dickieray
Well-Known Member
I found it!
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What did you do in the reloading room today?
- Thread starter Mike Overlay
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Charlie R
You can't take ammo home!
OK, so this evening I decided that I could stop work on the Ark that I had started to build after all of the weather forecasts this week and I loaded up a ladder for the .243 for when the weather breaks. Also learned something about the Forster Coax Press.
When I used my Rock Chucker to seat bullets, I got in the habit of seating the bullet and then rotating the cartridge 120 degrees and seating again, then once more at 120 degrees. My theory was that it would improve concentricity by distributing any variation in seating evenly around the neck. I am not sure if it worked or not as I did not use a concentricity gauge then. Anyway, I carried the habit over to the Coax Press. Tonight a seated some bullets without rotating and compared the two. The single seating step on the Coax was almost twice as concentric as the three pull system.
Live and learn.
Next I guess I will look at removing the rubber O-rings from my neck sizing die to see if I get any improvement in shoulder set back or concentricity with that change. My operational theory at this point is that the free floating die and shell holder in the Coax do a better job than my ad hoc attempts at improving concentricity myself. It speeds up reloading a lot also. Yeah!!!!
Going to have to find a new way to satisfy my OCD tendencies I guess.
When I used my Rock Chucker to seat bullets, I got in the habit of seating the bullet and then rotating the cartridge 120 degrees and seating again, then once more at 120 degrees. My theory was that it would improve concentricity by distributing any variation in seating evenly around the neck. I am not sure if it worked or not as I did not use a concentricity gauge then. Anyway, I carried the habit over to the Coax Press. Tonight a seated some bullets without rotating and compared the two. The single seating step on the Coax was almost twice as concentric as the three pull system.
Live and learn.
Next I guess I will look at removing the rubber O-rings from my neck sizing die to see if I get any improvement in shoulder set back or concentricity with that change. My operational theory at this point is that the free floating die and shell holder in the Coax do a better job than my ad hoc attempts at improving concentricity myself. It speeds up reloading a lot also. Yeah!!!!
Going to have to find a new way to satisfy my OCD tendencies I guess.
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After reading @JimB 's post about moisture in his bagged reloads, I decided to go through my recently bagged reloads and drop a desiccant packet in each since I have like 20 small packets laying around. May grab some color indicating ones on amazon like below.
50 pack of 10gr packets, $15
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3SP3J6/ref=psdc_9425949011_t3_B00BP2QCO0?th=1
50 pack of 10gr packets, $15
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3SP3J6/ref=psdc_9425949011_t3_B00BP2QCO0?th=1
Now I'm clearly just wasting time, some 110gr .357 mag loads. Working on another batch here, trying to use up all the bullets I have on hand for 357.
One upside to the hurricane, no power, not much to do, I have really caught up on one of the things I usually put off to long, brass sorting.
No power to tumble or anything else like that but at least everything will be sorted by the end of today. Wish I had power to process .223 brass as that’s my second least favorite activity in the reloading room.
No power to tumble or anything else like that but at least everything will be sorted by the end of today. Wish I had power to process .223 brass as that’s my second least favorite activity in the reloading room.
Charlie R
You can't take ammo home!
Like they say, "make hay while the sun shines!". I guess there is something to be said for the converse as well. As you are busy sorting brass rather running a chain saw, filling sand bags, or hold up in a hotel, I assume you are riding things out pretty well. Stay safe.
Yea, not having a real bad time of it. Had several sections of fence knocked down and lost the door to my mailbox, but all in all can’t complain too much.
Now if I have to go a long time without power the whining will go into overtime.
I bought a new cabinet from work to put reloading supplies in. Retail was $606, it had gotten some dents in it, mostly in the back, and I got it for $45. Got a second one for my son's garage. They are 27" wide, 10" deep and 80" tall, and lockable. Spent today getting stuff organized for reloading.
Charlie R
You can't take ammo home!
My wife accuses me of "wasting time" in the reloading room, I prefer think of it as an "intervention". "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop and such".
The last thing I did in the reloading room, yesterday, was finishing up an extension cable for the generator. 30A 240V twistlock extension. So far, I have not needed it.
I hope to get out there tonight and start doing some actual reloading.
I hope to get out there tonight and start doing some actual reloading.
Now we're just getting silly. I bought the Lee dies and trim gauge, etc when I got the rifle 4 years ago and haven't used any of it. I have however kept my eyes open for brass left at the range so now I have reloads for a rifle that I don't actually shoot.....
