I Added A Mandrel Die! - First Sizing My Alpha Brass - Good Results?

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This week I got to size and test my new Alpha brass. I was curious to find out if the two lot numbers I have would give different results. Each 10 shot group was within 5 fps on my average speed, so I think they are close enough to not worry about mixing the lots! That is great for me. I will do some more testing as I go, but I think for Alpha it is not going to be a concern! Very good news.
I got the Cortina mandrel die. This is my first time to use a mandrel. It does seem to give more consistent numbers. I think my tension may be a little tighter than the new brass, because using the same powder charge I got about 15-20 fps faster speeds. I am assuming that is a tighter grip on the projectile so it built a little more pressure. I may test another few at a tenth less powder. I want to have my speeds right under 3000 and I am currently right at 3000. Trying to not burn my barrel if I can help it!
The new Alpha case lube is great. It is a little thicker than I was expecting and I got too much on my first few. I think that bumped my shoulders a little more than I wanted, but it all worked just fine. This is a very good product. The easiest sizing I have done so far in my reloading journey. The press moved so smoothly with very little effort! I just need to find the sweet spot of just enough lube to do the job and not over that amount to build up in the die and press my shoulder a little. More testing to come, but I think instead of spraying it, I will just put a little on my fingers and apply by hand.
It is harder to get off with my rice cleaning process. I had rice stuck inside the cases. I ended up washing them with water and that did the job.
This is probably better used with a wet tumbler to clean after sizing! Something to be aware of!
I think this first test went well. My numbers are pretty good. I just need to drop a little on my speed and I should be where I want to be for this season! Let me know what you think!!
Thank you for watching me go through this process and share what I am doing with you. I hope you have a great rest of your day and an awesome weekend!!
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Опубликовано:

19 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 38

@ChadKelly7 21 день назад

Well, I took some advice from you viewers and added a mandrel die to my process finally!! I went with the Cortina die. I set it up and try it for the first time here. Also testing 2 lot numbers of Alpha brass to see if there is any difference on target. Hoping to just combine them into a large 200 case batch for future loadings, and I think based on these first 10 of each, I should be able to. Will test a few more to verify, but looks like they are consistent enough that I will be able to do just that! Let me know what you think and if you see anything I need to improve on. I truly appreciate all the tips you share with me! It has helped me a lot as I get into this precision game!! Thank you for watching and I'll see you on the next one!!

@cw2a 20 дней назад

NOW YA ARE COOKIN'!! Mornin young feller! 🙏🙏

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@cw2a good morning!!! I am getting there. Found out this Alpha lube is really potent. Not much needed. Gotta use much less on the work I do this weekend. I will get it figured out for just the right amount. I was amazed how easy running the press was! Very impressive!! Have a great day and see you on stream this evening!! Enjoy your weekend!!!

@michaeldunn150 20 дней назад

I think you are on the right track with your brass prep...... I would try the baggie trick with that lube.... I make my own lube with Lanolin and Heet and I need to tumble them after too. But only for 1/2- 1 hr. Keep it up Bud!

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@michaeldunn150 Dude, I passed out last night 😂 woke up at 5 in the morning and realized I was still dressed!! I think this is going well. I like testing small variations and seeing what makes a difference and what doesn't. Looks like several things I used to be worried about are actually not that important. I figure they have some Lanolin in this, maybe that is what is harder to get off with dry tumbling. My rice was stuck inside the cases. Had to pick it out then rinse in my sink. I figure it is finally time to use the Frankford wet tumbler I got in 2021 and have never used. 😂🤣 Good to know it won't take long! I am thinking to apply I may just put a little on my finger and apply lightly, I really don't want to use as much as the first few here. That was way too much. It doesn't need much of this at all!! I will see how I tweak things this weekend when I get more time! Have a good day and an awesome weekend, Michael!!

