What did you do in the reloading room recently?

Hornady 75 gr BTHPs over 22.7 gr TAC @ 2.26"
Not sure I’m really going to mess around with the charges too much as that’s plenty good for my needs at 100 yards.

This was using my Nikon scope at 9x. I should have tried them with less zoom (like 4x) so I could be more stable etc. Prob would have grouped even better I think.
I thought 2.26” was group size
 
I was thinking of trying CFE223 in 303 British; Hodgdon's site has a load I can try. Anyone used CFE223 for cartridges other than 223? I received a recommendation for 8mm Mauser and I have heard of others using it with 7.62x54R and 308 Win. My 223 test loads were mediocre at best but was using 55gr so maybe it was just not a great load.

Also, do you guys do anything to remember your best loads? I've been thinking I should keep better track of which loads performed the best for me. Other than a small notebook or looking over past targets, I've been a bit lax on that front.
 
I was thinking of trying CFE223 in 303 British; Hodgdon's site has a load I can try. Anyone used CFE223 for cartridges other than 223? I received a recommendation for 8mm Mauser and I have heard of others using it with 7.62x54R and 308 Win. My 223 test loads were mediocre at best but was using 55gr so maybe it was just not a great load.

Also, do you guys do anything to remember your best loads? I've been thinking I should keep better track of which loads performed the best for me. Other than a small notebook or looking over past targets, I've been a bit lax on that front.
I write notes in my load data manuals good and bad.. I also have luggage tags on my sling swivels with ammo info for that particular rifle. I also have load and zero data in the butt traps of some of my milsurp rifles. My basement walls, cabinets and other surfaces have data on them too.
 
I was just shooting with the rifle off a sandbag.

Is your barrel free-floating?

I was researching loads for my 68gr Hornady bullets using H335 and the impression I got was that while its ok for the 55gr bullets, you want to use something else for the heavier ones.
 
I was thinking of trying CFE223 in 303 British; Hodgdon's site has a load I can try. Anyone used CFE223 for cartridges other than 223? I received a recommendation for 8mm Mauser and I have heard of others using it with 7.62x54R and 308 Win. My 223 test loads were mediocre at best but was using 55gr so maybe it was just not a great load.

Also, do you guys do anything to remember your best loads? I've been thinking I should keep better track of which loads performed the best for me. Other than a small notebook or looking over past targets, I've been a bit lax on that front.
I keep a three ring binder in my loading room. It makes it easier to add pages as needed for different calibers and rifles. I note every load I try and which gun it is tried in and the weather and date. It is helpful to know what doesn't work so I don't repeat it, say, a decade later. I've been reloading for about 4 decades now so I've tried quite a few different combinations of powder/ primer/ projectile. Did I try Unique over the 300 gr hard cast in the 45-70? (Flip, flip, flip) Yup 23 years ago. Didn't do well in the Ruger #1. Did better in the Remington rolling block but not enough to try again.
 
I was thinking of trying CFE223 in 303 British; Hodgdon's site has a load I can try. Anyone used CFE223 for cartridges other than 223? I received a recommendation for 8mm Mauser and I have heard...

CFE 223 isn't used across the entire spectrum of bullet weights in many calibers, but it is still fairly versatile. For lighter bullets, you'll find plenty of data for CFE 223.
I know I ended up using around 25 grains of Lil' Gun for my 8mm Hakim. These cycled well and didn't damage the brass appreciably. It wasn't a load from any published source, but it worked for me.
I recall that loads in the 8mm with W760 really colored the brass and the expended cases melted the tarp regularly at one venue.
 
CFE 223 isn't used across the entire spectrum of bullet weights in many calibers, but it is still fairly versatile. For lighter bullets, you'll find plenty of data for CFE 223.
I know I ended up using around 25 grains of Lil' Gun for my 8mm Hakim. These cycled well and didn't damage the brass appreciably. It wasn't a load from any published source, but it worked for me.
I recall that loads in the 8mm with W760 really colored the brass and the expended cases melted the tarp regularly at one venue.
I loaded 20 rounds of 303 with .312 150gr projectiles using 43gr of CFE223. We'll see how they do. I only did 20 or so rounds of .223 with CFE using a 55gr projectile and I recall I was disappointed with the results; but it could have been any number of reasons. Those were the only rounds I've used with it; it's been sitting in the canister since. It's really easy to meter for me, though.
It's likely I'll be needing 357/38spl dies soon ;)
 
