Grendel Reloading

[YutYut]

Thought i would start a thread where we can help each other out by saving a few bucks on anything reloading. I know as a new guy to reloading i have spent hours searching for the best deal on grendel equipment. If you know a good deal on
-brass
-bullets
-powder
-primers
-presses
-dies
Etc.....


Anything and everything that has to do with reloading the Grendel can go in here.
If this is not something that is wished upon or wanted then mods you can go ahead and delete the thread i will take no offense.

[Sniper20]

I'm new to the 6.5, but I loaded up some Hornady once fired brass, 123gn A-Max bullets, TAC powder, WSR Primers, Lee Press, Hornady Dies. I have had pretty good luck with that. I also tried WIN 748, Varget, and RL-15 for powder. TAC worked the best for me. I'm told it's not the best, but I have the Hornady 8th edition, so I have just that info and whatever I find on here. You should get plenty of suggestions on here.

I was told that Lapua Brass is the best, but you also pay for it.

[r3dn3ck]

cheapest dies I found was direct from lee.

get lapua brass. Alexanderarms.com has the best price I've found.

Midway has a decent price and big selection of bullets.

[YutYut]

these were borrowed from another thread

http://www.crenshawammo.com/

http://cftactical.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=7

credit to Drifter and mlmiller1

[YutYut]

Sale on 123gr amax til 11/30

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/787955/hornady-custom-ammunition-65-grendel-123-grain-a-max-boat-tail-box-of-20

http://palmettostatearmory.com/1299.php

[LRRPF52]

For general reloading, the Hornady New Dimension dies are great. If you want to easily change your seating depths, get the Forster precision micrometer seating die. I'm learning to stay away from Lee stuff more and more. All the Lee products I have are broken after minimal use, including a press.

[Sniper20]

I actually have a Lee press and the primer arm on it busted... I contacted them, and they said that they have a lifetime warranty on their presses and parts, so contact them and they should replace it for you...

[LRRPF52]

My detent on my Lee press is stuck in the down position, so I just torque the dies down past it slightly. The threads also are very soft, and there is give to the press body, even being a closed loop. It works fine for de-priming and sizing smaller cases, but not the go-to press by any means.

Their primer hand tools snap handles like cheap plastic. Read the reviews on Midway...it's crazy that they still sell the things.

[Sniper20]

Just beat it with a hammer... I did and it will pop up again... I actually preferred it down because it was not such a pain to get the dies out... I found this out by having a stuck case in and was pounding out the pin to get the shell out. So a couple whacks with the hammer will fix it.

[LRRPF52]

I prefer it with the detent down as well, so no big deal. I bought several sets of quick-change bushings for it, so my dies are already set-up. Will not whack on soft aluminum with a steel hammer.

[pinzgauer]

Their primer hand tools snap handles like cheap plastic. Read the reviews on Midway...it's crazy that they still sell the things.

Strange, I have one that has been in constant use since around '85 and I've never had an issue. I was shooting IHMSA competitively at the time, and really burned through the rounds. It's still doing a couple hundred rounds a month minimum.

While I'd probably buy one of the newer designs now, at the time the autoprime was really the only option and has given me great service. So I can't complain!

[sgt_murf]

http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/reloadingtool.htmI looking through PTG Tooling web site and noticed a Bullet Comparator 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30 Calibers for $19.99
PN 746974
here is what the site had to say:
" Measures from the major diameter of a bullet to the case head, rather than from the bullet's tip to the case head " Steel comparator has six holes cut, one for each caliber listed

Technical Information

Notes: Allows a comparative measurement from the major diameter of a bullet to the case head, rather than measuring from the bullet's tip to the case head Comparator is steel and has six holes cut, one for each caliber listed Insert a cartridge into its correct size hole, then measure from the opposite face of the tool to the base of the cartridge. This dimension may be used to adjust seating dies so that the bullets are being seated more uniformly with respect to the bullet's ogive rather than a cartridge's overall length. "

the shape was the same as nut withe flats milled looked real simple and yet effective

[hawk45]

Here is a process document I came up with after doing lots of research. I'm sure you can tweek it to get you the results you are looking for if not how you like to do things, but overall it's a decent overall with equipment needed. This process will be different for AR reloaders and bolt reloaders. Obviously with AR's you are going to want to FL resize each time.


1. Initial brass prep
• Full length resize
• Trim to length – Use a brass trimmer to set brass to a consistent spec length
• Debur/chamfer case neck inside and out.
• Neck uniform trim (bolt only)
• Uniform flash hole - Use a flash hole debur tool to uniform the flash hole
• Uniform primer pocket

2. Measure chamber length for max brass length.
• Need 1 piece of full length sized brass trimmed .10” back and w/ mouth slightly opened to allow gauge to compress into brass neck with medium tension.
• Need 1 chamber length gauge (one for each caliber)
• Remove extractor and ejector from bolt
• Insert gauge into brass and close bolt
• Measure with dial or digital caliper to get your camber length and record.

