JBMatt

Welcome from AZ. If you're going the 6.5 route, this is the recommended BCG for that. I have it in my 6.5 build and have had much less trouble than guys that run 308 BCG's. It has a small diameter firing pin which greatly helps in not blowing holes in primers due to higher pressures in the 6.5. But, get an extra firing pin or 2 just to have on hand. https://www.armorally.com/shop/toolcraft-6-5-creedmoor-double-ejector-bcg/ https://www.armorally.com/shop/toolcraft-ar10-small-diameter-firing-pin/

That's the stage I took 89.5 seconds and 18 rounds to hit those 8 targets... SMH I made that shite look difficult!

@98Z5V had a great match. It was super cool to watch. He was absolutely punishing targets. Shooting on par with the top guys that always place at or near the top. He was gettin it done and he totally shot better than me this time. At the pace he was going he would have easily cleaned the match. I took 79 shots to hit 46 targets. That's actually kind of a lot for me. I didn't feel my shot to hit ratio was stellar, at all. I maybe had one stage that was as good as Tom shot all day. He had something figured out. I had one stage where I hit my last target about a half second before the buzzer. Dropped my mag and there was 1 left. It took me 18 rounds to hit 8 targets. I used all the time and damn near all the bullets. Tom had so many first shot impacts that I bet he didn't shoot 60 rounds total. But just one hitch in your giddy up is all it takes sometimes. P.S. The official results says I beat him though.

@98Z5V Where's that F#@!*n Coyote!?!?!?!?!?

We both went 46/48 on the day. I had a faster time on the timed stage, which is the stage that he dropped his 2 targets. I was 21st and he was 22nd. That sum bitch is nippin on my heels 2 matches in a row. I'm starting to get a bit nervous.

The suspense was killing me, watching you shoot that final stage. You had just watched me clean it, so we both knew it was possible. I knew I had dropped 1 or 2 on the day, but I couldn't remember exactly how many at the time. But, I did know you were clean. Your first 6 shots/targets were MONEY. First shot, center hits. Steam rolling your way right through them. You had been throttling targets all day. Aaaaaaaaand then the wheels fell off... The Kryptonite Coyote struck again. It wasn't a crash and burn by any means, just a technique error. I had a minor mistake earlier that cost me 2 targets, but that's just how my day was going. On one hand I didn't want you to beat me, but on the other I was super excited for you to clean the match. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. But now you got a taste of it and know what effort it takes to get to that spot. We'll try again next month!

Well boys, I gotta give it to the old man, Tom-ass. @98Z5V This fukkin dickhead was shooting absolutely unconscious today. He was en fuego! This shitbag cleaned the first 4 of 5 stages with mostly one shot hits. Probably only missed 4-6 shots in the first 40 targets. Maybe he was just trying to conserve ammo, but it was absolutely impressive and a joy to watch to say the least. An absolute machine and something to take note of and aspire to. I gotta say, I thought today was gonna be his day to be a hero. But alas, that damn Coyote eluded his cross hairs... Timed out with 2 targets left on the last stage of an otherwise perfect score. Oh no, you suck again! Damn fine shooting today, buddy. You can be my wingman anytime. 😉 P.S. We both ended up with 46/48 on the day. I missed 2 on our 3rd stage and @98Z5V just couldn't seem to get her pants off at the end of the dance...

Yep. You're a lot like a hemorrhoid. All swollen up and irritating... Could burst at any moment.

Blind squirrel... Acorn... Finding poop... Blah blah blah

Me too. I used to mechanic. Had those same calipers. Until I dropped them. Now I have a new set, and I don't drop them...

Well, it's only been less than a year that you've seen the light and made a perfectly purchased upgrade to your load procedure, on my recommendation... You know what else you've done in the past year? Hit a cold bore shot at a mile. You're welcome.

I agree whole heartedly, @BrianK. Learning to do all the steps by hand, and one at a time, is the best way to learn how it all works and fine tune your procedure. I've seen guys new to the hobby buy all the fancy gizmos and automatic stuff, and their loads are crap. Or at least not as good as they could be if they truly understood what was going on. But they can make a lot of them! All because they don't truly understand what it takes to get a perfect final product. Even if it's just range ammo, it still needs to be as perfect as you can make it. I mean, look at @98Z5V. He's been hard core holding out. I figured he was finally ready and it's only been recently that I've talked him into an RCBS powder dispenser. And that guy has been loading for like, 5 years!

If you're reloading for just one caliber, this is a great book to get. It has all the load information from all the bullet and powder manufacturers in one place. midwayusa.com/product/1012856166?pid=955169

I've not used that one, but your calipers will give you the same information. I would think, but I don't know for sure, that readings from this style may not be exactly accurate if you haven't deburred all your flash holes. Sometimes there's a little burr of brass inside that could affect measurements taken using this tool.

Which one do you have? In my experience, the Hornady ones are a little too "tight". I like the ones made by Wilson and I have a bunch of them. Yellow/Orange box with black writing. I used to use them all the time, and they're great to get started with to learn how all this stuff works. Now that I have all my equipment set up for various calibers, I don't use them as much, but they're nice to have on hand in case you run into something giving you trouble.

