Obligatory picture of my first reloads

[Oreo]

Here they are baby!! Fity of'em!! Every single one of'em meticulously & precisely weighed & measured. I even weighed & measured the spread on the bullets & pulled the heaviest ones for this load development just for that gnat's ass-hair extra of a safety margin.

Winchester brass, CCI500 primers, 165gr Winchester FMJ, WSF powder- from right to left 5.5gr - 6.4gr in .1gr increments, 5 of each load. 1.130" OAL +- .0044"

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l109/jdecar1/guns/0329080515.jpg

:ready:

[BigSlick]

Lookin good Oreo :thumbsup:

Dat 6.1 load gonna be where ya wanna be, jus watch an see ;)

[Oreo]

Where I wanna be for what slick? Light or heavy loads? I'm trying to make practice duplicates of my Winchester Ranger Bonded defensive rounds. They're something like 165gr @ 1100fps.

[BigSlick]

Bout where ya wanna be for it ta shoot real nice wit a 165 jacketed outta a G23

Dat load prolly gonna run bout 1030-1040 or so avg

Give ya some good spreads too.

It's da sweet spot in my carry G23

Recoil feel identical ta factory HydraShoks

You a love it, you a see :yesnod:

[Oreo]

What's the max OAL that feeds reliably in your G23 Slick?

[BigSlick]

I can feed out to about 1.145 or so witout a problem, maybe a lil more, but I had my barrel throated real nice. I use a Storm Lake barrel instead a da stock barrel cause I like da way my brass come out, plus, it reliable as hell. Gotta lot a rounds thru it. Feed real nice wit errythang now.

Before I did dat, I could load out to 1.135 wit jacketed, an most cast, but I usually load to 1.130 for most errythang, except one bullet I load to about 1.125. I load Nosler 170 JHP's out to 1.140 cause they just shoot better. I found dat out jus by seein how far out I could seat a bullet after I got it throated, only cost $5 an a lunch at da hamburger stand.

Dat lil bit a extra length don't make any difference wit WSF, so I load em long for jus dat bullet.

All of em a TC/JHP or SWC style

I can load RFN's too but I hate dat bullet style like hell in 40 mag or 10mm short. It too fat up near da tip, accuracy sucks, an it a PITA all da way around.

Lee 175 TC's an Nosler 170 JHP's is da bomb. Sierras shoot real nice too, but I'm down ta my last case or two a them so I stay outta them an shoot cast instead, unless I'm carryin, then I use somethin different.

[jawjaboy]

Look real good Big O. Make ya feel all warm inside don't it?! :thumbsup:

[Oreo]

Ya know, I came to this only because I could save $$. But the hands-on, DIY, custom taylored aspect of this is something I really really enjoy. It suits me very well- I knew it would. It does have a very theraputic, relaxing sorta feel to it. So, yes, makes me feel quite warm inside. :)

[Warhorse]

Congrats! I love pictures of the newborns.

[Steve Koski]

Nice work Oreo. Don't forget to tell us if you cup & turn when you fire 'em.

[creophus]

Way to load up some ammo! Man, shooting those first loads..and NOT blowing yourself up is a great feeling! I remember my first loads very well!!!

[alank2]

Hi Oreo,

Congrats, they look great. Give us the report when you send them downrange!

Alan

[yammerschooner]

Congrats Oreo. I doubt you will be that accurate with the first few though. I wasn't anyway. Too much flinch.

[918v]

Why does you OAL vary by .012" ?

Did you seat/crimp in one step?

[ISUSteve]

Three words...gnat's ass hair

[918v]

Are you saying that a G A H got inbetween the seater stem and the bullet?

[soundwave]

ooooh shiny :eek6:

Congrats on your first batch :cheers2:

[Murphy's Law]

My first load........my whole body was trembling (honest) which Creophus can attest to. I was going to wait for him to come over but other activities got in the way and I had to go it alone. Now I'm quite comfortable and trying different powders, bullets, etc. I'm still very careful but having more fun then I ever thought possible. Actually have this forum (and old one) for all the advise and guidance. Oh, I also bought lots of books to read and manuals for load data. Good investment indeed.

:)

[creophus]

My first load........my whole body was trembling (honest) which Creophus can attest to. I was going to wait for him to come over but other activities got in the way and I had to go it alone. Now I'm quite comfortable and trying different powders, bullets, etc. I'm still very careful but having more fun then I ever thought possible. Actually have this forum (and old one) for all the advise and guidance. Oh, I also bought lots of books to read and manuals for load data. Good investment indeed.

:)
Rock on. All of you new reloaders are off to a great start! :thumbsup:

[Oreo]

How much variance in OAL is normal / acceptable?

Towards the end (the 20 strongest loads) I was able to get the OAL variance down to probably half that. In the beginning I kept tinkering with the adjustment trying to get it perfect. I think a few other things also were contributing... 1. I need to tighten the bolt on the shell plate. It's just finger tight & I think it's allowing some slop. 2. My press was just clamped onto the table so it was wobling all over the place. Made it tough to get a consistent stroke.

The wobbly bench was also throwing off my powder charges a little. Plus, I left the press out in the car over night which I think was a big mistake. I meticulously degreased & cleaned every part of the whole powder dump system & was getting really great throws in the beginning. But I think some condensation formed on the powder meter. The second half of those reloads my powder throws were all over the place & I had to empty & recharge many of the cases several times to get the charge right.

