What did you reload today?

[oremike]

Nothing loaded today, just finishing up de-priming and tumbling 5500 38 special brass. Tomorrow I'll start the loading with 9mm, then the 38 Special, then 40 S&W, 44 mag, 38 super to get caught up. The last two are for me to play with. I'm going to load some 300gr hardcast TC bullets with 5744 for my wifes Rossi 44 Mag carbine just to see what's up with that and compare them to my regular stump puller H-110 pistol loads. For the 38 Super I'm going to resize some 158gr .358 bullets down to .356 and make a heavy hitter load for bowling pins. I'm thinking 1100fps and dead nuts accurate is where I want to get to.

 

[LSWC]

Nothing loaded today, just finishing up de-priming and tumbling 5500 38 special brass. Tomorrow I'll start the loading with 9mm, then the 38 Special, then 40 S&W, 44 mag, 38 super to get caught up. The last two are for me to play with. I'm going to load some 300gr hardcast TC bullets with 5744 for my wifes Rossi 44 Mag carbine just to see what's up with that and compare them to my regular stump puller H-110 pistol loads. For the 38 Super I'm going to resize some 158gr .358 bullets down to .356 and make a heavy hitter load for bowling pins. I'm thinking 1100fps and dead nuts accurate is where I want to get to.

I can feel the tennis-elbow kicking in now...

 

[LSWC]

Had a 1/4 box on the shelf and loaded these for 1300fps.
I bet they still shoot pretty soft...

 

[gmerkt]

7.62 NATO brass times 200. Once fired, clean, nice stuff, crimped-in primers give a bit of resistance when sized. Okay, I got these down off the shelf, decided to size them all. I have a number of rifles chambered in .308, i like to keep a common load that will work universally in all of them.

One thing that frustrates me no end is having to do the same chore twice. Yes, that happened with these 200 cases. The last cases I resized were commercial .308's. Last night I screwed in the sizing die, and went through all 200 of the 7.62's. I rinsed the sizing lube off in water and let the cases dry overnight and this morning. Early this afternoon, I took my cartridge headspace gauge and checked them each for length. Most needed trimming, about 20% were within spec. I got started on trimming the 80%, and gauged a few again, this time looking at the head end of the gauge. Which I normally do when I first size a few but had neglected on this batch. Sure enough, the case head was about .008 outside the end of the gauge. There is a high and low acceptable range, these stuck out beyond the max. length tolerance.

Why? Because I was sizing 7.62 NATO brass, not .308 commercial. The 7.62 is thicker and needs the sizing die adjusted a taste deeper. I forgot to adjust the die.

Solution, adjust sizing die accordingly, go back and resize them all. And then rinse and dry them all over again. They are drying right now.

Some rifles, you can get away with several thousandths over length. Some semi-automatics, you will often not notice an overlength cartridge because the force of the action when loading it will bump it into place. But I have a Winchester Model 70 that possesses a very precise chamber. Closing the bolt on a cartridge that is even slightly over length, well, you know it for sure then. I'm not comfortable forcing a bolt closed on a tight cartridge. Of course too long and the cartridge simply won't go into battery.

Resizing tends to stretch the brass forward, so a second resizing if necessary should always be done before trimming.

I made two mistakes in sizing these: 1. Didn't think to readjust the sizing die, and, 2. Didn't check the first case sized at the head end of the cartridge headspace gauge. Rookie mistakes.

 

[old11bravo]

Found a node for my 223 reloading/shooting endeavors............

 

[gmerkt]

Recently, I started shooting some of the Sierra 77 gr. bullets, wanted to see how they did in my Rem. 700 w/1-7 bbl. Did fine. I know they are a long range bullet, I'll never shoot over 200 yards so have the rifle zeroed to that now with this bullet.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

loading up some 45acp right now

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

loaded 500 45acp. started at 9pm

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

loading 357 mag now!

 

[LSWC]

Continuing to load up partial boxes I'm finding on the shelf. Quite a few small batches lately; appreciating the single stage.

Speer 230g Gold Dot .45

 

[IceAxRiflRvlvr]

Refilled some .480Ruger Starline with 296 and 380gr WFNGC. Prepped a batch of .44 mag Starline cases.

