Catch-22

Having used most systems out there; Balance beam, GemPro250, Target Master with Balance beam, Chargemaster Lite and now the FX120-i with Autotrickler & Autothrow, I’ll add my two pennies worth. Balance beam was fairly accurate but very slow and subject to drafts. GemPro250 is very accurate and convenient. You can mitigate drift using a wind guard and line conditioner to keep current stable. But it’s slow to throw and trickle up. Target Master & Balance beam whilst fairly accurate posed the same problems with being slow to settle down. As I don’t have a permanent reloading bench, it was time consuming to setup each time, often taking as much time setting it up as actually time spent on reloading. Chargemaster Lite was a great tool. In my own tests I published here a while back, I found it was exceptionally accurate when you know the quirks (under throw charge, remove pan and settle, replace pan and trickle up) often obtaining accuracy to 0.02gn and no worse than 0.04gn. That’s within 2-4 kernels of N140. When used in above method, I experienced no discernible drift, but did use a line conditioner which helps. However, the process of throwing the charge, removing pan then replacing before trickling up also took too long. It was less time than Beam scale, GemPro or Target Master, but still took too much faffing and time of loading 100-200 rounds in a go...for me anyway. So upgrading to the FX120-i with Autotrickler/Autothrow combo was worth it to me. setting up each time is very quick, though I normally just have the scale on to warm up for at least an hour before loading. The accuracy is incredible as is the repeatability. I often find myself obsessing over a single kernel. I don’t need to but it’s my own OCD. The scale has a conditioner so doesn’t drift much other than when the room gets warm and the metal plate is in the sun. The warmth can drift is a bit...but only about 0.02gn, or two kernels of N140. So nothing major. But for this reason I choose to load on overcast days or do it in the evening. For me, high volume and batch loading, the upgrade to the FX120-i was worth the money. It’s the time I lost in waiting for all the other methods to settle or time taken to setup, was worth the cost outlay. Good luck!

Personally I like bulk buying. I buy my powder in 10kg barrels. It is both cheaper than 1kg tubs and ensures greater consistency as you don’t suffer lot to lot inconsistencies. Same goes with bullets too, which I also bulk buy.

Well that would be great news! Fingers crossed as I’ve got too many .338 rounds I need to chew through! 💥🥳😂

$hit...Offas were due to shoot at Warminster this coming Thursday. We haven’t heard if it’s on or off yet, can only assume it’s now off?!? 😭

Thank you again Roy for the help & advice. We’ll see how the 2 groove shoots, should be fun. Ive got a bunch of front sight blades so will do the 3” low grouping at 25m, swapping out the blades to suit.

Update. Had the headspace checked with my local gunsmith. Rim gauge was fine and chamber length gauge was just about crush on his CIP no-go. Definitely no closing at all on field. So all good and within military standards. I cleaned up the woodwork using the oven cleaner and boiling water method. I followed these steps and it worked well for me; https://www.dummybullet.com/m1 garand stock restoration page 1.html I must say that I was mightily impressed. Excellent results and very easy. I’ve since treated the woodwork with 10 coats of raw boiled linseed oil, following the Fiddes guidelines. I found I didn’t need to do any Feathering as the stock was smooth enough. It’s come out nicely and is much much better than before. No gumminess, just lovely smooth feeling wood. The butt is however rather damaged and pocked, which only showed up when oiling the wood. But I’m happy with it for now...it is after all a battle rifle that’s been in battle. All metal work was thoroughly soaked with degreaser and scrubbed with CorrosionX to protect it from rusting and lubricate it. Ive worked up some test loads with a 174gn PPU bullet over some N140. Cheers for all the help and advice!

Now SOLD

Purpose of the dial is to ensure each primer is seated to exactly the same depth each time in each case. It enhanced the process more than just the ‘feel’ you get through the handle as you note. The 21st Century priming tool I use does the same thing (ensuring a greater level of consistency each prime) by using a 10thou click adjust system. Once you’ve measured your flashole depth and know how deeply you want to seat the primer, you Set primer seating depth using the click system on the tool and all cases will be primed to the same depth. You still get the ‘feel’ through the handle but can be confident in knowing each primer was seated in exactly the same way as each other.

Bump - new reduced price!

