Precision Rifle Load Development/ Part III: Powder, Primers, & Initial Charge Weight 

I love how he talks to us, I feel like im sitting right next to him learning this priceless info. Ive been reloading all my life and since subbing I have learn a lot more. Thanks for what you do Sam, dont ever stop.

Sam's videos are by far the best on RU-vid! I've been glued to these for about a month. Thanks for all your help and willingness to share your knowledge.

I’m “fixing to start” hand loading. You’re my mentor.

This series is by far the most helpfull for an absolute beginner like me. Thanks!

How can someone watch this video and not subscribe? I've watched this series multiple times

I like how you opened with KEEPING GOOD NOTES! I tell people working in my field and when I was roadracing motorcycles that the most important tool they have in their toolbox is their notebook. Really appreciate this series as I wait to receive my 6.5 PRC chambered rifle.

This is an excellent series. I hand loaded for a fairly long time but stopped for about 10 years due to life. This guy covers every detail I remember, and I’m learning new things as well as reminding me of lots of details to help me as I get back into it. I consider the bullet manufacturer my #1 data source when starting load development for a new cartridge. If I want to buy their load manual or they have free data online, fantastic. Otherwise I call their tech support. I’ve always found very helpful techs who guide me on bullet choice for a given application, powder choices, etc. It’s hard to find the optimal velocity range for a given hunting bullet, but the guys at Barnes will tell you exactly what the minimum velocity for expansion is. That doesn’t matter if your targets always are steel or paper. It matters a LOT if you are hunting. I use a handheld priming tool for pistol cartridges. However, I got a Forster Co-Ax bench priming tool similar to that RCBS unit years ago when I started loading for an M1A with a floating firing pin. In any rifle with a floating firing pin, it’s very important to seat the primer a little bit *below* flush (.003” is my goal). The bench mounted priming tool gives me more leverage to ensure that happens. Like this gentleman, I check primer depth with a fingertip on every single case. Setting the jaws right to position the case in the tool can be fiddly with the Forster. Filling the tubes with primers is a PITA, but there are 2 advantages with the Forster tool over the RCBS. First, the case mouth is pointing sideways, not up toward your face. I’ve never lit off a primer at the bench, but I prefer not to have the case mouth pointed at me. Second, the primers load sideways in the feed tube, not stacked on top of each other. Maybe I’m worried about something that will never happen, but I have heard about cases where a tube of primers stacked one on top of the other lit off a whole tube full. My Hornady LNL progressive press came with a protective steel tube to place around the tube full of primers. Hornady wouldn’t do that if the risk was zero.

I'm an old geezer (62) and I bought a 260 after watching his videos. I learned all my reloading by watching him and reading the berger reloading manual but mostly watching him.

You are the man thanks for the help, I’ve been reloading for 34 years with great luck, you have helped me get back in the loading shed with excitement.

I have learned move from two of your videos that I have in 3 years of trying to figure out reloading. Thank you sir! Great videos!

Thanks for sharing all your knowledge with us. Please keep the vids coming.

Sam, you're the man. Thank you so much for taking the time to make these excellent, informative videos.

This is an excellent series, really enjoyed watching so far. Keep em coming...subscribed.

Thanks for sharing this information so freely. I've reloaded some and am only now breaking into precision reloading, and you've been a great help. I look forward to your next video.

I have to absolutely agree with Nick, your explanation of the steps is the clearest and easiest to follow of any I’ve seen. Thank you!

You are a great instructor my friend! I have been reloading four bottleneck cartridges for many years and your finer points are what some of us forget. Thanks for what you do!

Great vid Sam, you come across very well, great information, from a 🇬🇧 fan.

Sam, Great video. The older I get the more cautious I try to be with my reloading, so after seating the primer, I keep the mouth of the case down in the block until I take it out and turn it over for filling with powder. That way I know if its upright, it has powder, but I always do a visual anyway. Fifty great (safe) years of reloading this summer and still enjoy learning new techniques and increasing my distance at the range. Appreciate what you do!

Is there anyway you could make me a DVD of your reloading videos? I worry one day Y.T. may take them down. I go back on a regular basis and rewatch them over and over again. You do a great job of getting to the point and still making them informative. I'd be willing to pay and maybe other people would like them too. Thanks

I reload all the time and never tire of watching other peoples methods. Totally agree with you view on electronic dispenses - I have the Lite and it speeds everything up.....

