Search results for query: *

RTFM Your die is behaving exactly the way it was designed by the manufacturer. The Die/Press operator is not behaving as expected.

It all depends on where you are doing the "sweep up". I would NEVER consider picking up an unfired round of unknown origin and just putting it in a gun to see what happens. But then again, NO unfired rounds of my own ever hit the ground to be swept up. I understand that there are certain self...

For straight walled cases, I prefer the Lee dies over all others. The Lyman M die is fine, but I have shown before with both pictures and micrometer measurements that the expander plugs on my Lee dies for .38, .40 and .44 are all two step expanders, just like the Lyman die. And due to other...

I load plenty of plated bullets in .40 S&W with zero problems in five different guns. I ONLY seat and crimp in one step, with any type of bullet and all calibers. I use both Lyman and Lee dies for all handgun calibers. Zero problems.

I wonder if irrational OCD is the definition of a hobby? I do not know, but it struck me recently that it certainly seems to be the definition of my reloading. I started this game to save money when I was shooting Skeet competitively - really saved a LOT for that. But metallic reloading is...

Frankly, I do not understand the fuss. I have absolutely NO issues with the VMD charts provided by Lee. Yes, the exact weight for any specific powder/cavity is almost never "exactly" what the chart says, but so what? That chart is perfect to get you started. When I am looking at a new load...

I never trim pistol or low-power revolver brass that does not get a strong crimp. I have found, however, that consistent crimps on maximum .357 and .44 Magnum loads can be enhanced by the occasional trimming to uniform length (maybe just once during the life of the brass). I just use a 40 year...

Yeah, there have been some significant changes tot he Lee sites since I last went there - now they let you download only a generic die instruction sheet, not the caliber specific ones with the load data (I have downloaded the full double-sided instructions in the past, but it was hard to get...

No need for this - anyone can download the die instructions from Lee's site, and each of those contain the one-page of load data on the reverse. As others have said, including that data with the dies is just a nice added feature, but since it is only one page, it is very abbreviated from the...

You bought the .38 Spl dies, so that is the load data included. Yes, the same dies can be used for .357 Mag and .357 Maximum, but that is not how they are labeled (those are considered secondary uses). If you buy the .357 Magnum dies, you get the Magnum load data, but you also loose the...

IMO, you are pretty much right on - I may quibble with a few points, but that just makes for a good discussion. I noticed most everybody just ignored you - not surprising; you will never convince 96% of the know-it-alls on these forums. Leading, or the imagined lack there of, is a religious...

I have used many pounds of 700-X with .the .40, and I find it very consistent. I love 700-X, and I have never had a problem with consistent metering using either my very old RCBS measure or any of 3 different Lee autodisk measures so long as I keep the charge weights above about 3.0g. When I...

I am sorry, but I feel that answering your question is irresponsible. You sound like a new reloader who does not have the knowledge or experience to evaluate any answer. In my opinion you need to do a lot more learning - READ some good reloading manuals like Lee or Lyman, and especially stick...

I betcha he wraps them in masking tape (duct tape would be too thick).

Hodgdon does not provide current data for 800-X in .357, but older DuPont data did. Just glancing through the load data from 1983. it seems that max loads of 800-X with any bullet weight were just slightly faster than the same max load data for IMR 4227 (basically the same speeds at the same...

My favorite powder for .357 is 2400, but I'm out of that and have recently been testing some alternatives I have on hand. Here are the chrono results with a 6.5" Blackhawk and a 20" M92: (note - there does not seem to be any way to format this chart to make it readable here! I'll work on...

Shell holder cross reference can be tough - sure do wish they would all put their brand on them! I have an old Bonanza MU-21 shell holder for .45 Colt that has the knurling, but it really is not shaped like that one. I checked the cross reference charts in a 1981 NRA Handloading book and found...

Well, that is why we allow personal opinions on this forum - we are all allowed to be just as wrong as we want to be! The reader will have to decide for themselves which of us may be more wrong. IMHO, it is ALWAYS safer to be shooting "Special" loads in a magnum revolver than stuffing full...

Very happy that no significant injury to anyone happened, and I am very sorry for your loss. As a new reloader, that is a traumatic lesson learned the hard way about the things we regularly warn about on these forums. This comment won't help you now, but I include it here on the chance that...

If I shoot it, I reload it. It is something I like to do, and I like to save money, even in small amounts. The only exceptions are the rimfires, and I really don't shoot much of those now. .38 poppers are generally a better choice to me than .22LR, and my .22-250 beats the snot out of any...