Man I have watched dozens of reloading videos. This video made more sense than any reloading vid I’ve ever seen. Awesome to hear your reasoning for why you size brass in reference to how your bolt moves. Thanks a ton
I appreciate your headspace / sizing / shoulder bump technique. This is filmed under the context of a precision rifle, however this process translates well to the average hunting world. Well done and comprehensive.
I have shot with Greg on my squad and also watched him shoot, he is a phenomenal shooter. I will take any suggestions or tricks he would like to share for sure, when a person can shoot like he can he's doing something right. So keep those coming so I can achieve better results please.
Great job on the video Greg. Also thank you Joel for editing this up, this video should really help some people out with just getting started in this whole process.
Tons of stuff I disagree with (cleaning without decapping, dry-tumbling, not annealing, how you lube, shoulder-bumping via chamber-feel, etc.) ... but none of that obviates my acknowledgement of the time and effort that went into sharing your unique perspective. Thanks!
I tried bar keeper's friend in my vibratory cleaner with walnut hull and my brass came out so clean inside and out. I also clean up the flash hole on the inside of the cases to get rid of excess brass and uniform the hole.
Thanks very much for this vid I’m totally new to reloading so all this info helps tremendously looking forward to the next well for me lesson thanks again cheers Yogi Australia 🇦🇺 🤙🤙
This is exactly what I have been looking for. A thorough, no nonsense, step by step accuracy reloading series. Thank you for your effort and time in producing this! I noticed it doesn't look like you neck turn, unless you have already done it when the brass was new. What are your thoughts on neck turning? It would make sense that it is helpful when using a bushing die.
For the level of accuracy I’m after, and the application I’m using my ammo, neck turning isn’t necessary. If you shoot competitive Benchrest, it seems like those guys do it and obviously get crazy small groups. Whether thats from neck turning or not, I cant say. Shoot a 20rd group with turned necks and without and see if its worth the time to do for you
@@gconnoyer My father taught me one Golden rule. When reloading, do absolutely nothing more than what is needed. That the more you work the brass the more trouble you get yourself in. Therefore I don't walk 3 mi when I only need to walk one. But I think the whole point of turning necks is concentricity and uniform neck tension. The bench rest guys are measuring with their groups with micrometers as they put five shots in one hole. Definitely not a goal of mine but I do like accuracy...
Awesome information ! Just starting to dip my toes into reloading, and not sure what I need, things to make loading a lot of rounds easier etc definitely be watching this series
I know this old but if you’re new to reloading this is way more than you have to do. Don’t chase down every rabbit hole. This guys try to get at least .5 moa. If you’re just starting, full size and don’t trim your brass til you have to. If you’re new just go for 1 moa. You can hit targets out to 1000 yards w a 1 moa gun. This guy is a prs shooter. You’re probably not.
@@bobmcmillen4502 what’s your suggestion on the process and equipment? If you have some time, I’m researching as much as I can. I have the press, deprimer, sizing/seating dies, precision digital scale, hand primer, and a set of calipers. Do I need more?
I just posted a video entitled reloading 223 from start to finish… Evolved. I think this would be an excellent video for someone just getting into this. Please check it out.
Thanks I’ll be watching all your videos. I retired and received a savage 303. Cartridge hard to find. But did find company selling loaded and empty shells so I bought box loaded and 100 unloaded. Will buy more. I also have a 38 special and 270. So I think. I’m gonna for sure start with the 303.
Good job Greg now that I know all your secrets I’m coming for them podium finishes lol but in all seriousness good video glad to see a top shooter in my book has pretty simple reloading practices. Tells me it’s more about your training and consistency than anything.
Definitely! Good groups and velocities are iMportant to have for sure, especially at longer ranges but I dont spend a ton of time doing load development. As long as its .5” or under groups, thats good enough for me. I’ve shot the same load for the past 4 barrels and when it comes to seating depth, I just find my lands and set the bullet back .030 or .050 or whatever I decide that night and run it lol
Try the Lee lock rings with the O-ring. They work great in a turret press. The Forster lock rings work great in the Forster Co-Ax and in a single stage, but they kind of suck in a turret press. You can't always access the lock ring screw, depending on the orientation of the lock ring in relation to dies in other stations. Also, when you do get it locked down, it is also locked down on the turret head, which is why you had to resort to pliers to remove the die. The Lee dies have a very positive feel -- they tighten and then they just stop. They can still easily be removed by hand, though. Lee also has a small plastic wrench, which you can use on the dies with your turret press. Way better option than the Forster lock rings. I don't like Lee presses, but some of their stuff just works and their lock rings are a good design.
