Equipment & Gear > Guns and Ammo
30-378 reloading thoughts
jrebel:
--- Quote from: 10mmg on June 16, 2024, 05:42:29 PM ---I have a muzzle brake that makes it louder than a fart canned Honda at 2am on a Tuesday but the recoil is minimal. Could be the noise but I have never been prone to flinch. I’ll use bags and bipod on the next trip to the range to eliminate that possibility. Brass is all through the rifle so it’s formed to that rifle. Reloading dies are RCBS. How do I verify neck tension or adjust it?
Thanks for the feedback
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The best way to check neck tension (in my opinion) is using pin gauges or mandrels. Example....I use a .3075 sizing mandrel to size my necks uniformly. I chose that mandrel by checking with a .3060 mandrel (works as a pin gauge) to confirm I have 0.002 neck tension. Bullet diameter is 0.308, neck opening is 0.360...which gives me 0.002 neck tension. Brass will spring back after being stretched, so to just pick a mandrel or bushing die and assume your getting a certain neck tension....is not going to work. Different brass has more / or less spring to it so you have to check when you use different brands, lots, times loaded.
In my experience....most brass and FL sizing dies will apply 3-5 thousandths neck tension. When I'm loading, I load my ammo with 1-2 thousands depending on the use of the ammo. My heavy hitters, I usually go with 2 thousandths to keep the bullet from moving in the magazine. If I go 1-1.5 thousandths....I apply a little crimp to my big boomers. At 2 thousandths, I'm comfortable not applying crimp and using them in my magnums.
Another bonus to using sizing mandrels, is your necks get lubed with molly lube or graphite which prevents cold welding. Consistency is king......consistent neck tension could help fliers. Lubed necks will prevent cold welding...which could eliminate fliers.
jrebel:
--- Quote from: str8meat on June 16, 2024, 06:22:41 PM ---Tried getting mine to shoot heavy bullets, rifle didn’t care for them. Barnes load speaks for itself. The other picture is 180 grain hammer hunter. 108 grains 8133 moving at 3410. Have fun that’s a lot of horsepower to drive and keep in a straight line. Have fun.
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Str8tmeat.....I love hammers. They shoot great and are devastating on game. I bet that 180 grain HH in your rifle is a killing machine.
10mmg:
Thanks all. Is the neck sizing mandrel what appears to be a third die in a set of reloading dies? Do you have recommendations for where to get mandrel? I have just been using the 2 die set to reload up to this point. Never knew neck tension was a thing that was maneuverable. Admittedly I am a newbie on this reloading and this seems like a tough cartridge to start with. Finding my 6.5 cm load was simple. Maybe I got lucky. Gotta get this dialed in for my September moose hunt.
jrebel:
--- Quote from: 10mmg on June 16, 2024, 07:50:36 PM ---Thanks all. Is the neck sizing mandrel what appears to be a third die in a set of reloading dies? Do you have recommendations for where to get mandrel? I have just been using the 2 die set to reload up to this point. Never knew neck tension was a thing that was maneuverable. Admittedly I am a newbie on this reloading and this seems like a tough cartridge to start with. Finding my 6.5 cm load was simple. Maybe I got lucky. Gotta get this dialed in for my September moose hunt.
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I bought 21st century mandrels and mandrel die body. I like buying the kit....even though it is expensive and has more mandrels that are needed because I like having the other mandrels to use as pin gauges. I reload multiple rifles in similar calibers so It gives me infinite options for all similar calibers. It's a buy once, cry once thought process.
If you go this route, make sure you buy the moly lube as well. It is cheap and will last you a lifetime. Don't forget the die body too.
Make sure you are buying the madrels and not the nitride mandrel or nitride turning arbor. A guy on another reloading site bought those not knowing and had the wrong items.
https://21stcenturyinnovation.com/buy-online/ols/products/caliber-specific-expander-mandrel/v/E30-Kit
Where are you located??
jrebel:
Lastly.....all of this is not 100% necessary...but consistency will shrink your groups. You want consistent neck tension. You don't want cold welding.
I look at reloading this way..... If I'm going to take the time to reload, I want ammo that is more accurate than factory rounds. If I'm not getting better results....why am I doing it??
Do you anneal your brass?? If not find someone that reloads close to you and have your brass annealed. You only have to anneal brass every couple firings.....though a lot of us do it every time.
The things that have netted me the most benefit in my reloading career are (not in any particular order):
1. Annealing my brass.
2. Uniforming my flash holes
3. Uniforming my neck tension.
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