Been reloading handgun (38/357, 44mag/44spcl,45acp, 45LC, 40S&W, 9mm) and bottle necked rifle cartridges (338wm, 300wm, 300wsm, 308win, 7mmstw, 6.5x55, 35Rem, 223/556) for about 33 years now so I am not a beginner reloader.
Although I have reloaded 10's of thousands of straight walled HG cartridges I have never reloaded a straight walled rifle case before. I have older (newest at least 15 years old) reloading manuals form just about EVERYBODY (Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Nosler, Hodgdon, and Sierra) and have read them all about reloading straight walled rifle cartridges, but essentially the only thing they all state to do differently reloading with straight walled rifle cases is to bell the case mouth per the reloading die manufacturers recommendation.
I know the 450 Bushmaster head spaces on the case mouth so I am concerned about achieving as correct of MINIMAL case belling as I can to maximize the accuracy potential of my reloads. I also plan on using a Lee Factory Crimp die to crimp each reload as I have done with all my HG and some rifle rounds.
I walked into Cabela's some time ago and low and behold they had a one set of Hornady Custom Grade four die set in 450BM along with Lil Gun and Hornady .452" 245 grain Interlock and 200 grain .452" FTX and I used up all my Cabela's points and walked out with enough powder and bullets to make several years worth of reloads.
I also bought a Lyman ammo checker for 450BM as well.
My questions are
#1 how does one determine when they have achieved the lest amount of belling of the case moth needed to seat a bullet, is it safe to assume it would be similar to the minimal case belling I do to my HG cases?
#2 Must I bell the case mouth at all
#3 Is fallowing the Die manufacturers recommendation on crimping going to yield my best accuracy results?
#4 Any other advice tips or tricks reloading straight walled rifle cartridges as well as on case moth belling or crimping to maximize consistent accuracy would be greatly appreciated.