What did you do in the reloading room recently?

I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't reloaded one piece of ammo in about a year. I had enough ammo to last a while and, being that it was a very busy year for me, not much time was left over to reload. That is changing so I took a few hours last week and cleaned and lubed my 550b as well as cleaning my dies. I ordered one of these: KMS Squared - UFO 550 Reloading Press Light a week or so ago.

I received it yesterday and installed it last night...it is really bright and lights up the work very well, way better than the LED light that was mounted in the hole in the tool head that I made a few years ago. The beauty of this one is that it stays on the press when the tool head is changed out. Before I had to remove the LED before I removed the tool head and reinstall it in the new tool head.

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Made up 50 rounds of 357 mag last night with 2400 powder to test on the outdoor range today.

I tried some once fired federal 357 mag brass. Learned quickly my press hates fed 357 brass. Seating the primers is a pain in the ass. They seem wicked tight and kind of clunk Into place on the up stroke. I stopped using the feds after about 8 of em in a row being tough. Went back to Remington 357 brass and that stuff is very easy to put through my press.

Shame.....I like federal factory ammo.....the American eagle 357 mag 158 jsp ammo is reasonable priced and quite hot. But if I can't reuse the brass I'll go back to Remy green and white box factory.
 
whacko said:
Made up 50 rounds of 357 mag last night with 2400 powder to test on the outdoor range today.

I tried some once fired federal 357 mag brass. Learned quickly my press hates fed 357 brass. Seating the primers is a pain in the ass. They seem wicked tight and kind of clunk Into place on the up stroke. I stopped using the feds after about 8 of em in a row being tough. Went back to Remington 357 brass and that stuff is very easy to put through my press.

Shame.....I like federal factory ammo.....the American eagle 357 mag 158 jsp ammo is reasonable priced and quite hot. But if I can't reuse the brass I'll go back to Remy green and white box factory.
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Interesting. I never had any issues with Fed 357 brass. S&B and Herters however, have tight primer pockets.
 
whacko said:
Made up 50 rounds of 357 mag last night with 2400 powder to test on the outdoor range today.

I tried some once fired federal 357 mag brass. Learned quickly my press hates fed 357 brass. Seating the primers is a pain in the ass. They seem wicked tight and kind of clunk Into place on the up stroke. I stopped using the feds after about 8 of em in a row being tough. Went back to Remington 357 brass and that stuff is very easy to put through my press.

Shame.....I like federal factory ammo.....the American eagle 357 mag 158 jsp ammo is reasonable priced and quite hot. But if I can't reuse the brass I'll go back to Remy green and white box factory.
Click to expand...

Any chance you need just a slight tweak to the pawl that lines the shell up with the primer (I think it is the left one)?
 
1903Collector said:
Been trying to use up all the open containers of powder that I have hanging about that I don't really use anymore. Loaded up 500 rounds of 10mm last night, used up the last of the Blue Dot with that. Got open containers of RL19 and RL17, gotta find something to do with those....not even sure why I have them.
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If you have a container of mixed powder from pulled/recycled rounds, or even small leftover amounts, making exploding targets is always something to use it up, a friend tells me

Fritz the Cat said:
Love me some 45-70. So much to work with. My dad and I ran all sorts of experimental loads in it. We'd paper patch lead 45 ACP to get it up to .458. We did duplex loads (ultimately pointless but fun none the less)
For a while we tried seating the bullet into the chamber pressed into the rifling then set a cartridge with the powder held in with a cotton ball.
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Considering either a 45/70 or a .375 H&H for fun experiments like this.
From the Sierra manual
The H&H can go as low as 2100 fps with a 200gr for 1959 ft lbs up to 2800fps with a 250gr (4353#) or a 300gr at 2550fps and 4331 foot pounds. It can push the 200gr at 3200 fps for plinking
That cartridge has been around forever, and I'm sure all kinds of loads/projectiles have been experimented with
 
Took the Henry carbine and my Ruger snub to the club to test the new 2400 powder.

38s with 9 grains 2400
357 with 12.7 grains 2400

I used the revolver first. Had to shoot outdoors cuz the indoor range was packed but it worked out fine. 8 inch steel plate at 25 yards to start. Both loads were hitting a bit high in the revolver but that's Normal but I could ring it every shot with both loads. I thought the 357 mag loads with 12.7 2400 would be a low range 357. They sure didn't feel like it! Quite A stout load actually. Can't imaging going up to 14.9 max load.....but.....I might work up to that for the carbine.

Carbine shot the magnums beautifully. Center mass on the plate after we moved it back to 50 yards. Cycled perfectly.

We moved back to 25 yards to try the 38s through the carbine. No issues with accuracy at that distance of course.....but.....I noticed quite quickly that the velocity seemed SLOWER than the snub revolver......a much longer delay from bang to clang on the plate with the carbine than in the revolvers. That concerns me. I'm wondering if I'm still getting friction from the longer barrel that is slowing up these 158 grain jacketed bullets. I need a damn Chrono to get to the bottom of this......and I need to slug this barrel for bore diameter.

