These videos are incredibly helpful. I have gained so much more understanding of the various processes in reloading than I learned by just reading reloading manuals. Thank you, Eric.
You will not believe the arguments I've been getting into in my reloading group because of you lol. I've been trying and testing what you do and having good results so I've been posting it. Man do people get mad when you show them full size works better. Then I posted an annealing video that just barely got the neck glowing and they lost their minds so I posted your 20 second test. I can't wait to piss people off with this. Your advice works man, thanks
Ive never understood people who become defensive over their reloading techniques. If there is a person out there who does it the exact same way since they began, they are ignorant. I’m always looking to improve. Perhaps, that’s it; not everyone has the gift of critical thought and is able to challenge their own beliefs. Whatever....I choose learning.
I was debating if I should get a $30 tempilaq bottle or not and then I watched the Erik Cortina video that pretty much confirmed that I can Ugga Dugga it by watching it glow and it works flawlessly
I was working on a reloading issue for two years. After my first patreon video, Erik’s content solved my issue that I was having. This was worth every penny ive spent on his patreon account. Great video!!!
Good stuff Erik. My reloading process includes annealing and pushing the shoulder back to a certain dimension and seating my bullets to a certain base to ogive dimension. I did not understand what happens if your shoulder bump is inconsistent or what you need to do to your searing depth to correct an inconsistent shoulder bump. Now I do, and it makes perfect sense. But, you are the first person I’ve seen to explain it and I find that very interesting. I’m thinking most people giving reloading advice do not really understand this basic concept, otherwise they would have made a point of explaining it just like you did.
I think that for an amateur reloader ? The two most impormant basic rules are : 1 - size your brass according to your chamber correctly and precisely!! 2 - seat your bullet according to Erik's system of jam ! And lastly find the right amount of powder that groups better . There you have it . Later on we all can go into ballistics theory 🤭
Firing pin driving case forward but doesn't the ignition drive it back to meet bolt face before bullet leaving? Guess km wrong but that would suggest jump stays same regardless of shoulder bump?
So the firing pin pushes the case and bullet toward the barrel .002 at the moment the firing pin strikes the primer. Simplified: the firing pin makes the bullet move toward the barrel.....isn't that the point? Meanwhile in other videos "precision reloading isn't difficult, we make it difficult'....and 'quit chasing the lands'.... No contradiction to see here folks...
I have this little saying since I've starting getting into precision shooting. Precision shootings a little like the lottery. Think about all the variables for a shot. Let's start with this video. Shoulder bump, seating depth, neck tension, brass used, powder ( all of them that are options for that load ) primers ( all of them that are options for that load) , Bullets ( now there's a list ) , velocity, trueing velocity and Bc , wind , getting dope perfect, barrel tuner ( ordered mine yesterday) , Gun ( dont even know where to start with this one) now let's put the human in charge of it all and see how she sails lol Great to have Erik helping with a hobby that's got one heck of a pile of stuff to consider.
Hi Erick, I have no words for thank you! Grazie!!! Grazie!!! At least, for my really personal easy care of my reloading, i use as a costant the difference between OAL and shoulder bump. So, for my 308, i have 2.300 of oal, for my perfect node(find thanks to you). 1.566 of shoulder size, this mean I have a difference between these two values that is 0.734. And this is the game. I can add this number to all the shoulder sizes i have, and I'll get always a perfect size of my node. (1.563+0.734= 2.297) (1.561+0.734= 2.295) Etc etc.... So, 0.734, is the quote i need for work with every shoulder size. Easy! 😊
Be patient with me as I ask this... The BTO is determined by adjusting the seating depth , not the base to shoulder. So, when doing seating depth tests, an optimal depth is found in order to get a jump distance that works for a given projectile, load, and barrel combination. I'm thinking that if the neck tension and the BTO remain consistent, the pressure is all that would vary, because less or more of the projectile is actually enclosed. I wonder if that could be the best way to present this info (??). The BTO doesn't change, but when the explosive force occurs, the brass of a cartridge with more shoulder bump will have to move more before it meets the chamber wall and the projectile won't have as much jump when it's released from the neck (it will be in the throat more). The pressure will also be slightly greater before the neck tension is overcome. That spells inaccuracy for sure, because it's effectively reducing the jump into the lands. So it's a change in pressure and jump all because of inconsistency in shoulder bump. Is that right?
Thanks Erik! It took me a while for this to sink in. I think is the key is shoulder-to-ogive measurement. That is a set dimension of your chamber. Take your bullet comparator measurement from base-to-ogive, then subtract the base-to-shoulder measurement for a case… any case. Now you have a *fixed measurement of your chamber* from the shoulder to where bullet X hits the lands. Once you have this data point, it doesn’t matter if you are starting with new brass or brass you’ve fired twice in that rifle and bumped the shoulder back .002” or .005”. If the shoulder-to-ogive measurement stays the same, you should be good to go. P.S. I understand that this measurement will drift over time as your throat depth extends.
Well done sir! You are good at explaining these things. I come from a family of farmers,machinists,and fabricators. We are also pretty good mechanics by necessity but some of this reloading stuff confuses me at times!
Wouldn't you actually take Measurement 1 and add Measurement 2? Because technically the bullet "acts" as if it is longer right? Because when the primer is struck the case moves forward by Measurement 2. So it seems to me that you would add them together to get the "actual" seating depth. I could be all wet, sometimes I have my stupid hat on.
I hear what you are saying and believe it. I could be wrong but another can of worms could be that we can't be sure of how much the brass and bullet really get shoved because the ejector pin pushes the case a bit forward before that firing pin strikes the primer. I guess to mitigate that we could remove the ejector. Again, I'm not real sure whether or not this is even a consideration that needs to be made. Thank you for the videos!
In fact when you seat your bullets 0.003 longer when you bump the shoulder 0.003 more you get a few different effects at the same time. You could get higher pressure when ,by doing this, your bullet already gets pushed into the lands. Nut also your internal volume changes so your initial ignition pressure changes by the increased volume. Whether and how much that will change your velocity depends on caliber and powder type. You can test it of course but also simulate the volume effect in quicload or grt, you can’t simulate the effect of the bullet being in the lands or hitting them sooner though. Another question is what happens when you have bumped your shoulder 0.002 and set the bullet so it is 0.002 into the lands. That would result in the case fitting perfectly in the chamber with the bullet just touching the lands. It probably would also mean that at ignition , because of the resistance of the bullet in the lands , ignition would take place a but sooner and there is less or no initial forward movement of the case. This is probably the reason why some precision shooters will seat their bullets in the lands
Erik your very smart and have 3+ groups hanging on every word in your videos. The group that pays and the one that your most passionate about are the nail drivers. Me, I'm in the "Side of the Barn" group that's getting ready to order a tuner when I get $ and ammo. Yey! Black Nitride coming to ur PO Soon! The 3rd group has had to be traders and watch Texas Best Construction. It's good to see you teach your passion and just try and throw the rest of us a bone every now and then. Prof Cortina is changing the shooting world.
