terryh

Just sorted a gallery rifle myself, Having borrowed/used a couple of friends rifles/scope set ups concur on the low mag, Installed a (true) 1-10 SFP scope. Close in on 1x you can keep both eyes open 'similar' to utilising a Eotech 😎

Be interested in the N140 load under 130g's. Had some 'funnies' with N140 under the 130g Bergers 😯 T

Concur, your rifle should do the same thing for each ‘condition’ it is in as you take the 1st shot, you just need to know ‘what’ T

Rangefinder INHO do not think you can eliminate this just know your rifles performance from cold clean bore, cold dirty bore etc. Not sure I’d go with the ‘clean shooter’ theory? Might be true with the first rifle used but I see this ‘effect’ in all rifles used one after another - so by the 3rd rifle I’m well ‘warmed up’. 😁 If I was a betting man it is as PbG states - the condition of the clean barrel, is there a bit of lube/cleaning fluid still in there, did you clean it exactly the same way a previous etc. - ‘no’. This is why I do not clean between different loads during development (as I’ve seen stated in some folks load development process) , can you guarantee to clean the same way and also I do not want a load that only performs about of a freshly clean barrel - but I digress. Concur on the 22rf peculiarities also, first rounds down my rifle go low and left but after this all go straight (but I still fire a couple of warmers). Could be to do with the ‘wax’ coatings on 22rf setting while left in the cabinet? Brgds T

... agreed, re. the AMP feeder- looks like a cross between the old board game 'mouse trap' and an 80's Japanese hi-fi (blinky lights) 😳😀

Agree, but it might be down to the cartridge and/or the brass you are using. The last three rifles I've had had zero difference between new and once fired brass, but they were 300NM/Norma brass, 6.5x47 /Lapua, & 6mm Dasher/Norma. Only thing I found is a couple of them 'sped up' quite a bit. T

300NM is about the same ballistics as the 338 Lapua, as Baldie says, extremely accurate round, simple to load for, huge selection of bullets: nice review here with some numbers: http://www.accuracy1stdg.com/content/docs/binder7.pdf I have a rifle based on this cartridge - love it 😎

CL, Think do your basic development with new brass, I'm assuming that you are going to purchase a few hundred new brass from, if possible, the same batch. You can then go shoot happily, once you've fired all your brass then revisit you load, it should not vary that much from the load you developed for the new brass. I would though 'if it was me' size all the new brass to make sure any dents and irregularities were taken out, neck tensions are the same i.e. your new brass is consistent. Caveat - this is 'me', others will have a different thought process. also re. sizing new brass - depends on the brass manufacturer Brgds Terry

PID's are pretty simple to set up, a single off the shelf unit and then buy a suitable thermocouple and solid state relay I put one together years ago for my bullet casting setup, combined with a heater plate for ready use ingots keeps the mix very temp stable, not sure if I have the circuit drawing still, but look online, probably find details on the web : thus: https://www.castbulletassoc.org/forum/thread/pid-theromocoupler-control/ Latest Lyman pots come with PID in them: https://www.lymanproducts.com/brands/lyman/bullet-casting/casting-furnaces/mag-25-digital-melting-furnace As to 'bypassing' the existing stat, why do that, just set the existing stat above your target temp, it is then a backup if your PID goes boobs-up, just a suggestion. Re AMP's claims - yes they are a small company pushing their gear - what would you expect them to say 'our kit is expensive rubbish' ? 😏 Simple questions to ask: Does it make a difference - 'yes' from my own findings Does it matter how you do it - 'no' use whatever works for you. Tried flames by different methods, years ago simple holder+plastacene in the end of a battery drill in a dark room - worked but what faff. Then tried turntable flame - much better, but setup,plus open flames, need to sit by it did not 'do it' for me. Salt baths - had looked previously but just seeing the posts here confirmed my original analysis, chemicals at temperature, cannot leave it, time to get going etc., again not for my needs. So went for the easy option, yes it costs but it ticks all the boxes for me being: Instant setup - from walking in the workshop to annealing <2 minutes Can do small batches - if I've 20 cases to do no issues Change of cartridge, from last annealed case to next < 1 minute No flames, hot chemicals etc.etc. Can walk away at any point, have food and walk back again picking up exactly where I left off (without wife keep shouting 'it's on the table' ) but above all - consistent results = I'm a happy bunny Many a mouse trap out there - just pick yours 😉 T

RAW, Not sure I'd go with a belted magnum, nothing wrong with them if you have the right tools and ignore the anecdotal stuff on the InterWeb 😉 I had a 7MM SAUM which is just about spot on IMHO with 180g bullets - 1 mile no issues, not wasting powder and a little kinder on barrels ('a little'). I'd buck the trend, chassis are so 'yesterday' and everyone using them 😄 (and please no camo ). Barrels as per Ronin - any of the known brands which are available and off the shelf. Good fun to put something together with a 'target' use. Mind you there are factory rifles in cartridges like the 300 PRC now which will be easier to spot at distance - something to think on? T

PbG, gas flames & salt annealing = risky for me. I plumped for an AMP as I can pick up and drop and/or leave unattended to go in for lunch etc. Gruntus - the K&M + load gauge was the system I tried a few years ago, effective but I was not going to motorise it after seeing it was ‘me’ who could easily vary the measurements by +/-15% T