@viejo2a 21 день назад

Wow. Lots of great info here, Chad. It looks like that mandrel die and the alpha case lube are fine additions to your system. 🤛🏻🔫🇺🇸

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@viejo2a thank you, Walter! The lube is very good. Super easy to run the press. I just overdid it a bit on the first few. Easily corrected for future work. I will be doing more the next few evenings and on my weekend. Few more ideas to test, but I think I am very close to being settled on my load for this season. Down to the last few weekends before match time! Thank you for coming by! I will be seeing you tomorrow night on the GSC! Have a great weekend, sir!!

@DocJustinT 20 дней назад

Dang, that's some Gucci lube. 😁 I'm not surprised that it's super slick after looking up the ingredients... it's basically kerosene and surfactants (a.k.a. soap). That die intrigues me because it has the small-base resizing built into a mandrel... weird. Whatever you're doing, those groups prove that you're right on the money.

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@DocJustinT Man, you figure out all the secrets!! I checked the paperwork on their website and all the ingredients are listed as proprietary!! But, I believe your assessment. It does have a more "fuel fume" type of smell. Slight and not overwhelming, but it is like being near a can of VP race fuel. You can smell the potency coming thru the seams!! I sell a lot of VP, so I smell that every day 😂 Whatever it is, I am very impressed with how well it worked! I totally gotta ease up. Too much flew out the first pump that produced liquid, and I could wipe the excess off the first 10 and apply to the last 10 and still ran smooth. I think next batch this weekend I will just wet my fingers a little and apply as little as I can. I need to not let as much get on the neck. Pretty sure that is what pushed my shoulders on the first 10, it was closer to no change on the 2nd 10. Also, another reason to try the Area419 die when it releases. Relief hole built in, plus it will mandrel in the same stroke. Removes the chance of any changes by slightly sizing again with the Cortina. But, I checked the shoulder bump before and after, no change. I think if you full length size, it should not cause any additional sizing. Will know more as I get thru the rest of these and check numbers as I go. I tend to agree though, the slight variances I noticed and made note of seem to have zero effect on SDs and group size! So, I am gonna try 38.8 and see what that gives me. Really want to be mostly under 3,000. I think this 39.9 jumped from 2980s to 3000s cause it had 1 thousandt tighter neck tension. Pretty sure the new brass let my tension gauge go all the way to the 4th ring, after mandrel I am at the 3rd for .241. That likely made a little more pressure and pushed my rounds out just a little faster. Trying to get that balance of performance and not eating my barrel too quickly. Although, most of the summer I was screaming in the 3020s!! I am pretty confident a barrel change will be in my future sooner than I want to learn that job 😂🤣 Well, time to get back to the day job. Have a great weekend, Justin! Always appreciate the info you share with me. Keeps on a good path getting better at this. At least, I hope I am getting better! Talk to you soon, I'm sure!!

@DocJustinT 20 дней назад

@ChadKelly7 , if you go back to the SDS that you found for this lube, scroll down to the bottom of page 10, the ingredients are listed there. Oftentimes, those "proprietary" ingredients get listed in the right-to-know section, at least if they are nasty. Sometimes that trick doesn't work, like if it is listed as proprietary but it is non-hazardous (like food grade silicone oil, as an example).

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@DocJustinT Ahh!! I stopped at the 3rd or 4th page when I saw proprietary. Didn't even go past that. Makes sense. I thought it was weird to have that. I was like, "how would they know how to treat a spill if no ingredients listed?" Now I know! Awesome info!! This was the first time I saw proprietary on an SDS, though, so it threw me off.

@DocJustinT 20 дней назад

@ChadKelly7 , I run into this all the time at work and it ticks me off. LOL! The ones that really twist my knickers are the ones that are proprietary but non-hazardous because they get away with not having to list the ingredients.

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@@DocJustinT Probably lazy people whose job it is to fill out the paperwork. The world is full of lazys these days 🤣

@Break.theteeth.ofthe.wicked369 15 дней назад

Getting my new stoeger on the tenth I hope, and a new long board on the 13th, let's go man, just waiting for them videos next lol, I'd Def love to see how the strike industries clamp looks or if I wanna get a more slick and normal looking one instead of the more modern looking one from strike, or them 3 inch shell tests, I'll be checking man, Def gonna sub tho fs

@ChadKelly7 15 дней назад

@Break.theteeth.ofthe.wicked369 good deal, man. I did find a few 3 inch shells the other day. I have had to spend my range time getting my PRS load tested. I think I may have got it close to final this last weekend. I should have time this weekend to get out with the M3K and find out how bad those 3 inchers will hammer my shoulder 😂 I still need to find that Strike clamp you are talking about. I will try and get some time the next few days, see what I can come up with!

