What did you do in the reloading room recently?

gerrycaruso said:
After the paper patch dried, I applied imperial sizing wax. It didn't help so I just gave up on the 45/70. Do you use computer paper or something specifically for paper patching? Computer paper is almost twice as thick as 9 pound onion skin paper but it's what I need for the 43 Spanish.
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I use 9# onion skin.
Can you try to use a different lube? I like bore butter.

What are you sizing the bullets to? I size down to .453” and patch up to .459” with onion skin.
 
EMTDAD said:
I'll say it.. I almost enjoy reloading more than shooting.. I can reload in my basement in peace, don't need to lug gear b&f to the range.. no dealing with other people..
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My favorite part of reloading in my fortress of solitude is when something I've done 100 times suddenly doesn't work the same and I'm left perplexed and frustrated ;-)

Seriously....agree 100% with you.
 
EddieZoom said:
My favorite part of reloading in my fortress of solitude is when something I've done 100 times suddenly doesn't work the same and I'm left perplexed and frustrated ;-)

Seriously....agree 100% with you.
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I spent an hour trying to get the primer tube autofeed set up on my LnL single stage..
 
Well my winter brass prep is drawing to an end. Did the last of 6.5 CM and the .308 yesterday. 400 pcs of .223 left to trim and that’s it.

But I needed a change, so today I loaded 200 rounds of my standard 6.5 load on Dillon 550 (it mimics Hornady 147 eld Match). Then shifted over and loaded 50 rounds 308 168 Eld match, and the other 50 rounds in box was varying 4064 powder charges of 308 168 A max I use hunting looking for a little better accuracy

Then I took the Dillon 550 that is set up for .308 base cartridges off the bench, and swapped in the 550 that is set up for .223 onto the bench. I need to get a couple hundred .223 made for the bolt gun . Hopefully this weekend

Then I just need a warmer day with less wind so I can go play at the 1000 yard range next week
 
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First reloads today!!!
I have trying to break into shotshell reloading for quite some time.
I bought a used MEC 20G VersaMec for cheap and a 16G 600jr MK 5 to get me started.

So I finally got everything together and really wanted to try to load a few shells.
Did I simple 20G 2 3/4" 7/8 load on my Versamec loader.
Winchester 572 Win. 209 CB 1078-20 18.8 9,600 1,250

I was using a #18 MEC bushing which should drop 18.7g of H572 per the bushing charts.
My scale hasn't come in yet so I couldn't verify the powder drop from the bushing so I was a bit nervous.
This was more of a experiment to see everything come together.
I'll also add I don't plant to shoot any of these 3 shells and I already dissembled them.


download(3).thumb.jpg.41ef26cd0f3a99f96360dfbf6c87c618.jpg

download(2).thumb.jpg.ee2da9928d00e1b87e76525f5c3ce31c.jpg
 
RDG said:
First reloads today!!!
I have trying to break into shotshell reloading for quite some time.
I bought a used MEC 20G VersaMec for cheap and a 16G 600jr MK 5 to get me started.

So I finally got everything together and really wanted to try to load a few shells.
Did I simple 20G 2 3/4" 7/8 load on my Versamec loader.
Winchester 572 Win. 209 CB 1078-20 18.8 9,600 1,250

I was using a #18 MEC bushing which should drop 18.7g of H572 per the bushing charts.
My scale hasn't come in yet so I couldn't verify the powder drop from the bushing so I was a bit nervous.
This was more of a experiment to see everything come together.
I'll also add I don't plant to shoot any of these 3 shells and I already dissembled them.


download(3).thumb.jpg.41ef26cd0f3a99f96360dfbf6c87c618.jpg

download(2).thumb.jpg.ee2da9928d00e1b87e76525f5c3ce31c.jpg
Click to expand...
Crimps look pretty good. Get that scale ASAP. I've found that MEC bushing/powder chart to be "sorta/kinda close". I've had to go up/down a bushing at times to achieve the amount of powder the recipe called for.
 
