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What did you do in the reloading room recently?
- Thread starter DW357
- Start date
Mudflap621
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Some goodies showed up. Redding 223 dies and shellholder a so can start processing some military brass. Yay
Cool! The primers in the wooden trays, huh?
Update -
Ive put 300 rounds of the Brazos Precision 115gr 9mm down range and the barrel is showing no signs of leading. My only concern is the bullet profile. It seems like the profile has more meat up top where the bullet is tapered than some of my others. I've had to reduce OAL to 1.100 and even then I am getting tiny marks on the bullet from where I think it's engaging the rifling. I am using a G22 with a Lone Wolf conversion barrel so the Glock polygonal rifling isn't a "issue." I did have a couple rounds that I needed to give the slide a little pat on the back as well. Never had either of these issues before. Also measured some previous cases that were longer and no issues as well as the test case from Dillon that came with the SDB
Ive put 300 rounds of the Brazos Precision 115gr 9mm down range and the barrel is showing no signs of leading. My only concern is the bullet profile. It seems like the profile has more meat up top where the bullet is tapered than some of my others. I've had to reduce OAL to 1.100 and even then I am getting tiny marks on the bullet from where I think it's engaging the rifling. I am using a G22 with a Lone Wolf conversion barrel so the Glock polygonal rifling isn't a "issue." I did have a couple rounds that I needed to give the slide a little pat on the back as well. Never had either of these issues before. Also measured some previous cases that were longer and no issues as well as the test case from Dillon that came with the SDB
I gave up on optics planet years ago. Once more vendors started in on the internet game. It did not take long before OP was no longer a good deal .
I still buy most of my stuff from brownells as they have yet to let me down.
my most recent optics buys where through birdwatcher based outlets and B&H . Good deal on a spotting scope a few years back and I picked up some scopes cheap also.
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pastera
NES Member
Have you tried gauging the rounds on your barrel?
Put a round on the table then place the barrel over it letting the hood hit the table - if the round sticks in the chamber when lifting the barrel straight up, you are too long.
If the bullet you are using has a smaller ogive radius than the one on the load data, it will be shorter for the same weight. The load data is based on seating depth (case volume) and bearing surface. Your shorter bullet can be loaded to the same seating depth (shorter OAL) with the same resulting pressure.
Loaded about 100 rounds of 10mm and 200 rounds of 9.
The best thing I did is learn something that most of you who have been reloading already knew. I was doing my first setup for 5.56 and found that I needed to bump the should shoulder back about .002”. What I learned was that with a single stage press (at least me using mine) was that every stoke in bringing the ram up to set it back needs to be applied the same or the shoulder will either not go back far enough or go back to much depending on the amount of force used on the handle. Finally realized that I had to be a consistent as possible doing this step.
Learn something new everyday.
The best thing I did is learn something that most of you who have been reloading already knew. I was doing my first setup for 5.56 and found that I needed to bump the should shoulder back about .002”. What I learned was that with a single stage press (at least me using mine) was that every stoke in bringing the ram up to set it back needs to be applied the same or the shoulder will either not go back far enough or go back to much depending on the amount of force used on the handle. Finally realized that I had to be a consistent as possible doing this step.
Learn something new everyday.
Mudflap621
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I found that the brazos 125s I tested to be the same and I ended up having to go to 1.06 to plunk a g45. Seems the g45 has the shortest chamber of all my 9s so use that as a gauge.
Yep that's exactly what's going on. It is also the only 9mm I have that had this issue, two others are fine. In currently 50/50 on these, they shoot well enough for me so far but I hate having to make changes on the dies for one bullet. I may just stick with the Blue bullets if they ever decide to ship.
pastera
NES Member
I adjust for every different bullet - you can use the depth measurement on a caliper to record the setting for the seating die. If you record it in your notes it only takes a minute to setup.
I hear ya, I usually do large runs of a couple thousand rounds before breaking down the press for another caliber so I like finding a bullet that I like and not having to make any changes. My luck I get in the middle of something and then have to pull a bunch of bullets because of a error. I used to use Berry's bullets before this and never had a problem, just figured I'd try coated lead since it's cheaper.
BarnBuilder
NES Member
I swagged 2500 223 with Hornady Primer Pocket Swage Tool on my AP. Added some PVC tubing and an adapter and Voila easy as pie. Now for 1500 LC brass this weekend
when your looking for something specific thats what you have to do. I can be inpatient and also a budget reloader so i would have just picked up the least expensive die set available when i wanted it.
