What did you do in the reloading room recently?

andrew1220 said:
Only thing I could use now is some magnum pistol powder for my 44 mag loads. Got like a half pound of H110 left. Thinking about trying something new like AA9 as that's available from numerous online vendors at the moment.
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If you want a "free sample" of some AA9 let me know, I have some gathering dust at the moment.
 
meh said:
Just for the record, I think Ramshot Enforcer = Accurate 4100. I believe these are both Belgian-made powders from the same manufacturer. I don't know where Accurate No. 9 comes from. Anyway, you'll find that the maximum published powder charge with Accurate No. 9 is slightly less than Enforcer/4100 when they can be compared. Enforcer and 4100 have almost the same published load data, sometimes off by 0.2 grains or some such.
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Whoops my bad. Enforcer is the same as 4100 - I'll edit my post
 
Deprimed/primed and then trimmed all the brass on the table - figured out now how much of a shot SRP 6.5CM brass I have - all that on the table and then 80 loaded in the ammo box. Not a lot but enough for now. I am trying to rotate the SRP one as i have way more #450 primers now than #200 LRP ones.
Will load all that .223 tomorrow. I have 500 of it loaded with a PR powder, so will get those done with 24.3gr varget and will run some statistical comparison on larger groups sizes, and will test it at 300 as well.
D4A8486A-4E1F-4EFF-A1A3-C439D43BA9C5.jpeg
 
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I mounted my Lee APP for swaging and made it so I could reuse the case feeder. PVC tubing works great for bending and even though it is a fairly large angle, 9 mm and 223 go right down it. 45 is a bigger issue since I need to get some thinner wall tubing in order for it to reliably slide down. But at least I don't have to buy another case feeder and another post for it. The Lee APP is fast for swaging.


IMG_1791[1].JPG IMG_1792[1].JPG
 
to talk about swaggin - is there anybody here who uses this part?

i run my brass prep now in the different way, so i do not really need it, but, just curious if using it during depriming on a new just shot brass is enough to make sure entrances to primer pockets will be opened enough for no issues for primers to get in during re-priming.
the shape of the swagger rod there is not looking like it does anything at all to open up the pockets on a crimped primer ones, does it?

1648584252260.png
 
Ran 100 45acp using NEW winchester brass and 200 grain lswc and 4.6 bullseye. Found a bag of brand new brass and figured use that for bullseye league.

Then switched over to 185 grain cast lswc same powder and die setup......these are for plate ringing.....nice cheep projos and I just make em up with mixed brass.....good enough for hitting steel at 25 feet not precision work.

Then I cleaned the 629......absolutely no signs of leading after shooting a bunch of cast 240 grain projos through it so my recipes seem good to go.
 
I relearned that case gauges are not good indicators of case length
Cut formed and trimmed a little over 200 cases for 300 BLK
But instead of using a set of calipers I just dropped the case into the gauge to setup my lathe for trim length.
Sent everything through the tumbler with pins to get them shiny.
Was going to swap the press over to prime all of them and grabbed the calipers - 1.373 +/- 0.003
So I got lazy and I get to trim, deburr and clean all over again.😞
 
pastera said:
I relearned that case gauges are not good indicators of case length
Cut formed and trimmed a little over 200 cases for 300 BLK
But instead of using a set of calipers I just dropped the case into the gauge to setup my lathe for trim length.
Sent everything through the tumbler with pins to get them shiny.
Was going to swap the press over to prime all of them and grabbed the calipers - 1.373 +/- 0.003
So I got lazy and I get to trim, deburr and clean all over again.😞
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if it was all shot in your gun before - why would it matter at all? i do not care to size anything until it was shot in my chamber.
after than the full size die is set to push neck down to .001"-.002". after all the brass went through the die - i size them in trimmer to a same already established size using the case gauge.
total case length does vary still by some fractions, but the part that holds the bullet - is not. so far it is working fairly well for me.

again, the point is - why would you make different length necks, ever, to even up total case length? as you cannot keep/make both same by just trimming. and an over compression of a fire formed shell also makes little sense.
 
