What did you reload today?

[misterarman]

I thought about that. But, since I paid for the brass......I figured I should use it.
Waste not, want not.

Aloha, Mark

Never waste it. Scrap it.

 

[misterarman]

I know from reloading some .40 S&W that I avoid Amerc brass like the plague. I've read enough (maybe on this thread) about Sellier & Bellot brass not being great either, that I'll avoid using it as well. Any other headstamps you would recommend avoiding?

I also do not like Blazer. I also will not mess with crimped military in 9mm. That being said LC is my favorite in 223 so I have multiple swaging systems and have tried others.

 

[Mikej]

I know from reloading some .40 S&W that I avoid Amerc brass like the plague. I've read enough (maybe on this thread) about Sellier & Bellot brass not being great either, that I'll avoid using it as well. Any other headstamps you would recommend avoiding?

Speaking hand gun brass. 9mm, .40, .38 sp, .357mag. I'll use it all. Early on, 2012(?), S&B was very stiff sizing. And primers went in with a pop. I did a bunch of 9mm S&B before I started sorting them out. For a while. I noticed the S&B in the rotation already became easier to size and prime after one loading.
Blazer and PMC size/prime quite easy. CBC not so much. Same thing with "X-stream is it? And a couple others I can't remember now. None of them have been bad enough for any reason to not use. My process with a single stage gives me several times to inspect brass during loading. (For Johnny) Things process smoother having some traces of liquid car wax, carbon and a touch of dry media dust in/on the cases.

 

[ma96782]

For the last two days I've been finishing up with decapping and swedging the primer pockets. OMG, my hand still hurts. I think I should have gone much lighter with the swedging process (adjustment). Then, on Thursday afternoon, I got them into the SS pin media for a tumble.

Still drying them this morning. This is actually the 2nd half of the batch.



It'll be a long while before I get back to the loading bench to produce more 9mm reloads.


Aloha, Mark

 

[Mikej]

For the last two days I've been finishing up with decapping and swedging the primer pockets. OMG, my hand still hurts. I think I should have gone much lighter with the swedging process (adjustment). Then, on Thursday afternoon, I got them into the SS pin media for a tumble.

Still drying them this morning. This is actually the 2nd half of the batch.

View attachment 1403707

It'll be a long while before I get back to the loading bench to produce more 9mm reloads.


Aloha, Mark

what swaging tool are you using?

 

[ma96782]

what swaging tool are you using?

Dillon 600

IMHO.....
The handle is kind of short. I was thinking......dangerous......that maybe a longer handle would give me more leverage? BUT, But, but......yeah, the right amount of ADJUSTMENT and SORTING brass......is probably more important. And perhaps, next time I might clean the brass before processing it. The small amount of primer debris probably adds to the friction between the pocket and rod.

Anyway.......
I got more "comfortable" with the Dillon 600.......once I got use to the idea that the swedge rod didn't have to go "all the way in". LOL. OK, Ok, ok.......I got a dirty mind.




Aloha, Mark

 

[Mikej]

Dillon 600

IMHO.....
The handle is kind of short. I was thinking......dangerous......that maybe a longer handle would give me more leverage? BUT, But, but......yeah, the right amount of ADJUSTMENT and SORTING brass......is probably more important. And perhaps, next time I might clean the brass before processing it. The small amount of primer debris probably adds to the friction between the pocket and rod.

Anyway.......
I got more "comfortable" with the Dillon 600.......once I got use to the idea that the swedge rod didn't have to go "all the way in". LOL. OK, Ok, ok.......I got a dirty mind.

View attachment 1403718


Aloha, Mark

I borrowed a Dillon swager to do a bunch of .223/5.56. It was so easy and smooth. There was very little resistace to the job. Curious why you found it difficult? I ended up buying the RCBS press mounted swager though. That'll be fine for what little crimped brass I run into.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Dillon 600

IMHO.....
The handle is kind of short. I was thinking......dangerous......that maybe a longer handle would give me more leverage? BUT, But, but......yeah, the right amount of ADJUSTMENT and SORTING brass......is probably more important. And perhaps, next time I might clean the brass before processing it. The small amount of primer debris probably adds to the friction between the pocket and rod.

Anyway.......
I got more "comfortable" with the Dillon 600.......once I got use to the idea that the swedge rod didn't have to go "all the way in". LOL. OK, Ok, ok.......I got a dirty mind.

View attachment 1403718


Aloha, Mark

Me thinks if you're having to put that much pressure to swage a pistol case you may not have it set up correctly.
I don't put much pressure when swaging 5.56.
I always start with clean brass after resizing.

 

[ma96782]

Curious why you found it difficult?

Remember that I was doing a bunch of range pick up/mixed brands of 9mm brass. No segregation by brand. Some with and some w/o crimps.

