What did you do in the reloading room recently?

[DW357]

Was off work today (until Wednesday) and cranked out 1200 rounds of 9mm. Most I’ve ever done in a day.

I now have 2 50 cal ammo cans full which should last a little while. I think roughly 2200 rounds of 9mm will fit in a 50 cal can?

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Was off work today (until Wednesday) and cranked out 1200 rounds of 9mm. Most I’ve ever done in a day.

I now have 2 50 cal ammo cans full which should last a little while. I think roughly 2200 rounds of 9mm will fit in a 50 cal can?
View attachment 261239

Just think. If you can your own you could have saved about $400 worth of bullets in those ammo cans.
Great looking 9mm

 

[greencobra]

Was off work today (until Wednesday) and cranked out 1200 rounds of 9mm. Most I’ve ever done in a day.

nice! a decent days production. I could do that when I was a youngster back when. turn on 'bcn, listen to max, and crank them out. now I don't have the attention span or patience to do it. i'll load in spurts. even when I wake up to hit the bathroom at night i'll pop in and crank out a few but my days of major production runs are definitely over.

 

[DW357]

Just think. If you can your own you could have saved about $400 worth of bullets in those ammo cans.
Great looking 9mm

Ya ya ya. They run me 6 cents per bullet so probably closer to $265 worth of bullets

But yeah that’s still a good chunk of money. I just don’t have the patience to cast and coat bullets. Not when I’m shooting 20ish thousand of them per year lol. I’ll gladly pay the 6 cents

 

[DW357]

nice! a decent days production. I could do that when I was a youngster back when. turn on 'bcn, listen to max, and crank them out. now I don't have the attention span or patience to do it. i'll load in spurts. even when I wake up to hit the bathroom at night i'll pop in and crank out a few but my days of major production runs are definitely over.

Thanks. Ya I just had the radio on which really helps. I normally do like 400-500 but had some time today especially with the crappy weather.

 

[daekken]

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?

...should I have? One vendor was clearancing some Remington FMJ so I grabbed five 100 packs just to get started. At 13 cents each after shipping it's not a steal but my reloads would come out to about 7 cents cheaper than targetsports. I'm very much a beginner for revolvers, specifically ammo options; I've shot a 686 a good amount and LCR, 617, etc. However, I've never had to buy my own revolver ammo. So I am trying to learn about the magical world of wadcutters, etc. Certainly open to recommendations.

 

[DW357]

...should I have? One vendor was clearancing some Remington FMJ so I grabbed five 100 packs just to get started. At 13 cents each after shipping it's not a steal but my reloads would come out to about 7 cents cheaper than targetsports. I'm very much a beginner for revolvers, specifically ammo options; I've shot a 686 a good amount and LCR, 617, etc. However, I've never had to buy my own revolver ammo. So I am trying to learn about the magical world of wadcutters, etc. Certainly open to recommendations.

That’s not bad.

Reloading for 357/38 is one of my favorites. Very easy to load. Much easier to resize brass compared to 9mm which is nice.

 

[xtry51]

Bought a bunch of 55gr V-Max to load. Had bought some loaded and used it for pest control. Really like the results.

 

[pastera]

Cast up 13.5 lbs of Lee 356-120-TC bullets, sized and lubed
They dropped at 124g so that's a little over 700 - would have done more but that's enough for one session when ladle casting into a 2 cavity mold so I stopped at one melt.

Also loaded up 200 9mm 124g round nose - My adjustable charge bar was giving me fits on a 4.1g drop of W231. So i designed and printed a new disk that uses bushings. (PM me for design files)

Daekken: You can get into casting very cheap (<$100) - (semi)wad cutters are a breeze to cast and load.

Melting Pot: $17
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-3-2qt-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven-with-Lid/602467352

Hot plate: $10 (I can show you how to mod the thermostat so it hits the right temps for casting)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Black-Easy-to-Clean-Spacing-Saving-Single-Burner/53264468

Slotted Serving spoon: $2 (to mix up the lead ans skim off the dross)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Fleetline-Slotted-Spoon/15195691

Casting dipper: $20
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lyman-Casting-Dipper-2867790/37391290

Mold: $20
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Tl358-158Swc-Double-Cavity/
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Tl358-148Wc-Double-Cavity/dp/B005KW6ZYI/

Sizing die: $25 (Only needed if your mold drops to big with your alloy)
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-90048-SIZING-358/dp/B00162THK0

If you just want to try out a few to see whether you like the full or semi wadcutter, PM me an address and I'll ship you a some of each already sized and lubed.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Ya ya ya. They run me 6 cents per bullet so probably closer to $265 worth of bullets

But yeah that’s still a good chunk of money. I just don’t have the patience to cast and coat bullets. Not when I’m shooting 20ish thousand of them per year lol. I’ll gladly pay the 6 cents

I’m not going to stop till you come to a seminar. Just saying.

View attachment 261252
Cast up 13.5 lbs of Lee 356-120-TC bullets, sized and lubed
They dropped at 124g so that's a little over 700 - would have done more but that's enough for one session when ladle casting into a 2 cavity mold so I stopped at one melt.