[BigSlick]

So, how they shoot ?

[Oreo]

I won't be able to make it to the range again till Monday or Tuesday Slick.

[BigSlick]

Damn.

I hate waitin when I got a new load ta try out

You a do well :thumbsup:

[Steel Talon]

:thumbsup:

Remember to share with us the range results :ready:

Peace
Steel Talon:coolgleamA:

[918v]

How much variance in OAL is normal / acceptable?


+/- .0005"

You can accomplish that by inserting a fifth step into the operation:

Take a case mouth expander die and screw it inbetween the seating and the crimp stations. Unscrew the expander plug. Insert a reference round. Screw in the expander plug until it touches the tip of the bullet. Now all your rounds will seat to that same exact OAL. Adjust your regular seater to seat .020" longer than the OAL you want. That way the fifth die will not encounter short rounds. Crimp as usual.

[Oreo]

Obviously you achieve +- .0005" with that extra step, but is that normal? 'Cause I don't hear anyone complaining about .001", even over on beno's forum I mostly see people post about problems at the .01" level.

[918v]

+/- .006" is normal due to variance in bullet nose profile and case tension on the bullet.

But we can do better.

Consistent OAL at the +/- .0005" level eliminates a variable. I have found that seating a bullet .010" deeper alters group size, so that variable is an important one.

And it's so easy.

[BigSlick]

I have found that seating a bullet .010" deeper alters group size, so that variable is an important one.


Assuming your brass capacity is consistent, the change will be consistent..

Try it an see. Use some PMC, GFL and some MFS headstamps, then do the same with Norma or TZZ.

Norma an TZZ exhibit the variance uniformly. GFL is so sloppy it is unlikely you will see two results near the same.

[Oreo]

Was just playing with the micrometer & found this:

..........50 Win Ranger .. My first 50 .... 50 Rds of......My second
. .............Bonded: ....... reloads:......... WWB:........batch of 150
.....'Avgjj = 1.1206" ........ 1.1340" ........ 1.1234"..........1.1361"
.....'Min|j = 1.1164" ........ 1.1280" ........ 1.1192"..........1.1259"
.....'Max'' = 1.1251" ........ 1.1367" ........ 1.1295"..........1.1428"
Variance = 0.0043" +/-'....0.0044" +/-'....0.0051" +/-'....0.0169" +/-
'''StdDev = 0.0020" ........ 0.0022" ........ 0.0024"..........0.0030"

So, I'd say I didn't to that bad for my first batch. I did better then I estimated in the OP. My variance was only a ten-thousandth more then the best Winchester could do. It would have been that much better then Winchester's except for a single round.

[soundwave]

Hey Oreo,

Once you have deemed the load acceptable, please add the details and a few pics to this thread: http://www.glockpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=777

Thanks!

[Oreo]

Well I shot them off!! :)

I saw no high pressure signs on any of the cases. I kinda expected that 'cause I stayed well within the data range I've seen available. Still, I'll post some pics of the cases later so that you guys with more experienced eyes can double check for anything I missed.

I also tested the Winchester Ranger's today. They functioned perfectly & seem to have similar recoil to my higher end loads. Somewhere between 6.1 & 6.4 felt pretty close. So now I need to get my press mounted in a more permenant location & run off a larger batch to really play with & start fine tuning things.

I did notice that my G23 was significantly cleaner after 100 rds of Rangers & my reloads compared to WWB. That was nice for a change. It was a real PITA to have to fire one round at a time, put the gun down & then go chase the brass for 50 rds. But it's really satisfying now to be able to say that officially, I am a reloader! :D

[thorn]

Congrats! Leaving the range after firing those first reloads is a great feeling. I was smiling for hours. :)

thorn

[Steve Koski]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

[BigSlick]

:patriot:

Congrats Oreo !!

You a never go back now :thumbsup:

Now ya gotta go ta wally world an a couple a gun shops an jus look over they ammo

Then jus laugh all da way home :rofl:

[Bush Pilot]

Well I shot them off!! :)

I saw no high pressure signs on any of the cases. I kinda expected that 'cause I stayed well within the data range I've seen available. Still, I'll post some pics of the cases later so that you guys with more experienced eyes can double check for anything I missed.

I also tested the Winchester Ranger's today. They functioned perfectly & seem to have similar recoil to my higher end loads. Somewhere between 6.1 & 6.4 felt pretty close. So now I need to get my press mounted in a more permenant location & run off a larger batch to really play with & start fine tuning things.

I did notice that my G23 was significantly cleaner after 100 rds of Rangers & my reloads compared to WWB. That was nice for a change. It was a real PITA to have to fire one round at a time, put the gun down & then go chase the brass for 50 rds. But it's really satisfying now to be able to say that officially, I am a reloader! :D

You didn't actually shoot and chase each individual round did you? I'm surprised you're not still at the range.

[ISUSteve]

You didn't actually shoot and chase each individual round did you? I'm surprised you're not still at the range.

There was a guy at the range doing that a few ago. He got yelled numerous times for sweeping us with a loaded ready to go gun. We got him to load them one by one after that.

[Oreo]

Luckly I had the place to myself for most of the time. I was also loading them one at a time just to be extra careful.