Awesome example of above-average intelligence my brother and I have been shooting and doing Precision reloading all of our lives. This example a shoulder bump could possibly be some of our issues we've been having lately. Makes perfect sense. Thank you. Will forward this to my brother.
Good piece of the puzzle people overlook and hopefully gets them thinking of brass manufacturer differences and even variance between lots and composition as well projectiles.
Just thinking after trying to absorb your knowledge. In sizing once fired 30-338 Winchester brass would it be best to bump the shoulder say 2-3 thousandths and just keep it consistent while it headspaces on the belt by design?
@@laurabrock1249 other people may have their own opinions on this but as I see it I would absolutely minimal FL size in a bowl action to 2-3 thousandth shoulder bump. Whether headspacing on the belt or not, the brass is still going to expand to obturate the chamber and their is benefits to be gained from less expansion of the case exlained by Eric's videos.
This makes great sense! Thank you. I don't compete. Just recreational and hunting stuff. This info will come in Very handy with the lee dies I have. The bump is not consistent. 2, 3, even 4 thou difference from start to finish. Again thank you.
It makes perfect sense. In machining terms, your case becomes a reference. If it's out a few thou than the product, your accuracy, won't have a common reference. Once that calibrated surface is gone, especially in a worn weapon, your ratios inside the chamber and barrel change. That can change your pressures, burn rates, and everything else. Thanks for making it so simple. Basic math and the white board of knowledge are powerful tools lol.
This is perfect! I just prepped som brass yesterday and bumped a few too far back. I can just adjust the ogive out the same amount I pushed the shoulder back too far by.
That's the critical part most people leave out when explaining how to measure jam. Your measuring shoulder to ogive. The base is just a point your measuring those two dimensions from. The light bulb went off in my head when trying to figure out if I should measure jam with fired, resized or new brass. It doesn't matter as long as you compensate for the difference between base to shoulder in your resized brass and the one used to measure with.
What you tackled is dwell time - the amount of time the bullet spends in the barrel b4 it exits in relation to build up of pressure from primer strike and cartridge moving a seated bullet forward how ever many .00* thousands of a inch - that correlates to consistency in chamber pressures correlates to velocity correlates to you SD numbers … if you document and track each of those data points 🙃
Good contribution. Thank you ... That's why I always measure each finished cartridge and if it is not in the correct dimension, I disassemble and correct ...
I was wondering if this effected the seating depth this has been very very very helpful in validating my theory and now I can reload with a little more confidence its been so hard because the group that I shoot with neck sizes and there all old school
It all makes sense to me! I discovered this back in the 80s when I started reloading. At first I made my cartridges the same length as factory. Then a mentor explained it to me that I wanted the bullet to almost contact the rifling. To measure this length while pushing the cartridge into the chamber and to subtract .001, and the make some .002 etc until I reached consistent the best accuracy. My buddy cannot figure out why my AR of the same make shoots more accurately than his. I am debating whether or not I should tell him😏
My bolt is controlled feed so the case head is captured against the bolt face by the extractor. When the firing pin strikes the primer it does not drive the cartridge forward against the shoulders, the cartridge ignites stuck to the bolt face and pressure expands the case until the shoulders seal but by then the bullet has already made the jump to the lands. So if you have a “push feed action” your explanation may be true but if you have a “controlled feed” it is not. Even with a push feed bolt there is friction between the case and chamber walls, the cam-action of the closing bolt wedges the cartridge in tightly. So I question if the pressure exerted by the firing pin against the primer can actually move the cartridge forward against the shoulders? Especially in a tight fitting match grade chamber sized with match grade dies.. Maybe the cartridge moves forward & maybe it doesn’t? With my controlled feed action I simply measure CBTO regardless of bump. That being said I still try for 001”-0015 bump but since the Lapua brass I use requires multiple firings to fully expand I’ll normally have a .003 variance in CBTDL in once, twice and even third time fired brass. Fortunately Lapua brass shoots half an MOA or better while it’s expanding.
I have some new Lapua .308 brass and it is +/-.020 under the SAMMI minimum for case length to the intersection point. But - it is only +/- .007 to the measured shoulder bump in my rifle. Hopefully one firing will get me to zero and then I can work from there to get my .001/.002.
Good work Erik, thanks. But what about correct lube of the brass? You spoke about that, but you don't explain here how to do it, I think it would be more completed as explanation.
Good visualization and explanation. It’s a topic hard to explain and I’ve wanted to explain it to people and it just never clicked with them. I’ll just share your video.
Cool video. Bummer about the reloding stuff though. All the good guys are going to patreon. I don't do patreon unfortunately. Take care Eric! Your videos are great😁👍
No bad news about anything..only good news. Tube doesn't mind constructive content of any sort. Politics and the criticism of 'WOKISM' are another matter.
That's why I use single stage presses. I leave my seating die in one press and don't adjust or move it once I find my pet load... I have 4 presses... Two for my .308 and two for my 6.5's. Nothing changes.... really difficult to get inconsistencies with my loads.
Even with this setup (a fixed die in a dedicated press for that one operation), your shoulder bump will be inconsistent if you do not lube your cases the same, if the temperature of the equipment or brass is not the same. And after the first few cases the die will heat up due to friction and change the bump dimension. I find that you need to be prepared to make adjustments to the die to get consistency. I set aside the cases that are slightly long and set them aside then after the batch is done, adjust the die down slightly and bring these longer shoulders into spec.
@@gilream negative. You're thinking too much. Even Eric said "you're over complicating things." He's right. My dedicatied brass I have for my loads does not have the inconsistencies you speak of. Been shooting BR for over 25yrs and won many. Taken an interest in ELR the last couple of years and can hit 24x24in plates at 2000yrds with my ELR rifle build. 300NM, 230gr handloads. So please enlighten me on "how I have inconsistencies in my loads". Chronograph numbers I'm running are within 15fps differences out of 10 shot 'tests'.
