Painless load development (mine)

[Mxracer532]

I know it's not exactly the full painless, but I had to do an emergency modified version yesterday and today. Heading to MT to visit family and they insist I bring a rifle and my new suppressor since I've been advising them about all the performance results posted here, and the one I planned to take I somehow miscalculated bushing size and had sized brass with no neck tension. So I grabbed a different one that I planned to switch powder in, screwed the can on, loaded 1 round at 57gr (57.7 Hodgdon max) and fired it into a dirt pile out back. No pressure signs at all, loaded the remaining 35 cases I had and buzzed out to the range today. 1 shot on target, adjust for 1.5" high/200 yard zero since they'll only be shooting at coyotes if anything, no slipping turrets, 5 to confirm. I would normally do 10 but my cover hasn't showed up yet and by shot #6 mirage starts getting terrible, and this rifle has a track record of shooting about 1" for 10 shots with another combo, and I was racing light.

Tikka T3X Veil 6.5 PRC
Trijicon Credo HX 4-16x50 - UM rings
57gr H1000, CCI 200, 140 Sierra TGK
View attachment 645540

Hey what cover did you get for your can? I need to get one myself.

 

[carsonkeys]

My pops got me the RCBS reloading kit for my bday and Christmas present. Loaded my first 10 rounds of 130gr TMK last night with 42.5 grains of H4350. I plan to load 10 ea of 43 and 43.5 grains and then head to the range.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

 

[DEW0341]

My pops got me the RCBS reloading kit for my bday and Christmas present. Loaded my first 10 rounds of 130gr TMK last night with 42.5 grains of H4350. I plan to load 10 ea of 43 and 43.5 grains and then head to the range.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

View attachment 646668

42.6 grains with 130 TGK works great out of my 18” 6.5cm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[carsonkeys]

42.6 grains with 130 TGK works great out of my 18” 6.5cm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s my length as well, so thanks!. I’ll grab velocities and post them here.

 

[gman82001]

My pops got me the RCBS reloading kit for my bday and Christmas present. Loaded my first 10 rounds of 130gr TMK last night with 42.5 grains of H4350. I plan to load 10 ea of 43 and 43.5 grains and then head to the range.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

View attachment 646668

Takes lots of practice to get consistency, honestly for low volume bolt guns throwing a slightly light load and trickling up to me is usually quicker. Or jump all in and buy a electric dispenser and see how much money you really save reloading

 

[huntnful]

My pops got me the RCBS reloading kit for my bday and Christmas present. Loaded my first 10 rounds of 130gr TMK last night with 42.5 grains of H4350. I plan to load 10 ea of 43 and 43.5 grains and then head to the range.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

View attachment 646668

If you end up enjoying the process of reloading. I’m sure you will find yourself looking at FX120i scales. I just use 2 hornady powder throwers. And for the important stuff, I weigh it to the kernel on the FX 120i that I keep in the middle.

Consistent prep work and neck tensions seem to be the most critical for accuracy. And chamfering the inside of the case mouths when the cases are new.

 

[id_jon]

My pops got me the RCBS reloading kit for my bday and Christmas present. Loaded my first 10 rounds of 130gr TMK last night with 42.5 grains of H4350. I plan to load 10 ea of 43 and 43.5 grains and then head to the range.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

View attachment 646668

With 4350 you'll be better of throwing light and trickling the rest.

 

[woods89]

My pops got me the RCBS reloading kit for my bday and Christmas present. Loaded my first 10 rounds of 130gr TMK last night with 42.5 grains of H4350. I plan to load 10 ea of 43 and 43.5 grains and then head to the range.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

View attachment 646668

I've got the Lee thrower, and I always trickle up with H4350.

 

[Harvey_NW]

Hey what cover did you get for your can? I need to get one myself.

I went with the FHF, read some reviews and one specified that the 6" was a perfect fit on the Nomad so I rolled with that for now.

 

[Mxracer532]

I went with the FHF, read some reviews and one specified that the 6" was a perfect fit on the Nomad so I rolled with that for now.

Let me know what you think when you get it.

 

[Billinsd]

Brass cleaning station-
View attachment 614756

Do you use a cleaner, like acetone or something else with the rag? Or just a rag?
Thanks
Bill

 

[Formidilosus]

Do you use a cleaner, like acetone or something else with the rag? Or just a rag?
Thanks
Bill

Just a rag. And it isn’t each piece being done. I dump them all on it, then roll them around inside for a few seconds. I am just trying to get most of the case lube off.

 

[Billinsd]

Just a rag. And it isn’t each piece being done. I dump them all on it, then roll them around inside for a few seconds. I am just trying to get most of the case lube off.

