What did you do in the reloading room recently?

[p..]

Just got back from the range a little while ago.

I'm not sure what that revolver is for, but I think you're cheating.

 

[DW357]

I'm not sure what that revolver is for, but I think you're cheating.

Just ringin steel!

 

[jpm]

Just ringin steel!

more like denting steel!

 

[meh]

Damn the N110 loads were pretty stout. Might dial them back a tad. Starting charge is 20.4 and max is 22.1 with a 240 SJHP but I think I had to seat the Speer bullets deeper based on where the cannelure was. This definitely increased the pressures. I figured 21 grains would be okay but now I might split the difference. I’m ~1 grain below max. No desire to go higher.

Interesting. I'll have to pay attention when I work my way to the Speer hollow points I have. I settled on 21.0 grains with the Hornady 240 grain JTC-SIL bullets. I was getting around 2% higher velocity as compared to 23.0 grains of H110 with the same bullets. As premium as Vihtavuori is, I take their reloading manual with a grain of salt. For one thing, they hardly ever have the bullet I'm using, though the JTC-SIL bullets are the exception, and a great example, since they are long discontinued. When they have more than just one in the right ballpark for being the same sort of bullet, the data sometimes seems inconsistent, so if my bullet isn't an exact match for their bullet, I start lower than their starting charge.

 

[pastera]

Just ringin steel!

You mean shearing screws

 

[DW357]

Interesting. I'll have to pay attention when I work my way to the Speer hollow points I have. I settled on 21.0 grains with the Hornady 240 grain JTC-SIL bullets. I was getting around 2% higher velocity as compared to 23.0 grains of H110 with the same bullets. As premium as Vihtavuori is, I take their reloading manual with a grain of salt. For one thing, they hardly ever have the bullet I'm using, though the JTC-SIL bullets are the exception, and a great example, since they are long discontinued. When they have more than just one in the right ballpark for being the same sort of bullet, the data sometimes seems inconsistent, so if my bullet isn't an exact match for their bullet, I start lower than their starting charge.

Oh yeah you have some of the speers as well. I definitely should have started a little lower. They weren’t crazy nuclear but they were slightly warmer than my 23 gr H110 loads.

 

[DW357]

more like denting steel!

Got that right! Those 240 grainers hit that steel hard.

 

[DW357]

You mean shearing screws

Noooo!.....not yet anyway

 

[mac1911]

Got that right! Those 240 grainers hit that steel hard.

, many claim to be shooters but you sir have shot enough to wear them out and or break them. Its what those hunks of iron are for....!

 

[meh]

Oh yeah you have some of the speers as well. I definitely should have started a little lower. They weren’t crazy nuclear but they were slightly warmer than my 23 gr H110 loads.

I went downstairs and took a photo of some 240 grain 44 bullets, 'cause I need to know this stuff. Old school Hornady HP, Hornady JTC-SIL, Sierra HP, and Zero JSP. Now that I think of it, I should have included a Sierra Silhouette bullet, but we already know that one will be way off. All three of these pictured will be set deeper than the Zero by a good ways.

 

[DW357]

, many claim to be shooters but you sir have shot enough to wear them out and or break them. Its what those hunks of iron are for....!

So true! The heavy steel hand cannons do not collect dust by any means
I’m actually starting to erode the forcing cone on my DW 357 8" barrel which is strange since I just got it last summer. But it has seen thousands of 158 gr rounds with 2400 powder.

My 44 mag barrels have 0 erosion with H110 which is supposed to be much more abrasive than 2400?...
Once DW reopens I’m going to email them and see what they think. Might just spend the $100-$120 for a new barrel as a spare. Still shoots like a laser beam though.

Not even close to @whacko’s Ruger SP01 however. Time will tell if it gets that bad.

 

[DW357]

I went downstairs and took a photo of some 240 grain 44 bullets, 'cause I need to know this stuff. Old school Hornady HP, Hornady JTC-SIL, Sierra HP, and Zero JSP. Now that I think of it, I should have included a Sierra Silhouette bullet, but we already know that one will be way off. All three of these pictured will be set deeper than the Zero by a good ways.

View attachment 359134

Thanks for the photo! Yes it’s very apparent that all but the Zero will be seated deeper.

I’m out of Zero’s and have about 300 Speers left. But I’ve got a ton loaded. I’ll order more Zeros in the fall most likely.

