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What have you done in the reloading room today
- Thread starter horsemen61
- Start date
Hooda Thunkit
Member
I started reloading with a Lee hand press. This was decades prior to the Breech-Lock system. I used that press for years, and finally gave it away to a new reloader.
I wish I had kept that press.
nastynatesfish
Member
Finishing up my 45acp loads for +p. Getting right at 996-1008fps with 230gr Sierra jhp and shooters world ultimate pistol.
AJC1
Member
I've really been looking for that powder. It's supposed to be unique/universal from SW. Need a cheap available option.
nastynatesfish
Member
Yeah. American reloading had the 8lb jugs for 225. I loaded and shot the whole thing over about 7 months. lol. Keep an eye on them. They get a lot of good powder in. I seen clean shot at Natchez I believe. Or powder valley yesterday
nastynatesfish
Member
irishlad
Contributing Member
Assembled a couple of targets in the garage.
Howdy gents.
I spent today setting up my reloading bench in the garage. I moved it from my finished basement about a year ago and have been limping along with a very unorganized bench. It is high time to get that bench in proper working order.
In 2022 I posted on this forum that I was finally back to reloading after a 16 year hiatus. I reloaded a bit until this last Spring (2023) until I decide that I wanted to enjoy the basement as finished living space, so I put a home theater down there, with Western and Equine Decor.
My former abandoned basement reloading bench. Quite a mess after 16 years of no use;
The room as it appears now as a western/equine decorated home theater. The reloading bench used to sit where the large TV/STERO cabinet now resides;
As I typed above, I moved the bench out to the garage. I have the garage heated for the winter, with fans for the summer. And it's a finished garage, with finished walls and ceiling, so it's not bad for reloading. And as a Bluegrass music enthusiast, I have a stereo system on the slelf above the bench for listening while I work. I have not completely finished setting it up yet. See the remaining comments following the pic below;
I am finally going to fix the sagging shelves tomorrow. That's long overdue. I have a good method to fix them permanently. I have to install my RCBS Uniflow with micrometer adjustment powder drop on the far left. Then I need to really organize and clean the bench. Also, I need to service all the dies as they are 30 years old with many years of no use on some of them. Then I have to organize what you can't see. Two large drawers below the bench top, and a large bottom shelf full of reloading supplies. Bullets, brass and storage boxes full of who knows what. I will probably be more than surprised by what I discover.
I do have an RCBS "Piggyback" progressive loader attachment for my Rock Chucker, but I abandoned the use of that device decades ago after it overcharged a 357 magnum load that almost spelled disaster. I actually prefer single stage loading anyway, because I am not into volume, I am into the art of crafting ammunition slowly and methodically. Single Stage Reloading is actually enjoyable to me.
I'll post a pic when the bench is done on Sunday or Monday of next week, and hopefully will be a regular poster on this thread from then on. I am just getting into 45 LC reloading, so that is exciting to me. A new cartridge to mark a new era in reloading.
I spent today setting up my reloading bench in the garage. I moved it from my finished basement about a year ago and have been limping along with a very unorganized bench. It is high time to get that bench in proper working order.
In 2022 I posted on this forum that I was finally back to reloading after a 16 year hiatus. I reloaded a bit until this last Spring (2023) until I decide that I wanted to enjoy the basement as finished living space, so I put a home theater down there, with Western and Equine Decor.
My former abandoned basement reloading bench. Quite a mess after 16 years of no use;
The room as it appears now as a western/equine decorated home theater. The reloading bench used to sit where the large TV/STERO cabinet now resides;
As I typed above, I moved the bench out to the garage. I have the garage heated for the winter, with fans for the summer. And it's a finished garage, with finished walls and ceiling, so it's not bad for reloading. And as a Bluegrass music enthusiast, I have a stereo system on the slelf above the bench for listening while I work. I have not completely finished setting it up yet. See the remaining comments following the pic below;
I am finally going to fix the sagging shelves tomorrow. That's long overdue. I have a good method to fix them permanently. I have to install my RCBS Uniflow with micrometer adjustment powder drop on the far left. Then I need to really organize and clean the bench. Also, I need to service all the dies as they are 30 years old with many years of no use on some of them. Then I have to organize what you can't see. Two large drawers below the bench top, and a large bottom shelf full of reloading supplies. Bullets, brass and storage boxes full of who knows what. I will probably be more than surprised by what I discover.
I do have an RCBS "Piggyback" progressive loader attachment for my Rock Chucker, but I abandoned the use of that device decades ago after it overcharged a 357 magnum load that almost spelled disaster. I actually prefer single stage loading anyway, because I am not into volume, I am into the art of crafting ammunition slowly and methodically. Single Stage Reloading is actually enjoyable to me.
I'll post a pic when the bench is done on Sunday or Monday of next week, and hopefully will be a regular poster on this thread from then on. I am just getting into 45 LC reloading, so that is exciting to me. A new cartridge to mark a new era in reloading.
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Captain*kirk
Member
It's kinda exciting to get those embers blazing again, huh? I took somewhat of a hiatus from reloading after Covid when I'd loaded up most of my components, couldn't find anything anywhere, and was unable to shoot due to the ranges being closed or severely restricted. It felt good to get back to it. If you took that long of a hiatus I'm sure it's like a whole new thing with the prices and supply chain so wacko right now. Culture shock.
Love what you've done with your Western Room. And looks like your new digs in the garage will be a great place to hang out.
nastynatesfish
Member
Check your messages. I just found it in stock. Free shipping and hazmat
Loaded up a couple more 110 TAC-TX's with the top charge of 300-MP and a little different seating depth to see if it changes accuracy any.
