Catch-22

I removed the tricker ‘straw’, cleaned the exterior, including delron plastic bit, with fairy liquid & a scrub. Did the same with the rubber O ring. Cleaned the copper bushings inside the trickler with a cotton bud and isopropyl alcohol. Then make sure the big ‘fly wheel’ on the trickler unit is still tight and aligned properly to the straw above it so that the rubber O ring is vertical, not slanted. I did this and my problems went away.

Hello. Yes still for sale. I’ve already sent you a PM. Cheers

Still for sale 👍

Still for sale

Bought this from Amazon. Used but in good condition. Works well with warm water and a decent cleaning solution. Its big enough to fit around 50x 6.5x47LAPUA cases or 25x .338 Norma Mag cases at a time. £30 includes p&p to U.K. mainland.

I’m not so sure. The article is written for the US market. Vhit is part of the Nammo/Beger/Capstan group, who have been increasing the market share in the US. The US is a far, far bigger market than the U.K. Vhit would much rather divert shipments from the U.K. in favour of much larger shipments to the States. In addition, Finland has just joined NATO. They’re tooling up in anticipation of Russian aggression. Vhit/Nammo will be supplying their forces with tonnes of additional powder/munitions, as well as supplying many other NATO forces. Just look at the Germans who are spending massive sums on additional equipment, including munitions for small arms. I’ve been told by a Vhit distributor that Uk dealers no longer have Vhit powders supplied in 20kg bulk drums, they’re now individual 1kg pots. Reload Swiss have also confirmed much of their output will now be for military use only for the next couple of years. I would expect Bofors (Sweden), Vhit (Finland), PB Claremont (Belgium) and Explosia Lovex (Czech) to all be going the same route.

It is very likely Vhit powder supply is going to dry up soon.

Hmm, I personally wouldn’t. The US can be very funny on components leaving their shores. I had wanted some brass cases, unavailable here, but would have needed them to be on a US export license. Ive had various items (actions, barrel blanks, chambered barrels etc) and even complete rifles exported from the US. Simple enough process, takes time but you need the paperwork. Again simple enough but costs around $150 and takes several months to have it processed. If they won’t simply ship brass cases, I can foresee bullets being seized by US border control. It might be worth checking their list of prohibited items, or those you need an export license for, but I bet bullets will be on there sadly.

I’ve got one of these. They are excellent. And this is an excellent price.

Does anyone use a fishing type trolly for moving their gear on and off the range? Any advice on brands/models that have proven themselves. Ideally id like something that’ll fold flat (for the car), big wheels for grass, sturdy enough for carrying range bag with ammo, rear bag etc…and possibly a rifle case held vertices with bungee chords. I was thinking something like this perhaps?! https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/square-tube-fishing-trolley/_/R-p-12850?mc=2396180&utm_term=2396180-611635&&iv_=__iv_p_1_g_63340300952_c_316343087411_w_pla-329717981422_n_g_d_m_v__l__t__r_x_pla_y_15177021_f_online_o_2396180-611635_z_GB_i_en_j_329717981422_s__e__h_1007448_ii__vi__&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIusuuwJfV-QIVBO_tCh0WJgfREAQYGiABEgLId_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Advice/thoughts welcomed!

I do the same as above. Those felt rolls last forever. I cut into strips, rather than use a punch. It works really well on a jag, or over a bronze brush for getting at the neck/shoulder junction and throat. Effective on carbon rings. 👍

Once Sennybridge F range (1200m) and Javelin Salisbury plain (2000m+) are opened up again, after the field firing ban, then have at it. Both MOD ranges and several clubs can/do book them.

I would agree with above, there isn’t a huge cost saving. However, you can get whatever you want - if you know exactly what you want and don’t want to compromise on parts, then it’s the way forward. Lead times are generally less too. Some U.K. outfits like to push the stuff they have on the shelf and want to be rid of. But importing, just make a shopping list of anything you like and order away!

Likewise, Mike, Addison and the Reloading Intl’ team are great. Ive had everything, from chassis, barrel blanks, chambered barrels, actions and full rifles all come through without issue from them. They’ve always been quick with comms and are super helpful and obliging.

There is a foresight tool (glorified thick metal wire with notch cut in it) which loosens the blade, allowing you to shimmy the blade left or right to account for windage. You do it once, set and forget.

VARGET now gone.

