Help Critique My Reloading Work Flow

[Goes-Bang]

I think I have most of the equipment / measurements figured out, and I've been playing with some of the individual processes, but now I'm trying to lock down my complete reloading work flow for my particular setup, and I was hoping to get some notes on improvements or places where I might be incorrect.

I know there's been a few of these threads but they seem to be pretty "available hardware" specific, so I thought I would ask for the gear I'm running.​

Loading for 223 Rem Bolt gun, till I get a good work flow ironed out, and then i plan to switch in my other calibers. This is a work in progress and by no means the final flow.

Current 223 REM Recipe:

Lapua Brass​

Berger 80.5 gr​

Varget (~24.4 gr)​

BR4 Primers​

Hardware Context:

• Loading on a Forster CO-AX
• Big Dillon Tumbler - Currently using Corn Cob
• AMP Annealer, running Aztec mode.
• Forster FL Sizing Die - non-bushing
• Redding MIcrometer Seater
• 21st century Black Nitride Turning Arbor and die to set neck tension (2 thou).
• Giraud Trimmer
• Holland Modified RCBS Primer Tool
• Chargemaster / V3 Auto Trickler (coming soon)

So here is the baseline reloading work flow. (Keeping in mind that this is a baseline that is based on researched data, and not any particular testing I've done.)

1. Wipe Down Brass with Rag: My brass stays pretty clean.
2. Deprime: Depriming only die.
3. Run through with Nylon Neck Brush: Clean carbon out of neck, seems like a good step to use in conjunction with the AMP.
4. Anneal:
   • (TBD) I think I can get away with an anneal without tumbling first due to steps 1 & 2. (Judgement call based on how dirty brass is.)
5. Tumble: Corn-cob media with Lyman Polish.
6. Clean Priming Pocket: Hand primer pocket cleaner. Whatever tumbling missed (if necessary).
7. Case Lube: Ziploc bag and dillon case lube, also hit neck with Q-tip and dillon lube
   • (TBD) Will probably test against imperial wax / other alternatives at some point.
8. Dry time: > 20 min
9. FL Size: Neck at 4 thou under-sized
10. Mandrel: 2 thou under-sized, sets neck tension
11. Tumble: Short tumble to clean off excess lube.
12. Trim / Chamfer: Giraud Power Trimmer to SAMMI cartridge length
13. Prime: Calibrated Priming tool. ~3 thou under flush
14. Throw/Charge Powder: Reloading Trays / Caliber specific funnels.
15. Bullet Lube: Dip Bullet base in Graphite Applicator.
    • (TBD) This is probably the most questionable/controversial step.
    • Some research indicates this may be needed when annealing, which is why I've added it for now. (Plan to test this.)
    • (TBD) Dipping the bullet seems like it might be better then applying graphite to neck before loading powder.
16. Seat Bullet
17. Wipe down Ammo with Rag again.
18. Go shooting!

There's some obvious QC inspection steps, that I didn't list depending on how OCD I feel that day, but otherwise any of that look horribly wrong?

 

[918v]

So how does it shoot? Group size, ES, SD?

 

[Goes-Bang]

I don't know yet. Both the Forster custom die, and the Auto Trickler show up later this week. So this list is a bit pre-emptive on my part to get my plan solidified and make sure I'm not doing anything stupid.

Previous attempts at load development, using a similar flow with the chargemaster and a redding Type-S die had ES/SD that was pretty high (making it difficult to see the velocity nodes; but the groups were good at 100 yrds). Hence I upgraded to the V3 Trickler, and then spent quite a bit of time playing with different bushings and neck tension (which lead me down a concentricity rabbit hole, and a multi-week wait for a custom honed one piece FL sizing die).

I didn't want to burn components un-necessairly, so I've just been shooting from my factory ammo stockpile while I waited for these two final parts to show up.

 

[Dai Bando]

I only inside lube necks on virgin brass and leave the carbon after firing.

No issues annealing with AMP and ES/SD's @ 9/3 consistently.

Don't need 20 min for lube dry either but other than that it looks like you've got it dialed imho

 

[918v]

I don't know yet. Both the Forster custom die, and the Auto Trickler show up later this week. So this list is a bit pre-emptive on my part to get my plan solidified and make sure I'm not doing anything stupid.

Previous attempts at load development, using a similar flow with the chargemaster and a redding Type-S die had ES/SD that was pretty high (making it difficult to see the velocity nodes; but the groups were good at 100 yrds). Hence I upgraded to the V3 Trickler, and then spent quite a bit of time playing with different bushings and neck tension (which lead me down a concentricity rabbit hole, and a multi-week wait for a custom honed one piece FL sizing die).

I didn't want to burn components un-necessairly, so I've just been shooting from my factory ammo stockpile while I waited for these two final parts to show up.

Define what a good group is?

 

[Goes-Bang]

For me, with my 223 bolt gun (that is a pretty solid build), usually/consistently > 0.5 MOA (usually better with that rifle, but rarely over that). My recollection from those particular aforementioned reloads is that they didn't strike me as anything special (worse than I typically do with factory match ammo, but not horribly inconsistent for groups), and that they were right about at the top end of what I would consider acceptable (but not dialed in great) at or a tad bit above ~0.5 MOA.

(100 yard indoor range for reload testing, but my plan is to push these as far out to 1k as i can and still see hits, which is why I'm doing all this work to get these dialed in.)

 

[918v]

I would skip annealing and lubing the bullet. You can’t get all the carbon out with a nylon brush. There is plenty in there to facilitate smooth bullet seating. I would anneal every 7-10 reload cycles. I would seat the primer to the bottom of the pocket and then set it below flush.

 

[acudaowner]

sounds good if your happy with it , there is always room to make things easier for your self as you get better and better at doing it .
I mean you could be making a million rounds per week imagine that our very own ammo production line . then you would just need to move out the family and start making our own primers and cases .