What did you do at your reloading bench today?

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  • Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,501
    AA Co
    If you shoot a lot of 223, you'll thank me later if you invest in a good progressive. I can do 200 rounds of 223 in less than 30 minutes on my Dillon 550, and that's slow compared to guys with a 650/750 setup with case and bullet feeders.
    He's right, broke down and setup a 750 for 9 and 223 so far, still have to setup 308, 300BO and 45 but I have most of what I need for those. Went down tonight and replaced a missing part in my powder measure, took a few mins to dial it back in and cranked out a handful of 55gr vmax over H335 (which I hate because it leaks everywhere... but it shoot well). It took less than 15 mins to crank out about 150rds, but I had already filled the bullet feeder which takes a little time to do.
     

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    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    Loaded and gauged another 300 9mm last night in a short session. 200 to go to get back to where I need to be. Due for another brass buy soon, I think. I also spent some time separating out FC cases from the loaded ammo for use in revolver.

    I am going to need to spool up another run of 223 soon...

    ETA: loaded another few hundred this morning, gauged them, and then separated out the FC. All set for a bit, and now have enough revolver ammo for another small USPSA match.
     
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    85MikeTPI

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2014
    2,699
    Ceciltucky
    Received my Claybuster Slug Wads (blue) and they fit the 525gr Lyman Sabot slug perfectly. The 1oz Lee foster also fits without spreading the fins, but sits lower in the wad and will have to be brought up with cards/pads to stack height. I also grabbed some WAA12R clones to try and supplement some old PC branded wads that came with my press. The cups fit the sabot and not the foster, just like the PCs, but they are shorter and I'll have to find other uses. I can still use them for buckshot, the top rows of shot will just be outside the wad. I'll grab some WAA12 clones next for comparing with the PCs.

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    Sticky

    Beware of Dog
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 16, 2013
    4,501
    AA Co
    PIcked up a couple boxes of Lehigh 123gr controlled chaos in x39 size to work up a hunting capable load for the x39 AR rifle. We'll see how they perform on deer once I get a load worked up for it.
     

    2500yards

    Active Member
    Oct 12, 2009
    112
    Prepped some new 6.5 Creedmoor brass tonight. I’m done with Lapua Brass. I have been a fan boy of that brand for over 15 years up until I started shooting 6.5 Creedmoor rifles recently and had so many issues. I just got some of the Alpha Munitions brass and it is amazing brass. Larger flash holes, more precisely sized and machined from the factory, definitely higher quality than Lapua and cheaper too. Thank me later if your needing new brass.
     

    4g64loser

    Bad influence
    Jan 18, 2007
    6,382
    maryland
    Prepped some new 6.5 Creedmoor brass tonight. I’m done with Lapua Brass. I have been a fan boy of that brand for over 15 years up until I started shooting 6.5 Creedmoor rifles recently and had so many issues. I just got some of the Alpha Munitions brass and it is amazing brass. Larger flash holes, more precisely sized and machined from the factory, definitely higher quality than Lapua and cheaper too. Thank me later if your needing new brass.
    One of th guys, I think he's one of the area 419 shooters, did a test where he reloaded a 6 creed case from alpha twenty five times at the range. I was impressed. It didn't split.
     

    2500yards

    Active Member
    Oct 12, 2009
    112
    One of th guys, I think he's one of the area 419 shooters, did a test where he reloaded a 6 creed case from alpha twenty five times at the range. I was impressed. It didn't split.
    Nice to hear. I was honestly shocked that I could see that big a difference from Lapua Brass. Never thought anyone would make brass better than them but they definitely do. FYI, I purchased this brass and am in no way being paid to promote this stuff. It’s just that good.
     

    4g64loser

    Bad influence
    Jan 18, 2007
    6,382
    maryland
    Nice to hear. I was honestly shocked that I could see that big a difference from Lapua Brass. Never thought anyone would make brass better than them but they definitely do. FYI, I purchased this brass and am in no way being paid to promote this stuff. It’s just that good.
    I've had a turd case or three from all the names at this point. Did a head to head with new lapua and peterson cases out of the box (length trim, neck thickness consistency, and weight) in 308. They were darn close. With Palma power loads both held up well. I like lapua 6br better than peterson, however, as lapua flash holes are more consistent (drilled not punched). Alpha makes great brass. I haven't done head to heads using it yet though.
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    Finished the new bench today, instead of bolting things down I bolted press, powder dump and the case sizer to oak planks. I then can just clamp them in place tried a couple of 45-70 cases and nothing moved everything is solid as a rock. Also, a package showed up today the #1 son and da wife purchased me a new shaker.
    table4.jpg
    table3.jpg
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    Nice to hear. I was honestly shocked that I could see that big a difference from Lapua Brass. Never thought anyone would make brass better than them but they definitely do. FYI, I purchased this brass and am in no way being paid to promote this stuff. It’s just that good.

    This conversation has piqued my interest. I just ordered a box of 6.5CM brass from Alpha. I have some virgin Lapua SR brass that I can compare them too. I plan to load up 10-20 of each using the same recipe and compare at the range.

    I’ve got Lapua brass that was performing very well on during the reloads 1-4 but now some are up 7 reloads and I’m starting to see some really odd variations. I admit it could be my processing too, or many other factors. It may be useful to also include a sample of my older Lapua Brass in the side by side comparison.

