New to reloading, and I have questions

[FROGO207]

Eventually the brass will stretch enough that the camming action of the bolt will not be able to fully chamber the round and you will have to set the shoulder back by resizing or partially resizing your brass. Then it will fit the chamber again for some more neck sizing cycles.

 

[MacAR]

Eventually the brass will stretch enough that the camming action of the bolt will not be able to fully chamber the round and you will have to set the shoulder back by resizing or partially resizing your brass. Then it will fit the chamber again for some more neck sizing cycles.

I'm wondering if that isn't part of my issue. A kind THR member gifted me some '06 brass, but some of it won't fit in my gun. I measured some cases, and they come out to 2.495 or so. COAL is 2.484 for an '06; so, I'm wondering if they just need trimmed or if they ought to all be resized. In the mean time I've got them set back until I can take care of,them properly.

Mac

 

[FROGO207]

It is more where the shoulder of the brass is that guides wether it will fit or not. An empty brass should fit and the bolt close on it. The deal with the extra OAL of the brass is when the bullet is pinched in the end of the chamber and it takes extra pressure to start the bullet. You measure length after length sizing. I also use the Lee system of lock stud, cutter, and length stem. It works well and does not cost a lot once the lock stud and cutter are purchased. Chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth after cutting to length. It also helps when inserting flat based bullets if you inside chamfer the necks first. If you need to trim your brass check for incipient case head separation with a bent, sharpened paperclip or dental tool.

 

[MacAR]

I understand. I tried several, and some fit and some didn't. The ones that didn't measure oversized, leads me to think that they maybe stretched a bit. I'll resize them all before I use them, though.

Mac

 

[AJC1]

I understand. I tried several, and some fit and some didn't. The ones that didn't measure oversized, leads me to think that they maybe stretched a bit. I'll resize them all before I use them, though.

Mac

I'm a full length sizer every time but I would rather move it a tiny bit ever time than a lot every once in a while. If your newer to the game do some checking on the difference between the two styles of sizing and make a good informed decision.

 

[MacAR]

Good advice @AJC1 and I'll certainly follow it. I admit that I don't know a lot about it, but I am anxious to learn all I can. My hope is to be able to have a good load for the '06 worked up before next year's deer season. I think itd be pretty keen to shoot my meat with my own ammo.

Mac

 

[AJC1]

Good advice @AJC1 and I'll certainly follow it. I admit that I don't know a lot about it, but I am anxious to learn all I can. My hope is to be able to have a good load for the '06 worked up before next year's deer season. I think itd be pretty keen to shoot my meat with my own ammo.

Mac

I'm doing a little research on the different types of hunting bullets, and they are very different in how they work. In theory only I seem to like the bonded like speer gold dot or monos like the barnes ttsx. My reason being I dont want a bunch of shrapnel in my meat. Same reason I dont so shotgun. I have zero theory to practice and I plan to do a lot more investigating. You can spend a lifetime learning in this hobby just to figure out you dont know much.

 

[FROGO207]

For me the further you shoot the better the quality the bullet needs to be. Then figure the velocity and the appropriate bullet to use there. At 100 YDS a standard cup and core bullet will be the ticket. Go up from there.

 

[mdi]

Per Westkentucky the lee loader only neck sizes your brass. If you get brass that has been fired by someone else and not full length resized it will probably not fit your chamber without first full length sizing it with regular dies first.

Yep, but the Lee Loaders neck size bottle necked case only. All other are full length sized. I know the subject is 30-06, .223 and 38 Special, but I see this mis stated quite often...

 

[FROGO207]

You are correct there, and I was focused with him talking about 30-06 brass that would not fit. Good catch.

 

[mdi]

I like Lee Loaders. I have 8, along with my 3 usable presses, 14 die sets, and 1.834 metric tons of assorted reloading tools. Just last week I ran across a partial sleeve of small pistol primers and remembered some small pistol primed 45 ACP cases I had tumbled and put away. So, I proceeded to pound out about 30 rounds of my Just In Case Loads (230 gr FMJ over a classic charge of Bullseye). Really fun and satisfying...

 

[MacAR]

I'm beginning to like the Lee Loaders myself; I cranked out a few more '06 loads last night, and will hopefully test them this week. I can sit and watch tv while I decap and resize my cases, then when I have a few cases finished, I can go to the kitchen table to finish loading them. I've weighed each of my charges (using IMR 4320 under 150grn hornady and 180grn Nosler) rather than relying on the included dipper, but I feel like I've gotten pretty consistent loads. At some point, I hope to get some .222 and .38 loaded to test as well. But until I can find more components, that will be on hold. Thanks again for all the good advice.

Mac