I want one of those but they're hard to come by.
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What did you do in the reloading room recently?
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Ruger American Ranch - For Sale - New :: Guns.com
The Ruger American Ranch is a bolt-action rifle with a cold hammer-forged, threaded barrel and factory-installed scope rail. Designed for easy handling, the synthetic stock has modern fore-end contouring and grip serrations, the dual-cocking cam system contributes to smooth cycling, and a soft...
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Mudflap621
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Got some initial measurements on new BRA barrel and was able to load up 25 rounds to test fire forming speeds. My original barrel was chambered long and gave me some issues fire forming brass but this one has a nice crush fit on virgin Lapua. I added .030 of jam in there just to be case. Gonna bring a rubber mallet with me to range tomorrow just incase I have issues closing the bolt.
I also loaded up some rounds for current barrel with a little more zip as either I cleaned really well last time or speeds are starting to come down on it. Its gotta make it one more match...
Lastly I had a pleasant surprise today of some backordered brass. It looks big next to the br.
I also loaded up some rounds for current barrel with a little more zip as either I cleaned really well last time or speeds are starting to come down on it. Its gotta make it one more match...
Lastly I had a pleasant surprise today of some backordered brass. It looks big next to the br.
One of the things I have enjoyed with the Dillon 550 is changing things to improve loads or improve productivity. Until now I had my charging powder die in position two, so also had chargemaster scale on my left , powder checker cop in position three, so was seating my bullets for PRS rifle loads in position four, which was less than ideal but workEd
so I came across an article about using a Dillon powder check die from the 650 / 750 on a 550. This requires modification of 550 tool head by drilling a hole in it. I modified the first tool head by following instructions, which placed powder check die in position 3, powder dispensping die in position two. It worked, a small clearance problem with LED light in center hole, but fine. That is probably the set up I will use going forward on .223 where I use standard Dillon powder drop system and I am not manually dropping the powder. However looking at that set up, it was clear that if I moved the powder check die to position 2 the clearance issue at center of tool head would go away.
So I modified another tool head, as shown in photo. Manual powder drop in position one, powder check die in position two, seating in position three. I also relocated my chargemaster to right side of press. Everything worked out better for a right handed person. (A BL 550 would be even better, likely my next press)
I then processed two groups of 20 6.5 CM cartridges (experimental loads) and by the end of first 20 had the powder check die adjusted so it was not giving false signals.
Then I started a batch of 200 of my standard recipe for 6.5 CM. On the first 100 I had one false signal. Lower ram a little and back up and all good. On the second 100 I got another false signal on one, and then I got a real signal on case 61. I’ll cover that in another post.
So bottom line, with what I produced today I have enough 6.5 to get me through initial practices and two matches. Plus another 400 PCs of brass prepped and ready to go.
The powder check die did exactly what I wanted confirming powder or not without removing brass from press ( it gets tough to see powder level in a necked rifle case without removing case from press, especially as you get smaller to .243 and .223 diameters. You might be able to see it well with younger or better eyes, but I’ve been using bifocals for sixty years so even my young eyes sucked.)
Moving the powder check die to position 2 almost didn’t work due to interference with lever to advance shell plate. If I modify another tool head I may try to drill another location.
so I came across an article about using a Dillon powder check die from the 650 / 750 on a 550. This requires modification of 550 tool head by drilling a hole in it. I modified the first tool head by following instructions, which placed powder check die in position 3, powder dispensping die in position two. It worked, a small clearance problem with LED light in center hole, but fine. That is probably the set up I will use going forward on .223 where I use standard Dillon powder drop system and I am not manually dropping the powder. However looking at that set up, it was clear that if I moved the powder check die to position 2 the clearance issue at center of tool head would go away.
