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Old September 17, 2014, 04:35 PM   #1
Tucker 1371
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Quality/Safety Check

How do you personally inspect your rifle reloads for quality and safety? What is your step by step process?
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Old September 18, 2014, 04:27 PM   #2
Gster
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I follow all the reloading instructions, manuals and published data.
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Old September 18, 2014, 05:55 PM   #3
jepp2
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Quote:
How do you personally inspect your rifle reloads for quality and safety? What is your step by step process?


Brass prep: checking the brass for any defects or issues. Dependent on the number of firings and how the brass has been sized it can be as simple as checking for neck splits, or it may include a paper clip test. Checking case length and trimming if necessary. Proper chamfer inside and outside the neck. Checking flash holes for media.

Brass sizing: properly adjusting the sizing die to achieve the correct amount of shoulder setback for the rifle involved, watching the brass after sizing for any issues such as dents from too much lube, drag of the expander coming through the case neck, etc.

Priming: making sure I have the correct primer seated to the correct depth.

Powder: making absolutely sure I have the correct powder type and my scale is properly calibrated. Checking each case to make sure the powder level is correct after charging.

Bullet seating: making sure the bullet is the correct distance from the lands for the load I am developing. Might be into the lands or some distance from the lands.

Good labeling for tracking loads per brass casing and the current load I just completed.

Check velocities when firing to make sure they are consistent with load data.

And probably as much more that I didn't list.

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Old September 18, 2014, 06:33 PM   #4
FrankenMauser
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There really aren't any special 'checkpoints' or special inspections for me.

I inspect during every reloading step/process.

It starts with dirty, fired brass that gets inspected before cleaning (either in a tumbler, or by hand).

It ends with a shake of the cartridge (non-compressed loads) as a final "does it have powder?" quadruple-check (old habit), when it comes off the press; and a final overall inspection when the ammo gets packed into its box.


For loading done on a progressive press, there is less handling and less direct inspection. Instead, spot-checks and trust in the equipment come into play. There are still plenty of inspections, though.
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Old September 20, 2014, 06:29 PM   #5
Tucker 1371
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I've started out with a Dillon XL650, I know single stage is the way to go for beginners but I found such a deal on this used Dillon with everything I needed to start that I couldn't pass it up. I didn't load my first round for over a month, did a lot of tuning and tweaking to the machine. Still, I've loaded up about 200 rounds of .308 150gr FMJBT over 44grs of IMR 4064 that I am very nervous to shoot.
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Old September 22, 2014, 04:33 AM   #6
DAVID NANCARROW
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Tucker, provided that you dropped the listed amount of powder, your cases are good, the overall length doesn't crowd the lands and the primers are seated properly, you have 200 rounds of good to go. 44 grains of IMR 4064 is not a hot load
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Old September 22, 2014, 09:06 AM   #7
jmorris
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Depends, what are we reloading for?
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Old September 22, 2014, 11:13 AM   #8
kilimanjaro
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Tucker, it's alright to be a bit apprehensive. To allay your fears, do a 5% test. Disassemble any random ten rounds and weigh the charges. You can't double charge the case, it won't fit.

The remainder of the rounds, check primer seating visually, measure OAL, and weigh round, looking for one that is 40 grains light, a squib load, or 10 grains too heavy.

Then go shoot it up everything that passes inspection.
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Old September 22, 2014, 11:48 AM   #9
rg1
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Number one is case inspection. For pistols just a visual to check for neck splits or damage to the head area of the case. For rifles, the most important inspection is signs of potential case separations. I am serious about inside inspection for the stretch ring depression by both the bent sharpened wire feeler method and I shine a penlight into the primer flash hole and look into the mouth of the case. I wear a magnifier head lens.
Number two is neck tension on the bullet especially pistol loads. I do the thumb push check to see if by thumb pressure the bullet moves and push the bullet against the bench to make sure I have adequate bullet tension.
Number three is double checking manual load data and doing a visual check especially when there could be a chance of a double charge with pistol loads. I often weigh every loaded round on an electronic scale just to make sure they are close in weight so it would not be possible to load a round with no powder.
I'm so into doing these checks that I have avoided going to an automatic press just because I want to check every step even though I know you can safely load on a progressive press.
Lastly I have a chronograph and check my loads for normal velocities and work up loads and do a close check on fired cases from my guns.
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Old September 23, 2014, 06:42 AM   #10
Bart B.
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I think it's a waste of time to compare a loads listed velocity to what one gets with the same recipie in their barrel.

Your barrel has different internal dimensions.

The components you use are from different lots than the listed load.

Your rifle isn't held the same way as the one used to test the listed load.

All of which means your load can easily shoot the bullet out 100 fps or more different than the listed recipie does.
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