Finally had a reloading session -- after a 2 year drought!

[colonelhogan44]

Life's been busy, but I've finally gotten my priorities straight!

Yesterday I cast several hundred bullets of different types, and today I loaded some 357 magnum. 100 cartridges with a Lee 158 RF Cast over 13.5 grains of 2400, one of my pet loads.

 

[gamestalker]

Welcome to THR!! Is this the first ever reloading you've done? If so, have you shot any of them yet, and how did they do? They should be pretty stout loads I would bet, with 2400 and all.
What kind of firearm are you shooting them from?
GS

 

[colonelhogan44]

No, I've been on THR for 5 years, and have been reloading about as long. The loads have some pep, but it's towards the bottom end of a 2400 load with that bullet weight.

I am shooting them mostly from a Rossi 92.

 

[BYJO4]

Once a reloader always a reloader.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Unless your casting pure lead I doubt your bullets weigh 158 gr. If your using wheel weight lead alloy like I do they probably weigh around 151gr because of the alloy being lighter than pure lead, like mine do. That sort of helps the max end of the published lead load data to not be as potent as it would if they weighed a true 158gr.
A little added safety as far as I'm concerned.

 

[carbuncle]

Congrats, I'm going on a drought of a few months and looking forward to getting back into reloading over the summer.

 

[UnderTheGun]

Drought here.

Just ordered the EZ JECT conversion for the LNL and sent off the shell plates for grooves. Planning to get back into reloading as soon as possible. Glad I've accumulated the components over the years.

 

[Jeff H]

No, I've been on THR for 5 years, and have been reloading about as long. The loads have some pep, but it's towards the bottom end of a 2400 load with that bullet weight.

I am shooting them mostly from a Rossi 92.

That is the same load I settled with for my 92. Seems that anything stouter (using lead bullets) wasn't very accurate. My guess was that it was stripping the rifling off of the bullets at the faster speed that 14 or 15 grains would give.

 

[BullRunBear]

Must have felt good after such a long time. I get itchy after a couple of months without reloading.

BTW, what did you use for a bullet lube? I've had good, non-leading, results with Lee Liquid Alox and my Lee molds.

Jeff

 

[colonelhogan44]

Unless your casting pure lead I doubt your bullets weigh 158 gr. If your using wheel weight lead alloy like I do they probably weigh around 151gr because of the alloy being lighter than pure lead, like mine do. That sort of helps the max end of the published lead load data to not be as potent as it would if they weighed a true 158gr.
A little added safety as far as I'm concerned.

Actually, they weigh in at 160 grains with a ww alloy.



Jeff,

I had similar experiences. I recovered some bullets, and the rifling was being stripped. I'm looking forward to trying out my new 180gr GC bullets soon. Those will be pushed by healthy charges of Lil' Gun.

Hopefully the component crunch lightens up pretty soon so I can resupply and load even more.

 

[45lcshooter]

Glad your back in the saddle!!! Always reloading, and getting more components for new toys I buy

 

[colonelhogan44]

Must have felt good after such a long time. I get itchy after a couple of months without reloading.

BTW, what did you use for a bullet lube? I've had good, non-leading, results with Lee Liquid Alox and my Lee molds.

Jeff

I use some home brew lube that I made years ago...I could check my loading log, but nearest I can remember, it has candles, transmission fluid, stp oil treatment and a bit of Johnson's paste wax. I just kept adding things until the consistency was right, then I stopped.