What have you done in the reloading room today

[rperyam]

Good learning experience, glad I gave it a try. Yeah, the 27 are queued for the scrap bucket. There are plenty more range pick-up FC 9mm out in the barn for me to process for replacement.

What do you mean by the scrap bucket? Are you throwing away the complete reload? When I have some that need slight pressure I bag them and take them to the range. 90% of the time the fire just fine, those that don’t get taken apart with those that would not fully seat. When I take them apart, if you do it carefully I either push out the primer and use it again, or only resize it until I feel it touch the primer. Then I reseat that primer and reload it. This works for me when they don’t seat fully in my cartridge gauge.

 

[Ray P]

What do you mean by the scrap bucket? Are you throwing away the complete reload? When I have some that need slight pressure I bag them and take them to the range. 90% of the time the fire just fine, those that don’t get taken apart with those that would not fully seat. When I take them apart, if you do it carefully I either push out the primer and use it again, or only resize it until I feel it touch the primer. Then I reseat that primer and reload it. This works for me when they don’t seat fully in my cartridge gauge.

Not a completed reload, just the brass. The brass is all FC, the majority of which are range pickings. Last year I washed, lubed and sized the brass, and then trimmed to length. Then i uniformed the flash hole and primer pocket. Being all commercial brass, I did not swage the primer pocket.

Today I attempted a gauge test on the sized brass to make sure the cases were sized properly, and to eliminate cases with a "belly" that can't be removed.

Is this not an appropriate test for sized 9mm brass? If not I may have misread more than one thread regarding 9mm brass. Any guidance would be appreciated. Also, the testing was done in the reloading room. But any long discussion on this may need to move to another thread.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

Not a completed reload, just the brass. The brass is all FC, the majority of which are range pickings. Last year I washed, lubed and sized the brass, and then trimmed to length. Then i uniformed the flash hole and primer pocket. Being all commercial brass, I did not swage the primer pocket.

Today I attempted a gauge test on the sized brass to make sure the cases were sized properly, and to eliminate cases with a "belly" that can't be removed.

Is this not an appropriate test for sized 9mm brass? If not I may have misread more than one thread regarding 9mm brass. Any guidance would be appreciated. Also, the testing was done in the reloading room. But any long discussion on this may need to move to another thread.

Case gauging after full sizing is exactly what you SHOULD do, most of us don't do it for every single case but I think i might invest in some good gauges for 5.56, 45 ACP, and most of the common calibers I load. Of course if you have multiple gallon bags of brass sitting there you might get discouraged, ask me how I know. (See my 308 debacle for why I say that)

 

[Ray P]

Case gauging after full sizing is exactly what you SHOULD do, most of us don't do it for every single case but I think i might invest in some good gauges for 5.56, 45 ACP, and most of the common calibers I load. Of course if you have multiple gallon bags of brass sitting there you might get discouraged, ask me how I know. (See my 308 debacle for why I say that)

Good point In 9mm I have a few coffee cans full of deprimed and cleaned brass, and I think half a kitty litter pail of once fired milspec brass. So wasting some ( 2 dozen) range pick-ups that may be borderline isn't much of a quandary. This batch was intended for pcc use (break in) to see what I like in 124 & 147 gr loads. Didn't want to use the good brass just yet.

 

[CQB45ACP]

Case gauging after full sizing is exactly what you SHOULD do, most of us don't do it for every single case but I think i might invest in some good gauges for 5.56, 45 ACP, and most of the common calibers I load. Of course if you have multiple gallon bags of brass sitting there you might get discouraged, ask me how I know. (See my 308 debacle for why I say that)

I DO gauge every case just after I complete it’s sizing and then gauge every cartridge as I complete it. (Later step always at least days later, more likely, weeks)

But I eat the elephant one bite at a time—at most one range session’s (50-100) cases at a time and about 10-15 cartridges at a time.

 

[AJC1]

I DO gauge every case just after I complete it’s sizing and then gauge every cartridge as I complete it. (Later step always at least days later, more likely, weeks)

But I eat the elephant one bite at a time—at most one range session’s (50-100) cases at a time and about 10-15 cartridges at a time.

If your dealing with 9mm in huge volume, they have guages that do 100 at a time. The guys competing with 100s a week use them. One brand name is shock bottle I believe

 

[MFInc]

Haven't done anything since Tuesday,other than tumble brass that I shot, will process that and work on some 200 grain XTP's for the 10mm and possibly .40. have to get a handle on my messy bench. The rounds i shot Tuesday I was hitting a steel pig at 218 feet with no front sight, just the romeo. They stayed consistent...

