What did you do in the reloading room recently?

[76Too]

im no wizard but a SD of say less than 50fps is going to be fine.
How did you test your ammo...
did you shoot 5 shots of each load onto its own target?
I will usually shoot round robin style on test loads . This will spread out the variations in barrel/action/wood heat issues.
you been around enough to know I shoot poozzeee loads even with jacketed ammo.
I like to apply the OCW method to my load testing and find that sweet spot that delivers good accuracy and less deviation from point of aim in the largest spread of powder charge. Its a little harder to do accurately with iron sights but should show its face well enough to find that nice node of accuracy and powder charge.

Most of my loads for 100/200 yards are on the lowr side of the middle charges of published data..
For my 1903A4 i have a 200 yard load thats running about 2250fps with a 155 grain bullet. its good for about MOA when i can hold MOA ..
My 1903a3 has not seen a jacketed round in 4 years for 200 yard target work. 165 grain flat nose cast bullet at about 1500-1600 FPS

on this front, i was figuring I'd probably go with one of the low mid range loads as well due to the fact that my barrel is original 1918 to the low 900,000 receiver on my 03 (and guages at less than 1!)...yet another rifle i'll likely be working up cast loads for once I learn how (enter Michael J. Spanglers casting seminar). I was getting an average of 3 MOA with a flyer in every group...not too shabby for open sights and dusk lighting I guess. I really just wanted to see how it shot...almost two years I've had that rifle and never fired a round through it. Last week you got me thinking when you said your 03 liked 168gr chow and I realized I had a 'load workup' still sitting on my reloading bench just waiting to get shot. now today you tell me you shoot 155's out of your 03...lol. :/

yes, I do shoot 5 shot groups, but i have yet to figure out how to make a 'round robin' work for me just yet. i'm usually on a time crunch and don't really have the space for that many targets at my range with all the tactical turds hanging around shooting their pooozzzeeee guns. I forgot my phone at home today, so my chrono data will get posted tomorrow sometime...maybe you guys can help me make a choice on a load for this rifle...at least with this powder. I wish working up loads wasn't such a pain in the balls, because I'd have one made for every rifle with every powder and projectile I have at the ready.

 

[mac1911]

on this front, i was figuring I'd probably go with one of the low mid range loads as well due to the fact that my barrel is original 1918 to the low 900,000 receiver on my 03 (and guages at less than 1!)...yet another rifle i'll likely be working up cast loads for once I learn how (enter Michael J. Spanglers casting seminar). I was getting an average of 3 MOA with a flyer in every group...not too shabby for open sights and dusk lighting I guess. I really just wanted to see how it shot...almost two years I've had that rifle and never fired a round through it. Last week you got me thinking when you said your 03 liked 168gr chow and I realized I had a 'load workup' still sitting on my reloading bench just waiting to get shot. now today you tell me you shoot 155's out of your 03...lol. :/

yes, I do shoot 5 shot groups, but i have yet to figure out how to make a 'round robin' work for me just yet. i'm usually on a time crunch and don't really have the space for that many targets at my range with all the tactical turds hanging around shooting their pooozzzeeee guns. I forgot my phone at home today, so my chrono data will get posted tomorrow sometime...maybe you guys can help me make a choice on a load for this rifle...at least with this powder. I wish working up loads wasn't such a pain in the balls, because I'd have one made for every rifle with every powder and projectile I have at the ready.

my 1903a3 likes 168s but i have not shot them in for some time. My 1903a4 likes 168s very much 45.5 grains varget BUT the light loads of H4895 with 155s do very well and conserve powder and recoil...
Check out H4895 reduced loads on hodgdons web site. fun stuff.

Most of my "non standard" loads are for very specific needs/yardage/velocity ectect. I have a 50 yard gallery load. 130 grain bullet nd red dot powder. Real fun for blasting milk jugs, watermellons and the likes at 50 yards.

 

[mac1911]

ok...THAT's pretty darn funny!

yeah i even started looking for the die set....... i found them. In the "shopping cart" on the web site. They should be here today.

