What did you reload today?

[Pahonix]

Deprimed and sized 440 rounds of 9mm and then tumbled about 500 rounds of 9mm.

More tumbling tomorrow.

 

[Capn Jack]

Several .458S cases given to me by a friend for my collection.

My go to bullet is a 320gr. cast, FNGC with 32.5 gr. of W298. Not a particularly hot load, 1,200 -1,400 fps., but last time I used it on some hanging steel, I knocked the plate right
off of the chains. People had been shooting the plates with .223. After that I wasn't
welcome shooting steel. I was asked to shoot the paper targets.
* Hollow pointed they are devastating.

 

[Camelfilter]

Loaded 120 9mm range plinkers while the coffee was brewing.

Getting used to the new to me mini Mr bullet feeder 9mm, and Lee universal case feeder.

Had tried hornady version, but too many headaches, then RCBS one (also recommend). Mr bullet feeder mini holds more bullets though & is easy to swap when empty (bought a couple spare tube sets). Supposedly Mr bullet feeder mini will work fine with coated lead projectiles as well.

Dunno yet for sure. Been using Berry's coated this time around reloading, will likely flip towards coated leaded in a few months. Depends upon who has them, availability, quality & price etc.

Press is a Hornady Lock & Load AP.

Universal case feeder is pretty nifty, aligns the cases correctly around 90% of the time. Using the lee case feeder collator (funnel with 4 holes for the feeder tubes).

Still hand place the case from the case feeder. Don't see a need to rig up a hand powered case slide/shuttle type thing.

Seems to have increased my output around 80 to 100 rounds per hour, simply by saving the time grabbing a case from the bin & having it oriented correctly. Still leaves time to eyeball everything else as well, while placing the case.

This is likely about as automated as I'll get. Not too interested in powered case feeder/collator deals. Seems as they would distract from my tranquil peace & quiet while at the reloading bench...That's just me though.

Salary: "paying myself" $216/hour at this output rate (480/hour). At pre-plandemic primer/powder cost. Post-plandemic plated projectile cost. $.15/round reloaded, vs $.60 manufactured.

$.017 powder
$.025 primer
$.11 projectile.
"Free" cases, have bubblegum loads...

Coated lead projectiles at current pricing should bring my price per round down to $.11 to $.12, giving me a $14-$19/HR "raise" at my thruput...

Not too shabby!

 

[Mikej]

Loaded up some 140gr Hornady FTX in 357 for the lever guns using H-110 we'll see how this powder does vs Blue Dot. One of these days I'll have to try the leverlution powder whenever that unicorn riding leprechaun delivery guy drops it on my doorstep.

I've got a few #s of H110 that I got for .30 Carbine, problem is I don't have small rifle magnum primers. Or Sm pistol magnum either. what did you use?

 

[deadeye]

I've got a few #s of H110 that I got for .30 Carbine, problem is I don't have small rifle magnum primers. Or Sm pistol magnum either. what did you use?

Small pistol magnum, I use the CCI 41's for rifle rounds requiring magnums.

Edit: I used Hodgdon's load data as regular jacketed data is different and none of my books/data had the FTX data. They seat much lower into the case and reduce the case volume quite a bit so standard data would be a definite no no. I hope that newer reloaders figure that out and dont just go with regular load amounts. I also had to modify my seating die so the plastic tips didnt get deformed as well as the expansion groves at the opening of the hollow point area as they are somewhat week when pushed on by the die. I kinda made some funky though usable rounds while dialing in the die.

 

[Mikej]

Small pistol magnum, I use the CCI 41's for rifle rounds requiring magnums.

Yeah, good luck finding anything like those huh? I've been using Unique in the lever action .357 mag and it does fine. But I only have a partial bottle. I've got plenty of other stuff to load and shoot though.

 

[deadeye]

Yeah, good luck finding anything like those huh? I've been using Unique in the lever action .357 mag and it does fine. But I only have a partial bottle. I've got plenty of other stuff to load and shoot though.

well if you were closer I could help ya out a lil. I edited the post you quoted if you ever try the FTX bullets.

 

[Mikej]

well if you were closer I could help ya out a lil. I edited the post you quoted if you ever try the FTX bullets.

I pretty much figure there are all kinds of good people here that if I were to call out for help I'd have plenty. That's a good feeling. I have stuff to trade if I were to decide I was going to load for the .30 carbine I have plenty of things to play with that I don't need the help at this time. I haven't loaded anything for several months. I need to review notes and make some .30-06 for the Garand. Need to practice to keep the mind sharp.

Those plastic tipped bullets...I don't really see where I'd ever be using such a bullet. I also hope new loaders relate to seating depth relationship to overall pressure.