Cool video. I’m getting started reloading but only gonna do my stuff. Not reloading any for friends. I am waiting on my Forster 6.5prc die as we speak. From what I can tell they’ve got the best option for seating die. Really like the way you resize with your gun. Definitely gonna be something I try. I’m shooting a Sako S20 in a 6.5 PRC. Hard to find reload stuff for that but I’ll get it eventually lol.
Very nice process. So do you take neck tension into consideration with process? You mentioned a bushing for the sizing die which makes me think you normally do but that would be beyond the scope of a basic reloading video, and I appreciate you hitting the mark on what your target audience is, as described in the title. Thanks again for sharing your process and I will be looking out for episode 2.
I do. I havent done a lot of tuning/testing on it to be honest, but I did just order a few different bushings to test out. Depending how this series goes over, I plan on going a bit more in depth in a few more videos on each process. Johnny’s Reloading Bench and Bolt Action Reloading have great videos on some of that stuff already if you want to check them out qlso
Henderson has a trimmer with a motor. SSM cleaning is superior to corn cob. One can clean, including primer pockets, dry and use graphite for the necks, well under 5 hrs. At some point you have to clean the pockets. Also, you don’t have to use pins... SSM chips are better than pins for this.
“I can’t shoot the difference” are good words to live by. This is a great tutorial for hand loading for one specific bolt action rifle for optimal accuracy. If you are loading for a gas gun or making cartridges for multiple rifles, you can’t be as precise. Forster lock rings are great because they don’t tighten by driving a set screw into the die threads. The Forster Bench Rest Seater die is a better mousetrap because it has a sliding part that simulates the walls of the chamber and gives me better concentricity. Redding copied it after Forster’s patents expired so it can’t be all bad. (Note I prefer Redding crimp dies and Lyman expander dies so this isn’t a brand loyalty thing.) I ream the flash holes for uniformity the first time I handle a case. Doesn’t matter if it’s new brass, once fired, bottle necked rifle or straight wall pistol. It does nothing with most batches of brass but every once in a while you’ll find an under-sized or offset flash hole. I recently had a batch of once-fired Fiocchi .45 Colt where it was difficult to get the flash hole tool started. Turned out most of the flash holes were visibly off center so the whole batch went into an “emergency use only” container. I do find burrs in the flash holes of some cases and figure consistent powder ignition is an important start. Tumbling brass in a living area might not be a healthy idea. Apparently there is lead styphnate in primers and it comes out as dust. I always tumble in the garage and add a Bounce sheet cut into strips to capture some of that nasty dust.
Not trying to be antagonistic here, but there’s all kinds of things that are equally if not more harmful to Americans than occasional lead exposure…like sugar.
@@PrecisionRifleNetwork understood. However, if you can tumble in a garage or shed what’s the harm in keeping that dust away from living spaces? Besides you can avoid the noise too.
Thanks for the video. One thing. Rather than use the the serated steel jaws on your equipment get the pliers with the soft jaws on the inside; won't leave any marks and they do grip very nice. Just a thought.
I could not think of the name of the tool until just now they are called Cannon Connector Pliers and they are used in electronics and in aircraft applications. About $23 last time I looked and they will keep you from chewing up nice precision steel anything. Really going through your videos trying to learn how to do this. Thanks.@@PrecisionRifleNetwork
you hit it on the head way to keep it simple you can measure things until you go insane with no results . I do just what you do but with 3 thou bump for 6.5 creed have you shot the 6 gt thats my next build
Nice video Greg I’m sure it’s tough to put yourself out there to get criticized. I do like to deprime before I tumble just to clean a little bit. Your leaving your decapping pin in your sizing die so it would knock out whatever media gets stuck in the flash hole. I like the short action precision headspace comparators they are specific to the cartridge shoulder angle. I set my zero on a fired case and bump them -.002-.003. Same thing your doing just a different way to get there.