Really learning a lot from your video's I have been reloading for a few decades now but just getting serious about accuracy. I can say in all honesty I have never thrown a double charge, or loaded a empty case. From very early on I had got in the habit of having the cases Primer up in the blocks until the case is charged. Believe this is a great method in preventing a disaster. Looking forward to more video's. Thank you.

thanks Sam, learned a lot in these last two video

These videos are great info. Thanks for your time in doing these videos

best reloading videos yet!!! thx!!!

Thank you for teaching us, I have really learned a lot from you.

Loving all you do sir !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just seen 4 8lber's of H4350 at Scheels all sports here in Eau Claire Wi. at 230.00 bucks.

Hey Sam like the the way you cut the bs out and tell it like you believe keep up the good work

I have been using the Lee volume powder measure since I started shooting rifle many years ago. But after watching your video I decided to purchase the charge Master lite. I just got it today and loaded 50 cases and man what a time saver! I double checked the weights on my other scale and only 2 of the 50 were 1/10 over. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks for these videos,Sam.

Good stuff, thanks for the great content.

Great series. I'm about to start load development on a 260 remington as well. I've always just done 308. Will be trying your tips and recommendations. Thanks!

Another great video. Surprised he came around to bullet mfr load books last. The Lyman and Lee manuals I find especially helpful since they list so many styles and weights of bullets, and almost any powder that will work. Also got tired of double charging a case, so I put a bullet in upside down as soon as I pull the funnel.

This has been an excellent series, not only for precision load development but for any load development. I highly recommend it, especially for experienced reloaders just getting into load development. Good continuity of thought processes and you’re very articulate which makes it easy to follow. My procedures are almost identical to yours except for bullet seating. Do you always seat your bullet with a single pull and have you checked the concentricity of your loaded rounds? I recently picked up a concentricity tool and found that I was ending up with more runout that I felt comfortable with. As a result, I started seating bullets in partial steps. It’s easy to quickly develop a good feel for this so I start by just slightly seating the bullet then turning it approximately 90 degrees, then seating it a little deeper, turning another 90, seating it the rest of the way then turning it about 180 degrees and again fully seating. It sounds like a lot of extra effort but it quickly becomes automatic and now probably takes me only 3-4 seconds longer to seat each bullet. Runout dropped from .004-.008 to now .001-.004 with most rounds at the lower end. ES has dropped considerably and is much more consistent allowing me to consider a load to be optimal when the ES drops to 4 or under. At first I was skeptical about spending the extra time checking concentricity of every round that I load but I now feel that the results justify the process. I'll continue to look forward to all of your videos.

Sam, just passing by to thank you for all this knowledge. You cut off all the bullshit and can be so clear about what you are talking about.

Awesome video.

Relative to powder charge and variance, case capacity differences from brass manufacture can vary up to +/- 3 grains in larger cases and will impact calculated pressure. Nice video series

Would be awesome to see how you load belted mags like your 300 win mag

Fiddley fart. I like like technical term lol. Good info on the difference between new and once fired brass. I think a lot of people would over look that miner detail.

Just a note on the "Quickload" programme. I have been using it for a couple or so years now and found it to be pretty good. But, you need to take the predicted muzzle velocities with a small pinch of salt! I once did a load development on a Savage mod 12 LRP in 6.5 Creedmoor, double / triple checked that all the info I fed into the programme was right and found that the actual & predicted MV's to be quite a lot out. It was giving me a prediction of 2800 fps, but with a chrony I found I was actually getting a consistent 3100 fps & some pressure signs, SO BEWARE. Other than that, these vids that Sam does are really useful and easy to follow / understand, especially for rookie reloaders.

I take an index card that has the powder info on it and slide it into the clear powder holding cylinder on my dispenser. It helps me make sure which powder I am using. New Sub here - like your stuff man!

I keep all my records in a excell spread sheet for every caliber and bullet weight/type! Its the electronic age!

Thanks!

Thanks mate.

I review these over and over again, thanks a ton for doing them. I did not catch the make/ model of the multidie press in this video, can you please provide?

Hello Mr. Panhandle... Have you ever done a video on the topic of single based vs double based powders for precision rifle? That would be an interesting one!

Great series here! Will you be doing anything on the .338?

Sam, I just re-watched this video. My compliments on the info presented. I also use a Redding T7 press, and have a seating question. At the bottom of the stroke, do you apply a lot of pressure, or just enough to bottom out? I get good results using just enough to bottom out.

