What did you do in the reloading room recently?

Spent an hour or two looking around online different grain weights and profiles for various handgun calibers and comparing load data in a few books vs. online powder manufacturer data vs. a reputable website or two.
Started to compile a list of vendors that sell non-jacketed projectiles in either hi-tek or powder/poly coat.
Sticky at the top of the page says "Don't do that", so I didn't
Started meowing while my wife was on a conference call. She slapped me in the back of the head.
 
BTSDOG said:
Just finished up about 3500 rounds between 9's and 40's, and just before that was about 2k between 5.56 and 7.62x51. This caused the ole 550b to come down with a bad case of arthritis. So I tore her down, gave her a nice cleaning and a good lube job. Put her back together and she's good to go again. Gonna take a little break and work on my wet tumble, adding another set of rollers so i can roll two drums at a time......

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It's cool to see finished rounds lined up in a box like that....makes my dumping them in an ammo can seem sloppy and lazy by comparison ;-)
 
EddieZoom said:
It's cool to see finished rounds lined up in a box like that....makes my dumping them in an ammo can seem sloppy and lazy by comparison ;-)
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I've been using Talenti 1 pint gelato containers for small batches of handgun reloads. They're clear, with wide screw tops, so it's easy to see and reach what's inside. And they're durable enough for how I use them. I just toss a little post-it note with load data in with the rounds so I can tell this from that.

Took a friend shooting, and brought little batches of 40, 9, 38, 22lr. She looks at the containers...

"I've seen people reuse these for lots of things, but never for bullets."

"Well, what do you keep your bullets in?"

"I don't have any bullets!"

"Oh. That's so sad. That's okay, you can have some of mine!"

*rolling eyes* "Thanks, p.."

*merrily* "Sure."
 
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allen-1 said:
Not IN the reloading room, but FOR the reloading room, about two minutes ago:

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Nice.
You could have had jacketed hollow points or soft points for $299 shipped... [wink]
I'm not sure why people buy plated bullets anymore especially when jacketed bullets can be had for less money?🤷‍♂️
I guess if you're not loading magnums, just 38 special, then maybe you're better off with plated/lead/coated etc?
 
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andrew1220 said:
Nice.
You could have had jacketed hollow points or soft points for $299 shipped... [wink]
I'm not sure why people buy plated bullets anymore especially when jacketed bullets can be had for less money?🤷‍♂️
I guess if you're not loading magnums, just 38 special, then maybe you're better off with plated/lead/coated etc?
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I buy plated XTreme or Berry's because I've been happy with them, and don't know of any compelling reason to change...

I originally chose plated because I shoot a lot of 9mm in Glocks and wasn't going to lead up the barrels. I've been loading for maybe two years now, so I figure I know just enough to be dangerous.

Googling and reading multiple articles didn't show me a serious difference between plated and jacketed for my needs - what do you think I'm overlooking?
 
allen-1 said:
I buy plated XTreme or Berry's because I've been happy with them, and don't know of any compelling reason to change...

I originally chose plated because I shoot a lot of 9mm in Glocks and wasn't going to lead up the barrels. I've been loading for maybe two years now, so I figure I know just enough to be dangerous.

Googling and reading multiple articles didn't show me a serious difference between plated and jacketed for my needs - what do you think I'm overlooking?
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Not speaking for Andrew, but there are some great quality bulk jacketed bullets available at basically the same price as the plated bullets from those vendors.

Plated vs jacketed??? It really depends on your needs

You can push jacketed much faster than plated, if you are looking for max velocity.
If you are loading for a specific low to mid range velocity, plated will make it there with a slightly lower powder change compared to jacketed.

I buy and load jacketed, plated and coated lead, each for different purposes.
 
allen-1 said:
I buy plated XTreme or Berry's because I've been happy with them, and don't know of any compelling reason to change...

I originally chose plated because I shoot a lot of 9mm in Glocks and wasn't going to lead up the barrels. I've been loading for maybe two years now, so I figure I know just enough to be dangerous.

Googling and reading multiple articles didn't show me a serious difference between plated and jacketed for my needs - what do you think I'm overlooking?
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I think jacketed bullets especially Zero brand bullets, are better made and more accurate than any plated bullets. It makes a difference for me when I'm shooting my DW revolver at 120 yards but for distances in action shooting/plinking I don't think it matters?

The jacketed bullets are SLIGHTLY cheaper but the company also ships relatively fast. I shot thousands of xtremes but their shipping was horrendous - took weeks even when there wasn't a pandemic ongoing [laugh] . I got my Zero bullets within a week or so of ordering.
 
SJan said:
If you are loading for a specific low to mid range velocity, plated will make it there with a slightly lower powder change compared to jacketed.
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Yup. I still have some light 44 mag and 357 mag rounds loaded up with Xtreme bullets and Bullseye powder as it will take less powder etc. as you said. But once those are gone, I'm sticking with coated bullets for those light loads.

