What did you do in the reloading room recently?

I got another BF556 case feeder up and running thanks to @AMV

He had a karma for the print and I built it out this weekend. The JGY370 motors are dirt cheap ($3 apiece) as opposed to the 634JS motors ($25) and I wanted to try one out.

Works fine for brass so I’ll probably just use the 634JS for bullets.

I’ll build another one out so that I don’t have to move thinks around. This means I can have dedicated ones for the APP, my press and the headstamp sorter.

They get easier as you go since you know all the wiring and the order to put everything in the box. Someone has PCB prints to simplify all the wiring but I didn’t snag any.

Using those feeders, I sorted 5000 9mm and 4000 223 cases by headstamp and then swaged 800 223 on the APP and primed them on my press. Now just time to drop powder and seat projectiles.
 
Received the Frankford Arsenal platinum case prep center today as well as a couple other case prep bits and pieces.
Set it up and cleaned up a few pieces of 223 to test it out.

Also got a primer tube holder that mounts to my case feeder. I’ve been slowly getting things to help organize the bench area.
IMG_0665.jpeg IMG_0664.jpeg
 
steve8140 said:
Received the Frankford Arsenal platinum case prep center today as well as a couple other case prep bits and pieces.
Set it up and cleaned up a few pieces of 223 to test it out.

Also got a primer tube holder that mounts to my case feeder. I’ve been slowly getting things to help organize the bench area.
View attachment 963909View attachment 963910
Click to expand...
Case trimmer is awesome i switched pocket cleaner for pocket reamer
 
The only problem I had with the FA case trim and prep center was my hands getting tired from holding the brass. At first I used a pair of pliers to grip the base, but bought the K&M shell holder (and Lee Auto Prime shell holder set).

The FA unit has been solid in my experience.
 
Want to try lilgun for 44 magnum. Lyman has nothing. Hidgedon website has data for jacketed 240 grain......I want to try this powder with cast......any suggestions on where to start. Hidgedon website only has data for cast

Screenshot_20250215_100622_Chrome.jpg
 
whacko said:
Want to try lilgun for 44 magnum. Lyman has nothing. Hidgedon website has data for jacketed 240 grain......I want to try this powder with cast......any suggestions on where to start. Hidgedon website only has data for cast

View attachment 964766
Click to expand...
Loaddata.com

It’s pretty cheap for a subscription. It’s a compilation of all the manuals you can think of plus all the handloader and similar articles over decades.

Download all the data you want and save it or print it. Well worth the scratch.
 
whacko said:
Want to try lilgun for 44 magnum. Lyman has nothing. Hidgedon website has data for jacketed 240 grain......I want to try this powder with cast......any suggestions on where to start. Hidgedon website only has data for cast
Click to expand...
Well, if you do try it in a revolver, maybe take some good pics of your forcing cone first. Hard to know what to think with these controversies.

Quickload and Gordon's both have Lil'Gun. I never trust the pressure and velocity they compute, but they're useful for a sanity check and to gauge the % effect of deeper insertion of one bullet design as compared to another. You can also change the initiation pressure to explore the effect of jacketed versus cast. You can get it set up for 240 grain JHP load you have Hodgdon data for and then switch over to the bullet you actually want to use and see how the predicted pressure and velocity react. Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I don't remember. Do you have a chrono?
 
Frustrating day today trying to load 223.

My Hornady Case Activated Powder Drop started spilling H335 when the case came back down. I doublechecked that I had the correct funnel, ensured I had good contact with the funnel in the powder drop and it just kept happening. Whether I did it quickly, slowly, tapped it, nothing stopped it. The grains were sticking around the shoulder, so it looked like static. I've never had a problem with static before, but I took a dryer sheet and rubbed down everything. It didn't solve the issue. Every time the case would come down, some powder would fall out. I decided that there was obviously so much static around and nothing I was going to do was going to resolve the issue. Hopefully tomorrow with the weather the problem will go away. In 4 hours, I did 15 finished rounds, so it was a complete bust of a day.
 
Felt like banging away on little steel plates with a 223 bolt gun the other day and didn't feel like loading up any rifle rounds, so grabbed a handful of Federal M193 5.56 rounds out of a bulk pack. I had one that wouldn't light off, even after multiple striker hits, just pulled it apart to measure a few things.

I have an RCBS shoulder and bullet mic like this, for 223: Precision Mic

Checked some unfired rounds, and the fired brass, and they all come in with the shoulder at 0.004" under zero. The one that wouldn't light off came in with the shoulder 0.020" under zero. I would guess that is the cause of the round not lighting off, it basically not headspacing and not holding tight against the bolt face. Or maybe my multiple whacks at a dud primer shoved the shoulder back? Chicken and egg I guess. It stands a little crooked so it seems like the extractor claw was holding the rim back as the striker shoved the case forward and cocked the rim a bit, which would sort of match up with it being sized a little short.

