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What did you do today in the reloading room?

I spent the 4th doing load workup & chrono tests on my .223 Wylde. I had a standard .223 Ruger rechambered (chamber was very, VERY poorly cut. Non concentric & super short throated) & I've been trying to figure out a 77gn TMK load using TAC, since it's available. So far, it's been incredibly frustrating. I'm having to go over book max to get any kinda consistency, but I'm getting there. A really soft batch of primers misled me for a while, showing incredible overpressure at minimum charges & velocity (🤬) but I'm about there with it, I think. Groups aren't as tight as I'd like, but I've got my SD down to 10. A little seating depth adjustment & I think I'll have cracked it! It's going to be my knockaround deer/varmint gun & I doubt I'll ever shoot it past 300 at a critter, so anything better than 1.5" at 100 is fine by me!
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PWoody said:
Trying to work up a 300 WM load for elk this fall. New to reloading. Yesterday I loaded and shot 9, cleaned the barrel, and loaded 15 more. Today I shot them. How often do you guys clean between shots?
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I've began following what some of the pros on here have used. Clean after every range session or competition, thoroughly, copper clean as well. Not cleaning correctly over the years with my other rifles has allowed a carbon ring to develop in the chamber, and that will affect pressures and accuracy at some point. Btw what load recipe are you using? I've got a couple of 300 WinMag loads for my Sendero that work ok.
 
I'm using H4831sc (74.4 grains seems best), 180 grain Barnes ttsx, 3.34 OAL (haven't tried longer but am considering it). Have been cleaning, copper cleaning also, every 12-15 rounds. I've tried imr7828 and h4350 as well, 4831 is best so far. I'd like to make the Barnes work if possible, as I'm sold on its performance in the field.
 
PWoody said:
I'm using H4831sc (74.4 grains seems best), 180 grain Barnes ttsx, 3.34 OAL (haven't tried longer but am considering it). Have been cleaning, copper cleaning also, every 12-15 rounds. I've tried imr7828 and h4350 as well, 4831 is best so far. I'd like to make the Barnes work if possible, as I'm sold on its performance in the field.
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73.7 gr of h4831 works well for me, but it's no barn burner at 3000 fps.
 
PWoody said:
I'm using H4831sc (74.4 grains seems best), 180 grain Barnes ttsx, 3.34 OAL (haven't tried longer but am considering it). Have been cleaning, copper cleaning also, every 12-15 rounds. I've tried imr7828 and h4350 as well, 4831 is best so far. I'd like to make the Barnes work if possible, as I'm sold on its performance in the field.
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TSX/TTSX seem to like a good jump. I wouldn't try getting too close to the lands with that. You might want to consider actually seating a little deeper & see how she fares.
I would also consider dropping bullet weight for monos. 165s will perform far better on elk than the 180s. Speed is DEFINITELY king when it comes to mono performance, since you're not having to worry about shedding bullet weight.
 
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Played around with my seating depth this afternoon for my .223/77tmk combo. Shots 1 & 2 were LC brass. I didn't pick up on this until after I shot all the groups (I keep my fired brass in order) I'm not sure how they ended up in the batch, I thought I'd sorted it all to matching Norma headstamp. ES dropped to 12, with an SD of 5.7

I have no problem whatsoever with this grouping out of 8 shots. I'll get a definite zero & 30 round group & I think I'm calling it good.

I also finally got my new Swede scoped & shot. Did a very, very dirty load selection with 130 TGKs. I've done it this way several times & 9 times out of 10, it's dead on.
I pick a load right at max book (or proven max in another gun) load up 1 round & shoot to check pressure. I had a little ejector print/ swipe, so backed off a half grain. Loaded up the other 19 with a .040" jump to the lands (CBTL = 3.195, loaded 19 at 3.155) I used the first 9 to get zeroed & the last 10 for actual group size.

I sure ain't mad at it!
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Used my two small FARTs and SS pins to clean about 600 cases between .243, .270, .30-30, .35 Rem, .308, and .30-06.

A tablespoon of Dawn Ultra dishwashing liquid, a tablespoon of generic citric acid, and the FART filled with warm water and the SS pins will make brass look brand new. Just have to make sure brass is rinsed thoroughly in cold water to neutralize and stop the chemical reaction of the citric acid. Then into a 8-tray dehydrator to dry the cases.
 
nso123 said:
Sticky after you fire a round, or sticky in general?
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NSO - After I fired a round. I think it is due to the heat, but I'm not sure. I set the Partition .02 off the lands, and my headspace is bumped back .003. The spent rounds were a bit sticky even when I got home and tested them again. Any ideas?

Today I reloaded with the same headspace, but .06 off the lands. No stick. Again, any advice is welcome. This group few slower by 50 ft/sec and the 3 shots opened up from .7MOA to .99MOA @ 200 yards.

Bill
 
TNBillyEarl said:
NSO - After I fired a round. I think it is due to the heat, but I'm not sure. I set the Partition .02 off the lands, and my headspace is bumped back .003. The spent rounds were a bit sticky even when I got home and tested them again. Any ideas?

Today I reloaded with the same headspace, but .06 off the lands. No stick. Again, any advice is welcome. This group few slower by 50 ft/sec and the 3 shots opened up from .7MOA to .99MOA @ 200 yards.

Bill
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Might try backing off your powder charge .3 and set your bullet back to .020 off the lands.
 
TNBillyEarl said:
NSO - After I fired a round. I think it is due to the heat, but I'm not sure. I set the Partition .02 off the lands, and my headspace is bumped back .003. The spent rounds were a bit sticky even when I got home and tested them again. Any ideas?

Today I reloaded with the same headspace, but .06 off the lands. No stick. Again, any advice is welcome. This group few slower by 50 ft/sec and the 3 shots opened up from .7MOA to .99MOA @ 200 yards.

Bill
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Sounds like pressure. There are a couple of things that could be at play. If you were seating .02 off the lands you could have had one that was a little long and it jammed in when you closed the bolt. That can cause pressure to go up. Another thing could be the powder being temperature sensitive. When it's hot some powder will generate higher pressure. Like Jcalder said, you can prob drop your charge a little bit and go back closer to the lands to see if the accuracy comes back. What is the round and load you are shooting?
 

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