What did you do in the reloading room recently?

Mudflap621 said:
Well tried beating the snow but didn’t happen. Started coming down pretty good about half way through testing but still pretty pleased with results. I need Mac to chime in cause they look the same as last test. All groupings seam to be almost identical POI over 2 grain spread. I know this isn’t a bad thing but sure makes picking a charge harder. Primers started flattening out a tad at 24.4 and 24.6 gr View attachment 447063View attachment 447066View attachment 447075
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That 24.2gr load sure looks good. So does the 23.8
 
EddieZoom said:
"Recycled" some small pistol primers.

I have an ammo can labeled "Fix/Kill" that I throw all things I am ashamed of during my reloading sessions ;-)

Of course, I don't actually get around to "fixing" or "killing" anything....so the pile was getting to be a decent size. Press is set up for 9MM...so I thought, I wonder how many small pistol primers I have in that pile sitting in bad reloads (mostly split cases, some 380). Loaded em on the press and gently pushed....

Well, this is how many...and I didn't break out the bullet puller or de-prime any caliber other than 9MM (I also have bad 38/357/40 in my pile).

Anybody else sitting on a stash of long forgotten primers ?

View attachment 447098
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Couple thousand of random sleeves of old and new. Even some old Alcan.
Makes me wish I didn’t have a half quart jar of old ones I killed after reclaiming old ammo.
 
Michael J. Spangler said:
So weird how we have favorites huh? Even though the 38 isn’t much different that the 45 Colt you like it better.
I would rather load 45 ACP than 9. Not sure why but I like it
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True, next in line for me is .45 acp. Then 9mm, followed by .38spl and .357 mag. For rifles, my favorite so far is 30-06. The Arisaka and .303B aren't bad either.
 
Much better way to spend time than watching that fraudulent panderbowl. Does it look like it’ll need a fan? It powers up and gets the pot going I’ll need to load it up and get it dialed in at a later date 31AA4EE0-F75F-4EED-8CAF-52CF3F0A19D3.jpeg
 

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ffej ruedorb said:
Much better way to spend time than watching that fraudulent panderbowl. Does it look like it’ll need a fan? It powers up and gets the pot going I’ll need to load it up and get it dialed in at a later date View attachment 447319
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You shouldn't need a fan but some vent holes above and below the heatsink will help get rid of the heat
 
Mudflap621 said:
Well tried beating the snow but didn’t happen. Started coming down pretty good about half way through testing but still pretty pleased with results. I need Mac to chime in cause they look the same as last test. All groupings seam to be almost identical POI over 2 grain spread. I know this isn’t a bad thing but sure makes picking a charge harder. Primers started flattening out a tad at 24.4 and 24.6 gr View attachment 447063View attachment 447066View attachment 447075
Click to expand...
are you shooting these round robin and are you letting the barrel cool ?
seems you have found a rifle and ammo set up that has a decent node.
Are you going to be shooting past 200 yards often?
Any how sounds like you have a nice range to start with. Time to either tighten up your testing system or try a seating depth test?
I have not shot sierra 77 in years. Last time i ran 24 gn of varget loaded to 2.260" i was getting close to MOA with iron sights , prone , with sling and large sandbags to support my arm. Never got to scope that load.
Sadly im loading 223 for AR and shooting service rifle with it. i used a carry handle scope mount to test loads after that and with the Nosler 69s or 77s with Varget loaded to Nosler load data for seating depth they where just under moa which is about where i stopped. Im lucky to hold 3 moa on a good day now so MOA capable ammo is good for the iron sights.
I have been slowly working up 80 gn loads for my "600 yard" heavy barrel , scoped AR. Im at about the same point as you now. I dont know if its me , the rifle or what. 1/2- 3/4" groups is about as good as im getting , no matter the powder charge or seating depth.
The only thing im doing different with this set up is trying to keep velocity up to get it to the target faster.

its funny that your POI does not shift much through out such a large swing of powder charge.
I have not had such luck. i do how ever have a solid .8 grain window so far on my 80s , now if I can just get consistently under MOA i would be happy.
 
