pcortes

I lay the completed rounds on a cloth fender cover (it's like a beach towel that the uniform company will launder), then I spray with an alcohol based brake cleaner. Once wet, I grab two corners of the of towel in each hand and and alternately lift and lower each side, letting the rounds tumble in the center. They come out totally clean and it only takes a minute. I use way more lube than Dillon suggests, so stickiness is a problem for me if I don't clean as a final step. I use Dillon case lube and Wurth brake cleaner.

You're not alone I shoot a P226 in production, and I also seat the magazine hard enough to close the slide if it's locked back. When I use 15 round magazines loaded with only 10 rounds, the rounds will sometimes rotate and jam the gun up pretty badly. I imagine it would be even worse with an 18 rounder. Anyway, I never have this problem when I load 15 rounds in the magazine, or if I use the 10 round magazines. I've tried the the Wolff +10 springs, and it reduced the frequency of the problem, but did not eliminate it. One possible reason others may not experience the issue may be the bullet weight. I use 147 grain bullets, not 115 or 124. I think the less inertia, and/or less aggressive magazine insertion technique, might be the reason some folks never have a problem. The Mecgar 10 round magazines work flawlessly until they break. I had never had a malfunction of any kind until I switched to 15 round magazines. Unfortunately, the plastic end plates on the 10 round mags will eventually break at the worst possible time -- when I'm pulling the magazine from my pouch mid-stage. Megar will replace the magazine for free (which is nice), but will not sell parts. I'd much rather buy the plastic bases in bulk and rotate them out every 6 months or so. Oh well. Perhaps a spacer inserted in between the base plate and spring seat would be a good solution. It would need to have a projection to retain the base plate, but otherwise might be pretty easy to build. This would also have the added bonus of being compliant with some state's laws.

I just measured a sample of 10 Montana Gold 147 grain CMJ bullets. They were all .636" I think a bullet length thread would be a good idea. Anybody else? Something like this: MG 147gn CMJ .636" Precision Bullets 147gn moly .661" MG 124gn JHP .577" Folks could contribute info on what they have on hand. With enough contributions it would make a nice searchable database. Bullet dimensions other than diameter can be hard to find sometimes.

Thanks for all of your replies! Looks like there is no "silver bullet" (or powder) and I'll have to experiment with my own equipment to find something that works well for me. Darrell, I'll search for your spreadsheets. Thanks!

Bummer, I'm too lazy for science Thanks for the response though! Why do you suppose Lyman publishes a "most accurate" load if the accuracy of a particular bullet and powder combination is entirely gun-dependent. I'm gussing they don't even use a "real" gun for their testing, but some sort of purpose built test rig. Why bother proclaiming one combination most accurate for a device no one else is likely to own? I'm not doubting you're right; your response makes good sense to me. I'm just curious.

Hi, I'm new to reloading and am hoping to improve my understanding of how powder choice and charge will affect accuracy given all other elements are identical. The reason I ask is in the Lyman manual has "most accurate" powder choice and charge weight is printed in bold. I've been experimenting with various combinations of components trying to find a load that shoots the way I like (soft, quiet, not smokey, clean, and safely over minor power factor), but I don't want to create something that makes it harder for me to hit the target; I'm a bad enough shot on my own My question is this: How can a powder's accuracy be inferred without taking the time to do the testing? Case filling at the desired charge? Powder shape (flake, ball, tube)? Is the only way to know to shoot groups yourself? Or is powder accuracy such a small factor that I should not spend any time worrying about it? Here are a few things I think I've learned/know. Please feel free to correct any statement that is wrong. * Faster powders, like VV N320, and heavier bullets, like 147g, will produce less recoil and smaller shock wave (eyeball jiggle). * Grouping cases by headstamp will reduce shot to shot variation * Lead, moly, and FMJ bullets smoke more than CMJ and hollowpoint bullets, and powder choice will also affect smoke * Faster powders are only able propell a bullet so fast without creating too much pressure. To increase speed, a slower powder may be needed. A good powder for a 147g bullet (like N320)may not be the best choice for a 124g (maybe N330 would be better). * Powder combustion is more complete when charges are closer to the maximum. Thanks for all your contributions. I've been lurking for quite a while and I've found the answers to many of my questions here in Brian's forum.

Thanks for all of the responses! I think y'all have convinced me that learning to use existing features as markers is the way to go -- No worries about breaking the rules (although one could argue that a marker does not qualify as "interfering"). No worries about the markers being moved, kicked, or cleaned away. Some of you suggested that markers are not needed at all. I suspect everyone uses them, but perhaps not everyone is consciously aware that they are using them, and they may not even need a marker exactly, just a plan to stop at a specific point in the course to shoot a series of targets. They have experience and do not need to focus on every detail; it's all automatic for them. They're able to arrive at their desired spot without "looking" for it. Just like I'm able to drive to work while paying almost no attention but my teenage daughter puts so much focus into shifting that she starts to lose lane position. And yes, I'm very aware that the most important things to focus on are those related to safety, and I will be careful. Thanks for the help!

Hi everyone, This is my first post. Hopefully I'm posting this in the correct forum. I have found it helpful to put markers on the course during the walk-though. This way I know exactly where to stop to shoot. Up to this point, I've been using items I find on the course, like a shot shell, a rock, or a bit of wood. My question is this; is this legal? Nobody has told me not to do this, but it may be that no one has noticed, or perhaps no one is worried about me gaining an advantage, since I'm new and not very good. If this is legal, could I use a strip of bright tape instead? So far I've only shot a couple USPSA matches, but may try IDPA or other types of matches in the future. Are other organizations rules be different regarding marking the course? Thanks for reading. Paul