Yup thats true. Its just one extra step that I’ve deemed unecessary though. A lot of my brass has 10-12 firings on it (no clue how many on my 308 brass) and I’ve never cleaned them or lunched primers before tumbling. I just go with what works and is proven for me. I definitely recommend everyone experiment, test, and try out different methods and decide whats best for them. Whatever way “best” fits.
One thing is for certain you really need to get those primers out of there before you use that Hornady headspace comparator I made the mistake of leaving the primers in once and I got all sorts of funky readings that I was confused once I got the primers out everything made sense
Genuine question from a total noob: Why would anyone have an issue with how you lube your cases? The way you said it, I have a feeling it has something to do with the eat-our-own OCD that is rampant in the gun community....
Mainly because in reloading everyone has their own way, and its the RIGHT way lol. Its not the fastest way to lube cases, which I know. But thats all I can offer for it being “wrong”
@@gconnoyer If you're reloading for a 1500 round weekend tactical class, speed is your friend. But I would imagine you would want to throttle down a bit when loading for precision shooting. What other ways are there to do it? I used to get the Dillon catalog and I think I remember there being something you can add to the polishing media perhaps?
@@gunsandcommissions honestly I only load 100-200 at a time anyway so MAX speed isnt my main concern. I usually like to load the upcoming match's ammo that week or week before. I've seen guys throw all their brass into a pan/tray and just spray them with a spray lube like Hornady One Shot.
Hi Greg, nice vid for the new to those new to reloading, one of the best tools you displayed is your Giraud trimmer and well worth the investment, other types and brands are far to slow and case trimming is the part of hand loading I dislike the most (unless using a Giraud trimmer). What is a "Pro Shooter" are you paid and/or sponsored?
Glad you found it helpful. Thats exactly why I wanted to demonstrate all of my steps! Hahha “pro” is just a Joke joel likes to play. I am “sponsored” by Manners Stocks and Hunts Long Range, but I am not a pro by any means and really just shoot in our local club series
At 15:55 when you called your RCBS case lube kit a "Hornady case lube kit", i was waiting for the textual correction to appear on the screen. Was a bit disappointed when you didn't correct the mis-speak, but whatever, we all mess up.
I maybe agree that it makes your brass last longer, (havent shot any to failure yet) but havent had that experience with ES being better. Mine are always the same wether I anneal or not, But I do it every 3 firings. I didnt cover it because most people dont get into that for a bit after they’ve been reloading
You're supposed to deprime before checking for headspace, you are using a RCBS lube pad not Hornady as stated in your video & Forester does have a bushing resizing die or they you can send in your die will machine one to your spec if u would like to.
223 headspace? would be exactly the same. unless you're talking about an AR platform. Then same principle. Strip the bolt down, and size by feel locking and unlocking. But most people dont want them to be that tight of a fit in a gas gun so .003-.005 may be the better way.
It's ez. Not like you're taking 556 and turning em to 300 blackout haha. That's still ez enough. Just dive in, watch someone RU-vid videos, get a part list and 800 bucks later you are RELOADING. It's worth it within the 1500 rounds point. After that is like 35 cents to load 300 blackout even
its really not THAT complicated. This is a bit more in depth than what I would worry about for plinking ammo though. I'd just prime cases, throw some powder in, seat a bullet to whatever saami spec length was and go.
The trimmer has been setup to my length for a few years, and indexes off of the shoulder so theres no need to measure. It BARELY kisses the necks and really just do it to clean up the chamfer
When you put your brass in the chamber with the bolt and worked the bolt , they were tight against the walls of the chamber . What did you do with the pieces that didn't go in smoothly ?
I would have removed the dirty cases missing the primers before showing your dirty brass on video. It makes one wonder if you “popped” some primers using hot loads, at least it did me.
No that was likely just me using them to setup my new ZERO press when I got it, or popping them to measure without a primer. I run a very very soft load well away from pressure. I shoot this load in the rain without a heavy bolt lift
I’m reloading.243. Not. Hot I’m using once fired brass and the necks are splitting. I don’t crimp them cause I leave them long till it’s touching rifling. More accurate this way. Is the splitting normal or is it because of not crimping ??