Use Gordon's Reloading tool as an alternative to Quickload. It's also free.

When finding a reference seating depth using the fired case vs new brass can you measure find the general average amount of expansion for the brass once its fired?

Sam, you are a true great instructor. I have learned so much about reloading from watching your video series. What is the model and manufacture of the rear bag you have under your rifle.

So, start with bullet seating @ .015" off the lands with a new Hornady modified case gauge measurement ? Thanks again, great information videos.

Sam do you ever employ the Newberry OCW method or the 10 shot velocity method? For those times when you don't have any historical load data and to try and find the flat or sweet spot in the barrel?

After all that case prep and load development one thing I do is Weigh each bullet and only load the ones that weight the same . Consistency is the key from the same lot number call me picky but when I do all that case prep I want to know when I’m seating my final step it’s as close to perfect as I can get . I like your channel thanks for sharing your info .

Regarding primer seating; I've used the primer seater in my Forster Coaxial press for the longest time without thinking anything about it. Then I started loading for a new rifle and I was loading deliberately just tad below max powder charges. Even though I was below the maximum charge weight according to the load manual I was using, I was getting flattened primers. It kind of left me scratching my head cause flattened primers shouldn't be happening but, it was. I backed off my charge weight and when I checked for pressure signs again I was still getting what appeared to be flattened primers.. I thought, WTF! Long story short; I had both the primer seater on my Forester Coaxial press and a Lee hand held primer seater that I used back and forth. I figured one was just as good as the other and they basically were with respect to seating the primers but, the push rod on the Forester Coaxial primer seater had much more torque and a slightly larger diameter to it so all this time it was seating my primers so that they were flattened from the gitgo. I never noticed before because up until then I was loading my cartridges just far enough below max charge weight that I didn't have to check for high pressure signs. In order to get the accuracy I was looking for I generally never had to load to max charge weights. The Lee hand held primer seater had a slightly smaller diameter seating stem so the edges of my primers were still nice and round even when seated to maximum depth.. The primers seated with the Forester primer seater were seated to maximum depth too but the edges of the primers within the primer pockets were no longer rounded or curved. IF it weren't for the fact that there were no firing pin-strike divots on the primer faces, I'd swear it was a flattened primer due to over pressure loads. I use the Lee hand held now whenever I deliberately load at or near max charge weights.

Hi Sam I'm from South Africa and must admit I watched all you vidoes over and over and must compliment you and awesome information sharing May I please ask a question? On all cases I check with OAL Gauge to check bullet and take it its gives me the BTO. My question sounds easy yet can be complicated if not used correctly If I used the Resizing Die and I got my Shoulder depth minus .020 - do I need to also do the OAL Gauge and bring bullet back aswell as this will then give me as .040 in total or do I understand it totally wrong?

Great video series and perfect timing. I’m in Coeur D Alene and just had my .308 Winchester Model 70 rifle rebarreled with a Broughton barrel at Kampfeld custom in Sandpoint. I had been reloading but never got much better than 1MOA. I was using old brass and just going to COAL. I have on order Lapua brass, Hornady measuring tool for seating depth, and a comparator set for .30 cal on order to follow you through your process. Have you ever heard or tried using a load development looking for flat spots in velocity vs charge weight and then loading around that point? For example, load ranges from 40 to 42 grains in 0.2 increments and just shoot those bullets chronographing each one. When you get to an area that the velocity doesn’t change much, load there. For example, if the charges at 40.2, 40.4, and 40.6 all have pretty close to the same velocity, then you would load at 40.4. The other questions I have is if you would think I need to glass bed the stock? I have the barrel free floated back to the action with .020” clearance all the way around. The gun is topped with a 3-12 power scope and I’m not sure if that is sufficient to get 0.5 MOA groups or if I should look at a higher power scope?

Gonna hit on it again but what made you switch to 250 primers? No Psi signs? My 308 is being rebarreled now to a .260 remington PacNor barrel 3 groove 1-8". Looking at loads you were suggesting for H4350 and they looked at near max or slightly over so I was curious. Thank you for your time Sir!

Do you recommend forming 260 brass using. .308. Excellent video.