 

[eb in oregon]

I've got a few #s of H110 that I got for .30 Carbine, problem is I don't have small rifle magnum primers. Or Sm pistol magnum either. what did you use?

I've been using H110 in 5.7 Johnson (.30 Carbine necked down to .22 caliber) and .30 Carbine for years. And even though the manuals say you need a magnum primer I've never had a problem using standard small rifle primers. Burns clean, accurate enough, and no failures or malfunctions to date. Not caused by other issues. I just shot up a bunch of the 5.7 Johnson (12 grains H110 and 40 grain bullets) last month and they all worked as advertised. Load up 15 or so and give it a shot.

And today I loaded a box of .32 H&R Magnum with 4.5 grains of AA#5, Hornady 100 grain hollow point, with a Winchester small pistol primer, seated and crimped to the top of the cannelure on the bullet. The window on that charge is tight, 4.4 grains to 5 grains maximum in the Hornady book.

 

[Mikej]

I've been using H110 in 5.7 Johnson (.30 Carbine necked down to .22 caliber) and .30 Carbine for years. And even though the manuals say you need a magnum primer I've never had a problem using standard small rifle primers. Burns clean, accurate enough, and no failures or malfunctions to date. Not caused by other issues. I just shot up a bunch of the 5.7 Johnson (12 grains H110 and 40 grain bullets) last month and they all worked as advertised. Load up 15 or so and give it a shot.

And today I loaded a box of .32 H&R Magnum with 4.5 grains of AA#5, Hornady 100 grain hollow point, with a Winchester small pistol primer, seated and crimped to the top of the cannelure on the bullet. The window on that charge is tight, 4.4 grains to 5 grains maximum in the Hornady book.

If I was hard up for .30 Carbine hand loads I could see trying that. I'm not hard up though. I still have about 300 rnds of Armscor to shoot. I don't shoot the gun much with all the others I have to play with. If I reeeally needed SRM I could probably beg/borrow/trade or buy some from a member.

Watching "Private Ryan" makes me want to take it to the range.

 

[eb in oregon]

If I was hard up for .30 Carbine hand loads I could see trying that. I'm not hard up though. I still have about 300 rnds of Armscor to shoot. I don't shoot the gun much with all the others I have to play with. If I reeeally needed SRM I could probably beg/borrow/trade or buy some from a member.

Nothing "hard up" about it. I've been shooting that load for more than 25 years and it works as well as factory ammunition. "Hard up?" Really?

 

[CLT65]

I guess I missed where I was supposed to use magnum primers in the .30 carbine with H110 powder. I've been loading it with standard powder for the last 30+ years, seems to work fine.

I haven't always used H110 though; at times I've used Accurate #9, 2400, and LOTS of surplus WC820.

 

[Catfishmoon]

Today I loaded 9mm, 115gr, Berry's plated rounds with CFE pistol for the first time with that powder. Loaded 20 rounds each at 4.9 - 5.1 - 5.3 - 5.5 - 5.7 grains, OAL of 1.130. Hope to shoot them next week with a CZ P10f, looking for plinking rounds with that powder at 115 grain.
I found that CFE pistol at 4.2 grains and a 147 grain Berry's is a good round in my CZ, now trying to find a powder weight for the lighter projectiles.

 

[LSWC]

Today I loaded 9mm, 115gr, Berry's plated rounds with CFE pistol for the first time with that powder. Loaded 20 rounds each at 4.9 - 5.1 - 5.3 - 5.5 - 5.7 grains, OAL of 1.130. Hope to shoot them next week with a CZ P10f, looking for plinking rounds with that powder at 115 grain.
I found that CFE pistol at 4.2 grains and a 147 grain Berry's is a good round in my CZ, now trying to find a powder weight for the lighter projectiles.

I've had good luck with CFE Pistol with varied 115g projectiles. I settled on 5.4g @ 1.100 oal

 

[oremike]

I guess I missed where I was supposed to use magnum primers in the .30 carbine with H110 powder. I've been loading it with standard powder for the last 30+ years, seems to work fine.

I haven't always used H110 though; at times I've used Accurate #9, 2400, and LOTS of surplus WC820.

You can use standard small rifle primers in the 30 Carbine. They are hot enough to light off a full case of H-110/W-296. The general rule is to use magnum primers for these powders and some like to use the small pistol magnums for the 30 Carbine. Due to the high pressure of the carbine round and the lighter construction of the pistol primers there can be a risk of pierced primers.

 

[Mikej]

Nothing "hard up" about it. I've been shooting that load for more than 25 years and it works as well as factory ammunition. "Hard up?" Really?

