Help with handloading

[Daddio5280]

Hi. I'm totally new to hand-loading and need some help.  I have a 22-250, 22" bull barrel.  Using Winchester brass, Winchester primers, H380 powder with Nosler 55gr. Balistic tips.  I just bought a Lee press loader with a sizing die, a primer removal die, a case length trim tool, deburr tool, primer case cleaner... etc.  I've read the basics and lets say they are very basic.  I'm trying to size the neck of the case prior to charging.  But I don't know how to set the die distance or how far to ram the press.  I also don't know if I should be resizing just the neck, or trying to resize the whole case.  I also don't know how to get the correct overall legnth of the round with the bullet legnth itself longer than the factory bullet I shoot.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks - Robert.

[McLernon]

You will likely have to FL resize because the Handi action is flexible. The hotter you load the more the flex.

To set the cartridge overall length  push a bullet into an empty sized case to a depth of 1/2 diameter. This is the minimum engagement I use as a rule. With a black marker paint the bullet. Load the empty round into the chamber and close the action. Open the action and remove the bullet. Inspect the bullet for rifling marks. If none then you have a long throat and you will not be able to set the bullet near the rifling. If their are marks it is possible to measure the length of the marks with a vernier and a magnifying glass. Set the bullet deeper into the cartridge the length of the marks PLUS 0.032 inches. This will leave you 0.032 off the rifling which is usually where the best accuracy is obtained. Measure the cartridge overall length. Set your bullet seater for this overall length. 

I would not be surprised if you have trouble stabilizing the 55 gr. NBT. My 22-250 will not do it in cold weather(dense air). I use 50 gr NBT's.

Good luck Daddie5280

[PHATINJUN]

You need to get some reloading manuals and read . Sure would hate to see you hurt yourself or others. Get your instructions out for the new press and read them so you understand them before attempting to make bullets .that is the very basic safety precaution . I do not write this as a smart ass just out of concern. There are IIRC at least 10 or 11 maybe 13 safety basics in all manuals that you need to know . I'ts pretty easy to reload and a lot of fun but ya got to read the instructions and understand them. Then ask for help these guys have helped me a ton. kurt 

[LaOtto222]

PHATINJUN has given you great advise. Get yourself at least 1 reloading manual with reloading instructions, more manuals are better. Read the reloading instructions through until you fully understand them. If you have more than one manual; read the reloading sections in all of them. Do not do any thing out side of manual recommendations until you have a full understanding of reloading and you have some experience under your belt. Once you thoroughly understand how to reload, you can get more specialized dies to do specialized jobs (like neck sizers). New brass can usually be just neck sized to start with; to round out the mouth. You can do this by running the ram up to full stroke and the backing off the full length sizing die by a full turn. This way you can run your brass into the die the same each time. If you full length size, then run your die down until it touches at full stoke and then move the die down another 1/8 turn. When starting, reload the OAL to recommended lengths. Again after you reload for a while and know what you are doing, you can experiment with different bullet seating depths. Your reloading manual will help set your dies correctly if the die instructions do not. Many of them have pictures to help understand the reloading process. At the top of the reloading section of this forum is some good reading too. I know the feeling when you finally get your reloading equipment; you want to start right away. Do not be over zealous to get started. Research and read before you start.

[KYJoe]

  My 22-250 Ultra Varmint Fluted seems to like 55gr. V-Max's over 39gr. H-380. I have not shot it in cold weather "under 40 degrees" but it stabilizes them very well, Might be the 24in. barrel. I always FL size new brass, But fired brass I just neck size it then test them in the chamber before loading. Sometimes I will run into one or two that are a little too tight. 

[Daddio5280]

I did run into 1 hitch... it seems the spent brass is expanding in diameter at about 1/4" up inch from the base of the case.  Just enough so the action does not want to close easily on those cases.  I checked and re-checked my brass length and made sure to trim to 1.902".  It looks like I will have to run the sizing full length on all the spent cases.  After doing this the action closes as easily as it does with new factory ammo.  I did do the marker trick to check bullet seating depth and no marks, I guess I have a long throat and will check the chamber, if I can manage, it with my calipers.  For now, I just eyeballed a factory round in front of a re-loaded round and kept seating the bullet deeper until the tapers on the bullets matched.  (the overall length will be different as I have factory JHP ammo and am using Balistic tips in the reloads)  The seating ended up deeper than the rounds I tested with the marker trick, so I don't expect a problem.  I just want to fabricate safe ammo for now, and expect to worry about max loads and accuracy improvements as I get more experience re-loading.  I do have 1 book that is caliber specific, and I am waiting for the shop to get in a Nosler book. 

[snapcrackpop]

Lee's site has reloading videos.
http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html


I'm running into the same problems with my 22-250.  See my thread in the "handloading" forum.
I'm going to try some lighter bullets(45-50g) next time I get to the store.

[LaOtto222]

What you have found is not unusual. With high pressure cartridges; full length sizing is often needed when shooting in a break open action. Most semi or fully auto guns need to be full length sized too. With semi - autos the case has to fit the chamber very easily or they hang up and will not let the bolt lock up. With break open designs, the action wants to open and stretch occurs in the case, enough that you need to move the shoulder back. There are other guns where a strong cam action at lock up is lacking that require full length sizing. To maximize your case life, move the shoulder back just enough to chamber the round. Some dies will move the shoulder back more than others, so you will have to adjust your die to find out how much to adjust your die. Be watchful for signs of head separation as you go through your reloads. Check this every time you reload. If you see signs of the case thinning right above the case web, discard the case.

[Inrut24/7]

Start your loads at the bottom and work up to get the best accuracy and to be safe, check your brass after each load for signs of high pressure.

[LaOtto222]

One thing I forgot to mention - while case OAL is important the critical dimension is head space. The distance from the middle of the shoulder to the breach face. When you full length size you are pushing the shoulder back; effectively reducing the distance from the shoulder to the breech face. The length of the neck is only important when the neck reaches into the throat. This gives the case mouth no where to expand to release the bullet and causes pressures to go way up. When you full length size you are pushing the shoulder back, not shortening the case OAL, necessarily. This is explained in your Nosler manual, I just checked mine to be sure the Nosler manual has this in it. BTW I have 6 modern (within the last two years) manuals and 4 older manuals and feel I do not have too many. You just can't have too many. Research, research; think about it and then do some more research. Pay close attention to the details at all times and you will find reloading a rewarding pass time, not a disaster about to happen.

[FW Conch]

       Daddio 5280 it sounds like you may have the same problem I have with my 30-06 chamber.  Look at my post on page 3 under "Realoading for the Handy" & read what Tim told me to do about it.  Good Luck !  Jim   

[Daddio5280]

I don't have that exact problem.  It looks like my cases are expanded evenly around the circumference of the entire case.  The expansion area is almost exactly 1/4" up from the base.  The taper on the case sidewall widens out to .466"  at this area, then reduces back down to .462"  just before the rim.  The factory unfired cases have a smooth taper to .462"  just before the rim, and after a FL sizing, the spent cases are going back to this measurement.

[McLernon]

You may find that the brass 'shakes down' after three or so firings and thereafter all that is needed is to bump the shoulder.

Mc