What have you done in the reloading room today

Casted a small pile of the Lyman 358429 170 swc. It's a single mold so it's definitely slow going... also mounted my drill press to the end of the lathe table so it's off the floor... drilled the 1/2 plate top and tapped it...

Got a little Lee APP deluxe for Christmas, with the quickchange plate.

Mounted it beside the LNL-AP so it can share the accu-bin. When I load on the LNL I just take the APP off and use the plate for holding my bullet bin.
I can sure see why the quickchange mounts are so popular.

I need to figure something out with the primer chute so it holds more primers or is easier to shake, or something.
Primers just won't come out of the tray and it's hard to shake it where it is. I keep fat fingering the "large/small" primer button doing it. Then it quits all together.

Or make something to agitate the tray while the press is running.

I have a few of the longer primer chutes from my Pro 1000 and Auto prime ll to play with, but they don't come close to interchanging.

Where is @GW Staar when I need him. lol!

I think I'll call Lee also to see if they have any ideas concerning this. I'm sure they've had some complaints, so they may be thinking about the problem.

Well, the round primer trays I was using was the issue.
I got around to trying the triangle tray and tapping the top of it to get primers to feed is no problem. I do need the new 5 tube feeder for this thing.
My .357 cases were falling off the deck when dropping down out of the magazine. I nipped out the front of the magazine where the 1/4" wide slot already was and made it a full semi circle, and dropped it down to almost touching the case shuttle, now it feeds .357 brass 100% with none tipping or falling off.






.327, that's a different story. Trying to prime those in this thing is a chore because they won't stay on the runway.

But they are a chore in any press except a single stage.

But the 5 tube feeder with the flapper will stop them from falling so I will be ordering one of those and some more triangle trays.

For the time being I have a 5 gallon bucket under it to catch the .327s that fall off so I'm not chasing them all over the floor.

.327s are just one of those calibers that are a pain to load. I do these about 500 at a time because reduced loads in it are my Grandchildren's first choice to shoot.
And you know Grandpa's just can't say no.

Finally filled my Amazon oiler bottles -

The APP is either a tinkerers paradise or a PIA.....but I love mine to death.....and yes I've dealt with the PIA feeder and got it to feed to the second to last case........better than 4 cases at least. The ole 3D printer makes it possible........and makes winters bearable by filling days too cold to want to do anything else, with projects for the tinkerer in me. Win Win. Then there's the 6000 press.....more of the same primer feeder fun as the newest APP Deluxe.

Time to buy a Cheap Creality Ender so you can join in the winter fun!!

GW Staar said:

Time to buy a Cheap Creality Ender so you can join in the winter fun!!

Click to expand...

Maybe someday, not right now. The 5 tube case feeder with the spring-loaded gate will take care of the feeding problems for all calibers. Priming issue for me turned out to be nothing if I use the triangular priming trays, if I can pay attention to it long enough to keep the chute full.
I think I'm going to like this thing a lot once I learn its peculiarities. Just ordered the 5 tube case feeder, a 35 caliber bullet feeder for my ABLP, and two more triangular primer trays. I should have tried it first before messing with the round ones.

They are making big progress on the 3d printers, but things are changing so fast on them that I'm afraid to buy one.

That's a nice case feeder setup. Good job!

Started sorting and shifting smaller large heavy objects so we can get to the larger large heavy objects. Found a USPS shipping box of Winchester .38Spl brass that got forgotten when all that stuff moved to the shed. Made the mistake of opening the box.

Y’all know what happened next.

Busting out another 1K of .223 then moving to 3K of 9MM. I always maximize the short days of winter to load a bunch of rounds.

My bullets did indeed come in today, early enough for me to start loading with them.
Nothing fancy, just coated 9mms, heavy for subsonic loads, mild felt recoil.
No problem with the 147 gr roundnose, I have used them before.

The 150 gr semiwadcutters were different, and not a common choice for 9mm.
They had to be seated deep to gauge and even deeper to plunk in my Colt.
The Springfield would swallow them at a good bit longer OAL, so I will load to suit it.

I am not planning on shooting them regularly, this is just a test of my spread between shots of a double tap. I will alternate them in the magazine and am hoping the different bullets will give distinctive holes in the target, puckered for the RN, sharp for the SWC.

I will shoot a few to check that out and test for function tomorrow.

ETA
After all that, it didn’t work. Holes from SWCs were not distinguishable from RN In paper or cardboard.

Hung up the 2024 Dillon Calendar
put 40- 350 Legend cases in the tumbler
started to straighten up the bench...I can see the CO-AX again lol now that my upland vest is hanging off it to air out

Ok I'm pulling down the three rounds that didn't fire last night.
Good strikes on the primers and 59.9gr of powder which is good enough for me as .1gr accuracy is plenty for my needs, I'm not trying to win a 1k yard competition for cash money lol. Just doing redneck science over here...



Good thing I have a LEE Decaping die now!

There is in fact primer compound in these primers... Weird... Duh, these are CCI 34s... Sigh... I wonder if I loaded some with them and then some with Fed 215s... Weird. I guess I'll have to try to remember to only use the 34s for 30-06 in my M1 Garand...
I'm going to put Fed 215s in these three rounds and see what they do this time. I'll mark them with a 215 on the case.


Anyone have a Remington 700 in 308 with a Timmney trigger that shoots M80 ball? Cause I'd be interested to know if it works fine with the harder primers...

Shot a pile of federal brass from my dad's reloads so I can start migration to my designated loads in a case. Federal 38spl get 6.8 grains Silhouette and a 170 Keith swc. They had Lazer cast 140s with 3.3 grains of ramshot competition. The loads worked well and were fun to shoot, but my revolver never looked so bad. This thing is terribly dirty. In the garage decaping and washing today's brass currently.

Pulled out some LC .223 brass to size and trim, then got sidetracked. At least it was a productive sidetrack! Pinned the gas block on my .300 Blackout, and mounted my new Streamlight protac 2 on my 12.5' .223. After that I loaded up my range bag, the weather looks decent tomorrow, so I might as well go try out my .44 Mag test loads!

.357 Mag, X-Treme 158 gr. RNFP plated. 7.2 grs. of Unique. Should do 1000 FPS from Grandmother's 4" Sec. Six and 850 FPS from her 2.25" SP101.

Been looking for a little nicer used RCBS 10-10 than the one I have as a back up scale. This came in the mail today. Super smooth and looks like brand new. I cleaned the bearings ran some check weights through it. It's now the primary 10-10 and not the backup.

Didn’t actually get back to clearing the store room but I did sort, tumble and repackage the box of .38Spl I found under a table.

1000 .38Spl (all Winchester HS)
200 9mm (mixed HS)
And 1 lonely LC 5.56 cut down to .300BO (which I tossed)
I have to go back to work tomorrow so maybe this weekend I can decap and resize it all.

Test run with a Christmas present. First time messing with a single stage press. I've only used the Lee hand press up until now.

The breech lock may be an acquired taste -- The hand press was the older version with normal threads. At the moment this feels more like a way for Lee to see more doodads. ;-) Currently running without the O ring and treating it like a normal press, though that bushing really does raise the dies higher up. Quickly found out that you need a breech lock specific Ram prime too; Had to fall back to the hand press to prime those.

Synack42 said:

Test run with a Christmas present. First time messing with a single stage press. I've only used the Lee hand press up until now.

The breech lock may be an acquired taste -- The hand press was the older version with normal threads. At the moment this feels more like a way for Lee to see more doodads. ;-) Currently running without the O ring and treating it like a normal press, though that bushing really does raise the dies higher up. Quickly found out that you need a breech lock specific Ram prime too; Had to fall back to the hand press to prime those.

View attachment 1186320

Click to expand...

I'm a rebel, I actually love the breech lock so much that I got an adapter to use breech lock bushings in my Redding Big Boss! Makes getting dies in and out of the press Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezey!
PS get the ones with the hex bolt that squeezes tight. They are awesome.

