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Finally got some range time today to test a new 45 auto load (230gr Speer FMJ ball over 8.2 Blue Dot) that I did up a month ago...all is good!

I've got all the gear set up again now to do a 300 round run, and I'm ready to fill some cases :)
I used Blue Dot for some .45 max load bullets in the past. I noticed a lot of un-burnt powder on the bench & the rest of my gear after cycling through a few magazines. I didn't revisit the load to see if a magnum primer would have helped.
 
Finished up last night before bed, 150 plinker 20 gauge #4 buck shotshells.

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I'm pretty sure I'm the slowest at reloading, lol. My hand primer broke last year, so I use the Lee Ram prime on the press. I use both a digital powder scale and a mechanical scale. Luckily my powder thrower is a mint RCBS unit from the 70's that my dad had hardly used and gifted to me, that is pretty consistent.

OAL gives me fits for some reason and I have to check every few rounds and adjust to keep things in check. Been doing that since I started a few years ago on every cartridge size and style. No idea why it's like that.

I missed this ^ post of yours some how. That OAL thing....Using 9mm brass, for instance, mixed range pick-up, you have a lot of different brass lengths. That taper crimp varies and therefore OAL varies. Of course were not going to trim it. I will adjust the seater stem in or out a 1/4 +/- turn when I feel a crimp being too light or too heavy. I try to keep OAL within .005" if I can.
 
I've recently finished prepping all of my 'raw' brass in house. I spent about 5 hours trimming, 3 hours swaging, 3 hours sizing and two hours washing/drying about 1,000 pieces of .223/5.56 brass.

I'm now set for life in my bolt rifles. Perfect brass ready to go. Assuming I never reuse them after shooting this point forward.

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I've finally caught up. What a relief.
 
Resized, swaged and wet tumbled 400+ 223 cases today. FC, Win and Norma headstamps. This batch didn't turn out as shiny as the other one from the other day but I believe it was because of the lanolin/Heet resizing lubricant used, I'll try more Dawn and Maguires next time.

It was mentioned on another board that I over lubed And should have degreased them before cleaning.

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I don't shoot really high volumes of anything really so every time I considered a progressive setup I couldn't really justify it. However I have settled on a turret press for my slightly higher volume ammo. I think I can approach 400 rds an hour with 9mm. I have 3 spare turret heads with two chamberings per head all setup ready to go so change over is quick jesus bolt removal and tightening affair. May be an option to consider for others with in between consumption like me.
The jesus bolt is key.
 
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I've recently finished prepping all of my 'raw' brass in house. I spent about 5 hours trimming, 3 hours swaging, 3 hours sizing and two hours washing/drying about 1,000 pieces of .223/5.56 brass.

I'm now set for life in my bolt rifles. Perfect brass ready to go. Assuming I never reuse them after shooting this point forward.

View attachment 801954
I've finally caught up. What a relief.
Resized, swaged and wet tumbled 400+ 223 cases today. FC, Win and Norma headstamps. This batch didn't turn out as shiny as the other one from the other day but I believe it was because of the lanolin/Heet resizing lubricant used, I'll try more Dawn and Maguires next time.



View attachment 801952

It's completely normal, getting a warm fuzzy feeling looking at fresh cleaned and processed brass for re-loading. :s0155:
 

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