NF1E

Added a Forster Co-ax XL press to the bench. Mounted on an InlineFabrication quick change plate so I can shift between RCBS rock chucker, Forster Co-ax and the new Forster Co-ax XL in just a few seconds. Loving the new changes to the loading bench. The XL is super heavy duty and can accept 1 1/4" dies and 7/8" with adapters. Whatta Hobby!

Got out and shot a couple dozen rnds today. LC-01 brass , 110 Sierra Varminters over 46 gn of Varget set off with 210M primers. Whatta Hobby!

The Lyman turbo 6000 was one of my favorite machines.

Have used one for decades but there are much better and more thorough processes for sealed cans. The Huxwrks Suppressor sauce being, in my opinion, the best. Whatta Hobby!

Doing a little experiment with some LC 01 brass turned to .014 neck thickness, HBN coated 110 gn Sierra varminters over 46 gn of Varget. Dang I love playing. Whatta Hobby!

So true. Then there are those champions that swear by HBN usage with treatment of barrels and projectiles. Just coated a pile of .308 110 gn varminters this morning. There are so many choices it can make one's head spin, but it sure is fun getting in on the ride.

Some dedicated ELR and F-class guys even weigh primers and projectiles. Only takes a second but can make a difference in vertical dispersion. Whatta Hobby!

Nice. Just another phase of the hobby.

Well, some friends have convinced me to turn necks on a batch of new Lapua .308 Palma brass. Working on 100 this morning. Finished 50 taking the neck thickness down from .016-.017 to .015. Feels normal to get this gear back out and in service again. Will see if there is as big a difference as my friends tell me there will be. Used to be common practice, for me, with surplus brass but haven't turned necks since going to Lapua. Whatta Hobby!

I have been using Leupold QRW rings for years even on precision rifles. Whatta Hobby!

In my case Palma brass simply means it uses a small rifle primer, for precision, and really has nothing to do with matches. Whatta Hobby!

Getting some new Lapua .308 Palma brass ready for it's first loading. Camfer and debur the case mouth. Set neck tension with mandrel. Uniform primer pockets. Next step is priming with 205Ms. Whatta Hobby!

Have been enjoying this project for some time now. Got her down to 1/4 moa with a number of different load combinations from 110 sierras to 175 sierras. Today the inside of the .308 X-Caliber 26" SS in 1-10 got a coating of HBN as a test to see if there is any noticeable difference. Receiver is a 30+ year old Savage 110 flat top with EDW rail and JARD trigger. Scope is a Leupold MK5 HD 7-35x56mm. Action sits in an ORYX chassis with bag sliders fore and aft. Suppressor is an OSS HXQD 338 mag TI. Whatta Hobby!

Been using an AWS 5.56 suppressor quite a bit lately on a precision bolt rifle. Hadn't cleaned it is some time. Well, would not come apart using the usual adjustable pin spanner I had used in years past. Soaked in the cleaning tube for a couple days thinking that would soften carbon, no luck. Finally broke down a bought a Chinese heavy duty adjustable pin spanner. Took the end cap of right away. Removed all the baffles , which were really carboned up and they are soaking in a tub of break free. Was starting to think I might have to buy a new suppressor. Those darn Chinese really know how to make tools at a reasonable price. Whatta Hobby!

Have been using a Giraud trimmer for years and it works great. Trims, cuts outside and inside case mouth to the correct angle. Well, I have this old Lyman power universal trimmer in the shop that I use for straight walled cases and thought , Hummmm, how about bringing it into the 21 Century with a 3-1 cutter. Found the Forster 3in1 was an easy fit after turning down the OD of the Lyman cutter, it slipped over and locked down with the allen key. When I want to go back to the old setup, I just unscrew the altered cutter and pop on a new one. Can't get much easier than that. Whatta Hobby!