Also loaded up 200 9mm 124g round nose - My adjustable charge bar was giving me fits on a 4.1g drop of W231. So i designed and printed a new disk that uses bushings. (PM me for design files)

Daekken: You can get into casting very cheap (<$100) - (semi)wad cutters are a breeze to cast and load.

Melting Pot: $17
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-3-2qt-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven-with-Lid/602467352

Hot plate: $10 (I can show you how to mod the thermostat so it hits the right temps for casting)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Black-Easy-to-Clean-Spacing-Saving-Single-Burner/53264468

Slotted Serving spoon: $2 (to mix up the lead ans skim off the dross)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Fleetline-Slotted-Spoon/15195691

Casting dipper: $20
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lyman-Casting-Dipper-2867790/37391290

Mold: $20
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Tl358-158Swc-Double-Cavity/
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Tl358-148Wc-Double-Cavity/dp/B005KW6ZYI/

Sizing die: $25 (Only needed if your mold drops to big with your alloy)
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-90048-SIZING-358/dp/B00162THK0

If you just want to try out a few to see whether you like the full or semi wadcutter, PM me an address and I'll ship you a some of each already sized and lubed.

Nice! Pastera you are right. Inexpensive startup for sure.
I have a nice 6 cavity MP356130 bevel base with no lube groove if you ever want to borrow it to make a big run of bullets.
Let me know and I’ll meet up with you.

 

[pastera]

I’m not going to stop till you come to a seminar. Just saying.

Seminar is definitely worth the trip

Nice! Pastera you are right. Inexpensive startup for sure.
I have a nice 6 cavity MP356130 bevel base with no lube groove if you ever want to borrow it to make a big run of bullets.
Let me know and I’ll meet up with you.

Looked up that molds - That's cheap for a brass mold!
Don't want to borrow - need the incentive to get a bottom pour pot especially if I'm casting with a 6 cavity (double for brass)

 

[DW357]

Note to self, don’t leave lubed resized 5.56 brass in a bag for months....

Yesterday I discovered a bag of ~250 cases that I lubed and resized probably over the summer and never got around to tumbling the lube off. I had to tumble it for 2 hours in two separate batches as the lube made the cases stick together and bind with the corn cob media. It took awhile for the cases to actually tumble inward/rotate in the tumbler. At first they would just sit there and vibrate without actually tumbling. PITA.

 

[50wt]

Approx how much time to cast 1000rds of RN .45 ?

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Approx how much time to cast 1000rds of RN .45 ?

I can drop a lee 6 cavity mould say 3 times per minute. That being said you can't run one mold that fast you should run 2 at a time to keep them temps right.
So say your'e running 2 moulds. About an hour to cast that many.

 

[pastera]

I can drop a lee 6 cavity mould say 3 times per minute. That being said you can't run one mold that fast you should run 2 at a time to keep them temps right.
So say your'e running 2 moulds. About an hour to cast that many.

True - I had to slow down some and rest my mold on the aluminum top of my rollaway to keep it cool.
Took me a few of hours to cast around 700 from a 2 cavity but that included some down time to reload the wood stove, cool the mold, and flux the pot/remelt the sprues (bane of ladle pouring).

I usually run multiple molds but didn't really need anything else so had to slow down.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

True - I had to slow down some and rest my mold on the aluminum top of my rollaway to keep it cool.
Took me a few of hours to cast around 700 from a 2 cavity but that included some down time to reload the wood stove, cool the mold, and flux the pot/remelt the sprues (bane of ladle pouring).

I usually run multiple molds but didn't really need anything else so had to slow down.

Good point. Depending on the pot size and mould size etc you can move a little slower or faster.

I like this idea at about 6:40 with the modified ladle. Seems like it would work well for a big old pot of lead and a 6 cavity mould. Lots of lead and basically bottom pour.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZQQ159QJCo&t=564s

 

[pastera]

That's a cheap way of feeding a big mold

My Lyman ladle is fine for 2 cavity molds but would need to be refilled a couple of times to get a good pour on a 6 cavity 45 mold.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

That's a cheap way of feeding a big mold

My Lyman ladle is fine for 2 cavity molds but would need to be refilled a couple of times to get a good pour on a 6 cavity 45 mold.

Exactly. I tried ladle pouring a 10 cavity h&g. No dice.
Have you been coating bullets? Or just lubing?

 

[mac1911]

View attachment 261252
Cast up 13.5 lbs of Lee 356-120-TC bullets, sized and lubed
They dropped at 124g so that's a little over 700 - would have done more but that's enough for one session when ladle casting into a 2 cavity mold so I stopped at one melt.

Also loaded up 200 9mm 124g round nose - My adjustable charge bar was giving me fits on a 4.1g drop of W231. So i designed and printed a new disk that uses bushings. (PM me for design files)

Daekken: You can get into casting very cheap (<$100) - (semi)wad cutters are a breeze to cast and load.

