Powder shortage/cost through the roof!!

[Creedmoor]

Well, I guess more like $1400 on mine. For me, peace of mind and speed. I use an FX120i and a Supertrickler, but have used Auto trickers in the past. It can be accurate within 0.02 of a grain, and once programmed, throws them pretty consistently (I keep mine at +/- .02 (.04 resolution) for speed.

In reality, it’s not that necessary when you are in a good speed node, but as competitive as F-class is, I take absolutely every advantage I can get. Obvious not just the trickler, but I typical run 5-7 SD over 20-25 rounds with low teens ES and it can hold as tight at 0.1 moa @ 100 from a bench and heavy rests. Every variable I can eliminate as a possible issue helps me with everything else and I need ammo that is consistently .25 moa or better. But who am I kidding, I do all this crap, then miss a wind change and fall on my face.

OK, what dies are you using?

 

[Goodcat]

OK, what dies are you using?

I primarily use Redding dies. I’ve never had a need to get fancier, they are excellent. Wilson if I’m inline seating at the range testing seating depth. 21st century mandrels and SAC bushings, comparators, etc

 

[Creedmoor]

I primarily use Redding dies. I’ve never had a need to get fancier, they are excellent. Wilson if I’m inline seating at the range testing seating depth. 21st century mandrels and SAC bushings, comparators, etc

OK, I as well have many Redding sets of bushing and custom dies for some wildcats that I shoot.
In the last few years I have witnessed with the two guys that I shoot a bunch of LR with that have gone from Redding Bushings to Lee Collet sizers.
I swear to god.
They both shoot Savage 338 Lapuas and I generally shoot a 700 in 300 win mag. One is stone factory and the other has about a 32" tube and a brake on it that was done by Stenski a few years back. Both of them have better than 15 deviation. Groups srunk to 1/2-3/4? moa.
Its been interesting watching them change over and the instant results they got when doing so.
Myself, I just cant shift over. Lee makes great crimp dies. I will give them that.
If I can't do it with my two Harrell measures, I just dont do it.

Now with you going through all that, what cases do you use?
Do you weigh each bullet and case?
Do you CC each of your cases?

 

[Goodcat]

OK, I as well have many Redding sets of bushing and custom dies for some wildcats that I shoot.
In the last few years I have witnessed with the two guys that I shoot a bunch of LR with that have gone from Redding Bushings to Lee Collet sizers.
I swear to god.
They both shoot Savage 338 Lapuas and I generally shoot a 700 in 300 win mag. One is stone factory and the other has about a 32" tube and a brake on it that was done by Stenski a few years back. Both of them have better than 15 deviation. Groups srunk to 1/2-3/4? moa.
Its been interesting watching them change over and the instant results they got when doing so.
Myself, I just cant shift over. Lee makes great crimp dies. I will give them that.
If I can't do it with my two Harrell measures, I just dont do it.

Now with you going through all that, what cases do you use?
Do you weigh each bullet and case?
Do you CC each of your cases?

Ya, I love their factory crimp dies. If you don’t yet, get a stiff nylon brush and brush your case necks with a drill 3-5 seconds until they are warm after brass prep and see if your SD shrinks. Alex Wheeler preaches this and I’ve loved it. 15 SD is still excellent, and much lower doesn’t improve hit probability on steel much.

I use Lapua cases. I’ve tried everything under the sun and have found almost no value in sorting cases in any direction for me, just be sure they are all the same lot. Bullet weights have very little impact on target. Everyone sorts bullets different, but I’ve found the most success with only sorting bullets by OAL by 3 thousands. Then I’ll load in order. So even if I get into a new length, it’s still close. I’ll generally buy minimum 2-3k of a particular bullet so they are all the same lot and bigger culls, sort by OAL, then be good for a long time until I’ve used them up. This is my experience with Berger hybrids at least.

 

[Creedmoor]

Ya, I love their factory crimp dies. If you don’t yet, get a stiff nylon brush and brush your case necks with a drill 3-5 seconds until they are warm after brass prep and see if your SD shrinks. Alex Wheeler preaches this and I’ve loved it. 15 SD is still excellent, and much lower doesn’t improve hit probability on steel much.

I use Lapua cases. I’ve tried everything under the sun and have found almost no value in sorting cases in any direction for me, just be sure they are all the same lot. Bullet weights have very little impact on target. Everyone sorts bullets different, but I’ve found the most success with only sorting bullets by OAL by 3 thousands. Then I’ll load in order. So even if I get into a new length, it’s still close. I’ll generally buy minimum 2-3k of a particular bullet so they are all the same lot and bigger culls, sort by OAL, then be good for a long time until I’ve used them up. This is my experience with Berger hybrids at least.