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paul73 said:
if it was all shot in your gun before - why would it matter at all? i do not care to size anything until it was shot in my chamber.
after than the full size die is set to push neck down to .001"-.002". after all the brass went through the die - i size them in trimmer to a same already established size using the case gauge.
total case length does vary still by some fractions, but the part that holds the bullet - is not. so far it is working fairly well for me.
Click to expand...
Was forming 300blk cases from 223rem
Process is
Cut just at shoulder
Quick debur
Size in SB die
Trim to length
Clean to get rid of chips

I failed at trim to length - my setup is to chuck up an endmill in my lathe and put a fixture in the tool holder that locates the case on the shoulder.
First case starts long and I adjust the compound to get the right length - instead of measuring the length I dropped the case into the case gauge to check.
That doesn't seem to work right for newly formed brass
 
pastera said:
Was forming 300blk cases from 223rem
Process is
Cut just at shoulder
Quick debur
Size in SB die
Trim to length
Clean to get rid of chips

I failed at trim to length - my setup is to chuck up an endmill in my lathe and put a fixture in the tool holder that locates the case on the shoulder.
First case starts long and I adjust the compound to get the right length - instead of measuring the length I dropped the case into the case gauge to check.
That doesn't seem to work right for newly formed brass
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been using the squirrel daddy jig and only LC brass with 100% results. D8D896BA-6A12-4ECF-840A-BD5D142813B1.jpeg
 
slap shot said:
been using the squirrel daddy jig and only LC brass with 100% results. View attachment 596737
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That would be faster
I have a printed jig that holds 6 cases
Put that in the mill vise and press cycle start - about 45 seconds later pull the jig and restart. Wait time is plenty to debur the cuts.
I just need to get comfortable with cutting to exactly the right length as the slitting saw in the mill is very consistent.
 
pastera said:
Max case length is 1.368 so they are too long to safely load.
I should have setup for 1.363 but tried to skip walking across the basement
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All the case making turned me off of the 300 blk. I made 250 cases , got the upper running well on 200 gn cast pulled off a nice 10 shot group at 100 yards @ 1.138”
Guy on the bench next to me was impressed and offered me to much to say no for the upper and the remaining ammo.
 
pastera said:
That would be faster
I have a printed jig that holds 6 cases
Put that in the mill vise and press cycle start - about 45 seconds later pull the jig and restart. Wait time is plenty to debur the cuts.
I just need to get comfortable with cutting to exactly the right length as the slitting saw in the mill is very consistent.
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It’s definitely tricky until you get it locked down. The case stretches after you run it through the full length sizer so it’s trial and error at first. But now that I’ve found the right length I’ll never mess with it. I use the rockford Arsenal case prep center to debur in and out
 
i also need to streamline blackout case cutting. i have a bandsaw that id like to make a jig for with the proper blade. for now im doing it on a noisy drill press with a end mill bit. then putting the case in the case trimmer to put at the proper length which also means sizing then trimming again. its kind of embarrassing [rolleyes]. i guess im avoiding buying the mini chinese cut off saw

just buy the router set up for the dillon 550 and pump em out ayyy??$$$$$$

the bandsaw is also noisy
tumblr_p110lpn4hl1qbj6jho4_250.gif
 
ffej ruedorb said:
i also need to streamline blackout case cutting. i have a bandsaw that id like to make a jig for with the proper blade. for now im doing it on a noisy drill press with a end mill bit. then putting the case in the case trimmer to put at the proper length which also means sizing then trimming again. its kind of embarrassing [rolleyes]. i guess im avoiding buying the mini chinese cut off saw

just buy the router set up for the dillon 550 and pump em out ayyy??$$$$$$

the bandsaw is also noisy
tumblr_p110lpn4hl1qbj6jho4_250.gif
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Never thought about using the bandsaw - will need to see how fast I can cut using my printed fixture. I should be able to clamp a guide on the table and just slide them through.

Rendering of the fixture - print 2 and sandwich the cases.
300AAC cut block v4.png
 
pastera said:
Never thought about using the bandsaw - will need to see how fast I can cut using my printed fixture. I should be able to clamp a guide on the table and just slide them through.

Rendering of the fixture - print 2 and sandwich the cases.
View attachment 596862
Click to expand...
I think that would really sell well if you can mass produce them......great idea!!
 
Uzi2 said:
I think that would really sell well if you can mass produce them......great idea!!
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Tried it -just clamped a trim board to the saw table and set the speed to max (HF 4x6 horizontal/vertical saw)
A pain to hold 6 in the fixture but one at a time isn't bad
Cut quality isn't great but good enough to send through the forming die.
Seems like it would be quick as long as you remember to keep your fingers in the right place.
 

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pastera said:
Tried it -just clamped a trim board to the saw table and set the speed to max (HF 4x6 horizontal/vertical saw)
A pain to hold 6 in the fixture but one at a time isn't bad
Cut quality isn't great but good enough to send through the forming die.
Seems like it would be quick as long as you remember to keep your fingers in the right place.
Click to expand...
Is it just the pic or is that bandsaw blade beat? How many TPI?

I used to use the HF chop saw with good results. The best thing I ever did was buying a Giraud trimmer. Not to big fancy one but the one you power with a drill. It was about $100 and is amazing. I prefer it to the Dillon trimmer.
 

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