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I emptied 300 rnds through the new-to-me PT100 and found that all of the loads that worked in my old Springfield XDm are equally good/bad in both the Kel-Tec and Taurus.
Two failures: 180gr Valiant and 3.0gr Competition. First round failed to feed. The case mouth caught on the top of the chamber. A light tap on the back of the slide and the spring slammed the slide shut.
WWB 180gr factory FMJ. Last round of a magazine the rim caught on the extractor and caused a failure to eject. I had to use a small drift to pry it out.
The factory WWB was inconsistent and dirty but it was fairly accurate. The Xtreme 165gr FP and 4.5gr of TiteGroup load is a laser beam out of the PT100. I think that and the 155gr Berry’s are going to remain my goto loads. The 180gr Valiant needs to be twerked a little.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I emptied 300 rnds through the new-to-me PT100 and found that all of the loads that worked in my old Springfield XDm are equally good/bad in both the Kel-Tec and Taurus.
Two failures: 180gr Valiant and 3.0gr Competition. First round failed to feed. The case mouth caught on the top of the chamber. A light tap on the back of the slide and the spring slammed the slide shut.
WWB 180gr factory FMJ. Last round of a magazine the rim caught on the extractor and caused a failure to eject. I had to use a small drift to pry it out.
The factory WWB was inconsistent and dirty but it was fairly accurate. The Xtreme 165gr FP and 4.5gr of TiteGroup load is a laser beam out of the PT100. I think that and the 155gr Berry’s are going to remain my goto loads. The 180gr Valiant needs to be twerked a little.

I'll admit factory Winchester 45 Auto ball isn't really super accurate but it's not bad. My cfe pistol load groups at least as well and has basically the same velocity. I use jacketed bullets, not plated so that may play a part as well.

 

[d31tc]

Getting ready to add some storage. Got these for a good price at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I’ve been looking for a set of used wall cabinets, but was unable to find the combo I was looking for on Marketplace for a reasonable price.

 

[DMW1116]

I loaded up a test batch with Shooters World Match Rifle and RMR 69 grain HPBT bullets. I'll see how they do, but I have room both above and below my load range. I loaded a tiny bit above the 223 maximum charge, but I'm going to be shooting them from a 5.56 barrel. The 5.56 max is nearly 2 grains above the 223 max, so I figured I'm pretty safe. I didn't get to shoot them as I timed my range visit with a Saturday before the beginning of deer season. Every rifle lane was taken the whole time I was there. I ran some rounds through my 22 pistol on the 25 yard range and will wait and try again. That will give me time to get a set of 308 FMJ tests loaded up too.

 

[IALoder]

This morning I woke up early and trimmed, primed, and loaded a ladder of AR Comp and 175gr SMK's, and installed/timed a YHM QD muzzle device on my 6.5 Creedmoor all before my wife woke up.

I went to the range to see if my new YHM Resonator changed the POI or accuracy on my 6.5 Creedmoor. It didn't change anything, other than I can shoot it without plugs and not have ringing ears!

AR Comp/175's shot very well from start to finish!!! 40.2&40.5 were right at 1moa, 40.8&41.1 were both sub moa, and 41.4(Alliant's Max) opened back up right to 1 moa. Man this rifle loves some AR Comp! 41.1 was the best (pic& details below), but barely better than 40.8(.8moa). gonna load some more at 41.0 and see if they repeat!

I just finished deprming all the brass from my little range trip. Time to relax for the night!

 

[BushMaster-15]

I DO gauge every case just after I complete it’s sizing and then gauge every cartridge as I complete it. (Later step always at least days later, more likely, weeks)

But I eat the elephant one bite at a time—at most one range session’s (50-100) cases at a time and about 10-15 cartridges at a time.

I started doing that very thing in 1990 ,plunk testing cases after resizing and reloading . I always measured the cases prior to that but noticed I was having an occasional FAILURE TO GO INTO BATTERY OR CHAMBER . Rifle cases I check both ways ,measure and headspace comparator tool , I have some case gauges but Not all the calibers I reload . I honestly can't recall ever having to trim pistol straight wall cases . Perhaps it's because after XXXX amount of reloads ,cases either split or lost on the range ?. Either way it's a Sound Practice to ensure one's cases are GOOD TOO GO .

 

[Skgreen]

Ran a couple drum-loads through the tumbler. 38/357 and 9mm.
Cleaned/re-assembled my Buckmark.
A Beretta 92FS followed me home. Cleaned and reassembled it.
Hoping to 'make clean guns dirty' tmrw,,,
Life is good! ,

 

[frogfurr]

I case gauge everything now. Went through the "no case gauging" phase of life and that didn't work out. Seems once fired brass isn't what it used to be years ago. I have some Wilson gauges but recently started using Sheridan Engineering Slotted case gauges.