PbG, Indeed looking at the details is interesting. Slightly off OP but related, I've always been interested in 'what' goes on between bullet and brass i.e. what sort, if any, of bond starts over time, cold welding? Do you short seat your rounds then then the night before fully seat them? Being able to measure is there is any change in resistance could be good? I did notice that brass cleaned in a wet tumbler were too clean and had increased seating effort hence I 'regular' tumble in media after wet cleaning (which is now and then) and this restores the smooth feeling during seating. Also only wire wool the outer neck/shoulder when annealing - do not mind the carbon being baked on, again feel this helps reduce any binding or scraping during seating. As to coatings, perhaps bullet coatings help? I've seen where graphite in a carrier is applied to inside the neck (never tried it myself). Only thing I do currently is use the Imperial sizing next powder/ball applicator. Seems to do no harm. Still, gives us things to play with. Brgds T

..... indeed, ‘motor cycle parts’, ‘nut and bolts’ etc. Not worth the effort of trying to explain even if it is permitted, better things to do with my time 😉 T

Popsbengo, I had a similar, if mechanical, device on an arbour press many years ago to try and define/measure seating force and therefore consistency of neck tension as it made sense to do so. Gave up after I realised that any seating ‘by hand’ i.e. if it was me pulling the lever on the arbour press, then there was still a variable that negated the data from sexy measuring tools. You might find also, sub consciously, that you start to use the arbour press in such a way that ‘you’ maintain the constant reading IMHO unless you fit a motor drive to the arbour’s lever that rotated the mechanism at the same speed every time then any measurements you gain can be effected to a greater degree by you as opposed to the operation you are trying to define. I.e. you cannot just look at one variable. You ‘should’ be able to see large errors, but I could always feel them when using an arbour press without any 3rd party device. T

Banus02 has a good point, do some more common 20 Cals exceed velocity limits on ranges? just a thought? T

Terrier man, I think one fo the Vortex offerings would do you very well on either of those rifles and to that distance. Example PST 5-25x https://www.opticswarehouse.co.uk/vortex-viper-pst-gen-ii-5-25x50-ffp-illuminated-30mm-riflescope-moa Those that I’ve handled /looked thru’ have been pretty nice. Good controls - which if you’re on a range is essential. That one is 25x, they do a 3-15x in the same range, but me I like some magnification, you can always turn it down 😎 But with any of this best to try and get behind anything you are looking to purchase if you can. Brgds terry

Terrier man, As per Elwood comments - one mans ‘long range’ is another starting point 😀 Budget and distance you are looking to work out to, also what rifle is it going on? T

Tidy looking rifle Botasky 😎😉

Jon, The rules 'have' changed but I've not caught up with what it means? Might be worth calling someone like Reloading International in the US, exporting is a main part of their business Brgds T

GT3-R, It was put together here. No idea what the stock weighs on its own, its a Gunwerks - might be on their site? No, no pressure signs at all, ran some higher loads during development but this one feels ‘just right’ when looking at results. Cheers Andy, was a very pleasing 1st outing at 1000 with the rifle. sort of surprised me how’s much it seem to ‘avoid’ the wind changes compared to the other cartridges on the line.

Just back from 1st real play with this rifle, must say very pleased with its performance, zip recoil, easy to shoot, wind was very much ‘fish tailing’ so simple hold l & r edge of bull to compensate ignoring the 1st shot down a (very) clean barrel out of storage just spot on performance 105g Berger, 32.4g IMR 4166 gives a comfortable 2950, 26.75moa from 100 yards zero for 1000 yards. Wind was 10mph +/- from 10 o’clock, but doing funny stuff . Scope is on scant and too far back - but the stock feels just right. Excuse crap photo but best I could do on the range Happy bunny.

Just back form a morning booking of 5 points on Stickledown (5 points x 4 hours @1000 yards). No real hassle actually IMHO more straight fwd than normal - hope they keep this setup going forwards (fat chance, we’ll all be back to lineups in the office 🙄) No to and fro to sort HME, someone is on Winnans/Zero, book in for actual shooting on range and go shoot, hand radios back to NRA staff on the range - simples!! Nice day but wind was a bit ‘squirrely’ T

Morning Dave, Interesting build. Think the 243 is often overlooked because it is old and not ‘trendy’ 😉. Now unless there is a ‘historic’ tag to the cartridge it’s obviously no good 🙄😂 The 243 was the 1st wind ‘cheater’ cartridge to turn up in the SH comps. George Gardener of Gnats Arse Precision with a 243 using 115 DTAC’s and as he said at the time you do not even have to run them flat out to be good. After the match we all shot off the tower at RO. Everyone else was using 308’s and around 10 mil for 1000, he was using just over 7 mil and a lot less wind. Keep seeing these vertical grips - must try one at some point -what’s your view Dave as you see a few pass thru’ your shop? Neat looking build - what was its weight? Cheers T

Kaboom If you are looking for an external adjust Unertl I had one of this guy a few years ago when building a retro varminter: http://unertl.alexweb.net/ They are quite stylish and still a good scope IMHO Brgds t

Personally like falling blocks and the No.1 is an updated take on a turn of the century British rifle. Think you’d need a gunsmith who knows about them? Re.22 CM, do you need all that speed vs accuracy?? Would have thought a 22-6.5x47 or 22BR had more potential? Seen 6-6.5x47’s that are silly accurate. Triggers are available and I’d fit a ‘Hicks tuner’ as a safety net. As to stainless and laminate, IMHO making a nice looking rifle on this action would be the way to go and due to how the fore end is mounted would not detract from accuracy