@ChadKelly7 15 дней назад

@Break.theteeth.ofthe.wicked369 wanted to get you some info. I found the shotgun clamp on the Strike website. Show the mag tube size to be 1 inch/25.4 mm. A little larger than the M3K tube. Mine measures .96 inch/24.5mm The barrel side shows .83 inch/21mm. My barrel measures .846/21.5mm I think it would likely fit. Maybe not perfectly flush on both sides. May need to use some rubber shims for the mag side to take up the little bit of space. I think barrel side is probably close enough. But, not exact fit it looks like. Hopefully those numbers help! Now that I pulled my shotgun out, I will put it with my other gear I plan to use this weekend so I remember to take it to the range and run those 3s!

@Break.theteeth.ofthe.wicked369 14 дней назад

@@ChadKelly7 well I'm looking forward to getting a look at that cycling and bruising lol, put remember, don't hold it too tight to your shoulder yes put it against it but let it do its thing with recoil because theres a guy who did that and it worked with the birdshot, but pressed it hard against his shoulder and it didn't cycle as good as just giving it a little looseness, please look for some sort of barrel clamp for me that has a pic rail I can find any other than some which idk. Just please help me, I want a really well fitted clamp so mine don't have that tiny bit of play with the tube and barrel, and possibly a laser mount so I don't have to rely on sight and my iron sights to aim, like I said, I'm using it for combat more or less, why not when you compete and try and hit targets as fast with it, like how my friends canik is a precision and competition pistol but it's still a great home defence option

@Break.theteeth.ofthe.wicked369 14 дней назад

@@ChadKelly7 I tell yuh, the 9th worst state for guns isn't cool on doing my back ground check faster, I tried to get it on the 23rd and still have me waiting the ATF is, not enough of the AT and way more of the F, unlike what kamala harris says, hope your doing good on your reloading tho man, my friends for sure tryna get into it because of the scarcity of ammo

@ChadKelly7 14 дней назад

@Break.theteeth.ofthe.wicked369 That sucks. We are lucky here in Oklahoma. Pretty free to do what I want. Lots of cool things about loading your own. My main focus is accuracy and consistency. Also good to know the skill and have a stockpile of supplies just in case things get wild out in the world. I could make several thousand 9mm and .223 rounds with what I have on hand. Keeping it stored away for when it's really needed.

@Charles_ONeal 21 день назад

I will have to try that lube. I keep getting stuck cases in 6.5 Creedmoor. Three different brands. Where do you order it from? Have a great day my fellow Okie!

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@Charles_ONeal Good evening, Charles! This came from Alpha's website directly. I used a little much. The few spritzes I got on the first 10 I wiped off with my fingers and applied to the next 10 and they were all smooth running also. It is their proprietary formula. I can say it is the sickest I have felt so far. A little goes a long ways! And it is water soluble. My rice cleaning didn't work so well, had to rinse them out. But, if you use a wet tumbler it would clean up in no time. I guess it is finally time to put mine to use. Got one in 2021 with my first press and still have not used it a single time 😂 Now I probably will to clean the lube off a large batch. Thank you for watching again. I am hoping these last few days were the last of our crazy hot ones for the year! Excited for the cooler days. I like seeing a few Oklahoma guys here. Good stuff!! Have yourself a good evening and a great weekend, sir!!!

@mln19631 20 дней назад

What lube are you using and how are you applying it? I've loaded tens of thousands of rounds and never stuck a case. My guess is you are not sufficiently lubing your cases.

