New caliber ??????

Re: New caliber ??????

No, not if the goal really is to make custom ammo to fit your rifle.

Just get some once fired brass from here or Gunbroker. Maybe it will fit you chamber and all you will have to do is neck size it to get some tension, or if your chamber is tighter than what it was fired in, then play with your full length sizing die to get the shoulder bumped back so it works in yours, then start reloading from there.

Loading manual or online data will give you all the basic dimensions needed.

But if group size really sucks after doing a load work up or OCW test, then a box or two of commercial ammo will give you some data, if it shoots better than yours!
 
Re: New caliber ??????

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BobinNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If it is a new rifle, I buy 1 or 2 boxes of factory, and fire it, for control/baseline sizingBob</div></div>

ditto, that is, factory ammo that's shooting accurately through the rifle first. trim length, FPS, possibly identifying the powder make and get the charge, oal, etc.

then tweak here and there until satisfied.

i'm a cheap bastard, and once fired .308 is somewhat easy to come by, i keep my eye out for the new stuff being shot at the range, then pick it up off the ground.
 
Re: New caliber ??????

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You guys use any winchester brass?</div></div>
Yes, all the time with great results.
 
Re: New caliber ??????

If you handload, use new brass. Firing factory stuff subtracts one loading cycle from the brass and one firing from your bore's life. Neither are negligible resources.

Greg