Melting Pot: $17
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-3-2qt-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven-with-Lid/602467352

Hot plate: $10 (I can show you how to mod the thermostat so it hits the right temps for casting)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Black-Easy-to-Clean-Spacing-Saving-Single-Burner/53264468

Slotted Serving spoon: $2 (to mix up the lead ans skim off the dross)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Fleetline-Slotted-Spoon/15195691

Casting dipper: $20
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lyman-Casting-Dipper-2867790/37391290

Mold: $20
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Tl358-158Swc-Double-Cavity/
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Tl358-148Wc-Double-Cavity/dp/B005KW6ZYI/

Sizing die: $25 (Only needed if your mold drops to big with your alloy)
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-90048-SIZING-358/dp/B00162THK0

If you just want to try out a few to see whether you like the full or semi wadcutter, PM me an address and I'll ship you a some of each already sized and lubed.

if your srounged a bit more gou could have cut that equipment costs in half...maybe more.
Yes im a cheap bastard

 

[pastera]

Exactly. I tried ladle pouring a 10 cavity h&g. No dice.
Have you been coating bullets? Or just lubing?

Was going to coat this last batch until I ended up coating my garage floor. Didn't even realize I had knocked over my almost full mix bottle until I could smell it across the garage.
Need to order a 15 oz jar - the last coated batch I did, I removed the pin from my sizing die and just used it as a push through. Worked great except when the bullets stacked up and jammed but I can fix that with a sheet metal ramp to drop them in a bucket.

 

[pastera]

Who said I paid that?
Stole the hot plate and spoon from the wife.

But you are right - a couple of trips to Savers or salvation army stores and you can pick up everything but the mold for almost nothing using that hole in the ladle trick.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Was going to coat this last batch until I ended up coating my garage floor. Didn't even realize I had knocked over my almost full mix bottle until I could smell it across the garage.
Need to order a 15 oz jar - the last coated batch I did, I removed the pin from my sizing die and just used it as a push through. Worked great except when the bullets stacked up and jammed but I can fix that with a sheet metal ramp to drop them in a bucket.

That sucks!!

 

[mac1911]

Note to self, don’t leave lubed resized 5.56 brass in a bag for months....

Yesterday I discovered a bag of ~250 cases that I lubed and resized probably over the summer and never got around to tumbling the lube off. I had to tumble it for 2 hours in two separate batches as the lube made the cases stick together and bind with the corn cob media. It took awhile for the cases to actually tumble inward/rotate in the tumbler. At first they would just sit there and vibrate without actually tumbling. PITA.

How much and what type of lube did you use?
I have brass thats had lube on it for years (lanolin based lube)
Heck often I dont even bother cleaning lube off.

 

[mac1911]

Who said I paid that?
Stole the hot plate and spoon from the wife.

But you are right - a couple of trips to Savers or salvation army stores and you can pick up everything but the mold for almost nothing using that hole in the ladle trick.

Yup casters find ways to be chea... I mean frugal.

 

[pastera]

Yup casters find ways to be chea... I mean frugal.

No, I'm cheap...
I see everyone's 50 Cal ammo boxes and think "those would be nice" and then think how many rounds can I reload for $15 (~200 9mm)
Empty Folgers cans work and are free
Started working on the bullets I cast - ran out of sorted cases so had to stop at 500.

 

[DW357]

if your srounged a bit more gou could have cut that equipment costs in half...maybe more.
Yes im a cheap bastard

How much and what type of lube did you use?
I have brass thats had lube on it for years (lanolin based lube)
Heck often I dont even bother cleaning lube off.

Same. The lanolin mix. Unless my tumbler wasn’t working properly? Or I just used too much lol. The cases didn’t seem to tumble. They just vibrated in place. But they’re good to go now.

 

[DW357]

No, I'm cheap...
I see everyone's 50 Cal ammo boxes and think "those would be nice" and then think how many rounds can I reload for $15 (~200 9mm)
Empty Folgers cans work and are free
View attachment 261339 Started working on the bullets I cast - ran out of sorted cases so had to stop at 500.

Too funny. I started with empty peanut butter containers but I need larger containers so I can store more.

 

[pastera]

Too funny. I started with empty peanut butter containers but I need larger containers so I can store more.

I have a file cabinet full of Folgers cans (got the cabinet for free )

 

[mac1911]

Approx how much time to cast 1000rds of RN .45 ?

You should be able to cast 1000 with a 6 cavity in about 1 hour.
not including prep time or pot to melt.
I run a lee bottom poor, i start with 15lbs of lead with a pound or two in the pot already. That will run about 450 230grain slugs before i need to refill the pot then it takes another 10min to melt the next 15lbs.
I run one mold, if I find my mold getting to hot(seldom a problem for me) I rest it on the steel oil tank for 40 seconds or so. Nice big heat sink that tank is.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Too funny. I started with empty peanut butter containers but I need larger containers so I can store more.

I used to use baby formula containers. Had plenty around at the time. Showed up at the one and only USPSA match I ever shot with flip to enfamil containers full of my cast and lubed 45s. Smoked wonderfully. Got a couple sideways looks.
I like buying the MTM flip tops now or for bulk brass Cambro 8 quart square lexan containers.