Starting out

[rezz]

My reloading order arrived today and I have been busy getting situated.
I have the Lee Hand Press and the Lee Reloader Press and Lee manual as well as Hodgens data.

My first loads are going to be 22-250 using Hornady Vmax 55 grain bullets with Varget.
I am using my own once fired brass.

I am using the Hand press to deprime and neck size and the Lee Reloader press to seat the bullets.

When I neck size there is very little resistance and the diameter of the neck is little changed from the old brass and measures .256"
EDIT: I applied more pressure with the press and now there is about .003 difference between resized and unsized brass.

How much change in diameter is supposed to occur with neck sizing?
How do you make sure that the bullets are held in place firmly enough?

The cartridges measure 1.91" which is just a hair over the trim to lenght of 1.902".   Good right?


I have made up an unprimed and unloaded dummy round that measures the same as Hornady factory 55gr Vmaxs in COL. This is 2.345"  Good to go??
This dummy chambers and extracts fine in my Handi Fluted barrel.

I intend to start with Varget at the listed minimum of 34gr. Hodgens and Lee show a max of 36.5gr for a 55gr SPR SP bullet, but don't list the Vmax in 55.
Is this ok?? I cannot seem to find the Hornady data on their site right now to triple check the figures.

How does this sound so far?
Will shortly proceed with priming with EDIT: Federal Large Rifles primers and adding the Varget.
Has anyone had problems using the Lee autoprime with Federal primers?

[burntmuch]

The .256 sounds about right. Does the neck hold the bullet tight?   I would use the trim to length , but I think your safe.  I wonder if you have a tight chamber , so the neck only exspands .003 Or it springs back to that after pressure drops. Cant help ya with the load data. If its in the book should be good to go.  Load em up & go to the range.   

  Discaimer--- Im fairly new to reloading myself      Jay

[stimpylu32]

rezz

I have a Handi in 22-250 so your on the right track , as to the trim leingth your fine , in most cases the TTL is on the min. side and as the Handi's are known for having very long throat the little extra will not hurt .

Your COL is fine , you may even be able to bump the bullet out a touch to get closer to the lands , may help the groups may not , some barrels just seem to like a little jump to shoot well .

The sweet spot in mine was at 34.5 grains of Varget and the 55 grain V-max .

stimpy

[rezz]

Thanks Guys.
I'm just a little nervous getting started on my first load.

Will try the Varget  at 34, 34.5 and 35gr for the first batches and see how it goes.

Luckily, I bought the Lee Ram Prime and will use it with the Federal primers. From what I have read the Lee AutoPrime has trouble with that brand of primers.
Anyone have a problem with the Autoprime? Lee definitely says not to use it with Federals but there is supposed to be an improved model that is ok with them.
Not sure which one I have though so will stay with the Ram Prime for now.

I'll report in with the results when I get a batch out to the range!

[LaOtto222]

I do not have a Lee auto primer, but they are supposed to be the bee's knees. They are supposedly give you better feel for seating primers. There are a lot of bench rest shooters that use them. I would give it a try with your Federal primers and see how it does. You should be able to feel the primer bottom out in the pocket. I have not had much experience with Federal primers, I use mostly CCI and Remingtons, some Winchesters too. I use a RCBS primer seater because I did not know any better and it seems to work OK.

[beemanbeme]

There has been a lot of discussion as to why Lee sez don't use Federal primers in their AutoPrime.  Most of it suggest it is political with a lot of folks claiming to have primed thousands of rounds with Federal primers and the AutoPrime. I've used the Lee RamPrime also and it's good, just slower than the AutoPrime.  Since I use CCI primers, the discussion about Federal primers has been of little interest to me.

You might want to load up 5 or 10 rounds with your starting load and put them in a baggie along with a postit with the load data. Then go up say .5 grs and do the same. And so forth. That way you can test several different loads with one trip to the range.

