Anyone close to Kokomo willing to teach me to reload?

[BehindBlueI's]

SThe companies that publish these books use specialized equipment to measure pressure. They determine max loads because that load is the maximum that will stay under the safe pressure limit for a given cartridge.

Eh, not quite. Max charge/pressure is a compromise. One that's usually worth listening to, but keep in mind older manuals will often list higher charge maximums then newer manuals. You won't blow up a gun in good working order by exceeding max charge a bit, although you may very well reduce lifespan. Proof loads are normally some 25%-30% higher than max charge, and a firearm is expected to function with a proof load without damage. Also keep in mind that not every gun has the same capabilities, even if it shares a common cartridge. That's why we have +P, Ruger Only loads, etc and why some .45 Auto firearms will fire .45 Super without a barrel swap but others can't.

That's not to say you should ignore the books all willy-nilly, just keep in mind they aren't infallible or hard limits.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I bought everything I think I need, and I'm sure I can figure it out, but I'd rather someone with experience teach me to reload. Anyone?

You may want to mention what set-up you have, as some folks have a lot more experience than others with certain machines. The basics are the same from a single stage to a high dollar high volume progressive, but the details vary.

 

[Rookie]

I bought a Lee turret press. I'm figuring 200-250 rounds per year, unless coyotes line up to be shot, so I couldn't justify a progressive press. I'm loading for 6mm creedmoor. The biggest problem I'm trying to figure out is changing powders and bullets. With powder it's been trial and error - charge a load, dump it onto my scale, weigh, adjust, charge, dump, weigh, and on and on. I'm thinking there has to be a better way.

With my bullets, I'll have two that weigh the same, but they're different lengths. Seat, measure, tweak, seat, measure, tweak, for five bullets. Then start all over for the next five. After that, adjust powder, run five, change seating depth...

 

[Hookeye]

Bullet comparator might be useful.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I bought a Lee turret press. I'm figuring 200-250 rounds per year, unless coyotes line up to be shot, so I couldn't justify a progressive press. I'm loading for 6mm creedmoor. The biggest problem I'm trying to figure out is changing powders and bullets. With powder it's been trial and error - charge a load, dump it onto my scale, weigh, adjust, charge, dump, weigh, and on and on. I'm thinking there has to be a better way.

With my bullets, I'll have two that weigh the same, but they're different lengths. Seat, measure, tweak, seat, measure, tweak, for five bullets. Then start all over for the next five. After that, adjust powder, run five, change seating depth...

If you want to be as precise as possible, a powder trickler is the best but expensive option. What are you using to measure your powder? I just use a Lee powder measure and a powder pan. You drop a charge, weigh it, and if it's good pour it through the pour-through lee Die. Once I've got the powder measure set I just re-verify every 100 rounds or so.

 

[Hookeye]

Rifle I weigh every charge, Ohaus lab type scale.
You learn to dump about what you need first go and then trickle from scoopula.

Hunting stuff, not loading for high volume.

Handgun is check measure a few times and then once every block scale check. I keep a fairly constant amount in my measure too.

 

[Rookie]

If you want to be as precise as possible, a powder trickler is the best but expensive option. What are you using to measure your powder? I just use a Lee powder measure and a powder pan. You drop a charge, weigh it, and if it's good pour it through the pour-through lee Die. Once I've got the powder measure set I just re-verify every 100 rounds or so.

I have a Lee powder charge. It's the set up that I'm thinking doesn't have to be as hard as I'm making it.

 

[JStang314]

Your length fluctuations could be a number of things. The two most obvious to me, assuming your die body and seater plug aren’t moving, is the press itself and the bullets. For 233 my cheap bulk Hornady bullets can vary in length because of the jacket. Some might have a little extra copper on the end compared to others. Not a huge deal for my purposes. The other is with it being a turret press, the turret usually has just a little bit of give to it when you push the case and bullet up into it. That’s one of the reasons I do my pistol on the turret and rifle on the single stage.

I know for me, having someone show me how to get started was the best thing I did in the beginning. I read a book or two but I learn best by watching. Like you, I thought understanding how to get my dies set up was the most difficult part.

 

[Rookie]

Sorry for the confusion...