So I modified another tool head, as shown in photo. Manual powder drop in position one, powder check die in position two, seating in position three. I also relocated my chargemaster to right side of press. Everything worked out better for a right handed person. (A BL 550 would be even better, likely my next press)
I then processed two groups of 20 6.5 CM cartridges (experimental loads) and by the end of first 20 had the powder check die adjusted so it was not giving false signals.
Then I started a batch of 200 of my standard recipe for 6.5 CM. On the first 100 I had one false signal. Lower ram a little and back up and all good. On the second 100 I got another false signal on one, and then I got a real signal on case 61. I’ll cover that in another post.
So bottom line, with what I produced today I have enough 6.5 to get me through initial practices and two matches. Plus another 400 PCs of brass prepped and ready to go.
The powder check die did exactly what I wanted confirming powder or not without removing brass from press ( it gets tough to see powder level in a necked rifle case without removing case from press, especially as you get smaller to .243 and .223 diameters. You might be able to see it well with younger or better eyes, but I’ve been using bifocals for sixty years so even my young eyes sucked.)
Moving the powder check die to position 2 almost didn’t work due to interference with lever to advance shell plate. If I modify another tool head I may try to drill another location.
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Mudflap621
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I like how your refining the process! I too load my precision stuff on a Dillon and very happy with it. Luckily I can still visually check powder is in the case or I would probably be doing the same thing.
As far as the 550BL, Its the same exact press as a 550B or C just without the priming system bolted on. IMO the on press priming is one of the best features of loading on the 550 as my hands cramp up after a while with hand primers.
So as a follow on to my previous post, the Dillon Powder die gave an alarm of an over charged case on case 61.
Removing the case from press the powder level visually appeared high. I tapped and vibrated case thinking powder might settle, but it didn’t. I dumped and reweighed powder and it was spot on.
I put powder back in case and it looked high and again powder check die alarmed high. I dumped powder back on scale, it checked good. I put powder charge in a different case, it visually looked right and powder die checked good.
I repeated the above three more times. That one case had the same problem every time. While doing this I inspected inside of case and nothing was apparent. Measured exterior of case nothing notable. I weighed case, and it not out of norm for 10 other cases I weighed. I used two cases that weighed the same or more in the repeat tests above.
At this point I have isolated the case for further study. What is known about this lot of 100 pieces of brass. They are all once fired Hornady factory ammo. All 147 grain ELD match, from five boxes of the same lot that I purchased at the same time. All were shot from the same rifle, and not used in a match where I might have someones else’s brass. The possibility that in range practice ( where shells are ejected on ground) I picked up a piece of random brass exists. It is low probability, but not zero.
tis a puzzlement. Next step is to fire up the borescope and closely inspect interior of case. Not tonight though
Removing the case from press the powder level visually appeared high. I tapped and vibrated case thinking powder might settle, but it didn’t. I dumped and reweighed powder and it was spot on.
I put powder back in case and it looked high and again powder check die alarmed high. I dumped powder back on scale, it checked good. I put powder charge in a different case, it visually looked right and powder die checked good.
I repeated the above three more times. That one case had the same problem every time. While doing this I inspected inside of case and nothing was apparent. Measured exterior of case nothing notable. I weighed case, and it not out of norm for 10 other cases I weighed. I used two cases that weighed the same or more in the repeat tests above.
At this point I have isolated the case for further study. What is known about this lot of 100 pieces of brass. They are all once fired Hornady factory ammo. All 147 grain ELD match, from five boxes of the same lot that I purchased at the same time. All were shot from the same rifle, and not used in a match where I might have someones else’s brass. The possibility that in range practice ( where shells are ejected on ground) I picked up a piece of random brass exists. It is low probability, but not zero.
tis a puzzlement. Next step is to fire up the borescope and closely inspect interior of case. Not tonight though
Kamadojefe
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Loaded up some more 200gr cast boolit in 7.62x39 with n130. Had some good results at the range the other day with function and hitting steel at 150yd with the wasr.
Kamadojefe
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Was it a different head stamp on the case that filled up higher?
