Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

[killerwaffles]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

I have a question. I have Lee Dies for my 308 and i wanted to get a micrometer bullet seater but i could not find a lee product one. Would a redding micrometer bullet seat be compatible with a lee die?

 

[MALLARD]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killerwaffles</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a question. I have Lee Dies for my 308 and i wanted to get a micrometer bullet seater but i could not find a lee product one. Would a redding micrometer bullet seat be compatible with a lee die? </div></div>

no if you mean a mic. head to replace your lee stem

but you can buy a redding mic die and seat bullets with it , in combination with your lee sizing die

 

[killerwaffles]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

oh yes i guess that could work. How well do they work?

 

[culdee]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fps</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have been reloading w/550 for 20yr ,223,308,45acp,9mm.Once I get the powder chg. set it is consistant.Maybe you are using the wrong powder bar.Dillon has excellent customer service& will help you.A Dillon won't load as accurate as measuring every chg.,but the time saved more than makes up for a 1/10gr difference here & there. </div></div>
One other possibility. One time during changing heads I dropped the rod for actuating the charger bar and installed it backwards. Yes it can be done. The thing worked but charges were all over the map. I finally got out the manual and noticed the difference in one of the photos. Flipped it around and problem was fixed.

 

[loki*hunter]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

Has anyone figured out a better way to prep 308 cases without all of the touch labor? I have the Dillon 1050 and a Giraud trimmer....but it is still a lot of touch labor to get a case back in shape.

 

[NoFail]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Killerwaffles</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a question. I have Lee Dies for my 308 and i wanted to get a micrometer bullet seater but i could not find a lee product one. Would a redding micrometer bullet seat be compatible with a lee die? </div></div>

Yeah get the complete Redding mic seater die, or the Forster. I have the Forster Ultra and I love it, it's badass!!! The Forster is somewhat cheaper than the Redding at Midway.

 

[Kouki]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

Nice solution. Im gonna try this. Thanks.

 

[MK75]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

Good idea, Good thread. I'll check that out.

 

[njnicky]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

i can't get that m die right for some reason.

 

[Jim Buck]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

I have a lock n load and I am very impressed!

 

[Asperly Aimless]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

My first post here so I hope I don't screw this up.

Depends on what you consider "good" loads. You can get good accurate ammo loading on a progressive press, but it will depend on a few things. Powder charge consistancy being huge. Powder choice will be huge for good consistant charges. There are things you can do to aid in consitant metering, but some powders do not play nice.

For the best groups possible absolutely I would get a single stage and jam everything out single stage style. A RCBS chargemaster combo or other good electronic powder measure/scale will greatly speed things up. You will get out of it what you put into it. Or if that is too slow look at a turret press. If you have more questions please let me know or shoot me a PM.

As for the "M" die. I use them mainly for pistol and rifle loads using cast bullets. You can use them to skip the chamferring step by just kissing the neck with the second step.

Edit: I screwed it up. I was replying to a post on page 2, but I guess I should have hit "quote"

 

[rojkoh]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Two Shoes</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Brian427Cobra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What makes the Redding Crimp die better than the Lee Crimp die.

Brian </div></div>

Brian,
Redding products are far superior in quality to Lee.That said, use what ya got, want.........no biggie.
That said, it's a personal choice, as I stated we do not want to CRIMP anything, just CLOSE the bell.

</div></div>

I use both the Redding and the Forster NM dies, but if we're talking about gas guns (M14 types and even Garand) a slight crimp helps avoid bullet set back.

 

[rojkoh]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

My first post here so I hope I don't screw this up.

Depends on what you consider "good" loads. You can get good accurate ammo loading on a progressive press, but it will depend on a few things. Powder charge consistancy being huge. Powder choice will be huge for good consistant charges. There are things you can do to aid in consitant metering, but some powders do not play nice.

Get a Culver powder thrower, they are the most accurate. Sinclair has them.


For the best groups possible absolutely I would get a single stage and jam everything out single stage style.

Best press for this is the FOrster CoAx. because of the way it is set up, there is movement on the X/Y axis and allows the brass to index properly instead of potential concentricity issues that can happen with the "usual" single stages. The AMTU (which I tend to call the USMTU) has 20 of them.

