Well, this weekend I loaded and tested my first reloads. I loaded a box of .22-250 with Sierra MK, 52gr. HPBT. After a lot of research, I decided on H380 with CCI Magnum primers. I really like the ease of the ball powder. It metered very consistently in my RCBS Uniflow. I used Frontier cases, (Hornady), that I FL resized and trimmed to 1.902”. I set my bullets to an OAL of 2.350”. 10 rounds were loaded with 37 gr. / 10 with 38gr. Results @ 100yds:

37 gr. - 5 shots = .49”, (subtract one flier for .26”
38 gr. - 5 shots = .56”

It was just my first attempt, but I easily cut my factory ammo groups in half. I now see how easy it is to get hooked. I have so many combinations yet to try.

One observation, I measured my spent cases to a fresh reloads and noticed almost no difference in case dimensions. The shoulder position between a newly sized case and fired case were identical. Only the throat appeared to have opened up.

What does this tell me about my chamber? I am shooting a new CZ550 Laminate Varminter with a 24.6”, 1/12 barrel.

Thanks,

Art

Art, congratulations! Sounds like you might want to start neck sizing the fire formed brass. It only gets better! sundog

ART--its guys like you that make us more experienced reloaders MAD!!!! Your first reloads shoot that good!!!!! Darn--and us experienced guys work and work for that good of luck!!
Re your question about the case necks opening that is perfectly normal for all but the custom benchrest guns.

Keep up the good work--seems like you are on the right track!! Don Kraky

Isn't it cool.
I remember my first reloads like it was early last year.
Oh, wait....
I like it. I also drive a standard.
Why let someone else do something for you, when you can do it better?

Kraky,

If it had not been for the wealth of information on this site, I do not believe I would have gotten those results that quickly.

Thanks again,

Art

Congrates on entering the world of handloading. I!m sure you will find it very rewarding. A load I have gotten good results with in the 22-250 is 53gr Sierra Match--36grs H380--CCI Br2 primer RP case loaded .0010 from the lands.

Ive been reloading for the last 4 years and have made 3 mistakes that I know of.

1: Put 52.0grs of powder in one of my .300WM cases instead of 72.0. Luckily I noticed what happend before I put it in my ammo box.

2: I put a CCI Large Rifle primer in a .243 Winchester case, BACKWARDS

3: I mixed W748 and H380 in a powder scale. Luckily I noticed what happend before I did any reloading.

anyways 37.0gr in a 22-250 sounds like a real good load. I use 40.5 of H380 in my .220 Behind a 40gr Sierra BK and HP

I just reloaded my first rounds too.

20 rnds of .45auto. Hornaday 230g FMJ-FP and 3.8g of bullseye.

Everything went smooth, checked the powder load coming out of my lee poweder disk loader and it was right on. bullets seated easy and tweaking the dies was easier then I thought. Got all the bullets seated to a length within a .005 tolerance (figure thats close enough for my first try)

going to test them at the range tomorrow (monday) only thing I am worried is if this load (being the starter load) will have enough force to chamber the next round in my Sig.

Oh well.. only one way to find out.

Whatever you do ....do NOT buy a run out gauge!!
Doesnt sound like you need one. Congrats!!

Seriously, the Case Master run out gauge, made me apprecaite quality ammo.
It will also make you insane...if you let it...sakofan..

I bought a run-out gauge once. I went insane.

Art, best best is to buy a great competition seater die, better yet get the set. I use Redding's. I run each cartidrige in the seater 3 times, rotating between pulls. Other tips, just for the hell of it and because I'm new here and haven't read it all:

Don't mix brass. Even lots of the same brass, if some have been loaded 3x and others 5x, keep them separate.

Weigh your brass, If you're not competing it won't make a lot of difference until the temps go over about 85 or 90 degress, then you'll maybe find the heavier brass overpressuring.

Experiment, but never get cocky. I examine each and every case right after firing, looking for pressure signs. I'm not paranoid, but it's hot here and therefore dangerous. The time between shots also focuses my mind and lets the barrel cool a bit

Never get up in the middle of the night and load. I did it once. Big mistake. As per my usual routine, the next day when I went out shooting, I checked the loads on my data sheet as I was loading boxes into my shooting bag. I looked at one load and thought "WTF is THIS SHIT!!?" I did some research and could find absolutely no rationale for such a load. Anywhere. I later emailed the data to a friend of mine at Sierra, and he told me he'd have seen the mushroom cloud all the way in Marshall, MO. I have no idea what I was thinking, but for about 3 hours it must have seemed like a good idea at the time.

Double check eveything you do. (See above) Then check it again. Hurting yourself is bad enough. Hurting someone else is bad bananas.

Never be afraid to ask people things you don't know about, but don't assume that they know either. If it doesn't make sense, don't do it until you check another source.

Have fun -Rod-

fired off my reloads last night and they worked perfect.

I am going to try and get a group of 50 ready for tomorrow for when I go out shooting with a friend.

got a question for pistol shooters.

how much of your brass do you usually recover. I am recovering like 80-90% of the brass I fire, but then again my pistol seems to shoot brass as far as it does the bullets

i always pick up all my brass and what ever other brass on the range i can use or my friends can use. a few yrs back on an outdorr range i was at i picked up prolly 700 9 mm cases one day. i don't shoot 9s but i reload them to sell to friends or give away to other friends.i guess i just don't like to see good brass wasted.

oops another one bitten!!