What did you do in the reloading room recently?

[pastera]

As far as cleaning - if you are just starting out and cash strapped you don't really need to buy any cleaning tools.
Get a universal decappind die - it's cheap and very useful.
I used an old plastic wide mouth food container for a while - hot water, dish soap and a pinch of lemishine. Shake well and let sit for twenty minutes. Drain, rinse and let dry overnight.
Later you can dry tumble if you want speed or wet tumble if you want bling-bling brass.
Harbor freight dual drum will process 4lbs of 9mm/380 at a time (larger cases fill the drum before hitting weight) - you don't need pins unless you want the inside and primer pocket scoured clean and shiny.

You don't NEED case gauges - that's what your barrel (or cylinder) is for.

You DO need at least one current reloading manual.

Lee equipment is perfectly fine as long as you understand it is built to a price point - guys will tell you to buy once cry once but the real thing is don't buy three times. If you outgrow Lee you will have the experience to know which high end press is the best for you.

And you want to show up for the casting seminar - everyone who casts reloads so the knowledge base there is incredible.

 

[Queen Bee]

Can someone recommend first time reloading essential items for a beginner? I'm looking to capitalize on a Bday pricing deal courtesy of Larry P.

Thank you for the recommendation. For now I just grabbed the press I want to go to SO2 and grab dies and other items soon.

That press is awesome. I love my for all my rifle reloading.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

I’m going to be completing a layaway purchase sometime in October that’s chambered in 44 mag and 50 AE. So ideally both of those calibers since they’re the most expensive per round of any of the other firearms I own; pistol caliber (9mm, 10mm, 45 ACP) long gun (12 gauge, 7.62x39, .223/5.56). But I want to eventually move to reloading for those calibers as well.

You should cast. Jump in with both feet and save $$$$ on those big honking bullets

 

[Leezway]

Had to get a some 9mm loaded for a my local club’s Steel Match this Sunday, last week I was able to make 50 rounds and chrono’d thru a couple of my guns, very happy with the results now gonna shoot them this weekend, Berry’s 147g Copper Plated Flat Point, CFE pistol with Remington 5 1/2 SP Mag primers. Punched out 400 while watching the game.

 

[citoriguy]

Deprimed about 300 rounds of 10mm. Have a similar amount that still needs to be deprimed And will do that before tossing them into the tumbler. I don’t have the dies for that caliber and haven’t found projectiles for a price I’m willing to pay, so it’s low priority.

I‘m rebuilding my reloading setup so everything is in a state of disarray. I have to finish this in the next couple of weeks so I can rock the winter when I can’t ski or need time to myself.

 

[TrashcanDan]

Had to get a some 9mm loaded for a my local club’s Steel Match this Sunday, last week I was able to make 50 rounds and chrono’d thru a couple of my guns, very happy with the results now gonna shoot them this weekend, Berry’s 147g Copper Plated Flat Point, CFE pistol with Remington 5 1/2 SP Mag primers. Punched out 400 while watching the game.

Might shoot that match on Sunday, weather depending.

 

[Broc Tuah]

I reloaded 32 165g Xtreme using N320.

Here is the load data from the website:



There is no way I was seating them at 1.130, that was touching the powder and maybe slightly compressing it. I measured a few times and the numbers didn't add up.

I seat cast to 1.20, so I seat these ones to 1.188.

 

[DW357]

I reloaded 32 165g Xtreme using N320.

Here is the load data from the website:

View attachment 391018

There is no way I was seating them at 1.130, that was touching the powder and maybe slightly compressing it. I measured a few times and the numbers didn't add up.

I seat cast to 1.20, so I seat these ones to 1.188.

Didn’t realize Viht had load data for the 165’s. I know Alliant has data for the 165’s using Sport Pistol. They had 1.14" as the COL.

1.2" seems really long. Those fit in your mags fine? Chamber fine?

 

[Broc Tuah]

Didn’t realize Viht had load data for the 165’s. I know Alliant has data for the 165’s using Sport Pistol. They had 1.14" as the COL.

1.2" seems really long. Those fit in your mags fine? Chamber fine?

They fit in the revovler fine (I can seat them over 1.2). I haven't tried them in mags, for that I have smaller 124g.

 

[DW357]

They fit in the revovler fine (I can seat them over 1.2). I haven't tried them in mags, for that I have smaller 124g.

Ahhh yes. I forgot you’re reloading these for the 929.

 

[Uzi2]

Went to the post office this morning and added 1000 124gr 9mm FMJ bullets and 10 UTG 30rd .223/5.56 window mags to the shelf.
Was opening a few ammo cans to check contents and found one .50cal can unmarked.....turned out to be 860rds of
SME ( Sellior&Bellot ) headstamp 5.56 M193 ammo that I don't even recall buying. I love getting these surprises....this is the second one in a couple of months.

 

[Leezway]

Might shoot that match on Sunday, weather depending.

I hope the weather holds out!! We are trying to get this monthly steel shoot off the ground. It’s been a struggle as has everything in life, but it’s getting better every time. We hope more people come join us so it will continue to be a monthly event. Hope to see you there Dan.

 

[TrashcanDan]

I hope the weather holds out!! We are trying to get this monthly steel shoot off the ground. It’s been a struggle as has everything in life, but it’s getting better every time. We hope more people come join us so it will continue to be a monthly event. Hope to see you there Dan.

Any shoots a good shoot. Steel makes it better.
I liked the popper stage last month, that was a good one.

 

[headednorth]

Can someone recommend first time reloading essential items for a beginner? I'm looking to capitalize on a Bday pricing deal courtesy of Larry P.

Get a stuck case remover. Youll need it eventually and its better to have it sitting on a shelf than having to wait for it to be shipped.

