My 500 pieces of mixed once fired 44 mag brass arrived today. At 13 cents each shipped, I was feeling cheap and didn’t want to buy brand new starline brass for 20 cents...
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What did you do in the reloading room recently?
- Thread starter DW357
- Start date
I thought my Enfield was clean. Then I decided to soak the bore in kroil over night NOTE Kroil destroys rubber plugs.
I ran a brush through it about 20 times then patched it until dry. Then ran the one patch on the left through the bore with Montana Extreme copper killer. I unleashed 50 plus years of gunk
Damn! That’s crazy. I don’t know if I’ll have to be that thorough. I don’t shoot it that often.I thought my Enfield was clean. Then I decided to soak the bore in kroil over night NOTE Kroil destroys rubber plugs.
I ran a brush through it about 20 times then patched it until dry. Then ran the one patch on the left through the bore with Montana Extreme copper killer. I unleashed 50 plus years of gunk
Reminds me a bit of my K98 when I first gave the bore a thorough go-over, although I still don't think it was as bad as the patch on the left.I thought my Enfield was clean. Then I decided to soak the bore in kroil over night NOTE Kroil destroys rubber plugs.
I ran a brush through it about 20 times then patched it until dry. Then ran the one patch on the left through the bore with Montana Extreme copper killer. I unleashed 50 plus years of gunk
Fritz the Cat
NES Member
The first rifle I bought with my own $ was a 336 sc in 35 Remington. That was 32 years ago. Still love the rifle and the cartridge.
I have a load from the Lymann manual that uses their 204 RNGC over a charge of Unique. The most accurate load chronys at 1650ish fps and is usually moa with 5 rounds fired.
I started using the cast boolits for silhouette matches where they frown on jackets. This was maybe 20 years ago. The far Target is 300 yards out.
At the Big E gun show many years ago (when it didn't suck) I picked up a 5 gallon bucket of brass for 50 bucks. Those were the days.
I am toying with the idea of paper patching for this to get the velocity up more. I patch the 45-70 with great success so It stands to reason that the 35 will benefit as well.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
paper patching should work for sure.
You should try some of the HI Tek coating. Might be a little easier to work with.
This bore was coming clean after foaming bore cleaner and pro shot copper cleaner even after scrubbing so the soak with kroil had to help loosen more crud.
I’m going to shoot it then clean it again.
Compared to when I got this rifle the bore looks new now vs then
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Let's see if it shoots better after the cleaning.
I just finished loading the last of my once fired 7.5x55 brass with Trailboss.
I found a bunch of 2x fired brass but I need to resize them. May do that tomorrow.
I think I ought to order more brass. I’ve only got 500 cases. Might order more PPU brass but I’m waiting for some Black Friday deals from our go-to reloading vendor....
I found a bunch of 2x fired brass but I need to resize them. May do that tomorrow.
I think I ought to order more brass. I’ve only got 500 cases. Might order more PPU brass but I’m waiting for some Black Friday deals from our go-to reloading vendor....
Yeah I've already spent too much this week before realizing there might be deals. I got my tumbler 50% off last year as well as some Glock mags on sale, plus some parts for my M16A1 assembly. I haven't seen anything decent thus far this year.
Starting on a gallon ziplock bag of .308 Lake City brass, sizing, decrimping and repriming.
gerrycaruso
NES Member
Anyone have any thoughts on what would make shotgun slugs keyhole? My son cast some slugs from a new Lyman#2654112 mold. They were cast from pure lead and loaded ahead of FFG blackpowder. They were fired in a double barrel that shot very good groups with factory slug loads. The slugs that didn't keyhole went into about a 3" group at 50 yards. The slug is a 525 grain hollow base flat nose and all looked good with no visible defects.
Only time I had the nose heavy slugs tumblr is pushing them to fast.
Is that the Lyman slug that looks like a large wadcuttet air rifle pellet? I had that in 20g and never really did well with it. The Lee KeyDrive works for me
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pastera
NES Member
Loaded up 150 Xtreme 38-125 HP in 9mm -> This lot just sucks, it's too small for 38/357 (running .3555) and the nose profile is too inconsistent to get good results. Two bullets seated to the same OAL and one fails the plunk test and the other is perfectly fine. Have had great luck with Xtreme cast bullets in the past but lot is going in the melt pot.
