[austinjoe13]

I’m gonna do some 44mag plinkers today. 240gr SWC’s over Universal. After that, I’ll do either 38’s or 357’s. Not sure what bullet and powder yet.

I should order up some more Starline 44mag brass for the hotter loads. Those 300gr XTPs want to be tested. That, and I just don’t have as many 44 pieces as I thought I did.

 

[austinjoe13]

I just did 20rds of 44 with the 300gr XTP’s with four different charges of H110. Not sure when I’ll get out to test them. Maybe tomorrow?

I also discovered a bag of 230 pieces of Starline 44mag brass. That’s more like it 👍🏻

 

[quavodus]

I only sized primed about 50 .308 cases today. Got a line on some primers and gonna get a few in a few days.

 

[Rocky7]

Not exactly loading rounds, but I did do the work on my reloading bench.....

Took out the OEM spring on my newish Browning X-Bolt White Gold Medallion. What a crap factory trigger! Anyway, I was finally able to get precision needle nose pliers on it and pulled it out. Now it looks like slinky that my Caucasian caught going down the stairs. I then installed a replacement MCarbo spring and got that set up. Feels much better now and pulls around 3.5 lbs, which is where I put all my hunting rifles. Last night I touched up the glass bedding. There's no more excuses for this beautiful piece of art. Shoot between 0.5 and 0.75 or you're gone, you tart.

 

[austinjoe13]

The 300’s shot well. About half a grain under max shot the best. Max loads sketched me out when I looked at the brass afterwards...

 

[ninwnc]

Loaded about 200 .223s.

 

[austinjoe13]

I’m one step closer to loading for the AR. Midway had 223 Factory Crimp Dies in stock. I also ordered the Lee Hand Press kit, and four extra breech lock bushings. If I can do sizing on the couch watching TV, that would be awesome. We’ll see how it ends up working out.

 

[Jim Bridger]

I found my Browning Mdl 10/71 Target .380 ACP in a gun safe. The 10/71 had been long forgotten for over 10 years. These pistol are of early Browning FN quality. I decided to load some .380 ammo and fire the pistol. I had everything needed to reload except the 88 grs..355 bullets. Humm!

 

[Moroco Mole]

I’m one step closer to loading for the AR. Midway had 223 Factory Crimp Dies in stock. I also ordered the Lee Hand Press kit, and four extra breech lock bushings. If I can do sizing on the couch watching TV, that would be awesome. We’ll see how it ends up working out.

If you are loading boat tail jacketed in an AR15 you should be good with 3 die. Full length sizing, seating die and factory crimp.

For your rifle sizing die, you will need sizing lube or paste.Billy posted a good recipe on here some where that works well, if you do not want to just buy a tube of paste. Lanolin and alcohol. You do not want to get one stuck. Not a good time.

After you size, You will need a case trimmer. If you do not have one.
I use one of the Lee " finger twirlers" sitting in my chair watching tv, or chucked up in a drill if I have a lot.The main part costs about 8 bucks and the pilot about the same.

If you get into flat base bullets or lead you will want to buy Lee universal neck flaring die. Flat base shine under 150 yards and usually cost less. Boat tail is for long distance and believe it or not. They tend to not be as accurate at the shorter distances.
You can get buy loading flat base without it, I used a pair of needle nose for months just insert in the cartridge neck and twirl a bit, just enough till the bullet will go in without scraping. Do not get too carried away as you will fatigue your brass before it's time.

Now if you ever start going long distance or get a bolt action, you will eventually want- need a neck sizing die to use once you fire form the brass.
ps . As soon as you receive your full length sizing die. Call Lee and order an extra decapper pin for it. Tell them it broke. They will only charge you shipping. You will break your first one, probably sooner then later. You will thank me when you do.

 

[austinjoe13]

Lot’s of good info there, Mole! I do already reload several calibers, including a number of rifle calibers. I haven’t done anything with flat base bullets yet, but the needle nose trick will come in handy when I do. I have a Lee universal expander, but I try to only use that for lead bullets in 30-30 and 300blk.

My goal for the hand loader is to be able to break away from my bench and sit on the couch. The lady can do her crafts on one end, and I can do brass prep on the other while we watch a movie.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Lot’s of good info there, Mole! I do already reload several calibers, including a number of rifle calibers. I haven’t done anything with flat base bullets yet, but the needle nose trick will come in handy when I do. I have a Lee universal expander, but I try to only use that for lead bullets in 30-30 and 300blk.

My goal for the hand loader is to be able to break away from my bench and sit on the couch. The lady can do her crafts on one end, and I can do brass prep on the other while we watch a movie.

