What did you do in the reloading room recently?

I'd like to wait a little bit I'm slammed the next week and then the week after I'm snow shoe hare hunting in Maine.

No problem...next week I'm slammed as well (School Board budget meetings almost every night next week). Shoot me a PM when you're ready and we'll work something out. Have fun hare hunting. I haven't done that since I was kid living in northern NH.
 
Love em! I’ve shot about 20k of their 9mm 147’s without any problems.
If you need/want a 5% off coupon, PM me.

Thanks! I was looking at the 124gr ones but 147's would work too. I'll let you know when I'm ready. Probably won't be for a little bit. I've still got about 600 Berry's 9mm 124gr ones I need to load up and shoot.
 
Got a delivery of 38 cal 158 gr SWC blue bullets today. Going to load them with Sport Pistol once I burn through the rest of my powder puff 357s
Good idea. I just set up the new Dillon 357 dies on one of my 550s. I only have a few dozen 357s loaded.
Time you’re make a batch of hotammo!

Also just picked up a Lyman 358627 Mould.
Drops about a 215 grain SWC as pictured in this article.
Should make one hell of a plinking bullet.

 
Took the Henry carbine and my Ruger snub to the club to test the new 2400 powder.

38s with 9 grains 2400
357 with 12.7 grains 2400

I used the revolver first. Had to shoot outdoors cuz the indoor range was packed but it worked out fine. 8 inch steel plate at 25 yards to start. Both loads were hitting a bit high in the revolver but that's Normal but I could ring it every shot with both loads. I thought the 357 mag loads with 12.7 2400 would be a low range 357. They sure didn't feel like it! Quite A stout load actually. Can't imaging going up to 14.9 max load.....but.....I might work up to that for the carbine.

Carbine shot the magnums beautifully. Center mass on the plate after we moved it back to 50 yards. Cycled perfectly.

We moved back to 25 yards to try the 38s through the carbine. No issues with accuracy at that distance of course.....but.....I noticed quite quickly that the velocity seemed SLOWER than the snub revolver......a much longer delay from bang to clang on the plate with the carbine than in the revolvers. That concerns me. I'm wondering if I'm still getting friction from the longer barrel that is slowing up these 158 grain jacketed bullets. I need a damn Chrono to get to the bottom of this......and I need to slug this barrel for bore diameter.

I'm actually not even frustrated with this......it's kind of fun trying to figure it out.

Edit....
Also while I was at the club I shot 2 more rounds of trap through the new model a5 hunter I picked up used with a mis marked price up at kittery. $465 for a pristine used a5 hunter that new sells for $1400 to $1600 and used go for $1000. I stumbled on that gun in the rack and had to buy it....wasn't even looking to buy a gun that day just couldn't let that deal stay on the rack. When I brought it to the counter the clerk even commented on it.....oops.....your getting a deal today. Ive been up there since buying that shotgun and they have identical used models on the rack for $950!

Anyway... Gun runs pissah! Hit for 24 and 23. Then ran a bunch of different loads through it to test how it cycles......runs everything from target loads to heavy slugs perfectly. She's definitely a keeper and will be slaying rabbits in Maine with me next week!

I'm a Browning man to the core. I've always wanted to try a new model a5 hunter but never got around to getting the $ together. The down side of this bargain is next week I will be leaving my 1969 original auto 5 in the safe.......killed alot of rabbits and game with that old gun. Will feel odd leaving it behind.
38spl 9 grains of 2400 with a 158 JSP(used sierra for bullet) from 16.5" barrel is 1200fps per Quick loads? 4" barrel says 8 00fps
 
Question for ye - what would be a rough price per round for the top load of .308 Winchester, Norma 200 w/Norma brass and 150gr FMJ:

1581292185895.png
 
@1919FAN and I fired up the casting pot and turned some ingots into some smaller more manageable pieces of lead.

Lyman 358627 215 grain gas check semi wadcutter.
I have two seated in a 38 special case. One seated long and one short. I don’t know if the long seated one will chamber but I’m going to try it out.
Load data is scarce for this bullet but LASC has some info. Up to 700 FPS in a 38 and up to 1100 FPS for a 357.

The second bullet is the esteemed Hensley & Gibbs #68 The 200 grain SWC
This was THE bullet for 45 bullseye shooting. @1919FAN happened to score brand new old stock 4 cavity mould recently. I have worked with a lot of different Moulds from custom to cheap lee and I’ve never worked with such a well made mould. This thing was an absolute joy to cast with. The bullets literally just fell out as soon as the mould was opened.
I can see why these Moulds are among the most expensive out there.
2ED242CF-A078-48BA-86D8-330971029586.jpeg36091607-0FFB-435A-9B5F-ECB2A3812849.jpeg
 
Is it worth pouring your own bullets even if you have to purchase the lead?

Yes.
There are a few vendors on castboolits that will ship lead for just over a dollar a pound. Say $1.25
1000 - 124 grain 9mm weighs just under 18 pounds. So it’s about $22 worth of lead to make.
Compare that with buying them and you’re saving a bunch. It’s fun to boot. Add a tiny cost for coating them with hi-tek and you now have bullets that perform like plated.

Now if you want 1000 - 500 grain 45/70 it’s going to run you about $89 worth of lead. Compare that to the $323 plus shipping for commercial cast.
 
Yes.
There are a few vendors on castboolits that will ship lead for just over a dollar a pound. Say $1.25
1000 - 124 grain 9mm weighs just under 18 pounds. So it’s about $22 worth of lead to make.
Compare that with buying them and you’re saving a bunch. It’s fun to boot. Add a tiny cost for coating them with hi-tek and you now have bullets that perform like plated.