What went really well was the new case feeder I printed for the Loadmaster - made the hole size specifically for 9mm/380 - Every case dropped clean with no hangups or jams.
Finally got around to coating the last 6 lbs of 356-120g TC from my last casting session - Need to pull a marathon session to cast up 40-50 lbs more.
What went really well was the new case feeder I printed for the Loadmaster - made the hole size specifically for 9mm/380 - Every case dropped clean with no hangups or jams.
Finally got around to coating the last 6 lbs of 356-120g TC from my last casting session - Need to pull a marathon session to cast up 40-50 lbs more.
I love that bullet, although I haven't ventured into the coating process as yet.
This bullet works fine in .380 (on the heavy side, of course), 9mm Para, .38 Special, .357 SIG and .35 Remington. Since it usually drops, for me, around .360", it can be used in .38 S&W, too.
Do you generally have to cut open the coated bullets that you recover for remelting? If the coating isn't breached, I'd assume the molten lead won't flow out of the coating.
pastera
NES Member
Plated and total metal jacket need to be nicked with side cutters. I use a pair of very sharp flush cutters (for PWB work) to just slice the jacket/plating - with standard dikes you end up cutting the bullet in half.
Im surprised I toss all the bullets in the pot and the lead appears to find its way out. I recently smelted down a few hundred 9mm FMJ for a friend His dad had then in a box as factory rejects and not good for live ammo?
pastera
NES Member
With unfired plated and "total metal jacket" just sit in the pot for me - I might not be mixing the pot aggressively enough. Anything with even the slightest opening cleans right out though.
It also could be that I am not the most patient when waiting for a pot to melt (the plumber torch is my friend).
It also could be that I am not the most patient when waiting for a pot to melt (the plumber torch is my friend).
Yes, TMJ have to be cut, for sure. I even cut most FMJ just to get a better drain into the pot.
Since most of my shooting is with cast bullets, it's not a major deal to deal with the occasional jacketed scraps.
Since most of my shooting is with cast bullets, it's not a major deal to deal with the occasional jacketed scraps.
Got some reloading in this morning before heading over to the in-laws for turkey.
Loaded the last of my clean 7.5x55 brass with the coated 170 gr bullets over Trailboss.
Followed by loading the last of my coated 44 cal 240 gr SWC bullets over bullseye.
Switched the press over to load 9mm. Got 3k 150 gr 9mm bullets coming. Black Friday 20% off, 6 cents per bullet shipped - can’t beat it.
Loaded the last of my clean 7.5x55 brass with the coated 170 gr bullets over Trailboss.
Followed by loading the last of my coated 44 cal 240 gr SWC bullets over bullseye.
Switched the press over to load 9mm. Got 3k 150 gr 9mm bullets coming. Black Friday 20% off, 6 cents per bullet shipped - can’t beat it.
I’m petty lazy these days also. When I do range scrap I don’t bother to check the jackets. I scoop everything into the slag bucket. I have a friend who will trade with me for the steel clips from wheel weights and jackets for brass and clean lead.
I just found out the buyer/trader if my zinc wheel weights passed away . He used to make cannon balls and projectiles for his other guns.
You missed a chance foe group brass prep .
EddieZoom
NES Member
Reminded myself how to make the switch to large primers on my Dillon 550...it's been awhile.
Bring on the 45's !!!
Bring on the 45's !!!
PL-52
NES Member
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Rummaging thru my file cabinet I found a box with 1000 .45 185 FP Berry's I forgot I had , DAMN it's like finding money in the lint trap of the dryer!!!! Bought them awhile back and thought I already loaded them . DUH!
Was just scrolling through posts and saw that you posted pics later. That is very cool! Need to get me one of those.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Tumbled a batch of 357 a batch of 38 and a batch of 44 mag
I really need to get my butt into the shop and make some bullets. I'm running low on all the good stuff.
I really need to get my butt into the shop and make some bullets. I'm running low on all the good stuff.
Ya get going on those bullets! Haha kiddin of course.
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Ahahah