After I put all of the loading stuff away, I pulled out the magazine vise block for an AR-15 so I could clean my 20" WOA barrel. When snugging the vise up, I felt it kind of "give" a little, then a "pop" noise, and the front vise jaw and the mag block went tumbling. VERY lucky it didn't break while the gun was in the block! Looks like it's time for a new reloading/hobby bench vise!
After I put all of the loading stuff away, I pulled out the magazine vise block for an AR-15 so I could clean my 20" WOA barrel. When snugging the vise up, I felt it kind of "give" a little, then a "pop" noise, and the front vise jaw and the mag block went tumbling. VERY lucky it didn't break while the gun was in the block! Looks like it's time for a new reloading/hobby bench vise!
Not the only answer, but if your going to use one hard........get a sturdy one.
My 35+ year old 4" Craftsman is still going strong as well.
AJC1
Member
A wilton bullet is where it's at... it's what adorns my bench
Thanks. And that is so true. I am excited to be back into reloading on a regular basis. I have missed time at the reloading bench. I think I like Single Stage because I truly enjoy the reloading time and crafting ammunition slowly. I am no longer in a rush to get to the range and throw lead down range. I enjoy that too, but reloading is just as enjoyable.
In organizing and pulling boxes out of storage, as I suspected, I found a huge amount of 9mm/380 components. Boxes of brass, bullets (mostly jacketed hollow point) and primers. Unfortunately, I sold all my 9 mil and 380 guns 12 or so years ago. I found another 1,000 or so small pistol primers on top of what I knew I had. I used to reloiad 12 ga trap and I have a good supply of reloading components in that gauge. Still looking for my large pistol primers. I had them, so they have to be somewhere. I used to reload 44 sp/mag so there is a good supply of that caliber's components. I just need to find those large pistol primers. There are still a few large boxes of storage I have to get through. Hopefully they are in there.
GeoDudeFlorida
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Messages
- 11,157
If you’re in the N.FL area there’s a place in Marion Cty that has a shelf full of Federal and CCI large pistol primers in $70-80/1000 price range, and a small but useful array of powders. Better to find what you already have but in you’re like me and remember having things you don’t, and think you’re out of things you aren’t.
Thanks for the tip! Are you talking Marion County north of Ocala? That's about 90 minutes from my place in Florida, so no problem driving that. I will need to buy more large pistol primers regardless of what I can find in my supplies. I seem to recall that I only have about 200 left.... if I can find them.
Captain*kirk
Member
After reloading single stage for over 30 years, I finally took the plunge a couple years back and bought a turret with auto powder drop and bullet feed for small pistol ammo. It's really amazing but lacks the peace of mind and satisfaction that painstaking craftsmanship of one-at-a-time rifle cartridge loading affords. So I know where you're coming from!
Thanks. I had my RCBS Piggyback overcharge a 357 mag cartridge, and I did not catch it until the firing pin hit the primer. Luckily it was a Ruger Police Service revolver and the gun held together, although the cartridge was fused in the chamber.
That aside, I really do enjoy single stage, so it's fine that I no longer load progressive.
CQB45ACP
Member
Dry tumbled in virgin corn cob media loaded 45acp & .223 cartridges.
First time with loaded cartridges to test results. I like em.
First time with loaded cartridges to test results. I like em.
I haven’t got to much done the past few days. Therapy starts Monday, but they want me to not wear my sling, and keep moving the shoulder… but I somehow can’t remember not to lift with the arm, and then instantly pay for it! Ugh! And, dad duty has called, which is by far priority.
I did prime 10 of the 50 srp 308 brass that has been staring at me for a couple weeks. And I did some sorting of some stuff; takes a lot longer with a bum wing.
I did prime 10 of the 50 srp 308 brass that has been staring at me for a couple weeks. And I did some sorting of some stuff; takes a lot longer with a bum wing.
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lightman
Member
Love your basement room! Glad to see you getting back into reloading too.
lightman
Member
I spent parts of yesterday and this morning trimming, uniforming primer pockets and deburring flash holes on those 500 223 Starline cases that I sized the other day. I'll prime them and start stuffing them with something probably on Sunday afternoon. Just for what its worth, I found these Starline cases to be very uniform. Easily more so than the FC, RP and Winchester that I've worked with lately.
Thank you. I spent about a year decorating it. I know it's a tad off topic, BUT, it WAS my former reloading room so it's SORT OF on topic, eh? This basement room was an absolute MESS when it was a reloading den. Now it's neat as a pin for a change. A huge transformation. SWMBO approved.
More Western/Horse decorations in the room and the Saloon Bourbon Bar. Hand made miniature saddle and a PBR rodeo used Lariat for decoration. Kentucky Derby collector's glasses in the foreground of the bar end. Plenty of top shelf Bourbon on the back side. Funny thing is, I do not drink alcohol, but my friends love it;
The artwork on the walls you saw in the pic I posted earlier in the thread was commissioned from a local art school. My favorite is the surreal horse charcoal above the stereo/tv cabinet. The clock is genuine Seth Thomas, attic find, circa 1885 ish - Butterscotch Marble;
Regulator that hung in a train station in west Texas 1910 ish;
And one more decor. A Moseman saddle clock with spurs and frontier hat;
Yes, I am into Western items, horses and antique clocks. That's apparent I suppose.
OK, back to RELOADING and guns. My other passion! Thanks for the slack on the thread topic gentlemen.
irishlad
Contributing Member
Loaded 171 45acp with W231 and Hornady 230 gr RN.
Captain*kirk
Member
When your piggyback overcharged...were you using a lockout or powder checker die?
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