McDonals straw tube, fill me in. Great video and one Q your setting to start of fired case 0.020 off the lands correct, and work up to maybe .040 or to see what is working the best. Think you started at .015 not the .020

@panhandle precision. if I undersand when it come to developing you pick a powerder and try different butlet and seating deep and powder charge for that poweder type and if you want a experiment with other powerder you start over aigain? I'm trying to understand the what is the fastes way to develop a good round for a specific gun. I saw people that pick different random recepie with different bullet grain and just try what group best but this should like and allover the place methode.

You have some great information on your page! I think this video series is going to be great for me. I just bought my first precision rifle and I'm just starting out with reloading and long range shooting. This is a bit off topic but could I ask what your normal break in procedure is for a new rifle/barrel? Thank you for all the info

in the initial loading,new brass, you use an expanding mandrell to set neck tension on new brass, however, i assume when you resize the formerly new brass prior to the second firing, it will be using the neck bushings inside the FL die. do you think that matters much as far as changing your MV,,, i mean, it seems like it would only change from first to the second and then after that, second thru whatever amount of firings will all be the same neck tension. since other things happen as well in between 1 and 2, is this a big deal? since i have done the same thing with my new hornady brass (21st century expanding mandrel) will i be able to see any difference from the neck tension difference after using my redding dies? or is it all about measuring and making sure your neck bushings put it right where the expanding mandrel did? i guess whether you size it out or size it in, it is all about the measurement you end up with on your finished brass? do you see much difference in between your first load vs your second load MV/ES/SD wise, or is it not worth worrying about?

Always worth mentioning that putting too little powder in a case can also be dangerous.

Also, can you expand on the mcdonald's straw trick? do I slip it over the chargemaster trickle tube?

I'm new to reloading. What is ES? Also how do I measure neck tension and how do I know if I need more or less? So far my 7mm-08 has tightened up very nicely, about 2-3 inches at 300 yards!

Does/is the fired casing stretch on a straight walll round like a 350 Legend as crucial as in a tapered round? What should I look for that's different? Thank you

You must have learned reloading from my Pop just like I did! We’re you invisible or are you my “unknown” Brother From Another Mother? About the only thing we do different is throwing charges as I still use a balance beam scale and manual trickler but that’s just because I won’t spend the $$$ to get electrified. Great Videos!

I may have missed your comments on sizing the neck. I think you mentioned using a body die to bump the shoulder. I know the body die doesn’t touch the neck. Do you use a bushing die? If so, what amount of grip do you use? I have been using a redding competition bushing die and shoot for .002” on my 6.5 Creed. What’s your opinion? BTW, great video series.

Off topic question, When reloading 556 I was told to always crimp, other sources claim to only crimp when you have a cannelure band on the bullet. Do you have input on this?

I guess the only thing I'm wondering is ! ? do you crimp ? I use the Lee cllet factory crimp die in conjunction of using the consistent crimp torque arm tool from Titan Reloading where i typically use 25 ft lbs on my 308 loads etc. Anyway just wondering what you do and your take on crimping ? Thanks Lefty

Binge watching your videos, great work! 4350 for .260, what powder would u suggest for 243? I’ve used Varget but having imr4064 in my bench. Maybe u think something different. Thanks!

Sam, really enjoy your videos! Thanks for sharing the info! Quick question though (I apologize if it’s already been asked)-why do you think it’s such a big deal to use a fired case for measuring distance to the lands? I get that it’ll be a more snug fit for the chamber, but if you’re measuring from the base of the cartridge to where the gauge contacts the ogive (both at the lands and whatever distance off you’re setting up your die for) it shouldn’t matter. The only time it will is if you’re comparing where the bullet sits in the neck of a once fired case vs. a virgin case-or am I missing something?

One thing I usually don't find a lot of info on is, 'what amount should I trim my neck back to after every firing'? Do I adhere to a predetermined length asscociated with my caliber of choice or do wait until the brass is fireformed to my chamber, bump the shoulder back ~0.002" and trim a fixed amount (say trim 0.020"), or bump the shoulder back ~0.002" and trim the neck to meet an overall case length, etc...? Maybe there is an indication on the appearance of my neck that indicates how much needs to be trimmed, after firing. I am sure, as with most things, the topic is subjective but I'd like to know what you do. Thanks, Sam!

When you're seating the bullets do uou hold the handle to let it finish seating or are you just moving really slowly with the handle?

copper creek cartridge co. makes the modified cartridge for 8 bux just send them the fired piece of brass.

What make/model turret press are you using?

