Do you enjoy reloading?
- Thread starter Rustydust
- Start date
Originally Posted By: steve garrett
do you use the coated bushings from redding? is that the way your getting away from case lube? also how many firings do you typically see before the shoulder needs to be bumpped back with a body die? scratch that, I see you answered that question, put another way if you only got 5 firings from your neck size brass and the shoulder needed to be bumped back, does that tell you anything bad?
with primer pockets there is usually a small amount of carbon in there after a firing, do you just prime over that with a new primer?
Steve, I do use the Redding coated bushings, but a carbide bushing could skip the lube just as well. Getting away from expanders is the main thing.
Number of firings before you need or want to shoulder bump... Just too many variables to make a blanket statement about what the required interval might suggest. If I was shooting bench rest, I'd bump every time - but probably not for the reasons most would guess. It would be purely about speed and ease of gun handling without disturbing the bags.
But, among the many variables that might influence how many firings before bolt closing gets stiff, would be... Pressure, brass to chamber fit, case design (body taper, specifically), brass strength or hardness etc.
All else being equal, I guess needing more frequent FL sizing might indicate higher pressure, but, all else really isn't ever equal. And even then, "higher" pressure isn't the same as "too high".
Primer pockets... Yup, I just seat a new primer right on top of the accumulated muck from previous firings. Haven't noticed any ill effects.
Back in the day, I obsessed over brass prep to a ridiculous degree. To include polishing the inside of necks, ridiculously anal levels of sorting brass, flash hole deburring as a one time operation and uniforming primer pockets after every firing (clean and re-uniform in one step, and the amount of fresh chips is one of the most reliable pressure indicators you'll ever see). And more.
But, no more... These days, with a new barrel, I start with excellent brass, do a cursory sort when I neck turn them (any that show neck thickness variation via uneven cutting curls on the tool get chit canned), then just load and shoot and be happy.
I should probably add a little note here, too. None of my hand loading practices described in this thread are "stand alone" operations. That is to say, it's all part of a complete system/process that starts before the rifle is even built. As an example, I don't just willy nilly decide to turn necks as something "new", for an existing process.
I start with the brass (and the hopeful bullet candidate, but about them, you sometimes just can't tell...). Then an excellent barrel blank is obtained (Lilja, Hart, Krieger, etc...). Then, a world class 'smith is hired to chamber the blank for specific chamber fit to that specific lot of brass. With a tight neck, always, for my bolt guns.
So, what I end up with, is a very good fit between brass and chamber. Very minimal neck expansion (for hunting rifles I run ~.0015 total clearance, .00075 per side). Which adds up to the least amount of brass movement possible. Making my bushing neck size only, w/out lube operation, about as painless as could be.
But, this was all part of the plan from the start. Not something that got put into the program later. And it all works together to provide superb accuracy with minimum effort.
I might also add one more thing. None of my centerfire rifles has ever had a single round of factory ammo fired in them. None. Ever. And, none of the rifles I use with any regularity are capable of firing factory ammo either. Either factory ammo simply doesn't exist for the chambering, which is most of the ones I shoot, or the tight necks prevent use of factory ammo which would be the AI's.
- DAA
do you use the coated bushings from redding? is that the way your getting away from case lube? also how many firings do you typically see before the shoulder needs to be bumpped back with a body die? scratch that, I see you answered that question, put another way if you only got 5 firings from your neck size brass and the shoulder needed to be bumped back, does that tell you anything bad?
with primer pockets there is usually a small amount of carbon in there after a firing, do you just prime over that with a new primer?
Steve, I do use the Redding coated bushings, but a carbide bushing could skip the lube just as well. Getting away from expanders is the main thing.
Number of firings before you need or want to shoulder bump... Just too many variables to make a blanket statement about what the required interval might suggest. If I was shooting bench rest, I'd bump every time - but probably not for the reasons most would guess. It would be purely about speed and ease of gun handling without disturbing the bags.
But, among the many variables that might influence how many firings before bolt closing gets stiff, would be... Pressure, brass to chamber fit, case design (body taper, specifically), brass strength or hardness etc.
All else being equal, I guess needing more frequent FL sizing might indicate higher pressure, but, all else really isn't ever equal. And even then, "higher" pressure isn't the same as "too high".
Primer pockets... Yup, I just seat a new primer right on top of the accumulated muck from previous firings. Haven't noticed any ill effects.
Back in the day, I obsessed over brass prep to a ridiculous degree. To include polishing the inside of necks, ridiculously anal levels of sorting brass, flash hole deburring as a one time operation and uniforming primer pockets after every firing (clean and re-uniform in one step, and the amount of fresh chips is one of the most reliable pressure indicators you'll ever see). And more.
But, no more... These days, with a new barrel, I start with excellent brass, do a cursory sort when I neck turn them (any that show neck thickness variation via uneven cutting curls on the tool get chit canned), then just load and shoot and be happy.
I should probably add a little note here, too. None of my hand loading practices described in this thread are "stand alone" operations. That is to say, it's all part of a complete system/process that starts before the rifle is even built. As an example, I don't just willy nilly decide to turn necks as something "new", for an existing process.