Bump - new reduced price

Bump

Still haven’t made it out to the range but did a trial run with some loaded rounds (firing pin and spring removed from bolt) with 5x Mags. 2x were brand new .308 Accurate Mags 2x were used .308 Accurate Mags 1x was a well used .308 AICS mag the used Mags came from various sources, so I couldn’t tell if the feedlips had been altered or not. I loaded each mag with 10 rounds (6.5x47L) and ran them through the action. The Impact action simply ate everything, with a sewing machine like repeatability. Very very smooth and no issues either feeding or extracting and ejecting. The bolt raceway geometry is just perfect and the chassis and mag catch (which is big and easy to manipulate) was perfect - no need to modify or bodge anything. I own a top of the line Defiance, but this Impact is a whole nother level!

Not to hijack but I find turret direction an interesting topic. All comes down to individual shooting technique and what you used in the past. For me, I prefer CW as I use my right hand (RH shooter) to dial both elevation AND windage with one hand in one operation, then back on the trigger. CW is easier to crank ‘up’ when using your RH. I find when using CCW I use my LH to do elevation, then have to swap hands holding the rifle, then use RH to adjust windage then back on trigger. More individual steps and movement. Interesting to think the mechanics and steps through. I’m definitely feeling rather reflective this afternoon!

I’ve always liked the AWSM. Don’t the Deutchies deploy them?

Wrong forum, you might want to repost in the ‘Wanted’ section rather than the ‘For Sale’ section.

£1 is only the cost of the Hornady ELD bullet. You’ll need to add the cost of the brass, powder and primer. Not sure but likely to be around £2.50 for each complete round.

Cheers! It’s a walnut grip by Nill’s in Germany. https://www.nill-griffe.com/Products_23.html

Mine is a .338 Norma Magnum built on a Defiance Mutant XL repeater tube gun action that I had DLC’d by Orlikon here, sat in an Eliseo RTM tube gibe chassis. I can switch lowers from long action to short in a minute. Custom 27” Bartlein, 1-9.3” twist thats 1.35” at the breech, straight for 5” then gently tapers to around 1.2” at the muzzle. Area 419 Sidewinder brake tames the recoil, it feels like a .308w. Last time out I shot just over 100 rounds and simply could have kept going all day long. Fortmeier/Phoenix bipod, Huber concepts 2-stage ballbearing trigger, S&B PMII 5-25x56 ffp, MIL/MIL with H2CMR reticle (love the reticle as I have fine .2MIL windage marks). Mount is an Era-Tac QD one-piece mount and it’s been totally repeatable taking it on and off tens of times. Great bit of kit is the Era-Tac. Combined tilt of chassis and Era-Tac mount is 40MOA, or roughly 12MILs. I shoot 300gn Lapua Scenars with HbN coating over 94.4gn of RS80 powder. Does around 2790fps.

I use the 21st Century hand primer as I don’t have a permanent reloading bench (everything gets packed away). I must say that it’s beautifully engineered and is a joy to use. I once primed 500 .223 cases in one sitting and felt totally fine afterwards, no hand strain or pain. I too have a Lee Autoprime but the 21st Century is an infinitely better product and makes priming a lot lot easier than the Lee. Plus the 21st Century has very fine click adjustments, making seating primers extremely precise and consistent. Not cheap but I think it’s one of the best reloading tools I have. http://www.xxicsi.com/super-precision-click-head-br-priming-tool.html

Apologies - that would have been helpful to add. 156gn

I was given these a while ago but never used them. I know they are 6.5mm in diameter but do not know of the make or model. I suspect they are a hunting bullet. Any thoughts? I have 82 bullets. They are 156gn in weight. SOLD

Many moons ago, I too used to buy the MEN 147gn load by the case. Excellent ammo. It was boringly easy to knock down the 900m-1000m fig8 on Sennybridge F range with my clubs old PH. I would easy burn through 200-300 rounds in a day.

Not a .338LM, but I do shoot the very similar .338 Norma Magnum (same rim diameter, only 6% less case capacity). Similar to Pops, I FL size every time but use a Whidden FL with bushing die. I don’t use the die expander button either, much preferring a separate dedicated Sinclair Expander Die and Mandrel. You’ll get much better neck tension. Whidden dies are very good/repeatable and have no issues with sizing properly. Current load is 94.5gn of RS80 under a 300gn Lapua Scenar. Shoots tiny, tiny groups and is a delight with the effective Area419 Sidewinder muzzle brake. Good luck - the big magnums are just too much fun! 😄

Great case but it’s got to go. Amazing value for money from new!

Bump. This is an amazing case, big enough for two rifles AND tonnes of Mags, bipod etc etc.