Gun and Game Forum banner

What Are You Doing On The Reloading Bench Today?

257K views 3K replies 128 participants last post by  austinjoe13 
#1 ·
Looks like the thread disappeared, so I want to reopen it.

I was bored tonight so I went out to the shed and whipped me up 100 rounds of .454 Casull. I used Nosler 250 grain JHP projectiles and W296 powder. Supposed to give me a muzzle velocity of around 1755 fps.
 
#631 ·
Been working on a load for my 6.5X55 Mauser build. Loaded up four using 129 gr Hornady SSTs and H4350. Now if the weather will co-operate I'll see how they do in comparison to the 120 gr Speer SPs and IMR4895.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moroco Mole
#632 ·
Over the weekend I finished loading my 124g 9mm. That's going to be it for 9mm for a few years.

Since I had the bullseye out, I started replenishing the 38's.

I need to start working on loads for the .450. Seems to be a project for another day...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moroco Mole
#633 ·
I usually only load 115 grain in my 9mm Lugar, I save 124 for my 357 SIG.
Anyhoo, I am continuing to swap out all my old cardboard ammo boxes for my reloads with new plastic ones. Some of them cardboard boxes have been open and closed so many times the end flaps are tearing ff, some of the cardboard is just bent and deteriorated. I'm also rearranging everything on the shelves by date. Stuff was all mixed up on them. Definitely want to shoot the oldest stuff first. I am continually amazed that the stupid little window air conditioner I bought used at a yard sale for like 15 bucks is still keeping my reloading shed pretty cool after like 3 years, and god only knows how old it was before I got it.
 
#634 ·
Finished 38’s tonight. I have enough for a few years again, which is a nice feeling.

Planning on doing .357’s next, but haven’t decided. I have 100 cases of .450 bushmaster just begging to be loaded up...
 
#635 ·
Got out the chronograph Sunday and tested a bunch of reloads.
45ACP target loads. Last season, in a match, I could not knock down one of the steel targets. Even though I'm shooting 185 gr LSWCs - and had never had an issue before - this one steel target would not go down. Even with 10 solid hits high up. Yet the 9 mms other folks were shooting had no trouble. (I do think it was a target malf because is went down after tehy reset) Turns out that my loads are at 850fps and 300ftlbs. So I don't think I need to change anything.

Last gun was the little SP101" in 327 Federal Magnum. The 98gr lead HBWC loads clocked at 950 and a little over 200ftlbs. The standard deviation was 27. This one is a small game load so I think I can dial that back a little. Recoil is no issue but being a full wadcutter, that bullet doesn't need quite that much speed.
The Hornady 85gr XTPs clocked at 1400fps and 370ftlbs. That uses 12.0 gr of ww296.
The 113 gr LSWC gas checked bullets turned in at 1140fps, 325ftlbs, and a 25 std dev.

Folks turn their noses up at the little 327 but it is economical (if there really is such a thing with guns and ammo), it's accurate, and has some phenomenal performance capabilities. But at 45,000 psi max, there is a lot of noise and blast on the upper end.
 
#640 ·
I've had a SIG P229 with a .40 cal. for a LONG time, but I later got turned onto 10mm. I see first hand why the people saying the S&W in .40 Cal. S&W stands for "Short And Weak". The only reason I still have the SIG, is it also has a 357 SIG barrel. Otherwise I might have traded it in for yet another 10mm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: austinjoe13
#641 ·
Which reminds me, I also have a buttload of empty 357 SIG cases. Only problem is more than half of them are Speer, with smaller than normal primer flashholes. I don't know how MANY decapper pins I have broken trying too decap them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big Dog
#643 ·
Just when I thought I was done...
I finished loading my 133 hard cast 38’s yesterday and thought I was done with 38 specials. Today I found a bag containing a few hundred 160 grain lead projectiles (slightly soft, lead heavy, bullets cast from a 158 mold). I used them to safely contain some Win 231 inside of a few hundred brass 38 special cases.
 
#648 ·
Just burned through my first box of 250 berries plated 148 grain wadcutters today. Was using Universal Clays with them, with great results.
Time to buy some lube and work on developing my lead dewc - Red Dot loads.
Any Ideas on lube?? :confused:Tried to make some, but it just did not work out.:(
I've got about 2000 of them I just made with a measurement of .358 up to .359, and a bhn of 9.2. I also have an unused .358 sizing die. and plenty of Red Dot. Should keep me busy a while.
 
#649 ·
I've never lubed plated bullets. The thin copper coating should be sufficient to keep leading down.
Maybe I'm missing something, so I'm going to ask...why are you trying to lube them?

For my lead, I lube with Allox/BeesWax sticks using my old 450 lube-sizer and an appropriate sizing die. I use Lyman molds, so they throw bullets properly oversized to be sized down and lubricated. Most Lee molds are throw smaller bullets, so must be tumble lubed.
 
