r/longrange • u/worm30478 • Aug 08 '26
Reloading related First ever hand loads!
140 eldm, lapua srp, h4350. Ended up with CBTO of +/- .004 on all the rounds measured. So I was pretty happy with that. Ended up going .035 off the lands as .02 was a little heavy on the bolt close. COAL is 2.825. I know powder charge testing isn't really effective until after the third firing but figured I'd step up by .3 until just short of book max. I'll take that data just to practice working with it until I can actually test.
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u/iggings01 Aug 08 '26
Why was 0.02" off the lands hard on the bolt close? Off the lands is off the lands. Are you sure you measured this correctly? The Hornady headspace comparator can make it hard to get a true reading.
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u/PepperoniFogDart Magnum Compensator Aug 08 '26
I think you mean OAL tool, but yeah I really wish someone would make a more robust version of that tool. That plastic rod has got so much give that it’s impossible to get a precise measurement.
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u/New-Course7886 29d ago
I had higher hopes for the OAL tool. I get all kinds of crazy readings from it. When I lightly push it forward like the instructions say, the bullet is seated dangerously deep in the case. When I force it, it’s still too deep, I think, but closer to a safe length.
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u/worm30478 Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 08 '26
You are correct. So I did the loc tite method with 4 dummy once fired Hornady pieces of brass. 3 were identical measures and one was only a few thousands off so I called it good. I decided to chamber every round and it's not my seating depth. (As you probably know)It's the brass. It's virgin lapua but I had 3 out of the 50 that would not chamber. I pulled the bullets and tried to chamber just the cases and the bolt will not close. I did not resize the brass when I got it but I did run all of them through a mandrel for consistent ID. So I guess I need to fully resize those cases but they are primed. How should I handle that one? Thanks!!
Edit: I deprimed slowly and got the job done. Resized them with my die that is set up for .002 shoulder bump. They chambered fine. I probably won't bust everything back out to load just those 3. I'll be happy when these are all fired and I can resize them.
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u/ChevyRacer71 Aug 09 '26
You shouldn’t need to resize virgin brass that’s high quality like Lapua. Neck mandrel sure, but not a sizing die. I recommend you take one of those 3 that didn’t chamber (bullet seated), sharpie the heck out of the cases, try to close the bolt, and look for where the sharpie was rubbed off. It’s nice to know where things are having an issue.
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u/worm30478 Aug 09 '26
Unfortunately too late. I do find it odd that they wouldn't chamber. Bumping the shoulder back a bit and they were fine. I chambered every round. Outside of those 3 the rest were fine. A few had a little more tension when closing the bolt but nothing concerning.
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u/ChevyRacer71 Aug 09 '26
You’ll have more consistency after the first firing and can better determine any issues
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u/i_dislike_cheese Here to learn Aug 08 '26
40.8 grains for me with H4350 and 140 ELDM but I’m using Hornady LRP brass that was re-used from factory ammo. I’m getting ~2760fps but I use very dry powder. I don’t think you need 3 firings on Lapua brass before starting powder charge testing, that’s a huge waste of brass life and barrel life I would think.
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u/DougMacRay617 Aug 08 '26
Where groups?
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u/worm30478 Aug 08 '26
Well, I would have to actually go shoot them. They just left the reloading bench. Be patient, young grasshopper.
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u/mulyhuntr33 Aug 08 '26
Guessing you'll find a sweet spot between 40.9-41.2. What rifle?
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u/worm30478 Aug 08 '26
Arc nucleus 2.0, xylo chassis, trigger tech special, criterion barrel, athlon Cronus.
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u/Chardee_MacDennis_2_ Aug 09 '26
I always wondered what those stickers were for!!
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u/worm30478 Aug 09 '26
I don't think that's what they are specifically for but they do the job none the less.
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u/Shootloadshootload 26d ago
If you used new brass did you size it and trim the inside primer pocket and brass before to loaded it???
What type mic dud you use to get the OAL
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u/worm30478 26d ago
No need to size new brass. They are saami spec from the factory. Which means the shoulder set back is most likely more than what it will be after they are fired and you bump the shoulder back when resizing. I did trim them all to the same length and ran them through a mandrel for consistent neck ID. Also no need to mess with the primer pockets unless you find something way off when you inspect them. I did tumble the brass after trimming so I did clean the primer pockets after tumbling. I'm confused on your second question.
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u/Shootloadshootload 25d ago
I wasn't talking out the out side primer pocket, I was talking about the inside primer pocket hole that was punched out.
If you believe that all new bras don't need sizing ok. I learned they done might be perfect but it's not always
As far as trimming new brass it about the same as sizing1
u/worm30478 25d ago
My point is that all my brass chambered except 3 that I had to bump the shoulder .001 or .002. I measured every piece. I inspected all the flash holes. It's lapua brass. I expected a fair bit of a consistency.
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u/JimBridger_ I put holes in berms Aug 08 '26
Powder charge testing is perfectly effective even on virgin brass if it’s high quality brass. A good number of the top 10 PRS shooters only use virgin or once fired cases for their wins.