Posted: 5/18/2016 1:56:10 PM EDT
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Loading 300WinMag, using twice-fired brass. How will I know when neck-sizing isn't enough and need to do the full-length resizing die?
I'm loading 208gr ELD-X bullets but not at max powder charge. I am trimming the cases to spec and using clean brass. I obviously am new at rifle reloading; it's a helluva lot more involved than cranking out pistol rounds. Thanks for any advice. |
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You will feel resistance when trying to close the bolt on your reloads. You only need to bump the shoulder back .0015" to regain ease of operation.
Use Hornady's Lock-N-Load headspace gage so you can record and track the measurement. Simply following the die makers instructions will not work with any degree of accuracy. |
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Quoted:
I've had the same question, but with 300wsm. Could someone explain how that hornady headspace guage is used? The gage fits one of the jaws of your caliper and measures a point on the shoulder to the base of the case, it is not for making to saami spec, it is only for comparing one case to another. So don't ask what others are getting or look at saami numbers, it is not a precision gage and doesn't need to be to compare cases. You put one of the fired cases(without a primer) from your rifle in the gage(preferably fire formed a couple times ), observe the reading. If you are sizing and want to bump the shoulder back you will set your sizing die down until the sized case reads what ever bump you want. The same can be done without the gage by just chambering the case in your rifle until you get the bolt handle to drop with little resistance but will be less accurate time after time(may be sizing more than needed). For example I know with one of my rifles that a case over 3.623" reading with the gage will be difficult to chamber, 3.6229" and under will be fine and can be neck sized only. I have Forster Bushing Bump Neck sizer dies so I can neck size and bump the shoulder back if I need to. |
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Quoted:
The gage fits one of the jaws of your caliper and measures a point on the shoulder to the base of the case, it is not for making to saami spec, it is only for comparing one case to another. So don't ask what others are getting or look at saami numbers, it is not a precision gage and doesn't need to be to compare cases. You put one of the fired cases(without a primer) from your rifle in the gage(preferably fire formed a couple times ), observe the reading. If you are sizing and want to bump the shoulder back you will set your sizing die down until the sized case reads what ever bump you want. The same can be done without the gage by just chambering the case in your rifle until you get the bolt handle to drop with little resistance but will be less accurate time after time(may be sizing more than needed). For example I know with one of my rifles that a case over 3.623" reading with the gage will be difficult to chamber, 3.6229" and under will be fine and can be neck sized only. I have Forster Bushing Bump Neck sizer dies so I can neck size and bump the shoulder back if I need to. Quoted:
Quoted:
I've had the same question, but with 300wsm. Could someone explain how that hornady headspace guage is used? The gage fits one of the jaws of your caliper and measures a point on the shoulder to the base of the case, it is not for making to saami spec, it is only for comparing one case to another. So don't ask what others are getting or look at saami numbers, it is not a precision gage and doesn't need to be to compare cases. You put one of the fired cases(without a primer) from your rifle in the gage(preferably fire formed a couple times ), observe the reading. If you are sizing and want to bump the shoulder back you will set your sizing die down until the sized case reads what ever bump you want. The same can be done without the gage by just chambering the case in your rifle until you get the bolt handle to drop with little resistance but will be less accurate time after time(may be sizing more than needed). For example I know with one of my rifles that a case over 3.623" reading with the gage will be difficult to chamber, 3.6229" and under will be fine and can be neck sized only. I have Forster Bushing Bump Neck sizer dies so I can neck size and bump the shoulder back if I need to. . I have the tool now but before I used to just use a 9mm case over the case neck. You want to use the same 9mm case each time. I colored a 9mm case with a sharpie to keep track of it |