New to reloading - 2 questions

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spschroeder

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Hi all,

New to reloading here...looked around for a great message forum on reloading and I'm confident I found it!

Have 2 questions for you I'm hoping you can help with:

1) I'm starting out with some .308 Win using the RCBS Master Reloading kit which includes the Uniflow Powder Measure. The powder I'm using is an IMR4895. I dialed in the powder measure for 42 grains and get 42 +/- 1.0 grains on each throw. Because of this, I lowered each throw to 41 grains and am using my trickler to get exactly 42. How consistent are your powder throws? Do you bother measuring each out or do you go directly from the powder measure to the primed brass?
On a related note (okay, so 3 questions really :))...it's kind of a pain dumping powder into my RCBS beam-scale pan...I have to hold it against the bottom of the powder measure to keep powder from bouncing off...anybody have tips? I've thought about using an old cartridge to transfer powder from the measure to the pan (of course, the answer to my first question may negate needing to do this all together).

2) Overall length. I've been told it's not the best thing to go off of, and from my first 25 reloads, I'd have to agree. I'm loading some Win 147gr FMJBT (watch out coyotes!) for my .308. I've got the seater set up for a dummy round with COL of 2.800" I'm getting final COLs from my sample of 25 between 2.792 and 2.808 inches. Is this common going off the tip of bullets? I have yet to get a comparator that measures of the ogive, but that's next on my shopping list.

Look forward to spending time on this board and both giving and receiving great advice! Any other Wisconsin members out there? PM me if you are...

-Steve
 
It is not uncommon to get some variation in powder weights thrown by a traditional powder measure. If you are trying to get match grade performance out of reloading you will be well served to set your powder measure to a low throw and then trickle up to your desired charge. You could get a fully automated system with a digital scale if you want to spend the money for it.

It is also not uncommon to get variations in OAL with standard commercial bullets. Have you measured your bullets with a good digital caliper to see if they are the same length or if they vary in base to cannelure or cannelure to tip? With high speed production, any significant wear in the production equipment can produce variations in the bullets that may fall within the manufacturers set tolerances, but may well be outside of your expectations.

It is also possible that the bullets are going a little sideways as they are seated and crimped if you are using 1 combined die and not two separate dies. For match grade results I find I have to seat and then crimp, not seat and crimp together.

I hope this helps in some way. (Not trying to steal ReloaderFred's closing)
 
FMJ?

I would certainly suggest a different bullet besides the FMJ you're loading. They won't anchor a song dog very positively, probably pass though without doing enough damage. You want to track long distances, then that is the right bullet!:eek:

If your master kit is new, then your powder measure needs some time to get broke in properly. It takes a while to get a coating of the graphite that they use to coat the powder, on the inside of the hopper, and measuring chamber.

...it's kind of a pain dumping powder into my RCBS beam-scale pan...I have to hold it against the bottom of the powder measure to keep powder from bouncing off.
Click to expand...

Yup, that's how I did it when I was still using a measure, then weighing each charge. The powder likes to jump out of the pan, it just seems to be alive.;)

You answered your own question about the OAL measured off the tip of a bullet. If and when you get the dead length gauge,(comparator), then it will measure off the ogive. You will get much less variation then.
 
Over the many years I have been reloading, I have found powder measures to vary quite a bit, whether or not they are broken in. It all seems to relate to things like: How much force did I use on the lever? Is the amount of powder in the hopper the same now as when I started (this can be addressed with a powder baffle)? Is the measure secure in its stand, or is it a little bit loose? What powder is being used (some go through a measure better than others)?
I am currently using a Redding measure which I have found to be the most accurate of any I have used. However, I have gotten to the point where I think powder measures may be best applied when loading pistol cartridges when the charge is below the maximum. That way, minor variations are inconsequential. Bear in mind that most bench rest shooters actually use powder measures and do not weigh out each charge precisely.
You could solve your dumping and trickling problem for under $10. Get a set of Lee powder measures. They are little plastic dippers of varying sizes, choose the one just below the charge you want, and trickle up to your desired weight. Using the dippers you typically wont splash powder all over the place. While I am not a fan of much of the stuff made by Lee, the powder measures are one Lee product I do recommend.
 
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Thanks for the comments everyone.

Snuffy - regarding FMJ...I'm using it in my .308 only until I get a suitable varmint-caliber rifle. I chose it because, in theory, it should leave a very small exit hole in the pelt. I understand the tradeoff is quick kill, but we'll give it a shot. The other motivation for getting those bullets was that they were only $14/100, so I don't mind practicing and tuning my reloading with them...

Thanks again,
-Steve
 
Welcome to THR, Steve.

I have an RCBS Ammomaster as well. I measure powder the same way you do by putting the pan against the bottom of the metal tube coming out the bottom of the uniflow. I only reload pistol but my powder throws are much more precise than what you're experiencing. Snuffy's reasoning sounds logical to me. I bought my press used so it was already broken in. My throws vary by no more than .1 grams. Hopefully yours will get better in time. I hear good things about the uniflow from others and trust mine totally.

Good luck.
 
Because you want the pelts, that's good reasoning. Also a FMJ in a .308 will kill quicker that one from a .223, bigger hole. Hopefully you can watch the yote till he piles up. Or get right on his tracks to find him. Another approach is to use a very light, frangible bullet in .223 with the hopes that it will not exit.

There's two schools of thought concerning yotes. One is pelt hunting, the other is simply predator control. In areas that are trying to get a population of turkeys, they are a menace to brooding hens. Or any other ground breeding birds.

I live just north of Oshkosh, near the lake. I never though I'd hear yotes howling like you hear in old westerns!:eek: But the damn things are around now!:cuss:
 
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