RCBS Rock Chucker

[BigGoonTuna]

Do you have to size the brass on brand new stuff? Or is that just ready to roll?

i did when i started, now i just run the expander down into the case mouth and call it good.

i use lee dies, but change out the lock rings on my resizing dies with hornady lock rings, so i don't have to set them back up every time.  eventually i'd like to get some micrometer seating dies, as the lee seaters are sort of inconsistent when trying to set them up.  can't beat the price, though.

a hornady lock-n-load OAL gauge is a great investment for starting to work up loads, lets you figure out where exactly to start your seating depth at(i like to start as close to the lands as possible, then tune by going deeper into the case if needed).

for calipers, hit the pawn shops for a good quality kind, not the cheap chinese junk that the reloading companies relabel and sell.  i got a really nice mitutoyo digital caliper for $15 at my local pawn shop.

[Duckslayer89]

I think I have a pair of really nice calipers my dad used when he was a tig welder I’ll have to dig them up. If I can’t find them I’ll look at the pawn shop for sure. Are you guys putting crimps on the brass? This guy I hunted with once got a bullet lodged in his barrel when he tried to extract. I really don’t want that to happen to me. Was this because he didn’t seat it right?

[Curly]

I never have crimped. Yeah, that guy probably did not seat his bullet deep enough and it ended up into the lands and got the bullet stuck.

[JimmyHoffa]

If the bullet has a cannelure, then I will crimp. 

[h20hunter]

@Duckslayer89

Regarding your squib, or bullet in the barrell concern.  I would offer this advice. I've now loaded for about 10 years and done single stage and progressive loading of various rifle and pistol. Eventually,  you will screw up and only prime that case,  no powder. Trust your rounds but if ot goes pop and not bang just stop. Stop and check. I have had one squib....it was in 45acp. I remember clearly.  Pulled the trigger, it went pop and did not cycle. I, by habit, racked the slide and prepared to fire. Finger on the trigger my brain registered the difference. Ejected the mag, locked the slide back, layed it down. I keep a dowl in my kit....yup...round in the barell. Drove it out with the dowl and called it a day.

Like others have mentioned,  you can assemble match grade stuff with basic equipment. Good luck and enjoy the process.

[Curly]

I just thought of another invaluable piece of equipment.  A bullet puller. 

I used one like this (link).  It works, but is a pain compared to the one I picked up a couple years ago:

grip-n-pull

It works really nice.  Sometimes you just want to pull a bullet and that tool makes it so easy. 

[h20hunter]

 

Yup. That's what I use.

[Magnum_Willys]

Not a requirement but sure like mine for case prep. 

[Fl0und3rz]

Welcome to the dark side.

[brokemillwright]

rcbs dies have little set screws and I have stripped one set, more than likely over tightened it tho.  I have a Lee die set for my 7mm and I'm pretty fond of my 6.5 creedmoor  hornady custom series ( $30 and self centering full length).  I was going to get the forester bench rest but they were back ordered but have been plenty happy with hornady.

this is a good read and the method I use now. he doesn't bother seating close to the lands, just magazine length and then adjust slightly if you feel the need.
http://optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com

here are 3 loads using OCW method. first is 115 yds, then 211 yds and the last is 400 yds with 6.5 creedmoor on left and .223 on right.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Woodhunter]

Rockchucker has standard 7/8-14 threads.  Most makers dies fit.

What are you loading for?   2 die set for bottle neck rifle, three die set for straight wall cases like pistol or 45-70.

Buy a quality digital caliper similar to the one shown below.   An old Vernier or dial caliper is likely worn out, especially if has been in a weldors hands.

[CP]

I just thought of another invaluable piece of equipment.  A bullet puller. 

I used one like this (link).  It works, but is a pain compared to the one I picked up a couple years ago:

grip-n-pull

It works really nice.  Sometimes you just want to pull a bullet and that tool makes it so easy. 

Won't that grip-n-pull bugger up the bullets.

[Curly]

I just thought of another invaluable piece of equipment.  A bullet puller. 

I used one like this (link).  It works, but is a pain compared to the one I picked up a couple years ago:

grip-n-pull

It works really nice.  Sometimes you just want to pull a bullet and that tool makes it so easy. 

Won't that grip-n-pull bugger up the bullets.

Not really.  But I think it really depends on the bullet and caliber.  I've pulled 30 cal bullets and you could hardly tell they had been loaded before. 

Other times I tried pulling .224 dia bullets and there really wasn't much bullet exposed because of how deep they were seated.......I ended up not being able to pull some of them and the ones that did come out were kind of messed up.  For those I ended up going with the old style puller and pulled them.  But I never had a problem with .277 or .308 bullets.

[Duckslayer89]

@Duckslayer89

Regarding your squib, or bullet in the barrell concern.  I would offer this advice. I've now loaded for about 10 years and done single stage and progressive loading of various rifle and pistol. Eventually,  you will screw up and only prime that case,  no powder. Trust your rounds but if ot goes pop and not bang just stop. Stop and check. I have had one squib....it was in 45acp. I remember clearly.  Pulled the trigger, it went pop and did not cycle. I, by habit, racked the slide and prepared to fire. Finger on the trigger my brain registered the difference. Ejected the mag, locked the slide back, layed it down. I keep a dowl in my kit....yup...round in the barell. Drove it out with the dowl and called it a day.

Like others have mentioned,  you can assemble match grade stuff with basic equipment. Good luck and enjoy the process.

Ok roger. That would be a pain in the ass on an elk hunt or something I’ll have to make sure I’m damn careful to load powder.

I’ll be loading for 7mm Rem mag. I also have a 308 and a 338 but the 7mm was the gun I wanted to start shooting long range with.

Digital calipers sound easy to use I’ll have to look into it. Had the flu the last few days and my mind hasn’t been on anything else but laying here lol

[h20hunter]

I've done a lot of 308 and am just now gearing up for 7mm rm as well. Read up on collett die to remedy case bulge. I doubt you will have issues lacking powder on single stage loading. Keep us updated.