Catch-22

1 hour ago, Reecy said:

Hi,

did the noted ITAR changes ever happen?

thanks in advance

Reecy

Never been an issue for me when exporting from the US. Their export licensing process has been relatively straight forward...just takes a while.

However on a recent application they wanted more info from me regarding what import authority I had. As a private individual, I don’t require a UK import license (nor can I acquire as they don’t do one). Interesting that the US a state department wanted to know if I could import. The export from the US wasn’t an issue.

If you work with a good US exporter, then you’ll be fine.

Bargain - good luck!

Many thanks to all who replied.

I’ve gone ahead and got a mid-priced unit off Amazon. My goal was to keep the budget lower than the Lyman and Hornady types. It was one of the few that had a 1yr warranty (many of the ‘industrial’ types off Amazon and EBay don’t list having any warranty). If the unit packs in after a year, I’ll send it back and shell out for a more expensive unit. 

Thanks also for the tips regarding home made solution. I like the glass jars to preserve the unit itself. Especially useful if intending to use the US for cleaning other items that you don’t want carbon and the more toxic remnants to be on.

In addition to water and citric acid with wash liquid, I’ve read a few people use cheap supermarket lemonade (has high citric acid content) and wash liquid to do the job. I’ll try a few things to see.

And a great tip regarding the dehydrator. Another purchase made.

Now I’ve read that applying some graphite or HbN to the inside of the necks prior to bullet seating is necessary as the US cleaned necks are ‘grabby’, not having any carbon on them. A few articles suggest having some lube there helps with neck tension and ES/SD values. I use HbN on my bullets, so i think I’ll give the inside of the necks a quick swab with HbN on a q-tip prior to seating too.

Thanks again!

It is actually very easy - the instructions are super simple to follow.

I am not a DIYer, my best endeavour with making something from wood was about 20yrs ago in DT class at school. But I found this nice and simple and everything available from B&Q.

I’ll snap a few pics of mine later on.

Free standing. 

With the press it’s heavy as f***. Doesn’t move around unless you’re doing a f/l sizing operation, but I simply hold the front down with one hand as the ram handle goes up with the other hand. 

I must say, I thought I’d really miss out not having a dedicated reloading bench with press bolted to it. But the portability with this is great!

Right - I’m just about fed up of using the dry walnut media for tumbling. Takes too long and I just don’t like all the fine material in the air...especially when it’s been mixed with all the hazardous particles left over from firing. And the fine dust left on the cases...just hate it.

So Im thinking of buying a U/S cleaner. I’m a cheapskate and I’m not looking to buy a Lyman or RCBS unit.

Has anyone bought/used a cheapo unit off Amazon? Thoughts and recommendations welcomed!

Will be used for anything from .223ai to .338Norma Mag. 

Thanks!

I followed these instructions and built a portable stand for my RCBS Rockchucker Supreme press.

Works a complete treat. My loads have very little run-out. I reload off my dining room table, so it’s easy to take the press out of the cupboard and plonk it on the table. Or if doing more mundane tasks (eg depriming, expanding necks etc) I can place it on the sitting room floor whilst I watch some TV.

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2012/11/12/portable-reloading-press-plans/

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2012/07/17/rcbs-rock-chucker-reloading-press-mounting-template-dimensions/

Generally speaking, ‘magnum’ primers of the small and large variety have thicker cups than standard primers.

It’s always worth visually checking charges...just common sense I think.

I check the scale before each reloading session with my approved check weight. Never been out of whack.

As with anything electrical, you need to recheck. Do you check your GemPro? 

Now Sold!

1 hour ago, No i deer said:

With you upgrade have you checked it's reliability on the gempro250 to see if it's actually dispensing the exact amount or have you put your total trust in it...?

I have checked my A&D FX120i against my check weight. The unit comes calibrated anyway. I had sold my GemPro long before I got the A&D do didn’t compare the two.

But I’ve found the A&D to be totally repeatable and trustworthy.

Agreed. All the autothrowers offer a 1/10th grain resolution. These machines cater for the masses and is generally fine for your everyday plinky plonkers and hunters. Those who load for comps or ELD are a niche bunch who require niche equipment.

Overall I was pleased with the CM Lite. It definitely sped up reloading, and once I found how to exploit it, I was able to reload to an equal precision to that of the TM or GemPro but more quickly than with either two.

But yes I definitely found merit in upgrading again. For one, budget permitted it. Two, I was able to get same or better precision than all of the options but much more quickly. And three, the new setup allows me to crack on with other jobs whilst the charges come out perfectly.

Definitely don’t view the GemPro negatively, just didn’t fit with my reloading regime. 

Bump.

11 minutes ago, No i deer said:

The chargemaster is only 1/10 of a grain + or - accuracy. 