@@longsnipz didn't mean to start an argument. 15 fps ES is very good. I do find that in my 29 years experience hand loading on an RCBS Rockchucker press that in a given lot of 100 pieces of Lapua 6.5 X 47 annealed (AMP) brass that I have variance of up to 2.5 thou difference in bump. IF they are bumped too much there is nothing I can do so I try and hit my target to the short side, set those aside and come back to them after I run the entire lot and adjust the die down slightly to bring the long ones to .002 bump. Also, I have noticed a shift to too much bump after the first 3-4 cases. I've always attributed this to the die heating up a bit. You are correct in that I am probably overthinking it but this has been my experience. Been using Hornady one shot lube for these large case lots.
@@gilream it's crazy when you take everything in perspective.. in some cases the smallest details make a huge difference regarding your platform, loads, dies, presses, case prep, optics, barrel break in, powder lot, bullet lot, brass lot, rifle action ect ect.
Awesome, thanks for explaining this. At first my dyslexic brain though at first you would seat the bullet less deep or longer from case head to Ogive if shoulder is bumped back further than desired. But then it popped in my head that by bumping the shoulder back it allows the case to move forward more before the shoulder hits, this would naturally then also move or push the bullet further into the rifling. And like you said to maintain your off the rifling distance consistent if you bump too far, split the distance of what bump you wanted and what you accidentally got, and then seat the bullet this much deeper into the neck, and then it’s just right. It’s easy to misunderstand some of these relationships and how they effect things. I feel like my blob of grey matter in my head-pan has just grown a couple thousandths of an inch from this video! Thanks Eric ✌️😎👍
Does the ejector, regardless of type, not hold the cartridge in place when the firing pin strikes the primer? Honest question. I have been following for some time and I’m definitely not questioning your methods. It’s an honest question.
Possibly, but you also have a plunger pushing your case forward. This is not supposed to be an issue, but I want people to be aware of what’s going on.
Instead of the seating stem in my 223 seating die, which only contacts the bullet close to the tip. For seating bullets in my 223, I use a 204 Sizing die. The 204 Sizing die, contacts the 223 bullet very close to the Ogive. This eliminates any variation in individual bullet shapes. Now my base to Ogive measurements are very consistent. Very little run out also. The 204 Sizing die, leaves no marks on the Bullet. This method can be used on larger calibers. Say a 243 sizing die on 7 mm bullets. I would love to hear your thoughts on this ! Thanks !
Great video and so true! I normally check all of my sized case shoulder datums and sort by length...although it generally varies very little. I adjust seating depth accordingly so all bullets have the same jump. Nowwwww....I recently bought the Accuracy One Seating Depth Comparator. What a time saver! This eliminates the need for any sorting as it measures shoulder to bullet ogive which is THE ONLY MEASUREMENT THAT MATTERS ANYWAY! Wish I would have bought it sooner
@@jessewerner4067 Well ....I was looking at it from a rimmed cartridge vs a semi rimmed bottle neck cartridge (like he shows). Because the two would head space from different datum points the firing pin moving the cartridge could really change things...when the round goes off, which is something I have noticed when shooting 30-30 cartridges for example. Not looking to start an argument or anything. I fully admit I'm not an expert, just a guy who enjoys reloading his rifles for better accuracy and cost savings. Maybe Eric could charm in and provide some insight some time... Happy Independence Day🎉 (assuming your USA)
If only the die manufacturers would produce a seating die that seated the bullets in relation to the shoulder as opposed to the base 🤔. I raised this on a forum and was rubbished. Thankyou Erik for confirming my thoughts .
I might be stupid but if the seating die sets the bullet based on the case holder, it should mean that if the case is bumped .010 more, the bullet just seats longer. Longer in relation to the case head as the bullet is exposed .010 more, but the overall length is still same. Because the seating die does not know how long your brass is. This means that the case now has .010 clearance in the chamber, but the bullet is just where it is supposed to be. This all changes upon ignition when the case then expands and whether the bullet is gone by then or not is unknown to me. Do we have different kind of seating dies? Mine is a basic redding competition.
Use Redding competition shell holders..they can keep you consistent for stubborn springback. Just use the same brass out of your gun and the same brand and lot. Sometimes you can get bad brass.
So if I understood correctly... Example: You shoot cartridge. Without sizing the brass you insert a bullet and measure the maximum overall cartridge length with for example Hornady COL cauge to know the maximum seating depth of the bullet on your specific firearm. Then you want the bullet to be for example .050" off from the lands. You measure base to ogive length .050" shorter than the max base to ogive what you got by measuring the length with COL cauge and not sized fired brass. But the brass prepared for loading is full sized and is going to be pushed back .002" from shoulder. That way the brass is going to travel in the chamber .002" as the firing pin pushes it forward to ignite. So if I got it right the actual travel for the bullet to lands is actually .048" and not .050" ? That way you would need to PLUS not minus the shoulder bump for the pursued dimension. Thanks for anybody to leave a clarifying comment!
Great video, appreciate it. But wouldn’t people be correct when they say seating depth changes your combustion? The volume of the container decreases therefore the pressure increases according to Boyles law?
Please do a video explaining how much forward or backward movement or displacement is caused when you chamber a round. I can’t seem to get a grab of what happens to the case as the bolt jams up against the base and closes. I know the case turns as the bolt turns but how about the case forward backward movement?
Erik, wouldn't it be easier to just explain how shoulder bump effects the dimension between the ogive and the lands (jump)? The base to ogive dimension should determine the dimension of the jump given consistent shoulder bump. Inconsistent shoulder bump does not affect BTO but will effect the bullet to land jump, If the goal is to have consistent bullet to land jump dimensions, shoulder bump must be consistent as well as consistent BTO dimensions. Both are critical. Just my 2 cents. Please keep us up to date on the progress with the new machine shop. God bless all your hard work.
Just as I think I know something I find I know nothing. Great video. Watched a few and subbed but feel ssooo inadequate, I’m trying to get groups at 100yds that you better at ten times the distance.
Great video but even more so, outstanding class Eric! Discovery learning sometimes sucks (20 years ago the hard way). Cost us a match but… please keep teaching us the great techniques.
Mr Cortina you are very knowledgeable and have helped me understand precision handloading more than anyone. Thank You. I can't wait to apply these techniques when my rifle is done 👍
Erik you just cracked my issue , the way and what I was using to lube my brass, I was having really bad inconstancy in seating depth. REALLY BAD. MUCHAS GRACIAS
Very interesting video, but that is no surprise. If you bump your shoulder back an extra 0.003" then you have presumably changed the case volume. Seating the bullet a further 0.003" to correct seating depth further reduces case volume. That must have an effect on the pressure curve when firing as P1 =V1 =T1. So you would get a difference between ammunition with the 0.002" headspace and the ammunition with the 0 005" headspace, the question is is it a noticeable difference on target?
