What did you do at your reloading bench today?

[85MikeTPI]

Cast a batch of the Savrog zeverboy using the non-split pin, and powder coated for testing at camp later this month. They come in between 550gn-560gn

Also resupplied my stash of 395gr 50cal for 12ga sabot testing and a few small pin pellet rounds for testing with the BPI AQ rifling wad. The 3/8” drill takes about 15gn from the back of the 525gn pellet slug, then the 40gn AQ rifling presses onto it for a 550gn payload

 

[jmg0037]

Reloaded 50 rounds of 9mm RN. Just started reloading again after 20+ years, felt good.
Also built a reloading bench this week.

 

[Sticky]

Reloaded 50 rounds of 9mm RN. Just started reloading again after 20+ years, felt good.
Also built a reloading bench this week. View attachment 417976

Welcome back to the addiction! lol

 

[jmg0037]

Welcome back to the addiction! lol

Thanks, I forgot what that felt like.

 

[trickg]

I thought I'd update this. I've been busier lately than a one-legged man in an arse kicking contest and haven't had a lot of time to spend at the reloading bench, but there are a couple of tidbits.

My wife wanted to invite our niece and nephew over one night and I introduced my nephew to reloading - he seems to like it. I picked up some 230 gr RN plated bullets for 45, so I figured we'd do the old fashioned 45 ACP Ball recipe - 5.0 gr Bullseye with the 230 gr RN.

He's typical of a teenager - they seem to think that faster is better, and after catching one that I know was a double charge, (reloading on a Dillon 550) once he'd finished and had gone home, I got out the kinetic puller and pulled all of them, then reloaded them to insure I didn't have either a squib or a double charge. The next time we do this, I'm going to be a bit more insistent that he slow down and really pay attention to the process. Fortunately it was only a batch of 100.

I also ordered a couple of dies today that I think are going to make an improvement in my process.

Die #1 is a Forster Bench Rest Ultra Micrometer Seater Die for 223 Remington.

Die #2 is a Mighty Armory Shorty Bull universal decapping die.

Both of these were suggested to me by 4G64Loser - I greatly appreciate and respect his knowledge and experience when it comes to things related to rifle marksmanship and reloading. I'd like to think that the Forster die is going to be a good investment for putting together rounds with a higher level of consistency, and the Mighty Armory decapping die is going to save me frustration - I've bent and broken so many danged pins on my Lee Universal decapping die that it had become a point of frustration. Hopefully the Mighty Armory decapping die is a good solution to that problem.

 

[guzma393]

I thought I'd update this. I've been busier lately than a one-legged man in an arse kicking contest and haven't had a lot of time to spend at the reloading bench, but there are a couple of tidbits.

My wife wanted to invite our niece and nephew over one night and I introduced my nephew to reloading - he seems to like it. I picked up some 230 gr RN plated bullets for 45, so I figured we'd do the old fashioned 45 ACP Ball recipe - 5.0 gr Bullseye with the 230 gr RN.

He's typical of a teenager - they seem to think that faster is better, and after catching one that I know was a double charge, (reloading on a Dillon 550) once he'd finished and had gone home, I got out the kinetic puller and pulled all of them, then reloaded them to insure I didn't have either a squib or a double charge. The next time we do this, I'm going to be a bit more insistent that he slow down and really pay attention to the process. Fortunately it was only a batch of 100.

I also ordered a couple of dies today that I think are going to make an improvement in my process.

Die #1 is a Forster Bench Rest Ultra Micrometer Seater Die for 223 Remington.

Die #2 is a Mighty Armory Shorty Bull universal decapping die.

Both of these were suggested to me by 4G64Loser - I greatly appreciate and respect his knowledge and experience when it comes to things related to rifle marksmanship and reloading. I'd like to think that the Forster die is going to be a good investment for putting together rounds with a higher level of consistency, and the Mighty Armory decapping die is going to save me frustration - I've bent and broken so many danged pins on my Lee Universal decapping die that it had become a point of frustration. Hopefully the Mighty Armory decapping die is a good solution to that problem.

The mighty armory decapping die works well for me. I like to use it to punch through undersized primer pocket holes that would normally bend or break my other decapping pins.

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[Harrys]

He's typical of a teenager - they seem to think that faster is better,

The young bull said to the old bull look at those heifers lets run down and breed one. The old bull said hold on let's just walk down and bread them all.

 

[bulabula]

I started cleaning off my reloading bench and getting it under control....

 

[Rockzilla]

Mighty Armory Dies..been using the decapper for a few years..makes short work of some
"TAA" headstamp brass , it likes to eat others decapping pins, use a lot of his dies, really like
the 9mm die, there are worth the money....and no I don't get and kick-backs from Wayne, just
good quality stuff...

