What did you do in the reloading room recently?

I may try coated bullets one more time before I go back to plated. The ibejiheads just didn't give me the accuracy I'm looking for.
What caliber? What bullet? Powder? Velocity? What firearm? What is your barrel cleaning routine? And what accuracy level are you getting vs what are getting with other ammo?
 
The price was RIGHT on a lot of the coated ones . I prefer plated , but can't pass up a deal , they're just range candy anyway.
Blue bullets are going to have a Black Friday special...ugh I can’t spend any more money lol. Gun purchases, home repairs and a new generator are killin me.
 
Looking good @Artie
Can't wait to hear how they shoot!
Just got back from the range. At 20 yards I found that between 6.3 and 7.1gr of W231 I was at 3.5" groups. Yeah, i am no sharp shooter. No signs of pressure at my max of 7.3. Friggin' dirty but no leading. I am happy with the results and will load up what brass and cast I have at 6.3gr. Definitely will try a different powder in the future. Now to find a mold, furnace and sizer that I can put on my Santa list, I am afraid this could get addicting.
 
Just got back from the range. At 20 yards I found that between 6.3 and 7.1gr of W231 I was at 3.5" groups. Yeah, i am no sharp shooter. No signs of pressure at my max of 7.3. Friggin' dirty but no leading. I am happy with the results and will load up what brass and cast I have at 6.3gr. Definitely will try a different powder in the future. Now to find a mold, furnace and sizer that I can put on my Santa list, I am afraid this could get addicting.
Awesome!
Yeah my guess was that they would be on the dirty side. You’re running them kind of low pressure for 231. I was running my NOE 453423 with load data for a Lyman 454424 which is about 10-15 grains heavier and IIRC seats further out of the case. I started on the low end for powder charge and had issues with unburnt powder. When I stepped it up and got the pressure closer to where it should be it was much cleaner.
Head to shooting supply for some Lee items. He had the best pricing out there. The owner Mark is also a long time caster so he can give you a ton of guidance.
 
email from them today says sale runs from 11/29 at 12:01 am thru 12/02/2019. 15% off medium flat rates while supplies last. Under black friday category use coupon code BLUESARETHEBEST.

2 weeks for delivery, cannot be combined with other codes or discounts.
 
I loaded up some test batches of 357 magnum with 2400, both 158gr and 125gr JHP. First time I have used this powder. Interested to see how it does with velocity and accuracy compared to my previous loads with BlueDot and N105. I shoot 357 magnum in a Marlin 1894c
I load 14.2 grains 158 coated bullets. We were hitting a steel plate at 100 yards shooting off hand with the Henry Big Boy, iron sights. I really like 2400. Wish i could hunt with it here in mass.
 
150 rounds of 357 mag. Trying to get ahead of the curve. Ever since I own a Henry Big Boy I am going through 357 mag faster than I can make it. I finally got about 600 made up. That will last a couple of weeks :)
Hate when that happens! Lol. I run into the same issue with my revolvers. Burn through 357 and 44
 
What do you do while waiting for people to show up at your house on turkey day? Reload, of course. Loaded up the rest of my 357 loads; 200 in total. Then changed out the dies and cranked out 200 rounds of 9mm.

Picking up some more 357 bullets. Instead of the SWC, I will try round nose since I am using the same round now in a lever action. I have been using a brinell hardness of 18 with the hitek coating, but it only comes in swc. So I am going to try the 12 brinell hardness. I am hoping that since I am using the hitek coating I will still not get any leading. I have not chronoed it yet but I bet I am pushing those bullets pretty good out of the rifle barrel with 14.2 grains of 2400. Do you guys think the softer lead will become an issue?
 
I use 2400 for my 357 rounds. 14.2 grains.

That's also the charge I settled on for my 158 grain Zero JHPs, as it gave me the best standard deviations of the loads I tried. On the whole I've found 2400 to be an enigmatically good powder for 357 magnum, good because my loads deliver on accuracy, enigmatic because the velocity standard deviations tend to be higher than what I'm used to.

Instead of the SWC, I will try round nose since I am using the same round now in a lever action. I have been using a brinell hardness of 18 with the hitek coating, but it only comes in swc. So I am going to try the 12 brinell hardness. I am hoping that since I am using the hitek coating I will still not get any leading. I have not chronoed it yet but I bet I am pushing those bullets pretty good out of the rifle barrel with 14.2 grains of 2400. Do you guys think the softer lead will become an issue?

I dunno. I didn't like the 158 grain semi-wadcutters--not accurate in my guns compared to alternatives I have. I do like the 180 grain RNFPs in 18 Brinell, Hi Tec coated over 12.5 grains of 2400 or 13.0 grains of H110. I don't have any rifle chrono results of the 2400 loads, but the relatively modest charge of 13.0 grains of H110 (magnum primers) comes out of my 20" Henry BBS at around 1475 fps. Based on the chrono results in my Model 27, I think the 12.5 grain 2400 loads (over standard primers) would probably come in at around 1425 fps.
 
What do you do while waiting for people to show up at your house on turkey day? Reload, of course. Loaded up the rest of my 357 loads; 200 in total. Then changed out the dies and cranked out 200 rounds of 9mm.

Picking up some more 357 bullets. Instead of the SWC, I will try round nose since I am using the same round now in a lever action. I have been using a brinell hardness of 18 with the hitek coating, but it only comes in swc. So I am going to try the 12 brinell hardness. I am hoping that since I am using the hitek coating I will still not get any leading. I have not chronoed it yet but I bet I am pushing those bullets pretty good out of the rifle barrel with 14.2 grains of 2400. Do you guys think the softer lead will become an issue?
I’m not sure as far as accuracy because I don’t really play that game. I just like to hear the ring of a steel plate. When it comes to softer alloy and hi-tek I push some soft alloys with max charges of 2400 with zero leading. Alloy is a mix of 50/50 wheel weights and pure lead. Probably less than 12 brinell.
I've shot a ton of these with no issues.
 
Gentlemen, introducing the 357 Mag...Short (aka 357 Mag FUBAR). My list of excuses:

1) It was early...hadn't had enough coffee
2) Sun was in my eyes
3) Forgot the previous load was flush mounted DEWC 38's and forgot to check the seating stem while trying to get the COL right
4) I suck

Enjoy !!!

20191208_083944.jpg
 
Gentlemen, introducing the 357 Mag...Short (aka 357 Mag FUBAR). My list of excuses:

1) It was early...hadn't had enough coffee
2) Sun was in my eyes
3) Forgot the previous load was flush mounted DEWC 38's and forgot to check the seating stem while trying to get the COL right
4) I suck

Enjoy !!!

View attachment 317050
I 3d print bullet seaters for different profiles - reduces the chance of embarrassing myself.

That thing looks like a good arm workout with an impact puller
 
Gentlemen, introducing the 357 Mag...Short (aka 357 Mag FUBAR). My list of excuses:

1) It was early...hadn't had enough coffee
2) Sun was in my eyes
3) Forgot the previous load was flush mounted DEWC 38's and forgot to check the seating stem while trying to get the COL right
4) I suck

Enjoy !!!

View attachment 317050
I just karma’d about 2 gallons of ammo like that last summer. Mine and stuff from old reloader basements I’ve cleaned out.
we all do it.
 
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