Time to start reloading!

Hornady did a load of podcasts talking about various topics. During these tests they have put thousands of rounds down range especially during the group sizing tests.

Ep 37 - Let’s Talk Reloading.



Ep 121 - Load Development.



Ep 76 - Let’s Talk Powders.



Ep 82 - Let’s Talk Load Data



Ep 50 - Your Groups Are to Small - Sample sizers.



Ep 52 - Your Groups Are to Small - Sample sizers. Follow up.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6yZyXwy40JM&list=PLUB6LWvgMNyXUSJsoDx4weThjbtzrQby0&index=92&pp=iAQB

Ep 57 - One Hole Groups - Dispersion.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3_fPCtaAKcs&list=PLUB6LWvgMNyXUSJsoDx4weThjbtzrQby0&index=87&pp=iAQB

Ep 28 - Internal Ballistics.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PRBa3iSH2VE&list=PLUB6LWvgMNyXUSJsoDx4weThjbtzrQby0&index=116&pp=iAQB

Ep 29 - External Ballistics pt 1.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjs3D8ML-yE&list=PLUB6LWvgMNyXUSJsoDx4weThjbtzrQby0&index=115&pp=iAQB

Ep 31 - External Ballistics pt 2.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9n0u9...JsoDx4weThjbtzrQby0&index=113&t=2404s&pp=iAQB

Ep 34 - Bullet Drag and Ballistic Coefficient pt 1.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6Xmu...JsoDx4weThjbtzrQby0&index=110&t=2856s&pp=iAQB

Ep 34 - Bullet Drag and Ballistic Coefficient pt 2.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LtSNF...XUSJsoDx4weThjbtzrQby0&index=100&t=8s&pp=iAQB
 
Gorgon said:
The time has come for me to finally begin reloading! Over the last couple months I've obtained all the ingredients I need. I currently have 50 primed cases (new Winchester brass I have full length sized, if that matters) waiting to be finished but I've read many things about bullet seating depth that have left me wondering where to start. Would it be sensible to start in the middle of the COAL dimensions and work things out from there? I've read about figuring out where the bullet touches the lands and seating the bullet a bit further back for the best accuracy but I do understand this isn't a "one size fits all" type thing and will require some testing to determine how much "a bit" is. Am I overthinking this? Where did you all begin when it came to figuring out a datum to work from?

I'm reloading for a .243 using Viht N160. The bullets I have to try are Hornady SST 95gr, Hornady Interlock 100gr and Sierra Pro Hunter 100gr. With this being my first centrefire I've not used a very wide range of bullets in factory load form so any recommendations will be most welcome. The rifle is a Parker Hale 1200 and will be used mostly for roe/fallow and possibly the odd fox.
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Keep it simple. Look up the bullet in the load data & use that COAL as it will fit your mag. They also mention the twist rate suited for each so handy to know yours
 
Gorgon said:
I have one of these but not the tool and modified case to find out where the bullet touches the lands which is seems is unnecessary anyway? Will the ogive distance be different for bullets with a different taper? Or is it a constant across all bullet designs? The SST factory loads were good so trying to copy them seem like a good place to start so I'll measure one tomorrow and set the die to suit. I could have some loaded and ready for testing this weekend!
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I've loaded for 243 and 243 Ackley. With both,3.190 at the ogive, worked with bullet weights from 55 grain to 95 grain,with sub .250 moa groups. It didn't work for all bullet weights,but it did for 70%. When i Started reloading,i didn't have anyone i knew who reloaded,and made quite a few mistakes,some of them potentially dangerous. If you want any help,you can PM me,and I'll happily give you my mobile number. There's an old saying "pennies make pounds" and that applies to reloading. Each thing you do doesn't amount to much,but added together they get you small groups.
 
I've read through all the replies and there is plenty of advice/videos/things to try out which will no doubt keep me busy for the next couple evenings! The manual has arrived so I'm going to read through that before I do anything drastic like put some powder in a case! I also don't believe my Lidl vernier will be up to scrutiny so I'll get something else. Thanks for all the replies and information. Once I get to testing I'll post the results. One hole groups at a hundred yards here I come! Well, maybe. We'll see.
 
Bowland blades said:
the best way was and still is to do this with the pin spring removed . Any pressure on closing being too long this can be easy to spot with some layout blue leaving a signature , i with your dummy round ( brand new sized case ) . I factory hunting rifles with regular bullets and a modern factory gun jump length actually makes very little difference in my experience though , if its some place near (for practical proof of this try and set a 58 grain 243 to touch the rifling in a 243 ( you will spill all the powder out before you get anyplace even near touching ). Touching or close to touching the rifling is in my experience a bad idea in a stalking rifle used in bad weather and dirty conditions ( we are not bench rest shooters shooting for score ) indeed these guys simply avoid shooting in dirty conditions / wet weather
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I think you might be confused. It's the ejector that is supposed to be removed, since it will push a case forward and can give a false reading of a case having the shoulder bumped back too far.

The firing pin bears no pressure against the case unless the bolt is uncocked (which is a bad idea).
 
MarinePMI said:
I think you might be confused. It's the ejector that is supposed to be removed, since it will push a case forward and can give a false reading of a case having the shoulder bumped back too far.

The firing pin bears no pressure against the case unless the bolt is uncocked (which is a bad idea).
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No but i should have not mentioned pin springs as some guns work differently . . An empty case that's too tight can be detected as you close the bolt , it should be easy to detect but the spring must be out or you wont be able to detect it closing the bolt . only a idiot would do this with a live Case ! All so we can find the right amount to bump the shoulder back
 
Bowland blades said:
No but i should have not mentioned pin springs as some guns work differently . . An empty case that's too tight can be detected as you close the bolt , it should be easy to detect but the spring must be out or you wont be able to detect it closing the bolt . only a idiot would do this with a live Case ! All so we can find the right amount to bump the shoulder back
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Ah, yeah, I think we're saying the same thing, but of different mechanisms.
 
So, today I have loaded five rounds. The Viht website/app don't list the SST so I had a look at the shape of some of the 95gr bullets they do list and went with the info for the Berger classic hunter. I've gone in the middle so 38 grains of N160 and using the red caliper clamp thing I've got a length to the ogive of 2.165" which was the same is the factory loads.



What I have learned from this is that placing the scales under the powder dropper and dispensing powder results in powder going in to the dish, out of the dish and then all over the place! After a clean up I found putting the little dish thing from the scales right underneath the outlet on the powder dropper and opening it slowly creates no mess. I set it to drop 37 grains and I topped up the final grain with a trickler which worked surprisingly quickly.



The recipe is written down in a book and I'll put up the results as soon as I can test, which will probably be in a couple weeks because of work courses taking up my time! Updates to follow.
 
Gorgon said:
What I have learned from this is that placing the scales under the powder dropper and dispensing powder results in powder going in to the dish, out of the dish and then all over the place! After a clean up I found putting the little dish thing from the scales right underneath the outlet on the powder dropper and opening it slowly creates no mess. I set it to drop 37 grains and I topped up the final grain with a trickler which worked surprisingly quickly.
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Been there, done that and fired it all over the kitchen floor! You aren't the first and certainly won't be the last to do it 😂👍

Trickling the last 0.5gr or so is how I do it too and as you say adds very little time either.
 
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