I’ve got some leftovers of various powders I no longer need. Face2face only, I can meet you at the MDRC Tunnel one evening or Rogiet on Friday 15th September if you’re going to that shoot. 1. Vhitavouri N340 (492 grams) = £30 Bought in the last 6 months. Nearly a full 0.5kg tub. Great powder in .44mag and others, just expensive compared to shotgun powder for light gallery shooting, so made a switch. 0.5kg is enough for around 450rounds of .44mag. 2. RAMSHOT Magnum (362 grams) = £25 Ball powder for heavier magnums. I used this for a while in my .338 Norma Mag. Just under a full tub. Cheers

I regret having sold my M2 tactical (9shot FAC). That thing ran and ran. It ate everything. Might not be as soft shooting as others due to the recoil system, but they simply don’t go wrong. Yours is an excellent price!

Ralph, don’t bother with the hornady case comparator (you know, the dummy case with the head machined out with threads for the ‘rod’ to screw into so you can push the bullet out of the neck and into the lands) - they’re not massively accurate and they’re expensive. Do use the lock n load bushing inserts to measure the base to ogive of your bullets with your calipers. Then simply make up a loaded round, seating your bullet long. Then strip your bolt, follow the steps in the video and you’ll easily find where your lands start. Simply seat your bullet progressively deeper into the case until you barely have any resistance when closing the bolt. There’s your lands.

You definitely need a caliper - and I’d recommend the Hornady Lock N Load Ogive inserts to measure the length to ogive. Forget that draconian voodoo magic of splitting a case, it’s not a great or accurate method. Do yourself a favour and follow these excellent and simple steps (see video). costs you nothing - no dummy case needed, and you use a loaded round - safe because you’re using a stripped bolt. https://youtu.be/tYZu7RG28ow With your bolt stripped and minus ejector (not extractor claw) you will actually feel the lands very accurately. Then simply set the die accordingly to a 0.000” touch, backing off whatever increments you want to jump the bullet by. Load a bunch of test loads with different seating depths to fine tune the most stable charge weight (as first determined by the OCW test I’ve spoken of previously).

Ralph, have you actually done any load development with the new bullets? Id suggested doing a full OCW load Dev, plus tuning the accuracy by adjusting seating depth. If you’re not testing these different combinations, you won’t get the best from the rifle and those bullets. You can’t just load some rounds with different charges, pop a bullet on top at some arbitrary seating depth, and hope it’ll produce 1/2 MOA groups. However, IF you’ve done a thorough load development and found the bullets still won’t group, then you may just need to accept the barrel doesn’t like those particular bullets for whatever reason (bearing surface length, bullet shape - secant vs tangent - bullet to bore dimension etc etc), and you may need to consider trying different bullets. Or primers. Or powder. Sometimes the same components may not work well in the same rifle if you change just one of the key ingredients. A change in bullet may necessitate a change in primer, or powder to get that particular bullet to shoot well.

Ralph, personally I’d start a full grain under (eg 21gn) and run a simple OCW load test. Load a small number of steadily increasing charge weights. I’d go up 0.3gn at a time. So, 21.0gn, 21.3gn, 21.6gn, 21.9gn, 22.2gn etc. each charge weight id make 3-5 rounds each. Stop when you start seeing pressure. Look at the chrono for the three adjacent charge weights that produce lowest ES/SD and also a similar POI. Choose the middle of this group as it will be the most stable charge which should cope best for different temperatures/conditions. Don’t really look at group size as you’ll tune this in the next step. Then fine tune seating depth of your chosen charge weight - starting long (so little jump to the lands) progressively seating shorter (so more of a jump). Look for 2-3 adjacent groups that look fairly similar in size - this is your optimum window for seating relative to the lands. As your barrels throat erodes, you push the bullet out longer but staying within your best seating window. 5x groups of 3x rounds for your OCW = 15rounds (25 rounds if doing 5x groups) 5x groups of 3x rounds measuring seating depth = 15rounds (25rounds if doing 5x groups) 30x - 50x rounds to find the best load for your rifle (assuming the barrel is already run in and isn’t gonna speed up after the 200-300 mark). Ensure your shooting position is stable!

I’ve shot a couple of hundred 285gn ELDM in my .338 and they were ‘ok’ - nothing special. But the 300gn Scenars are simply one hole-ers.

Contact Peter and he can give you prices, depending on type of bullet, calibre, weight and quantity.

The Lapua Scenar 185gn is a dog, as aerodynamic as a brick. I think Laurie wrote some of findings after some some of his own testing. But the Lapua Scenar 155s are great. They’ll work well with N140. Even the old 190gn SMK is still a good bullet for long range work. Also try MME bullets. Peter is a true gent and his Wimbledon Match (similar to a SMK) are really good. I’ve yet to try his Mistrel (similar to a Berger Hybrid) but those who’ve used them say they’re supposed to be good.