What did you do in the reloading room recently?

daekken said:
I'm not trying to justify it cost-wise; the first round I started reloading was 7.62x54R followed by 30-06. I got into reloading so I wouldn't be reliant on gunshops to have things like 303 British and 6.5x55 for my Swedish Mauser, etc. since I shoot a lot of milsurps. It was really originally so that I could shoot my Garands without needing to track down special ammo.

The data is just kind of a fun thing to look at, it lets me track how many rounds of each caliber I've loaded and stuff like that, plus it's good reference data for pricing components ("How much did those .312 bullets cost me? ...Let's check the sheet."). It's also helpful for me to track my inventory, I know how much of each projectile / powder I have (approximately) and so on. I also log which vendor so I don't forget, etc.

In the end I just enjoy reloading for its own sake, the data is just a fun side thing.
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Reloading for rifle is quite obviously very different in some aspects than reloading for pistol. I'm not loading any esoteric rounds, nor am I concerned with perfection - I need "good enough".

That's one of the reasons I was happy starting with a progressive press. If I were doing rifle rounds, I would have started with a single stage.

On related note, I just received 3,000 rounds of 124grn plated 9mm. I met the UPS guy halfway between his truck and my garage; he was happy to hand it over. Lotta weight in small boxes.


Edited - that's FOUR thousand, not three thousand rounds. UPS boxes said 40lbs each, (2); pure math says 88 pounds.
 
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allen-1 said:
was happy starting with a progressive press. If I were doing rifle rounds, I would have started with a single stage
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precision rounds are perfectly fine done with a progressive press.

i did additional improvements/fixes to a dillon powder measure and it was dropping me varget with a .1gr accuracy, almost all loads in a batch of 100 were precisely where it was set to.
 
paul73 said:
precision rounds are perfectly fine done with a progressive press.

i did additional improvements/fixes to a dillon powder measure and it was dropping me varget with a .1gr accuracy, almost all loads in a batch of 100 were precisely where it was set to.
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I don't necessarily disagree.

I don't shoot enough rifle to load it, if I were to load 5.56 for example, I'd simply get the conversion kit and dies for my 650. I'm happy I started with progressive for pistol rounds. I think if I were loading rifle as my first load, I'd go with single stage so that I could control and understand the process completely.

I've heard a number of people say that anyone starting loading should start with a single stage; I don't agree with that. Straight walled pistol rounds are simple enough that you can learn how to do them on a progressive. I, as a personal choice, wouldn't want to try to teach myself how to load rifle on a single stage.

Your experience may be different than mine.
 
allen-1 said:
anyone starting loading should start with a single stage;
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dunno. i found it to be pretty straight forward with 750xl - but i watched plenty of youtube before and after.
what is needed on a progressive is a clear separation of sizing/depriming/priming from powder drop and bullet seating processes. i usually do it in 3 phases now - after tumbling run it fast to deprime/size, then it is stored. then i take out the head and run priming cycle fast on a 100-300 shells. both those things are really fast with the case feeder.

then it rests until i have desire to load them up, so you have essentially 2 tool heads per rifle caliber. works fine for me this way.
 
allen-1 said:
My wife bought me a press for Christmas of 2016, so I've got a little over five years reloading experience. When I started, I set up Excell spreadsheets tracking component costs so that I could figure out what it was costing me to load a round .vs. what it would cost me to buy the "same" round. It was easy because I was only loading 9mm.

Now I load 9mm, .38spcl, .357mag, .357sig and .45Acp. Three different primers, four different powders, and seven different bullets, (I load a couple types of .38).

Then primer prices went from 32/K to 100/K; powder became difficult to obtain and shipments of it were limited, (you may only buy x) - so hazmat/shipping costs went up per item.

And in the end - I don't care about tracking the costs. It costs what it costs so that I can shoot. I try to buy intelligently, but this isn't about making it pay for itself. It's about having ammo on my shelf when I want to go to the range.

It's as simple as knowing that I'm shooting two divisions in Steel Challenge Saturday that will require a minium of 250 rounds, (5 stages, 5 runs, 5 targets, 2 guns); (so more like 275 rounds); and I don't have to even think about it - the ammo's already loaded and with my gun bag. If I decide to shoot Sunday, I'll grab another ammo can off of the shelf - and I'll fill it back up during the week - loading a hundred or so rounds at a time.

It's a hobby, it's a life-style, it's my sanity - I don't have to cost-justify it.
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Yup thats it in a nutshell.
I have not saved a $ since reloading.
As the same money spent on ammo is now spent on supplies.
I just shoot more and get to load what I want.
 
Went out to confirm zero today as well as gather some dope. 10 shot avg 2875 with SD of 7. I was expecting SD to grow a bit with the larger sample as well as throwing charges directly from two chargemaster but I’m happy with it. 9 out of 10 in string were within 5-6fps but had one drop down to 2860 and eff it up 😂 Final 5 shot confirmation. 5E2066DE-25B9-436C-AF3A-1992D63D7B66.jpeg
 
Mudflap621 said:
Went out to confirm zero today as well as gather some dope. 10 shot avg 2875 with SD of 7. I was expecting SD to grow a bit with the larger sample as well as throwing charges directly from two chargemaster but I’m happy with it. 9 out of 10 in string were within 5-6fps but had one drop down to 2860 and eff it up 😂 Final 5 shot confirmation. View attachment 588587
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looks awesome, what`s the rifle - i mean, the rifle build details?
 
