well, got my CH "H" press mounted today and just for the heck of it (and because i am waiting on my 7x57 brass/primers/bullets) i loaded up three spare .308 cases (winchester nickel-plated) with three spare bullets(hornady 170-grain fp).

i used the liee collet die and accompanying dead-length seater die, CCI prime and 39.7 grains (2.8cc) of RL15. there was no specific data for the 170-grn bullet and this powder, but the charge fell in between starting loads for 168 grn bullets and 180 grn with that powder, so i don't anticipate any problems.

i also crimped the three rounds with the lee factory crimp die.

if i did everything riight, i should have something fairly reasonable; if not, i don't think i will blow myself up! will try to find out sometime early next weekend at the range!

just a quick update here ~ i took these plus about 10 old rounds that i loaded back when we lived in lewistown (i don't remember the bullet, the charge or anything else, but remember that i brought the charge up a little from the starting load listed. the three that i loaded wuth the nickle-plated brass were crimped, and i also crimped about half of the unknowns, just to see what would happen.

i shot at an orange metal plate of some kind about a hundred yards out and also at a very large rock maybe 125 yards out.

accuracy with the three test rounds was great. keep in mind that these were big 170-grain flatpoints intended for .30/30. i figured i wasn't getting much velocity using starting loads listed plus the heavy bullet, so i aimd maybe 4 inches high. hit the plate every time with a solid thwack. i do love flat points for that reason.

the so-called old loads were about 7/10 with accuracy, a lot to do with the high winds, aiming a little high or a little low just to see what would happen and mostly becuase i wasn't doing anything serious, just throwing lead down-range. but, when i actually took time to aim at the plate or the rock, i het every time. no big real feat of accomplishment at such a close range, but since i was using lee equiment i figured i was doing good as long as the rifle didn't blow up and/or the bullet didn't shoot sideways...

every reloader should have as much fun as I read in your posts!!!!!

it's a joy, vapo -