I start with the brass (and the hopeful bullet candidate, but about them, you sometimes just can't tell...). Then an excellent barrel blank is obtained (Lilja, Hart, Krieger, etc...). Then, a world class 'smith is hired to chamber the blank for specific chamber fit to that specific lot of brass. With a tight neck, always, for my bolt guns.
So, what I end up with, is a very good fit between brass and chamber. Very minimal neck expansion (for hunting rifles I run ~.0015 total clearance, .00075 per side). Which adds up to the least amount of brass movement possible. Making my bushing neck size only, w/out lube operation, about as painless as could be.
But, this was all part of the plan from the start. Not something that got put into the program later. And it all works together to provide superb accuracy with minimum effort.
I might also add one more thing. None of my centerfire rifles has ever had a single round of factory ammo fired in them. None. Ever. And, none of the rifles I use with any regularity are capable of firing factory ammo either. Either factory ammo simply doesn't exist for the chambering, which is most of the ones I shoot, or the tight necks prevent use of factory ammo which would be the AI's.
- DAA
steve garrett
Well-known member
I couldn't agree more that what your doing has to have the entire process and separate operations as a whole or rather a system. The process is thrown off by doing a step differently. I have a gun I load pretty much how you are doing the main thing I am doing different is I dip the necks in dry lube. It's a .270 neck with a 267 bushing. If the neck sizing was less do you think I am able to omit the lube?
Originally Posted By: GLShooterOriginally Posted By: Redleg84I don't mind it, but I find myself buying equipment that speeds up the process. The less and less time I have anymore I try spend it shooting or hunting more than reloading.
Then again I'm about to move up north where I may have more time on my hands in the winter.
The summers here are almost as bad as the Minnesota winters. Of course I can just put up some shade even in August. Most of my load work ups are done in the heat..LOL
Greg
Thats what I tell my wife when she was dreading the cold, I told her it's just as bad as the heat in the summer.
Then again I'm about to move up north where I may have more time on my hands in the winter.
The summers here are almost as bad as the Minnesota winters. Of course I can just put up some shade even in August. Most of my load work ups are done in the heat..LOL
Greg
Thats what I tell my wife when she was dreading the cold, I told her it's just as bad as the heat in the summer.
Originally Posted By: SqueezeYes I do! Enjoy reloading, that is. I design high performance integrated circuits for a living, and hours spent in the loading room, helps me decompress from career stresses. I load centerfire rifles, both for accuracy, and bulk food, for ARs. I load centerfire pistols, for competition, self defense, and hunting. I load shotgun in 10ga, 12ga, 20ga, and 28ga, for hunting and various clays games I participate in. I can't say I enjoy loading them as much as I enjoy unloading them, but it is a close race. I load all year, but in the warmer months, it is only for load development, or if some supply runs dangerously low. In the winter, I pile the loaded ammo high. Basically all ammo boxes are full by April, so I can spend the summer and fall shooting with no care to ammo availability.
I can't imagine not reloading.
Squeeze
He nailed it.. I like reloading too.. It's a break from my daily issues with work. It's my time, and when i go to the range, or in the field shooting.. I know it's the result of my effort.
I can't imagine not reloading.
Squeeze
He nailed it.. I like reloading too.. It's a break from my daily issues with work. It's my time, and when i go to the range, or in the field shooting.. I know it's the result of my effort.
Powerfisher
New member
It's therapy for me. I shoot and fly fish. I tie my own bugs and load my own rounds. Results are very rewarding. I find it hard to get started but once I am in the zone its hard to get me out.
CountryWildcat
New member
I am with the guys who wish they had more time. DAA, I like your approach, simplify reloading, enjoy more shooting. I don't have anything custom yet however.
I am still beginning and I enjoy reloading, but with two young ones it's hard to find a block of time long enough to get much done. My two year old sometimes like to pull the handle while depriming and resizing.
I am still beginning and I enjoy reloading, but with two young ones it's hard to find a block of time long enough to get much done. My two year old sometimes like to pull the handle while depriming and resizing.
After 40 years of reloading I still enjoy it.....but...it depends on how much I shoot. Gave up on the pistol ammo. I shoot too much 9mm to be bothered with reloading. Don't really save all that much on 9mm any way. More savings on the 45 ACP and 38 Super.
But reloading for the rifles is my niche. In 4 good days of varmint hunting I shoot about 2,000 rounds annually. Then there are rounds for hunting deer, elk and long range shooting. So that is another 1000 rounds.
Good therapy and quite time in the winter and rainy days for me......If I shot more than that it might become chore...Although I would like to go varmint hunting more often as I near retirement.
But reloading for the rifles is my niche. In 4 good days of varmint hunting I shoot about 2,000 rounds annually. Then there are rounds for hunting deer, elk and long range shooting. So that is another 1000 rounds.
Good therapy and quite time in the winter and rainy days for me......If I shot more than that it might become chore...Although I would like to go varmint hunting more often as I near retirement.
I don't hate it but if I won the lottery (guess I better start playing) I'd buy federal gold medal match ammo a pallet at a time and be done as I'm primarily a paper puncher. I'd still keep some reloading supplies for just in case. I tend to take it in cycles, I'll load a bunch then not mess with it for a while. The repetition can make my elbow hurt but without loading my own I wouldn't shoot nearly as much and that's what I really like.
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