My fluctuation is because the two bullets weigh the same but they are different lengths. I'm not getting fluctuation once I've set the seating depth. I have to change seating depth because I'm making five of each load with the same powder charge, then changing the charge so I can figure out which charge will give me the best accuracy.

One is 0.750 and the other is 0.950

 

[JStang314]

Oh ok. I read that wrong, sorry. I read it as you were getting so much fluctuation that you had to keep adjusting your dies lol. I think it was crown royals fault.

 

[Rookie]

Question...

How much of the bullet needs to be seated in the brass. I know that your barrel is needed to determine seating depth, but, since I'm running lighter, shorter bullets, I doubt I'll be able to run them as long as a heavier bullet.

Nosler recommends 2.590 for the 55 grain varmageddon, but they don't have load data for their lead free ballistic tip which is longer.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Question...

How much of the bullet needs to be seated in the brass. I know that your barrel is needed to determine seating depth, but, since I'm running lighter, shorter bullets, I doubt I'll be able to run them as long as a heavier bullet.

Nosler recommends 2.590 for the 55 grain varmageddon, but they don't have load data for their lead free ballistic tip which is longer.

I'm not 100% sure I understand the question, but I'll answer what I think you're asking. Do you have a reloading manual that lists OAL, overall length, for the bullet you're loading? There's no universal seating depth. Seating too deep and compressing the powder can radically change how a charge acts.

 

[DadSmith]

Not sure what powder measure you have but I suggest getting a baffle for whatever brand you have if one is made. It keeps charges closer to the actual weight you want. If you want to run a bunch through a turret press.
For long range shooting I usually run my measurer .4gr short approximately and trickle to the charge I want so its perfect as much as I can make it.

 

[Rookie]

I'm not 100% sure I understand the question, but I'll answer what I think you're asking. Do you have a reloading manual that lists OAL, overall length, for the bullet you're loading? There's no universal seating depth. Seating too deep and compressing the powder can radically change how a charge acts.

OAL is 2.8. Nosler recommends 55 grain varmageddon to be 2.590 with the bullet being 0.760. There's no recommended seating depth for Nosler LFBT in 6mm creedmoor. The bullet is 0.960. My question is, what is the minimum amount of the bullet that needs to seated in the brass.

Case length is 1.920 + bullet length at 0.760 = 2.68. Seating the bullet to 2.590 OAL means 0.09 is actually inside the brass. Is that the minimum for all bullets, or is there a minimum?

 

[Rookie]

Not sure what powder measure you have but I suggest getting a baffle for whatever brand you have if one is made. It keeps charges closer to the actual weight you want. If you want to run a bunch through a turret press.
For long range shooting I usually run my measurer .4gr short approximately and trickle to the charge I want so its perfect as much as I can make it.

I bought a digital trickle scale.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

My question is, what is the minimum amount of the bullet that needs to seated in the brass.

I can't give you an exact measurement, but the sorta-kinda answer is enough to have a good crimp and be sturdy enough to withstand the forces applied to it by chambering, recoil of other rounds jarring it, etc. If the bullet maker can't give you an answer you'll likely have to experiment a bit and see.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I bought a digital trickle scale.

OOoh, sexy. What kind?

 

[Rookie]

I can't give you an exact measurement, but the sorta-kinda answer is enough to have a good crimp and be sturdy enough to withstand the forces applied to it by chambering, recoil of other rounds jarring it, etc. If the bullet maker can't give you an answer you'll likely have to experiment a bit and see.

I added to post 34...

 

[Rookie]

OOoh, sexy. What kind?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B077GFWXT7?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

It's dead on with my other scale, so I think I'll be happy with it.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I added to post 34...

Ok, so there's no universal answer. These are boat tail bullets, yes? As long as you're on the "silo" of the bullet, not the tapered bits, and have enough to hold a crimp and the bullet won't move with reasonable pressure applied, you should be able to get a good crimp. That's not to say they'll perform ideally, but they'll go bang and push the bullet out of the barrel. Experimenting with OAL and crimp for accuracy is part of the fun/frustration, depending on your mood.

Now, that said, have you emailed the bullet manufacturer? If they don't have a recommendation for your application, that might be an indication it's not a good match. I don't know anything about the specifics of the cartridge you're loading, so I can't help there in the slightest.