Cast, lines and sized some 454200 HP
Cast coated and sized some 44-250K
Cast and tumbled lube half and coated the other half of some .457” round balls for triple ball loads in the 45/70
Cast a bunch of 356130BB
It was a productive day
 

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What’d ya get!?...
Nothing...yet...been watching an item I've wanted on GB and (shockingly) the Buy it Now price is reasonable and only $25 above the bidding price. But they only take Postal Money orders for payment and I am out of state until the 26th, been debating whether to contact the seller to see how long they'll wait for it to get there. I had one seller say if they don't have the money within 7 days of auction closing, they will relist and neg rep.
 
Cast, lines and sized some 454200 HP
Cast coated and sized some 44-250K
Cast and tumbled lube half and coated the other half of some .457” round balls for triple ball loads in the 45/70
Cast a bunch of 356130BB
It was a productive day
I’m liking those coated Keith bullets....
 
I’m liking those coated Keith bullets....
Good they got your name on them
Also I have some 453 round balls..... do you have any 45 caliber pistols? Super fun to do round ball loads. If you have a 45 colt you can double them up.
Fun to pull the trigger 6 times and get 12 holes.
I hear it's great for the 2X4 shoots.
 
Good they got your name on them
Also I have some 453 round balls..... do you have any 45 caliber pistols? Super fun to do round ball loads. If you have a 45 colt you can double them up.
Fun to pull the trigger 6 times and get 12 holes.
I hear it's great for the 2X4 shoots.
Haha nice. No I don’t have any 45 pistols unfortunately. That sounds like a lot of fun to get 12 hits with 6 trigger pulls! Awesome.
 
Haha nice. No I don’t have any 45 pistols unfortunately. That sounds like a lot of fun to get 12 hits with 6 trigger pulls! Awesome.
Well I know you have a 357. I’ll try to remember to drop some of the 360 round balls in. I do 2 in a 38 special. Seats about as deep as a wadcutter and weights about 140 grains so load data is simple. Of course they run a lower pressure because of lack of bearing surface. 3 in a 357 is cool too.
 
Good they got your name on them
Also I have some 453 round balls..... do you have any 45 caliber pistols? Super fun to do round ball loads. If you have a 45 colt you can double them up.
Fun to pull the trigger 6 times and get 12 holes.
I hear it's great for the 2X4 shoots.
years ago we did this with a old junk pistol we had. 38spl pretty much made from cast zinc I think. It was a POS.
 
Well I know you have a 357. I’ll try to remember to drop some of the 360 round balls in. I do 2 in a 38 special. Seats about as deep as a wadcutter and weights about 140 grains so load data is simple. Of course they run a lower pressure because of lack of bearing surface. 3 in a 357 is cool too.
Ohh sweet! That would be awesome to shoot through my Dan Wesson 357
 
What’d ya get!?...
I went ahead and pulled the trigger, no pun intended. Taylor's and Co. Smoke Wagon Deluxe "tuned" case hardened in 357, 5.5'' bbl. Copy of SAA. My first revolver.
upload_2018-12-24_19-12-50.png
My only Christmas gift this year other than a Toblerone is a pair of Mechanix gloves, so I redirected some of my bonus into a gift for myself :)
 
I went ahead and pulled the trigger, no pun intended. Taylor's and Co. Smoke Wagon Deluxe "tuned" case hardened in 357, 5.5'' bbl. Copy of SAA. My first revolver.
View attachment 260548
My only Christmas gift this year other than a Toblerone is a pair of Mechanix gloves, so I redirected some of my bonus into a gift for myself :)
Sweet!! Well deserved I’m sure!
 
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Ordered five hundred projectiles for 357/38spl and dies should arrive tomorrow. Have a decent amount of 357 and 38spl brass from a friend that shoots chiefly revolvers and has given the brass to me over the years. Will be nice not to have to chase brass.
 
Ordered five hundred projectiles for 357/38spl and dies should arrive tomorrow. Have a decent amount of 357 and 38spl brass from a friend that shoots chiefly revolvers and has given the brass to me over the years. Will be nice not to have to chase brass.
Nice! I’ve got so many 357 bullets I considered selling some off but can’t bring myself to do it yet lol.

You buy the Zero bullets?
 
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