What works for you?

[LiveLife]

After reading many threads/posts that outline what does not work, I wondered, "Why reinvent the wheel?" May be if we post reloading steps that works for us, perhaps the new reloaders can repeat the steps to achieve the same results. Kinda like "best practices" many industries/companies utilize with results that are repeatable.

Here's what works for me for pistol reloads:

Case prep:
- Inspect for damage/excessive wear - scrap cases that I have any concerns with
- Sort by caliber so cases don't go inside other cases during tumbling
- Tumbling done on garage bench with good ventilation
- Tumble in untreated walnut media/MidwayUSA vibratory tumbler for 20-30 minutes for cleaning

Deprime/Resizing:
- Done in front of TV using a portable 2'x3' bench on casters and favorite beverage
- Both single stage and progressive presses are mounted on each end on plastic trays (size of cookie sheet) that catch powder/primer etc.
- Spent primers are collected off single stage press into a soup can
- Full length size/deprime on single stage press (can also use progressive press with only the deprime/sizing die) using Lee carbide dies without case lube
- Clean any excessively dirty primer pockets with Lee primer pocket cleaner (cleaned primer pocket cases are used for match loads)
- Chemically clean corroded primer pockets and scrap questionable primer pocket cases after cleaning
- Scrap any cases that I have concerns with (case neck damage, rippling of side, etc.)
- For shiny cases, tumble deprimed/resized cases in walnut/corn media with polish (30min - 1 hour+)

Priming:
- Done in front of TV with favorite beverage
- Hand prime using Lee Auto Prime
- Clean with paper towel and lightly lube all metal-to-metal contact points with synthetic motor oil (any grade) before each priming session (about 500-1000 cases)
- Mark any really loose primer pocket cases with a permanent marker at the bottom of case and scrap case when sorting spent cases
- If any primer fails to seat fully (slightly below case bottom), remove case from hand primer (push down on the primer tray to remove) and finish seating primer on the press

Bullet Selection:
- Winchester FMJ
- Remington Golden Saber JHP
- Montana Gold brass jacketed FMJ
- Rainier Ballistics/Berry's plated CMJ
- Hard cast and Moly coated lead RN/SWC/TCFP (18-24 BHN)

Powder Selection:
- Alliant Bullseye/Red Dot for short barreled subcompacts/revolvers and plinking loads
- Winchester 231/Hodgdon HP38 for all 9mm/40S&W/45ACP practice/match loads
- Hodgdon HS6/Winchester Super Field for 1911 45ACP practice/match loads

Load development/range testing:
- Start with max OAL for each caliber (1.125" for 9mm/40S&W and 1.25" for 45ACP) and seat bullet deeper for proper feed/chambering from magazine (I load all of my FMJ/plated/lead bullets to max OAL without feeding/chambering problems in all of my pistols)
- Start with 10% below max load data powder charge
- Load 10 rounds of different powder charge in 0.2-0.3 grain increments
- Shoot shot groups of 3-5 rounds at 7-10-15 yards to determine accuracy and proper cycling of slide for feeding/chambering
- Use 8x11 copy paper as target (bingo marker as center dot) and note comments on top right (Distance to target, recoil, etc.)
- 3 hole punch and keep in a binder for future reference

Reloading:
- Done with favorite music and non-alcoholic beverage
- Lee Pro 1000 progressive press with deprime/sizing die removed and primer attachment empty
- Clean with paper towel/Q-tip and lightly lube all metal-to-metal contact points with synthetic motor oil (any grade) before each session (about 500-2000+ cases)
- Check shell plate timing
- Check case feeder/collator for proper function if used
- Check Auto Disk for right size charge hole
- Fill powder hopper
- After 3 cycles of Auto Disk, weigh powder charge using an unprimed case and digital scale
- If powder charge is accurate, fill case feeder if used
- Seat bullet with left hand while working the ram lever with the right hand
- Check OAL of first few loaded rounds
- Chamber check first few loaded rounds using the tightest chambered barrel (Lone Wolf) - should drop in freely with a "clink" sound
- Inspect loaded round every 100 rounds or so
- If run into any resistance on the press, STOP and investigate - adjust, clean and lube as necessary
- Add more cases and powder as necessary


Feel free to post what process/steps works for you.

 

[rcmodel]

Heres what I'd do different.

* Finish polish with treated walnut before depriming.

* Add liquid polish of some sort to the untreated walnut. Untreated media doesn't do much.
The polish also helps hold down the dust.

* Finish polish again after loading in treated corncob for 30 minutes to remove lube & fingerprints.

* Use case lube even with carbide dies. Makes sizing so much easier.

* Skip the chemical cleaning, as wet cases are a Royal PITA to insure you get them all dry inside again.

* If any primer fails to seat fully with the hand tool, don't finish crushing it in on the press. Crushing primers is bad for several reasons.
Stop and find out whats wrong with it.

rc

 

[thorn-]

It's a very equipment-based process. IE, using a hand primer is a much different process than using the press. Progressive and single-stage are markedly different. etc etc.

One thing I will add, though, is that I cull bad cases AFTER they are tumbled. Easier to see flaws in clean cases. The only thing I do before tumbling is sort by caliber, and remove steel/alum cases. Also, I do lube pistol cases even when using carbide dies.

thorn

 

[LiveLife]

* Finish polish with treated walnut before depriming.

* Add liquid polish of some sort to the untreated walnut. Untreated media doesn't do much.
The polish also helps hold down the dust.

* Finish polish again after loading in treated corncob for 30 minutes to remove lube & fingerprints.

* Use case lube even with carbide dies. Makes sizing so much easier.

I agree. The case polish will also acts like case lube and make sizing easier. I used to tumble shine my cases after I sized/deprimed them too - If you want shiny cases, go for it.

My experience with Lee carbide dies (even the brand new ones I set up for new reloaders) is that they put almost a mirror like finish on the case walls when sizing even non-lubed dry tumbled cases. I guess it will depend on the die set you use whether you need extra case lube. As OP states, dry tumbling in walnut media/Lee dies/single stage press sizing works for me.

* If any primer fails to seat fully with the hand tool, don't finish crushing it in on the press. Crushing primers is bad for several reasons. Stop and find out whats wrong with it.

Also agree. I don't crush the primers on the press. On rare occasion I can't get a good seating on the hand primer, I just finish it off on the press.

 

[1SOW]

My differences for handgun:

* Throw the range brass in the liquid cleaner for 30 mins +/- and then save liquid in another container..

* Flush cases with garden hose nozzle to remove soap etc.

* Dump on a towel in the sun--doesn't take long in TX except for the 'cool-down' cycle--.

*Sort and inspect cases and put into headstamp labeled storage can on patio shelf.

* With 300 or more stored, lube cases with water soluable wax thinned with alcohol using a plant spray-mister.

* deprime/size on press, tumble in corncob with polish and store in headstamp-labeled coffee can on reloading bench. (Several thousand ready-to-load on bench--replace as needed.)

*Skip the second cleaning because the cases are already clean, slippery and polished and don't need to be relubed for reloading. They run smoooothly thru the press.

* Prime on the press.

Oh yeah, re bullets: If you use Montana Gold bullets pictures of the beeeautiful reloads are needed--especially with the JHPs.