Mudflap621 said:
Went out to confirm zero today as well as gather some dope. 10 shot avg 2875 with SD of 7. I was expecting SD to grow a bit with the larger sample as well as throwing charges directly from two chargemaster but I’m happy with it. 9 out of 10 in string were within 5-6fps but had one drop down to 2860 and eff it up 😂 Final 5 shot confirmation. View attachment 588587
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Shit. 100 yards?
 
Mudflap621 said:
99 according to my rangefinder
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yeah, it is pretty awesome that you got to that sweet point so quick. do you shoot it from sandbags or a bipod? either way - looks great. my 6.5CM still at the point of connecting holes, but the consistent set of same hole hits on a group of 5 is elusive...
 
paul73 said:
yeah, it is pretty awesome that you got to that sweet point so quick. do you shoot it from sandbags or a bipod? either way - looks great. my 6.5CM still at the point of connecting holes, but the consistent set of same hole hits on a group of 5 is elusive...
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Front bipod and a pint size changechanger rear bag. What bullet are you using in the 6.5?

Not all barrels are created equal. I’m very happy with how this shoots as I was expecting a 1/2-5/8 barrel. Unfortunately some just won’t do that.

I’ve been working on load development for a friends Bergara LRP and have not been able to do better than .75-.8 with a few different projectiles. He’s got a stockpile of 147 eldm, 140 bthp, and hornady brass and doesn’t wanna spend the money to try something different. I’m at the point where I feel this is the best it’ll do with those components.
 
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Mudflap621 said:
Front bipod and a pint same changechanger rear bag. What bullet are you using in the 6.5?
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140gr ELD hornady.
this is a rather typical result - sometimes it gets a bit better. i kinda had it settled, but may try to play again with a seating depth to see if it may improve or not. but, probably will not.
1647008295997.png
 
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pastera said:
Put together just under 1k of 55g 223 range fodder
Also cut and formed about 200 cases for 300 BLK
Checking inventory I seriously need primers but not willing to starve or have gay sex to get some
Also could use some 380 cases which brings the whole gay sex thing back into the conversation...
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5000 primers and a few 8lb jugs of powder would have me breathing easy for a while. Right now ive only been shooting 22lr and black powder
Cmp rifle season is here so my LR primers are going into use soon, then I will move onto pistol for next winter
 
pastera said:
Put together just under 1k of 55g 223 range fodder
Also cut and formed about 200 cases for 300 BLK
Checking inventory I seriously need primers but not willing to starve or have gay sex to get some
Also could use some 380 cases which brings the whole gay sex thing back into the conversation...
Click to expand...
@NewBeige is trying to sell off some 380 auto cases if that is what you need.

I'm not sure of his orientation, so he may just prefer cash or trade. His signature has it as WTT.
 
mac1911 said:
5000 primers and a few 8lb jugs of powder would have me breathing easy for a while. Right now ive only been shooting 22lr and black powder
Cmp rifle season is here so my LR primers are going into use soon, then I will move onto pistol for next winter
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1000 223 puts a serious dent in an 8 lbs keg but it's primers that have me worried right now.
I'm thinking I'm going to need to break down and drop the $500 for a case of SRP and rework my handgun loads to use them.
 
pastera said:
Put together just under 1k of 55g 223 range fodder
Also cut and formed about 200 cases for 300 BLK
Checking inventory I seriously need primers but not willing to starve or have gay sex to get some
Also could use some 380 cases which brings the whole gay sex thing back into the conversation...
Click to expand...
You and Mgnoob may be able to work something out…
 
Mudflap621 said:
Went out to confirm zero today as well as gather some dope. 10 shot avg 2875 with SD of 7. I was expecting SD to grow a bit with the larger sample as well as throwing charges directly from two chargemaster but I’m happy with it. 9 out of 10 in string were within 5-6fps but had one drop down to 2860 and eff it up 😂 Final 5 shot confirmation. View attachment 588587
Click to expand...
so, i re-tested my loads today for 6.5CM - while not as stellar as yours - i think it is not too bad. seems like my seating window is from +.005 to +0.010 is the best one, so i will see how the
2.807 will work. i think previously i settled on the 2.810, but i did not test it to such level of micro-adjustments. groups of 5 everywhere, so, target 3 is what i have - not a same hole, but, close.

65cm.jpg
 
Looks great Paul! How far off the lands are you at 2.807"? Don't be afraid to jump bullets not everything has to be 20 thou off the lands to shoot and some bullets prefer much more.

One reason I did seating depth test at .010" increments as I was able to test .050" jump in 25 rounds and cover more ground this way.

Also Im assuming by your measurements your measuring COAL? Id highly suggest getting a comparator set and measuring CBTO as it will be ALOT more consistent and so will your ammo. I don't use COAL for anything other than making sure the cartridge will fit in a mag.
 
Mudflap621 said:
How far off the lands are you at 2.807"?
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i think exactly 0.060". i agree about CBTO - but in this case i went with COAL just for simplicity of what to put on the picture - in reality i refer to an actual micrometer setting on my die. :)
it was a 0 set to base of 2.800" - then ladder went at 0.0025", for a max length i would fit into a AR10 mag - as i also want to be able to shoot same load in my ar10.
 
Built my InLine Manufacturing stand for the incoming Dillon last night. Press should arrive tomorrow.

I also ordered a 4 lb jug of Power Pistol which I'll try for the first time with the 9x19 on the Dillon. I have a lot of 1lb jugs of various powders, including my favorite Win 231, but I was hoping to get a larger order to have some consistency starting out on the progressive.

Now I can keep my Win 231 for my 38spl and 45.
 

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