Went to the range early, first gun up was the .308 All brass tested was SS tumbled to bare brass inside necks. Loaded up 168 grain SMK with 43.6 grains of Varget, and this time I full sized with a RCBS full sizer. I usually use the neck sizer but wanted to bump back .002". Load used is the same as before SS tumble which shot very well around half an inch to 3/4. Test at 300 yards on a random target that was left on the post. This group is outstanding. Looks like under half an inch.


Next test is the .308 again with 168 grain Ballistic Tips that I will be using for deer season. There are two groups out of 6 that shot nicely at 300 yards. Loads were picked according to ladder test from two weeks ago. Full sized and SS tumbled as well. 44.4 and 44.8 grains. I'll pick the 44.4 grain charge and 2,765 fps is fine, deer / hogs won't know the difference.



Next gun up is 7 Mag that I worked up a ladder test. Full sized and SS tumbled as well. Selected two charges of 72 and 72.8 grains of Retumbo and the 160 Accubond. Range is 200 yards. 72 grains did not shoot well, but the 72.8 grain charges did somewhat OK, put two in one in the bullseye and one little flyer above it. It could have been me, the rifle is a Sako M995 custom featherweight 26 inch barrel and so light that you can barely make it sit still in the saddle of the bull bag. Velocity is a nice 3,103 fps.


Last rifle is the 6.5 x 284 custom Rem. 700 with a .286 neck Loads used was 50.6 grains of H4831SC and Lapua brass that was not SS tumbled but was already in the vibratory tumbler last week. Shot at 6 inch gongs only at 300 yards, nothing but tight clusters of less than an inch with 5 shots x 3 gongs. Hard to tell measurement when you only see a grey spot on the gong.

I had full sized and loaded up 5 rounds of 6.5 x 284 brass that I threw in with the SS media a few days ago, but could not chamber it at all. Upon inspecting the brass, the mouths have a little bell mouth with the loaded rounds. That is weird and never happened to me before. I needed to check the dies and see what is going on. I loaded the 6 SS tumbled brass the same day and also for the loads that was shot at the gongs that was neck sized only, but no issues with those batches. I measured the mouth ends and neck ( SS tumbled brass ) with the loaded rounds and its .287" on the mouth end and .285" on the middle of the necks and the other rounds I shot at the gongs are .285" on the whole neck which was neck sized. So there is a variance of .002 more on the mouths. Pulled the bullets and Deprimed the 6 cases and resized with the neck sizer, and its back to normal at .282" neck and sized one case with the full sizer and it did it again with that little bell on the end. Anyone know what the issue is? Did I set the die wrong? I never used the full sizer for this gun because the necks cannot be sized, necks are turned to .286" by the gunsmith that built my gun long ago. Maybe I should bump back .002" with the body die and neck size it with the Competition neck sizer. I just never used the body die before either.

With the range results, I am happy.

SS tumbled and MOA groups @300 yds
Great shooting

I m a fan of those Ballistic tips as well


I have seen Neck bulging on hard brass

Try annealing more often

I started annealing a few weeks ago, doing great. I found out the problem with the .002" bell mouths on the 5 loaded rounds. Took the die apart and found that it has the grey expander button that comes assembled with the die and took it off and put the little black button that comes with your die set in a little plastic bag which does not touch the inside of the necks at all. I believe it is this : https://www.midwayusa.com/product/12733 ... n-kit-65mm
I don't touch the insides of the necks when I full size for this rifle. Necks are thin and turned to .286" and use a competition sizing die with the bushing only and full size every 4 firings or so with the body die.

What were your before and after fps and spread/sd information? That is what I expected to 300y.

Battery crapped out on me, so was not able to tell. I guess next time out. Last time I checked it was around 8 fps ES with 5 shots for the 6.5 x 284