What did you do in the reloading room recently?

Destroyed my 308 sizing and decapping die. Never had issues with Lee, this is my only Hornady. Rather than fix it, might just grab a Lee. Got about 100 sized and decapped before the damage
View attachment 362494
What happened, you just crocked the decap pin set up. I called hornady few years ago , they sent 2 new rods a bag of decap pins and the mandrel heads for 223 and the larger 762x54r expander/mandrel cs the 308 that came with it.
I have dies from all of the makers they all have their ups and downs
 
let me know how it works out and i might add it to my own lee classic turret

Apologies for taking so long to write something up about the Inline Fabrication case ejector setup. The weather has been too nice to be in the basement reloading.

It works great! I've done pistol calibers (.357 mag., .45 acp, .45 Colt) and .223 so far. When first using it, I was going fast enough that I launched a couple of .45 acp rounds before adding a plastic "wall" onto the plastic bin to block the rds. That is, the rds. would go right over the slide and the bin and fortunately onto my table. I think this is more inherent with short pistol rds. given where the rubber piece strikes the middle of the rd. The .223 is pushed at the bottom of the rd. and it slides into the bin. I wish I didn't have to stop to load primers, and in the case of .223 more powder, since it bites into the output a bit.

I haven't accurately calculated rds./hr yet, but the best time for 100 rds. of .45 acp was around 18 mins. That would work out to ~330 rds/hr. Stopping to add primers may result in less output, but I also think I can improve on the 18 mins. As I use the setup more (Lee Safety Prime and the Inline Fabrication case ejector) I should develop a better rhythm. I find I still fumble a bit given these changes.
 
What happened, you just crocked the decap pin set up. I called hornady few years ago , they sent 2 new rods a bag of decap pins and the mandrel heads for 223 and the larger 762x54r expander/mandrel cs the 308 that came with it.
I have dies from all of the makers they all have their ups and downs
The old sneaky Berdan primer, have never even seen a DAG headstamp. I usually inspect each headstamp but got carried away, I became complacent. Hoping I can make it out tomorrow morning to Shooting Supply for a 308 die set and some large rifle primers. Hoping he has some primers
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I’m in the process of prepping some 30-06 cases for accuracy loads. Cleaned, sized, trimmed, neck sized, and primed. I haven’t decided on a bullet weight yet.

Then I had to run to the store. Got this.


xc7FK6a.jpg
 
I’m in the process of prepping some 30-06 cases for accuracy loads. Cleaned, sized, trimmed, neck sized, and primed. I haven’t decided on a bullet weight yet.

Then I had to run to the store. Got this.


xc7FK6a.jpg
what are you running the midas in?
i snaged a few boxes of the older midas and lapua pistol shot some really nice groups out of the daughters rascal with both. The boxes where all beat up and discounted so i snagged them
 
More .45s lately, lots of .45s now that I can hit the range almost daily. I need to find some good data for plated 240gr .44MAG, I believe they're Xtremes. I have H110, CFE Pistol, HS6 and HP38 on hand. Leaning towards mid range HS6 but it's a pretty fast powder no?

HS6 is not considered to be a fast powder.
 
Nice. Where’d ya score that?
@jhagberg88 you still looking for some.

I went to D&L Shooting supplies and there was a huge line out the door so I left. The I-95 on ramp was closed and the detour sent me over to Bald Hill Rd so I went to Heritage Gun and Coin. No line and they had two containers of Reloader 15. A 5lb and a 1 lb. so I took the 5.
The owner is a high power rifle shooter so he usually has stuff. I wanted some 77g SMK’s but he was out. He said they are supposed to be in next week.

what are you running the midas in?
i snaged a few boxes of the older midas and lapua pistol shot some really nice groups out of the daughters rascal with both. The boxes where all beat up and discounted so i snagged them


I have a Ruger/Kidd/ Mutt 10/22 I built that is going to try that out.


YEk8LRY.jpg
 
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Their reloading data is lame AF. A ton of people use them for competition and they cant be bothered to test with more than 3 or 4 bullets. GTFO.

Most manufacturer data sucks, and at least for pistol rounds is often very conservative due to liability. What is hilarious is if you find old manuals with powders that
are still made today, some of the old manuals have much higher max loads. This is probably because "lawyers got involved". The most "ambitious" manual I've ever seen was the Speer manual. That one, there's actually hot shit in there, to a degree. Like at one point when I used to do ladders, in the other manuals I would pretty much start midway up from the start load. The speer manual on the other hand I would legit start at the start load because that's how big of a difference it usually was. Some of the loads I ended up using were still below the speer book max for relatively the same combo listed in the manual.

Whenever I used VVs data for pistol rounds I basically would start close to the max load, and contrast those values with "stuff I found on the internet" to find out
where the real max was, etc.

Honestly as far as testing goes you really have to do all your testing yourself, with your own "bible" as I call it, your own chrono/range, and your own guns. There's too
many variables in play. A lot of the manuals use test jig velocity readings which are almost worthless in the real world. (I think with Speer at least on some accounts they
tell you the gun they used for testing, at least. ) Temperature with some powders is a huge variable, too.
 
