First ever reloads

snowstorm

Well-Known Member
Well, I finally pulled together all the material from the DVD's, videos, books, web sites, posts, advice etc and put together my first set of homeloaded 243 rounds last night.

Hornady 87gr jacketed softpoint with VV N140 loads of 34.3 gr, 35.3 gr, 36.3 gr and 37.3 gr, I stayed away from the max load of 38.3 gr.

Nine rounds of the minimum load because I'll be zeroing at the same time, and 4 of the others.

The only two issues were:

1. The bullets had been loose in their box, and the lead from the tips had made the copper quite dirty. Not knowing what else to do I cleaned them with some weak copper polish, then wiped them with a damp cloth and dried them to make sure there was no residue left.

2. When seating the bullets they didn't always stay balanced upright in the neck as I raised the ram, and the die straightened them up, sometimes there was a fine sliver/hair of copper reamed off the jacket by the neck as it did so (I did deburr them). Ut was so fine it disintegrated in my fingers when I wiped it off. I'm not going to worry about it.

Pretty, but wicked looking things.

We'll see how I get on with them when I get the chance.

Just recording the fact for posterity!
 
Having read your note to posterity, I can only wish you luck with your rounds. When you are seating a head try just holding on to it until the ogive starts to disappear into the seating die, that way you do not have to rely on it balancing there. What I also do is when it is half seated I revolve the case by ninety degrees, it may help to keep it a bit truer in the case, help correct any run out.

John
 
All sounds about right, you will shoot some amazing groups. Dont worry about shaving the bullet too much, never caused me a problem. ATB
 
Back
Top