Did not mean to insult your intelligence..... BTW
I do a lot of my prep work in the easy chair.
Don't know if you ever saw,a post on here of my little portable loading bench. But I will even set it up sometimes with the single stage facing my easy chair and size lead bullets. While watching a movie with my wife, while she is needle pointing.

 

[austinjoe13]

Did not mean to insult your intelligence..... BTW
I do a lot of my prep work in the easy chair.
Don't know if you ever saw,a post on here of my little portable loading bench. But I will even set it up sometimes with the single stage facing my easy chair and size lead bullets. While watching a movie with my wife, while she is needle pointing.

I think I did see your bench when I was trying to do something similar and decided to go with a full bench. That may still happen some day. I’m hoping this press works as well as the reviewers say it does.

 

[austinjoe13]

Here’s my target from the 44’s. I was shooting with my elbows rested on my range bag, and the target was 15 yards down. When I first got this, I would have had five shots all over the paper. I will probably load the rest of the 300’s and then buy 240gr XTP’s next.

 

[BJung]

Two days ago I did yardwork for my mother while letting my lead pot melt a bag of range lead I collected. After a few hours I had 35lbs of lead ingots. The next day I separated a 50cal can and 30cal can full of Rem 9mm brass from prestine 1x fired and previously reloaded brass. I had a 30cal of previously reloaded brass and will used those with the lead ingots I plan to cast/pc 9-120 tc and .45-200 swc bullets with later.

 

[Moroco Mole]

Been looking at that Frankfort Arsonal universal depriming tool. Or equivelancey.
None of my presses have a hollow ram and I end up finding primers all over the house for 2 days after I deprime.( Lead exposure?)
I have saw the loader rigs and work arounds, even tried a few. None of them impress me.
I like to deprime in a separate step any way. I really do not think with my arthritis I would have enough grip to handle a Lee hand press that sizes and deprimes with a standard die.
Welcome any suggestions or reviews.

 

[aht_six]

Wrong thread. Oops.

 

[Mindy up North]

Been looking at that Frankfort Arsonal universal depriming tool. Or equivelancey.
None of my presses have a hollow ram and I end up finding primers all over the house for 2 days after I deprime.( Lead exposure?)
I have saw the loader rigs and work arounds, even tried a few. None of them impress me.
I like to deprime in a separate step any way. I really do not think with my arthritis I would have enough grip to handle a Lee hand press that sizes and deprimes with a standard die.
Welcome any suggestions or reviews.

What kind of presses do you have? Have you looked into whether there are primer catching attachments made for any of them? Where I am going with this is your mention of arthritis. Two things come to mind as a concern, aggravation of inflammation due to repetitive motion and grip strength in general. I watched a video of the FA tool in use and it doesn't appear that too much motion (squeezing) is required to unseat the primer, but the problem is repetition and the ergonomics involved with positioning your arm to achieve the depriming motion. I see potential problems ahead if you do a lot of depriming with this tool. I suspect this will be similar for the other hand depriming tools. Obviously you want to eliminate stressesors to your hands and keep them pain free and functioning - so it would be ideal to use a method where mechanical advantage and proper motion work for, not against you - - and a press may be better suited.

I understand the need for controlling primer residue. Yes, this is the dirtiest part (shy of brushing pockets) and can lead to large levels of contamination you don't want getting tracked through the house. I would consider looking into options for adding containment or a different ram to your press first...perhaps a good excuse for a new press😊

 

[Moroco Mole]

I have a Lee budget 4 hole turret. Also a Lee single stage O press, that I so old, it is not even listed. I tried the little plastic shield fix for the turret. It was a joke.
I realy have all I need in presses, I do not have the space or budget right now to add more. The arthritice is a consideration, but I would have to try it to see if just decaping would cause a flare up. Have been meandering about maybe getting a universal decaping die and building myself something.

 

[jerry]

Separated some foreign .380 brass from some us mfg stuff. Wild variations in length (no, I’m not trimming .380!)
Foreign stuff seems a bit thicker as well. Anyhoo. The crimps between the two are inconsistent with the common denominator being us vs foreign made. Something to do with SAMI spec?
I dunno. Just easier to separate them. They both load up fine with proper die adjustment when segregation is in play.

 

[aht_six]

Swaged some 9mm primer pockets.

Put a second coat of tung oil on my Garand stock and reassembled everything.

The finish had turned black and tacky so I used some finish remover to clean it off. Then just gave it two coats of tung oil. I think it came out fine.