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Dented shoulder and bullet setback
- Thread Starter Koda
- Start date
I'd show you pictures of I had them, did much much worse myself. Yes, the dent is more than likely due to too much lube. I wouldn't worry, it'll pop back out when you fire that round.
I use about .040 setback on my hunting rounds. .005 isn't much space and a little dirt or variation in the loading process could muck that up and suddenly you have a round that won't feed and a deer scooting away while you curse. I've seen bullet manufacturers recommend anywhere from .010 to .150 setbacks but not less so I would personally not. But if your rifle really, really likes it, well..... Your call
I use about .040 setback on my hunting rounds. .005 isn't much space and a little dirt or variation in the loading process could muck that up and suddenly you have a round that won't feed and a deer scooting away while you curse. I've seen bullet manufacturers recommend anywhere from .010 to .150 setbacks but not less so I would personally not. But if your rifle really, really likes it, well..... Your call
- Thread Starter
- #3
good to know about the dent shooting out ok, i'll put these back in my loading. It was too much lube as I put a few new drops on my lube pad.
I have so little data points to go by but with what I have Ive noticed good groups -.005 to -.010. I tested some with further setback but wasnt at my range that day and my shooting position wasnt stable enough. I feel like I need to do one more load development now re-testing different setbacks but at my range from a solid benchrest. This probably means I wont be able to use my handload this hunting season cause I doubt I will get another range session in before opening day. Appreciate your reply TTSX.
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Like TTSX said, no issues with that dent; the first few times I reloaded bottleneck cartridges I had some cases with dimples all the way around the shoulder from too much lubricant. They all fired perfectly fine and returned to their original shape.
.005" of setback is definitely cutting it close, but if you've used this recipe before with no issues and good results, then I say stick with it until it doesn't work! My hunting reloads for 300 magnum are probably in the .055-.06" range. But again there is a lot of personal preference in this area!
.005" of setback is definitely cutting it close, but if you've used this recipe before with no issues and good results, then I say stick with it until it doesn't work! My hunting reloads for 300 magnum are probably in the .055-.06" range. But again there is a lot of personal preference in this area!
- Thread Starter
- #5
Im pretty brand new to reloading and this being my very first load development have never used this recipe in the field. Im at the last part where I need to decide what setback to use, I test each round I load for chambering and even as close as -.005" setback chambers and extracts smoothly and easy but Im well aware of how harsher hunting conditions can affect this. Im reloading another 20 rds and was half thinking of just picking a setback and zero it. Otherwise im not certain I will get to use this recipe this season unless I can squeeze in another range day.
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Your concerns definitely make sense, no reason to risk an issue in the field when reliability matters most!
I noticed you mentioned that you have tested setback out to .010" with good results; if you aren't going to be hunting where you are beating through a lot of brush or dense foliage, I don't think you'd have any issues at .010"
- Thread Starter
- #7
I did one range session testing setbacks all the way out to -.020" but was not from a stable shooting position and called fliers in every group (public land shooting). My best group was -005" where minus only one called flier my group was 1.060". I had very tight sub MOA 3shot groups inside the other groups of 5 rd strings but just wasnt happy about my shooting position messing with me to call all the fliers confidently.
I tend to get into the brush even hunting eastern Oregon. Last year hunting pressure drove our herd into a second growth draw that was thicker than the coast range. We got on them but no safe shots or bulls that we saw. I was picking pine needles out of my action couple times.
Id like to see what -.020" setback will do for me but from a benchrest. Loading a batch for tomorrow at my gun club to do it right.
You should be fine on both accounts. Check each and every round for length to ogive and you should be good to go.
- Thread Starter
- #9
I go back and forth on this. I understand the merits of having a hunting round that chambers in adverse conditions but I also have always cared for my rounds and chamber area when hunting. Ultimately I will go with the setback that gives me the tightest group, but I just have so little consistent data points to guide me right now to pick a setback and zero and use this year.
Im so close...
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For hunting, the gain of bullet jump optimization is minimal if not nonexistent. There is so many other huge factors that impact the accuracy of a hunter. For example, at the distance squeezing a little more accuracy from bullet jump matters, the wind plays a bigger impact to the accuracy. Unless the hunt is only from the shooting bench it may be wise to look at what low hanging fruit of accuracy there is for the shooting system (rifle, load and shooter).
First, I agree about the dent. Not an issue.
Second, it seems you've done good work on your loads and I'd encourage you to use them this season.
Last, seating depth is an accuracy-enhancing test. If you've got reasonable accuracy where you've tested, go with that and reserve further testing for a later date. On that front, I used to be beguiled by seating close to the lands because so many people talked about it. And I could usually find an accurate depth within 0.015 jump. But the window was small and throats erode quicker than you might think. Now I look for wide seating depth nodes that are good across a good range. One of my current loads is jumping 0.140. Don't neglect to test broader jumps. You might be surprised.
Second, it seems you've done good work on your loads and I'd encourage you to use them this season.
Last, seating depth is an accuracy-enhancing test. If you've got reasonable accuracy where you've tested, go with that and reserve further testing for a later date. On that front, I used to be beguiled by seating close to the lands because so many people talked about it. And I could usually find an accurate depth within 0.015 jump. But the window was small and throats erode quicker than you might think. Now I look for wide seating depth nodes that are good across a good range. One of my current loads is jumping 0.140. Don't neglect to test broader jumps. You might be surprised.
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All of the above and... cycle your reloads through your firearm before heading out to shoot/hunt.
It's the last thing I do before I put them in the box for storage/hunting.
It's the last thing I do before I put them in the box for storage/hunting.
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That is nothing, as long as it will chamber and fire. 0.005'??? Good grief! Bench rest and Olympic shooters fuss over such tiny tolerances. Check the setback on factory loads that shoot just fine.
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Good questions. Many of the fine gentleman on your thread, have immense knowledge base to you setback issue.
The dented case concerns me. Not that it won't chamber or fire. The fact, the case has been fired once already in your rifle, sizing the case again, enough to dent the shoulder. I find using my fingers to lube the case-body, then lightly go around the case mouth, staying away from the bottom of the neck and shoulder area. Enough lube will push itself down inside the die, to cover these two areas enough, so the case won't stick. If I'm sizing a case, which was already fired in the same rifle, my die and shell-holder don't touch. There's a fine space between them. Otherwise the shoulder of the case is being pushed back farther than is needed. This will work your brass way to much. Until the bolt tells be the case is becoming to large (it gives a little more resistance, when it's almost closed), I only concern myself with sizing the case-neck. But when needed I anneal, FL size and trim the case.
When I acquire once-fired cases (not from my gun) where some have dings or small dent, this is when I will FL size. An opportunity to hone my fire-forming skills. I save primers removed from cases (for whatever reason) so I don't need to use new ones. OR waste bullets and my good powders. I put one of the saved primers in the sized case. Use my data-load, cheap pistol or shotgun powder, 1/10 of a case full, topped with a small piece of toilet paper, topped to the bottom of the case-neck with corn-meal (fine) then another small piece of toilet paper, always keeping the case in the upward position, as not to disturb the mix, take my rifle out the back door, pointing it upward to the sky, load the case, at arms reach, fire, POP, a once-fired case, now formed to my rifles chamber, now I can put the effort (case preparations) in this case, to produce some very accurate loads. Not to mention, keeping a data-log on the case, I can get 10-15 loadings, as long as I'm not trying to manufacture a missile.
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