The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Alpha1 wrote:My main club has two guys who are registered firearm dealers when I'm getting low I just ask them to get me some 174 grain flat base jacketed bullets. I usually buy 500 at a time they just turn up next range day with them in plastic bags of 100 no idea what make they are. They work with 41grains of N140 that's all I'm bothered about and the price is right.

I would be interested in some flat based 174 bullets. Can you provide contact details or get some for me?

Hi, I'm also about to start loading for a no4 mk1. Is it sufficient to get a collect neck sizing die and a bullet seating die and stop there? I'll be shooting some privi factory ammo and then reloading that so it'll have been formed to my chamber. If I check OAL and cartridge length carefully am I ok to neck size only provided I trim if the case ever gets too long?

Using brass fired in the rifle means you will be able to neck size that brass for that rifle for a number of hand loads, however there will come a point when the brass will be hard to chamber and there will be a need for a full length resize die.

Case trimming isn't just about consistent case length but also consistent bullet retention.

Annealing is also something you should look at as the case gets brittle with repeated firings/sizings and doesn't respond to sizing the same and will eventually split.

Oh ok, I thought for a second that I could just neck resize my .223 brass and get ten loads out of it but I'll need to full length size will I?

Or do you think I'd get 10 out of trimming and neck sizing every time?

I also deburr and chamfer every load as well.

I'm still a bit wet behind the ears!

If you're neck sizing you won't have to trim and chamfer after every sizing. Just keep neck sizing until you notice the bolt requires a bit of force to close, then you full length size.

It's in a straight pull, guess I'll need to wait till I get problems fully seating rounds and get the click?