What did you do in the reloading room recently?

if you don`t mind me asking - this .308 build is for competition, or for fun? if competition - which one?

i could not find an old sample with hornadies - same as yours, but i recall the spread was at under the inch or may be 1.2" - not a single hole at all, from 43.2 to 45.5gr - no matter what i tried. it is not applicable anyway, probably, as different twist and barrels and all.

PRS competition. First match is next weekend. Regarding the Hornady bullets, that's a bummer. I expected these to be a little finicky so overall I'm not disappointed, just a little more work to do.

Those are 175gr rdf blems at 2.830 oal.
Look pretty good for blems so far.

View attachment 714322

so, on the topic of blems, check out these amazing Sierra seconds. I've had good luck with 175smk seconds in the past so I bought some 168tmks without reading the fine print. anyone need some Sierra NTMKs (no tip match kings)? 🤣 About 1 in 10 have no tip or are badly deformed.
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That looks like a challenge

Load em up and see what happens.
what's the worst that can happen? I'll save em for a rainy day. I wouldnt be surprised if the no tip bullets shoot better than the deformed tips. Either way, not worth the varget right now, just figured it was too funny not to share.
 
PRS competition. First match is next weekend. Regarding the Hornady bullets, that's a bummer. I expected these to be a little finicky so overall I'm not disappointed, just a little more work to do.



so, on the topic of blems, check out these amazing Sierra seconds. I've had good luck with 175smk seconds in the past so I bought some 168tmks without reading the fine print. anyone need some Sierra NTMKs (no tip match kings)? 🤣 About 1 in 10 have no tip or are badly deformed.
View attachment 714326
yeah, those are blems all right. wait a sec, i will take a pic of noslers i just finished.
those are all right for blems. i got a set of 140gr rdf 6.5cm noslers - those were way worse. not like those SMKs of course, but, worse.
same shootersproshop, they were at 25c I think.

they still have 168gr blems there, which also shoot quite good and look overall like those below.
5FA11015-BE64-42DB-A6D9-6514B73FFE19.jpeg
 
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and i will be driving my kid all weekend to his performances...
well, some day. :)

i hope may i will at least manage to get to one of 22lr matches at hopkinton, but, last year even that did not work out.
Hopefully you can make it out at some point this year. PRS website has been updated with all rimfire and centerfire dates. Region is growing and the 2day pro series match at Sheepdog in July should be a blast.
 
Hopefully you can make it out at some point this year. PRS website has been updated with all rimfire and centerfire dates. Region is growing and the 2day pro series match at Sheepdog in July should be a blast.
i really want to get my 6 dasher out while barrel is still good from all my tests. :) as it will probably get tested to its death like that, before making it out to any actual contest.
a group of 7, i think, below. was a waste to do it at a 100, but, i was too short on time to pack and move to 300, just tested new alpha brass there.
berger 105gr hybrids, 30.7gr varget, 2908 fps, ES15 SD5

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i really want to get my 6 dasher out while barrel is still good from all my tests. :) as it will probably get tested to its death like that, before making it out to any actual contest.
a group of 7, i think, below. was a waste to do it at a 100, but, i was too short on time to pack and move to 300, just tested new alpha brass there.
berger 105gr hybrids, 30.7gr varget, 2908 fps, ES15 SD5

View attachment 714337
I don't see anything left to test, that looks like a great load right there.
 
moved to pre-made alpha brass from fireformed lapua, wanted to see if speed or POI will move.
it didn`t.
Per charge weight how were speeds compared to the Lapua? I’m interested as I’ve heard the Alpha will have less case capacity. I’ve just prepped 500 peices of alpha BRA for a new barrel and wondering if I should drop charge weight a bit.
 
Per charge weight how were speeds compared to the Lapua? I’m interested as I’ve heard the Alpha will have less case capacity. I’ve just prepped 500 peices of alpha BRA for a new barrel and wondering if I should drop charge weight a bit.
as i used exactly the same charge of 30.7-30.8gr - the speed remained exactly same, actually. 2907fps average.

and SD dropped a lot as i think all my lapua got badly beaten.
 
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What was the name of that company with the (iirc) inconsistent diameter bullets? Guy was a jerk, told people to go pound sand and how pro shooters used his bullets exclusively.
 
Loaded some cast bullets in 32 Remington. A dozen each with IMR 4198, AA 5744 and 2400. Now if sonny boy can figure out how to get the bolt back into the model 14, we'll find out what the old rifle likes best. edit. Shot the loads this afternoon. (Sunday) The 2400 shot well, the 4198 shot lousy and the 5744 was worse. In my reading and watching videos, no one mentioned that the bolt must be cocked to install it. I'll try a bit more 2400 and IMR 4227
 
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DL has a decent assortment of powder , varget, h4350, h335, rl 25/15/10 , h110 and a few others. Varget is $60/lb which is a bit much, but if you need it , you need it.

I have to go down that way later this afternoon to pick up my Vespa and can pick up some powder if need be.
 
DL has a decent assortment of powder , varget, h4350, h335, rl 25/15/10 , h110 and a few others. Varget is $60/lb which is a bit much, but if you need it , you need it.

I have to go down that way later this afternoon to pick up my Vespa and can pick up some powder if need be.
Craziness. The valley still has 8 pound jugs of Varget for over a month now. $349 before shipping and hazmat
 
I had to resurrect my old tumbler once again today. I’m pretty sure that’s life 9 or 13. It’s nearing 40 years old. It’s not one thing wrong it’s many. So after going through a bunch of old posts on NES, ( yes the search function does work) I bought a Thumler’s model B high speed tumbler.

While I was on line, I also ordered a Frankfort Arsenal brass prep station. we will see how it does, but it will be faster than doing them by hand. So I trimmed 100+ 6.5CM and another 100+ 308 to have something to test it with when it arrives
 
i really must be losing my marbles as it seems i already tested those bullets back in september and totally forgot i did.
unless it was somehow a custom competition type, but, i cannot find them in my cluttered space, only see 3 boxes of RDF and one was open.
well, anyway, it will be just a confirmation then, from below looks like 24.3 worked ok.
cannot believe i totally absolutely forgot i already did that. covid brain... :(
View attachment 714054
Wait till you forget more
 
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