 

[BushMaster-15]

Getting ready to add some storage. Got these for a good price at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I’ve been looking for a set of used wall cabinets, but was unable to find the combo I was looking for on Marketplace for a reasonable price.

A friend of a friend told us one afternoon ,that he went by a Home where a Kitchen & Bath contractor had his trailer parked . He asked the guy if he ever had old cabinets for sale or scrap out of his remodels . All the time was his reply ,so they made some kind of arrangement apparently and about a month later he scored some NICE solid wood cabinets ,including some floor to ceiling garage storage units .
He did some of the demo and removed the cabinets ,for the costs swap . Not a bad idea actually if you think about what that stuff costs now days .

 

[toxophilus]

Met with a local shooter from my gun club to buy 700 NIBag .38 Special unprimed brass for $100 which have been added to my reloading room...

 

[DMW1116]

I have finally acquired actual roll pin punches so I’m going to finish driving in all these nearly flush roll pins on my PSA kit lowers.

 

[45/30-06OKIE]

I loaded up a test batch with Shooters World Match Rifle and RMR 69 grain HPBT bullets. I'll see how they do, but I have room both above and below my load range. I loaded a tiny bit above the 223 maximum charge, but I'm going to be shooting them from a 5.56 barrel. The 5.56 max is nearly 2 grains above the 223 max, so I figured I'm pretty safe. I didn't get to shoot them as I timed my range visit with a Saturday before the beginning of deer season. Every rifle lane was taken the whole time I was there. I ran some rounds through my 22 pistol on the 25 yard range and will wait and try again. That will give me time to get a set of 308 FMJ tests loaded up too.

Have you tried TAC or H335 vs SW Match? I'm probably going to eventually work on a 77gr SMK heavyweight boxing match with H335 and TAC, just need to convince Dad to order us some dang 77gr SMKs....

 

[barnfrog]

Loaded a box of .30-06 with Hornady 150-grain Interlocks and 59.5 grains of StaBALL 6.5 in anticipation of my cousin joining me to hunt again this year.

 

[Jim Watson]

Got tired of struggling with range pickup 9mm larded with off brands and their small flash holes and undersize primer pockets.
Pulled them out of the system and loaded the tumbler with some once fired agency range brass, mostly Federal.

Maybe I will gradually prep the junk brass in the winter doldrums.

 

[DMW1116]

Have you tried TAC or H335 vs SW Match? I'm probably going to eventually work on a 77gr SMK heavyweight boxing match with H335 and TAC, just need to convince Dad to order us some dang 77gr SMKs....

I have tried TAC but not H335 with these bullets. I also tried CFE 223, SW Tactical Rifle, and AR Plus. Tactical Rifle worked best so far. H335 is the last hope if Match a rifle doesn’t work. TAC works well with a 52 grain Barnes Match Burner and spicy 55 grain FMJ loads.

 

[d31tc]

A friend of a friend told us one afternoon ,that he went by a Home where a Kitchen & Bath contractor had his trailer parked . He asked the guy if he ever had old cabinets for sale or scrap out of his remodels . All the time was his reply ,so they made some kind of arrangement apparently and about a month later he scored some NICE solid wood cabinets ,including some floor to ceiling garage storage units .
He did some of the demo and removed the cabinets ,for the costs swap . Not a bad idea actually if you think about what that stuff costs now days .

That is a really good idea; go to the source.

My problem, looking on Marketplace, was the nice ones always seemed to come with the rest of the kitchen cabinets and that was out of my budget, I only wanted 2 specific wall cabinet sizes. The ones I got are lower quality, but they are in like new condition and the price was right. I think Lowe’s donated them to ReStore.

 

[LoonWulf]

Told dad we would go shooting tomorrow. He said he wanted to go long........so loaded up some rounds for the longer range guns.
100rnds of 6.5CM. 140RDFs over h4350
50rnds of 7prc 180eld over retumbo
50rnds of 28 Nosler 180elds over RL-33
And 20 rnds for my new to me savage 99 in .243....85game kings, and 100gr Sbt, both over 4831ssc



Down side, im out of 140rdfs and down to 100 140elds total. Out of Retumbo and Rl-33 now too

Im also down to 300 215s and one brick of questionable 9.5s......guess im dropping my next gun or scope money on primers and powder.

Way things are going ill be down to just my 375 again lol.

 

[CQB45ACP]

A friend of a friend told us one afternoon ,that he went by a Home where a Kitchen & Bath contractor had his trailer parked . He asked the guy if he ever had old cabinets for sale or scrap out of his remodels . All the time was his reply ,so they made some kind of arrangement apparently and about a month later he scored some NICE solid wood cabinets ,including some floor to ceiling garage storage units .
He did some of the demo and removed the cabinets ,for the costs swap . Not a bad idea actually if you think about what that stuff costs now days .

Recycling at its best.