Love the video, Curious are you using an expander mandrel to set final neck tension or just the bushing? Also what sizes do you recommend? Ive always heard .002 under loaded neck diameter but with spring back and different neck thicknesses would it be a bad idea to use one that is .003-.004 under loaded diameter then use a mandrel that is .001-.002 under bullet diameter? Thanks
Thanks! I’m using a .241 mandrel to “set” final neck tension. The ID of my necks after sizing with my bushing is .2400-.2405. I just went with .002 under as a starting point and its worked out and havent tested anything else. Yet. I do have some smaller neck bushings I bought to undersize it and bring it back up with my mandrel to see what difference that makes because sometimes I do get a lighter feeling when running the mandrel through some cases.
@@gconnoyer thanks for the reply, I’m fairly new reloading but trying to get it all right the first time to save money on tools and components. On new brass I just ran a .263 mandrel and got great results. Think I’m gonna try short action customs bushing .004 under loaded neck OD and then open it up with a .2625 21st century mandrel and see how it goes.
Thinking about 3006 plus 223 reloads like what you are talking about I’m just looking for a used single reload press and go from there any idea where to look to get started pice by pice
Good video overall, but it should be emphasized that this is well crossing into advanced reloading, not quite “101”. The process can be less meticulous therefore more “beginner friendly”. I was one, and know many people that are diverted from getting into reloading when when for example , you start showing the process of sizing brass. That can be done with full length sizing die in just a couple of steps, setting the die, lubricate the case, stroke in and out, done. Move to the next step, and so on
Absolutely, I do mine with a full length sizing die. Lube the case, stroke, done. But other than following the basic “bottom the die out, get a little cam over” in everyones instructions, I thought it important to show a proper way to set it up and more importantly explain WHY behind setup.
My first hunting rifle was 300 Weatherby Mag (1989). ; it became a hobby and fun, but the precision world is a different game altogether just reloading hunting loads comes almost to a stop. It is checking SD/ES ladder thing buy a new machine measuring the pressures sitting the bullet; it is tools this or that, and the fun is gone. I started reloading 1990/1. Correction on the reloading start date. 300 Weatherby Magnum very expensive to buy, so reload.
With good equipment and a good process, making killer ammo doesnt have to be a wild painful process. I actually havent changed much in my tools or process since I started.
Hey Greg, in terms of full length bushing dies, do you think something like a wilson full length bushing die would get the job done? I see so many using redding but is it worth 2x the price? I figured the wilson + a SAC bushing and then a 21st century mandrel and die body and call it a day
I used a Wilson for a bit and it worked just fine, but wasn’t resizing near base enough for my chamber. I sent Harrels a few pieces of fired brass for them to measure/check/whatever they use and sent me a custom die. (For my Dasher) For 308 and 223 I use Forster because I like them for arbitrary reasons. I think really they all work fine, but the more expensive they are the better quality and finish they are (generally) The SAC ones look SUPER nice, but I personally dont know what they do that others dont.
@@PrecisionRifleNetwork yeah I did a terrible job lol. When he is resizing the brass he was checking it inside the chamber of his rifle to see if it was rubbing not allowing the bolt to move without resistance. How would I do this in a AR? I might have missed him say something about resizing the brass for AR. Thank you for taking time to help!
@@dustydavis8829 I actually think it would be way easier to just use an overall length gauge on an AR platform. Here's a link to one on Midway. That being said, you'll still want to load somewhere inside of "mag length". Obviously if the rounds are too long to fit in the magazine it defeats the purpose. lol www.midwayusa.com/product/1012744027?pid=479963
@@justice1327 uhh what? you obviously didn't see all of that guy's rambling comments. He was literally speaking gibberish. No one understood a word he said. No need to clutter up the feed with that silliness. I think he must have come back and deleted the rest of it because I left a few of his comments in there and now those are gone too. If you see me delete any comments because they disagree with me...then feel free to call me out on it. I don't do that.
@@PrecisionRifleNetwork No I didn’t see them...that is why I asked. You didn’t specify they were gibberish... just he went overboard...which leaves one to wonder why you would delete a comment.
just trying to answer quickly here without re-watching Greg's video, but check out Giraud trimmers and Henderson Precision. Both make the leading precision trimmers on the market.
I really thought you was actually going to be a real Gun guy until you said 4000 rounds a year is a lot. That’s three weeks for me. Also that’s only one caliber
@@PrecisionRifleNetwork Yes, I do understand that you have no control over the advertising but I thought Ya'll had some say in the number of those ads?
...meanwhile the vast majority of comments on these videos is from people claiming this is some of the best educational material they have seen on the reloading process. Thanks for watching though.