Reloading New Brass For ELR

[nick338]

I'll start by saying I have very limited experience in reloading. The topic of conversation is strictly related to new, high quality brass and I must emphasize I do not have the time or patience to prep fired cases.

I have no issue at all spending money on a top quality analytical balance and electronic powder trickler to ensure the most accurate and consistent charges every time. My dilemma is new brass prep. I hear all the time that neck tension and proper ignition is paramount for long range shooting. To get the desired neck tension we have to turn necks and I just don't want to get involved in that whole process if I can help it.

So if I can develop a consistent 1/2 moa load at 600 yards with an es under 10fps does that translate into accuracy at 1 mile? The real question is fighting all the atmospherics involved at shooting those distances would seem to have more of an influence on shot to shot consistency, or am I way off base here?

 

[Nodakplowboy]

Interesting question.

High quality brass is a good start, but it does not come out of the box equal. Necks can be out of round or slightly dented, no matter what the brand. To achieve consistent neck tension one, at a minimum, must use a method that equalizes the necks to the same I.D., such as a bushing sizing die with an expander button. In my case, I resize brass .004" undersize the use an expander mandrel to size up .002" less than bullet diameter.

I don't neck turn, but if one chooses to do so the necks must still have a consistent I.D.

Top of the line powder dispensing is a huge plus, money well spent.

You probably could develop a load with new brass that will shoot 1/2 MOA and might have the SD and ES you specified. And yes, when shooting a mile, there's a lot of things that happen after the bullet leaves the muzzle. However, good brass prep and reloading practices will minimize all the bad things that happen before you pull the trigger. It's been well documented that 1-2X fired and prepped brass delivers more consistent downrange results.

If you still wish to avoid the "brass prep hassle", then I'd suggest you purchase enough brass of one lot that will last the life of the barrel. Better yet, high quality loaded ammo, if such can be found that delivers the goods.

Good luck in your endeavor.

 

[spife7980]

I'll start by saying I have very limited experience in reloading. The topic of conversation is strictly related to new, high quality brass and I must emphasize I do not have the time or patience to prep fired cases.

Then why even bother reloading in the first place? Fired cases from your chamber are the best you can get for your chamber. I mean, I get that the AMU uses new cases only but thats sort of an exception and not the rule. Plus thats just expensive to only use new cases.

I have no issue at all spending money on a top quality analytical balance and electronic powder trickler to ensure the most accurate and consistent charges every time. My dilemma is new brass prep. I hear all the time that neck tension and proper ignition is paramount for long range shooting. To get the desired neck tension we have to turn necks and I just don't want to get involved in that whole process if I can help it.

A new fancy scale is awesome but if your brass isnt up to snuff then the gains in powder weight accuracy may never be realized. The autothrow is a great set up, a chargemaster will do almost just as well for much less money, it just wont be as good as the auto throw.

New brass sucks, its neck tension IS all over the place. Even though something as good as lapua comes "ready to load" I will still anneal the cases and run them over a mandrel first so that I know they are all at the same baseline.

You dont have to turn necks except in certain situations (which are situations for avid reloaders only). In some cases you wouldnt want to, the more material you take off means that there is more empty space in the chamber that the brass then has to move more to fill up. For most things short of benchrest competition turning necks isnt necessary. Just the size the necks down just enough to allow it to be expanded minimally to your desired tension. Ive never turned a neck.

So if I can develop a consistent 1/2 moa load at 600 yards with an es under 10fps does that translate into accuracy at 1 mile? The real question is fighting all the atmospherics involved at shooting those distances would seem to have more of an influence on shot to shot consistency, or am I way off base here?

Hard to say, it can. That depends more on whether or not the cartridge in question is adequate for shooting a mile in the first place. I shoot some pretty damn good groups I think at 600 with my 6xc. At 1570 yards I got three in a row hits on an ipsc but there were many more before and after thrown to god knows where. Its just too far for something that small to be consistent. A 300 norma with an sd of 10 would be more more capable at that distance. Its just not a simple 2 variable equation to shoot well at a mile and you want to do the absolute best you can do to minimize those variables changing.


What are the details of what you are contemplating shooting at 1 mile with?

 

[nick338]

What are the details of what you are contemplating shooting at 1 mile with?

7 SAUM on a long action 28" Bartlein 1-7 twist. I have shot 183 Sierra's and 184 Bergers to this point with spotty consistency at a mile.

Running new cases over a mandrel is an easy step, no problem there but I have not heard of anyone annealing new cases especially Norma/Lapua.

 

[spife7980]

I figure, if they are already less stressed than the job I do then it simply is a waste of time of which I have plenty, if they aren’t then it all goes to my normal annealed state.

 

[b6graham]

can i call dibs on all your once fired brass? i'll even pay shipping

but seriously, once the die is setup, you're not gonna be doing much more work on a fired case than a new one

 

[nick338]

can i call dibs on all your once fired brass? i'll even pay shipping

PM inbound

 

[Bradu]

can i call dibs on all your once fired brass? i'll even pay shipping

but seriously, once the die is setup, you're not gonna be doing much more work on a fired case than a new one

I would agree that it's not much more work but I want to throw in as long as you have Giraud trimmer. I wouldn't want to be without that on the reloading bench.

Out of curious, what caliber are you shooting Nick?

 

[nick338]

7 SAUM