    I do have a question about your experience with the Alpha brass. Are you doing any processing before your first reload?


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    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    Finished the new bench today, instead of bolting things down I bolted press, powder dump and the case sizer to oak planks. I then can just clamp them in place tried a couple of 45-70 cases and nothing moved everything is solid as a rock. Also, a package showed up today the #1 son and da wife purchased me a new shaker. View attachment 390458 View attachment 390457

    Nice solid looking Build IMO. My reloading bench also doubles as my work bench and I really could benefit from having something more solid.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    Nice solid looking Build IMO. My reloading bench also doubles as my work bench and I really could benefit from having something more solid.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Thanks, putting the bench into use cleaning several hundred cases, ran them through the ultrasonic cleaner and now polishing with the shaker. Using a new media called Desert Blend from the pet store super fine ground English walnut shells with a squirt of Flitz. The cases come out very clean and polished and best of all no plugging of primer pockets. A while back my old shaker gave up the ghost. I bought and ultrasonic cleaner to replace it which cleanse both inside and out but, it does not polish. Luckily, the other day a package from Amazon showed up. My #1 son and wife decided to get me a new shaker for Christmas.
     

    2500yards

    Active Member
    Oct 12, 2009
    112
    This conversation has piqued my interest. I just ordered a box of 6.5CM brass from Alpha. I have some virgin Lapua SR brass that I can compare them too. I plan to load up 10-20 of each using the same recipe and compare at the range.

    I’ve got Lapua brass that was performing very well on during the reloads 1-4 but now some are up 7 reloads and I’m starting to see some really odd variations. I admit it could be my processing too, or many other factors. It may be useful to also include a sample of my older Lapua Brass in the side by side comparison.

    I do have a question about your experience with the Alpha brass. Are you doing any processing before your first reload?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    It was sized right from the factory unlike Lapua that required a full resize. I originally was resizing them then after about 10 realized it was a waste of time so I just did the chamfer and deburr. I took a few test shots with a hot load and it runs smooth and doesn’t show as much signs of over pressure as I was seeing with Lapua. Feeling good about it so far just need some time to test it out better.
     

    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    It was sized right from the factory unlike Lapua that required a full resize. I originally was resizing them then after about 10 realized it was a waste of time so I just did the chamfer and deburr. I took a few test shots with a hot load and it runs smooth and doesn’t show as much signs of over pressure as I was seeing with Lapua. Feeling good about it so far just need some time to test it out better.

    My delivery is arriving tonight. If I get time, I I’ll gauge a sample and compare them to virgin Lapua brass, then report back.


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    ToolAA

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 17, 2016
    10,500
    God's Country
    It was sized right from the factory unlike Lapua that required a full resize. I originally was resizing them then after about 10 realized it was a waste of time so I just did the chamfer and deburr. I took a few test shots with a hot load and it runs smooth and doesn’t show as much signs of over pressure as I was seeing with Lapua. Feeling good about it so far just need some time to test it out better.

    OK, so I inspected a random sample of 10 cases of Alpha and Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor.

    Here is what I checked:
    Neck ID using gauge pins
    Neck OD using various sizing dies as gauges
    Length from Head to Shoulder
    Overall Case Length
    Cylindrical deviation of the neck
    Neck Wall thickness Min and Max
    Case Weight in grains

    For each measurement, I determined the Min/Mean/Max and SD. My goal here was to compare the Standard Deviation of each measurement between the two manufacturers. My though process being, that if one manufacturer had tighter controls, it should show up by comparing this number.

    Surprisingly, the results are really very similar. However, in this analysis, the Lapua brass was slightly more consistent.

    What does it all mean? Based on the measurements, I'm not sure if I really need the full length size, either brass. I could turn necks on a batch of 10 of each and full length size those, and then compare each to a load of un-sized brass. That's 40 test firings. I'm not sure I want to devote that much cost to a test. It may be good to just turn maybe 5 necks from each and full length size those, then take the same set of measurements again and compare to each other and this data set.

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    2500yards

    Active Member
    Oct 12, 2009
    112
    OK, so I inspected a random sample of 10 cases of Alpha and Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor.

    Here is what I checked:
    Neck ID using gauge pins
    Neck OD using various sizing dies as gauges
    Length from Head to Shoulder
    Overall Case Length
    Cylindrical deviation of the neck
    Neck Wall thickness Min and Max
    Case Weight in grains

    For each measurement, I determined the Min/Mean/Max and SD. My goal here was to compare the Standard Deviation of each measurement between the two manufacturers. My though process being, that if one manufacturer had tighter controls, it should show up by comparing this number.

    Surprisingly, the results are really very similar. However, in this analysis, the Lapua brass was slightly more consistent.

    What does it all mean? Based on the measurements, I'm not sure if I really need the full length size, either brass. I could turn necks on a batch of 10 of each and full length size those, and then compare each to a load of un-sized brass. That's 40 test firings. I'm not sure I want to devote that much cost to a test. It may be good to just turn maybe 5 necks from each and full length size those, then take the same set of measurements again and compare to each other and this data set.

    View attachment 391214

    View attachment 391215
    Wow, great job! Was your accuracy any better or worse with Alpha?
     

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