Anyway, at first.......
I was trying to get the swedge rod to "bottom out" in all of the primer pockets.

I quickly found out that some brands of brass were just made BETTER (with better QC/adherence to size dimensions). The rod would frequently become difficult to get all the way in there. I used the plam of my hand, to slap/pound the lever. Then, once I got it in there......I had to use my hand again to slap/pound the handle to get it to release.

My hand got all bruised up and I took some ibuprofen just so that I could get some rest/relief that night.

For the second half of the batch. I figured that maybe, I should be using my rubber mallet? That went better. But really? Was that any kind of solution?

I called my friend in Hawaii. He suggested the segregation of the various cases by brand and readjusting the swedge rod. Along with the suggestion, that I clean the brass prior to processing (to get clean primer pockets). He even went as far as suggesting that I use some Imperial Case Wax on the end of the swedge rod.

I'm still resisting/debating if......I really need to do the segregation of the cases by brand (yeah, I'm lazy) and the Imperial Case Wax suggestion.

Oh......BTW, he did mention that swedging .223 Rem (5.56x45mm) was easier (in his experience). Also, he went on to relay more info about "Dillon's No BS Guarantee". Yeah.......if you end up bending that swedge rod......it's because (they claim that) YOU'VE "abused it".

Aloha, Mark

PS.......my son suggested that I should/could get a new progressive press. One with a swedge feature built in.

Not a bad suggestion and I'm also thinking about that. BUT, But, but......remember, he is the one who "broke" my LEE M1000 (rolling my eyes- looking towards the heavens).

 

[washagonian]

Last couple of days I cranked out another 600+ 38 special: 125g Berry's Plated, FP; 3.6g Titegroup



Also, about 1000 9mm: 147g, X-treme, plated, RN; 3.2g Win-244



NOT on the turret press. Fired-up the progressive.

Working on 45 ACP and 357 now.

 

[misterarman]

This is what's left of of what I loaded up yesterday.

 

[Catfishmoon]

With 9mm I separate out Remington and Starline brass (which I bought new) and I separate Blazer and Federal because I sweep up a lot of it at the range. Everything else goes into the same container.

 

[misterarman]

Winchester and FC and RP get sorted out
Everything else goes one way or another for $23 for 10 pounds.
Can't give you technical data for what I like but I like what I like and there seems to be no shortage of what I like.

 

[oremike]

No loading for me today, I got to get the lawn mowed for the first time this year so I did some simple math:
4000 30 Carbine to make
14.0 grs of powder each
equals 56,000 grains of powder needed
Divided by 7000 grains of powder/ LB
Means I'll use 8 Lbs of powder.

 

[misterarman]

No loading for me today, I got to get the lawn mowed for the first time this year so I did some simple math:
4000 30 Carbine to make
14.0 grs of powder each
equals 56,000 grains of powder needed
Divided by 7000 grains of powder/ LB
Means I'll use 8 Lbs of powder.

Be curious to hear how accurate your powder use projection plays out.

 

[oremike]

Be curious to hear how accurate your powder use projection plays out.

I do the math to make sure I have enough powder on hand for whatever production run I'm making and will be starting off with an already open jug.

 

[JJE76]

Nice, I have some to try after I finish up the 124 gr Gold Dots I am working on. Curious as to what powder you are using and what overall length you are loading them. I am trying the Gold Dots with 6.0 gr of Power Pistol at about 1.10" to plunk and twist in both Glock 48 and CZ P-09. The Nukes will need to loaded shorter to function in the CZ. The old RMR 124 gr MPR needed to be 1.06" for the CZ. The Glock could loaded longer.

I'm loading mine at 1.06 with Vv n320 4.1 gr. Shoot really well.

 

[308Palma]

Ran a batch of 357 this evening. They were my first run using Xtreme copper plated 158's. I used H110 and was planning on running them through my lever gun, but now I'm thinking the velocity might be too high for the bullet.

 

[Mikej]

Ran a batch of 357 this evening. They were my first run using Xtreme copper plated 158's. I used H110 and was planning on running them through my lever gun, but now I'm thinking the velocity might be too high for the bullet.

I just a month or so ago loaded/shot my first full power .357 mag using 20 grains even H-110. I'll tell ya', it's a pretty stout load! I don't have a chrono but recoil was stout in a 6" S&W model 19. Also shot them in a Winchester AE lever gun. I'm using Montana Gold 125 gr brass jacketed HPs. I'm thinking you might be pushing it with plated bullets? Not sure how you would tell? Set up a sheet of paper, say 15' from the muzzle, and see if there is a single hole or peppering from the jacket coming off?

 

[oremike]

That's a hot rod load for sure.