220gr SMKs, 8.4gr Lil'Gun, mag primers. That's what the Hogdon page says is subsonic. At this rate, we'll never know.
I've never used the 220gr SMKs, I usually use 168/175 in my 308 but had this one box from somewhere. It's amazing how much bullet is stuffed into that tiny 300BLK case:
220gr SMKs, 8.4gr Lil'Gun, mag primers. That's what the Hogdon page says is subsonic. At this rate, we'll never know.
I've never used the 220gr SMKs, I usually use 168/175 in my 308 but had this one box from somewhere. It's amazing how much bullet is stuffed into that tiny 300BLK case:
Not feeling well but also can’t sit around and do nothing...
1)loaded 200rd of 9mm 147gr
2)cleaned and sorted all of my range pick up brass from last weekend
3)prepped 50 pieces of .308 brass that has crimped primers. Hoping to get another 100 done today.
I can’t stress how easy the RCBS military crimp cutter is!
1)loaded 200rd of 9mm 147gr
2)cleaned and sorted all of my range pick up brass from last weekend
3)prepped 50 pieces of .308 brass that has crimped primers. Hoping to get another 100 done today.
I can’t stress how easy the RCBS military crimp cutter is!
nbkky71
Well-Known Member
Ugh. Got all this set up to load ammo and I've been stuck inside all day with the rain. Did I load any ammo? Absolutely not... I've been doing laundry most of the day for the family.
Charlie R
You can't take ammo home!
So after three days of this insipid rainfall, I have sorted, deprimed, cleaned, annealed, resized and trimmed every piece of rifle and pistol brass in the place. I even straightened the bench up some. I learned that I don't have enough space to store all of the brass when it is all clean and that I don't have enough bullets or primers to load them all. So two short comings that will have to be corrected in the near future.
One more day and I may load a ladder for the .223 and put up some new loads to try with the .40 S&W.
Another week of this and I will be completely out of things to do out there and will have to start talking to the kids!!!!!
One more day and I may load a ladder for the .223 and put up some new loads to try with the .40 S&W.
Another week of this and I will be completely out of things to do out there and will have to start talking to the kids!!!!!
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Loaded 70 rounds of 204 Ruger (first time reloading this caliber)
20 V-Max 32 - 32.0 gns of 8208 - 4130 ft/sec
20 V-Max 40 - 27.3 gns of 8208 - 3754 ft/sec
20 V-Max 40 - 25.7 gns of Benchmark - 3646 ft/sec
30 V-Max 32 - 28.0 gns of Benchmark -4047 ft/sec
20 V-Max 32 - 32.0 gns of 8208 - 4130 ft/sec
20 V-Max 40 - 27.3 gns of 8208 - 3754 ft/sec
20 V-Max 40 - 25.7 gns of Benchmark - 3646 ft/sec
30 V-Max 32 - 28.0 gns of Benchmark -4047 ft/sec
Added 1k pieces of .300BLK converted brass to the stockpile. Figured for $80 why the heck not.
Over the weekend, I loaded up some 223 test rounds using brass from my first batch of salt-bath annealed cases. Just wanted to see if the annealing would affect velocity due to possible change in neck tension. In case it did change things, I worked up 4 different charge levels above/below my standard load of 23.1gn 8208 behind Hornady 75 bthp bullets. I did not notice much difference in velocity, but the standard deviation might be slightly better (would need a larger population to really tell). But what I did notice is that, out of 23 rounds, there was only one flyer that was outside a 1" group @ 100 yards. I was happy with that. After the range trip, I decapped all the brass and cleaned the guns.
I converted one of my fluorescent light fixtures to LED. I bought the tubes off Amazon. I got the tubes that allow 120v to go directly to the tube, completely negating the need for a ballast. However, I had to modify the sockets at one end in order to make this work. It did not take long, and I was happy with the results.
I converted one of my fluorescent light fixtures to LED. I bought the tubes off Amazon. I got the tubes that allow 120v to go directly to the tube, completely negating the need for a ballast. However, I had to modify the sockets at one end in order to make this work. It did not take long, and I was happy with the results.
FatboyFlash
Senior Member
Sorted through 3k or so 9mm brass, weeding out the FM, IMT, and IMA head stamps.
Swage-'em all! I hate squinting at brass and sorting crap so I just swage ALL 9mm cases. Dillon Super Swage makes that an easy chore and it eliminates many stoppages during the loading process later.
I have the Dillon, and wish I had started with it. I tried the CH4D swager, and also used the RCBS cutter for a long time, before I got the Dillon.