Hornady Stuck Case Remover

The Hornady Stuck Case Remover is designed to easily extract the most stubborn case from a standard sizer die without damaging the die. The simple...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[DW357]

Get a stuck case remover. Youll need it eventually and its better to have it sitting on a shelf than having to wait for it to be shipped.

Hornady Stuck Case Remover

The Hornady Stuck Case Remover is designed to easily extract the most stubborn case from a standard sizer die without damaging the die. The simple...

www.midwayusa.com

I've yet to stick a case but still a good tool to have just in case.

 

[xtry51]

Get a stuck case remover. Youll need it eventually and its better to have it sitting on a shelf than having to wait for it to be shipped.

Hornady Stuck Case Remover

The Hornady Stuck Case Remover is designed to easily extract the most stubborn case from a standard sizer die without damaging the die. The simple...

www.midwayusa.com

Wood chisel and hammer. Cuts thru brass like butter. Thats tool seems like WAY too much work. I can remove a stuck case from my Lee .223 size/decap die in Less than 2min.

 

[mac1911]

Wood chisel and hammer. Cuts thru brass like butter. Thats tool seems like WAY too much work. I can remove a stuck case from my Lee .223 size/decap die in Less than 2min.

lee yes , some other dies no.

 

[xtry51]

lee yes , some other dies no.

Thats why my other dies I bought to try stay in the very dusty boxes

 

[CatSnoutSoup]

Probably a media separator as well to strain the shit out of the brass. The RCBS plastic job works fine, keeps the toxic dust down, too.

Still rocking (literally) one of these atop a 5 gallon bucket...

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B0T5Z2/

So fast there is no issue with "toxic dust" and besides worrying about that sort of stuff is for pussies (cough, cough, gasp ).

 

[xtry51]

I like the RCBS rotary separator. Its $40 on their site.

FA makes a clone on Amazon if you have prime.
Amazon product ASIN B01B6S8JUCView: https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Separator-Perforated-Reloading/dp/B01B6S8JUC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=rcbs+separator&qid=1600537110&sprefix=rcbs+sepa&sr=8-1


Super fast. About 10 turns for straight wall cases. About 15-20 for bottleneck and you're done. I've been using the RCBS one for a few years now.

 

[slap shot]

Busy week. Started off with 200 rounds of Nosler RDF 140 gn 6.5 CM. Then 500 300 BLK using Berry's plated 220gn



About 1k 9mm 115 gn Rainier (Thanks Len)



Anyone tried these? I like the 1500 primers for the same price as 1000 CCI if they work.




this little gold something flew through my garage door and into the storm door. He shook it off after a few minutes and flew away lol.



and now I’m working on the .223. All these deprimed and sized. Now to swage the pockets and finish. I wonder how many cases fit in this ammo box, have no idea...

edit: 714 cases in that pic. All swaged and primed. Now finishing them off.

 

[jek]

gold finch

Doesn’t look like a goldfinch to me. The beak reminds me more of a vireo or maybe a warbler. Anyone know what it is? Sorry for the slight thread digression.

 

[DW357]

Busy week. Started off with 200 rounds of Nosler RDF 140 gn 6.5 CM. The 500 300 BLK using Berry's plated 220gn

View attachment 391506

About 1k 9mm 115 gn Rainier (Thanks Len)

View attachment 391507

Anyone tried these? I like the 1500 primers for the same price as 1000 CCI if they work.


View attachment 391508

this little gold finch flew through my garage door and into the storm door. He shook it off after a few minutes and flew away lol.


View attachment 391509
and now I’m working on the .223. All these deprimed and sized. Now to swage the pockets and finish. I wonder how many cases fit in this ammo box, have no idea...

Niice! I haven’t had any issues with the Fiocchi SPP yet. Tried them in 9mm and 357 magnum.

 

[headednorth]

@slap shot Been using the Fiocchi SPP for 9MM for quite a while and havent had any issues

 

[slap shot]

Great to hear guys! Thanks. Cuz I made a ton of em lol

 

[slap shot]

Doesn’t look like a goldfinch to me. The beak reminds me more of a vireo or maybe a warbler. Anyone know what it is? Sorry for the slight thread digression.

haha no apologies. We spend more time here birdwatching than anything else. I was happy he gathered his shit and flew lol

 

[Mudflap621]

So finally started my load development for the tikka 308. The three center are sighting rounds between 40-41.5 gr and than did round robin three shot groups from there. I’m thinking going to load same loads than more around the 43.3 as well and see if I get same results. I found I definately need a chrono and ordering a bipod as well. Happy with this for now though.

 

[slap shot]

So finally started my load development for the tikka 308. The three center are sighting rounds between 40-41.5 gr and than did round robin three shot groups from there. I’m thinking going to load same loads than more around the 43.3 as well and see if I get same results. I found I definately need a chrono and ordering a bipod as well. Happy with this for now though. View attachment 391554

Yup. You absolutely need to chrono your loads to see what your rifle likes. Best method is to do a ladder. .2 or .5 gn increments to find where your FPS settles for a bit.

 

[TrashcanDan]

View attachment 391508

A yellow bird
With a yellow bill
Was perched upon
My windowsill...........................

F'n cadences

 

[pastera]

There is no way I was seating them at 1.130, that was touching the powder and maybe slightly compressing it. I measured a few times and the numbers didn't add up.

I seat cast to 1.20, so I seat these ones to 1.188.

I did the same with zero JHP - Silhouette calls for a short COAL that results in an almost compressed load max.
I seated to max length for my magazines and had no issues at all - max charge for silhouette was quite stout with the longer length.
Need to sit down and load up the rest of the 1k that I bought on a whim (I pretty much don't buy jacketed, preferring to cast)