-Rock

 

[4g64loser]

Mighty Armory Dies..been using the decapper for a few years..makes short work of some
"TAA" headstamp brass , it likes to eat others decapping pins, use a lot of his dies, really like
the 9mm die, there are worth the money....and no I don't get and kick-backs from Wayne, just
good quality stuff...

-Rock

Yeah I have posted it before but I'll post it again; Wayne makes great dies. His decapping dies are head and shoulders above any other. His sizers are very high quality and worth every penny if you load in high volume.

 

[lazarus]

More of "what have I done in the last week". Loads and loads for once (pun intended).

Pushed up my Nosler E-tip 120gr load for Grendel. I was very conservative before using GRT data to stay well off max pressure. I think I loaded it to what it thinks is about 49k PSI as the max. Now I am loading it a little warmer. I had a nice accuracy node near minimum loading (2100fps) and it was tightening up at the max I loaded (2300fps). It is also loaded real long, 1.315". About max for my Howa mini magazines (1.320" is max mag length, I don't want drag, hence the 5 thousands under max). I am guessing I can push it up to around 2350fps and probably only be slightly above max pressure for Grendel (maybe 54-55k), which should be absolutely fine for my Howa. 4 shot rungs at .2gr a run starting a little under the max I loaded before. These will probably be used for hunting at some point, so warmer would be better, but I don't want to wear out the brass in a single firing...

Then I loaded more 120 SMK for my Grendel. I have finally admitted to myself that I should have taken the advice I got on the board awhile back. If I want to see what the best one of my rifles can do for reloading, start with Sierra Match Kings and work from there for other brands and what not. My 223 Howa when I switched to 69gr SMK from Hornady 69s and RMR 69s turned from about 1.2MOA for the Horandy and 1.5 MOA for the RMR, a nice .9 MOA best from my first ladder. My Howa in 6.5G I've managed to turn in .9 MOA with Federal Fusions, but Hornady 123 HPBT is really running about 1.2MOA best. The 120gr SMK out of the gate had a .7MOA group at the lowest rung at about 2250fps and .9MOA at the top rung of 2450fps. Which is what I've generally found for CFE223. Two accuracy nodes, one within tenths of a grain of max or at max, and another one around 150-250fps under max. So I loaded another ladder at 5 shots a rung .2gr steps a little under that 2450fps load. IIRC the 2450fps was 31gr. So I loaded it at 30.8, 31, 31.2, 31.4gr, plus took it out to 2.260" from 2.250" I was at before. Should be 31.2gr max at 2.245", so 31.4" should be okay at 2.260 if that is where the best accuracy is. Not looking for the hottest, just the most accurate here.

Then loaded 20 round ladders of .223. Hornady 75gr BTHPs and 75gr ELD-m. I hadn't realized the 75s were meant to be loaded excessively long. IIRC all of the load data has them out at 2.380. I didn't intend them to be used in an AR, but looks like even at a reduced powder charge I cannot run them at 2.260" COAL as the ogive narrows too much. Those are also loaded at 2.315" for my Howa mini mags. I'll probably score some 73gr ELD-m, that are meant for 2.260" OAL. I can load the rounds out at 2.380 if I single load, but I don't wanna. I want to run them out of my Howa mags.

Then I loaded a big ladder of 100gr .312 RNFP FMJ for Tokarev using CFE Pistol. I found a video awhile back of someone working up a CFE Pistol load for 85gr bullets. My M57 is .312" between the grooves, slugged it. I scored 6k of those .312" 100gr RNFP FMJ bullets from American months ago, most for 4.7 cents a bullet with the intention of heavy Tokarev and 32acp loads. I just worked on what I figured was safe using BE for both 32acp and Tokarev based on a bit of cast data I could find for heavy bullets. Running it up in GRT for both, CFE Pistol seems a much better way to go.

Based on GRT, I should be able to get away with either 6.6 or 6.8gr of CFE pistol under those 100gr bullets to run somewhere around 1330-1350fps and still be a comfortable 1-2k psi under max pressure for the cartridge. I've got it loaded from 5.8 up to 6.8gr, 5 round guns.

