new to reloading

[KB0VSO]

just like it says, as in I've not so much as punched out a primer. tomorrow i hope to mount my measure and press to my bench. i hope to be starting the process by wednesday. I've got: rcbs single stage press, lee 308 die set, lee perfect powder measure, rcbs beam scale, micrometer, case lube, cci br-2 primers, once fired brass, shell holder, cfe 223 powder, 180 gr hornady sst projectiles, and a lyman book. I'm shooting a savage axis .308 20" 1:10" twist. i believe in some degree of aggravation in the learning curve for humblings purposes, but is there anything anyone can tell me to save me a greenback or two in the early days of this. suggestions such as bullet weight, or powder choice, or primer type. my first goal is to load and shoot <1" @200yds. if i continue with the practice of reloading, i will move on to 5.56, .35 rem, 7.7 and 6.5 jap, .30-30, 300 winmag, and all of the common handgun calibers. thanks for any advice.

Do not get discouraged a 1" group at 100 Yards is not all that hard to do. One clean hole @ 200 yards is another story but not imposable.

 

[ElevenBravo]

Get a copy of "ABCs of Reloading". Read it, and then read it again.

Do one operation at a time. If you try to "speed things up" at this stage, you're going to wind up creating something dangerous.

Get more than 1 reloading manual. Before doing any load development, cross-reference from a minimum of 2 sources. Occasionally, one of the manuals gets it wrong.

Minimize distractions- no TV, no wife, kids, dog or anything else. I do listen to music while I'm reloading, but usually it's classical instead of the usual stuff I listen to.

Have enough light.

A Wilson case gauge is helpful. Get one.

If you don't chamfer your brass enough, you'll have a heck of a time getting your bullets to sit.

Come up with a process and stick to it. Do no deviate from your process unless it's wrong. Process leads to consistency, and in reloading consistency is king.

If it can be measured, measure it. Then measure it again.

Once you get some experience with reloading, you can figure out where your process can be optimized.

 

[Balliet]

thanks again y'all. ill post some group photos soon i hope

 

[KB0VSO]

Rifling Twist Rate


By Chuck Hawks

The rate of twist is expressed as one turn in so many inches (i.e. 1 in 10" or 1:10). The twist in a rifle barrel is designed to stabilize the range of bullets normally used in that particular caliber. It takes less twist to stabilize a given bullet at high velocity than at low velocity. At the same velocity in the same caliber, longer (pointed) bullets require faster twist rates than shorter (round nose) bullets of the same weight and heavier bullets require a faster twist than lighter bullets of the same shape. It is undesirable to spin a bullet a great deal faster than necessary, as this can degrade accuracy. A fast twist increases pressure and also the strain on the bullet jacket.
Fortunately, the rate of twist chosen by the rifle maker is usually appropriate for the intended cartridge. Anyone ordering a new barrel for a hunting rifle will generally do well to specify the standard twist as supplied by the major rifle manufacturers for that caliber. Where there are two twist rates in common use, for example 1:10 and 1:12 for the .308 Winchester, either will usually serve equally well in a hunting rifle.
Once in a great while, though, a manufacturer makes a mistake. One such case involved the .244 Remington. When first introduced, barrels for this caliber were made with a 1-in-12 twist, because Remington anticipated that their new cartridge would be used primarily for varmint shooting. The 1 in 12 inch twist is ideal for best accuracy with varmint weight bullets (70-85 grains) in a high velocity .24 (6mm) caliber rifle. The heaviest spitzer bullet that a .244 with a 1 in 12 inch twist barrel could stabilize was 90 grains. The customers, however, also wanted to use their new .24 caliber rifles for hunting medium size big game, with 100 grain bullets. Needless to say, customers ignored the new .244 Rem. Remington soon saw the error of their ways and changed the rifling of their .244 barrels to 1 turn in 9 inches, but the damage was done. Sales remained so slow that eventually Remington had to discontinue the .244. The following year they reintroduced the exact same cartridge as the 6mm Rem. and produced all 6mm rifle barrels with 1 in 9 inch twist barrels, which can stabilize all .24/6mm bullets

How has it been going?
Not to well I would bet

let us know if you are still alive

Larry (kb0vso)
Northern Minnesota USA