Fingers crossed for you getting what you ordered.
EMTDAD
NES Member
I went down tonight and used the Hornady Headspace Comparison Tool to compare my 30-06 fired brass to my unfired reloads. Took 10 casings, measured, threw out the highest/lowest and averaged the 8. Found that on average, I was actually pretty good, comparing 2.0480 to 2.0497, but the variability was pretty large.. from 2.042 to 2.057. Tweaked the resizing die a bit to try to get them coming out at 2.048-2.051..
kerryman71
NES Member
My son is playing in lacrosse tournaments tomorrow and next weekend in NH with both venues conveniently located near Hooksett. I'll try to update with any finds I feel may be valuable to my reloading breathren 
Added 24 new Magpul, Gen 2 30rd mags to the pile.......loaded of course. ![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
Could you keep a eye out for a pound of Retumbo or H1000 for me?My son is playing in lacrosse tournaments tomorrow and next weekend in NH with both venues conveniently located near Hooksett. I'll try to update with any finds I feel may be valuable to my reloading breathren
kerryman71
NES Member
Will do.
Went down the reloading data rabbit hole searching and reading articles and looking for pressure curves in certain powders
Lost a few hours and somehow managed to spend about $380 at TK Custom
Lost a few hours and somehow managed to spend about $380 at TK Custom
Are you certain that all the brass is from the same rifle?
All same lot of brass?
90% of my 30-06 is for shooting in M1 garands some are tighter than others. I used to keep 100 or so cases sorted to each rifle.
Now I just set my FL die to come up at 0 on my rcbs gauge vs a .002”-.003” shoulder bump
That said over the past few years I only shoot my M1 with new barrel and the brass does not expand much vs some others.
Same with my arisakas. All have different degrees of “expansion” so I set my die for the tightest chamber so anything I load will work in any rifle.
I have grown older and lazy. Im not sorting and storing brass for 3-8 rifles of the same cal.
Note: IF your resizing brass from a M1 or any other semi auto be mindful that the extractor can damage the extractor groove/rim along with any primer staking that can protrude after primer removal. The 3 tab staking on HXP in particular.
M1 are pretty tough on brass
So is my M1a. Loading slightly “softer” loads has helped.
EMTDAD
NES Member
I just have the one rifle.. was comparing casings that came out of that the same day.
Damn, 700 grain
kerryman71
NES Member
Picked up a brick of CCI small pistol primers in Hooksett. They appeared decently stocked with just a few empty spots where powder was. Limiting how many rounds if ammo you can buy as well as primers.
My visit was pretty quick as my son had just finished his third lacrosse game of the day. Didn't want to push my luck. We'll be up there again next weekend, for two days instead on just one.
My visit was pretty quick as my son had just finished his third lacrosse game of the day. Didn't want to push my luck. We'll be up there again next weekend, for two days instead on just one.
Mudflap621
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GOLD
Loaded up the rest of my Missouri Hi-Tek 180 grain RNFPs in .357 magnum. Used up the rest of my 2400, too, with just 42 grains to spare. I think it was 1300 rounds or so. Don't remember. I shot 50 of them before I was done loading all the others just to make sure my powder was good. It was. Also cleaned and flared over 1300 9mm cases and 500 38 special cases. This will be precisely what I need when I eventually crack open my canister of N320. I don't see myself doing that until next year, probably, unless I start wasting ammo.
Mudflap621
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So I started with 5 boxes of primers and ended up with 492 rounds
weird. I looked everywhere can’t find missing primers or boolits lolUp early with the dogs, so while having my morning coffee I installed 3 ambi safeties in some of my ARs. I've got 4 more to do and all rifles and pistols will be done.
I use the joe/bob types that have swapable levers held in with socket head screws. One is the full lever the other is machined so it doesn't hit your trigger finger, works for right or left handed shooters just by reversing the lever locations.
They also have a 60 degree throw option on them if you desire a shorter throw. I just leave all mine at 90.
I use the joe/bob types that have swapable levers held in with socket head screws. One is the full lever the other is machined so it doesn't hit your trigger finger, works for right or left handed shooters just by reversing the lever locations.
They also have a 60 degree throw option on them if you desire a shorter throw. I just leave all mine at 90.