There is also another aspect related to this facts: If somebody touches the rifling with the seating depth, or is very close, the gap to the rifling may be smaller than the shoulder bump. That would cause setting the bullet in the rifling by pulling the trigger and increase the pressure in this case. If shoulder bump is inconsistand, you may have high pressures, if the shoulder is too much bumped and a lot lesser pressure, if the shoulder is longer. As Erik told us in other videos, "don't chase the rifling......."
I accidentally bumped my shoulder .008 which is .006 more than my other bumped cases.... I'm trying to load them so they have the same pressures/ velocities as the .002 bumped cases... If I seat my bullet deeper .006 to adjust for the rifling issue illustrated in this video, then I've compounded my case pressure issue, correct?? So, I'll most likely have to decrease the powder charge??? This happened to 100 cases... I tried sizing them giving the die an extra 1/4 turn, but then I read the Redding die instructions and it said to only lower the die to where it touches the top of the shell holder.... And I have a similar problem with the casings for my Mini-14.... When I shoulder bump my Mini-14 cases, the "shoulder measurement" is 1.464... whereas new cases have a 1.460 measurement.... I'm trying to compare the accuracy / SD / data of a new casing versus fire formed casing, but it looks like it won't be Apples to Apples because of case capacity and pressure issues along with the bullet seating issue presented in this video...
That was very well explained, it all makes sence. No more neck sizing, even it is faster, but the accuracy must be the main key, no quantity over quality.
What about the fact that you guys teach to find your jam point with a fired piece of brass... in none of those videos I've heard anything about taking this into account once resized. Wouldn't it be better to take a fired piece of brass, bump the shoulder as you would always do, and then get your jam measurement? That way you don't need to do any extra calculations.
Love yourstuff…so this would mean that in the moment the firing pen strikes the case the case moves forward off the bolt face no longer engaging the bolt and As so as the powder ignites the bullet begins to leave the casing the casing is then formed to the chamber and blown back into the bolt face. So I guess my question is…wouldn’t the bullet still be leaving while the case is fully rearward engaging the bolt even if momentarily the case is knocked forward. And if that’s true. Shoulder bump doesn’t have to dictate seating depth. As long as COAL doesn’t change
I get where you are saying that seating depth changes with shoulder bump. As in it changes the internal volume of the case by squeezing it smaller. What I don't get is how you say it effects the BTO (your measurement 1 minus measurement 2). From my understanding it will effect the jump to the lands (as in the cartridge will move 0.002" closer before detination but the seating die seats off of the base of the brass, not the shoulder).
Yes, but if shoulder is bumped back too far by let’s say 0.005”, then the bullet will be seated closer to the lands by 0.005”, which is essentially the same thing as your base to ogive being 0.005” longer.
Good explanation. Now, how to consistently control the amount of shoulder bump? I'm not keen on merely screwing the sizing die in and out, as it's the space between the die and shell holder which combines with the elasticity in the press and inconsistencies in sizing resistance to cause bump variations. Redding makes Competition Shell Holder sets, which allow one to eliminate the space between the sizing die and shell holder.
I actually had a problem with consistency on my old press. It had enough play in the linkage that some cases (harder) came out perfect but softer cases always bumped .0025-.004. My new press solved the issue but before I got it, I started annealing every time and thought about the Redding competition shell holders as a good option but expensive for what they are. My solution was using a washer from an AR muzzle device shim kit (1/2×28) over the case during sizing to maintain that same distance from the shell holder and die. The washer I used was .008" for my setup but they give you (4).008 (4).004 (1).020 in each kit. It was the cheaper route but it works well if you can spare a case to see what the maximum sizing your case and shellholder can do then add "x" shim to get back where you need to be on the remainder of your cases from there forward.
Hands down one of the best reloading videos in youtube. I just start to do my own 222 rem loads for a hunting and a practice purpose. I absolutely going to use your stuff at the starting point. Thanks man.
These videos are incredibly helpful. I have gained so much more understanding of the various processes in reloading than I learned by just reading reloading manuals.
Thank you, Eric.
Another gem from Erik. It's so obvious once you explain it, but never would've thought through it on my own. Thanks Erik!
You will not believe the arguments I've been getting into in my reloading group because of you lol. I've been trying and testing what you do and having good results so I've been posting it. Man do people get mad when you show them full size works better. Then I posted an annealing video that just barely got the neck glowing and they lost their minds so I posted your 20 second test. I can't wait to piss people off with this. Your advice works man, thanks
😂
Ive never understood people who become defensive over their reloading techniques. If there is a person out there who does it the exact same way since they began, they are ignorant. I’m always looking to improve. Perhaps, that’s it; not everyone has the gift of critical thought and is able to challenge their own beliefs. Whatever....I choose learning.
I was debating if I should get a $30 tempilaq bottle or not and then I watched the Erik Cortina video that pretty much confirmed that I can Ugga Dugga it by watching it glow and it works flawlessly
I was working on a reloading issue for two years. After my first patreon video, Erik’s content solved my issue that I was having. This was worth every penny ive spent on his patreon account. Great video!!!
The ore I watch your videos, the more I realize what I don't/didn't know about reloading. Thank you!
Good stuff Erik. My reloading process includes annealing and pushing the shoulder back to a certain dimension and seating my bullets to a certain base to ogive dimension. I did not understand what happens if your shoulder bump is inconsistent or what you need to do to your searing depth to correct an inconsistent shoulder bump. Now I do, and it makes perfect sense. But, you are the first person I’ve seen to explain it and I find that very interesting. I’m thinking most people giving reloading advice do not really understand this basic concept, otherwise they would have made a point of explaining it just like you did.
Your a legend mate. I’ve learned so much this last weekend, but opened up so many new questions & ways to think about what’s going on .
Man I’m glad I found your channel. I’m just getting ready to start leaning how to hand load. Learned a ton from you already in just 4 videos
I think that for an amateur reloader ? The two most impormant basic rules are :
1 - size your brass according to your chamber correctly and precisely!!
2 - seat your bullet according to Erik's system of jam ! And lastly find the right amount of powder that groups better . There you have it . Later on we all can go into ballistics theory 🤭
Firing pin driving case forward but doesn't the ignition drive it back to meet bolt face before bullet leaving? Guess km wrong but that would suggest jump stays same regardless of shoulder bump?
