• If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership  The benefits pay for the membership many times over.

What did you do in the reloading room recently?

I know! The bullets are supposedly .429" but I’ll have to check when I get home. Wonder if they’re undersized. I know the DE barrel has polygonal rifling - no idea if that matters.
Poly leaves much smaller marks ,
Maybe those marks where “buffed” off going through the water . ?
 
See I told you that bench was to big, dont let kids/wife/non shooters near that bench .....that much bench space is a shit collector!
Five more dillons and it’ll be filled up 😂

it’ll shrink once I get all my sh*t on it. Figure the right half reloading stuff and left will be my gunsmithing/cleaning station.
 
So it loaded "Off Center" for lack of a better description. Like exactly one half of the case wall was thinner or weaker in a section and stretched out when a bullet was pressed in.
I had a picture of it , not sure if I still do, and it did it on every piece.
It was odd, like one half of the case was a straight line from the case mouth to the rim and the other side had this tumor like bulge to it.
I was running a batch of 400 or so at the time, that was the only brass that did it.

At one time, there was a list of Bad Headstamps To Avoid over at Castboolits. AA-USA was on there.
Agreed.
 
I may not be working different loads up, yet, and I certainly don’t have an awesome new bench, but hot damn am I cookin!
3F68501B-BCD4-4F8D-96C5-14B02A2E9936.jpeg

A hot, fresh batch of sized, cleaned (I’m a Palmolive guy) and dried 9mm snacky cakes.
Follow me for more great baking tips!

Edit- quick question. Is there any functional reason to polish cases? Some apparently swear by it, some don’t bother. Is it just a pride thing? Or is there any actual value in spending the time?
Keep in mind if I’m cleaning by hand, you bet your butt I’d be polishing by hand as well.
 
Last edited:
I may not be working different loads up, yet, and I certainly don’t have an awesome new bench, but hot damn am I cookin!
View attachment 461704

A hot, fresh batch of sized, cleaned (I’m a Palmolive guy) and dried 9mm snacky cakes.
Follow me for more great baking tips!

Edit- quick question. Is there any functional reason to polish cases? Some apparently swear by it, some don’t bother. Is it just a pride thing? Or is there any actual value in spending the time?
Keep in mind if I’m cleaning by hand, you bet your butt I’d be polishing by hand as well.

Yes there is a benefit or two for polishing brass. It works better in the dies, shows up defects better and it cleans off most residue and corrosion inside the cases.

Tumblers are cheap and so is corn media.
 
Yes there is a benefit or two for polishing brass. It works better in the dies, shows up defects better and it cleans off most residue and corrosion inside the cases.

Tumblers are cheap and so is corn media.

Appreciate the response and that makes sense. Unfortunately (or not?) it’s not a cost issue as much as it’s a space issue. Same 600sq. ft. apartment and married for 14 years. It’s amazing how much crap one accrues over the years. 😳
A small tumbler may be necessary in the near future.
I also have the carbide die set for 9mm, Lee says it makes a difference (no lube necessary!) but have neither the knowledge nor the experience to validate that.
 
Anyone else use Eggleston Munitions coated bullets? I loaded up some of their 146 gr 9mm bullets over Sport Pistol which have been accurate.
But I shot them at an indoor USPSA match today and was almost gagging from the smell😂. Never noticed it much outdoors.
Everyone was asking me what the hell I was shooting😂
They call their coating a “polycoat” so some type of polymer I guess.
 
I may not be working different loads up, yet, and I certainly don’t have an awesome new bench, but hot damn am I cookin!
View attachment 461704

A hot, fresh batch of sized, cleaned (I’m a Palmolive guy) and dried 9mm snacky cakes.
Follow me for more great baking tips!

Edit- quick question. Is there any functional reason to polish cases? Some apparently swear by it, some don’t bother. Is it just a pride thing? Or is there any actual value in spending the time?
Keep in mind if I’m cleaning by hand, you bet your butt I’d be polishing by hand as well.
Nice!! You don’t necessarily need them mirror polished but “clean” is good. For reasons Uzi mentioned.
I just use a tumbler with corn cob or walnut media.

I don’t lube my pistol brass but I know plenty of guys who do. Especially with the 9mm cases since they’re tapered. Saves some wear and tear on your hand/arm during resizing but it’s not horrible. I use a homemade padded glove to help my hand/palm. Helps during long reloading sessions.