I sort the 9mm like you, but I pull out all crimped pockets and set them to the side. I have a large batch of brass that I keep recycling and have already processed all for crimped pockets, right now I am just using those to reload, all new range pickup goes into a bucket that I will save for later, or sell.
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Needed to cast some 45 70 bullets. Casted about 150 but they were too hard. Melted them down today and casted 30 this time. Added more lead to soften the bullet and add weight to them. May have to do it one more time.
FatboyFlash
Senior Member
I’m loading on a 1050 so it swages every pocket. I get maybe 1 per 2000 that doesn’t decap but I feel it at the swaging station so I’ll pull it and throw it back in the case feeder. They always decap the 2nd time around.
Finally put my FA wet tumbler to use for the first time. My brass looks new! Now I see why people love wet tumbling so much.
I still have to fine tune my process for rifle brass processing since I would prefer to deprime before tumbling but that means I’ll have to tumble again to remove the case lube.
I still have to fine tune my process for rifle brass processing since I would prefer to deprime before tumbling but that means I’ll have to tumble again to remove the case lube.
That is what I do with rifle brass. I decap, tumble without pins for ~ 15 minutes, dry, lube, size, then tumble with pins for ~ 1 hour. They don't have to be completely dry before lubing and sizing.
The first thing I do when I get back from the range is to sort and decap all the brass. I don't have any brass in my inventory, dirty or otherwise, that has not been decapped. I throw it in a bucket or bin to be processed later.
Ikarus1
Avtomat Krishna-kov
Just get a universal depriming die, clean, resize, then trim prep and swage or whatever. Case lube can stay on or you can tumble it off your choice. I just tumble again and store it unless I'm using them right away then they get wiped with rag and thrown into a tray for use.
Ikarus1
Avtomat Krishna-kov
is that John Deere green?Refurbishing a 50 year old press. You have to love RCBS for their lifetime warranty.
Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
Nope. I'll have to get back with the exact color. I stood in front of the spray paint for about 15 minutes looking at all shades of green. Even JD green. When I spotted that one it looked exactly like all the RCBS boxes I have and I said to myself "That's it."
Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
Ikarus1
Avtomat Krishna-kov
nailed it guvnah!Here it is.
Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
Charlie R
You can't take ammo home!
Started loading .40 cal with 4.0 gn. of CleanShot. Had great results, single digit extreme spread and <5 Standard deveiation AWESOME, Loved it. Alas, went to the last gun show to try to score 4-8 lbs and the cupboard was bare. Was informed that they are having some consistency issues and some supply problems. It actually sounded more like the imported was selling around his distributors, much to their displeasure - understandably. Anyway, long story short, no more CleanShot and the search for another load began. Tried VV N320 pretty good. got 173 power factor, but was not satisfied because logically, shooting a 6 inch barrel, I should be able to use a slower powder and "soften up" the recoil. The go to was VV N340, but almost no data on it for 200 gn polymer coated bullets (Blue Bullets).
That left me to "hmmm and haw" and study loading manuals (one of which was "Pet Loads" by Ken Waters) over it for a month or so and finally settled on a charge that I was reasonable sure would not blow up the gun. I loaded up 20 rounds to see what would happen and took them to the range today. First shots did not blow up the gun and the primers showed less pressure sign than on the VV N320, so I put the rest across the Chronograph. Well, Bingo, 173 power factor and softer than the VV N320.
Will load up some down a 10th of a grain and see if I set it dead on 170.
At any rate, I have my replacement albeit a more costly one than CleanShot.
That left me to "hmmm and haw" and study loading manuals (one of which was "Pet Loads" by Ken Waters) over it for a month or so and finally settled on a charge that I was reasonable sure would not blow up the gun. I loaded up 20 rounds to see what would happen and took them to the range today. First shots did not blow up the gun and the primers showed less pressure sign than on the VV N320, so I put the rest across the Chronograph. Well, Bingo, 173 power factor and softer than the VV N320.
Will load up some down a 10th of a grain and see if I set it dead on 170.
At any rate, I have my replacement albeit a more costly one than CleanShot.
Charlie R
You can't take ammo home!
I have AA #5, but I confess I have not looked to see what kind of recipes are out there for 200 gn polymer coated bullets. I will take a look as a back up, but right now, I am kinda happy with the N340 and if I can drop a 10th and still make it, it will be a very soft shooting round.
I also like the density of the powder, I don't think there is anyway you could double load with it. It is much less dense than Titegroup or Clean Shot. In fact, it is a stick powder, but meters well enough on my 650.
FatboyFlash
Senior Member
Cleaned and dried another 2000 cases