I'm actually not even frustrated with this......it's kind of fun trying to figure it out.

Edit....
Also while I was at the club I shot 2 more rounds of trap through the new model a5 hunter I picked up used with a mis marked price up at kittery. $465 for a pristine used a5 hunter that new sells for $1400 to $1600 and used go for $1000. I stumbled on that gun in the rack and had to buy it....wasn't even looking to buy a gun that day just couldn't let that deal stay on the rack. When I brought it to the counter the clerk even commented on it.....oops.....your getting a deal today. Ive been up there since buying that shotgun and they have identical used models on the rack for $950!

Anyway... Gun runs pissah! Hit for 24 and 23. Then ran a bunch of different loads through it to test how it cycles......runs everything from target loads to heavy slugs perfectly. She's definitely a keeper and will be slaying rabbits in Maine with me next week!

I'm a Browning man to the core. I've always wanted to try a new model a5 hunter but never got around to getting the $ together. The down side of this bargain is next week I will be leaving my 1969 original auto 5 in the safe.......killed alot of rabbits and game with that old gun. Will feel odd leaving it behind.
 
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It's coat some bullets Saturday...
One tray cooking
One warming up
Third drying off the third (final) coat
3lbs each with 11 lbs left
 

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84ta406 said:
Holy crap, I thought packing my stuff sucked.. f that!
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pastera said:
Liar - you're just looking for more help :cool:
Had I not been on travel I wouldn't have missed the last one.
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pastera said:
And I'm finally putting CNC controls on my micro Mill. And it's small enough to fit in my hatch back 😁😁😁😁😁
Expansion from just casting?
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Maybe lol.
Yes you need to do some mould mods at the next one.
think the micro mill can do 80% lower lol.
 
whacko said:
Made up 50 rounds of 357 mag last night with 2400 powder to test on the outdoor range today.

I tried some once fired federal 357 mag brass. Learned quickly my press hates fed 357 brass. Seating the primers is a pain in the ass. They seem wicked tight and kind of clunk Into place on the up stroke. I stopped using the feds after about 8 of em in a row being tough. Went back to Remington 357 brass and that stuff is very easy to put through my press.

Shame.....I like federal factory ammo.....the American eagle 357 mag 158 jsp ammo is reasonable priced and quite hot. But if I can't reuse the brass I'll go back to Remy green and white box factory.
Click to expand...
As @andrew1220 said, I never had issues with the Federal brass either. If you are tossing it, I will gladly take it. Between you and Andrew tossing certain headstamp brass for different calibers, I may be set for some time :D.
 
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whacko said:
We moved back to 25 yards to try the 38s through the carbine. No issues with accuracy at that distance of course.....but.....I noticed quite quickly that the velocity seemed SLOWER than the snub revolver......a much longer delay from bang to clang on the plate with the carbine than in the revolvers. That concerns me. I'm wondering if I'm still getting friction from the longer barrel that is slowing up these 158 grain jacketed bullets. I need a damn Chrono to get to the bottom of this......and I need to slug this barrel for bore diameter.
Click to expand...

If you're located in/near NH I could loan you a chrono. I have one that barely gets used...only caveat: You hit it with a round, you get it repaired
:cool:
 
andrew1220 said:
Got a delivery of 38 cal 158 gr SWC blue bullets today. Going to load them with Sport Pistol once I burn through the rest of my powder puff 357s
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How do you like those Blues Bullets? I've had the website in my favorites for a while but haven't pulled the trigger on them yet (no pun intended). I was thinking about ordering say, 250 9mm and trying them out.
 
whacko said:
Merrimac valley. Shoot in Newton nh
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I could meet you at Shooters or somewhere else halfway(ish)...or if you're not in a wicked hurry when the weather starts to warm up a bit, I could drive down to Newton. I'm pretty busy the next couple of weekends so if you need it sooner than later, we could work something out on a weeknight or late afternoon not this coming week but next week.
 
timbo said:
I could meet you at Shooters or somewhere else halfway(ish)...or if you're not in a wicked hurry when the weather starts to warm up a bit, I could drive down to Newton. I'm pretty busy the next couple of weekends so if you need it sooner than later, we could work something out on a weeknight or late afternoon not this coming week but next week.
Click to expand...
I'd like to wait a little bit I'm slammed the next week and then the week after I'm snow shoe hare hunting in Maine.
 
timbo said:
How do you like those Blues Bullets? I've had the website in my favorites for a while but haven't pulled the trigger on them yet (no pun intended). I was thinking about ordering say, 250 9mm and trying them out.
Click to expand...
Love em! I’ve shot about 20k of their 9mm 147’s without any problems.
If you need/want a 5% off coupon, PM me.
 

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