I run Lapua cases in my bolts in 308, 223's and 300 win. I bought well when they were 25 to 40 bucks a hundred. Glad I did.
I never weighed or measured those bullets or cases past seeing if that made a difference for me. Like you I tend to buy in larger bulk.
The only cases and bullets I measure and weigh, are my BPCR cases with water and bullets before lubing and sizing.
I was dissipointed with Berger after Walt sold, and the next owner just dropped all kinds of bullets from production. I have a 4-5 hundred 20 grain and under 17 caliber burgers, and thats the end of them.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I primarily use Redding dies. I’ve never had a need to get fancier, they are excellent. Wilson if I’m inline seating at the range testing seating depth. 21st century mandrels and SAC bushings, comparators, etc

You would get the twitches if you watched me load .243. Just hunting rounds. I will be upping my game with my new Ruger no.1 though. Truly an outstanding rifle.

 

[Goodcat]

You would get the twitches if you watched me load .243. Just hunting rounds. I will be upping my game with my new Ruger no.1 though. Truly an outstanding rifle.

I started on a Lee many moons ago with some rusted out dies I polished.

 

[Mij]

I started on a Lee many moons ago with some rusted out dies I polished.

OK, I as well have many Redding sets of bushing and custom dies for some wildcats that I shoot.
In the last few years I have witnessed with the two guys that I shoot a bunch of LR with that have gone from Redding Bushings to Lee Collet sizers.
I swear to god.
They both shoot Savage 338 Lapuas and I generally shoot a 700 in 300 win mag. One is stone factory and the other has about a 32" tube and a brake on it that was done by Stenski a few years back. Both of them have better than 15 deviation. Groups srunk to 1/2-3/4? moa.
Its been interesting watching them change over and the instant results they got when doing so.
Myself, I just cant shift over. Lee makes great crimp dies. I will give them that.
If I can't do it with my two Harrell measures, I just dont do it.

Now with you going through all that, what cases do you use?
Do you weigh each bullet and case?
Do you CC each of your cases?

*
*
*
This is the reason I‘m on the www at all. The knowledge I get from my home town fellows.

I’m about to get out of the cattle business altogether, I’ll keep a few stears for weed control and home beef.

I’m getting to old for work, my ambition is to start reloading to keep me busy. Gotta move a real loading bench upstairs, gonna set up my presses and maybe a computer with software. Starting with my 6 single stage Lee’s and a Mec. Shotshell loader. I think I have 6 sets of Lee dies.

I’ve been following the loading threads for a few months, this thread has me almost 100% sold. I think some odd or hard to find loads could be challenging as well as a small profit. Just to keep me moving and my brain working. Just read an interesting article about the Gibbs wildcats on the 30-06 case (FFG magazine). That helped.

Thanks.

 

[Goodcat]

*
*
*
This is the reason I‘m on the www at all. The knowledge I get from my home town fellows.

I’m about to get out of the cattle business altogether, I’ll keep a few stears for weed control and home beef.

I’m getting to old for work, my ambition is to start reloading to keep me busy. Gotta move a real loading bench upstairs, gonna set up my presses and maybe a computer with software. Starting with my 6 single stage Lee’s and a Mec. Shotshell loader. I think I have 6 sets of Lee dies.

I’ve been following the loading threads for a few months, this thread has me almost 100% sold. I think some odd or hard to find loads could be challenging as well as a small profit. Just to keep me moving and my brain working. Just read an interesting article about the Gibbs wildcats on the 30-06 case (FFG magazine). That helped.

Thanks.

Good for you! I highly recommend F-class John, Winning in the wind, and Erik Cortina on YouTube. Also, anything you can find online written by Alex Wheeler. Another gold mine to ponder is the story of the Houston Warehouse. A great article I like to return to.

Secrets of the Houston Warehouse – Lessons In Extreme Rifle Accuracy

Back in 1993, Precision Shooting Magazine printed a landmark article about the findings of a group o...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[Mij]

Good for you! I highly recommend F-class John, Winning in the wind, and Erik Cortina on YouTube. Also, anything you can find online written by Alex Wheeler. Another gold mine to ponder is the story of the Houston Warehouse. A great article I like to return to.

Secrets of the Houston Warehouse – Lessons In Extreme Rifle Accuracy

Back in 1993, Precision Shooting Magazine printed a landmark article about the findings of a group o...

precisionrifleblog.com

Thanks

 

[Mgderf]

Rural King in Lafayette today, looking at ammo.
Picked up a box of .450 Bushmaster for $34 then looked and saw a box of .44 Remington magnum.
Federal I believe, 50 rounds of sp wait, WHAT?
$59.95!!!!!

Holy crap Batman!

 

[Michigan Slim]

Rural King in Lafayette today, looking at ammo.
Picked up a box of .450 Bushmaster for $34 then looked and saw a box of .44 Remington magnum.
Federal I believe, 50 rounds of sp wait, WHAT?
$59.95!!!!!

Holy crap Batman!

You just told me I'm a rich man! Sitting on a thousand. Twice that if you count cowboy ammo.

 

[Magyars]

Emptied my #8 jug of Unique this AM. Only have 4 lbs left. Now I'll start to look to restock.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Emptied my #8 jug of Unique this AM. Only have 4 lbs left. Now I'll start to look to restock.
View attachment 373490

I switched to W244 as a replacement. I'm not out but it covers a lot of the places I used Unique, for a lot less money. I'll keep the Unique for more specific applications.