Nowhere near the gempro250s accuracy capability 🤔

Not quite. It’s stated resolution is 1/10th of a grain when automatically throwing a charge. But the scale and digital readout will permit weighing to +/- 0.02gn. It just won’t do it when left to its automatic throwing.

I’m unsure however if the scale and digital readout on the Lyman and Hornady machines also permit weighing to within 0.02gn as well. But the CM Lite does!

3 hours ago, 1066 said:

That seems a heavy lot of Varget?

I’ve found Varget kernels to weigh anywhere between 0.01gn and 0.02gn each. 

Varget is denser and the kernels slightly larger than N140.

To the OP.

The Lyman autothrow unit does have good feedback from users. However I’ve never seen anyone actually test the unit properly for accuracy.

 Yes the digital readout says it can throw a charge to within +/- 0.1gn...but so do all the others. My old CM Lite unit did the same, but I discovered it could measure to within +/- 0.00 and +/- 0.02gn....between a tenth and eighth of a grain better...and do so consistently as long as you follow the instructions in my post above.

I’m unsure if the Lyman or Hornady or other units can measure to that kind of resolution as I’ve not seen anyone test them to see.

For understanding, 1 tenth of a grain (0.1gn vs 0.01gn) is around 20 kernels of Viht N140 (roughly 2 kernels to 0.02gn) or 10 kernels of Varget. For each kernel, you should expect about 1-3fps velocity increase. So if simply using one of the above said machines to just dump each charge, you could be looking at variances of around 20fps to 30fps between charges. Quite a bit if you’re making super accurate ammunition for distance. 

9 hours ago, No i deer said:

The gempro250 weighs down to 1/200 of a grain which translates to 1 kernal of N165 which is bloody accurate,where I've made 1000s of rounds using one I can predict how many kernals need for each of the powders I use. I'm happy to use the gempro as I can watch it's reliability,with these digital throwers you just go by what they show on the readout, I'd be 100 percent sure they wouldn't be as accurate as the gempro250.

I loaded 200 rounds the other day and it is boring 😆 😴

Mr Deer,

I definitely found my Chargemaster Lite to be as accurate as the GemPro, even more accurate with some powders. Once I got my A&D FX120i and Autothrow/Autotrickler system, I was getting the same results as with the CM Lite, though the Autothrow system is just even quicker with no need to remove and replace pan and trickle up.

You just have to understand the CM Lite’s quirk. Once understood, it’s a very good and repeatable machine. During my testing I concluded I would have no hesitation using it for making accurate rounds.

Powder should be stored in its original container because it WILL absorb water moisture if left out in an unsealed container. It’s hydroscopic.

Also, don’t leave your powder in the loft either, sealed or not. The temperature changes in the loft over the year will change the chemical properties of the powder, altering its burn rates.

The same load you’ve always used may/will produce  different MV and pressures if the powder isn’t stored in a stable environment.

GemPro’s are very good. Found mine to be very accurate and repeatable. But slow as NID has already stated.

When I switched from the GP250 to the Chargemaster Lite, I found it to be very accurate, as accurate or more so, than the GP250 - PROVIDING you under throw a charge, remove pan, then replace pan and trickle up to desired charge.

My thoughts on the CM Lite: http://ukvarminting.com/topic/38699-rcbs-chargemaster-lite-arrived-today/

I found this quicker overall than the GemPro on its own. But it’s still laborious, hence my switch to an Autotricker/Autothrow and A&D FX120i combo in the end. Both fast AND accurate.

Gen II self timing brake - no need to have it timed by a gunsmith. Thread is 5/8x24”. Finish is nitride in matt black.

Brand new, never used or fitted.

£100 + p&p to UK address. No hagglers or time wasters - it’s a bargain.

Precision Rifle blog found this model to be one of the very best and most efficient brake in their extensive independent tests. 

You cant get this brake in the UK without an export license.

https://precisionrifleblog.com/2015/08/21/muzzle-brake-summary-of-field-test-results/

https://www.americanprecisionarms.com/collections/gen-2-muzzle-brakes/products/gen2-fat-stripey deckchair?variant=2081888337930

Michal - you could try using a drop tube to help the kernels settle better!?

On 8/24/2019 at 6:21 PM, Laurie said:

 

I agree RS52 is very different to N550, but VarmLR says he was using RS62, very similar burn rate to the 4350s, N150/550, and N204 but single-based of course.

It's interesting (and encouraging) that you find N204 so close to H4350. I intend to do some comparative tests in 260 Rem next winter looking for alternatives to IMR and Hodgdon H4350. RS62, Norma N204 and URP, Viht N550, Alliant Re16, and Lovex SO65 look the most likely possibilities. In the US, Re16 is being quoted as a very close match to H4350, very temperature tolerant - allegedly as good as the best of the Hodgdon / ADI 'Extreme' grades, and giving somewhat higher MVs than H4350 in suitable cartridges. It is of course double-based like all Alliant and Norma powders and I haven't seen a % value anywhere as yet, so may be hard on barrels if loaded up fully.