I just got my Super-1050 back from having Dillon go through it. It was untold number of years old when got it a bunch of years ago. It looked almost like new and rotated smooth as butter.👍

I was however having huge issues with primer pullback where the primer would be 90% pushed out of the case but would not fall free into the catch bin.
The spent primer would then be pushed back into the pocket by the swaging station. This would cause a terrible jam when it tried to shove another primer in. 🤯
I tried everything I could to remedy it including the tips from Gary, Dillon's "human manual" to no avail.
Finally I took the decapping pin and laid it on my anvil and tapped the tip with a hammer just hard enough to take it slightly out of round.
Bingo Bango success! With the tip not perfectly round the same as the primer, allowed the used primer to pop free.
Now the press glides along, spitting out high quality loads once again. [banana]
 
so.. I'm sitting on about $440 in Bass Pro points.. I can get a Hornady LnL AP press kit for about $522 ($550 Scheels price match + 5% off as a Club member). Almost a $150 savings off list price.

I'm currently running a LnL Classic single stage.. and reloading 30-06, 9mm, & 357M. Soon to add 45ACP to the list.. My biggest complaint with the LnL is the primer system.. It either drops no primer, or I get 2 dropped, and am stuck finding one on the floor.
 
Been spending a little time in the reloading room treating my OCCD.... Obsessive Compulsive Consistency Disorder. Its been getting worse ever since i retired and started reloading more, and started shooting the AR Match rifle built. Now im having a Rem. 700 match rifle in .223 built so i can get into F-class shooting. Going to be using Berger 85.5 match bullets. I weighed a box of a thousand and they all come in at 85.46-85.54 a .08 of a grain spread. Good consistency there. My next peeve is consistent seating depth, based on the bullets ogive. Ive been having issues trying to get consistent seating depth because ive been loading bullets long, seating .010 off the lands. Ive been getting variations of anywhere beween .003-.007 +- in spread. Im thinking variations in base to ogive are causing this. So i measured the lot of bullets and came up with .4910-.4935 in variation. A .0035 spread. I segregated into lots of .4910-.4915, .4920-.4925, and .4930-.4935. Before, when seating a bullet off of the ogive, i had to dial in each round 2-3 times on the press. I'm using a redding competition micrometer seating die on an LeWilson single stage press with a match shell holder. Maybe i'm chasing something something i'll never catch, but i've always thought one should be able to set the dial on the micrometer seater and be able to seat the bullet with one pull of the handle. We will see when i start seating these. See some pics below of my OCCD tools.......At least its relaxing if anything........ IMG_0020.jpeg IMG_0021.jpeg IMG_0022.jpeg
 
BTSDOG said:
Been spending a little time in the reloading room treating my OCCD.... Obsessive Compulsive Consistency Disorder. Its been getting worse ever since i retired and started reloading more, and started shooting the AR Match rifle built. Now im having a Rem. 700 match rifle in .223 built so i can get into F-class shooting. Going to be using Berger 85.5 match bullets. I weighed a box of a thousand and they all come in at 85.46-85.54 a .08 of a grain spread. Good consistency there. My next peeve is consistent seating depth, based on the bullets ogive. Ive been having issues trying to get consistent seating depth because ive been loading bullets long, seating .010 off the lands. Ive been getting variations of anywhere beween .003-.007 +- in spread. Im thinking variations in base to ogive are causing this. So i measured the lot of bullets and came up with .4910-.4935 in variation. A .0035 spread. I segregated into lots of .4910-.4915, .4920-.4925, and .4930-.4935. Before, when seating a bullet off of the ogive, i had to dial in each round 2-3 times on the press. I'm using a redding competition micrometer seating die on an LeWilson single stage press with a match shell holder. Maybe i'm chasing something something i'll never catch, but i've always thought one should be able to set the dial on the micrometer seater and be able to seat the bullet with one pull of the handle. We will see when i start seating these. See some pics below of my OCCD tools.......At least its relaxing if anything........View attachment 983735View attachment 983736View attachment 983737
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You can do all that stuff if you want, but i defy you to show that it makes a difference on a target.

BUT, I always add the caveat: if you THINK it makes a difference, it does.
 

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