primer problems need wisdom!

[GeoffLinder]

well your not listening to me now.... i could not find new brass anywhere around me to load up to shoot my new 700 the next day.... i have a bucket of already processed 223 brass that i load my ar with... i simply sorted threw the bucket and picked out LC brass by year... just becuase i wanted consistancy....


i know how to reload... im just new to bolt guns and did not understand neck sizing... the only press i own is a rock chucker! the brass was processed on a buddies press because i had a 5 gallon bucket of brass that needed to be trimmed and processed....

i thank you for all the info youve given me on neck sizing and bolt guns...

I do understand, I read what you said about not having new brass.

Doing everything single stage for a bolt gun AND doing it with specific steps setup for that rifle is the right way to go. The only mistake you made was treating the brass like it was for an AR when you ran it through your buddies 1050 to get it processed quick.

Always best to optimize every single step and take your time when loading for a bolt gun. Do your sizing on the rock chucker (neck only or minimal setback), do the trimming with a good collet trimmer or a possum hollow trimmer

https://www.possumhollowproducts.com/KWICK_CASE_TRIMMERS.html

http://www.lewilson.com/casetrimmer.html

The LE Wilson collet trimmer is the best one of that type for the price, otherwise get a Gracey or Giraud power trimmer. Lots of folks say the Giraud is the best, but I have used the Gracey's for years and like them best, probably because I already have them

http://www.matchprep.com/trimmer.htm

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

Make sure to get a case gauge from LE Wilson and use the procedure I mentioned earlier to setup size die (for none or minimal setback on bolt actions)

http://www.lewilson.com/casegage.html

The LE Wilson gauge will also allow you to optimize size die setup for your AR loading too. You don't want .006 setback for an AR either, way too much. .002-.003 is the max setback you want for an AR anyway. Using a caliper and working with a fired case from that rifle (not all AR's have same headspace setting) to determine actual setback needed for that rifle is always the best way to go for any rifle cartridge, especially if you want to maximize brass life.

When the time comes and you really want the most from your bolt action ammo, look into doing neck shaving and flash hole uniforming too.

http://www.matchprep.com/shaver.htm

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/flash-hole-deburring-tools/lyman-flash-hole-uniformer-prod44714.aspx

Do all this AND weight segregate your brass into lots that are within 1-1.5 grains of each other and you will be making the best product possible.

At that point, it will be time to start doing charge trickling too

http://www.pact.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=126

Hope this helps.

[tiller]

I do understand, I read what you said about not having new brass.

Doing everything single stage for a bolt gun AND doing it with specific steps setup for that rifle is the right way to go. The only mistake you made was treating the brass like it was for an AR when you ran it through your buddies 1050 to get it processed quick.

Always best to optimize every single step and take your time when loading for a bolt gun. Do your sizing on the rock chucker (neck only or minimal setback), do the trimming with a good collet trimmer or a possum hollow trimmer

https://www.possumhollowproducts.com/KWICK_CASE_TRIMMERS.html

http://www.lewilson.com/casetrimmer.html

The LE Wilson collet trimmer is the best one of that type for the price, otherwise get a Gracey or Giraud power trimmer. Lots of folks say the Giraud is the best, but I have used the Gracey's for years and like them best, probably because I already have them

http://www.matchprep.com/trimmer.htm

http://www.giraudtool.com/prod02.htm

Make sure to get a case gauge from LE Wilson and use the procedure I mentioned earlier to setup size die (for none or minimal setback on bolt actions)

http://www.lewilson.com/casegage.html

The LE Wilson gauge will also allow you to optimize size die setup for your AR loading too. You don't want .006 setback for an AR either, way too much. .002-.003 is the max setback you want for an AR anyway. Using a caliper and working with a fired case from that rifle (not all AR's have same headspace setting) to determine actual setback needed for that rifle is always the best way to go for any rifle cartridge, especially if you want to maximize brass life.