Sounds like you're off to a good start.  Let us know how your first range session went and ask a lot of questions.  Every reloader in here started out right where you are now.  I certainly wisht I had cyberspace when I started out.    

[rezz]

Thanks to Everybody for the help.

I made up 20 rounds of ammo, 10 each of Varget at 34 and 34.5 grains using Hornady Vmax 55 grainers.
Got out to shoot and all went well. Groups for the 34s seemed a little tighter at about an inch with the 34.5s looking pretty good too.
It was real windy and I wasn't at my best for steadyness so groups are likely to improve.
The good news is they all shot well with no signs of problems.

I'm going to load up 3 new batches at 34, 34.5, and 35gr to try next time. With the max listed at 36 I intend to stay away from that as it doesn't seem necessary anyway.
I also have some Vmax 50s and Nosler BT 40 grainers to try. This barrel really liked the Rem UMC 50 grain bullets so that weight may prove the real ticket.

The ram prime works fine, but a little slow like was said, but fine for my purposes. But, it requires me to remove the seating die and then reset it which is a bit of a hassle.
 I might try the Auto Prime outside behind a brick wall or something later!
SO FAR, SO GOOD! This is feeling alright.

[burntmuch]

Like I said before, Im fairly new at this but I have learned that my groups are a little tighter when I spend a little time on my empties.
Trim to length, use the deburring tool on the mouth of case, ( I cant think of the name)  Enjoy

[boommer]

yes this is how it all starts and you load your first rounds and the years go by and by and all of sudden you will notice you will have ( THOUSANDS $!!) IN equipment and component's and you go I thought I got Into this so could save money! might want think about it. I have been a junkie for 25 years or so (GOOD LUCK) YOU WILL GET TO KNOW THE THE MULES (AKA. UPS" FED-X"yes  POSTAL SERVICE) THE DEALERS WILL HAVE CREDIT CARD ON FILE SO YOU CAN GET YOUR FIX QUICKER!  Yes to me it's a great life but I my wife thinks I have problem.Reloading equipment' casting equipment guns hunting equipment NO problem. works for ME!!   

[beemanbeme]

Why are you having to re-set your seater die?  If you locked your lock ring down when you got your length set, it should be just a matter of unscrewing it from the press and setting it aside when you are using the press for something else and then screwing it back it to produce ammo of the same length.

If you are nervous about trying Federal primers in the AutoPrime, just don't put very many in the hopper (say 10 or so) and be sure and wear safety glasses so you can see where to put the tourniquets.
Did you know that the bottom of the primer hopper on the AutoPrime is ridged so that by shaking the primers gently back and forth they will all orient bottom side up so you don't have to handle them with your fingers?  You do that before putting the cover on.   

[rezz]

I had to loosen the lock nut which I think would require some readjustment. Will try not to move it much next time.

[stimpylu32]

rezz

I have loaded 10s of 1000s of Fed primers with my auto primes with out so much as 1 poped primer , part of Lees warning comes from the fact that Fed. primers have a softer cup that most of the other companies . i like the auto prime because i can do 100 in just a few min. while watching TV or reading at the comp.

If i'm only going to do 20 or so i still use the little T primer that came with my first Lee Turret press but for the big jobs nothing beats the auto prime ( i have 4 )  2 set up for small and 2 set for large primers .

stimpy

[rezz]

Sounds good. I'll get my welders gloves and a barrier and try it later.

What bullet seating depth do you use for this caliber/bullet/combo?

[stimpylu32]

rezz

2.355 works well with the boattails and 2.365 with the flat base , they make both styles in the V-max , i also leave my brass at 1.915 as it has such a long throat .

stimpy

[rezz]

My brass is right with you at 1.91

My last loads had the bullet seated deeper than the Hornady factory rounds so I thought it may be too deep.
The COL was 2.35 though so not too bad. But I will go with the 2.365 on the next batch.

I may have to make up one of those split case 'gages' to check seating but with you having the same barrel and having already measured.....maybe not. Or another day.

Thanks stimpylu

Randall