"Don't be afraid to try..." Good info right there. Some many times I hear, "Published data is the gospel, and you'll blow yourself up if you vary anything!" Horse Hockey. Published data is generic "one load fits all" data. Each rifle is an individual and has individual likings. It is a good "starting" point, no more, no less.

If primers come in different hardnesses (Example Federal = soft , CCI = Hard ) Wouldn't primer flattening be more obvious using soft Federal primers and thereby cause you to back-off your loads early? Any thoughts?

Thanks for explaining the bullet seating differences between a fired case and a new case. My cases are stretching 0.017” on the shoulder with my Christensen ELR 300 win mag. Is that a excessive?

260 guys are really benefiting from the 6.5 Creedmoor success lol

... curious... ye the seating die seats the bullet relative to the neck of the case. ... you can of course record the overall length at this stage. As the brass stretch, ye the overall length would increase s the bullet is still seated relative to the neck... would it not be option/make sense to seat the?bullet deeper in the stretched brass... ie keep the oal the same ?

why you choose to use a magnum primer on the 260 rem cartridge and not a normal large rifle primer?

got a prefered 243 powder?

I'm new here I'm waiting on my Savage 110 elite precision 338lm to get to the gun shop but I have 100 loaded hornady match 185 and 60 pieces of brass from a guy. I know I need to FL size the used brass but should I just neck size the brass I fire? Our just FL size all of it?

Sam. Can you add stuff onto your videos here? In your article you mentioned using the flat piece of steel to true up your dies to your press ram to avoid run out. I guess I’m trying to picture how it’s done do you back off the locking nut and then push it up and then tighten up the nut? Do you do this on both the sizing die and the seating die? Do you do this with the shell holder in? How does this accomplished trueing? are you just counting on the flat surface of ram versus the flat surface of the bottom of the die being so perfect that their going to bring both things into perfect up-and-down alignment? How does it fix the side to side alignment? Perhaps I’m just overthinking this but if I understand the concept I can apply it to other processes. If I’ve never used my rock chucker before, should I check the first few loaded rounds to make sure they are not having a bunch of run out?

Notes are important. No matter how small the change, it's noted for later reference.

After your powder dispensor augers out a load, do you ever pick up the pan from the scale and then set it back on the scale to see if it reads the same?

I have been looking at getting a turret press. Did you have to do any mods to yours to not get a bunch of run out? I notice a bunch of turret presses move when the ram is raised.

As a new reloader what powder would you recommend starting with in a Remington 300 rum I like the Nosler 210 accubond

In the last series you were talking about the Hornaty Ogive. What doesn’t make sense to me is the case that you use. The whole point of the Ogive is that the bullet hits the lands. So are you saying that the first thing that stops the round is the shoulder in the chamber?

What's your experience with the Redding comp seater having inconsistent seating depth with compressed loads? This is a rumor I have heard frequently on the forums.I have NOT noticed this issue with lightly compressed .308

What would be the minimum bearing surface you would run? I have a factory 700 that has an really long throat.

Would you have any idea what would cause my load development to get inaccurate I am shooting 7mm-Rem-Mag tikka t3 168g berger vld With H1000 68.0g And I was at .8-1 Moa in 200yds Or 5.5 moa in 800yds After a week not shooting I went to the range and I am 3 moa in 200yds

Primers!!! Magnum, military spec, and bench rest all have thicker cups. All primers have different charges and will affect pressure more or less. The thicker cup will show less pressure. AR 15 are specified for mag primers. They have floating firing pin and the thick cup resists denting when the bolt is slammed forward. But don't just change using the same load. Pressure will increase but not show as much.

Great channel! Question from a reloading newbie, instead of readjusting your dies, what do you think about Redding competition shell holders: www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/35-competition-shellholder-sets Gimmick or useful ?

Sam what’s your thoughts on annealing after every firing?

I understand what you are saying regarding the length difference between fired and new brass and the potential for the bullet to go into the lands because the length from the shoulder to the bullet ogive will be greater than on the case that you used to take your initial measurements. However, when you chamber a round, the base of the round should be in the bolt face, so the shoulder of the chambered round will not be touching the shoulder of the chamber and the bullet should be in the same place as it would be regardless of the case base to shoulder measurement, right?

Hello Sam how are you? Great videos thanks. Can you give me the brand of the priming tool you use? Thanks again from France

Love the series, why in God’s name did RCBS make their powder measure sound so irritating? Thanks for all your videos, excellent information.

When your starting a new load, how far off of max load to you start with? Then 1/2” increments?