Strange pattern

[Snuby642]

178 eldx 20 inch 308 bolt gun first reload on brass. First attempt at the 178's.

Every 1/2 grain, patern went from vertical to horizontal.

 

[Doom]

I see you have a note on light to zero neck tension. That tends to cause inconsistency in ignition. I would recommend reshooting this with more neck tension.

 

[Snuby642]

Took 0015 off of the expander today and new rounds sized and trimmed.

Hope I did not mess up.
Rounds with 0005 to no neck tension were cdb brass and I ran fc brass today by mistake.

So between fc and the magtec there is 0015 in neck.

My son has hundreds of each first fired in his gun.

Not sure easy way to go between the two.
I may have 003-0035 now, not what I wanted.

 

[Snuby642]

I could be wrong but all the Hornady eld bullets seen jump sensitive to me.

Going to look for replacements.

 

[Steel head]

I could be wrong but all the Hornady eld bullets seen jump sensitive to me.

Going to look for replacements.

I haven’t found that.
things change yes but getting accurate loads at .02 out to .12+ jump hasn’t been difficult.
If your not in a stable velocity mode it will probably change a lot and possibly take you out of the node.

I personally like some decent grip so I run .002ish.
I think the second best way to set neck tension it a lee collet with best being setting it with a mandrel.

 

[Snuby642]

I am working on my consistancy with the help on the hide guiding me.

Recently tightening up a host of gun and shooter issues in several platforms has brought about the ability to evaluate reloads better.

The 308 is my son's deal and the other day I found his 51t mount not locking up properly, we worked that down to catching that next tooth with a solid twang.

That no doubt will tighten up groups.

At the least reloading keeps me out of adult day care. Lol

 

[Snuby642]

@Steel head

Since these are my sons precision rounds (in work) do to case size and or spring back between the fc and cbd brass I am willing to try a mandrel setup.

So the sizing button is giving me aproxamatly. 002 difference in the brass.
If i run a Turing mandrel -.002 in both will I get both sets of brass at 002 neck tension.?

Do you have to lube cases for this?

If I can get tension set then that will leave me with case capacity to deal with but one less variable.

 

[XLR308]

Just a recommendation but if you want better consistency with less fiddling around forget jacking with the sizer button in your die and get an expander die with a turning and expander arbor.
Neck turning would also give you far superior results if using various brands of brass considering you would have far more control over the process.

 

[Steel head]

@Steel head

Since these are my sons precision rounds (in work) do to case size and or spring back between the fc and cbd brass I am willing to try a mandrel setup.

So the sizing button is giving me aproxamatly. 002 difference in the brass.
If i run a Turing mandrel -.002 in both will I get both sets of brass at 002 neck tension.?

Do you have to lube cases for this?

If I can get tension set then that will leave me with case capacity to deal with but one less variable.

So your running two different brand cases?
If so just pick one and run them to death then modify the load and run the others.

Running multiple case brands is a recipe for frustration.
I tried it when I first started reloading for 260
What a nightmare!

 

[Snuby642]

The two different brass were split between 168 and 178 loads so no mixing.

Sizing button probably perfect for my cbd brass now so I could just run all that first and for a couple dollars just get another and tweek it for the fc brass.

The 168/cbd load should have .0015-2 now so a load to check it asap with the new tension.

Hundreds of first fired cases left so not a big thing.

Guess chalk this up to spring back difference?

Btw thanks