A RCBS chargemaster combo or other good electronic powder measure/scale will greatly speed things up. You will get out of it what you put into it. Or if that is too slow look at a turret press. If you have more questions please let me know or shoot me a PM.

Lyman also has a superb electronic measure which also stores various loads.

Most of all, the reason single stage is best, is it allows for brass prep, like uniforming the primer pockets and flash holes (I do). Even on new brass (I'm using Lapua and Norma), it helps to make sure. I use one of Fred SInclair's original PP uniformers and a KM. Both work nicely and I know at least one other company that's working on one.

The Sinclair flash hole uniformer (P/N # 07-3081) is faster, but make sure to locktite the set screw. the flash hole diameter on the Sinclair is .081, the KM is .080. I haven't tried the others.


As for the "M" die. I use them mainly for pistol and rifle loads using cast bullets. You can use them to skip the chamferring step by just kissing the neck with the second step.

Also you can use a neck expander instead of reaming the inside of the neck. I use more than one depending on the bullet diameter. But I also trim to length and turn the outside of the case neck.

Hope this helps.

 

[rojkoh]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dwd</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fps</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have been reloading w/550 for 20yr ,223,308,45acp,9mm.Once I get the powder chg. set it is consistant.Maybe you are using the wrong powder bar.Dillon has excellent customer service& will help you.A Dillon won't load as accurate as measuring every chg.,but the time saved more than makes up for a 1/10gr difference here & there. </div></div>
One other possibility. One time during changing heads I dropped the rod for actuating the charger bar and installed it backwards. Yes it can be done. The thing worked but charges were all over the map. I finally got out the manual and noticed the difference in one of the photos. Flipped it around and problem was fixed. </div></div>

There can also be problems with the powder type. Some of the finer powders do not work well with the Dillon (titegroup comes to mind). Next year I'm going back to a Star for pistol. ALl my rifle is done single stage.

 

[rojkoh]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: command450</div><div class="ubbcode-body">if your reloading for certain auto loaders(ar 10's,fal variants) ........dont you have to crimp to prevent the bullets from moving when they hit the feed ramps and chamber?

</div></div>

Bullet set back is a common problem for magazine feed weapons with heavy recoil and feeding issues. Funniest thing I've ever seen was when one of the guys was "testing" load seated rounds in a Garand. He was not single loading rounds and when he fired one, it took all afternoon to get the powder out of the rifle.

 

[rojkoh]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jayman_10X</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ring</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bill Stoffels</div><div class="ubbcode-body">why crimp it at all are you using it in an auto loader?
</div></div>

consistent neck tension is 1 reason..


but still not 100% needed </div></div>

I'm not convinced that crimping necessarily helps uniform neck tension. You'd be much better either A. Using Lapua brass or B. Turn your necks to uniform thickness. </div></div>

Very nice. When IMR changed the mixture for 4895 in 76, I did note pressure problems with the load from a pre-76 load. Aside from inconsistent tension, the post 76 powder still has different pressure curves then the pre-76.

But you still crimp the magazine feed rifles to keep the bullets from setting back (yes I do agree with you about the tension).

Since I'm going back into accuracy ammo testing when I swap out the barrels on the pogo sticks, I already have both Norma and Lapua to test. I've been a Lapua customer since 76 (old 170 grain D46 design).

 

[roosterpig]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

why in the world would you want to speed up the process?!?!

reloading is the most therapeutic, wife/girlfriend absent activity known to man!!!

 

[PowderMeasure]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

Amen to that!

 

[huckjare]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

I'm gonna give this a try

 

[Doyputasos]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

May have missed this in this expansive post, but has anyone ever had any issue with case necks cracking after x number of reloads? I haven't seen a pic to know how much bell the mouth is getting.

 

[AirborneFO]

Re: Speed up your .308 Reloading Process

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UTCmoc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">why in the world would you want to speed up the process?!?!

reloading is the most therapeutic, wife/girlfriend absent activity known to man!!!

</div></div>

Ha! Agreed, with the only sounds being heard are the powder grains on brass and the slight scrub of the ram.

 

[LoanHarvey]

just make sure that you lub your cases before decaping and neck sizeing

HI Denny, are you talking about applying a little lube to the outside of the neck, or do you mean dipping them in the powder so that the inside of the neck gets lubed as well?
Thank you.