Yeah. I said I'M not hard up for .30 carbine ammo. I'M not desperate. I have .30 carbine ammo. I could certainly find some SRM primers if I decided to load for it and follow the data in the two books I use.

My hard up statement was for me personally. No need to take offence because I'm following one of the basic rules of hand loading? Every thing I've read about powders such as 2400 and H-110, at least in hand gun rounds, recommend mag primers for these powders. Being quite new to higher pressure long gun rounds I'm just following directions.

Thanks for that @oremike . And @CLT65 . I wasn't worried about blowing anything up moving away from the data on this. More like, getting poor ignition and/or terrible performance.

 

[eb in oregon]

You can use standard small rifle primers in the 30 Carbine. They are hot enough to light off a full case of H-110/W-296. The general rule is to use magnum primers for these powders and some like to use the small pistol magnums for the 30 Carbine. Due to the high pressure of the carbine round and the lighter construction of the pistol primers there can be a risk of pierced primers.

In my experience (my brother loaded some many years ago before he learned better) small pistol primers in .30 Carbine or similar cartridges is a disaster. 100% pierced primers and a new firing pin after less than 100 rounds. He loaded them, he wasn't going to knock them down an do it again. In low pressure loads for .22 Hornet it seems to work, in high pressure loads not so much. While small pistol magnum primers are thought to have a thicker cup this article says different. I myself avoid using pistol primers in rifle cartridges period. I have used standard small rifle primers in .38 Super and 7.62x25 yet found no advantage as I wasn't "pushing the envelope" on any of my loads.

A PRIMER ON PRIMERS

While searching around for some info I stumbled on to this thread and its too good not to share. Taken from the following and posted by Frisco Pete http://www.sksboards.com/smf/index.php?topic=56422.0 CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRIMER - A PRIMER ON PRIMERS Based on an article by John Barsness - GUNS...

www.snipershide.com

 

[eb in oregon]

Yeah. I said I'M not hard up for .30 carbine ammo. I'M not desperate. I have .30 carbine ammo. I could certainly find some SRM primers if I decided to load for it and follow the data in the two books I use.

My hard up statement was for me personally. No need to take offence because I'm following one of the basic rules of hand loading? Every thing I've read about powders such as 2400 and H-110, at least in hand gun rounds, recommend mag primers for these powders. Being quite new to higher pressure long gun rounds I'm just following directions.

Thanks for that @oremike . And @CLT65 . I wasn't worried about blowing anything up moving away from the data on this. More like, getting poor ignition and/or terrible performance.

A person doesn't have to be "hard up" to make their own ammunition. I make it because I like to and it's cheaper than buying factory ammunition. Especially these days. The only factory ammunition I've bought in the last 15 years has been .22LR, shotgun, and a couple boxes of .25ACP. Which I now reload for. I load for 22 different calibers and have been reloading for about 45 years. Any factory ammunition I have is for emergencies and has been sitting in it's original crate or box. However back to the issue, H110 doesn't always need a magnum primer. It's recommended in many of the manuals but after firing a few thousand rounds without a magnum primer in my experience it's not necessary in .30 Carbine.

I might have to try a cylinder load each of .357 and .44 magnum with standard primers and H110 to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[Mikej]

I don't make my own because I'm hard up. It's more of a Zen thing. I have a mechanical background. Change my own oil and do what work I can on my vehicles. It follows that I would like loading my own. I've always been partial to blondes. I cook and garden, and like sitting at the end of the dock a dusk and watching the bats fly.

 

[eb in oregon]

I don't make my own because I'm hard up. It's more of a Zen thing. I have a mechanical background. Change my own oil and do what work I can on my vehicles. It follows that I would like loading my own. I've always been partial to blondes. I cook and garden, and like sitting at the end of the dock a dusk and watching the bats fly.

Well then, you and I have several things in common. The "Zen" thing, the mechanical back ground, and my wife of 44 years was blond when we met. With green eyes. I assist in the cooking and yard maintenance but that's not my favorite pastime. However I watch the bats as they drop from our eaves as we usually have three or four pairs that nest up there each year. But I pretty much stopped working on the car when it became computerized and I had to jack the bloody thing up and remove a pan to even change the oil and filter. And then crawling around on the ground isn't as much fun as it used to be.

Edit: Regarding Portland: my family has been in and around Portland since 1886. It has become an insane asylum run by escaped mental patients these last 15 to 20 years and I avoid downtown like a leper colony anymore. I had several cousin's living right on the park blocks, they moved out of Portland due to the insanity of the last year. Especially after they trashed her apartment buildings front on numerous occasions, threatened her walking on the sidewalk, and looted the store across the street twice.