What did you do in the reloading room recently?

gerrycaruso said:
My .30/30 load for many years has been a Lyman 31141 (from before they standardized on a 6 digit number) and 15 grains of SR4759 (I've recently changed to AA5744 because of availability) Now that all your range brass has been resized, you may be able to avoid full length resizing if you're only shooting it out of that one lever gun. Full length resizing is supposedly harder on brass than neck sizing but I've never tested the theory.
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Full length sizing rimmed cases can definitely over work the brass. Compare a sized case to a fired case and see .
The problem with the 30/30 and other rimed cases is not the shoulder area but the neck/lead/throat can be "tight/short"

no longer own a 30/30 but when it was around we only used the lee whackOround loader. Never a problem.
 
wegman said:
Might want to make sure they are sized sufficiently for a lever gun. (I'm assuming a 64 is lever action?) I had a Winchester model 88 years ago and discovered lever action lacks the camming power of a bolt gun. Maybe make up a dummy round to try before loading a bunch?
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This. After starting to reload 30-30 a couple months back for my Marlin, it was very evident that the camming power was noticeably weaker than a bolt action.
 
Many manuals suggest full length resizing on lever gun cartridges, due to the relative lack of mechanical advantage in the lock up (as compared to stronger advantage in a bolt gun). You will find what works in your specific situation, of course.

Oops! andrew1220 was typing while I was; only a few seconds sooner...
 
NavelOfficer said:
Many manuals suggest full length resizing on lever gun cartridges, due to the relative lack of mechanical advantage in the lock up (as compared to stronger advantage in a bolt gun). You will find what works in your specific situation, of course.

Oops! andrew1220 was typing while I was; only a few seconds sooner...
Click to expand...
If I where to reload for 30/30 again i would chamber a factory cartridge. If it was all good and smooth i would measure it with a case comparator at the shoulder, fire the case and remeasure.
I would set my die up to maybe fall ito the halfway point? I would probably trim to that factory ammo length ?
 
bigblue said:
That looks like a great solution to bottleneck case prep!!
Click to expand...
Only drawback to using the 650's short trim die toolhead, no threaded hole in #5 position to put in a mandrel or Lyman M die... (For me the 7.62 and 300B.O. only)
After size/trim, the cases need the necks expanded to accept the bullet. With the other toolhead/RT1500 combo no problem. I use a Sinclair International mandrel die and mandrel to expand the case mouth after size/trim on the same toolhead in one go. I do my 223, 06, 308 and 6.5x55 that way. Dillon's spray lube is the balls. I dump the cases into a shallow cardboard box, just 2 or 3 sprays and a shake. In about 5 minutes they are slick enough and dry enough to go in the case feeder. When they come off the press, they tumble in corn/Dillon case polish for 10 minutes to remove the lube, then I use RCBS's carbide chamfer and deburring tools on my drill.
EDIT: I hate case prep, but this is way less painful...
 
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mac1911 said:
If I where to reload for 30/30 again i would chamber a factory cartridge. If it was all good and smooth i would measure it with a case comparator at the shoulder, fire the case and remeasure.
I would set my die up to maybe fall ito the halfway point? I would probably trim to that factory ammo length ?
Click to expand...

Sounds reasonable to me.
I don't own a lever gun, but I've been shooting and reloading for a friend with a m1894. So far, so good.
 
wegman said:
Only drawback to using the 650's short trim die toolhead, no threaded hole in #5 position to put in a mandrel or Lyman M die... (For me the 7.62 and 300B.O. only)
After size/trim, the cases need the necks expanded to accept the bullet. With the other toolhead/RT1500 combo no problem. I use a Sinclair International mandrel die and mandrel to expand the case mouth after size/trim on the same toolhead in one go. I do my 223, 06, 308 and 6.5x55 that way. Dillon's spray lube is the balls. I dump the cases into a shallow cardboard box, just 2 or 3 sprays and a shake. In about 5 minutes they are slick enough and dry enough to go in the case feeder. When they come off the press, they tumble in corn/Dillon case polish for 10 minutes to remove the lube, then I use RCBS's carbide chamfer and demurring tools on my drill.
EDIT: I hate case prep, but this is way less painful...
Click to expand...

Why does that trimmer require expanding the case neck more than another? Sounds like you would also need to crimp if you are expanding the case mouth? Too bad it couldn’t swage as well.

I hate case prep as well. Still trying to figure out the best solution.

Edit: That seems like a very expensive option. $375 for the trimmer, $25 for the vacuum attachment, $40 casehead, plus $200 for each carbide trim die will add up fast.
 
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Quick work at the bench this morning after breakfast. 150 45acp. 100 of the standard 200 grain swc and 4.6 bullseye then ran 50 of a 230 grain berrys plated round nose with 5 grains bullseye. First time loading round nose actually. The Lyman says load to 2.75 oal but it seemed long in my gauge. I checked the oal of some factory 230 ball and it was 2.61 so I went with that. Found some berrys plated round nose ans figured it would be cool to load some at more "standard" weight and charge. Max is 5.3 so stayed under it a tad.

20210227_101629.jpg
 
mac1911 said:
If I where to reload for 30/30 again i would chamber a factory cartridge. If it was all good and smooth i would measure it with a case comparator at the shoulder, fire the case and remeasure.
I would set my die up to maybe fall ito the halfway point? I would probably trim to that factory ammo length ?
Click to expand...
I was under the impression that the shoulder isn't important with rimmed case. I measured all my brass and trimmed to the shortest which was 2.030 which allows full seat of the bullet in the neck and still using the crimp groove. I hope I didn't choose a caliber that is difficult and I just ruined all this brass. More research I guess.
 