So the firing pin pushes the case and bullet toward the barrel .002 at the moment the firing pin strikes the primer. Simplified: the firing pin makes the bullet move toward the barrel.....isn't that the point? Meanwhile in other videos "precision reloading isn't difficult, we make it difficult'....and 'quit chasing the lands'.... No contradiction to see here folks...
I have this little saying since I've starting getting into precision shooting. Precision shootings a little like the lottery. Think about all the variables for a shot. Let's start with this video. Shoulder bump, seating depth, neck tension, brass used, powder ( all of them that are options for that load ) primers ( all of them that are options for that load) , Bullets ( now there's a list ) , velocity, trueing velocity and Bc , wind , getting dope perfect, barrel tuner ( ordered mine yesterday) , Gun ( dont even know where to start with this one) now let's put the human in charge of it all and see how she sails lol
Great to have Erik helping with a hobby that's got one heck of a pile of stuff to consider.
Shooting still beats golf any day! :)
@Discerning yes it does !!!:-)
Hi Erick,
I have no words for thank you! Grazie!!! Grazie!!!
At least, for my really personal easy care of my reloading, i use as a costant the difference between OAL and shoulder bump.
So, for my 308, i have 2.300 of oal, for my perfect node(find thanks to you). 1.566 of shoulder size, this mean I have a difference between these two values that is 0.734.
And this is the game.
I can add this number to all the shoulder sizes i have, and I'll get always a perfect size of my node.
(1.563+0.734= 2.297)
(1.561+0.734= 2.295)
Etc etc....
So, 0.734, is the quote i need for work with every shoulder size.
Easy! 😊
Be patient with me as I ask this... The BTO is determined by adjusting the seating depth , not the base to shoulder. So, when doing seating depth tests, an optimal depth is found in order to get a jump distance that works for a given projectile, load, and barrel combination. I'm thinking that if the neck tension and the BTO remain consistent, the pressure is all that would vary, because less or more of the projectile is actually enclosed. I wonder if that could be the best way to present this info (??). The BTO doesn't change, but when the explosive force occurs, the brass of a cartridge with more shoulder bump will have to move more before it meets the chamber wall and the projectile won't have as much jump when it's released from the neck (it will be in the throat more). The pressure will also be slightly greater before the neck tension is overcome. That spells inaccuracy for sure, because it's effectively reducing the jump into the lands. So it's a change in pressure and jump all because of inconsistency in shoulder bump. Is that right?
Thanks Erik! It took me a while for this to sink in. I think is the key is shoulder-to-ogive measurement. That is a set dimension of your chamber. Take your bullet comparator measurement from base-to-ogive, then subtract the base-to-shoulder measurement for a case… any case. Now you have a *fixed measurement of your chamber* from the shoulder to where bullet X hits the lands.
Once you have this data point, it doesn’t matter if you are starting with new brass or brass you’ve fired twice in that rifle and bumped the shoulder back .002” or .005”. If the shoulder-to-ogive measurement stays the same, you should be good to go.
P.S. I understand that this measurement will drift over time as your throat depth extends.
I love watching this guy he knows his stuff.
Glad your shop is coming along and glad your back sharing the knowledge.
Well done sir! You are good at explaining these things. I come from a family of farmers,machinists,and fabricators. We are also pretty good mechanics by necessity but some of this reloading stuff confuses me at times!
I grew up ranching and baling hay, some days I miss it.
@@ErikCortina for sure. My day job keeps me away from the farm more than i like.
Wouldn't you actually take Measurement 1 and add Measurement 2? Because technically the bullet "acts" as if it is longer right? Because when the primer is struck the case moves forward by Measurement 2. So it seems to me that you would add them together to get the "actual" seating depth. I could be all wet, sometimes I have my stupid hat on.
I thought the Exact same thing. I'm now trying to unravel my noggin
I hear what you are saying and believe it. I could be wrong but another can of worms could be that we can't be sure of how much the brass and bullet really get shoved because the ejector pin pushes the case a bit forward before that firing pin strikes the primer. I guess to mitigate that we could remove the ejector. Again, I'm not real sure whether or not this is even a consideration that needs to be made. Thank you for the videos!
Pressure signs, increased seating depth and no more flat primers even with increased charge. Totally get it now. Thank you
In fact when you seat your bullets 0.003 longer when you bump the shoulder 0.003 more you get a few different effects at the same time. You could get higher pressure when ,by doing this, your bullet already gets pushed into the lands. Nut also your internal volume changes so your initial ignition pressure changes by the increased volume. Whether and how much that will change your velocity depends on caliber and powder type. You can test it of course but also simulate the volume effect in quicload or grt, you can’t simulate the effect of the bullet being in the lands or hitting them sooner though. Another question is what happens when you have bumped your shoulder 0.002 and set the bullet so it is 0.002 into the lands. That would result in the case fitting perfectly in the chamber with the bullet just touching the lands. It probably would also mean that at ignition , because of the resistance of the bullet in the lands , ignition would take place a but sooner and there is less or no initial forward movement of the case. This is probably the reason why some precision shooters will seat their bullets in the lands
Erik your very smart and have 3+ groups hanging on every word in your videos.
The group that pays and the one that your most passionate about are the nail drivers.
Me, I'm in the "Side of the Barn" group that's getting ready to order a tuner when I get $ and ammo. Yey! Black Nitride coming to ur PO Soon!
The 3rd group has had to be traders and watch Texas Best Construction.
It's good to see you teach your passion and just try and throw the rest of us a bone every now and then.
Prof Cortina is changing the shooting world.
😂
Hey Eric, knowing is half the battle…, thanks for sharing your knowledge brother
Awesome example of above-average intelligence my brother and I have been shooting and doing Precision reloading all of our lives. This example a shoulder bump could possibly be some of our issues we've been having lately. Makes perfect sense. Thank you. Will forward this to my brother.
Good piece of the puzzle people overlook and hopefully gets them thinking of brass manufacturer differences and even variance between lots and composition as well projectiles.
Just thinking after trying to absorb your knowledge. In sizing once fired 30-338 Winchester brass would it be best to bump the shoulder say 2-3 thousandths and just keep it consistent while it headspaces on the belt by design?
@@laurabrock1249 other people may have their own opinions on this but as I see it I would absolutely minimal FL size in a bowl action to 2-3 thousandth shoulder bump. Whether headspacing on the belt or not, the brass is still going to expand to obturate the chamber and their is benefits to be gained from less expansion of the case exlained by Eric's videos.
