General rifle (tools needed) reloading question

[Falloutboy89]

I've done pistol and shotshell reloading for years but am new to the rifle side and I have a few questions. I've am starting with 300 BLK (initially subsonic). which I shoot with a semi-automatic rifle. I have loaded 10 rounds to chrono. Shot/chrono'd them. Bigger SD than I would have liked but it's a start. I'll do a ladder test next time and see if I get improvements.

 

I have cut down/resized .223 brass. I am right around 1.358" on most of the brass. I have a LE Wilson case gauge and full-length sizing die. Right now my process is to re-size the brass. Trim to 1.358". Chamfer/deburr. Load.

 

My question is for where I am and what I am doing (300 BLK subsonic) do you think I need to get a comparator and an OAL length gauge? Are those standard tools for rifle? Must haves?

 

I'm not looking for precision right now. Just plinking stuff but I still want to be safe obviously.

 

Eventually I'd like to load other rifle rounds such as .223, .308, .30-06, etc.

[George16]

Since you’ll eventually reloading other rifle calibers, I highly suggest getting the Hornady lock and Load gage comparator and OAL gage. I bought a set since I reload 5.56, .308 and 6.5CM. It helps a lot and takes away the guesswork in reloading rifle rounds imo.

[Falloutboy89]

Is the following correct?

 

Seems like it's more for precision rifle. But it's not a must have now since everything I will load is semi-auto/magazine fed. As long as I stay within SAAMI specs (for the brass length)?

 

300-AAC-BLACKOUT-Revised-C-and-C-Notice-2021-06-02.pdf

[Falloutboy89]

1 hour ago, George16 said:

Since you’ll eventually reloading other rifle calibers, I highly suggest getting the Hornady lock and Load gage comparator and OAL gage. I bought a set since I reload 5.56, .308 and 6.5CM. It helps a lot and takes away the guesswork in reloading rifle rounds imo.

Appreciate it. I will at some point for sure. Just wasn't sure if it was needed now. So what happens if you use the OAL gauge and find that the overall length is actually larger than what can fit in your magazines? Does it become irrelevant at that point?

[HesedTech]

4 hours ago, Falloutboy89 said:

I need to get a comparator and an OAL length gauge? Are those standard tools for rifle? Must haves?

1. A precise case gauge is a must. It is how you adjust sizing die on press.

2. For precision loading OAL is determined off the OGIVE and how it fits in the chamber, similar to "plunk test" but more precise.

3. OAL is typically limited in auto load rifles by the magazine and not the chamber.

4. Learn to read pressure signs when developing loads, especially if loading near or over max recommended.

5. SDs vary more because of the volumes of different head stamps and powder drops, especially with stick powders.

6. If you want low SDs, use same head stamp and trickle measure the powder in your loads.

 

 

The real question is how "precise" do you want to be? The more you choose the more you spend on tools and dies.

 

Just saw you pdf file. Case length is measured after sizing (which means you need ability to trim cases), OAL max is determined more by magazine and chamber than specs.

 

Hope it helps.

Edited January 17, 2023 by HesedTech

[Falloutboy89]

7 minutes ago, HesedTech said:

1. A precise case gauge is a must. It is how you adjust sizing die on press.

Really appreciate your points above but I'm not sure I follow this. I thought the case gauge was used to verify it would chamber and was within SAAMI specs. Can you explain further?

Edited January 17, 2023 by Falloutboy89

[HesedTech]

45 minutes ago, Falloutboy89 said:

Really appreciate your points above but I'm not sure I follow this. I thought the case gauge was used to verify it would chamber and was within SAAMI specs. Can you explain further?

Dillon has a great instruction set about setting rifle sizing dies with the case gauge.  What is being done is by adjust the die up or down you are setting the head space based on shoulder of a bottle neck. When it is adjusted properly the sized brass will have the base between the two cuts in the gauge. 
 

Here’s a link to their instructions:

https://youtu.be/PIO37hANQlY

 

 

The case length is then adjusted by trimming the case so the neck is flush or between min and max of gauge. Will it chamber? Yes except if during reloading you somehow distort the neck during bullet seating.  This is why we gauge after loading, to check if the process went as planned.  OAL is not determined by the case gauge, just like with pistol rounds, but by you pre-loading measurement of the particular rifle chamber. 
 

I actually gauge check rifle brass periodically during sizing to make sure my dies and press have remained where I set them. I gauge all my loads after loading to make sure I didn’t screw it up.  Auto load rifles need to have ammo which freely slides into the chamber.

[Falloutboy89]

On 1/17/2023 at 5:10 PM, HesedTech said:

Dillon has a great instruction set about setting rifle sizing dies with the case gauge.

Finally got a chance to watch the video. Thanks. I load on a 650 and have found their videos to be very helpful. Appreciate all the help. It's all making sense now. Just needed to spend a little time getting up to speed. I feel comfortable moving forward now.

[m700]

It all depends on what your goals are. I have done single stage loading, matched head stamp, matched weight cartridge, bumping shoulder only for each rifle/ trickle charged powder/reamed and squared primer pockets/ flash hole deburred/ neck turned/annealed/etc/etc/etc. And I have loaded barely cleaned brass on a progressive and with my max range for shooting and the fact that I have learned to love blasting steel. There is no benefit to me getting 1/4 /1/2 MOA out of a 308. Loading fast and dirty im getting 3/4-1 moa and 300 yds is still easy.  I would go back to spending time and money if I had a place for longer shooting or if I got into paper targets again.

 

The Hornady lock and load was a great system. And made it very easy to get good results.