Case fillers

[Goatwhiskers]

Might be opening a large can of worms here. Having no prior experience, how does one know when to use fillers? I keep reading about the subject, but don't know the rules. Did salvage a large gob of material from an old pillow, so I'm ready when and if the job requires the stuff. Goat

[runfiverun]

i believe Larry Gibson has a sticky here somewhere where the "rules" are outlined.
but i'll give a brief outline of how i do it.
fast powders up to about aa-2230 ish i don't use them.
from about h-322/aa-2230 through the 4064 ish area i do use them.
once i get into the slow for caliber powders or ones too slow for the cartridge [that fill the case] they of course are not needed again.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Some have success with it some dont.I dont use any personally even with medium speed rifle powders but my buddy does and swears by it.Both of us beat each other in registered matches enough to show there probably isn't a "rule" to go by.By and large cast bullet match shooters dont use it with smokeless powders.If it was 100% the way to go then they would all be using it.

[303Guy]

I try to use fillers to protect the boolit bases. I've used bulkier fillers to make slow powders burn properly with reduced loads. It worked for me but not having enough insight I would be reluctant to actually recommend doing what I've done. I'm confident enough to continue doing it myself though. What I do like is a powder that is safe with a less than full case with Dacron filler to hold the powder in place and pad the boolit base. I have gotten good results with both wheat bran and wheat germ as a filler. The theory is they form a wad under the boolit and wheat germ is lighter and more compressible and flows better in a bottle neck cartridge and is easier to meter into the case. For me the jury is still out as to which one is best.

[Larry Gibson]

Go to this "sticky"; http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=109280

My guidelines (I hesitate to call them "rules") are in post #2.

Larry Gibson

[1Shirt]

Can't argue at all with Larry G, good rules. . I have my own half case rule with dac fillers. On powders from 2400 burning rat and slower, if they are not at least half a full case, I use dac fill. I measure 1/2 case full with a case full of the powder I will use to the top of the neck and divide by 2. On powders faster than 2400, I do not use fill, but I do weigh all finished cases (important to have same brand of brass, and preferably of the same lot) for consistancy eliminate double charges. A small electronic scale ($25.00 or so on elbay), makes the process fast, even thou it is an extra step. Prevents the potential for a double charge.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[lead chucker]

I tried IMR 4198 with my 200 gr boolit in my 308 I tested with and with out Dacron and the Dacron filled ones shot tighter groups and as a bonus they were right about 30 fps faster than with out Dacron. I like the dac I use aluminum gas cheeks and have to seat the bullets just below the neck its nice to have that padding in there I don't have to worry about the checks coming off and floating around in the powder.one other nice thing about the filler is you don't have to wipe the base of the boolit if the is excess lube because you have that padding in there.

[303Guy]

I tried IMR 4198 with my 200 gr boolit in my 308 I tested with and with out Dacron and the Dacron filled ones shot tighter groups and as a bonus they were right about 30 fps faster than with out Dacron.That's very interesting, lead chucker.

Dang, this is a great site! So much knowledge and information and great folks too. :drinks: