. I have some 4X 30-06 that had primers backing out with the NO-GO gauge Ill now be able to determine if it was a loose pocket issue. Just screwing around setting up my 1050 I find them to be very accurate for removing crimp.

There are worse ways to blow gear cash.

 

[elfster1234]

I STILL can not find XBR in my area.. Have you been having issues getting XBR powder? I'm looking forward to trying out this powder.

Nice write up. I have an lmt as well and worked up a nice load. My gun seems to prefer XBR over Varget. The XBR reduced the group size by 50%. I found my best shoulder bump to be .003 back from a 10 average of once fired in my chamber. I am using LC brass, CCI BR primes, XBR or WC846(pulled military) and either 168amax or 175smk projectiles.

I do not spend all the time with brass prep like you but I do not shoot 700yds. My range goes to 200yds. I would not mind trying 600 to see what my groups are. I am getting about 5/8ths at 100yds with 175smk's.

The gun is a blast to shoot and dead on accurate. Its repeatble accurate too. Not just one group out of 10 but 10 out of 10.

Thanks for the nice write up.........

All pulled components and no work done to brass, just bang it out on dillon 650 and shoot it. Pulled projectiles even had marks in them.

 

[elfster1234]

You know........ I'm prob going to get flamed to death for this but you know what... I really don't F#CKING care... LOL....

I'm a weekend warrior, as I think most of you are.... Most likely a regular joe like myself..... I'm not usually one to go "cheap" but if I find something I think works well and for very little money (especially for something that is rarely used),,,, then I have no problems sharing this info. With that said....

TWO things I HATE putting on my AR's are 1.) Red dots / eotechs with MAGNIFIERS.... and 2.) BUIS (back up iron sights) that just sit UNDER your scope looking pretty that is rarely used if NOT used at all because they are NOT offset BUIS (just adding weight to the AR) waiting for the classic SHTF moment that your AR will most likely never see the day of light in terms of SHTF... If you are truly building a SHTF AR,, or you're going into battle with your AR then this advice is NOT FOR YOU,,, but if you JUST WANT SOMETHING to screw around with at the range in terms of BUIS as a weekend warrior, then I'm a big fan of the following. For the little amount I actually use BUIS for fun / practice & for that rare event of needing BUIS for a deer running past my tree stand ultra close, then I'm a huge fan of these cheap BUIS.... every single AR in my safe has these sights and they simply work good enough for what I need them to do. There is just no way I could bring myself to purchase $200plus for the BUIS real deal.

IMO, the perfect weekend warrior AR set up is with a min 3-15 variable power scope with some nice offset BUIS like these. I just purchased another set of these $20 BUIS for my RRA ATH (that now comes with the nice allen type screw & not standard screw type) for $20 bucks and they just simply work..... well, good enough for me for the slim to none chance I'll need them & for just screwing around at the range..... and if you think you can do better with your much more expensive BUIS, then you're more than welcome to go toe / toe with me on this shootout thread which I used these very same $20 BUIS during the test: http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...on-red-dot-6xmax-only-king-hill-shootout.html


Took about 2weeks to get:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009EVIXLY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[elfster1234]

Don't get me wrong.... for an absolute 1x close quarters fast acquisition AR where bug hole shooting as a weekend warrior is not your concern, then aimpoint (not eotech) is 100% the way to go.... and yes,,,, get a single point aimpoint & NOT eotech for the very reason I'm about to explain as magnifiers suck donkey balls WHEN NEEDED for detail work IMO & only add weight to the rifle (and yes I've owned both as all magnifiers have = crappy eye relief and produce ungodly weight to the AR)....

On the lowest visible red dot light setting, Co-witnessing the small A2 aperture of your REAR BUIS ONLY (keep front BUIS DOWN) makes the aimpoint red dot ultra crisp & fine (as the small aperture will produce a "stenopeic" effect on the red dot making it crazy clear & fine) for detail work and I've found it to work much better than a ridiculous slap to the side shit-tastic eye relief / extra weight magnifiers (REAR BUIS SMALL APERTURE, NOT LARGE)... don't believe me? then try it for yourself.

Also, the closer you can get the AIMPOINT to the BUIS & to your eye = better as it will make a smaller MOA dot for detail work when needed... don't believe me? take an aimpoint close to your eye and then move it away from your eye & you will see the size of the dot will get bigger.

When I think of red dots, then I'm thinking SHTF AR set up, then I'm thinking you'll want BUIS anyway.... so try it yourself... rear BUIS small aperture with the aimpoint as close as possible to the rear BUIS (with enough room for the cap to flip down) & with the red dot as close to your eye as possible for detail work WHEN NEEDED....

flip your caps down so they don't get snapped off... note I've allowed just enough room for the rear cap to flip down & clear the rear BUIS..... IMO, the closer you can get the red dot sight to your eye = better:

the below target was produced co-witnessing ONLY the rear BUIS (front BUIS still down) with the small A2 aperture & aimpoint pro true 1x at 100yards. Also, 4" BLACK target circle dots work great for the above method at 100yards & you simply double the size of the circle for every 100yards... so 4" target circle @ 100yards, 8" target circle @ 200, and at 300yards plus you will wish you had a nice variable power scope LOL!! True tho! LOL! Live and learn, Live and learn:

 

[Mum-O-Killowe]

Great thread! Tagged to find later!

 

[elfster1234]

Just hooked up with 1k in amax 168 bullets! sooo pumped right now! walked into my local scheels and right on the shelf was 1k in amax 168's. Took the whole lot! You can not beat this bullet!