You people are a bad influence on me. I already got beat up for spending quality time with my casting pot tonight.Ruger American Ranch - For Sale - New :: Guns.com
The Ruger American Ranch is a bolt-action rifle with a cold hammer-forged, threaded barrel and factory-installed scope rail. Designed for easy handling, the synthetic stock has modern fore-end contouring and grip serrations, the dual-cocking cam system contributes to smooth cycling, and a soft...
I still hand prime for the feel of primer pocket. However if I used a better brass I might not need it.
I do prime .223 brass on 550 C. Part of my desire for 550 BL is I can leave it set up with shell plate / pins for 6.5cm ( which handles 308, 243 etc) where I’m not using a lot of features of 550c
Then do everything else on 550 ( .223 45 cap 9 mil) where I use capabilities. But I could be happy with another 550c. I need another something.
I think your question came in before my second post. Same head stamp,lot and history as other 99 PCs of brass as I can tell
Nice. Seems if you don’t cast then it makes no financial sense to reload x39 as jacketed .310-.311 bullets are expensive. No leading issues? Are they gas checked?
Kamadojefe
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Loading x39 is a goofy thing to load. Casting does keep the expense down and gets you shooting more so cost stays the same. I want to get subsonic so that’s another reason why I went with casting and 200gr. I coated lubed and gas checked and saw no real evidence of leading. It was the first time bore scoping the wasr and man is that a crude barrel. But it is an deeecent shooting rifle that makes me want to shoot more.
21.5gr n130 shot about 1575fps and functioned great
11gr of 4227 was 1050fps but did not cycle
12gr was damn close to cycle at 1160fps.
I can imagine if some on the end of the barrel created some back pressure it would cycle
bottle-cap
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Have you tried making your own ~205gr JSWC for the x39mm?
Use 5.7x28mm cases, fill them with lead and size accordingly.
If you fill them with lead shot and wax, they are around 120gr.
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headednorth
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I love weirdo shit like this
Here's some more of my proprietary loads:
6.5 Special is for shooting around corners.
The 7.5 Swiss are for anti-aircraft use.
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jaypap
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Rotated my stock, then rotated the shell plate.
Kamadojefe
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I have been wanting to try this with Ramset concrete nailers in hollow point 45-70 heads. If handled poorly it could be a real bad time for the shooter hi hi. I like your style @navalofficer.
Swaging up 22lr for 223 is something I’d like to get into on the cheap sometime
I was running cast out of SKS for a good while. Had few 100 x39 boxer cases. The cases started to split after 4 reload. My sks and ak will run on some pretty low charges fun stuff and cheap to load
How badly do the cases grow after sizing? Need to trim often or? Just curious
allen-1
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Get two narrow test tubes, or pieces of clear hose. Fill suspect and other case with water, dump and compare.
Or fill one case and dump into the other and compare levels.
cjrubes
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Formed some 6.5x53r brass out of 303 Brit for the Portuguese Mannlicher I picked up last month. I thought I took a picture of the loaded round but apparently I didn't.
I also loaded up some 8x56r for my M95/30 which I took out to the range this past weekend.
I also loaded up some 8x56r for my M95/30 which I took out to the range this past weekend.
How's your shoulder doing after the M95/30 ??
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for those of you that use the Mr. Bullet Feeder: I would only want to run it on my most used caliber. So if I'm using it for caliber A and I want to switch my press to calber B, can I simply not use the bullet feeder for caliber B or do I have to have a conversion kit and change that over too?
Kamadojefe
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I haven’t put much x39 brass to use yet. From what I can tell with what little I’ve done not much sizing needed
SJan
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What press?
Let's assume a Dillon 650. As long as you are using dedicated tool heads for calibers A and B, you can load caliber B w/o the bullet feeder the same way you have been doing it
I have some surplus 56r and some clips if interested aprox 35 rounds and 4 clips
