Hi,
So I am finally starting to get into loading for the .308, in the past i've stuck with easy cartridges like 223/300blk and pistols. For 308 I want much higher expectations to get the most out of my JP barreled semi auto. That said, when I went die hunting I was surprised to find out there's a lot more to choose from than I remember seeing for my other calibers.
So, I know many people like to shun a semi-auto lr308 style for accuracy but I want to do the best I can and not worry about the people that tell me to sell it and buy a bolt action. So far I was able to get a .33 MOA group at 300 yards with it so I know it's capable and that was with factory FGMM ammo. So my main questions regarding loading for the .308 is the dies. I was looking at forster first (which seems to be sold out everywhere) and then leaning towards the redding dies. Most of the better redding dies come with a neck bushing setup which asks you to choose a bushing size and explains how to choose. Well, I tried the measuring a factory rounds neck (got .3380) and subtracted .002 to get .336. I also tried measuring the neck of the same case from a fired round and got .015 wall thickness. By the math that would be .015+0.015+.308 then subtract .002 which surprisingly came out to the same .336 - so I assume that is the correct bushing size for this federal brass?
I don't have a lot of experience with adjusting things like neck tension or even bumping shoulders on the cases, I never really got that detailed with my 223 plinking rounds. Does anyone have any advice on a good die set and any extra tools that are good for precision loading? I was going to pickup a case bump comparator at the very least. I see a lot of people saying to measure the finished rounds COAL by base to ogive and not tip. Is there a special tool to measure this area besides trying to eyeball it with a micrometer which I don't trust myself to do consistently.
So I am finally starting to get into loading for the .308, in the past i've stuck with easy cartridges like 223/300blk and pistols. For 308 I want much higher expectations to get the most out of my JP barreled semi auto. That said, when I went die hunting I was surprised to find out there's a lot more to choose from than I remember seeing for my other calibers.
So, I know many people like to shun a semi-auto lr308 style for accuracy but I want to do the best I can and not worry about the people that tell me to sell it and buy a bolt action. So far I was able to get a .33 MOA group at 300 yards with it so I know it's capable and that was with factory FGMM ammo. So my main questions regarding loading for the .308 is the dies. I was looking at forster first (which seems to be sold out everywhere) and then leaning towards the redding dies. Most of the better redding dies come with a neck bushing setup which asks you to choose a bushing size and explains how to choose. Well, I tried the measuring a factory rounds neck (got .3380) and subtracted .002 to get .336. I also tried measuring the neck of the same case from a fired round and got .015 wall thickness. By the math that would be .015+0.015+.308 then subtract .002 which surprisingly came out to the same .336 - so I assume that is the correct bushing size for this federal brass?
I don't have a lot of experience with adjusting things like neck tension or even bumping shoulders on the cases, I never really got that detailed with my 223 plinking rounds. Does anyone have any advice on a good die set and any extra tools that are good for precision loading? I was going to pickup a case bump comparator at the very least. I see a lot of people saying to measure the finished rounds COAL by base to ogive and not tip. Is there a special tool to measure this area besides trying to eyeball it with a micrometer which I don't trust myself to do consistently.