What did you do in the reloading room recently?

Reloaded my first ever rifle rounds this week. Been doing shotshell and pistol for a while but finally decided to add rifle to the list.

Only made and tested 5 rounds so far. But have a bunch of brass sized, primed and trimmed ready to finish up.

ETA: Forgot to say "THANKS!!!" to everyone on this thread. It has been more than helpful!! THANKS!!!!
 
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Good days to be in the cool/dry basement. Back on .223, have a bunch of cases in different stages so I mixed it up today. Loaded a couple of hundred, sized a bunch, trimmed a different lot, de-crimped some primer pockets with the Weldon bit, and cleaned a few hundred cases. Variety is the spice of life.
 
Though I thought I was a shoe-in for a very generous karma from @Mr.T , I was VERY fortunate that @Buck Faker decided he was going to be too busy to get deeply into reloading and the karma was passed along to me. There was an incredible amount of gear for loading fo-tay, which I do shoot but what I really needed was to gear up for 10mm, which except for the brass basically uses all the same gear. Good thing I poisoned the well for @Broccoli Iglesias so he was unable to snag the loot:

424h9s.jpg


To top it all off, @TrashcanDan had some very solid workbenches to clear out at work. I do quite a bit of reloading for rifle matches but was using a small and rickety bench to do it. The top on the 'new to me' bench is very solid butcher block wood, probably maple. Looked very nice after a little refinishing. Here's what the new set up looks like, including karma gear plus what I already had:

pjOa7fGh.jpg


The old red Lyman press was part of the karma. A little elbow grease had it working and looking almost like new. I made up some test loads for my hungry 10mm children and so far have had great results from the Glock 20 with PowerPistol powder, 180 Hornady JHP's, and cast 180's from Missouri Bullet Company. I have a KKM barrel in the G20 which is supposed to be GTG for cast. I'm sorting out the optimum loads for a 1941 USMC sniper clone and also need to load up for upcoming CMP matches. Once I'm in good shape for the match reloads, I'll go to town and crank out tons of 10mm with these supplies. There's also a coffee can full of cast bullets for my Dan Wesson Monson 44, by way of mac but originally from @wegman .

On deck for the next reloads is the Delta Elite:

G9ojhGYh.jpg


Possibly this weekend I'll start casting some .459 300 grain bullets for the .458 SOCOM. I have a new NOE mold for that, some lead that @mac1911 helped me with, and then will coat with Hi-Tek zombie green.

Many thanks to all who helped or passed along some great stuff via karma. I'm still on 20% furlough and a bit gimpy after knee surgery, so it's been nice to be able to keep myself busy with all the loot. I may end up looking back favorably at 2020...
 
Though I thought I was a shoe-in for a very generous karma from @Mr.T , I was VERY fortunate that @Buck Faker decided he was going to be too busy to get deeply into reloading and the karma was passed along to me. There was an incredible amount of gear for loading fo-tay, which I do shoot but what I really needed was to gear up for 10mm, which except for the brass basically uses all the same gear. Good thing I poisoned the well for @Broccoli Iglesias so he was unable to snag the loot:

424h9s.jpg


To top it all off, @TrashcanDan had some very solid workbenches to clear out at work. I do quite a bit of reloading for rifle matches but was using a small and rickety bench to do it. The top on the 'new to me' bench is very solid butcher block wood, probably maple. Looked very nice after a little refinishing. Here's what the new set up looks like, including karma gear plus what I already had:

pjOa7fGh.jpg


The old red Lyman press was part of the karma. A little elbow grease had it working and looking almost like new. I made up some test loads for my hungry 10mm children and so far have had great results from the Glock 20 with PowerPistol powder, 180 Hornady JHP's, and cast 180's from Missouri Bullet Company. I have a KKM barrel in the G20 which is supposed to be GTG for cast. I'm sorting out the optimum loads for a 1941 USMC sniper clone and also need to load up for upcoming CMP matches. Once I'm in good shape for the match reloads, I'll go to town and crank out tons of 10mm with these supplies. There's also a coffee can full of cast bullets for my Dan Wesson Monson 44, by way of mac but originally from @wegman .