When the time comes and you really want the most from your bolt action ammo, look into doing neck shaving and flash hole uniforming too.

http://www.matchprep.com/shaver.htm

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/flash-hole-deburring-tools/lyman-flash-hole-uniformer-prod44714.aspx

Do all this AND weight segregate your brass into lots that are within 1-1.5 grains of each other and you will be making the best product possible.

At that point, it will be time to start doing charge trickling too

http://www.pact.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=126

Hope this helps.

i already have a rcbs trim pro 2... it works decent and i will use it for my bolt loads....

im waiting to try and find new brass hopefully some lapua or i have like 80 rounds of xm193 that i will actually use for my "learning loads" its the only factory amo i have left....

plus i still need a neck sizer die... i was unpreppared to start loading for this gun... as you can tell

also whats neck shaving?? ive looked into flash hole uniforming and flash hole deburring.... also do i need to primer pocket uniform? is that such a thing

[Switchbarrel]

also whats neck shaving?? ive looked into flash hole uniforming and flash hole deburring.... also do i need to primer pocket uniform? is that such a thing

Probably referring to what most call "neck turning". Used for "shaving" the neck of the case to improve uniformity for more consistent neck tension and also to fit into "tight-necked" custom chambers. If you take a tubing micrometer and measure several spots around the diameter of a case neck, you'll see they vary in thickness from one side to another. Run the case over an expander mandrel first and then "turn" the outside of the neck with a cutter, making it more uniform. Sinclair, K&M, Don Nielsen -aka- Pumpkin and others all make Neck turners.

Primer pocket uniforming...

Do you need to? Not necessarily, but almost everyone interested in accuracy does. You'll also see it referred to as "squaring up" the primer pocket for more consistent primer seating feel and depth.

-Rick

[A.M.]

How did you check it with the case gauge?
When you pushed the sized brass into the gauge, was the head lower than the end of the gauge?
I'm with the others here - most likely sized too much - shoulder set back too far. Could be an oversize chamber, but the most common is shoulder set back.

How do you "size less"?

[tiller]

How do you "size less"?

Pretty much i should have backed off on the sizing die...

[GeoffLinder]

Probably referring to what most call "neck turning". Used for "shaving" the neck of the case to improve uniformity for more consistent neck tension and also to fit into "tight-necked" custom chambers. If you take a tubing micrometer and measure several spots around the diameter of a case neck, you'll see they vary in thickness from one side to another. Run the case over an expander mandrel first and then "turn" the outside of the neck with a cutter, making it more uniform. Sinclair, K&M, Don Nielsen -aka- Pumpkin and others all make Neck turners.

Primer pocket uniforming...

Do you need to? Not necessarily, but almost everyone interested in accuracy does. You'll also see it referred to as "squaring up" the primer pocket for more consistent primer seating feel and depth.

-Rick

Neck shaving/turning is very important for the final levels of accuracy loading as it makes the entire loaded round concentric with the centerline of the bore/chamber and it uniforms bullet release tension around the bullet so it's doesn't get perturbed as it is popped out of the case mouth and stuffed into the rifling.

Flash hole uniforming or reaming has nothing to do with the primer pocket, this is done inside the case to uniform the hole into the case from the primer pocket. It serves several purposes. 1st, it presents a uniform primer blast to the powder charge by making the opening uniform and it also creates an inside bevel that acts as a guide cone for the primer flash. 2nd, it removes excess metal inside the web of the case around the inside of the flash hole which contributes to internal case volume uniformity which helps reduce SD.

[GeoffLinder]

i already have a rcbs trim pro 2... it works decent and i will use it for my bolt loads....

im waiting to try and find new brass hopefully some lapua or i have like 80 rounds of xm193 that i will actually use for my "learning loads" its the only factory amo i have left....

plus i still need a neck sizer die... i was unpreppared to start loading for this gun... as you can tell

also whats neck shaving?? ive looked into flash hole uniforming and flash hole deburring.... also do i need to primer pocket uniform? is that such a thing

The RCBS trimmer is fine, just make sure to debur the trim cut and bevel the inside of the case mouth to be more gentle on the bullet jacket when seating them.

