First Time Reloading Part 8 - Charging and Bullet Seating

[sirgilligan]

I just finished charging for the first time and seating the bullets.



Everything went very well. I was a little concerned that the RCBS beam scale doesn't have a weight to verify it, so I used a few bullets and most of the bullets weighed almost exactly 55 grains, so that gave me some confidence.

I loaded .223 REM using Hodgdon H335 and Hornady 55 gr FMJ-BT bullets. Brass is once fired PMC and primers are Federal Small Rifle.

Everything went well.

Cleaning the powder trickler, I took the tube off and tapped it on the table after I thought it was clean and a bunch came out, so note to self always take the tube off and tap it.

I loaded 15 cartridges, three lots of five each.
Lot 1 - 21.5 grains of powder
Lot 2 - 22.0 grains of powder
Lot 3 - 22.5 grains of powder

The test rifle is a CZ 527 Varmint with 1:9 twist with a 5.56 chamber.
I will be well in the safety zone because I used .223 load data.

Overall length is 2.20".

I weighed each round afterwards just because I am a little nervous. I had weighed a few cases and bullets previously and there was about 100th of grain variation in the small sample of bullets, but a couple of grains variation in the case weight. All loaded cartridges fell within these variations so I feel good about that.

Hopefully I can go to the range in a week or two but this is getting to be a busy time for me and it might be a while before I shoot them.

I labeled each with a Sharpie marker and wrote everything down in a note book. Once I get reloading figured out I am going to have to write the best reloading app ever for iOS and Mac OS.

 

[gamestalker]

If you aren't already doing it, I recommend you inspect the entire load tray with a bright light after charging, this eliminates the possibility of squibs, and an opportunity to spot any other visually recognizable issues.

GS

 

[sirgilligan]

If you aren't already doing it, I recommend you inspect the entire load tray with a bright light after charging, this eliminates the possibility of squibs, and an opportunity to spot any other visually recognizable issues.

GS

I charged a case, looked in it, seated bullet. I didn't charge multiple. I appreciate the advice and if I do charge more than one I will do what you suggest. Thank you.

 

[Potatohead]

I know you're not necessarily claiming otherwise, but weighing loaded rounds is a waste of time IMO.Hope they choot good!

 

[sirgilligan]

I know you're not necessarily claiming otherwise, but weighing loaded rounds is a waste of time IMO.Hope they choot good!

I agree that weighing the completed rounds was a waste. If I had sorted the brass and bullets by weight and wrote it all down I might catch a charging mistake, but that is just the wrong way to go about catching a mistake. I was just a bit nervous and curious as well. Good thing I weighed a few before I would have worried myself into pulling the bullets on a couple of them for no valid reason. So yes, spread the word, weighing completed rounds is a waste of time if you are trying to find small charging errors.

We all have different personalities, and for my Computer Science, zero defect, compulsive, etc., I just couldn't help but weigh them out of curiosity and a touch of paranoia, and I did convince myself that weighing them did not do anything of value in detecting small charging variances or errors.

I guess if one had been empty it would catch that. I did look into each one, and I know I can make mistakes, so catching a "zero" charge could/might be detected by weighing.

 

[GLOOB]

Weighing is a waste of time for pistol rounds.

For 223, it is not necessarily a waste. You will easily find a squib, yeah. You will also notice you can easily detect that the powder is in there by picking up the round and shaking it.

At least if you're using H335. I have never used H355.

 

[sirgilligan]

Weighing is a waste of time for pistol rounds.

For 223, it is not necessarily a waste. You will easily find a squib, yeah. You will also notice you can easily detect that the powder is in there by picking up the round and shaking it.

At least if you're using H335. I have never used H355.

H335, I changed the typo. Thanks for pointing that out. That is why I don't think anyone should use load data from the internet until it has be cross checked. To easy to make a typo.

 

[witchhunter]

Most if us load in batches, that is we deprime/size all of one type, then prime em all and finally add bullets to them all in batches. Just remember to use a flashlight and look into each case to be certain there is powder. I use a certain order for everything, it makes it easy to keep straight. This method seems to be a lot faster. Once you get a load worked up for your rifle, then do all of your brass in batches, I usually shoot a couple of hundred at a time. When I get home I size all of them and toss into the tumbler. Next day or later that night I will measure length and either trim or hand prime all of them. Then when I am ready to load them, all I have to do is charge and seat, it doesn't take long to load a couple of hundred when all of the prep is done.

 

[sirgilligan]

I batched some of the steps:
Cleaned All
De-primed and Resized All
Checked Headspace All
Cleaned Primer Pockets All
Checked Length All - trimmed if needed
Deburred and Chamferred All
Cleaned inside of neck All
Primed All

Then one at a time I charged the case, looked inside the case to try to learn (get a feel for) how much of the capacity if filled, and immediately seated the bullet.

Then I weighed them one at a time. It was only 15 cartridges.

 

[lightman]

It sounds like you have it down. As others have said, once you find your load you will probably load in batches. When you get there, charge 50 or so in a tray and look in the case before seating the bullet.

My routine when weighing charges is to have the case base up on my left and to move it to my right, turn it base down and charge it. There are a lot of ways to do this, just develop a routine and stay with it.

Also, after you find your load, powders like H335 meter very well thru a powder measure. You can also set your measure to throw low and a trickler to bring it up to weight.

Good Job on what you have been doing!