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[MK75]

I want to start making "gnats ***" accuracy reloads.
Before presenting my question to the learned minds of CalGunners I did some research.
Here is what I came up with for case prep.
Let me know what you think and what I should change.
Any input at all from truelly experienced reloaders would be appreciated.
(FF)=fire formed
(NB)=new brass

1. Inspect brass and flash holes.
2. (FF) Deprime (w/ universal deprimer)
3. Primer pocket cleaning
4. Primer pocket uniforming
5. Flash hole uniform
6. Flash hole debur
7. (FF) CLEAN BRASS WITH ULTRA SONIC CLEANER
8. SORT BRASS BY LOT AND WEIGHT
9. (FF) Neck Brush cases
10. (NB) Lube Cases
11. (NB) Full lenth Resize
12. (FF) ANNEAL CASES (AS NEEDED)
13. (FF) LUBE AND SHOULDER BUMP (AS NEEDED)
14. Trim brass, debur & chamfer
15. (FF) Neck size
16. CLEAN OFF LUBE (any recomendations on the best way without tumbling?)
17. Case inspection, Flash hole inspection
18. Neck brush then prime

[joelogic]

You need to hang out at the snipershide more. What you listed would be considered basic to them.

Neck turning
Meplat trimming
jacket thickness measuring
Check concentricity

[Colt562]

seems like you have to much time on your hands

What do you plan on reloading for this? and how many cases?

[kurac]

I am pretty sure the benchrest guys are religous about turning their necks, you also should start of with some nice brass, Nosler, Lapua, or Norma

[MK75]

joelogic,

Thanks man, I am looking into that and will head over there for sure.

[MK75]

Colt562,

Dude!, in the time it took you to write that post you could have completed two quests and leveled up your Arcane Magic War Mage. You better hurry up and get back to that. Leave this thread to people with something interesting to say.

To answer your semi-relevent/coherent question: I have a Weatherby that prints .5" groups with factory ammunition, and in the future I would like to acquire a LBC .308 Bolt Gun. I will be shooting/reloading alot.

[MK75]

kurac,

Thanks, I will look into that. I have also heard that Norma, and Lapua are the way to go.

[Colt562]

Didn't mean it like that sOrry you took it the wrong way. Anywho, Might I suggest for you to find someone that reloads like this and have them show you the ropes. YouTube helps but I learn by doing stuff hands on

[MK75]

Colt562,

Fair enough, no hard feelings. I am looking for someone who reloads like this; that was kinda the point of starting this thread. As far as having said individual actually come to my workshop and take me step by step through the procedure, I don't think that will be necessary. I have been on youtube and I have watched a bunch of videos, after applying some logic, I took bits and pieces from the ones I watched to come up with the list above. Now I was hoping someone with real experience could fine tune my procedure before I jump into it.

[Bill Steele]

I am not a benchrest competitor, but I enjoy loading for precision. As JL pointed out, there is a lot in addition to your list to the process, but you have a good start. Another good place to go and check things out would be accurateshooter.com. Although the main focus of this site are the 6mm calibers, most of what they discuss applies to any caliber you are trying to make consistent.

You do want to remove the lube on your cases, chamber pressures can change when you don't remove the lube.

What caliber are you shooting?

[MK75]

Bill Steele,

Thanks for the advice, I will certainly check that out.
I am shooting and will be precision reloading for .270 and .308 Win.

[Bill Steele]

Bill Steele,

Thanks for the advice, I will certainly check that out.
I am shooting and will be precision reloading for .270 and .308 Win.

Lately I have gotten back into my .308. I pretty much do everything on your list.

Another thing you will want is a headspace gauge. When you are neck sizing, you can run into shoulder issues which will keep you from chambering a round. It seems the number of neck only sizings I can do before I need to bump the shoulder is related to the brass you are using. I find my FGMM cases are very soft and require I bump the shoulder as frequently as every other sizing. My Lapua brass seems to be able to go many firings before the shoulder needs to be adjusted. YMMV.

Oh and you want to try various trim lengths, so a good trimmer that you can set at a specific length is a nice tool to have. Lately I have been loading a lot of 168gr and 178gr AMAX's (good value) and have been using 2.005" for my trim (on the .308).

My 308 has a typical long factory throat, this presents other challenges, but I guess that isn't case prep related....

[thomashoward]

That's just the brass prep.If your loads are not accurate at least you know it won't be brass.
The other parts of the equation are bullet/powder/primer combo and then seating depth.
Shoot a ladder, then go to seating depth.Measure everything and keep good notes so you can duplicate a good load

http://benchrest.com

[mroels]

Do you not have to lube when neck sizing only? I've only been loading for autos so been doing all fl sizing.

[Bill Steele]

Do you not have to lube when neck sizing only? I've only been loading for autos so been doing all fl sizing.

It depends on how you are neck sizing. If you use a Lee collet neck sizer, then no. If you use a sizer that sizes the neck in a conventional manner, then you should use lube. I think it was Calteacher (although I mught be wrong about that) that posted he used some of that mica lube as it lubed well and also gave him a visual indication how far down the neck his RCBS sizer went.