Checked the powder charge. It looks a lot like H335, same color and shape, but there was 28.2 grains in there with the 55 grain bullet. They did seem pretty peppy. Didn't chrono anything though. Rainy day reloading room nerdery...
 
Last edited:
ddeck said:
Frustrating day today trying to load 223.

My Hornady Case Activated Powder Drop started spilling H335 when the case came back down. I doublechecked that I had the correct funnel, ensured I had good contact with the funnel in the powder drop and it just kept happening. Whether I did it quickly, slowly, tapped it, nothing stopped it. The grains were sticking around the shoulder, so it looked like static. I've never had a problem with static before, but I took a dryer sheet and rubbed down everything. It didn't solve the issue. Every time the case would come down, some powder would fall out. I decided that there was obviously so much static around and nothing I was going to do was going to resolve the issue. Hopefully tomorrow with the weather the problem will go away. In 4 hours, I did 15 finished rounds, so it was a complete bust of a day.
Click to expand...
Sometimes you just have to take a break and restart. I had the powder bushing in upside down...hence the powder was spilling.

I'm going to blame Hornady's manual on this since this is the pic of the bushings:

1739728124855.png

There is a countersunk end that looks exactly like (1/4" maybe) that but it goes on the BOTTOM. There is a much deeper countersink (about an 1") that goes on the top. Later in the manual is states to put the deeper countersink on the top. Oh well, at least I figured it out before I got too frustrated. I should engrave it with a "TOP" so I never make the mistake again. I did write it in my manual though.
 
38ExtraSpecial said:
Those primers look fine. Nice shooting.
Click to expand...
Guess I was worried over nothing with seating the projos deeper. This 1892 is a fantastic rifle. I'll make a bunch of this load for it now. Goal is to take a deer in southern nh using it and my own hand loads next season so I'll have to put it to work at 50 and 100 yards on the outdoor range and see what shell do.
 
whacko said:
Guess I was worried over nothing with seating the projos deeper. This 1892 is a fantastic rifle. I'll make a bunch of this load for it now. Goal is to take a deer in southern nh using it and my own hand loads next season so I'll have to put it to work at 50 and 100 yards on the outdoor range and see what shell do.
Click to expand...
Then you need to your game and take one with your own cast bullets. That’s the real ticket.
 
I'd been loading 30/06 Garand loads with 46gr of IMR4895 and Hornady Interlock 3031 bullets.. They seem to cycle well and are accurate enough for my short range.

I got some Hornady 3037 FMJ BT bullets for a good price.. they appear to be a smidge longer but I can't find length specs on the Hornady website.. I can't find any official load data on this combination, although some forum posters are using 47-47.5 gr. I was gonna drop down to 44-45 gr to start.. any thoughts?
 
steve8140 said:
Picked up a couple thousand 38 special cases for next to nothing. Cleaned them over the past few weeks and separated the brass from the nickel cases today.

Also pulled out a bunch of 357 mag cases I found as I was going, a few 44 mag and about a dozen unfired wadcutters.
View attachment 964997
Click to expand...
I've got a few 5 gallon pails of 38 and 357. I gotta get more thru the tumbler......
 
EMTDAD said:
I'd been loading 30/06 Garand loads with 46gr of IMR4895 and Hornady Interlock 3031 bullets.. They seem to cycle well and are accurate enough for my short range.

I got some Hornady 3037 FMJ BT bullets for a good price.. they appear to be a smidge longer but I can't find length specs on the Hornady website.. I can't find any official load data on this combination, although some forum posters are using 47-47.5 gr. I was gonna drop down to 44-45 gr to start.. any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Honestly, you could run them at 46gr like the Interlocks. They're both 150gr and the difference in length really shouldn't matter a whole lot. I usually run 46.5gr IMR4895 with any 150gr bullet in my Garand and I haven't seen any pressure issues at all....but, your mileage may vary.
 
Mark from ? said:
What are the bullets in those Pete?

Now that I have a Tisas in 10mm and the Glock 20 I need to get into 10mm reloading a little more. Unfortunately I burnt the last of my bullets on a last loading of .40 cal for the G22. So Im looking for ideas.
Click to expand...
Missouri Bullet Company.
.401 dia
180 grain
Brinell 18
Coated

I've been using their stuff for years.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

reloading 270 WSM
Replies
0
Views
27
wjsmall97
W
Reloading dies many to choose from
Replies
2
Views
124
Patriot Firearms & Ammo
Patriot Firearms & Ammo
45-70 reloading
Replies
22
Views
380
Tekoa
T
Reloading deals
Replies
1
Views
171
Chevy 2 65
Chevy 2 65
best press for precision reloading?
2 3
Replies
89
Views
2K
northny
N
Back
Top Bottom