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@mln19631 I have noticed, in my limited experience, some lube doesn't like some cases. The OneShot spray worked great on my .223 when I started. But, the first attempt with the 6CM was very hard. Changed to the Unique and it was way better. This Alpha stuff is even easier to run the handle. Might be a combo of lube type and brass/cartridge not liking each other.

@mln19631 20 дней назад

Did you measure the base of the case at the .200" line before and after using the mandrel die? Actually I would take three measurements.After firing, after full length sizing and after small base (mandrel) sizing. I could see it took some effort to size the base. You may have slightly different internal case capacity with the new step added and that could be your slight speed difference. That said the difference is so small it could also be a more fouled barrel. Run whatever works best. Even a 50 fps slower charge isn't going to amount to a hill of beans in barrel life. JMHO

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@mln19631 No, I didn't think to take other measurements!! They all fit in the gauge easily, so I just ran with it. I can try this next batch. See if any noticeable changes.the base should have been sized from the sizing die, so I don't think it's doing much there. I tried to use very little lube on mandrel step after seeing how easy the sizing was. But, I think I used too much on the first few. But, even with the small variations my SD numbers looked fairly decent. And group size appears workable. My first time shooting with contacts in. I just got them like 5 hours before shooting my groups and it was after sundown, so not even my best groups 🤣 And they are still plenty good for our matches, I think. Will find out soon!! Dang it, dude!! I was hoping staying under 3000 would be a little better on the barrel. I am remembering from my first grouping when working the Lapua brass up the 2995-2995 range was my best. I think my barrel likes to be just under 3000, so if I can get there I will be happy. I think my increase is from neck tension. I checked a few of the last 10 new cases I have not loaded yet, and my gauge went to the largest. So .001 larger. I think that bumped my speed a little having a tighter grip on the bullet. Will test a few and make sure before final decision tho!!

@mln19631 20 дней назад

@@ChadKelly7 You are correct, the neck tension could also play a factor. I forgot to mention it. It also has a very very small effect. But the two of them together could be what you are seeing. Your numbers are easily within the usable range. Drop .2-.3 grains, stop testing, start tuning with EC tuner and run it. You know you will have to do this again with a new barrel anyway. Well, your will be very close with a new barrel, it will just might take a tweak.

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@mln19631 I was thinking drop .1, but I will do maybe 5 at .1 and 5 at .2, see where that gets me. Want to be close to my ideal goal. I figure I have learned enough from 10 round groups, I can try 5 for this fine tuning. Let me know if that is correct thinking or stick with 10s? I want to get some I am nervous about the barrel. Do I also need to get Go and No Go gauges? Or just torque to spec with the wrench I have and run it? Impact said it would be easy and I could do myself. No real smithing required.

@mln19631 20 дней назад

@@ChadKelly7 A WAG (Wild @$$ Guess) is about 5-10 FPS per 1/10 grain of powder. Five rounds should be okay since you are looking for speed. Just make sure they are 5 perfect shots, accept nothing but perfect. Pick the one you like best. If you are getting a prefit from a reputable company ( I know you will) you don't need the Go/No Go gauges. But I happen to know a guy, me, that has some for Creedmoor gauges so you are covered. If you have the acton wrench, I have everything else and can bring it by. Even explaining the steps it shouldn't take but 15 minutes. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

@ChadKelly7 20 дней назад

@mln19631 Sweet. Got my weekend plan in mind. 10 test rounds, then pick and fine tune. I will try and get out before dark, so I don't have to shine a flashlight on the target to see 🤣 I will get another barrel from Impact. Bartlein barrel with the chamber work in-house by Stuteville. Same as what I have now. I don't really think it could get much better than what I have. Best not to change it! Pretty much what Tate at Impact told me. He said it just threads off and on with the new. Should be good from there. I worry I will have back luck and not get as good as I have now, but I figure they know what they are doing and won't send out bad work. Local also, so that us a bonus. I could drive over and get it faster than wait for UPS 😂 except, I don't have the time to waste a day driving. I will be looking for Labor Day deals this weekend. If they have any specials, I will order now. If not, in the next few weeks just so I am ready when the time comes. Already got my Labor Day weekend shopping list mostly written out.