This makes great sense! Thank you.
I don't compete. Just recreational and hunting stuff. This info will come in Very handy with the lee dies I have. The bump is not consistent. 2, 3, even 4 thou difference from start to finish. Again thank you.
It makes perfect sense. In machining terms, your case becomes a reference. If it's out a few thou than the product, your accuracy, won't have a common reference. Once that calibrated surface is gone, especially in a worn weapon, your ratios inside the chamber and barrel change. That can change your pressures, burn rates, and everything else. Thanks for making it so simple. Basic math and the white board of knowledge are powerful tools lol.
This is perfect! I just prepped som brass yesterday and bumped a few too far back. I can just adjust the ogive out the same amount I pushed the shoulder back too far by.
That's the critical part most people leave out when explaining how to measure jam. Your measuring shoulder to ogive. The base is just a point your measuring those two dimensions from. The light bulb went off in my head when trying to figure out if I should measure jam with fired, resized or new brass. It doesn't matter as long as you compensate for the difference between base to shoulder in your resized brass and the one used to measure with.
What you tackled is dwell time - the amount of time the bullet spends in the barrel b4 it exits in relation to build up of pressure from primer strike and cartridge moving a seated bullet forward how ever many .00* thousands of a inch - that correlates to consistency in chamber pressures correlates to velocity correlates to you SD numbers … if you document and track each of those data points 🙃
Thank you Eric, we always said KISS @ UPS. Keep it simple stupid, worked for me for 30yr. Thank you Sir.
Great explanation, it's simple!
If it pushes the whole cartridge forward and you’ve left room for jump the BTO will not shorten; just the jump will reduce by .002”.
Good contribution. Thank you ... That's why I always measure each finished cartridge and if it is not in the correct dimension, I disassemble and correct ...
I was wondering if this effected the seating depth this has been very very very helpful in validating my theory and now I can reload with a little more confidence its been so hard because the group that I shoot with neck sizes and there all old school
I appreciate the way you explain what I'm seeing, but I didn't understand. THANKS
It all makes sense to me! I discovered this back in the 80s when I started reloading. At first I made my cartridges the same length as factory. Then a mentor explained it to me that I wanted the bullet to almost contact the rifling. To measure this length while pushing the cartridge into the chamber and to subtract .001, and the make some .002 etc until I reached consistent the best accuracy. My buddy cannot figure out why my AR of the same make shoots more accurately than his. I am debating whether or not I should tell him😏
No , lol
see “chasing the lans is stupid”
@@dustbustr91 yep
My bolt is controlled feed so the case head is captured against the bolt face by the extractor. When the firing pin strikes the primer it does not drive the cartridge forward against the shoulders, the cartridge ignites stuck to the bolt face and pressure expands the case until the shoulders seal but by then the bullet has already made the jump to the lands. So if you have a “push feed action” your explanation may be true but if you have a “controlled feed” it is not. Even with a push feed bolt there is friction between the case and chamber walls, the cam-action of the closing bolt wedges the cartridge in tightly. So I question if the pressure exerted by the firing pin against the primer can actually move the cartridge forward against the shoulders? Especially in a tight fitting match grade chamber sized with match grade dies.. Maybe the cartridge moves forward & maybe it doesn’t?
With my controlled feed action I simply measure CBTO regardless of bump. That being said I still try for 001”-0015 bump but since the Lapua brass I use requires multiple firings to fully expand I’ll normally have a .003 variance in CBTDL in once, twice and even third time fired brass. Fortunately Lapua brass shoots half an MOA or better while it’s expanding.
I have some new Lapua .308 brass and it is +/-.020 under the SAMMI minimum for case length to the intersection point. But - it is only +/- .007 to the measured shoulder bump in my rifle. Hopefully one firing will get me to zero and then I can work from there to get my .001/.002.
So basically, if I bump my shoulder farther than I wanted, seat my bullet down the difference.
Good work Erik, thanks. But what about correct lube of the brass? You spoke about that, but you don't explain here how to do it, I think it would be more completed as explanation.
I don't know why I get allergic reactions when taking about long bullets and boat tail bullets 😮 I'm just old fashioned ! 😤
Good visualization and explanation. It’s a topic hard to explain and I’ve wanted to explain it to people and it just never clicked with them. I’ll just share your video.
Cool video. Bummer about the reloding stuff though. All the good guys are going to patreon. I don't do patreon unfortunately. Take care Eric! Your videos are great😁👍
"because they don't like it" is the reason he doesn't post non-patreon videos with that type of info.
No bad news about anything..only good news. Tube doesn't mind constructive content of any sort. Politics and the criticism of 'WOKISM' are another matter.
That's why I use single stage presses. I leave my seating die in one press and don't adjust or move it once I find my pet load... I have 4 presses... Two for my .308 and two for my 6.5's. Nothing changes.... really difficult to get inconsistencies with my loads.
It’s easier than you think, as I said, even lube can cause inconsistent shoulder bumps.
Even with this setup (a fixed die in a dedicated press for that one operation), your shoulder bump will be inconsistent if you do not lube your cases the same, if the temperature of the equipment or brass is not the same. And after the first few cases the die will heat up due to friction and change the bump dimension. I find that you need to be prepared to make adjustments to the die to get consistency. I set aside the cases that are slightly long and set them aside then after the batch is done, adjust the die down slightly and bring these longer shoulders into spec.
@@gilream negative. You're thinking too much. Even Eric said "you're over complicating things." He's right. My dedicatied brass I have for my loads does not have the inconsistencies you speak of. Been shooting BR for over 25yrs and won many. Taken an interest in ELR the last couple of years and can hit 24x24in plates at 2000yrds with my ELR rifle build. 300NM, 230gr handloads. So please enlighten me on "how I have inconsistencies in my loads". Chronograph numbers I'm running are within 15fps differences out of 10 shot 'tests'.
@@longsnipz didn't mean to start an argument. 15 fps ES is very good. I do find that in my 29 years experience hand loading on an RCBS Rockchucker press that in a given lot of 100 pieces of Lapua 6.5 X 47 annealed (AMP) brass that I have variance of up to 2.5 thou difference in bump. IF they are bumped too much there is nothing I can do so I try and hit my target to the short side, set those aside and come back to them after I run the entire lot and adjust the die down slightly to bring the long ones to .002 bump. Also, I have noticed a shift to too much bump after the first 3-4 cases. I've always attributed this to the die heating up a bit. You are correct in that I am probably overthinking it but this has been my experience. Been using Hornady one shot lube for these large case lots.