- - - Updated - - -

on this front, i was figuring I'd probably go with one of the low mid range loads as well due to the fact that my barrel is original 1918 to the low 900,000 receiver on my 03 (and guages at less than 1!)...yet another rifle i'll likely be working up cast loads for once I learn how (enter Michael J. Spanglers casting seminar). I was getting an average of 3 MOA with a flyer in every group...not too shabby for open sights and dusk lighting I guess. I really just wanted to see how it shot...almost two years I've had that rifle and never fired a round through it. Last week you got me thinking when you said your 03 liked 168gr chow and I realized I had a 'load workup' still sitting on my reloading bench just waiting to get shot. now today you tell me you shoot 155's out of your 03...lol. :/

yes, I do shoot 5 shot groups, but i have yet to figure out how to make a 'round robin' work for me just yet. i'm usually on a time crunch and don't really have the space for that many targets at my range with all the tactical turds hanging around shooting their pooozzzeeee guns. I forgot my phone at home today, so my chrono data will get posted tomorrow sometime...maybe you guys can help me make a choice on a load for this rifle...at least with this powder. I wish working up loads wasn't such a pain in the balls, because I'd have one made for every rifle with every powder and projectile I have at the ready.

i use the 32" wide masking/painters paper and paint 5 6" black dots on it. works well enough.

I also make my own shootNc type targets with the large florecent colored poster board some cheap tape and paint. This is a 50 yard version... I can easily get 5 6" dots on these and i use 2 13" dots for 200 yards IF/when i ever get to practice at 200 yards.

 

[76Too]

you're a true renaissance man, Mac!

I seem to do OK with my 100yd SR1 target and I use the printable 'center' from bison ballistics. i've gotten about 100 rounds on my first target so far (found in the trash at my range with 2 or 3 shots near the center on it.) i pastie anything that lands outside the 'center' with masking tape and just put up a new 'center' for each load. i get exercise running down range a lot, but i need to stay in shape for the Corps anyway!

might just buckle down and BUY (god forbid) some full size SR1 targets and put them on thick cardboard if I can find out who sells them locally. $35 for a hundred plus $15 shipping through midway usa...$.50/target...no thanks.

 

[mac1911]

you're a true renaissance man, Mac!

I seem to do OK with my 100yd SR1 target and I use the printable 'center' from bison ballistics. i've gotten about 100 rounds on my first target so far (found in the trash at my range with 2 or 3 shots near the center on it.) i pastie anything that lands outside the 'center' with masking tape and just put up a new 'center' for each load. i get exercise running down range a lot, but i need to stay in shape for the Corps anyway!

might just buckle down and BUY (god forbid) some full size SR1 targets and put them on thick cardboard if I can find out who sells them locally. $35 for a hundred plus $15 shipping through midway usa...$.50/target...no thanks.

you have to wait until midaway has a sale on the targets. I bought on a free shipping deal and they where on sale...I want to say they where .30 each ? I bought 100 SR1 targets and 100 centers
If you cn deal with wallpaper pasting a SR1 to cardboard and then just use centers and pasters you can get some good life out of your targets. One old guy i know only uses 2 centers a year BUT he had to have 20$ worth of pasters on there!

Also if you have a good source for inexpensive cloth hockey tape it makes for great paster material.

 

[76Too]

that's basically what I do except I use the printed centers (printed on company paper and ink so free for me) from bison ballistics and masking tape i found in the junkyard (also free)...I think i might be almost as frugal as you!

 

[headednorth]

that's basically what I do except I use the printed centers (printed on company paper and ink so free for me) from bison ballistics and masking tape i found in the junkyard (also free)...I think i might be almost as frugal as you!

I cut up appliance boxes, (stoves, refrigerators, etc), clip them to the frames with those little black spring clips you would use to clamp a bunch of papers together and spray paint a circle.on them. Cost to me $0.

 

[mac1911]

that's basically what I do except I use the printed centers (printed on company paper and ink so free for me) from bison ballistics and masking tape i found in the junkyard (also free)...I think i might be almost as frugal as you!

I,have to be cheap...my pay is not going up any,where close to cost of living. So the cheaper I can be the more I can shoot.

 

[Uzi2]

Making some snake shot rounds.

Filled fifty 38spl/.357 Speer Shot Capsules with 109gr of #12 chilled lead shot. These will be seated over 5.0 to 5.5gr of 700X.

Will be doing a few 44spl also without the shot capsules, using gas checks and a mixed batch of #9 and #12 shot to test the patterns.

 

[mac1911]

that's basically what I do except I use the printed centers (printed on company paper and ink so free for me) from bison ballistics and masking tape i found in the junkyard (also free)...I think i might be almost as frugal as you!

I picked up a few cans of paint at a yard sale. Also got aprox 3lbs of solder and a few large stainless spoons all for $2

So I made up a target for tomorrows little test tun

 

[38ExtraSpecial]

Melted down two 5 gallons buckets of wheel weights to yield a whopping 110 pounds of lead. I hate zinc wheel weights.
Added in about 15 pounds of lead shot and 3.5 pounds of 63/37 solder.
Made a nice batch but it was a lot of work and time for that yield.

 

[mac1911]

Melted down two 5 gallons buckets of wheel weights to yield a whopping 110 pounds of lead. I hate zinc wheel weights.
Added in about 15 pounds of lead shot and 3.5 pounds of 63/37 solder.
Made a nice batch but it was a lot of work and time for that yield.

this is the times ahead....lead wheel weights are getting less and less. een 6 years ago I was getting better yield.
Lets hope scrap keeps getting higher. I was getting decent cash for the clip metal and zinc If I melted the clips out of it. I now have a guy that will buy my zinc. He makes cannonballs from it.

 

[Nick Leduc]

I came in possession of like 30 of the cast bullets. I decided I would load some up last night. 320 gr in 44 Mag. Started out with 20.0 grs of H110. I couldn't find an exact data match in any of my books, went with similar load data as a 325 gr bullet listed.

 

[DW357]

I was off from work today and figured it would be a good time to get some 9mm loaded. Made about 400 rounds.

 

[Jbarila]

Bought a S&W 625, Loaded up 24 dummy 45 acp's and mounted in moon clips for practice. (Revolver Div)

 

[meh]

What did I do in the reloading room last night? Cursed, mostly. Thought I'd just prime and flare some .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cases that I'd already resized. Figured I'd charge them this weekend. I have a lot of Herter's brass. Pretty sure the revolver calibers of Herter's are manufactured by Sellier & Bellot. Looked kind of tight, but the primer pocket scraper inserted without difficulty, so I thought it would be OK. I was wrong. Switched to different brass after about 30 rounds and ordered a Lyman Case Prep Xpress.

 

[DW357]

What did I do in the reloading room last night? Cursed, mostly. Thought I'd just prime and flare some .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cases that I'd already resized. Figured I'd charge them this weekend. I have a lot of Herter's brass. Pretty sure the revolver calibers of Herter's are manufactured by Sellier & Bellot. Looked kind of tight, but the primer pocket scraper inserted without difficulty, so I thought it would be OK. I was wrong. Switched to different brass after about 30 rounds and ordered a Lyman Case Prep Xpress.

Lol. I've come across a few Herter's 357 and 44 mag cases and also ran into the same problem. The primers seated but holy crap they were tight and weren't exactly flat/even in the pockets...Luckily I only have prob ~10 or so cases of Herters brass - I may just toss them at some point since I've got thousands of 357 and 44 mag cases.

 

[thormx538]

I still haven't even unpacked my presses since moving in July I did put all of my components on a shelf the other day though, haha.

The good news is that I will have room to build a new bench just for my presses and tools (SS600, case trimmer, etc), and I'll relegate my old bench (which is one of those blue engineering lab benches) to a workspace, and the two benches will be next to each other in an L configuration. Hopefully a late fall/early winter project.

 

[PL-52]

Seeing as Lee doesn't provide anyway to dump out the shot or powder out of the Loadall, you need to get creative. I had some 1/2" azeck left from another project, so I traced the container, and bevel cut it with a coping sawn to slip into the bin with a snug fit. Now you can use either one to cover the bin that you don't want to dump. Makes emptying out the shot bin easy when you take the whole container off the Loadall and install the cover on the powder bin and hold it in hand tight, just pour the shot back into the coffee can I keep the shot in. Or you can change powder too if you wanted to by covering the shot bin. Nothing leaks and all the Number 8 shot gets back into the can and so does the powder after I dump the shot. Nothing gets mixed together. And it completely empties the bins even dumps the shot and powder bushings if you slide the charge bar when you dump each product. Not a rocket science fix but it works quick and easy.