 

[coltemp]

I managed to get my records of what I have cleaned up.
Unburied the reloading bench a couple of days ago. Cleaned up some 357 Sig Brass (Anyone want some I have way way too much!) and otherwise figured out what I have and don't have!
Now that the paperwork is done time to work up some loads and get reloading for real instead of prep work.

 

[coltemp]

Found a node for my 223 reloading/shooting endeavors............
View attachment 581953

So are you sure that was actually at 100 yards? Really....

Knowing you it probably was. Dang I need to go shooting with you more often so I can even come close. BTW you want some firewood for next year. time to clean up the yard. Will message you...

 

[gmerkt]

No loading but working on inventory. I like to keep a balance, that is, x amount of bullets, primers, powder that will result in a coordinated amount. Pistol powder, that will never balance, I've got way too many different kinds and it is used in small amounts. I have to avoid the "good deal" syndrome, buying neat stuff because it's one sale or whatever. So I need to know what I've already got.

I went to some trouble to inventory my stock of bullets. It's all on Excel spreadsheets now (how anal) and it can be updated very easily. That was a lot of work; did the same for powder and primers, not near as much labor there.

Next, brass cases. Over time, I've completed prepping them all for use which was a labor-intensive program to say the least. Pretty easy to tot up the number of 7.5x55 Swiss, 8mm Mauser, and 8x56R Austrian. But the .223's, .308 Win., and .30-06, those took a while. I finished counting the .30-06's last night. Of course, there is a re-use factor involved. That is, you don't expect to have the same number of casings as you have bullets, primers and powder to make a like number of rounds. That is the nature of reloading, you re-use the casings. I worked out the turn-over factor for .223's, I don't remember the exact number but about a factor of 2.75. Which doesn't include the empties I'd get back from firing off all my existing loaded .223 ammo. A number we won't talk about.

I haven't started counting up the pistol brass; that will take a while.

I've started inventory of finished ammo (factory and hand loads). So far, I've done .308 (incl. 7.62 NATO) AND .30-06. I've got far to go on this.

It's not simply an exercise in nervous energy. I recently changed insurance coverage on my goods. My old policy didn't include ammunition or reloading supplies. The insurer said, "We consider those to be expendibles." We disagreed; I consider them property until such time as they are expended. So I moved on to a different insurance coverage, costs less, doesn't require enumeration of firearms, and includes ammo and reloading stuff. So now I have to know what ammo is there for insurance purposes. And keep photographic records for evidence.

 

[coltemp]

No loading but working on inventory. I like to keep a balance, that is, x amount of bullets, primers, powder that will result in a coordinated amount. Pistol powder, that will never balance, I've got way too many different kinds and it is used in small amounts. I have to avoid the "good deal" syndrome, buying neat stuff because it's one sale or whatever. So I need to know what I've already got.
...

Good for you. It's a pain but does really help. Used to use a spreadsheet and they work but have you looked at 2nd AFD-Pro (2nd amendment Database program.)
Doesn't cost too much and has a pretty good set of tools for data entry. Takes a while to get things in and organized. But I really like being able to reload and have those reloads dump into my Ammo dump. Then when I shoot them I record the range session which auto decrements the ammo dump quantities. Allows storing of pictures of shots too and keep s them associated with the firearms, range trips, etc..
there is both a mobile and desktop version. One program for firearms, ammo, accessories, range trips and another program for us reloaders. Pretty good support from them as well. https://www.secondamendmentdatabase.com/

Anyway good for you getting your records straight I was glad to finally get mine straight too!

 

[Hemlock]

158 grain coated cone point light target for the 357.

 

[Rudedog]

So far today I primed 350 .38 Special brass. 250 of these will be for basic range use. These are Berry's 125 grain. Next I have 250 Berry's 158 grain.I haven't used this weight for quite some time. I will be loading up some +P for my Smith & Wesson Model 64 with the factory bobbed hammer. I don't have a specific holster for it yet, so for now I put it in a L frame holster. I have a lot more bullets available so some will be .357.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I got some 223 my grandson shot saturday resized and primed, tomorrow I willget the 38spl he shot up resized & primed. Friday night I will load them up for Saturdays gig up in the mountains.

 

[Rudedog]

I ended up with 450 primed .38 Special yesterday. I have one box of Hornady XTP 125 grain ready to be crimped. I will try to get some more done today.

 

[Cucv]

I loaded some 308 last night.