On deck for the next reloads is the Delta Elite:

G9ojhGYh.jpg


Possibly this weekend I'll start casting some .459 300 grain bullets for the .458 SOCOM. I have a new NOE mold for that, some lead that @mac1911 helped me with, and then will coat with Hi-Tek zombie green.

Many thanks to all who helped or passed along some great stuff via karma. I'm still on 20% furlough and a bit gimpy after knee surgery, so it's been nice to be able to keep myself busy with all the loot. I may end up looking back favorably at 2020...
Sweet!! Looks like you snagged some good stuff.

Got any pics of that DW?
 
Waiting impatiently for my chronograph - decapped a little over a coffee can of one fired 223. Now I remember why it wasn't processed - I used to like crimped brass because it is once fired and no one else wanted it so it was free. Now that I have a few thousand processed cases, I'm not certain it's worth it.
Ordered a primer pocket swage kit for the Lee APP
 
Sweet!! Looks like you snagged some good stuff.

Got any pics of that DW?

Actually no, guess I better take some decent pics. IMHO the fit and finish on the Monson period DW's is some of the best I have seen on any gun- ever. My Dad used to take one as a sidearm for Alaska hunting and fishing trips. That one came with the pack & a couple extra barrels. When Dad passed, my brother and I made an equitable split of his collection but unfortunately the DW went to my bro. I found this one to fulfill my jonesing for one just like it.

I might do a 50/50 split for loading those cast 44 boolits. Half of them full house loads and the other half with Trail Boss- you know, in case someone recoil averse wants to shoot it.

Hey, last month in my post knee surgery gimp state, with that GP11 I bought from you I was able to get the silver in the CMP vintage match. [thumbsup]
 
Actually no, guess I better take some decent pics. IMHO the fit and finish on the Monson period DW's is some of the best I have seen on any gun- ever. My Dad used to take one as a sidearm for Alaska hunting and fishing trips. That one came with the pack & a couple extra barrels. When Dad passed, my brother and I made an equitable split of his collection but unfortunately the DW went to my bro. I found this one to fulfill my jonesing for one just like it.

I might do a 50/50 split for loading those cast 44 boolits. Half of them full house loads and the other half with Trail Boss- you know, in case someone recoil averse wants to shoot it.

Hey, last month in my post knee surgery gimp state, with that GP11 I bought from you I was able to get the silver in the CMP vintage match. [thumbsup]
Niiice! Was wondering if you shot that GP11 yet. Glad to hear it worked well.
 
Waiting on a couple thousand blue bullets to arrive so I don't want to break down either press. Started prepping .308 cases on the single stage and trimming with a manual Forster trimmer. F this.

I use my lathe as a power source for trimming - have tool holders with the shoulder for each cartridge cut and chuck up an end-mill. Set the carriage position to set length.
Used to use Lee trimmers chucked up in the lathe - no setup time but slower.
 
Actually no, guess I better take some decent pics. IMHO the fit and finish on the Monson period DW's is some of the best I have seen on any gun- ever. My Dad used to take one as a sidearm for Alaska hunting and fishing trips. That one came with the pack & a couple extra barrels. When Dad passed, my brother and I made an equitable split of his collection but unfortunately the DW went to my bro. I found this one to fulfill my jonesing for one just like it.

I might do a 50/50 split for loading those cast 44 boolits. Half of them full house loads and the other half with Trail Boss- you know, in case someone recoil averse wants to shoot it.

Hey, last month in my post knee surgery gimp state, with that GP11 I bought from you I was able to get the silver in the CMP vintage match. [thumbsup]

I live probably 2 miles from the old Monson factory remember it when I was a kid but they tore down the building probably 10 or so years ago. My fathers got a couple of the Monson firearms including a pistol pack they are very nice and I’ve been recently looking around for one myself. Unfortunately my only DW is a current Pm-9. Well it’s not unfortunate I love it lol.
 
I realized that 30’06 die set I had was only a neck sizing die and a seater.
That’s why the dummy round would t chamber in the new to me Mauser.

Ah well. Back to loading 45/70.
 
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