Like the Norma grades, Re16 is manufactured by Bofors in Sweden, but has Bofors / Alliant's new 'TZ' treatment technology to reduce temperature change effects. It is finally available here and I've bought a couple of pounds to try.

Norma powders have always had a reputation for being very temperature affected. I certainly found that with Alliant Re15 (same thing as Norma 203-B) in 223 some years ago even in our climate. Whether the newer grades such as URP are better I don't know, likewise whether Bofors / Norma are respecifying existing grades or improvements are restricted to the new ones only available under the Alliant brand name with 'TZ' (Re16 and 23 so far).

Even if they've not said so, most propellant manufacturers are looking to reduce the temperature sensitivity of their ranges. Vihtavuori is allegedly in the process of doing so for all of its rifle powders whether N100 or 500 series. So far the only one they're admitting to is the new N565, but rumours say other older grades have been 'done' too. The company is keeping very tight on this and will only announce it if and when the entire range has been modified. Whether any such change affects other characteristics is an interesting (and important) question given that Viht has a reputation for lot to lot consistency so no need until now to check if a new lot needs any load adjustment.

Returning to N204 it is one of the lower nitroglycerin content Norma grades at 4.5% by weight, so should give a small performance boost but without significant extra wear and tear. The new(ish) URP is one of the three 'hottest' Bofors/Norma grades at 10.5% alongside 217 and slightly less than MRP's 11.5%. URP is stated by Norma to be slightly faster burning than 204, and its applications are similar looking at Norma's No.2 manual published last year. In some applications, it gives little or no MV increase over 204 at Norma's listed maximum loads; in others, MV is significantly higher.

Lovex SO70 (being the old Accurate-4350) would seem the most likely 4350 alternative from that source, but was always known to be the slowest burning of the 4350 trio. I've never found it as satisfactory as the IMR and H versions perhaps partly for this reason. SO65 though looks interesting. Explosia's burn rate chart shows it on the same horizontal line as H. VarGet which is clearly nonsence. It makes a very poor VarGet replacement in cartridges like 308 Win and superficial digging in Explosia's Lovex loads data tables shows it's much more at home in higher case capacity to bore ratio cartridges like 7X64 and 7X57mm. I've used it for some time in a long-throat 7mm-08 F-Open rifle with very good results indeed with the 150gn Lapua Scenar-L as a short-distance load. I note with some interest that Shooters World in the US which is now distributing Lovex powders under US-orientated SW brand names (SO65 becomes 'SW Long Rifle' for instance) raves about it for use in the 6.5mm Creedmoor ....

https://shootersworldpowder.com/long-rifle/

.......... the classic H4350 application. One problem is that Explosia's own loads data omits many cartridges people here might want to try it in, 260 Rem and 6.5mm Creedmoor for instance. Shooters World is building up its own pressure-tested data-sets

https://shootersworldpowder.com/wp-content/uploads/shooters-world-manual.pdf

which fills some gaps. There's a good selection of Creedmoor load combinations.

Laurie - when looking for suitable comparisons to H4350, will you also take a look at RAMSHOT Hunter? Seems to slot right into the H4350 pack.

I’ve personally never liked ball powders (too messy on the reloading bench) but it might provide good velocity and is readily available in the UK...though prices are going up!

On 8/24/2019 at 9:56 AM, No i deer said:

Hi Catch.

What load did you stick with in the end.....?

Did you use the best ES load and play with the jump.....

How did you decide and why....?

Hiya buddy,

To be honest...I dunno yet 😬

I had thought it would be the 38.8gn N140 which my previous range session said was running at around 2900fps. Good accuracy and low ES/SD. I actually tested some more loads going up to 39.4gn N140. No pressure, good accuracy at 600m (had about 0.5MIL less drop at 600m than the 38.8gn load) but stupidly I didn’t log the velocity or ES/SD. 

So, I think I need to make some more up, 38.8gn and 39.4gn N140 And put them over the Magnetospeed to see how those loads are given that my barrel is speeding up. I will then lower the charge down a bit to account for the extra barrel speed. 

*** NOTE: the charges above are for HbN coated bullets and bore. With HbN the charges are often a full 1.0gn or more higher than naked bullets. I wouldn’t use my loads above in a rifle with uncoated bullets. 

I have 15k Murom KVB-223m (magnums) and used them since I found they dropped my ES/SD values to single digits, compared to the CCI 450s which were just horrible.

In a few thousand rounds with perfectly fine ignition, I found 2 or 3 had a ‘delayed’ ignition when using RS52 powder. Not had any issues with VARGET, RS62, N140 or Lovex SO70. Only the RS52. 

I’m unsure about the non magnum version (KVB-223) but it could just be the combination of the primer with THAT powder in THAT case volume/design. 

Alles Klar - thanks Baldie, all very helpful indeed!