If you can find a couple hundred fired Lake City cases from same year, they are as good as anything. Just fire them in your chamber once to uniform them, then process them and you will have some very good brass that will last many, many loadings if you only neck size. Lake City is top grade stuff and I prefer it to Lapua myself. It is more uniform in weight from the start compared to the Lapua brass I have worked with, which means it's internal volume is more consistent.

The SB size die will be fine for now as long as you back it out so it does not do much if any shoulder setback.

[tiller]

The RCBS trimmer is fine, just make sure to debur the trim cut and bevel the inside of the case mouth to be more gentle on the bullet jacket when seating them.

If you can find a couple hundred fired Lake City cases from same year, they are as good as anything. Just fire them in your chamber once to uniform them, then process them and you will have some very good brass that will last many, many loadings if you only neck size. Lake City is top grade stuff and I prefer it to Lapua myself. It is more uniform in weight from the start compared to the Lapua brass I have worked with, which means it's internal volume is more consistent.

The SB size die will be fine for now as long as you back it out so it does not do much if any shoulder setback.

Sweet your the man!!

[edgerly779]

I never put more than 25 grains of varget behind my 55 gr fmj. Work fine . I am loading 50 grin speer tnt green now with 25.4 and they work flawlessly and destroy ground squirrels.

[GeoffLinder]

I never put more than 25 grains of varget behind my 55 gr fmj. Work fine . I am loading 50 grin speer tnt green now with 25.4 and they work flawlessly and destroy ground squirrels.

25gr Varget is my 69gr SMK load, I use 27.5 if I put Varget under a 55gr, but I consider Varget better for heavy, expensive match bullets. I use WW748 under 55gr, cheaper and doesn't overflow the case like 27.5gr Varget does at that charge level. Need to drop that much Varget slowly and tap the case while filling or it will overflow. Too bulky for light bullets IMHO

[ronas]

Someone might have already pointed this out and I missed it reading all posts.

I think I saw a nato stamp on the head of a piece of brass.

So the primer pocket would have to be properly resized prior to reloading them. Maybe someone cut out to much brass or made the pocket to large when they swaged it.

Where did you get the brass and did someone mess with the primer pockets?

I use Dillon swage machine and you do have to be careful.

[tiller]

Someone might have already pointed this out and I missed it reading all posts.

I think I saw a nato stamp on the head of a piece of brass.

So the primer pocket would have to be properly resized prior to reloading them. Maybe someone cut out to much brass or made the pocket to large when they swaged it.

Where did you get the brass and did someone mess with the primer pockets?

I use Dillon swage machine and you do have to be careful.

if you would have read the post you would have know that it was LC09 brass

processed on a 1050

[tiller]

25gr Varget is my 69gr SMK load, I use 27.5 if I put Varget under a 55gr, but I consider Varget better for heavy, expensive match bullets. I use WW748 under 55gr, cheaper and doesn't overflow the case like 27.5gr Varget does at that charge level. Need to drop that much Varget slowly and tap the case while filling or it will overflow. Too bulky for light bullets IMHO

ook another good topic...

compressed loads... do you care do explain that??? since youve done a fine job at explaining everything else!!

[GeoffLinder]

A compressed load is when the powder charge used takes up more volume in the case than the space left after a bullet is seated.

I usually don't like to use compressed loads and will use a less bulky powder to avoid that. But in some cases it is a necessary evil. It's not really a bad thing if pressure is safe, I just feel better not doing so unless I have to.

Personal issue I guess LOL

[tiller]

A compressed load is when the powder charge used takes up more volume in the case than the space left after a bullet is seated.

I usually don't like to use compressed loads and will use a less bulky powder to avoid that. But in some cases it is a necessary evil. It's not really a bad thing if pressure is safe, I just feel better not doing so unless I have to.

Personal issue I guess LOL

well i was struggling to fit 26 grains of varget in those cases before the bullet and your saying you use 27.5... if you use this much powder obviously you wont be crimping these bullets to avoid pressure issues right??