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norcal
New Member
31 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 11:30:05
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i just started reloading last year and i keep on having a problem with inconsistant(?) OAL of my cartridges. for example, last night i went to load 10 cartridges and they varied from 2.330 to 2.341? i'm reloading the 22-250 with Remington brass, CCI primers, Varget powder and 55 gr V-Max bullets. i have the Lee single stage press with RCBS dies. when i pull the lever on my press i try and do it with the same amount of force every time but it almost never comes out the same. i am getting really frustrated with this. any help please?  |
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RUMlover
Average Member
100 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 11:56:27
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| Make sure you are using the full press stroke and not stopping short. Also, make sure your die is tightly seated and the allen lock tight. It can work itself loose rather quickly if you dont watch it. I have no experience with the Lee presses so I cannot speak to that, but you may also want to check your micrometer and the method by which you use it. Good Luck. |
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ten2six
Advanced Member
USA
1591 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 12:14:45
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Norcal,
How much brass prep and bullet sorting do you do? Are you using these in a custom, or factory, chamber? Are you going to use these bullets for varmints, competition or plinking?
I reload 1000's of .204 Rugers, for varmint hunting. I do some weight sorting of brass and bullets, but not all the time, for this caliber. Generally, I'm getting a similar spread (.01) in my OAL, and I know that neck thickness, uniformity, and diameter can affect what I see. Bullet variations add to this, too.
The good news for me, is the bullet and gun combination will give 1 1/2 inch groups at 300 yards. We went on a sage rat hunt this spring and the gun did not miss within 300 yards, and it made hits all the way out to 500, so knowing where you're going with your load will help tailor the answers you'll get. |
"Chances are, when we meet intelligent life forms in outer space, they're going to be descended from predators."
- Michio Kaku |
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HighPoint
Senior Member
USA
261 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 16:25:05
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| When you seat your primers make shure you seat them all the way, also its good to have a ogive guage to measure the ogive of the bullet instead of the bullet tip, which can vary in length bullet to bullet. |
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DC Brittsum
Junior Member
63 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 17:58:50
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| You have to measure from the ogive. Right now I'm loading a bunch of .223 Rem. 69 Gr., and with all cases trimmed to length, I'm getting a difference of .025 measuring from the tip. These are premium bullets of the exact same weight. |
"There is no one more persistent than a liberal with a bad idea." |
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ten2six
Advanced Member
USA
1591 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 18:52:52
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HighPoint & DC,
That's a good point about measuring from the ogive. Like Norcal, I'm using V-max bullets in my .204's. When I started reloading them I took a box of 250 and checked them all for length. The variance was negligible. I know some of the match and hollow point bullets I've reloaded do vary more. I have to believe that's why some people trim the meplat to uniform length.
I've got a bullet comparator, but I've never used it with the V-max .204's I load. Norcal and I should maybe go back and see what the range is measuring it as you suggest. What kind of variance are you getting, DC, when you measure at the ogive? |
"Chances are, when we meet intelligent life forms in outer space, they're going to be descended from predators."
- Michio Kaku |
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woods
Advanced Member
USA
1494 Posts |
Posted - Nov 05 2009 : 21:49:06
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To get consistant OAL you have to control several factors:
First you have to have consistant bullets. The other night I used a comparator to measure different bullets and got the following results
6.5 caliber 130 Scirrocco +-.002"
6.5 caliber 140 SGK +-.001"
7mm caliber 150 SGK +-.002"
7mm caliber 160 Accubond +-.002"
308 caliber 180 Accubond +-.021"
308 caliber 180 TTSX +-.002"
308 caliber 200 Accubond +-.018"
338 caliber 225 Accubond +-.002"
338 caliber 225 TTSX +-.002"
In all fairness I did mix several boxes of the 180 gr and 200 gr Accubonds so that could have been the reason for the big differences. Just check to make sure the bullets are the same and sort them if necessary.
Next you should have a good seating die. One of the Competition Seaters like the Redding, Forster or RCBS can make a difference because they support the case body while seating the bullet.
You should not have over a .003" bullet grip as any more than that and you can stress the neck and cause runout and inconsistant seating depth.
Then it is all about consistant inside dimension and surface prep of the neck. If some cases have an inside diameter .0015" smaller than caliber diameter and some have and inside diameter .0025" smaller then you will have a different seating depth. Your press has linkages and if it takes more force to seat the bullet then you will have a different seating depth. If the inside of your neck has scratches, burrs or leftover lube inside the neck in varying degrees then you will have a different seating depth. |
________________________
Guns only have two enemies; rust and politicians.
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fishstan2
Advanced Member
USA
2122 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 08:40:18
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Hello everybody, this same thing happend to me. Like you guys were giving the advice and I was trying everything and getting very frustrated. Well one day my wife was in the garage and was talking to me and told me my press was moving as she was watching it from the side, now it was only moving about an 1/8 to 3/8ths of an inch . And I did not notice it till she pointed it out. Let me tell you that really made a difference on the consistancy once I got it to where it did not move at all and trust me it don't move any now . I hope this helps and do hope for you there Norcal it is something simple. Stan |
WILLIAMS, STANLEY W.
SGM U.S. ARMY
FORT HOOD TEXAS
"SHOOTEM FROM LONG RANGE" |
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Perferator
Average Member
USA
156 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 17:15:00
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I dont trust the press. I set the die where I know it will be very close...say within .003......and then sneak it up, checking once or twice with a mic. Sure it takes longer but like you guys, it's just gotta be perfect.
Of course, the first step in this process is being sure your case lengths are spot-on perfect in terms of consistent lengths. |
I love to shoot. Shoot, I could shoot all day. Shoot the breeze, shoot the bull, heck shoot the cat. |
Edited by - Perferator on Nov 06 2009 17:16:08 |
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twud
Advanced Member
USA
1740 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 17:58:45
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Do two things. Try a box of premium match bullets, like Bergers and buy a Lock and Load COAL guage which measures to the ogive.
If you want to get real serious go to Wilson seater dies.
I seat to .003" off the lands in my custom 6mm BR. Using custom match bullets, Lapua brass and a Wilson seater and I get NO variation.
If you need help along these lines give Sinclair International a call. Their customer service reps are extremely knowledgable, helpful and friendly. The fact that they are all competitive shooters doesn't hurt either. If nothing else get one of their catalogs. It's an education.
http://www.sinclairintl.com/catalog_request
Oh, hide your credit card before you call LOL
Mark |
NRA Life Member
"Don't want it, don't need it, couldn't afford it if I did."
Captain Augustus McCray
Texas Ranger |
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norcal
New Member
31 Posts |
Posted - Nov 11 2009 : 01:22:23
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| i'll try some of the things listed above. i don't sort my brass or bullets by weight at all. all my cases are uniform in length though. i am mainly loading for predator hunting and target shooting. |
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inconsistant OAL of cartridges.....