@@gilream it's crazy when you take everything in perspective.. in some cases the smallest details make a huge difference regarding your platform, loads, dies, presses, case prep, optics, barrel break in, powder lot, bullet lot, brass lot, rifle action ect ect.
Awesome, thanks for explaining this. At first my dyslexic brain though at first you would seat the bullet less deep or longer from case head to Ogive if shoulder is bumped back further than desired. But then it popped in my head that by bumping the shoulder back it allows the case to move forward more before the shoulder hits, this would naturally then also move or push the bullet further into the rifling. And like you said to maintain your off the rifling distance consistent if you bump too far, split the distance of what bump you wanted and what you accidentally got, and then seat the bullet this much deeper into the neck, and then it’s just right. It’s easy to misunderstand some of these relationships and how they effect things. I feel like my blob of grey matter in my head-pan has just grown a couple thousandths of an inch from this video!
Thanks Eric ✌️😎👍
Thanks Eric! That was a great description!
2:07 Annealing helps with neck tension too
Yes
Duh...
Thanks. I understand the concept.
Does the ejector, regardless of type, not hold the cartridge in place when the firing pin strikes the primer? Honest question. I have been following for some time and I’m definitely not questioning your methods. It’s an honest question.
Possibly, but you also have a plunger pushing your case forward.
This is not supposed to be an issue, but I want people to be aware of what’s going on.
@@ErikCortina That makes sense. Thanks for replying!
Instead of the seating stem in my 223 seating die, which only contacts the bullet close to the tip. For seating bullets in my 223, I use a 204 Sizing die. The 204 Sizing die, contacts the 223 bullet very close to the Ogive. This eliminates any variation in individual bullet shapes. Now my base to Ogive measurements are very consistent. Very little run out also. The 204 Sizing die, leaves no marks on the Bullet. This method can be used on larger calibers. Say a 243 sizing die on 7 mm bullets. I would love to hear your thoughts on this ! Thanks !
I love this stuff.
Thanks for the content. I guess I need to pick up a few things to measure where my shoulders are.
Man, you have taught me so much in the handful of videos I've watched. You always break it down in a way that's easy to get.
Great video. Never considered primer strikes effect on seating depth.
Great video and so true! I normally check all of my sized case shoulder datums and sort by length...although it generally varies very little. I adjust seating depth accordingly so all bullets have the same jump. Nowwwww....I recently bought the Accuracy One Seating Depth Comparator. What a time saver! This eliminates the need for any sorting as it measures shoulder to bullet ogive which is THE ONLY MEASUREMENT THAT MATTERS ANYWAY! Wish I would have bought it sooner
I think that depends on the cartridge...
@@danielmaine45 the process you mean? It has nothing to do with cartridge unless we're talking semi auto rifles or straight walled cases 🤷♀️
@@jessewerner4067 Well
....I was looking at it from a rimmed cartridge vs a semi rimmed bottle neck cartridge (like he shows). Because the two would head space from different datum points the firing pin moving the cartridge could really change things...when the round goes off, which is something I have noticed when shooting 30-30 cartridges for example.
Not looking to start an argument or anything. I fully admit I'm not an expert, just a guy who enjoys reloading his rifles for better accuracy and cost savings. Maybe Eric could charm in and provide some insight some time... Happy Independence Day🎉 (assuming your USA)
@@jessewerner4067 sorry...I just saw the part of your post about straight walled and rimmed! Thanks!
That was explained very well, and an eye opener for me, Thank You👍
Thank you
You do a great job explaining
Excellent way to explain this
Thank you! This makes a ton of sense.
If only the die manufacturers would produce a seating die that seated the bullets in relation to the shoulder as opposed to the base 🤔.
I raised this on a forum and was rubbished. Thankyou Erik for confirming my thoughts .
I might be stupid but if the seating die sets the bullet based on the case holder, it should mean that if the case is bumped .010 more, the bullet just seats longer.
Longer in relation to the case head as the bullet is exposed .010 more, but the overall length is still same. Because the seating die does not know how long your brass is.
This means that the case now has .010 clearance in the chamber, but the bullet is just where it is supposed to be. This all changes upon ignition when the case then expands and whether the bullet is gone by then or not is unknown to me.
Do we have different kind of seating dies? Mine is a basic redding competition.
Use Redding competition shell holders..they can keep you consistent for stubborn springback. Just use the same brass out of your gun and the same brand and lot. Sometimes you can get bad brass.
So if I understood correctly...
Example:
You shoot cartridge. Without sizing the brass you insert a bullet and measure the maximum overall cartridge length with for example Hornady COL cauge to know the maximum seating depth of the bullet on your specific firearm. Then you want the bullet to be for example .050" off from the lands. You measure base to ogive length .050" shorter than the max base to ogive what you got by measuring the length with COL cauge and not sized fired brass. But the brass prepared for loading is full sized and is going to be pushed back .002" from shoulder. That way the brass is going to travel in the chamber .002" as the firing pin pushes it forward to ignite. So if I got it right the actual travel for the bullet to lands is actually .048" and not .050" ? That way you would need to PLUS not minus the shoulder bump for the pursued dimension.
Thanks for anybody to leave a clarifying comment!
Great video, appreciate it. But wouldn’t people be correct when they say seating depth changes your combustion? The volume of the container decreases therefore the pressure increases according to Boyles law?
Please do a video explaining how much forward or backward movement or displacement is caused when you chamber a round. I can’t seem to get a grab of what happens to the case as the bolt jams up against the base and closes. I know the case turns as the bolt turns but how about the case forward backward movement?
Erik, wouldn't it be easier to just explain how shoulder bump effects the dimension between the ogive and the lands (jump)? The base to ogive dimension should determine the dimension of the jump given consistent shoulder bump. Inconsistent shoulder bump does not affect BTO but will effect the bullet to land jump, If the goal is to have consistent bullet to land jump dimensions, shoulder bump must be consistent as well as consistent BTO dimensions. Both are critical. Just my 2 cents. Please keep us up to date on the progress with the new machine shop. God bless all your hard work.
I thought Eric just did exactly that
Does this pertain to cartridges that headspace on the belt? As in 300 WM
this explanation is nothing new.... it's explained by Hornady in thier very early manuals.
@@milboltnut no one reads manuals.
@@SpringfieldM1A * That's correct, Mike Brumbelow just explained it in a simpler way, as he stated.
Awesome video Erik
Thanks Erik
Just as I think I know something I find I know nothing. Great video. Watched a few and subbed but feel ssooo inadequate, I’m trying to get groups at 100yds that you better at ten times the distance.