Now if you want 1000 - 500 grain 45/70 it’s going to run you about $89 worth of lead. Compare that to the $323 plus shipping for commercial cast.

Well, sounds like I may be taking that course next time it comes around. 45-70 would probably be a good bullet to start with too.
 
Well, sounds like I may be taking that course next time it comes around. 45-70 would probably be a good bullet to start with too.

Yeah generally the heavier or more obscure the bullet the more you save.
It’s nice to not have to search for bullets either. You’re the master of your own destiny 😂
If your club will let you mine the berm or even pick the loose stuff on top at the end of a range session it’s easy to walk out with 10# of lead in a cup each time you come home
 
Any of you guys played with making your own solid copper projectiles? We have a shit ton of scrap copper from our welding machines that I can play with, solid round plugs. Thinking along the lines of the Barnes xpb
I haven't - copper is not the easiest metal to work on the lathe.
Also would need to have a CNC lathe to get any level of consistency
 
I haven't - copper is not the easiest metal to work on the lathe.
Also would need to have a CNC lathe to get any level of consistency
I use a Haas TL1 tool room lathe with carbide inserts. Would just need to get the nose shaped right and then drill the base to reach desired weight. Sounds easier said than done in my head.
 
I use a Haas TL1 tool room lathe with carbide inserts. Would just need to get the nose shaped right and then drill the base to reach desired weight. Sounds easier said than done in my head.
I have a SEIG 7x12 - Yugo versus Lamborghini

Once you get the speeds and feeds, I'd say it's easier done than explained with that equipment.
 
Question for ye - what would be a rough price per round for the top load of .308 Winchester, Norma 200 w/Norma brass and 150gr FMJ:

View attachment 330696
norma 308 is probably cheaper to buy loaded.
Brass will run you about $1 each new.
thier FMJ 150s are most likely .25 each
Powder/primer .20 or so.
You can pick up Norma 308 tac for about $17/20
 
Is it worth pouring your own bullets even if you have to purchase the lead?
Really depends on your "free" time.
The thing about casting your own is you get to cast what you want for your needs.
With a common common bullet like 124gn RN 9mm for blasting. Theres not a lot of savings over the time involved.
For some time and the price of some molds you can do what ever you want , thats the real savings.
 
@1919FAN and I had cast some MP hollow based wadcutters a ways back. We loaded them backwards and might have loaded a little too hot and they tended to work like a RIP round when they hit gel.
Well tonight he hit the magic speed and came up with this result. Penetration was a little short at about 10” but expansion was awesome. We’re going to pop up the speed a touch and maybe add a little tin to see if we can get some more penetration without the mushroom bending back too far.
Another example of what old technology cast lead can do.
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norma 308 is probably cheaper to buy loaded.
Brass will run you about $1 each new.
thier FMJ 150s are most likely .25 each
Powder/primer .20 or so.
You can pick up Norma 308 tac for about $17/20

Beside the fun factor, your cost really starts to come down though as you reuse your brass. I'm hoping to be able to reuse my 308 brass ten times. I always figured that even the most costly, weirdest rounds can be reloaded for around 50 cents.

I consider the time factor a wash, or actually cheaper if you make it yourself. Think about the time driving to the store, poking around, buying what you need (which is never a bulk purchase) and driving back home. Plus your gas. Heck, with pistol rounds by the time you get home with the 50 or 100 rounds of bullets, I have cranked out 500. HA!
 
I stopped using the feds after about 8 of em in a row being tough. Went back to Remington 357 brass and that stuff is very easy to put through my press.

Remington .357 magnum brass is abnormally easy to prime, Federal brass normal. You want trouble, buy Herter's, though I found their .357 magnum brass easier than their .44 magnum brass. Only time I've had trouble priming Federal .357 Magnum cases is just the other day when I changed the rod and shell holder on my Frankford Arsenal hand primer from a large pistol setup to small but forgot to change the sleeve that goes over the spring and rod to guide it up through the center of the shell holder. This allowed the primer to be off-center as it was inserted. Remington brass has a smooth contour leading into the primer pocket that would probably have helped overcome that.
 
You want trouble, buy Herter's, though I found their .357 magnum brass easier than their .44 magnum brass.
Same here. I only had a dozen or so Herter's 44 cases and after trying to prime them, I just tossed em in the scrap bin.
 
Beside the fun factor, your cost really starts to come down though as you reuse your brass. I'm hoping to be able to reuse my 308 brass ten times. I always figured that even the most costly, weirdest rounds can be reloaded for around 50 cents.

I consider the time factor a wash, or actually cheaper if you make it yourself. Think about the time driving to the store, poking around, buying what you need (which is never a bulk purchase) and driving back home. Plus your gas. Heck, with pistol rounds by the time you get home with the 50 or 100 rounds of bullets, I have cranked out 500. HA!
The problem with getting 10 reloads out your brass is each shot and resize the neck tension has to change.
So spending money on expensive brass like norma seems a waste for plain old FMJs
 
The problem with getting 10 reloads out your brass is each shot and resize the neck tension has to change.
So spending money on expensive brass like norma seems a waste for plain old FMJs

Man, every time I think I am starting to figure out loading rifle rounds, you guys throw a wrench into it :) Can you talk to me a bit about neck tension? I am going to guess that the brass in the neck area is getting thinner after each use so it will not hold the bullet as firmly. Assuming I guessed correctly, can you adjust for it during the seating process with the lightest of crimps?
 
IMHO, the greatest wear on brass happens with the full-length resizing. I tend to just neck size my rifle brass and put a light crimp onto the lead. I can practically pull my Boollits out of the brass. But I do shoot single shot rifles mostly so I don't have 4 spare rounds sitting in a magazine going on a sudden acceleration ride.
 
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