I understand how to figure how much compression I need, but what is the best way to get there?

Lets say it figures out to .125 compression needed.

How do you get to that point?  
After running the compression stem down to the top of the wad, do you continue to turn the stem a little bit after each press stroke until you get to the compression needed?

Or, is there a simplier way?

When I run the case up in my die, I'm completely blind on what's going on.  I've thought about milling part of the die off so I can see the compression stem stop when it touches the top of the wad.  Then I could  turn the compression stem down until it reaches the point needed.  Compress a test case and measure the accuracy.

beltfed wrote on Apr 19^th, 2016 at 7:05pm:


I understand exactly what you're saying.  However, as mentioned before I cannot see the stem unless the die is removed from the press.  I'm using a Lyman die with a Buffalo Arms compression stem.  When the two are put together, the stem never protrudes from the die so it can be measured.

I thought about milling part of the die away to expose the stem.   

What type of compression setup are you using?

I like to figure out the overall length of my cartridge i'm using first...and then compress the powder with the wad on top until the bullet sits on the wad at the proper overall length.
Lock your compression tool at that setting.
What ever amount of powder you use after that, will still be compressed with wad in place to the correct depth..

Terry

nuclearcricket wrote on Apr 20^th, 2016 at 5:58am:


Thanks for the photo.  I don't know why I couldn't understand it before.  Thanks again.

FWIW, I'll never try and reload to a specific compression - it just is a function of powder volume , wads used and bullet seating depth.  It is pretty hard to change compression alone without changing any of the above.  Think about it...
For me, bullet seating depth provides a fixed reference point.  The rest follows from there.
Compression is a result, not a goal.

The goal here was to show how to set the compression to a specific depth and that is determined by the bullet. The amount of compression is determined by the volume of powder that your rifle likes. Start with minimum compression and increase your powder charge weight by steps of 1 or 2 grains and see if your groups enlarge or shrink.

MartiniBelgian wrote on Apr 20^th, 2016 at 2:13pm:

I suspect compression is more important than a couple grains difference in powder charge. During the hay day of LR competition here in the Pacific NW and BC, guys with different chambers and slightly different charges were using the same compression.

gunlaker wrote on Apr 20^th, 2016 at 4:08pm:

Again, he adds wads - you cannot change compression alone.  Extra wads will also have influence.  One can add/change powder, add wads, change seating depth in ordr to change compression - but it is impossible to just change compression without changing at least another variable.