Great video but even more so, outstanding class Eric! Discovery learning sometimes sucks (20 years ago the hard way). Cost us a match but… please keep teaching us the great techniques.
Awesome Erik. Thank you
You have a wealth of knowledge to share, I wish you would take more time preparing the content, as you give me the impression you "wing it".
“Done is better than perfect”. 😉
Mr Cortina you are very knowledgeable and have helped me understand precision handloading more than anyone. Thank You. I can't wait to apply these techniques when my rifle is done 👍
Excellent presentation Erik, thank you.
Such a good video!!! Thank you!!! I have .23 5 shot groups now because of your videos!!! Much appreciated
Anthony - is 0.23” your average group size & if so how many groups were used to determine the average?
@@Russell-1 in the .2s is great good shooting now down to .1s and then .0s I have shot a couple .0 groups like 2 my whole life my smallest is .087
Thanks for this video, very helpful!
Good good info, very appreciative. Thank you!
Had not focussed on that aspect before . Thanks for the Illustration .
Erik you just cracked my issue , the way and what I was using to lube my brass, I was having really bad inconstancy in seating depth. REALLY BAD.
MUCHAS GRACIAS
What lube and how much of it are you using?
@@darkh0st I use unique case lube , and all I use is a small amount just so that it could slide in the die properly. Lol 😂
I really had not thought about it that way either. But that works out. Thanks for the explanation. I have learned a lot from your videos.
Very impressive and well explained. Thanks for sharing you expertise
Makes sense indeed!! Thanks Erik! :D
Very interesting video, but that is no surprise.
If you bump your shoulder back an extra 0.003" then you have presumably changed the case volume. Seating the bullet a further 0.003" to correct seating depth further reduces case volume. That must have an effect on the pressure curve when firing as P1 =V1 =T1. So you would get a difference between ammunition with the 0.002" headspace and the ammunition with the 0 005" headspace, the question is is it a noticeable difference on target?
Thank you for this knowledge!
There is also another aspect related to this facts: If somebody touches the rifling with the seating depth, or is very close, the gap to the rifling may be smaller than the shoulder bump. That would cause setting the bullet in the rifling by pulling the trigger and increase the pressure in this case. If shoulder bump is inconsistand, you may have high pressures, if the shoulder is too much bumped and a lot lesser pressure, if the shoulder is longer.
As Erik told us in other videos, "don't chase the rifling......."
I accidentally bumped my shoulder .008 which is .006 more than my other bumped cases....
I'm trying to load them so they have the same pressures/ velocities as the .002 bumped cases...
If I seat my bullet deeper .006 to adjust for the rifling issue illustrated in this video, then I've compounded my case pressure issue, correct?? So, I'll most likely have to decrease the powder charge???
This happened to 100 cases... I tried sizing them giving the die an extra 1/4 turn, but then I read the Redding die instructions and it said to only lower the die to where it touches the top of the shell holder....
And I have a similar problem with the casings for my Mini-14....
When I shoulder bump my Mini-14 cases, the "shoulder measurement" is 1.464... whereas new cases have a 1.460 measurement.... I'm trying to compare the accuracy / SD / data of a new casing versus fire formed casing, but it looks like it won't be Apples to Apples because of case capacity and pressure issues along with the bullet seating issue presented in this video...
Thanks for that, have fun.
That was very well explained, it all makes sence. No more neck sizing, even it is faster, but the accuracy must be the main key, no quantity over quality.
Passion For Rifles - Just like with bad drugs, just say NO to neck sizing! Believe me bro the withdraw isn't that bad. :)
Thanks Erik very informative
What about the fact that you guys teach to find your jam point with a fired piece of brass... in none of those videos I've heard anything about taking this into account once resized.
Wouldn't it be better to take a fired piece of brass, bump the shoulder as you would always do, and then get your jam measurement?
That way you don't need to do any extra calculations.
Got it. Thanks I won't have to figure this one out. I like your vidoes.
Smartest guy in the industry. I would love to get a loading lesson
Thanks Eric!
Love yourstuff…so this would mean that in the moment the firing pen strikes the case the case moves forward off the bolt face no longer engaging the bolt and As so as the powder ignites the bullet begins to leave the casing the casing is then formed to the chamber and blown back into the bolt face. So I guess my question is…wouldn’t the bullet still be leaving while the case is fully rearward engaging the bolt even if momentarily the case is knocked forward. And if that’s true. Shoulder bump doesn’t have to dictate seating depth. As long as COAL doesn’t change
Thank you Erik you are awesome!
Thank you Erik!
it does change the combustion because if seating depth isnt correct u will have too much or not enough surface area for correct combustion.
I get where you are saying that seating depth changes with shoulder bump. As in it changes the internal volume of the case by squeezing it smaller. What I don't get is how you say it effects the BTO (your measurement 1 minus measurement 2). From my understanding it will effect the jump to the lands (as in the cartridge will move 0.002" closer before detination but the seating die seats off of the base of the brass, not the shoulder).
Yes, but if shoulder is bumped back too far by let’s say 0.005”, then the bullet will be seated closer to the lands by 0.005”, which is essentially the same thing as your base to ogive being 0.005” longer.
Good explanation.
Now, how to consistently control the amount of shoulder bump? I'm not keen on merely screwing the sizing die in and out, as it's the space between the die and shell holder which combines with the elasticity in the press and inconsistencies in sizing resistance to cause bump variations. Redding makes Competition Shell Holder sets, which allow one to eliminate the space between the sizing die and shell holder.
I have made a video about setting up your die. Go check it out.
I actually had a problem with consistency on my old press. It had enough play in the linkage that some cases (harder) came out perfect but softer cases always bumped .0025-.004. My new press solved the issue but before I got it, I started annealing every time and thought about the Redding competition shell holders as a good option but expensive for what they are. My solution was using a washer from an AR muzzle device shim kit (1/2×28) over the case during sizing to maintain that same distance from the shell holder and die. The washer I used was .008" for my setup but they give you (4).008 (4).004 (1).020 in each kit. It was the cheaper route but it works well if you can spare a case to see what the maximum sizing your case and shellholder can do then add "x" shim to get back where you need to be on the remainder of your cases from there forward.
Hands down one of the best reloading videos in youtube. I just start to do my own 222 rem loads for a hunting and a practice purpose. I absolutely going to use your stuff at the starting point. Thanks man.
Wowwwwwwww that was some great information. Thanks, brother 🙏