What did you reload today?

gmerkt · May 31, 2019

Cucv said:
I loaded some 308 last night

Your picture shows a bottle of IMR 4320. This is a kind of neglected powder these days, but one I like. One of my favorite loads for .223 in bolt action uses 4320. It meters very nicely because the kernels are small for stick powder. I'm still using a supply marked "DuPont" because I got an 8 pound caddy one time but now I'm down to my last pound of that. In the meantime, I've bought a few more pounds of newer IMR 4320 to have on hand. You never know when the turds are gonna discontinue your favorite powder. 4320 is one of the few powders available today that has been in production since the 1930's.

gmerkt · May 31, 2019

Project of the day. Loading .38 Special in aluminum cases. Yes, the kind marked NR, Not Reloadable. However, these were unfired cases which I bought from Rocky Mountain Reloaders (RMR). They are CCI brand, the result of a take-down process where the bullet is machine pulled and the powder dumped. You can't see marks on any of the cases. RMR was selling the primed, unfired cases. I bought 1,000 for $60 which included UPS shipping. I checked bullet fit, which was fairly tight but just to be on the safe side, I partially re-sized them, about the first 3/8 inch of the case mouth. Then I flared the case mouths. Next, I charged them with 5.8 gr. of Vectan AO powder. Which I like because it burns clean and as a cut sheet powder, it's kinda fluffy and fills out most of the case. It meters well. It's fairly efficient, meaning, it gets up into good velocity while using a moderate charge. Next, I seated the bullets, 135 gr. Speer TMJ, factory overruns from discontined ammunition (Speer Lawman brand w/ 135 gr. bullet). Which I also got from RMR for 9 cents apiece. Finished product has a nice, tight bullet fit. I used an RCBS carbide die to do the partial resizing.

I don't know why I even think about efficiency of pistol powder. I've over-bought pistol powders over the years so I'll never be able to use it all.

You might check the RMR website from time to time, they get all kinds of crazy stuff that they buy surplus from ATK (Federal, Speer, CCI). They also carry a line of their own bullets. No, I'm not connected, just a satisfied customer.

This is how the aluminum cases came, in bags of 250. I think RMR is sold out of these now, when I checked a while ago they were no longer on the website.

I never graduated to progressive, still do it single stage.

This what the Vectan AO powder looks like, little green sheets:

The aluminum cases won't be reloaded. These are one shot only for me. But at six cents apiece, you get the primer, plus a clean new case to work with. When I'm done, I'll save the aluminum in my recycling and get fifty cents a pound for them.

Rudedog · May 31, 2019

The AL2 look nice. I will have to check out RMR myself. Today I got 100 .38's loaded with Berry's 158 grain using Unique. I also have a one at a time operation. I may not be done for the night. I have another 150 of those to load.

LSWC · Jun 1, 2019

Baseball, good weather and time to get a full box of these built up - nice Saturday.

Rudedog · Jun 1, 2019

I got another hundred 158 grain Berry's .38 Spl. Cleaning my S&W Model 64 now.

gmerkt · Jun 1, 2019

Rudedog said:
I will have to check out RMR myself.

Remember, their prices include shipping. If bullets, the use USPS Priority Mail which is usually pretty fast.

Member 34319 · Jun 2, 2019

Relaxed putting a box of 50 357mags together after a day of shooting. Loading for the lever gun using 158 hollow points. Estimated FPS based on data is 1300-1400. Chrono will verify. Should be a good defense or hunting load.

808hondacrguy · Jun 2, 2019

Taking the levers out this week, loaded a bunch of 30-30 with Speer 100 grain plinker rounds last night. :s0034:

WillametteWill · Jun 3, 2019

Tried loading some 147 FP for 9mm for the first time. Using Berry's plated. Found some mixed info on COAL and set them to 1.103. Seemed to load fine. First one when bang but the second stuck in the chamber. After some convincing got it out and it had seated into the rifling. So now I'm stuck, seat deeper, pressure goes up. Seat into the rifling, pressure goes up. Hmmm. Going to do a plunk test in a few other of my 9's and see if one of them like them as is. Any other experience appreciated as well.

808hondacrguy · Jun 3, 2019

was the case bulged at the bottom? I had more than a few chamber, fire, then not extract because of this issue, started using the Lee undersize die when resizing, and have not had any of these problems since.

Rudedog · Jun 4, 2019

I finished up loading the box of Berry's 158 grain. Started working on my 8x57. I have only 100 Privi Partizan brass for it , now on my second loading. Yesterday I found a spot to shoot it at 285 yards. I got some satisfying hits on water filled half gallon jugs. Then I moved up and shot the Smith and Wesson Model 64 DAO. I was using Berry's 125 grain. I checked the distance and found 47 yards. I was surprised that I made hits on jugs with out having to raise the front sight blade above the top of the rear sight .

Mikej · Jun 6, 2019

WillametteWill said:
Any other experience appreciated as well.

I use Montana Gold in 9mm. Either 115gr or 124. It's been mostly 115 because I bought a 4000 case some time ago.

I load three different OALs. The shortest is 1.075" because of the Tanfoglio Elite Limited. Then, Wifey's Kimber Pro Aegis gets 1.085". All other 9mms run on 1.095". I use HS-6 as it's slower than most other common 9mm powders people use. Titegroup, HP38/W231, Bullseye, etc. I figure loading at the low end with the slower powder keeps me safe. I don't know what velocities I'm running at, but i have no signs of over pressure.

WillametteWill · Jun 6, 2019

808hondacrguy said:
was the case bulged at the bottom? I had more than a few chamber, fire, then not extract because of this issue, started using the Lee undersize die when resizing, and have not had any of these problems since.

I'll measure the case that stuck but never had this issue in the past with these dies. You could clearly see on the bullet where it hit rifling. Thanks!

Mikej · Jun 6, 2019

WillametteWill said:
I'll measure the case that stuck but never had this issue in the past with these dies. You could clearly see on the bullet where it hit rifling. Thanks!

I believe the bearing surface is longer on the Montana Gold slugs than most factory rounds. After all, factory rounds need to use a slug that will fit all/most 9mm guns. The MG slugs are, supposedly, known for competition shooting. I would guess most of those folks load their own, or have them custom made for them.