 

[mac1911]

View attachment 207960View attachment 207961View attachment 207962View attachment 207963View attachment 207964Seeing as Lee doesn't provide anyway to dump out the shot or powder out of the Loadall, you need to get creative. I had some 1/2" azeck left from another project, so I traced the container, and bevel cut it with a coping sawn to slip into the bin with a snug fit. Now you can use either one to cover the bin that you don't want to dump. Makes emptying out the shot bin easy when you take the whole container off the Loadall and install the cover on the powder bin and hold it in hand tight, just pour the shot back into the coffee can I keep the shot in. Or you can change powder too if you wanted to by covering the shot bin. Nothing leaks and all the Number 8 shot gets back into the can and so does the powder after I dump the shot. Nothing gets mixed together. And it completely empties the bins even dumps the shot and powder bushings if you slide the charge bar when you dump each product. Not a rocket science fix but it works quick and easy.

Check your receipt for that lee press and you will be reminded why lee did not provide something
Also lee figured 99% of the load all users would not empty the thing or change powder...
Fill it with red dot and shot and crank them out.

 

[Rim Job]

I started to make up some 308 when I realized that I don't have a headspace gauge

 

[mac1911]

I started to make up some 308 when I realized that I don't have a headspace gauge

What do you need a HS gauge for? You can load some up until you get a HS case comparator to size closer to your needs later.
Your chamber and bolt can be your gauge.

 

[Rim Job]

What do you need a HS gauge for? You can load some up until you get a HS case comparator to size closer to your needs later.
Your chamber and bolt can be your gauge.

True, but I like to order stuff from time to time. So the case gauge will be here tomorrow in time to go to the range next Sunday. Stupid work.

 

[Uzi2]

Just finished up loading 100 more 38spl. on a single stage press......OMG, talk about tedious, its no wonder I bought a Dillon 550B.

If I had to load single stage all the time, especially pistol calibers I'd most certainly quit reloading altogether.

 

[mac1911]

True, but I like to order stuff from time to time. So the case gauge will be here tomorrow in time to go to the range next Sunday. Stupid work.

What did you get? I have come to like the hornady case comparator. I have rcbs precision mics and Lyman case gauges also.

 

[Rim Job]

What did you get? I have come to like the hornady case comparator. I have rcbs precision mics and Lyman case gauges also.

I ordered a Lyman case gauge and a couple more small dry erase boards. I'm going to use one to write down what I have for primers and bullets in that cabinet and maybe one for the powder cabinet

 

[eboos]

Set up my new XL650 with strong mount and roller handle. Tried washer on top and bottom, both washers on top, and ended up using an impact wrench to tighten the roller handle mounting nut, and it still turns a little. Did not try dimpling/stippling the washers. Beyond that, this thing is so sweet!

 

[Jbarila]

Set up my new XL650 with strong mount and roller handle. Tried washer on top and bottom, both washers on top, and ended up using an impact wrench to tighten the roller handle mounting nut, and it still turns a little. Did not try dimpling/stippling the washers. Beyond that, this thing is so sweet!

You are going to love the 650! Congrats!

 

[highscore]

Chamfered some old primed AAF and MF headstamped cases, 8-900 of them . Bought them after the bullets and powder were pulled nearly 10 years ago. They shot very well and had the cleanest primer pockets I have ever seen when I deprimed them after firing. Loaded 25 of them with 23.8 Grs. AA2460 and a 69 grain Sierra which I'll test at 200 yards prone and if I like the way they shoot will load them all.

 

[EddieZoom]

Loaded up a few hundred 45's using new/primed brass and 200gr LSWC heads that I acquired. First batch on my Dillon 550 which was acquired at the same time and sent back to Dillon for a refurb. Using 4.8gr Win231 with a COL of 1.25.