I went to D&L Shooting supplies and there was a huge line out the door so I left. The I-95 on ramp was closed and the detour sent me over to Bald Hill Rd so I went to Heritage Gun and Coin. No line and they had two containers of Reloader 15. A 5lb and a 1 lb. so I took the 5.
The owner is a high power rifle shooter so he usually has stuff. I wanted some 77g SMK’s but he was out. He said they are supposed to be in next week.




I have a Ruger/Kidd/ Mutt 10/22 I built that is going to try that out.


YEk8LRY.jpg
nice I,have close to the same set up. The 10/22 i was NEVER going to build.
 
Most manufacturer data sucks, and at least for pistol rounds is often very conservative due to liability. What is hilarious is if you find old manuals with powders that
are still made today, some of the old manuals have much higher max loads. This is probably because "lawyers got involved". The most "ambitious" manual I've ever seen was the Speer manual. That one, there's actually hot shit in there, to a degree. Like at one point when I used to do ladders, in the other manuals I would pretty much start midway up from the start load. The speer manual on the other hand I would legit start at the start load because that's how big of a difference it usually was. Some of the loads I ended up using were still below the speer book max for relatively the same combo listed in the manual.

Whenever I used VVs data for pistol rounds I basically would start close to the max load, and contrast those values with "stuff I found on the internet" to find out
where the real max was, etc.

Honestly as far as testing goes you really have to do all your testing yourself, with your own "bible" as I call it, your own chrono/range, and your own guns. There's too
many variables in play. A lot of the manuals use test jig velocity readings which are almost worthless in the real world. (I think with Speer at least on some accounts they
tell you the gun they used for testing, at least. ) Temperature with some powders is a huge variable, too.
Also we dont know the deal behind the bullets reload manuals choose to test. They might make deals with bullet manufactures. I notice this with hodgdon data they seem to lean one way or another in bullet choices.
Im not looking for max velocity or trying to make major power factor. i wish more manuals had more cast bullet data .
 
nice I,have close to the same set up. The 10/22 i was NEVER going to build.

I bought mine on a whim at an auction. When I got it, It wasn’t in .22, it was 17 Mach2, which they stopped making. So I changed the barrel, then the trigger, then the scope, then the stock, then The guide rod and springs and before I knew it only the receiver was original.

I still have all the other parts. The Mach2is back, Maybe I should build one of my stock 10/22’s back into a 17 Mach1.

ETA Thanks mac1911. I just ordered 500 rounds of 17 Mach2.
 
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I bought mine on a whim at an auction. When I got it, It wasn’t in .22, it was 17 Mach2, which they stopped making. So I changed the barrel, then the trigger, then the scope, then the stock, then The guide rod and springs and before I knew it only the receiver was original.

I still have all the other parts. The Mach2is back, Maybe I should build one of my stock 10/22’s back into a 17 Mach1.

ETA Thanks mac1911. I just ordered 500 rounds of 17 Mach2.
was the 17 cal cracking receivers ?
 
I just shot my bull barrel bench rest 10/22 last weekend for the first time in 5+ years. I forgot how fun and accurate it is. Always fun shooting empty shotgun shells at 100 yards. But I usually put a little steel spinner target out to plink at. They're about 2 inches in diameter. Does well with just CCI SV.
 
I just shot my bull barrel bench rest 10/22 last weekend for the first time in 5+ years. I forgot how fun and accurate it is. Always fun shooting empty shotgun shells at 100 yards. But I usually put a little steel spinner target out to plink at. There about 2 inches in diameter. Does well with just CCI SV.
Its fun when you have a accurate 22lr (under 2moa) and even better when you can get nice groups at 100-200 yards with .06-.11 cent per round ammo. My kid barrel build passed the Kidd accuracy claim of 1moa with CCI SV and Aguila super extra and with tenex its capable if sub moa when I can show up to deliver. But I dont do that often enough to pay .25 per round for 22lr! I do have some tenex on hand for days I really want to try
 
I just shot my bull barrel bench rest 10/22 last weekend for the first time in 5+ years. I forgot how fun and accurate it is. Always fun shooting empty shotgun shells at 100 yards. But I usually put a little steel spinner target out to plink at. They're about 2 inches in diameter. Does well with just CCI SV.

This makes me want to take out my CZ 455. Everytime I do I ask myself why don’t I take it out more often. It also cuts down on empty cases to reload :).
 
was the 17 cal cracking receivers ?

no. I couldn’t get 17 Mach 2 and I wanted a good .22. I have a heavy bolt handle to slow the bolt down.

I’m putting the scope on now, but I just tossed a scope ring in the air and no I need to find the screw. I didn’t hear it land and that’s a bad thing.
 
View attachment 362907First batch out of the oven
Spent the morning mowing the lawn and taking the rear brakes out of my son's car - 15 years of new England winter took it's toll and the backing plate rusted out so bad the parking brake fell apart.
View attachment 362908
Nice bullets.
That’s bad! I don’t think I’ve even seen so much rust! Does he park it on the grass/ground or on pavement?
 
Nice bullets.
That’s bad! I don’t think I’ve even seen so much rust! Does he park it on the grass/ground or on pavement?
On pavement (driveway) - super cheap car that he drives to and from UMassD. He wants to keep it alive until he graduates to keep costs down.

Was thinking about putting another coat and giving them a good bake - then logic reappeared and told me that they are just range fodder and I'm not taking them on a date so no need to pretty.
 
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