 

[Jay77]

My first reloads of my first cast, first Hi Tek coated bullets. Thanks to all the guys that gave me tips and tricks.... @Michael J. Spangler , @pastera. These 230 grain test loads are loaded with 4-5 grains of Bullseye. Off to the range to test them out...

 

[pastera]

My first reloads of my first cast, first Hi Tek coated bullets. Thanks to all the guys that gave me tips and tricks.... @Michael J. Spangler , @pastera. These 230 grain test loads are loaded with 4-5 grains of Bullseye. Off to the range to test them out...

Those look great but those seater rings
You need one of these: 45 ACP Bullet Seating Die by pastera

 

[Jay77]

That is cool. For now I’ll have to live with the rings till my buddy can print it up.

 

[84ta406]

Loaded up some .45ACP on the SDB last night.

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

My first reloads of my first cast, first Hi Tek coated bullets. Thanks to all the guys that gave me tips and tricks.... @Michael J. Spangler , @pastera. These 230 grain test loads are loaded with 4-5 grains of Bullseye. Off to the range to test them out...

Happy to help man! I have to say they do look awesome. You nailed the coating. I think you’re going to love shooting them.

 

[Mudflap621]

Finally got to try some of the Brazos .357 diameter 9mm today they ran good and leading is way down compared to the acme .356 bullets so I think I’m going in right direction. Dunno what I’m gonna do with the 1k acmes now

 

[pastera]

That is cool. For now I’ll have to live with the rings till my buddy can print it up.

What mold are you using?
I'll print up a seater and toss it in the mail
If you use Lee dies, you should be able to just drop the stem into the Lee die if you seat and crimp together.

 

[pastera]

Loaded up some .45ACP on the SDB last night.
View attachment 359250

That press screams out a design by an engineer who makes shit that works not pretty.

 

[84ta406]

That press screams out a design by an engineer who makes shit that works not pretty.

Haha it's not pretty but it is a awesome straight wall pistol reloader.

 

[pastera]

Haha it's not pretty but it is a awesome straight wall pistol reloader.

As an engineer, it does have beauty that only engineers and wrench turners really notice

 

[mac1911]

As a mechanic , i wonder WTF engineers where thinking on so many things.

 

[Jay77]

4.6 grains was the magic number and it ripped one big hole at 20 yards. I’m using a lee mold and this was loaded up on a Dillion 550 with Dillion dies. They shot awesome. Love the 1911....

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

4.6 grains was the magic number and it ripped one big hole at 20 yards. I’m using a lee mold and this was loaded up on a Dillion 550 with Dillion dies. They shot awesome. Love the 1911....

Great work man!!

 

[pastera]

As a mechanic , i wonder WTF engineers where thinking on so many things.

A lot of engineers have never had to fix something on the side of the road with what's behind the seat. That and "design for manufacturer", no one teaches them design for repair.

 

[PL-52]

They also don't teach Design for sustainability either.

 

[pastera]

They also don't teach Design for sustainability either.

I have a couple of designs that have been in the field for 18+ years and are slated to be there for another ten. A newer one that has only been out for six but has the hooks built-in to support upgrades to another part of the system for a needed update - the bean counters always ask why we need to spend today's dollar to support a future change. They don't care that the system would need a rip-out because that's another years budget.

A product should be expensive enough to be quality but still be affordable. Lee products usually sit right below the line. Dillon laughs at the line from on high

 

[TrashcanDan]

So true! The heavy steel hand cannons do not collect dust by any means
I’m actually starting to erode the forcing cone on my DW 357 8" barrel which is strange since I just got it last summer. But it has seen thousands of 158 gr rounds with 2400 powder.
View attachment 359137
My 44 mag barrels have 0 erosion with H110 which is supposed to be much more abrasive than 2400?...
Once DW reopens I’m going to email them and see what they think. Might just spend the $100-$120 for a new barrel as a spare. Still shoots like a laser beam though.

Not even close to @whacko’s Ruger SP01 however. Time will tell if it gets that bad.

Ouch.
There are a few powders out there that'll do this. More prominent on the blued steel frame, flame cutting on the top strap.
Can't remember which ones they were,Trail boss? Lil Gun? H110?

 

[Uzi2]

Finished another three hundred .223 with 62gr SS109 bullets....then found another pistol built AR lower that I put away in my box of buffer spings.