#650 ·
I've never lubed plated bullets. The thin copper coating should be sufficient to keep leading down.
Maybe I'm missing something, so I'm going to ask...why are you trying to lube them?
For my lead, I lube with Allox/BeesWax sticks using my old 450 lube-sizer and an appropriate sizing die. I use Lyman molds, so they throw bullets properly oversized to be sized down and lubricated. Most Lee molds are throw smaller bullets, so must be tumble lubed.
Sorry, probable confused you by mentioning former Berry's in the post.
I am switching from plating, for a while and working up loads with home cast bullets. Regular dewc. I am assuming all lead, non plated lead bullets need lube?
 
#654 ·
Doing nothing at the moment. No empty brass, and haven't been doing much shooting recently. Equipment is put away right now.
 
#656 ·
I took the top off of my bench and put a formica laminate top on it. That should make for easier clean up and a smoother surface to work on. I plan on using it only for reloading brass in the future. I liked the way it turned out so well that I built a second reloading bench just for my shotgun reloading and cleaning.
Metalworking hand tool Tool
 
#658 ·
I checked my load data and it doesn't look like I've ever worked up a load for 125g .357 magnum.

I have a few .357 revolvers, mostly Smith's, and a level action carbine, so I am not looking to work up a perfect load for a single pistol.

With that caveat, what's your go-to 125g hollow-point .357 load?
 
#659 · (Edited)
Was loading up 3 grain of red dot with 148 grain home cast .357 wad cutters, before I left for work. Got about 300 of those back.:cool:
One of the guys wants to go shooting after work Wednesday. Have not had the 9mm out for a while,so time to change out my turret on the Lee....
Doing some 9mm plated practice ammo in the morning, after work.
Figure I will roll about 25.
Trying to imitate Perfecta factory 9mm ammo.
Using Berry's 9mm Bullets 115 Grain Plated Round Nose,
and some Perfecta brass. With some Tula primers.
Tried 4.5 grain of Universal last time.
Got a few failure to ejects. It was very accurate at 21 ft. Very close to how the factory Perfecta worked in this gun( except for the failure to eject).
Going to up it to 4.7 and see if the old runs any better without loosing accuracy.
Think i will load up about 15 or so, with 3.5 grain of Bullseye, as recommended by a trusted source. Just to see if it works any better.
Really wish I had one of those bullet speed reader chronograph thingies!:D

Well brakes over, back to work for now.:(

 
#661 ·
check those size Kits, LEE stopped putting alox in them a while back.
if they doo have some alox it's probably thick and gooey.
warm it up in a pan of hot water then cut it in half with mineral spirits.
put a layer of bullets in a cool whip bowl or something similar and dribble a light Z shape on them. [use half what you think you should even with the mineral spirits added]
put the lid on.
gently jiggle them around and roll them over each other for a minute.
pour them out to dry on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper.
let them dry a fan will speed things up.
run them through the size die.
then re-lube them with barely enough lube to even think you see the lube.
[about 1/2 what you added the first time]
when they dry this time they should have a barely discernible gold sheen to them.

if you add too much lube [and you will] it will stay tacky and take a week to dry out. [and still be goobery]
just put them back in the tub and add a few more [25%] bullets and some mineral spirits and roll them again, the new bullets will take up the extra lube.
 
#662 ·
Thanks for the advice. The last set of wadcutters I lubed, I used Lee alox.they were still a little sticky when I loaded them. A LITTLE MESSY AND HAD TO CLEAN UP SIZER PLUS THE SEATING AND CRIMP DIES AFTERWORD. THEY HAVE DRIED OUT SINCE..
NEXT TIME WILL TRY THE MINERAL SPIRIT TRICK.
 
#663 ·
Just got in a new load of plastic ammo boxes after I finished up the .44 Russian, .44 special, .44 mag, and .45 Colt. Now it's time for .40 cal S&W, 357 SIG, and .45 ACP. Then all my pistol will be done. I also got three BIG plastic ammo boxes in. I have open spam cans of 7.64X54R need to get them all out of the paper wrappers. Also, seems like I haven't shot my Mosins in a while. Maybe I will take all my Finns out next range trip.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moroco Mole
#664 ·
another trick to getting them to dry quickly is to heat up the alox cut with the mineral spirits.
and to heat up the bullets [I use a heat gun but a hair dryer will work too]
the lube flows all over the bullets like water, and as the bullet cools it helps release the mineral spirits drying the lube even faster in front of the fan.
I helped invent a lube called 45/45/10 lube [sold commercially by white label lubes]
I cut it with more mineral spirits than the 10% and mine dry to a solid coating in about 20 minutes.
 
Top