Recent content by tjd308

Amen! COL Stevens is awesome. He was such a pleasure to deal with and offered amazing customer service while he walked me through the options and answered all of my questions during the process. I highly recommend him!

Great points Bart. I actually am firing from the prone position using a Caldwell "Tack Driver" bag and homemade rear bag. Through trial and error, I did realize the bench just wasn't right for me and didn't feel like I was setting up the same exact way shot to shot. I've often wondered if...

Thanks for the tips. The rifle has a Bell & Carlson stock w/ aluminum pillar and fiberglass bedding, squared & trued bolt face, Timmney trigger, etc. It was put together by a somewhat well known bench rest rifle gunsmith (COL Billy Stevens w/ Stevens Accuracy). I'll work on some of the advice...

My comment/concern regarding using magnum primers in non-magnum rifle cartridges like .308/.223/30-06 is in regard to safety, not accuracy. Still confused when people say that "#34 and #41 are simply magnum rifle primers" and leave it at that.

I know that FMJ isn't used for any sort of match ammo. Just so I can learn, why is that? I assume the process doesn't yield a very concentric round with heavy spots on it if you will? FMJ is a more cost effective way to make a decent round I guess? I'm all ears. Posting all these questions...

I've been buying "premium" or at least premium priced bullets from Hornady, Sierra, and Nosler exclusively but it has dawned on me recently that I might be throwing cash away and if the goal is to shoot so I can improve my skills, I might be able to shoot more if I lower the cost of the rounds...

I've been handloading for a variety of rifles over the last two years and am becoming more and more interesting in learning about taking things to the next level for my bolt guns in particular. My most accurate rifle is a Remington 700 in .308 WIN with a Bartlein 24" 5R M24 contour barrel, etc...

I hate to sound like such a rookie with this question, but I thought that magnum primers should be left for just that, magnum cartridges to ignite the additional and often slower burning powders used in them, no? Would it not be dangerous to load a magnum primer into a .308 WIN or 30-06 that...

Thanks gents! What about CCI BR-2 primers or Remington 9 1/2 primers for the Garand? Based on your point macgrumpy, it has to do with the process and the end result of proper seating depth and not the primers themselves. Are there any differences in these two (BR-2 vs. 9 1/2) that would make...

Thanks to both of you for your replies, but this is where I get confused. One person says no issue and then the other contradicts them. Is there not some source that has done testing in this realm? It seems like someone could setup a test where a light strike situation is created in some sort...

Bart, you keep providing consistent and sound guidance on pretty much every question I have on THR. Are you accepting applications for young mentors? Maybe an indentured servitude to pick up some of your knowledge? Haha....in all seriousness, thanks once again!

So we all know that the #34 & 41 primers from CCI are supposedly less sensitive and ideal for service rifles and weapons with floating firing pins to prevent slam fires. I'm having a tough time sorting through all of the opinions on if this is just marketing hype from CCI or if it really is...

I tried searching for a question like this on the forum here and couldn't find a super relevant thread which I found surprising as I'm sure it's a pretty common question.... I've been loading for a variety of rifles and calibers and have just been using once fired brass from Remington & Federal...

Thanks Bart. Very helpful. I've heard of the 0.002" per 1/10 recently in my research. Noted. What do you think about the response I received to this same question on a different forum. It makes a lot of sense to me: Use that SAAMI drawing and a little basic arithmetic to see that the...

I am surprised it set the shoulder back that far as well. I'm using an RCBS full length sizing die that was screwed down until it touched the shell holder, and then went the additional 1/8 to 1/4 turn that the directions call for. This is clearly where I went wrong because I must have gone...