Dies, OAL and technical stuff

[CBH Australia]

Ive, been loading maybe 25 years, slowly trying to accumulate a few better things. I have one cartridge that I think I have seated to for out simply by using the manual listed way of screwing the die down, back a 1/4 turn, test it fits etc. I think I have one lot of .243 with the projectile a little out and it’s sitting on the lands and I will take a measurement.
I’ve been reading on die types from the simple Lee collet neck sizer dies to the various competition dies with bushings and micrometers. It seems the micrometer is redundant once set unless intending to adjust or vary depth regularly or set different projectiles in that die using a pre determined measure.

I don’t think hunters need hair splitting accuracy or clover leafs and I am not chasing perfection but I would be happy to brag if I was getting 1/2 Moa from a hunting load. 3/4 to an inch is probably sufficient bigger than that I would wonder if I can improve.

What methods do people use? Coal gauges, dies, measures?
How far do you go if you have a rifle that may be used at 300 or you just want an accurate rifle?

 

[Shootist43]

CBH, I'm with you. I don't believe Micrometer Dies are necessary for the hunting accuracy we strive for. Our set up time may be a few minutes longer but so what?

 

[JLF]

Nunca consideres que un rifle de caza debe tener la precisión de un rifle de francotirador. Mi rifle tiene el primer cero a 25 metros y el segundo a 125 metros, me alcanza y tiene más que suficiente para cazar ...
If at 100 meters it groups in 8 cm, for hunting it is good.

 

[JLF]

To improve precision I play with the OAL. I also perform partial total recalibration. Take out the pin to remove the primer and I remove the primer by blow, the reason is so that the neck expander of the die in conjunction with the pin to remove the primer does not produce a deconcentricity in the neck of the sheath. I make these reloads for shooting practice.
They are not very sophisticated methods but the results are good for what I do. For hunting it reaches me and it exceeds.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ive, been loading maybe 25 years, slowly trying to accumulate a few better things. I have one cartridge that I think I have seated to for out simply by using the manual listed way of screwing the die down, back a 1/4 turn, test it fits etc. I think I have one lot of .243 with the projectile a little out and it’s sitting on the lands and I will take a measurement.
I’ve been reading on die types from the simple Lee collet neck sizer dies to the various competition dies with bushings and micrometers. It seems the micrometer is redundant once set unless intending to adjust or vary depth regularly or set different projectiles in that die using a pre determined measure.

I don’t think hunters need hair splitting accuracy or clover leafs and I am not chasing perfection but I would be happy to brag if I was getting 1/2 Moa from a hunting load. 3/4 to an inch is probably sufficient bigger than that I would wonder if I can improve.

What methods do people use? Coal gauges, dies, measures?
How far do you go if you have a rifle that may be used at 300 or you just want an accurate rifle?

@CBH Australia
Chris I use a Lee press and dies and produce good ammo.
I mainly full length size and to determine COAL I just seat a projectile in the case and chamber it. This pushes the projectile into the case and leaves land marks on the bullet. Measure the marks and subtract another 30 to 50 thou depending on the distance you want from the lands.
e.g. COAL llenght with marks 3 inch
Land marks 0.10 long
You want the bullet 50 thou off the lands the
3- 0.10= 2.9
2.9- 0.050= 2.85 coal.
Quick and simple.
I use a collet die for my 303 and sometimes for the 308.
With the 303 depending on the projectile the collet die m at not be small enough so I run the neck into a 308 die and job done.
Bob

 

[JLF]

To measure the OAL, make this tool which is a copy of the Hornady

 

[PARA45]

I start with book OAL, and work from there. Once I have a load my rifle likes, then I'll tweak and play with the OAL (in/out). I shoot a lot of Weatherby calibers, and they are notorious for their free bore, so being close to the lands is not an option with Weatherbys. If it fits in the magazine and it is within book specs I'm good.