I have been reloading for about 1 year. Have had my share of "bad" reloads, but overall I'm getting better. For those of you more experienced reloaders, what would you consider to be the biggest mistakes that novice reloaders tend to make?
Reloading miscues
- Thread starter prairiefire
- Start date
I followed LEE dies spec that comes with die and I was loading with min COAL. 
I have both the LEE and hornady Loading Manual. When I double checked I noticed my mistake on the 30-06 loads. The problem is that I loaded like 200rds. My 300WM are good since I am loading Spec + 0.10" COAL
I have both the LEE and hornady Loading Manual. When I double checked I noticed my mistake on the 30-06 loads. The problem is that I loaded like 200rds. My 300WM are good since I am loading Spec + 0.10" COAL
I'd say the biggest mistake a guy first makes is setting the sizing die correctly, either too much, or not enough. Believe me, as you progress and start loading for more cartridges the mistakes become less critical, but more frequent! Little things like not documenting something, seat depth, seating the wrong bullet in a case, etc.., not blow up in your face shit.
I agree with this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Weekly, this forum gets a question why someone's reloads won't chamber easily. 90+% of the time, it's because the F/L die hasn't been adjusted down enough. Usually, it's a 1/8-1/4 turn and the problem is fixed.
- Setting up dies
- Setting up a Dillon
- (minor)Measuring COAL at the tip and loosing your mind because everything is from .001-.006 off instead of getting a gauge to measure the ogive
- Getting load data from friends or places on the internet that are not the manufacturer's data
- Having multiple bullet weights/powders/primers laying around and not keeping things separated appropriately
- Not cleaning up when you are done loading and leaving things laying around assuming you'll remember what they are and why they're laying there
- Not having the proper tools and gauges and 'winging it'
- Setting up a Dillon
- (minor)Measuring COAL at the tip and loosing your mind because everything is from .001-.006 off instead of getting a gauge to measure the ogive
- Getting load data from friends or places on the internet that are not the manufacturer's data
- Having multiple bullet weights/powders/primers laying around and not keeping things separated appropriately
- Not cleaning up when you are done loading and leaving things laying around assuming you'll remember what they are and why they're laying there
- Not having the proper tools and gauges and 'winging it'
Till now, I do not have a gauge to measure from ogive, I still do it base to tip with a digital caliber.
Get yourself a comparator, and a bump gauge, I like Sinclair's, but. I fought the bump gauge for years, then through a series of fuckups, last year ended up throwing about 750 pieces of 7mm saum brass away prematurely because of case head sep, that frigging hurt!
Biggest miscue was to trust a Chargemaster for precision work. I thought that it might be a problem so I purchased a new and expensive analytical balance. Turns out the Chargemaster wasn't even remotely close or repeatable even after doing all the upgrades. Very very glad I spent the extra money on a good balance. Ended up saving me huge money and time and aggravation.
This is what I ended up with.
Benchrest ammo reloading with Entris64-1S & Omega Powder Trickler - YouTube
This is what I ended up with.
Benchrest ammo reloading with Entris64-1S & Omega Powder Trickler - YouTube