Opened a new 100 ct box of Lapua .223 match brass this morning. Started by trimming, de-burring flash hole, unitizing primer pocket then setting neck tension with a .2225 carbide tapered mandrel. Next will be weighing , priming and then ready to load. In the mean time I have a batch of 73 gn Berger .223s in the vibratory tumbler getting an application of boron nitride coating. Almost ready for weighing primers and projectiles for this batch. Whatta Hobby!

In the Holiday Spirit !

Goofing around in the shop yesterday I wanted to see what would happen if too small a neck sizing busing was used on a freshly annealed Lapua .223 case and the run in a mandrel. Not too surprised, but a bit of a chuckle on what came out. I normally try to use a bushing that will size to just under where I want to be and then run the mandrel. Lapua has thicker neck walls than Starline so a larger bushing needs to be used. Whatta Hobby!

Another small batch of Lapua .223 brass to prime this morning. Gosh this is getting to be fun. Whatta Hobby!

After months of comparisons and going back a forth, I have come to the conclusion that the Primal Rights CPS is the best of the best. More expensive than the rest, but design and construction are wonderful. Feels like a tool that should last a lifetime. Primed a few hundred SRs this morning and it is just a joy to operate after the many years of hand priming. Added the inline fabrication base and some large rubber feet to accomplish what works for me. Whatta Hobby!

I use one pretty much all the time for bolt rifles. Depends on the discipline you choose to shoot. During load development I tend to shoot 3 shots, draw a patch through the bore and cool before the next 3 rnd test. Goal here is to have the barrel in as close to the same condition for each string. Then one of my favorite competitions involves one one shot and it requires it to be as close as possible to aim point. Using an NRA MR-31C target , the idea of the first and only shot out of a clean cold bore is to take out or at least touch the X printed. So far it has been a real hoot. Photo shows my choice of a load ladder target shot at 100 yds. Dots are 1/4". I shoot left to right on the first horizontal plane 3 shots with a patch and cool between each dot. Then for verification I drop down and repeat on the second horizontal line of dots. Works for me. I do enjoy loading and shooting. Handy have my range 100' out the front door. Makes for simple load development. Whatta Hobby!

No fooling. Doesn't take long to get 4-5K into a 22rf if you want to do any real accurate shooting. Whatta Hobby!

My S6 is the 10-60x56mm Benchrest version. Has lighted floating dot reticle and 1/8 moa clicks. Perfect for me being able to see and hit the white X on an MR31C pretty regularly on the first shot which is my game. Clean cold bore, 1 shot match. Been into that at 100 yds for decades. With the improved, as your say, components it allows those of us that are not magicians to get in the game. The XX-high NF rings only allow for a 1/8" clearance so I couldn't go shorter. Rgr on easy on the neck. Loving it. Second focal plane. The scope I use most often is the NightForce Competition 15-55 again with 1/8 moa clicks. These Sightrons are giving my NightForce scopes a run for there money. Whatta Hobby!

Smaller guns at closer range with tiny targets is my choice. Really enjoy 22rf at 50 and 100 yds. Problem with that, my CZ457 likes ammo that costs almost as much a loading for centerfire. Lapua X-ACT is great stuff if one can afford it. Whatta Hobby!

Thanks for the input. You are right of course. My discipline is 1st shot out of the barrel on target. I have been pretty successful over the years using this method. Didn't mention that clean patches get pulled through the barrel after each 3 rnd grp and then run the cooler. After 60 plus years at the game I kinda set goals for myself but am always willing to listen to others. Also use a chronograph, Garmin now, have used Prochrone and LabRadar over the years but that is only one factor to reference in the game. I have myself convinced that proper brass prep and loading procedures will keep my SDs in the mid single digits without constant monitoring. I think, too many rely on the chronograph where bullet strikes are much more important. My goal from the old 40x days it to touch or hopefully take the X out of an MR-31C with the first and only shot for the day. Most finals are in the .1 to .2 range. Whatta Hobby!