45/30-06OKIE said:

I'm a rebel, I actually love the breech lock so much that I got an adapter to use breech lock bushings in my Redding Big Boss! Makes getting dies in and out of the press Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezey!
PS get the ones with the hex bolt that squeezes tight. They are awesome.

Click to expand...

I'm definitely going to pick up at least one set of bushings and the breech ram prime to see how it works out. It still may win me over ;-).

Synack42 said:

Test run with a Christmas present. First time messing with a single stage press. I've only used the Lee hand press up until now.

The breech lock may be an acquired taste -- The hand press was the older version with normal threads. At the moment this feels more like a way for Lee to see more doodads. ;-) Currently running without the O ring and treating it like a normal press, though that bushing really does raise the dies higher up. Quickly found out that you need a breech lock specific Ram prime too; Had to fall back to the hand press to prime those.

Click to expand...

Every die I have now has breech lock bushings on it. You may find the little plastic "wrench" insufficient, a inexpensive AR buffer tube castle nut wrench is a common solution.

Just watch going too tight, they are after all aluminum.

Synack42 said:

The breech lock may be an acquired taste -- The hand press was the older version with normal threads. At the moment this feels more like a way for Lee to see more doodads.

Click to expand...

I'm not a fan if the breech lock system. If one does go with the system, one needs to purchase a bushing for each and every die already owned. I see it as unneeded.

Mrs Thunkit claims I just dislike new things altogether. I remind her of the first time I ever saw her: she was wearing a well-fitted embroidered blouse, with size 00 Rockie jeans tucked into her fancy boots. I liked that new thing immensely!

So there!

Hooda Thunkit said:

I'm not a fan if the breech lock system. If one does go with the system, one needs to purchase a bushing for each and every die already owned. I see it as unneeded.

Mrs Thunkit claims I just dislike new things altogether. I remind her of the first time I ever saw her: she was wearing a well-fitted embroidered blouse, with size 00 Rockie jeans tucked into her fancy boots. I liked that new thing immensely!

So there!

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Ah, yes. Love at first drool . It’s how many of us lost our bachelorhood.

The choice of reloading gear was not mine at first. I was gifted a Spartan press and grateful for it. The presses and scales and such like that came after were either my picks or hand-me-ups.

It’s like my granny used to say, “An arranged marriage is just coincidence being given a hand.” Granny said some strange things.

GeoDudeFlorida said:

It’s like my granny used to say, “An arranged marriage is just coincidence being given a hand.” Granny said some strange things.

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My Aunt said: "You shouldn't marry for money but there is nothing wrong with hanging out with rich people until you fall in love."

45/30-06OKIE said:

I'm a rebel, I actually love the breech lock so much that I got an adapter to use breech lock bushings in my Redding Big Boss! Makes getting dies in and out of the press Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezey!
PS get the ones with the hex bolt that squeezes tight. They are awesome.

Click to expand...

I like the breech lock too. While I use a T-7 for most things, I have two Lee SS w/breech lock for all sorts of other stuff like bullet sizing, trimming, bulge busting, expanding when needed, etc.

On getting advice regarding future partners, once I started at FBI in 1972, I really was supposed to get permission before I married anyone.

Background investigations were actually performed on future spouses. So, I only dated “Bureau girls” to avoid any problems.

No, it didn’t guarantee a successful nor happy marriage, but at least you knew you weren’t getting an axe murderer (prior anyway).

Can‘t imagine it was even approaching legal to require that, but it was called “excepted service“ so you had none of the typical employee protections.

And, my mom & dad, aunt & uncle, two first cousins & their spouses, and a couple of seconds all met and married our spouses there so it seemed normal back then. But, wow, not today.

Overwhelming fear of a “mole” drove everything. Paralyzed the CIA for years. Yet with all that safeguarding, Robert Hansen & Aldrich Ames and others still happened.

I assembled the last three days of effort. I emptied the cases yesterday and cleaned them the day before I cast and coated the bullets. Today they all come together.... 358429 170 swc, 38 federal brass, 6.8 grains of Silhouette and a healthy crimp x 200.