Am I taking this too far or am I good?

[billm2067]

I've been shooting and reloading for a long time...Shot Service Rifle and 1000 yard across the course matches in the 90's. I'm going to shoot some groundhog matches and long range steel this matches and wanted to take a look at my process. I decided I wanted to improve my reloading and try to get a little more consistency our of my process. I started uniforming flash holes and turning case necks to try to make things a bit better. So I have a new heavy barrelled Howa on the way which will be going into a KRG Bravo chassis in 6.5 Creedmoor and I am starting from scratch in this caliber. (still have Remington 700's in 243, 308 and 300 WM) I bought 100 Nosler large primer cases, did the flash holes and chamfered the inside and outside of the necks. I turned the necks and then resized them. At this point the cases grew from 1.910 to 1.915-1.920. So I cut them all back to 1.910. I resize the cases even though they are new because I have had new cases that weren't sized properly. I resize them after I cut the neck because I have the RCBS hand held case neck cutter and it just won't work if there is any trace of lube on the cases. I seat primers and then I'm ready to go. When I'm ready to finish them off...I measure a powder charge with a uniflow powder measure (roughly 1/2 grain light and trickle up to weight). Then I charge the case and seat a bullet.

Am I overdoing the case prep or is this a good process?

 

[Abbotm2]

Thats way more than I do and I'm getting about 1/3moa with my factory Bergara 6.5CM.

 

[larryh128]

Good brass is where it starts, if your brass isn't up to snuff you're leaving a lot on the table. You're doing it right in my opinion.

 

[ShtrRdy]

If the Nosler brass is the variety that's packaged 50 pieces per box then o think you're doing more than you need to.

If it's the Nosler bulk then it's probably worthwhile going over it.

 

[nn8734]

Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

That said, If you’re concerned about being too far into the weeds with your process, start testing small batches produced with one step omitted (where its possible to omit; neck-turning for example) to see what impact it has on performance.

If your testing shows you can drop a step while still meeting requirements then do so…

 

[billm2067]

It’s the bulk brass(100 in a bag). But it seems to be good brass. Before cutting the necks I am only seeing about half a thousand of variance in the neck thickness.

 

[pfl338]

Hi, Like you I was a competitive course gun and Palma shooter all through the 90's, so I understand exactly were you are coming from. If it makes you feel comfortable with your ammo there is absolutely nothing wrong with what your doing, it's what we did back then. That being said I have changed up my processes somewhat from my competition days. With the availability of really good consistent brass ( remember when we use scrounge LC brass and did all the steps to make it match ready?) I only anneal, full length resize with shoulder bump( after firing), use an expanding mandral to establish neck tension, trim OAL, chamfer and that is my case prep in a nutshell.
With what seems to be inherent accuracy that comes with the 6.5CM round that amount of prep seems sufficient for me. In fact I do it for 338LM,300NM,308,300wm also and they all shoot well under MOA to 1000 and beyond for the magnums. So like the other guys say,do what makes you comfortable and run some test to see what is actually necessary. and remember, enjoy rolling your own.

 

[memtb]

If you want the absolute best that you can get.....ya done good! If you had a good supply of brass to work with, about the only other thing that you could do that “might” help, would be to weigh and separate your cases by weight! memtb

 

[billm2067]

The Nosler brass seems to be very good. Of the brass I have checked (and I measure with a pin mic) the neck thickness has consistently held between 14 and 14.5 thousandths. I have been cutting them back to 14 thousandths and getting nice clean cuts that cut the entire circumference of the case neck.

 

[billm2067]

Hi, Like you I was a competitive course gun and Palma shooter all through the 90's, so I understand exactly were you are coming from. If it makes you feel comfortable with your ammo there is absolutely nothing wrong with what your doing, it's what we did back then. That being said I have changed up my processes somewhat from my competition days. With the availability of really good consistent brass ( remember when we use scrounge LC brass and did all the steps to make it match ready?) I only anneal, full length resize with shoulder bump( after firing), use an expanding mandral to establish neck tension, trim OAL, chamfer and that is my case prep in a nutshell.
With what seems to be inherent accuracy that comes with the 6.5CM round that amount of prep seems sufficient for me. In fact I do it for 338LM,300NM,308,300wm also and they all shoot well under MOA to 1000 and beyond for the magnums. So like the other guys say,do what makes you comfortable and run some test to see what is actually necessary. and remember, enjoy rolling your own.

I still have several hundred 308 lake city casings. Unfortunately I shoot my 243 more and I'm building a new 6.5 creedmoor. So all that brass will just stay in my stockpile.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

OP, are you saying you neck turned your cases twice?

 

[billm2067]

Just turned them once. Resized cases after turning case necks. Some of them grew from resizing and had to trim OAL back several thousandths to get them back to an inch 910 thousandths.