Reloading at the Range with RCBS

Are you tired of making trips back and forth to the range to test different loads? If you’ve ever been at the range looking for the optimal powder charge or seating depth and realized you haven’t found what you needed but were out of hand loads, this video might be for you. In this video, I set up at my range with some simple gear and walk through a load test scenario on the fly. Check out how this RCBS Summit press and some other simple gear gets the job done.

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Mobile Setup

My mobile reloading setup starts with the press. I secured a RCBS Summit press to a 2”x4” and secured it to a bench at my range with clamps.

I prefer a 2”x4” over a thinner material like plywood so that I can countersink heavier bolts.

The Summit is a little heavier than other options like the RCBS Partner Press, but it is compact and easy to transport.

It also features a top-down design, with the die coming down over the piece of brass. This allows you to be right on top of the bench without having to worry about any hangover.

There are two handle options for the Summit press, short and long. I prefer the short handle and have found I can do any decapping, sizing, and seating I need to with it.

I wanted to focus on seating depth and powder charge testing, so I brought an abundance of prepped cases. I brought an RCBS MatchMaster seating die but also brought along a sizing die just in case.

I’m a big proponent of being prepared. When I go to the range to do testing like this, I want to be sure to be able to get all of the data I need in one trip.

For charging I bring along the compact ChargeMaster Link. (I always bring a power strip and extension cord so I can be sure to find an accessible power source.) It is affordable and accurate to 0.1 grain which is more than accurate enough to complete a powder test. Another thing to keep in mind on the range is weather conditions.

The Link includes a cover that protects the powder from the wind. I dispensed varying charges of Hodgdon H4350, filling the cases with the MatchMaster funnel.

This is the first time I’ve loaded 7PRCW with this powder, so I’m starting from scratch.

Powder Charge Testing

I started just above a safe minimum load and worked my way up. I do not like to shoot a maximum load in any of my rifles.

I began with a coarse powder test – starting at 52.0 grains and working up to 54.5 grains in 0.5 grain increments.

I chose to load all of the cases at once and arrange them in increasing order before seating bullets on the Summit Press. I always conduct powder testing before seating depth testing. Be sure to select a seating depth you can use consistently between different barrels— I use 0.005” off of jam— and verify with a comparator.

I fired three rounds to foul the barrel before a ladder test with two rounds of each charge weight, paying close attention to where they landed on target. I conducted the test at 300 yards, firing one round of each charge weight in ascending order before moving one minute left and repeating the process. (I did take a few minutes to let the barrel cool between the two ladder tests.)

Conducting the test this way allowed me to directly compare shots. Overall, my first group of six shots was 2.28 inches on a 2.5 grain variance. After examining the target, I decided to test between shots three and four and five and six. This equated to 53.2 grains and 54.2 grains. I loaded and fired three of each charge weight. Three shots at 300 yards of 53.2 grains measured 1.72” compared to 0.71” with 54.2 grains.

Seating Depth Test

With an optimal powder charge determined, it was time to test seating depth. I loaded 15 cases with 54.2 grains of H4350, seating each bullet 0.005” longer than the previous.

The wind had picked up since the powder charge test, but my goal was to collect a larger pool of data and narrow it down. I like the area around shots five through eight. (Shot six is under shot 10.) This six shot group measured 1.29”, suggesting a seating depth somewhere in the middle would do well.

I loaded five cartridges 0.005” off jam (OAL of 2.320”) and the other five 0.030” off jam (2.350” OAL). I did load a single cartridge to set the initial OAL.

I fired the 2.320” rounds and the 2.350” rounds on two different aiming points, leaving the original test showing on the right of the target. I had one flyer with the 2.320” rounds, but the other four measured 0.69”. Five rounds with an OAL of 2.350” landed in 1.13 inches. The group was a little taller, but if I removed the furthest shot out, the group shrank to 0.63”.

I decided to stick with the original 2.320” rounds as there was less vertical dispersion in the group.

Conclusion

Having all of my equipment at the range allows me to conduct tests for nearly any question that may arise. If I want to continue to fine-tune powder charge for example, I have the supplies to do that and can shoot in largely the same conditions as the original test without having to schedule a second range trip.