Do you wipe off the cases before you resize them too? Or just after?

 

[Formidilosus]

Do you wipe off the cases before you resize them too? Or just after?

Just after.

 

[2Stamp]

This will be the third load I've worked up using Form's method (other two were 280ai/ Barnes 145lrx and 7mm-08/ 120gr Barnes TTSX). Both those worked out with powder at max.

This is another load for my 7mm-08 using Varget and a 120gr V-Max. Because Hornady's max was data was over grain lower than the two powder books is checked, I started couple grains low in .5 increments, up to book max (45gr), no pressure.

Seating measured out to about .004 off lands (the base of the bullet is right at base of the neck). Fits the mag with not much to spare. For the initial workup I did shoot over my Garmin Chrono, just because. Velocity was close between 44.5 and 46. So out of curiosity I loaded 10 each to check 10rd groups.

First 10 round group was the 44.5gr. with the flier it's 1.5". Without it's 1.15". I knew I had the flier as soon as the trigger broke.

Second 10rd group was the max 45grs. Measures 1.2"



I've been wanting to work up another load for my 25-06, which has been a finicky B@$tard in the past. Or maybe that was me being finicky with fully involved load development. Either way it should be interesting.

 

[Firth]

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

How much variation are getting from one throw to another? I'm not an expert, but my guess is + or + 0.2 grains won't even show up on a target at 500 or 600 yards. From field positions anyway. 0.1 grain accuracy is nice, but not as needed as people sometimes think. I'm using a Lee thrower, but don't really sweat small variations. I haven't tested for a while but I run a lot of stick powder through it . From memory, a lot of my drops are right on, most are + or - 0.1 grain. A few are + or - 0.2 grain. I usually throw 10 charges, weigh the total and divide by 10 to come up with the average throw weight when setting up the thrower.

 

[Moose83]

My pops got me the RCBS reloading kit for my bday and Christmas present. Loaded my first 10 rounds of 130gr TMK last night with 42.5 grains of H4350. I plan to load 10 ea of 43 and 43.5 grains and then head to the range.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

View attachment 646668

When you lift the lever pause at the top of the stroke to allow the chamber to fill all the way before you lower the lever... I've found that the bulkier the powder the longer I have to pause at the top to be consistent. Hope this helps!

 

[seand]

The biggest problem I’ve encountered this far is my RCBS powder thrower. I chase my tail round and round and am no closer to a consistent throw. If anyone has any advice I’m all ears.

I love my uniflow, but not with stick powders. It’s super accurate with ball powders and the micrometer dial is a worthy upgrade, super easy to change between loads - never have to dial it in with a scale. just record the micrometer setting so you can return to it.

For stick powders, I don’t think you can beat a $30 Lee Perfect drum measure. It’s way more consistent/accurate with stick powders IME. The rubber wiper doesn’t catch on the long stick kernels anything like the uniflow (and almost every other drum measure out there).

I have a separate lee perfect setup for each cartridge I load stick powders for so I don’t have to ever adjust the charge weight again after the initial setup.

 

[carsonkeys]

How much variation are getting from one throw to another? I'm not an expert, but my guess is + or + 0.2 grains won't even show up on a target at 500 or 600 yards. From field positions anyway. 0.1 grain accuracy is nice, but not as needed as people sometimes think. I'm using a Lee thrower, but don't really sweat small variations. I haven't tested for a while but I run a lot of stick powder through it . From memory, a lot of my drops are right on, most are + or - 0.1 grain. A few are + or - 0.2 grain. I usually throw 10 charges, weigh the total and divide by 10 to come up with the average throw weight when setting up the thrower.

I’m getting 1+ grain differences between throws. I’ve got it adjusted now to throw light and trickle up per previous advice, but some throws will still be too heavy.

 

[General RE LEE]

Might have been addressed in this thread already but I like to keep things simple when it comes to OCW. I do .5 grain increments and if I find a good load, it either ends in a “0” or “.5”. I don’t get into the tenth of a grain bullshit. I’m not trying to win any bench rest or precision rifle events. I can usually find an accurate enough load for any sane hunting distance in a half a grain. Here’s some of my pet loads.

6.5 Creedmoor
140 ELDM 42.0 grains H4350
143 ELD-x 41.5 grains H4350
147 ELDM 41.0 grains H4350
130 OTM 43.0 grains H4350

308
178 ELDX 42.0 grains TAC
168 ELDM 43.5 grains Varget
150 Interlock SP 45.0 grains Varget

30-06
178 ELDX 55.0 grains H4350
150 Interlock SP 55.0 grains A4064