What did you do in the reloading room recently?

I too have had the pleasure of case sorting by the decapping pin ..
But I see the 9mm Norma as very different than the small primer 45:
The Norma cases can't be decapped by normal means, by normal dies, and so they are no use to me and tossed aside.
45 small primer cases are actually useful, because they can be reloaded with normal tools (but also a sore to sort, done at the priming station... )
I put my small primer .45s aside. When I have enough I load them and use them at a match where I don’t get my brass back.
 
In starting my winter marathon Pistol Round reloading I was doing 9mm today. Ran across some Norma brass I must have picked up on the range. I thought “This should be good stuff”. Yeah no. Some moron at Norma decided that the flash holes in 9mm were too big, so made these with a smaller flash hole making it difficult if not impossible to de-prime and resize. Probably the same idiot who decided small primers should be in .45 ACP.
Interesting. I’ve never had issues with norma 9mm brass using Lee dies. Though the majority of my 9mm brass is not norma. But I do come across it often
 
Ohhh
What do you seat to? This is where my being a newb comes in to play. I split the COL difference with the load data I had, whilst being on the higher end for H110 (Lyman max always seems lower than others though at 33.5) Lyman told me to go to 1.610 and Hodgdon website says 1.6 for 240’s. Since I didn’t trim the cases,
they were all just about halfway between those two. 🤷🏼‍♂️

I’d smoosh em in a few more thousandths if they weren’t crimped. Next time! I appreciate any feedback and advice. You shoot a lot more .44 than I do. Thank you!
I’ll check my loads in a little bit. But I think it’s ~1.60"?

The cannelure on the Zeros are further down on the bullet compared to XTPs for instance. They’re also shorter bullets than XTPs. So if you seat to the Hodgdon suggested OAL, there will be more space in the case and less pressure etc.
 
I’ll check my loads in a little bit. But I think it’s ~1.60"?

The cannelure on the Zeros are further down on the bullet compared to XTPs for instance. They’re also shorter bullets than XTPs. So if you seat to the Hodgdon suggested OAL, there will be more space in the case and less pressure etc.
I was off. ~1.574" is where I seat them
 
A bit deeper. What, and how much are you typically seating them over? I see what you mean about wanting to catch the cannelure though, I’m definitely at the lower limit of it even being useful. I didn’t do a heavy crimp either.
Ya you want to be able to “roll” the casemouth into the cannelure when you crimp them. You’ll want a firm crimp loading with H110. Those loads will shoot fine - not going to blow up the gun or anything. You MIGHT just get low or inconsistent velocities and some unburned powder
With H110 I’m usually 23-23.5 gr.
 
Started setting up my RT1500 for the first time and started sizing and trimming 223.

Now I’m researching to see if I’m doing something wrong or need to adjust something.
Most cases come out with curls of shaved brass and a few with jagged edges.
 

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Started setting up my RT1500 for the first time and started sizing and trimming 223.

Now I’m researching to see if I’m doing something wrong or need to adjust something.
Most cases come out with curls of shaved brass and a few with jagged edges.

Internet says it does not debur/chamfer, so that is expected. I looked into this tool and found it still required removal of the case for that step.

As stated below, Giraud does all three steps in one. Others make them as well
 
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Mixed brass or same lots?

First guess either something it loose and allowing vibration, or the tool is chipped? What is the consistency of the length?

The solution to your issue likely arrives in a Giraud box. Trim to 1.740 once and you won't have to trim them again before they neck crack or you're close to base separation.
 
Started setting up my RT1500 for the first time and started sizing and trimming 223.

Now I’m researching to see if I’m doing something wrong or need to adjust something.
Most cases come out with curls of shaved brass and a few with jagged edges.
I got the Giraud .223 tri-way trimmer sitting on my reloading bench. Haven't used it in a couple years at least. Between being lazy and having a crap ton of factory 223, I haven't reloaded 223 in a while. Last time I ended up shipping my brass out to be processed to save me the headaches of brass prep.

Anyway, I'd sell it to you at a reasonable price if interested. Looks like they're $110 new plus shipping. It works great. I chuck it into my cordless drill and then lock the drill in my vise. Trims, chamfers, and deburs all in one.
 
I have excellent results with the ones I have set up according to Dillon's instructions. They all cut a beautiful edge, but do require chamfer and debur...
Looking at your results there makes me think you are trimming only and not resizing at the same time?
 
