Just got the dies for my Encore 25-06. After reading Belims site it appears that reloading the encore may be over complicated or I'm reading too much into it. He must eat and sleep with is Thompsons. I've been reloading with excellent success with bolt actions but by the time I read his breech gap, cutting barrels down for gap space and about 100 other tricks he has I'm tempted to give it up before trying. I had considered when I purchased that sizing brass would be simple as the barrel would serve as a guage. Am I overthinking or is all of his loading techniques over the top. I have no doubt he knows what he's doing but it sure does seem more headache than pleasure.
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Dies for my Encore Pro Hunter arrived
- Thread starter Wendyj
- Start date
hoghunting
New member
Reloading for the Contenders and Encores is not much different than any other reload. I highly recommend the Hornady headspace kit:
http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Headspace-Kit-With-Body-1-Each/
If you bump the shoulder back too far, you will get misfires in your Encore. It's simple to use, just load a few cases and fire them. Use the headspace gauge and measure the distance to the shoulder of the fired case, then set your sizing die to only bump the shoulder 0.001" - 0.002" and check the sized case with your headspace guage.
Once you set your sizing die, just load like any other rifle round.
http://www.hornady.com/store/Lock-N-Load-Headspace-Kit-With-Body-1-Each/
If you bump the shoulder back too far, you will get misfires in your Encore. It's simple to use, just load a few cases and fire them. Use the headspace gauge and measure the distance to the shoulder of the fired case, then set your sizing die to only bump the shoulder 0.001" - 0.002" and check the sized case with your headspace guage.
Once you set your sizing die, just load like any other rifle round.
I use the headspace guage on my bolts so if that's all I takes I'm ok. I full length size everything so I have my dies set for .002 to .003. I would think the barrel would serve as a good guage in itself but not from what I've been reading. I didn't buy any brass yet but bought some 100 grain Barnes ttsx and a box of 120 grain Federal Fusion to see what bullet size it likes. If it doesn't stop raining I'm never going to get it zeroed in and get my brass back.
Well, I tried it. I measured a factory round using compareter at 2.041. I fired a bullet and it measured 2.050. No matter which way I turn the dies up or down I'm getting 2.040 after fls. That is .001 from factory but only .01 less than fired It fits in good and closes up. I primed it twice and fired primer only and both times it measures back to 2.050. Resized and am still getting 2.040. It closes and fires fine but shouldn't I be getting 2.049 or 2.048 according to measurement after firing size of 2.050 or leave well enough alone since it closes good and doesn't misfire. I don't want to loose accuracy.
It fits good. It closes good. It has fired the primers with no powder but I'm far from .001 to.003 from the fired case. I'm almost dead on with factory before firing and after sizing. It does work if I don't suffer accuracy from being sized back too far. I didn't think of removing the decapper and expander ball. That's what I had to do on the bolts. I'm just happy it fits and goes bang for now but I do want to get it right. By the way what kind of distance can you get on that 204 Nosler. It looked like a great coyote or Prarie dog round.
Wendy,
Turning the die out may not do anything at first because of that extra bit you turned it in after it first touched the shell holder. Go back a full turn and see what it does to a fired case. It should come out longer, if anything. Then just keep turning it in a little at a time until it arrives where you want it to be.
Turning the die out may not do anything at first because of that extra bit you turned it in after it first touched the shell holder. Go back a full turn and see what it does to a fired case. It should come out longer, if anything. Then just keep turning it in a little at a time until it arrives where you want it to be.
Almost got it. I was over size and turned until I was same size. Turned a little too much and got .002 setback. Will have more brass when I get to the range. Did find out you can't work the same piece of brass multiple times. After zeroing factory in I will back up and try for the .001. Fits a little tighter but I probably won't know much until I seat a bullet in it but I'm close. Tried a harder primer in the BR-2 and still have ignition. Thanks for help. My stupidity for trying to keep working on one piece of fired brass. Works much better with a new one each time you set the dies.
Just throwing out a little powder info here if you choose or can find it.
I have had the best luck with the 25's I have worked with using IMR-4831 with the lighter 100'ish grain loads, and RL-22 with everything from 110 to 120's.
I don't know why that is, but in half a dozen 25's I have worked with it just seems to work out that way. My good friend and hunting bud had a Ruger #1 that would stack the RL-22 and 115gr Partition loads into a ragged hole at 200yds if he didn't get the giggles from it doing so. That is the same combo I use with my Rem 700 with similar accuracy, and my cousin is now finding out how well they shoot with his rifle.
I built an Ackley version a couple of years back and although RL-22 has worked so well in everything else 25 I have tried it in I am using Ramshot Magnum in it. Mainly due to getting better velocity using the heavier 120gr bullets and some 125 and 130gr customs. I can't argue with the accuracy either.
Hope you find harmony with yours, its a fine caliber capable of exceptional accuracy.
I have had the best luck with the 25's I have worked with using IMR-4831 with the lighter 100'ish grain loads, and RL-22 with everything from 110 to 120's.
I don't know why that is, but in half a dozen 25's I have worked with it just seems to work out that way. My good friend and hunting bud had a Ruger #1 that would stack the RL-22 and 115gr Partition loads into a ragged hole at 200yds if he didn't get the giggles from it doing so. That is the same combo I use with my Rem 700 with similar accuracy, and my cousin is now finding out how well they shoot with his rifle.
I built an Ackley version a couple of years back and although RL-22 has worked so well in everything else 25 I have tried it in I am using Ramshot Magnum in it. Mainly due to getting better velocity using the heavier 120gr bullets and some 125 and 130gr customs. I can't argue with the accuracy either.
Hope you find harmony with yours, its a fine caliber capable of exceptional accuracy.
Wendy,
You will likely find a new case just pushed through the sizing die once resizes a bit less, so see what that looks like before you adjust further. Also, some presses and dies and brass are very consistent by the die adjustment method, but on mixed brass, especially, I've see variation of up to 0.005" occur without changing the die setup. It can help to use one of the Redding Competition shell holders with taller deck. However, note that if you resize a case a second or even third time and let it rest a few seconds up in the die for each additional resizing, you can often shave an extra 0.001"-0.002" off the shoulder reading. So if you check each case as it comes out of the die and find one too long, you can just pop it right back in before you wipe the lube off of it, then check to see if that brings it into spec.
You will likely find a new case just pushed through the sizing die once resizes a bit less, so see what that looks like before you adjust further. Also, some presses and dies and brass are very consistent by the die adjustment method, but on mixed brass, especially, I've see variation of up to 0.005" occur without changing the die setup. It can help to use one of the Redding Competition shell holders with taller deck. However, note that if you resize a case a second or even third time and let it rest a few seconds up in the die for each additional resizing, you can often shave an extra 0.001"-0.002" off the shoulder reading. So if you check each case as it comes out of the die and find one too long, you can just pop it right back in before you wipe the lube off of it, then check to see if that brings it into spec.
I hope when I reload it does as good as these did today. This is group with 100 grain Barnes ttsx. The 120 federal fusions grouped just as good but file is too large to upload. They are a little closer and 2 inches lower. I love this rifle. Changed over to muzzle loader barrel since season starts next weekend and got about 2.5 groups at 100. I was shooting 295 grain power belts. They were out of 225 grain. I did expect better.
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I've never seen Powerbelts group great in a T/C barrel. Try a saboted bullet. My favorite is the Hornady SST (which T/C also sells as the T/C Shockwave - same bullet with a different color tip).I did expect better.