3. Measure distance to lands.
• Use same case above
• Insert bullet you plan to use (brand, model , grains) into the brass
• Gently place in chamber and close bolt (w/o ejector, extractor also)
• Measure base of brass to tip of bullet
• Measure with bullet comparator to get length from base of brass to bullet datum (one for each caliber).
• Or
• Use a cleaning rod close the bolt on empty chamber.
• Insert rod and mark at muzzle on the rod with tape.
• Insert case from above with bullet you plan to use into chamber
• Close bolt but do not use much pressure. You want to feel the bullet touch the lands.
• Hold the handle and use the rod to tape off at muzzle again.
• Measure distance and this should be to the lands.
• You will want to start loads at .010” jammed into the lands.
• You can back off from there (.005” increments) till you find what your rifle likes.

4. Reload a few basic rounds with the brass and bullet you plan to use using book or factory data.
• This will give us a round fire formed to your chamber and more information about your chamber.
• Go fire the rounds and save the spent brass for measurement

5. Measure from the base of the brass to the datum ( specific place on the brass shoulder) of the fired brass.
• Use a Sinclair Bump Gauge with a comparator.
• This will give you a measurement for setting/bumping the shoulder back to three thousandth's of an inch (.003") under/shorter than this length.

6. Setup your resizing die.
• Set up the resizing die in the press to "bump" the shoulder back to three thousandth's of an inch (.003") under/shorter than the measurement in step 4. This gives clearance for loading and unloading the unfired round, but maintains a snug fit in the chamber so the round and bullet is held on centerline with the bore for ultimate accuracy. It also keeps us from over working brass.

7. Size and de-prime your brass
• Bolt Action – after fire forming your brass the first time you may only need to neck size the brass to regain bullet tension when seating. You many need to FL size only once brass gets hard to chamber after several firings. This works the brass less than FL sizing every time.
• Semi-Auto – Full length size EVERY TIME. Failing to do so can cause chambering problems and unsafe conditions such as slam fires.

8. Anneal your brass (if you choose)
• Do every 4 firings or so
• Paint inside of neck with Tempilaq 650
• Heat neck with torch while turning until Tempilaq liquefies at just over 650 degrees (turns blue) and drop into bowl of water.
• Do not let brass get too hot! If you can’t hold at base, it is TOO HOT.. remove from flame and try again after air cools.

9. Clean your brass
• Use a vibrator cleaner with some brass polish and media (corn/walnut mixture) for 2-3 hrs
• Or use an ultrasonic cleaner (distilled water with 1 tablespoon of dish detergent and 3-6 tbsp of your favorite liquid brass cleaner) for 20-30min. Rinse in water and let dry.

10. Clean Primer Pockets
• Use a sonic vibrator or primer pocket cleaning tool to clean the primer pocket

11. Trim Brass (if needed)
• Trim your brass to the measurement in step 2.

12. Sort your brass
• Sort by maker (Lapua, Winchester, Remington, etc)
• Then sort by weight of each manufacture in 1-2 grain lots with a digital grain scale (some go to 3gr, just depends on how important max uniformity is for your needs)
• Don’t cross manufactures brass even if same weight.

13. Prime your brass
• Prime your brass

14. Setting neck tension
• This step is all feel. You want your bullets tight enough that they won’t get setback (pushed back) when working the bolt into the chamber, but not overly tight to create more pressure.

15. Powder charge your cases
• Try to get the grains exactly right for each load.
• Use a latter test to see what charge your gun likes
• Do in .3 or .5gr increments from min to just over max as long as no pressure signs show. (change to .1gr increments as you find your node)


16. Metaplate trim your bullets (if you choose)
• This won’t make a huge difference for most other than 1000yd Palma shooters

17. Measure your bullets
• Width (optional): Use a micrometer to measure the width of the bearing surface of each bullet (very rarely enough to matter.
• Ogive Length: Use your comparator to measure your bullets length to the bearing surface shoulder (each one)
• Sort in lots with more/less than .002” difference

18. Weight your bullets
• Measure the weight of each bullet with a digital grain scale.
• Sort in lots more/less than .20 grains difference

19. Seat your bullets
• Adjust you seating die to match the amount of jump/jam you want based off the measurement in step 2.

20. Measure and weight your loaded rounds
• Each round should weight the same and be the exact same length from the bullet shoulder to the base of the case.

21. Go shoot and record your results
• Record your results of each lot of 6 rounds (Two 3 shot groups), and make adjustments in jump/jam and powder charge as needed.

22. Chrono and run dope
• Once you have a combination that is grouping well, you will next want to chronograph your velocities of that round.
• Once you have the velocity you can use a ballistics program to run dope on yardage.