These are good, and I still use mine occasionally, but I've found that getting a bullet puller with assorted caliber collets that mounts in your press is much more controllable and way less messy dealing with powder.

Lots of good advice here. As you get going, you'll find your own things that make the process easier and more efficient for you. Getting a motorized case prep station and a powered case trimmer are a couple of things that can make life much easier. The one from Frankford Arsenal is an all in one tool, and seems pretty legit. I have a couple of RCBS units. If all you have is hand tools to start, that's totally fine. It will make you appreciate the added efficiency once you make that upgrade. A decent set of Calipers. Or 2. I have 1 that has the analog dial and 1 that is digital. I use them both constantly, and for different things. I have both of them set up differently and will use both on the same piece of brass at the same time. Get a comparator set and learn how to use it. Absolutely necessary for getting the most accurate/consistent bullet seating readings and also best way to monitor/set shoulder bump. A chronograph will also become an invaluable tool. You can load to find accuracy without one, but when you have a chrono you won't leave any velocity on the table. I went back and tested a bunch of loads that I made before I had a chronograph. Interesting that you can have a load that shoots nice little ragged holes, but might be 200 fps or more slower than it actually should to be. If all your doing is 100 yd accuracy, then its not as big of a deal. If you want the best and most efficient load for distance and cycling, you'll need to know how fast they're going. It will also keep you out of trouble for loads that are too hot. Lab Radar is probably the best, but definitely the most money. Magneto Speed is very accurate for speeds as well, but it messes with the barrel harmonics, so I wouldn't use it to test accuracy at the same time. A "shoot through" chronograph is probably the best of both worlds. Sometimes they can be a little fussy, but I've found that they're at least consistent for gathering and comparing data. If you're using any military brass, you'll absolutely need some way of removing the primer crimp. Some non-military brass have them, too. Either a primer pocket cutter or a swager. I have both and use them differently for different brass. I use the swager the most, by far. You can get ones that go into your press, but man, they're rough on your equipment. I use the Dillon mounted on my bench. Other companies make them as well. There's nothing more frustrating than not being able to seat a primer in an otherwise fully prepped piece of brass. Especially if you're using CCI #34's. Some things that people don't think about, but things that you'll need on your bench: Pens. Assorted colors of Sharpies live within arms reach on mine. Blue painters tape. I use it all the time to label boxes and keep track of test loads. A notepad or some way of keeping track of what you're doing. You'll want to have a way to reference back to what you've done. Post It Notes. Buy a 12 pack. Once you start accumulating a bunch of different stuff, it's nice to label it to remember what it is/what you're doing. (or use tape) Boxes. I keep every cardboard box smaller than a shoe box. As time goes, you'll need them to keep things in order. Trust me. Some kind of magnifying glass. You'll want to be able to take a "closer look" at things. Flash light or some kind of bright, concentrated light source. Load manuals, or have a handy way to check and compare load data online from multiple sources. The book I use the most is the Hornady manual as my starting point. Hodgdon, Alliant and Hornady all have online sources that I use constantly as well for reference, in addition to 5 other manuals on my shelf. Calculator Scissors Compressed air. I get the 6 pack from an Office Supply store used to blow dust out of keyboards. They're much cheaper online. They don't have a ton of pressure but they have enough to blow out little things like powder. Makes cleaning off your press, powder dispenser and bench real easy. Some people use rubber gloves. Not me, cuz I'm a man, but your hands will definitely get dirty from all the residue. Rags. I like the yellow micro fiber ones from Costco. Any auto parts store has them, also. Or at least some paper towels. Case lube. Imperial sizing wax is probably the best, just don't use too much. A little goes a long ways. I still use it on my big stuff, but for production loading, I've figured out that Hornady One Shot spray lube works awesome. Don't use both in the same die unless you clean it thoroughly. You'll stick a piece of brass eventually. Which brings me to the next thing. Stuck case remover. Buy it. Hopefully you'll never need it, but if you do it's always at 9:00 the night before you're going shooting. It's a life saver. Don't be afraid to ask questions. There aren't really any dumb questions when dealing with this stuff. We all have to start somewhere. And you don't know until you know. There's a difference between being a reloader and a hand loader. It's up to you how far down this rabbit hole you want to go. Enjoy the ride!

Your speeds are right in the ballpark for what I see through 18" barrels here. Yours might be just a couple feet faster. How did they group? So far every gas gun I've put both factory Hornady loads through patterns like a shotgun. But at least they're worth the brass.

Their server got hacked and they're addressing the issue. Should be taken care of soon.

No. I'm there to carry the paint and complain about how steep it is.

I'll carry the paint.

Bullschitt. Perfect opportunity to drag another piece with you to hang at 775. I'm gonna start shooting at the T-posts...

Awesome. That'll be a deer slaying laser beam. Very cool.

You're gonna love that thing. What is it's intended purpose? And what are you planning to do with all the brass you make?

🤣