Hey, Guys, Mezigot, Gingerbeer, Frank, et al.
I kind of fell off the cart here for a while, hospitalized, out of action for some time. All good now. I just thought to mention something I do which violates the canon, but I've done it for years with good results in my four K31s. My brass is separated by rifle, 100 per, and I fireform and then neck-size, until there is the very slightest resistance to chambering, (I check before reloading a batch) then I bump back the shoulder and all is good again. Brass lasts a long time this way, and I have never, ever had a stuck bolt or hard extraction. In the last year I have been using the Lee Collet die, which squeezes the case around a mandrel and doesn't move the brass around very much. I really like it. Can't go wrong with those competition RCBS dies, I have the bullet seater, and use Redding for neck-sizing, RCBS for full-length resizing, and now the Lee die for neck-sizing. My groups hover around 1.5-2.0" but if I include called flyers (hey, I'm 62 and experiment constantly with orthoptics, but still don't focus very well), then they open up to 3" or worse. I shoot 10 shot groups, 100 yds., and usually get six or seven in a really nice group, but blow a couple of shots. But I'm only competing against myself, so it's always a fun challenge to run a good 10-shot string. I feel that the rifle would shoot consistent groups for a better shooter, but who knows? I shot ISU competitive pistol matches here in the USA (Free, Std, Centerfire & Air Pistol) for a number of years, and have a pretty good sense of calling the shot location when the trigger breaks with the sights out of alignment. That is why I think it is operator error that causes the flyers.
Also, what I wanted to write in the first place is to Frank, the die set you want, RCBS 38601, I can get for you @ $79.00 plus shipping from Graf & Sons to me, and me to you. If this would be helpful, send me an e-mail (better) or
PM me (switching browsers, not so good), and we can talk.
Best regards to all, Kari Prager