Gorilla tape and some weather stripping
[rofl]
I’m due for a new one. This one is getting worn out.
FC46903B-2F0B-4A8C-A54F-A2CECC8260B4.jpeg 61C1CBB1-74DA-44C8-8FC8-988BADF70803.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I may not be working different loads up, yet, and I certainly don’t have an awesome new bench, but hot damn am I cookin!
View attachment 461704

A hot, fresh batch of sized, cleaned (I’m a Palmolive guy) and dried 9mm snacky cakes.
Follow me for more great baking tips!

Edit- quick question. Is there any functional reason to polish cases? Some apparently swear by it, some don’t bother. Is it just a pride thing? Or is there any actual value in spending the time?
Keep in mind if I’m cleaning by hand, you bet your butt I’d be polishing by hand as well.
Polish by hand, yeah go ahead and do that....ugh load up and go shooting
 
Nice!! You don’t necessarily need them mirror polished but “clean” is good. For reasons Uzi mentioned.
I just use a tumbler with corn cob or walnut media.

I don’t lube my pistol brass but I know plenty of guys who do. Especially with the 9mm cases since they’re tapered. Saves some wear and tear on your hand/arm during resizing but it’s not horrible. I use a homemade padded glove to help my hand/palm. Helps during long reloading sessions.

Gorilla tape and some weather stripping
[rofl]
I’m due for a new one. This one is getting worn out.
View attachment 461727View attachment 461728
you wore out that glove on reloading?
Shitty glove?
 
I may not be working different loads up, yet, and I certainly don’t have an awesome new bench, but hot damn am I cookin!
View attachment 461704

A hot, fresh batch of sized, cleaned (I’m a Palmolive guy) and dried 9mm snacky cakes.
Follow me for more great baking tips!

Edit- quick question. Is there any functional reason to polish cases? Some apparently swear by it, some don’t bother. Is it just a pride thing? Or is there any actual value in spending the time?
Keep in mind if I’m cleaning by hand, you bet your butt I’d be polishing by hand as well.
Tumbling in corn cob media with polishing compound makes it easier to run them through the resizing die. And they just look better.
 
Couple of firsts tonight. Things were going well until...
Stuck primer. Went outside and just pushed harder (using a Lee breech lock hand press) and it went in. This may coincide with the polishing of the brass, but it was clean and I did clean the primer pockets individually as well. Wife asked why I was going outside and I told her if she heard a “pop!”not to worry. How loud are primer detonations BTW?
That didn’t receive a great response. 🙄

First bullets I seated were waayyyy to deep. Shooting for 1.090 and got 7 between 1.01 and 1.04. The adjustments aren’t quite as subtle as anticipated. Duly noted. They may be too deep to pull. That a thing? I have a puller and was getting nowhere fast. Also, the repeated smacking was met with a subtle but notable side-eye. I’ll move out of the living room next time ‘round.

All said and done I have 10, yes TEN! .355, 115gr. Hornady XTP JHP projectiles over 4.2 grains of Titegroup. I wanted to do 20 with Titegroup and 20 with PowerPistol. But after my stumbling with bullet seating I decided to quit while I was, even? Certainly not ahead, but I learned a lot today regardless.
image.jpg
 
Couple of firsts tonight. Things were going well until...
Stuck primer. Went outside and just pushed harder (using a Lee breech lock hand press) and it went in. This may coincide with the polishing of the brass, but it was clean and I did clean the primer pockets individually as well. Wife asked why I was going outside and I told her if she heard a “pop!”not to worry. How loud are primer detonations BTW?
That didn’t receive a great response. 🙄

First bullets I seated were waayyyy to deep. Shooting for 1.090 and got 7 between 1.01 and 1.04. The adjustments aren’t quite as subtle as anticipated. Duly noted. They may be too deep to pull. That a thing? I have a puller and was getting nowhere fast. Also, the repeated smacking was met with a subtle but notable side-eye. I’ll move out of the living room next time ‘round.