Last edited:
mac1911 said:
are you shooting these round robin and are you letting the barrel cool ?
seems you have found a rifle and ammo set up that has a decent node.
Are you going to be shooting past 200 yards often?
Any how sounds like you have a nice range to start with. Time to either tighten up your testing system or try a seating depth test?
I have not shot sierra 77 in years. Last time i ran 24 gn of varget loaded to 2.260" i was getting close to MOA with iron sights , prone , with sling and large sandbags to support my arm. Never got to scope that load.
Sadly im loading 223 for AR and shooting service rifle with it. i used a carry handle scope mount to test loads after that and with the Nosler 69s or 77s with Varget loaded to Nosler load data for seating depth they where just under moa which is about where i stopped. Im lucky to hold 3 moa on a good day now so MOA capable ammo is good for the iron sights.
I have been slowly working up 80 gn loads for my "600 yard" heavy barrel , scoped AR. Im at about the same point as you now. I dont know if its me , the rifle or what. 1/2- 3/4" groups is about as good as im getting , no matter the powder charge or seating depth.
The only thing im doing different with this set up is trying to keep velocity up to get it to the target faster.

its funny that your POI does not shift much through out such a large swing of powder charge.
I have not had such luck. i do how ever have a solid .8 grain window so far on my 80s , now if I can just get consistently under MOA i would be happy.
Click to expand...
Yes shooting round robin did 10 shot strings than cooling. It’s heavy bull barrel so I felt that I could get away with 10 shots. I do plan on shooting this up to 500 as that’s what I have access to. I too was surprised how wide this was over almost 2 grain charge difference. I plan to load up a seating depth test at 24 grain and if I can keep around .5 I’d be ecstatic and probably call this load development good until I feel my performance is on par. Ive only got roughly 100 rounds through this gun and I’ve got along way to go with my form and shot execution.
 
Olddawg1952 said:
WOW! I've loaded several thousands of .45's and as many 9MM on my Lee turret and never lit off a primer..... YET.................... It'll be a awww shit moment if I do I guarantee that
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I was using one of the Lee Loaders which you smack with a hammer. I think I didn't have the primer sitting right.

Just enough of a fright to switch to the ram primer. It was loud, especially in my basement. My wife and the dogs weren't happy.
 
Klal said:
I was using one of the Lee Loaders which you smack with a hammer. I think I didn't have the primer sitting right.

Just enough of a fright to switch to the ram primer. It was loud, especially in my basement. My wife and the dogs weren't happy.
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I’ve done that before. Wife and kids had no clue. They were 2 rooms away with 1 closed door between us.
Left some soot on my finger but I knew I wasn’t lined up right and couldn’t stop my swing halfway through.
I kept on loading because I was waiting on my caliber conversion to come in for the Dillon and was too lazy to find the shell holder for my Lee hand prime.
 
Mudflap621 said:
Yes shooting round robin did 10 shot strings than cooling. It’s heavy bull barrel so I felt that I could get away with 10 shots. I do plan on shooting this up to 500 as that’s what I have access to. I too was surprised how wide this was over almost 2 grain charge difference. I plan to load up a seating depth test at 24 grain and if I can keep around .5 I’d be ecstatic and probably call this load development good until I feel my performance is on par. Ive only got roughly 100 rounds through this gun and I’ve got along way to go with my form and shot execution.
Click to expand...
Well your not far off, dont do what I do.
Im awful at keeping track of what I do and changes, this is why I often get to “good enough” and stop there. If it makes the wall, where I write some known data for myself, its often the end of “load development”
Not to add most of my rifles are small iron sights 75 plus years old and my eyes are not do fresh so if get under 3 MOA im usually pretty happy.
 
andrew1220 said:
God damn I hate brass prep 😂
I don’t even shoot my M1 Carbine often but I figured I’d prep the brass to load the last 300 bullets I have on hand.
Can’t really do more than like 3 per minute. Depends on how long the cases are.
View attachment 447738View attachment 447739
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Those Lee cutters do a great job but damn the shell holder set up needs an improvement.
I always figure if you would drill and tap the side of the shell holder for a nice little 2” long or so handle so you could use the damn thing it would be great.

Then I picked up a Lyman lathe style trimmer and I never looked back.

Now that has me thinking. I wonder if you would retrofit the Lyman to use Lee arbors.

@pastera could probably make that work.
 
Michael J. Spangler said:
Those Lee cutters do a great job but damn the shell holder set up needs an improvement.
I always figure if you would drill and tap the side of the shell holder for a nice little 2” long or so handle so you could use the damn thing it would be great.

Then I picked up a Lyman lathe style trimmer and I never looked back.

Now that has me thinking. I wonder if you would retrofit the Lyman to use Lee arbors.

@pastera could probably make that work.
Click to expand...
You ain’t kidding lol.
I considered getting one of the new Lee quick trimmers as it trims and deburs at the same time. I dunno.
www.midwayusa.com

Lee Deluxe Quick Trim Case Trimmer

Lee Precision has been producing some of the highest quality reloading equipment for over 50 years. The Lee Deluxe Quick Trim Case Trimmer is the next...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com
 

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