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I loaded up the last of my 44 cal 240 gr XTPs with H110 in anticipation of receiving my Desert Eagle next week.

I also loaded up 4 rounds of the Xtreme 240 gr plated bullets with H110. Curious if they can hold up to the velocity. I made a dummy round and it didn’t appear to break through the plating.
C982AC25-A901-447C-9128-E4C5B5A09DBE.jpeg
 
andrew1220 said:
I loaded up the last of my 44 cal 240 gr XTPs with H110 in anticipation of receiving my Desert Eagle next week.

I also loaded up 4 rounds of the Xtreme 240 gr plated bullets with H110. Curious if they can hold up to the velocity. I made a dummy round and it didn’t appear to break through the plating.
View attachment 455490
Click to expand...

I'm curious as to how H110 works in a bottom feed.
Was there a manual out there with load data just for .44 D.E? Or am I having flashbacks of something I've never read.
 
andrew1220 said:
I loaded up the last of my 44 cal 240 gr XTPs with H110 in anticipation of receiving my Desert Eagle next week.

I also loaded up 4 rounds of the Xtreme 240 gr plated bullets with H110. Curious if they can hold up to the velocity. I made a dummy round and it didn’t appear to break through the plating.
View attachment 455490
Click to expand...

How fast are you planning to run the plated ones?
 
jpm said:
How fast are you planning to run the plated ones?
Click to expand...
I loaded them with 23.5 gr which is probably too much for those bullets. I won't run them in the DE as I read that lead and plated bullets shouldn't be used.
I seem to recall my jacketed 240 gr loads running about 1300ish fps?? Been awhile.

I'm going to save the plated bullets for lighter loads but figured why not try a few with H110 just to see.
 
I realized that a Ruger Super Redhawk can take a 1.8" OAL, so went back to the drawing board to work up a new load for .44 RM (300 gr HDY XTP over Lil' Gun). Of course, I realized this only AFTER I had put together 190 rounds at the normal OAL. I was a little sad, first because it was beating my wrist to death with the new wood grip and second because the velocity numbers were stuck at 1350 FPS. Normally I'd just call it a learning opportunity and shoot up the "weak" rounds as practice fodder, but 1) primers are scarce (only have 60 LPMs left) and 2) I've had my fill after shooting about 5 of those things....190/5=38 separate range trips just to get my brass back.

This is my only revolver, and I wonder if I'm just spitting more fire and fury out the sides of the cylinder vs. getting any useful velocity.....it would be easier than redoing the other 190 rounds.
 
Artie said:
I was under the impression that the shoulder isn't important with rimmed case. I measured all my brass and trimmed to the shortest which was 2.030 which allows full seat of the bullet in the neck and still using the crimp groove. I hope I didn't choose a caliber that is difficult and I just ruined all this brass. More research I guess.
Click to expand...
the "shoulder" is not important as far as "headspace" goes. But that means the chambers "shoulder" is not exactly "critical" so if your rim to shoulder distance is several .XXX" longer than your factory or resized brass your working or stretching your brass more than needed. In the relm of 30/30 theres not really a lot of high volume reloading so cases may last years and years as they only get sized 2-3 times ? In the years my dad had his 30-30 I think the 40 cases or so we had maybe seen 8 reloads using the whack o round lee loader which just necks sizes. I dont recall my dad ever trimming the cases. The bullet was a a 150 grain flat point JSP
 
bigblue said:
Why does that trimmer require expanding the case neck more than another? Sounds like you would also need to crimp if you are expanding the case mouth? Too bad it couldn’t swage as well.

I hate case prep as well. Still trying to figure out the best solution.

Edit: That seems like a very expensive option. $375 for the trimmer, $25 for the vacuum attachment, $40 casehead, plus $200 for each carbide trim die will add up fast.
Click to expand...
The trim dies are also full-length sizing the brass as it is being trimmed. Sort of like using a regular full length sizing die with the expander removed...
 
88D76FFF-ED00-41F9-9E8E-035122EBF25C.jpeg
Got some wood on the wall and laying out a bench. Not sure if I’m gonna square it off or keep sides angled. My fatherly instinct doesn’t like sharp edges but my carpentry skills say make a box.
Main bench will be 12’ across front edge as laid out 16’ against the wall. I’m thinking 38” bench height that will be set by the height I want the 550. The walls cost me but I scored a bunch of 2x4 as well as 3 sheets of finished 3/4” plywood that’s gonna be a badass work surface.
 
bigblue said:
FWIW, I would take the 3/4” plywood, cut it in half lengthwise, then glue & screw it together for your top. More betterer
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I was thinking this but I was also thinking of just running 2x4 underneath maybe 12 o/c and saving the rest of plywood for shelves. I’m still weighing both options.

I am planning on building 8-12” shelves on top of bench therefore 2’ wide is gonna be tight.
 
Mudflap621 said:
View attachment 455650
Got some wood on the wall and laying out a bench. Not sure if I’m gonna square it off or keep sides angled. My fatherly instinct doesn’t like sharp edges but my carpentry skills say make a box.
Main bench will be 12’ across front edge as laid out 16’ against the wall. I’m thinking 38” bench height that will be set by the height I want the 550. The walls cost me but I scored a bunch of 2x4 as well as 3 sheets of finished 3/4” plywood that’s gonna be a badass work surface.
Click to expand...
38" is good for standing height. But I find myself sitting I wish my bench was a few inches lower at 35". Probably just me but my kitchen table is 30" that's probably the right height for me. Picture yourself sitting there reaching for the lever especially if it is setup on one of those risers.
 

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