- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,983
Lets!
What did you do at your reloading bench today?
- Thread starter ToolAA
- Start date
The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast
Member Benefits:
No ad networks! Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership Discuss anti-gun legislation Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses Discover free outdoor shooting areas View up to date on firearm-related events Share photos & video with other members ...and so much more!
Member Benefits:
Lets not and say we did
RuralRifleGuy
Active Member
Primed 99 5.56 cases in the short amount of free time I had today. Why 99? Because I apparently was unable to count to 100 when I trimmed and chamfered everything the other day. Decided to do the priming on my RCBS partner press since the primer pockets were swaged but still seemed difficult to seat, didn’t want the bench prime going off with a bunch of primers in it. Actually didn’t hate using the little primer arm on the press like I thought I would.
Also received 6.5 Grendel brass from Powder Valley today which means I have that to use if snowed in the next few days.
Also received 6.5 Grendel brass from Powder Valley today which means I have that to use if snowed in the next few days.
Did a test run of about 30 pieces of 5.56 loaded with 55gr and 27gr TAC on Thursday night. Everything gauged pretty nice at the end, so I suppose my case prep is improving.
Got my 300 AAC Hornady 125gr bullets today, so spent some time after Shabbos setting up my turret to load them. OAL is 2.09 (book is 2.1) to hit the cannelure, loaded with about 17.7gr of Lil Gun. I'll make up a few more of them on Sunday so I've got a reasonable test batch, and then we'll see how they cycle. I am still a little skeptical that I want to be shooting supers with 300AAC in the long term, but as an interim solution until I can source the right coated bullets for subs... sure, why not?
Also kinda tempted to try them out in 308 just to see how they perform... looks like TAC should work for that.
Got my 300 AAC Hornady 125gr bullets today, so spent some time after Shabbos setting up my turret to load them. OAL is 2.09 (book is 2.1) to hit the cannelure, loaded with about 17.7gr of Lil Gun. I'll make up a few more of them on Sunday so I've got a reasonable test batch, and then we'll see how they cycle. I am still a little skeptical that I want to be shooting supers with 300AAC in the long term, but as an interim solution until I can source the right coated bullets for subs... sure, why not?
Also kinda tempted to try them out in 308 just to see how they perform... looks like TAC should work for that.
I had some TAC but never reloaded it. TAC is a little faster than varget so probably does well in the 55gr range. It might do well with a heavier bullet 77gr too. You can be the tester.
Just looked TAC very close to 8208 XBR on the brin rate so should be fine.
Just looked TAC very close to 8208 XBR on the brin rate so should be fine.
platekiller
Ultimate Member
I’ve lost a few screws too.
Scrounger
Active Member
Filled both mixers with 5.56, no stray brass this time. Finally did a count of total cleaned. Each mixer gets 4 .50 cal cans of brass. I used to figure around 1000 5.56 per can. Well, 8 .50 cal cans totaled 9300+ pieces. So, each .50 cal can averages just over 1150 cases. After cleaning and sifting, the brass was bagged 500ea to a zip lock bag, 5 bags to a short forty can. I find the short forty cans work well for storing brass. One of the mixers is going to get new media, it didn’t clean as well as the other. I don’t want to think how many cases it has cleaned.
Cranked out the rest of my 300AAC super test load, plus about a hundred 45 ACP rounds (5.3gr Unique, 230gr bullet, at whatever OAL fit in the barrel). It's a pretty tame load for competition and plinking, plus it uses Unique, which I don't use for much else. I'll probably crank some more of them out after lunch. Having to load bulk blaster on the Lee Turret is reminding me why I love my Dillon 650 so much.
I also finally sourced some 217gr bullets for my 300, so I'm looking forward to loading those up to see if maybe I can get better results than from my 240gr experiments.
ETA: got through another 100-200 45 after lunch. This is enough to shoot for a competition, so I guess it's time to get a few more 1911 mags and mag pouches...
I also finally sourced some 217gr bullets for my 300, so I'm looking forward to loading those up to see if maybe I can get better results than from my 240gr experiments.
ETA: got through another 100-200 45 after lunch. This is enough to shoot for a competition, so I guess it's time to get a few more 1911 mags and mag pouches...
Last edited:
Inventoried my stash after a 9 month Hiatus only to realize I am light 556 brass and cleaning up the table for a another run. Looking at the weather I will probably get busy setting up my press tomorrow.
- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,983
Just started cleaning a 5 gal. bucket full of 5.56 brass to start loading. This might take a while...Lol
85MikeTPI
Ultimate Member
- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,983
I was thinking about that. I'm not kidding.That's where the HF concrete mixer comes in handy..
- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,983
Is this what you are talking about?That's where the HF concrete mixer comes in handy..
https://www.harborfreight.com/1-1-4-quarter-cubic-ft-compact-cement-mixer-91907.html
missedthebarn
Member
- Jan 1, 2021
- 76
I remembered when I didn't get mad about losing 2 primers on the floor.
85MikeTPI
Ultimate Member
Yes, that's the small one, they sell a slightly larger one also.
Don't install the mixing fins inside, silicone the holes.
A 5-gal bucket fits inside the opening that keeps the dust down
- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,983
You use pins with this method?
Scrounger
Active Member
That mixer is probably too small. I have two of these.
https://www.harborfreight.com/build...e/3-1-2-half-cubic-ft-cement-mixer-67536.html
They go on sale regularly. I paid $169.99 for mine beginning of last year.
Scrounger
Active Member
This is one of them in action. And yes the picture is not good.
