What did you do in the reloading room today?

IDVortex

WKR
Joined
Jan 16, 2024
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466
Location
CDA Idaho
Slowly getting the area put together, need to go purchase a case trimmer.

Before when I reloaded, I ended up just doing pistol ammo and that was it. This time around I'm trying to be a bit more serious about it. Considering I am wanting to load consistent hunting rounds.

(Yes I know Starline brass isn't Lapua, but no one has it in stock and it appears starline is a tiny step above hornady)
 

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thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,466
Location
Alaska
Last night I loaded up some hunting rounds for my 30-06 and my 6.5 creedmoor.

-30-06: 180g partition, 62g h4831, cci primers, lapua brass on its second loading.

Got about 2650fps out of my 18” 30-06 today. That will work for the uses that rifle is set up for.

6.5 creedmoor: I loaded 140g ELDMs with 41.5g h4350, cci primers, Peterson brass.

Both were loaded to max book length, I sat there and trickled each one, I’m still a bit skeptical about not trickling up to the perfect amount but maybe I need to get over that.
I shot a few caribou with the 30-08 and 180g partition yesterday. It worked well.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
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2,895
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Western Iowa
They all came out the proper end.
Im trying a "new to me" way of load development. I loaded one round at .5 grain increments to slightly above book. Worst case I would pull a couple bullets if things got hot. I did not find any pressure signs really, a slight bolt smear ( shiny smudge along the head stamp). So next step is to load more on that upper end and shoot some groups I guess. I don't really want to keep adding powder. Trying out the Winchester staball 6.5 powder.
Check out Form's Painless Load Development thread on here, it's a game changer for hunting rifles.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
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2,895
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Western Iowa
Tested pressure with SB 6.5 and 150 grain Fusions in my 7mm-08 last week. Max book charge of 48.5 showed pressure with slight ejector mark, but no trouble with bolt lift or cycling.

I loaded up 20 rounds and plan to hit the range to check velocity and grouping if the wind ever stops blowing.

Seating the 150s with the boattail/bullet junction meeting the neck/case junction, I ended up with COL around 2.88 +/- a couple thousandths. This length is too long for the Tikka "M" mags, so I swapped in a LA bolt stop and borrowed a "L" mag from my .25-06. I loaded up 3 rounds to test feeding and they worked flawlessly. Can't wait to get to the range.
 

wyosam

WKR
Joined
Aug 5, 2019
Messages
1,033
Tested pressure with SB 6.5 and 150 grain Fusions in my 7mm-08 last week. Max book charge of 48.5 showed pressure with slight ejector mark, but no trouble with bolt lift or cycling.

I loaded up 20 rounds and plan to hit the range to check velocity and grouping if the wind ever stops blowing.

Seating the 150s with the boattail/bullet junction meeting the neck/case junction, I ended up with COL around 2.88 +/- a couple thousandths. This length is too long for the Tikka "M" mags, so I swapped in a LA bolt stop and borrowed a "L" mag from my .25-06. I loaded up 3 rounds to test feeding and they worked flawlessly. Can't wait to get to the range.

Surprised you can seat that long without being in the lands pretty firmly.


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Joined
Mar 16, 2021
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Western Iowa
Surprised you can seat that long without being in the lands pretty firmly.


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I agree and I did the Sharpie test on a dummy round before pressure testing and there were no land marks on the bullet.

In my .25-06, I was able to clearly find the lands when seating some 134s for dummy rounds, and they're easy to spot.
 
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Blinddog

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 18, 2018
Messages
162
Location
MN
Started a rebuild - getting rid of current Table and bench and replacing with Kitchen base cabs. and a plywood counter top. hopefull will gain me more storage and make the room more usable and look cleaner. Hopefully wont take to long to change over.
 

BigDog00

WKR
Joined
Sep 2, 2013
Messages
706
Location
Wyoming
Yesterday;
Filled my powder hopper from a brand new 8lb can of IMR4350 to load some '06 for a friend.
Then promptly knocked the thing off my bench into a puddle, left over from the basement flooding, while reaching for the jug cap.
I was nearly f**king sick. I ended up saving maybe 2lb. The rest got soaked.
If it makes you feel any better I spilled some H1000 yesterday because I left the powder drain open on my Chargemster.....

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