I have excellent results with the ones I have set up according to Dillon's instructions. They all cut a beautiful edge, but do require chamfer and debur...
Looking at your results there makes me think you are trimming only and not resizing at the same time?
I am sizing in station one and everything check out fine in my case gauge.

Took off the cutting blade, checked to make sure it’s good and even rotated to a different edge. Still has the same results.

Setup is a Dillon 650,
Stage 1 - deprime
Stage 2 & 3 - empty
Stage 4 - trim
Stage 5 - empty
 
Mixed brass or same lots?

First guess either something it loose and allowing vibration, or the tool is chipped? What is the consistency of the length?

The solution to your issue likely arrives in a Giraud box. Trim to 1.740 once and you won't have to trim them again before they neck crack or you're close to base separation.
Mixed cases. I’m not doing anything for precision. Just blasting ammo.

I’ve gone over everything 10 times and can’t find anything loose. The bench is solid and secure, press is fine, pulled apart, cleaned and checked all parts and pieces of the conversion kit when I swapped over from 9mm.
 
I understand the RT1500 only trims and does not chamfer or debur. I guess I’m just expecting a little cleaner of a cut.
I’ve found you can get a little better result with some technique. Brass is soft and can just roll and burr when you push hard.
Try a lighter touch and see if it works out better.

That being said the giraud tri way trimmer is the way to go.
 
I see a lot of reloaded JHP ammo here.. there was some discussion a while back about using reloads in defensive ammo.. from reliability questions to legal defense questions..
I've not yet taken a stab at reloading hollow points.. just range ammo for the most part..

what say you all about reloading defensive ammo?
 
I hand load my defense ammo. Meaning I hand prime the cases and check each one. I use my Dillon SDB to throw a charge into a case, but I transfer it and weigh it on my charge master scale then transfer it, seat bullet and crimp in SDB.

Yeah it's slow, but I only load about 500 per year and I want to be sure they are all the same.
 
I see a lot of reloaded JHP ammo here.. there was some discussion a while back about using reloads in defensive ammo.. from reliability questions to legal defense questions..
I've not yet taken a stab at reloading hollow points.. just range ammo for the most part..

what say you all about reloading defensive ammo?
If you shoot someone in MA your life is at the very least financially over for a long time. They’re going to drag your body through hot broken glass in court. What’s one more charge?
That being said carry ammo is cheap and you don’t need much. Reload for the range practice ammo. Use the same component as your carry ammo so you can make sure it’s all nicey nice but you can buy a couple boxes of the factory stuff if you’re worried about the 273rd charge they’re going to hit you with.
 
I see a lot of reloaded JHP ammo here.. there was some discussion a while back about using reloads in defensive ammo.. from reliability questions to legal defense questions..
I've not yet taken a stab at reloading hollow points.. just range ammo for the most part..

what say you all about reloading defensive ammo?

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I see a lot of reloaded JHP ammo here.. there was some discussion a while back about using reloads in defensive ammo.. from reliability questions to legal defense questions..
I've not yet taken a stab at reloading hollow points.. just range ammo for the most part..

what say you all about reloading defensive ammo?
Go ahead and reload if that's what you'd like to do.
 
I see a lot of reloaded JHP ammo here.. there was some discussion a while back about using reloads in defensive ammo.. from reliability questions to legal defense questions..
I've not yet taken a stab at reloading hollow points.. just range ammo for the most part..

what say you all about reloading defensive ammo?
Got a good deal on Zero 115s HP a while ago
Have used them for anything but range fodder but I'm certain that sitting on a stout charge of Silhouette they would do a good job of ruining some jackwads plans.
 
Got a good deal on Zero 115s HP a while ago
Have used them for anything but range fodder but I'm certain that sitting on a stout charge of Silhouette they would do a good job of ruining some jackwads plans.
Good thing you got them when you did, I heard from a friend of a friend that heard something at a gun shop about HP being limited to a purchase of 25 per year by the incoming new AG.

@andrewCZ I haven't had one drink yet.
 
I see a lot of reloaded JHP ammo here..
I load JHP for competitive shooting through a compensated and ported barrel. A slower hotter powder is used to get the most gas to work the compensator. JHPs do not have any exposed lead like a FMJ does at the base, this keeps the barrel and compensator chambers cleaner and free from lead deposits. JHPs also seems to be among the more accurate bullets even in a standard pistol barrel
 
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