Also some more .357 test cartridges. I keep trying to run my chorno when the sun is out and I am getting very inconsistent readings. Much more so than I know the gun is actually throwing (like a 200fps ES), along with not picking up rounds. I think ~21gr of H110 is where I want to be for 125gr XTPs, but I need to verify. Plus this time I am using sorted headstamp, rather than mixed. Even throwing out the obv bad data, I still have a pretty big SD compared to what I've seen with 158s, which were run on a cloudy day. Could be the nature of 125s out of my gun, but I think it is more unreliable data AND the 158s were all run in Winchester brass. Not mixed. Anyway, trying 20.8, 21, and 21.2gr of H110 for the 125s and I loaded some 158s again, but with CCI SR primers this time rather than Win SPM. See if there is any differences to be had. And lastly, I loaded a small ladder of 140 XTPs and H110. All sorted head stamp this time around.

And lastly I cranked out about 150 rounds of 62gr Armscor FMJBT .223, 100 147gr 9mm TMJ, and 40 rounds of 120gr TMJBT 6.5 grendel. Just stacking up some of my plinking ammo a bit more. That was this past week.

This coming week, I am hoping to get new ladders of 7.62x39 loaded up. My first try at it, my Magneto speed died and my Caldwell chrono was not accurately picking up the rounds. I have my replacement (they replaced it under warranty) Magneto speed and a Pro chrono DLX (the Caldwell also started fritzing). I am trying to get a load for CFE Black for Hornady .310 123 FMJs and Berry's 123 plated. Of course even with light loads, my SKS wants to send brass to the stratosphere. I figured out last time if I put my small tripod mounted brass catcher on my bench top tripod, I can put it over the top of my SKS so that the brass shoots up in to the brass catcher. Mostly it lands on or under the bench, but at least then I can find it. Versus most of it flying out into the grass in front of my bench, or deflecting off the roof of the range to who knows where, 15-20 feet away with 1/4th of it getting lost.

And I plan to work up a ladder of 168s in .308. Not sure if Hornady BTHP or Sierra BTHP (I have both). Using CFE223 or A2495. Not sure which. I might compare the two. If I get adventurous I might also load a ladder of 175 SMKs. If still feeling frisky, I'll load a bunch of M1 Carbine and maybe .357 with H110. I've got a container of H110 I want to use up. I am hoping to get to the range tomorrow morning and if is overcast enough, I'll run the 357s (first before it gets sunny!) over the Chrono. So I should have a better idea of how I want to load some of the H110 XTP loads.

 

[Yellowdog]

Just installed some LED lights on the bottom of my turret press.

 

[erwos]

Loaded, gauged, and cased about 500 rounds of 9mm in an hour tonight. Tomorrow will be more 9mm and probably some 45. Might do some 223 case processing if I'm feeling ambitious.

 

[Billcw]

This weekend
Loaded some of my new 375H&H 30-06 and some 30-06 ackley broke in my new to me Hornady powered powder measure which was nice . Also been cleaning moly of some bullets I had gotten from a friend .,

 

[erwos]

Did a few hundred 9 and 45 this morning. Might try some 223 processing tomorrow.

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[4g64loser]

Did a few hundred 9 and 45 this morning. Might try some 223 processing tomorrow.

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223 processing sucks.

I'll be wrapping up some 30BR case prep for someone tonight (I sure hope). Making them is a PITA. If I end up doing a barrel in 30br for my rifle, I will at least know what I'm getting into.

 

[erwos]

223 processing sucks.

I'll be wrapping up some 30BR case prep for someone tonight (I sure hope). Making them is a PITA. If I end up doing a barrel in 30br for my rifle, I will at least know what I'm getting into.

Yeah, I'm going to try to do a few thousand so I don't need to think about it again for a couple years.

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[4g64loser]

Yeah, I'm going to try to do a few thousand so I don't need to think about it again for a couple years.

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Haha. Misery. I trim on a Giraud so there's still a lot of handwork.

Upside of the care I take is I have managed to achieve solid results in some gasguns with single digit SDs. Capable of harassing fire into transonic with a 16" carbine.

 

[outrider58]

223 processing sucks.

I'll be wrapping up some 30BR case prep for someone tonight (I sure hope). Making them is a PITA. If I end up doing a barrel in 30br for my rifle, I will at least know what I'm getting into.

I processed about 2k .223 about a year or two(?) ago. That's about as far as I've gone with them. I think I need a new shoulder.

 

[HonestFool03]

223 processing sucks.

I'll be wrapping up some 30BR case prep for someone tonight (I sure hope). Making them is a PITA. If I end up doing a barrel in 30br for my rifle, I will at least know what I'm getting into.

The Lyman power trim express is a huge help. I set a tool head up on the 550 to deprime in station one and trim in station 2. Haven't found a more efficient or accurate solution.

But spendy, but processing rifle brass is a bear so it was worth it for me.

Other nice thing with it is you can form 300blk from 223 brass and trim it in one cycle.

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