Rookie eloading questions

[chris_32212]

I still do not own a .204 but very recently bought all my reloading equipment for .223 and I have loaded a 120 rounds now. A good portion of my brass is from bulk ammo and the rest from factory stuff that I shot and saved. About 25 percent of the cases I check are shorter the trim to length that my Speer reloading manual says is 1.750". Some are only a few thousandths short and others are close to a hundredth or more shorter than the that trim length. For now, I have segregated those cases that are too short but I am curious what people would recommend I do with them. Can they still be loaded? I would imagine they wouldn't be as accurate since the bullet wont be seated as deeply into the case. Also about 5 percent of the cases I have checked have a flash hole that is noticeably off center or irregularly shaped. I have segregated those cases as well because an off center flash hole definitely seems like it would affect accuracy. Any thoughts on that? Am I correct in those assumptions?

Also, accuracy is my ultimate goal with reloading. I have about 60 rounds that are 2-3 hundredths off the riffling and are too long to fit in the magazine. I am using conservative loads with H335 and Nosler BT 40 and 50 grain bullets. The riffle is a Bushmaster AR-15 with a 20" heavy barrel at 1 in 9 twist. I have not shot any of my own ammo yet.

Chris

[Joe O]

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/sid=6 ... AGE_20_CAL

Get one of the above chamber length gauges for each caliber you load for.Under $7 ea.You will know the exact length of the chaMber,and how much to trim off the case.You are right to sort out the cases with offset flash holes(at least for accuracy testing).Your COAL will be limited to the magazine length,unless you single load.When ordering a new barrel,I like to send in dummy rounds with the bullet I intend to use seated at the COAL,and order a chamber that will have it's length no more than .010 longer than the trimed brass I send,with the Ogive just touching the lands.VARIES SLIGHTLY DEPENDING ON CALIBER.

[Vartarg]

Pitch that rag tag collection of brass into the trash bin, and buy a couple hundred Winchester cases......and go from there.....best investment you'll make!

[futuretrades]

I am using conservative loads with H335 and Nosler BT 40 and 50 grain bullets. The riffle is a Bushmaster AR-15 with a 20" heavy barrel at 1 in 9 twist.

IMHO, With a 1-9 twist barrel, I don't think those lighter bullets will shoot real accurately. I am loading H335 powder in a bolt gun, 223 w/1-12 twist, and 40gr vmax bullets. Shoots the 40's real good, but it does not like the 50's near as good. I do believe you will need to go to a heavier bullet.

Also, like Vartarg stated, buy new brass. Personally, I don't care for most WW brass. My personal choice is always RP brass. But If you are into accuracy the choices may be different, such as Lapua or Nosler brass. But I would keep the brass that you have now for just plinking or even hunting. that way you won't be concerned with loosing that brass. Just keep it separate from your best brass.

Just my opinion, and is only worth what you paid for it.

[chris_32212]

I already have a hornaday lock and load OAL gauge and that is what I used in order to make those longer rounds that I will have to single feed.

I had the same opinion that 40 grn would be a bit light until I put it on paper. Up until this point, I have only done three shot groups because I am money conscious which means I am ammo conscious but my second best group was with a Fiocchi 40grn VMAX at .480 MOA.

I was trying to avoid having to buy new brass because that is one more thing that I didn't want to pay for. I am into my reloading equipment a grand already... I know that is what I should do.

[bow shot]

Chris, it all depends on how much accuracy you desire, and what your weapon is capable (of).

My son's Bushy .223 does 1/2" @ 100y with PMC ammo, and he's delighted with that.

But if your goal is to work up an accuracy load without spending huge amounts of $$ on brass, then...

1) Stick with one make brass, and weigh sort it. This will (idealy) ensure that capacity is consistant case-to-case. That's a big thing IMHO. Varying weight (ie volume) case to case is like varying powder charge case to case. the smaller the case, the more the significance (ie., .17 fireball versus 50 BMG).
2) keep the trim length consistent. A tad short is ok as long as EVERYTHING is short.

Learn the easy way what most of us learned the hard way: consisentcy is huge. If you allow variations in your materials or methods, it may not hurt your accuracy, but ... if accuracy doesnt come, you will go insane having to go backward, and eliminate variables one by one until you find the one that hurt you. That WILL equate to large amounts of precious time and money.
I'm your poster boy on that deal, just check out some of my looooong threads. LOL!!.

[bow shot]

...and devour as much wisdom as you can get from the posts on this site. Do a lot of seraching here.

I use many,many forums, but the brethren here are the best

[chris_32212]

I am not familiar with PCM ammo. I do know that Fiocchi 40 and 50 grn VMAX shoots really well through my riffle which tells me the brass used has to be pretty good. Instead of spending $27 for 50 brass cases from Hornaday or lake city, Think I will go buy several hundred rounds of that Fiochi VMAX ammo for $18 per 50 rounds from midway. Then I have something I can shoot and save the brass from and it should be pretty decent stuff.

[Jim White]

For brass, if possible buy from a single manufacturer all from the the same LOT because even among LOTS, tolerences vary, especially neck thickness.

HTH

[chris_32212]

That is a very good point. I think I will do that. Thank you!

[GaryC]

I've just started reloading myself. I have a RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Kit, and I bought the RCBS Competition die set and the Precision Mic set. I'm noticing the my fired brass is approximately 0.002" shorter than the brass length, but I'm still reloading to COAL length. I'm still working up loads, but I had a three shot 0.41" group at 200 yards this evening. That was with Hornady V-Max 32 grain bullet, Winchester brass, and about 28 grains of Varget.

I'd had a long day, and I was tired, but I have seen a four shot 0.188 group at 100 yards with HSM 32 grain in Winchester brass. This is the HSM remanufactured stuff. Same cases I'm using my reloads.

Gary