All said and done I have 10, yes TEN! .355, 115gr. Hornady XTP JHP projectiles over 4.2 grains of Titegroup. I wanted to do 20 with Titegroup and 20 with PowerPistol. But after my stumbling with bullet seating I decided to quit while I was, even? Certainly not ahead, but I learned a lot today regardless.
View attachment 461775
I'm gonna offer you some more advice. Cleaning primer pockets for handgun calibers is a waste of time and completely unnecessary. I've loaded thousands upon thousands of rounds of pistol ammo.....never ever cleaned a primer pocket......never ever had a "stuck" primer either. Stop wasting your time. Just tumble the brass and then run em.
 
Last edited:
I'm gonna offer you some more advice. Cleaning primer pockets for handgun calibers is a waste of time and completely unnecessary. I've loaded thousands upon thousands of pistol ammo.....never ever cleaned a primer pocket......never ever had a "stuck" primer either. Stop wasting your time. Just tumble the brass and then run em.

Cleaning the pockets was in lieu of tumbling as I don’t have a tumbler, yet.
Pistol reloads seem to be far more forgiving than rifle.
This brass got “tumbled” in some tupperware with palmolive and hot water.
 
Sorted three 1 gallon freezer bags of brass. Couple of random questions for you guys...

- anyone saving alum or steel cases as a last ditch source of cases at some point down the road or am I a nut for even entertaining the thought. Id have thought that steel east euro ammo would be berdan primed but I took a peek inside a 45acp and it was boxer primed. What about 54r, x39, 223?

-Would you guys load pistol but not rifle? Reduced rifle loads? Would it be worth it to get even one reload out of steel cases? I know @navalofficer loaded up some alum 9mm cases multiple times with no ill effects iirc.
 
Cleaning the pockets was in lieu of tumbling as I don’t have a tumbler, yet.
Pistol reloads seem to be far more forgiving than rifle.
This brass got “tumbled” in some tupperware with palmolive and hot water.
Your not listening. What does having a tumbler or not have to do with it?

When I tumble..... the primer pockets are not getting cleaned anyway.....I tumble them straight from the range with the spent primers still in them. They come out of the tumbler and to the press. If you tumble after you remove the primers you end up with media plugging the pockets. Your making this too hard on yourself.

You can do the same thing with your Tupperware and soapy water. Leave the old primers in.....shake em in the hot water and soap......then heat them in the oven to dry......then run em through the press. Simple. Stop focusing on primer pockets its a waste of time with pistol ammo. I don't know anyone that focuses on primer pockets cleaning for pistol cal ammo.
 
Last edited:
I've been slacking. I
Couple of firsts tonight. Things were going well until...
Stuck primer. Went outside and just pushed harder (using a Lee breech lock hand press) and it went in. This may coincide with the polishing of the brass, but it was clean and I did clean the primer pockets individually as well. Wife asked why I was going outside and I told her if she heard a “pop!”not to worry. How loud are primer detonations BTW?
That didn’t receive a great response. 🙄

First bullets I seated were waayyyy to deep. Shooting for 1.090 and got 7 between 1.01 and 1.04. The adjustments aren’t quite as subtle as anticipated. Duly noted. They may be too deep to pull. That a thing? I have a puller and was getting nowhere fast. Also, the repeated smacking was met with a subtle but notable side-eye. I’ll move out of the living room next time ‘round.

All said and done I have 10, yes TEN! .355, 115gr. Hornady XTP JHP projectiles over 4.2 grains of Titegroup. I wanted to do 20 with Titegroup and 20 with PowerPistol. But after my stumbling with bullet seating I decided to quit while I was, even? Certainly not ahead, but I learned a lot today regardless.
View attachment 461775
No need to clean any primer pockets in any caliber. Maybe if I was shooting at 1000yds I'd try it. There's no measurable diff for me at 300 when I tried it.

For the bullets too deep, just use the hammer to make them too long again, then reseat them. No big deal for plinking rounds. Don't do this for match ammo.
 
Appreciate the response and that makes sense. Unfortunately (or not?) it’s not a cost issue as much as it’s a space issue. Same 600sq. ft. apartment and married for 14 years. It’s amazing how much crap one accrues over the years. 😳
A small tumbler may be necessary in the near future.
I also have the carbide die set for 9mm, Lee says it makes a difference (no lube necessary!) but have neither the knowledge nor the experience to validate that.
HF dual drum tumbler takes very little room, relatively quiet and can do 6lbs of 9mm at a time without pins. Bigger cases fill the drums before they hit weight.
Negative is that you need to decap before cleaning.
 
Back
Top Bottom