Full house magnums get jacketed bullets.
 
andrew1220 said:
Yup. I still have some light 44 mag and 357 mag rounds loaded up with Xtreme bullets and Bullseye powder as it will take less powder etc. as you said. But once those are gone, I'm sticking with coated bullets for those light loads.

Full house magnums get jacketed bullets.
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exactly what I have been doing

I find some powders are dirty or smokey with coated lead (titegroup for example) and will use plated there instead
 
SJan said:
exactly what I have been doing

I find some powders are dirty or smokey with coated lead (titegroup for example) and will use plated there instead
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Another good point. I noticed that too when I used TG up until a few years ago. I now have some of the Alliant Sport Pistol which has been great with the coated bullets.
 
greencobra said:
a malady of age...i just spent the better part of an hour tearing apart the reloading room looking for the mags for a specific pistol that i stupidly put in a central convenient location. kinda wondering now if the location was too good or i'm too old to remember.
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Been suffering this all month. I just spent a good amount of time looking for my M1a scope mounts. Only to find them in my scope/sight parts box in a labeled bag——what was I thinking and how did I not see it the first 20 times I looked through that box.
I fixed that.... took it out of the bag and tossed it to the bottom of the box!
 
My boys finished tumbling another 5gal pail of range pickups. Sitting on couch sorting while watching Book of Eli. Bins are 32L and sorted random, 9mm and 223 left to right.
20200416_180900.jpg

Here are the live rounds so far. Range Russian Roulette anyone? Is it factory? Is it some Fudd double charge? Is it range sweepings loaded into shells? Is it WWII US Military counterfeit made to grenade guns? Who knows! 🤣
20200416_180906.jpg

They all get pulled. I reuse the bullets and primed cases for plinking ammo and discard the powder.
 
Placed an order for
1000 zero brand 357 jsp 125 grain
1000 zero brand 45acp swaged lswc 200 grain

The sample I got of the 45acp 200 grain were amazingly accurate in my 1911. Way tighter group than berry plated swc. And my son wants to up the velocity out of his Henry 357 mag carbine ......so we'll work up some loads with a lighter projo.
 
whacko said:
The sample I got of the 45acp 200 grain were amazingly accurate in my 1911. Way tighter group than berry plated swc.
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I had awful luck with Berry's plated 125 grain flat point in 38 special, chrono numbers just all over the place, even hand weighing each individual powder charge, tried a bunch of different powders, seating depths, crimps, just super frustrating trying to get them to run well. Finally burned through the last of the box and have no plans to get any more.
 
p.. said:
I had awful luck with Berry's plated 125 grain flat point in 38 special, chrono numbers just all over the place, even hand weighing each individual powder charge, tried a bunch of different powders, seating depths, crimps, just super frustrating trying to get them to run well. Finally burned through the last of the box and have no plans to get any more.
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I have about 500 berry plated 45acp left. They are good for plate shooting.....but I was looking for a more accurate loading for the 1911 and definitely found it with the sample of 20 zero brand swaged swc. Price is great too under 10 cents each. I'll start making up a few batches with these when they come in. Already have brass resized and primed and ready to go.
 
Took a break from reloading and did some mechanical stuff. First, tore down one of my RL550b's and gave her a complete overhaul and lube job. Then I decided to upgrade my wet tumbler so i can tumble two drums at a time instead of one. I can do 10-12 lbs. of brass in each one. Just finishing it up now, have to get another v-belt for the two center rollers and install 4 offtrack bearings in case the tubes decide to wander a bit. First pic is version 1, the rest are the upgraded model........

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BTSDOG said:
Took a break from reloading and did some mechanical stuff. First, tore down one of my RL550b's and gave her a complete overhaul and lube job. Then I decided to upgrade my wet tumbler so i can tumble two drums at a time instead of one. I can do 10-12 lbs. of brass in each one. Just finishing it up now, have to get another v-belt for the two center rollers and install 4 offtrack bearings in case the tubes decide to wander a bit. First pic is version 1, the rest are the upgraded model........

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What do you use inside the pipes to stir the mix?
 
whacko said:
Placed an order for
1000 zero brand 357 jsp 125 grain
1000 zero brand 45acp swaged lswc 200 grain

The sample I got of the 45acp 200 grain were amazingly accurate in my 1911. Way tighter group than berry plated swc. And my son wants to up the velocity out of his Henry 357 mag carbine ......so we'll work up some loads with a lighter projo.
Click to expand...
I have been thinking about this for a while.
I feel like these plated and coated bullets have to hard of a alloy to obturate correctly. Swaged bullets are often soft alloy 10 bhn . The comercial casters run hard alloys. 15bhn or more. They do this for ease of casting and keeping them from getting beat up during transport. ? I also think the lack of bullet lube on the coated and plated bullets with lube grooves prevents sealing even more?
 

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