The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Newbie to reloading for bolt

Paul B. · December 5, 1999, 04:40 PM

Danm. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. I would get both a full length die, and the neck sizing die. You would set both dies up in the same manner. Screw the die into your press so that you are about two turns shy of bottoming out on the shell holder. Use a black magic marker and darken the neck and shoulder of a fired round. Size the shell and see where the marks from the die are. Re-darken, and turn the die down about 1/8 turn, and resize again. When you see the markings just kissing the shoulder, lock down the ring on the die. Do this with both dies. By setting your dies in this manner, you will not set the shoulder of the case back creating an artificial headspace situation which can lead to short case life or possibly worse.
Now when you reload, neck size only. You should be able to do this 4 or 5 times before your brass gets to be too tight to chamber easily. Then use the full length die. The next time around after the full length die, and you can neck size again, until they once again become too tight. I have gotten as many as 20 full power reloads from .308 Win. brass using this method.
Your problem with 150 gr. bullets shooting too high for sight adjustment kind of stumps me. It sounds as if your front sight is too low. I do not think going to a heavier bullet will solve the problem. The heavier bullet moves more slowly and spends more time in the barrel. Recoil begins when the primer explodes, therefore your rifle barrel is rising in recoil before the bullet leaves the barrel. The heavier bullet will shoot higher yet. I asume you are using iron sights, but you did not really say. If you are using a scope, you will have to shim the mounts; the front one, or in the front on a one piece mount. That's something I have not heard of being done in years, but it still works. A good gunsmith should be able to do the job for you regardless of the sights you are using.
By the way, good choice on the .308. It is one of my all time favorite cartridges.
If you have any more questions, you can E-mail me and I'll try to answer them.
Paul B.

December 5, 1999, 04:40 PM	#2
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,801	Danm. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. I would get both a full length die, and the neck sizing die. You would set both dies up in the same manner. Screw the die into your press so that you are about two turns shy of bottoming out on the shell holder. Use a black magic marker and darken the neck and shoulder of a fired round. Size the shell and see where the marks from the die are. Re-darken, and turn the die down about 1/8 turn, and resize again. When you see the markings just kissing the shoulder, lock down the ring on the die. Do this with both dies. By setting your dies in this manner, you will not set the shoulder of the case back creating an artificial headspace situation which can lead to short case life or possibly worse. Now when you reload, neck size only. You should be able to do this 4 or 5 times before your brass gets to be too tight to chamber easily. Then use the full length die. The next time around after the full length die, and you can neck size again, until they once again become too tight. I have gotten as many as 20 full power reloads from .308 Win. brass using this method. Your problem with 150 gr. bullets shooting too high for sight adjustment kind of stumps me. It sounds as if your front sight is too low. I do not think going to a heavier bullet will solve the problem. The heavier bullet moves more slowly and spends more time in the barrel. Recoil begins when the primer explodes, therefore your rifle barrel is rising in recoil before the bullet leaves the barrel. The heavier bullet will shoot higher yet. I asume you are using iron sights, but you did not really say. If you are using a scope, you will have to shim the mounts; the front one, or in the front on a one piece mount. That's something I have not heard of being done in years, but it still works. A good gunsmith should be able to do the job for you regardless of the sights you are using. By the way, good choice on the .308. It is one of my all time favorite cartridges. If you have any more questions, you can E-mail me and I'll try to answer them. Paul B.