Handloading, the art and the science.

[dromia]

We spend a lot of time here talking about the science of handloading especially getting our critical measurements right, exact seating depth, optimium case capacity/bullet jump (we never did bottom that one out), neck turning etc.etc. all using expensive and accurate equipment to get our ammunition as consitent and to our decided spec as possible.

But what about the art of handloading?

How many of us listen to our senses when we handload?

Much is made about "feel" when seating primers for instance but what about feel in other processes.

For example when seating boolits/bullets occasionally I will get one that seats either with more or less effort, if I do the that round is set aside for fouling or plinking but doesn't form part of that accuracy batch. Same applies to when I'm sizing boolits too hard or too easy in the sizing press and that boolit is set aside as it will no doubt be over or under weight and is a consequnce of inconsistent boolit mould pressure.

Yesterday I was FL resizing some once fired Lapua brass and there was noticable differences in the effort needed to size different cases some went in easy others required quiete a bit of effort, that troubled me. I checked my lubing for consistency no problem there, cleaned and relube the Forster die and spindle. Then I decided to look at the cases, firstly I checked the batch record and the "problem" became obvious, these cases had been used in some load development proviously working up in increments from light to near maximum loads therefore the case expansion was different for each case depending on the load. Case base diameter measurements confirmed this, so could could continue my resizing with peace of mind.

If I'm loading on one of my progressives then sometimes a get a feeling with a round that all is not well, if so I pull it, just in case.

When using a powder thrower sometimes the handle doesn't go through its arc as smoothly or powder needs some force to be cut, that drop doesn't go into the case it goes back into the hopper.

How many of you listen and respond to your senses when you handload?

[ovenpaa]

I am very dependant on feel in the bullet seating stage. By the time I am seating bullets everything should be equal however some will seat easier than others. When loading for say my 7mm I will have four empty boxes open, and try to arrange bullets by seating pressure, so lightly seated go to the left, normal middle two boxes and heavy seating to the right. Now in comparison to seating say 54R with a Lee die all of these are very lightly seated, not so light that I can pull them out with my fingers but I can certainly pull them with the aid of a pair pliers. For me the changes are due to varying neck tension and are usually a good indicator that something needs changing, hence the desire to build an annealing system right now so I know that they necks are all annealed at a constant. It will be interesting to see how that changes bullet seating pressure repeatability.

Same goes for primers, if I find a case that takes little effort to seat a primer I mark the head with a black marker, this way I know what it is when I load it and it is clearly identified for culling once shot.

As I am for the most neck sizing I seldom feel any real difference in the batches of brass I am working on. It would be interesting to compare the ‘feel’ of twice versus four times shot brass but for .308 at least I have never tried this and my 7mm are shot in sequance as are the 6.5x284. I have not reloaded anything for .303 for a while...

[DaveT]

I most definitely agree that this side needs to be recognised and developed.

Probably the most significant factors to me in this sense (or at least the easiest to detect) are pressures required to seat Primers and Bullets.

If Primers go in 'hard' then I suspect the uniformity of the pocket or else it may have gotten shallow via firing....either way I will deprime and check it out.

Too easy to seat a primer and I suspect the case is close to end of life..... pocket expansion...again I will check it out.

In both cases you will never be likely to feel this if using the press rather than hand-tools.

In bullet seating recently I noticed that some were needing more than the expected force to seat them fully (I seat them half-way do a 180 degree turn of the case and then seat fully....I found extra pressure needed at second stage as bullet approached neck / shoulder junction) ...... pulled them and found a few cases with slight donuts which I reamed away....probable cause a build up of brass from partial neck sizing...... but I DID detect it and correct it via 'Feel' as you say.

Just cranking down the press handle without thought might easily have missed the donuts.
Good subject to raise.

[Sandgroper]

All I can add, is that I am still learning!

[dromia]

I have known some people to try fitting torque levers to the press to get consistency, to far OTT for me there needs to be human element in it for it to be fun.

[ovenpaa]

There used to be a load cell system for just this purpose on the market, I looked at it a couple of times but cost was enough to send me running and I lack the knowledge to design my own circuitry for such a thing.

I know of some people who lube the inside of the neck before seating but for me this seems like a way of fudging the results, the lubrication will reduced the perceived force and hide some of the variations so a non starter for me.

[DaveT]

There used to be a load cell system for just this purpose on the market, I looked at it a couple of times but cost was enough to send me running and I lack the knowledge to design my own circuitry for such a thing.

I know of some people who lube the inside of the neck before seating but for me this seems like a way of fudging the results, the lubrication will reduced the perceived force and hide some of the variations so a non starter for me.

Load cells ! Whatever next! I am a fully paid up gadget freak BUT for some things thats what God made hands and nerve-endings for.

[dromia]

I looked at it a couple of times but cost was enough to send me running and I lack the knowledge to design my own circuitry for such a thing.

David, that is sad. :lol: :lol:

[ovenpaa]

I was always aware of a slight inconsistency in the force required to seat a bullet, I could detect it with my press through an 18" lever so at local level the variation in force required must be really quite high so it needed further investigation, I looked at the research people had done, things like levers and weights to measure the mean insertion force and this took me to load cells. Now this is all well and good as with such gear you will be able to see the initial resistance and peak forces however variables still exist in how quickly or smoothly you operate the lever. I think for my own mind a lever operated gauge that showed resistance on a dial might be interesting but life is too short and none of these will really make up for range time on days with erratic winds.

I do enjoy reading about such things and the ultimate quest for accuracy but I put very few into practice during a normal day at the reloading bench. In fact I get as much fun with my .303 and a box of factory trying to shoot well at 1000 yards as anything I do and I know that in now ay can I do my 7mm justice with my current shooting skills.

[dodgyrog]

And I worry about the variation of boolit weights between cavities and (supposedly) identical moulds! You guys are anal!!!