I spent several hours over the past couple of nights setting up a Dillon 650XL to reload .38 Special for cowboy action shooting. The dies are Redding titanium carbide. Earlier today, I reloaded ten cartridges, using a Hodgdon recipe that called for 3.0 to 3.8 grains of Trail Boss, a Hornady cowboy bullet of 140 grains, Winchester SP primers, and Winchester .38 Special cases. The velocity will be around 700 fps. The COL was listed as 1.450, which is the recommended minimum in a Winchester 1894 lever action. I'll also be using these cartridges in my SA revolvers. Both rifle and revolvers are rated for .357 Magnum.
I'm loading toward the low end of the powder range, and my weighing of the powder generates results at the desired level +/- 0.1 grains. Still above the minimum, and well below maximum, so I'm comfortable with that.
However, the COL of the finished cartridges, when measured with a digital caliper, is 1.450 +/- 0.003 inches. That is, it dips as low as 1.447" and as high as 1.453".
Is that amount of variance normal for a 650 with the Redding dies? Should I be scrapping any cartridges that are not 1.450" COL?
I'm loading toward the low end of the powder range, and my weighing of the powder generates results at the desired level +/- 0.1 grains. Still above the minimum, and well below maximum, so I'm comfortable with that.
However, the COL of the finished cartridges, when measured with a digital caliper, is 1.450 +/- 0.003 inches. That is, it dips as low as 1.447" and as high as 1.453".
Is that amount of variance normal for a 650 with the Redding dies? Should I be scrapping any cartridges that are not 1.450" COL?