What did you do at your reloading bench today?

[85MikeTPI]

I saw in the NFA thread that the MAX10/15 has ATF approval finally

https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=262128

So I resumed case prep on 2K FC .223 brass that has been sized and swaged.

 

[HonestFool03]

Loaded up ten rounds of 9mm. my first reloaded ammo ever.



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[GunBum]

Loaded up ten rounds of 9mm. my first reloaded ammo ever.



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Congratulations! Welcome to the dark side.

 

[erwos]

Loaded up ten rounds of 9mm. my first reloaded ammo ever.

The only thing harder than loading your first ten rounds is shooting your first ten rounds. You're terrified you're gonna asplode your gun (you're not). Then you load and shoot your first thousand, and you'll send damn near anything down your gun. "Won't explode... probably. Pretty sure there's no squibs."

Anyways, I loaded up my first batch of 357 Mag the other night. Powderpuff target loads using 5.7gr Unique. First time loading for a revolver, and I have to admit that it's more different than loading 9mm than I thought. Those huge cases needed to be guided into the sizing die since there's no cartridge taper to guide them in, and they're pretty tight to boot. Plus, unlike my 9mm, crimp is something I've really got to pay attention to.

 

[bigmancrisler]

The only thing harder than loading your first ten rounds is shooting your first ten rounds. You're terrified you're gonna asplode your gun (you're not). Then you load and shoot your first thousand, and you'll send damn near anything down your gun. "Won't explode... probably. Pretty sure there's no squibs."

Anyways, I loaded up my first batch of 357 Mag the other night. Powderpuff target loads using 5.7gr Unique. First time loading for a revolver, and I have to admit that it's more different than loading 9mm than I thought. Those huge cases needed to be guided into the sizing die since there's no cartridge taper to guide them in, and they're pretty tight to boot. Plus, unlike my 9mm, crimp is something I've really got to pay attention to.

That’s interesting you feel you have to guide them in more than 9mm, I feel the opposite. I tend to get more 9mm cases not lined up than 38spl and 357mag. What die set do you use? I have Lee.


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[trickg]

The only thing harder than loading your first ten rounds is shooting your first ten rounds. You're terrified you're gonna asplode your gun (you're not). Then you load and shoot your first thousand, and you'll send damn near anything down your gun. "Won't explode... probably. Pretty sure there's no squibs."

Anyways, I loaded up my first batch of 357 Mag the other night. Powderpuff target loads using 5.7gr Unique. First time loading for a revolver, and I have to admit that it's more different than loading 9mm than I thought. Those huge cases needed to be guided into the sizing die since there's no cartridge taper to guide them in, and they're pretty tight to boot. Plus, unlike my 9mm, crimp is something I've really got to pay attention to.

HA! Love that!

I wasn't apprehensive about reloading, but I grew up with a Dad who reloaded. I'd venture to guess that outside of .22 LR and military training, 95% of everything I've ever fired (maybe more) has been a reload.

The last .357 I reloaded was a 125 gr JHP over 15.5 gr of 2400, which is actually a middle charge weight according to Lyman - they list a range of 13.0 to 17.7. When my son took it to the range, everyone wanted to know what it was we were shooting - it was the loudest thing there that day. Imagine their surprise when they see an old "cowboy" gun - a Ruger Blackhawk.

 

[erwos]

That’s interesting you feel you have to guide them in more than 9mm, I feel the opposite. I tend to get more 9mm cases not lined up than 38spl and 357mag. What die set do you use? I have Lee.

Lee 38/357 carbide dies, Lee shellholder, and a Lee Classic Turret. I find that the sizing die is super tight and requires much more force than 9mm ever did. Maybe I got one made on a Friday.

 

[bigmancrisler]

Lee 38/357 carbide dies, Lee shellholder, and a Lee Classic Turret. I find that the sizing die is super tight and requires much more force than 9mm ever did. Maybe I got one made on a Friday.

That’s interesting, I have pretty much the exact same set up, and I’d say they take about the same force to size (maybe less for 9mm) but the 9mm cases tend to slide around a bit more than 38/357 does in the shell holder.


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[trickg]

Lee 38/357 carbide dies, Lee shellholder, and a Lee Classic Turret. I find that the sizing die is super tight and requires much more force than 9mm ever did. Maybe I got one made on a Friday.

I agree - that is pretty interesting - it's possible that due to the longer case and higher pressures that maybe you're doing more sizing that with 9mm, but it shouldn't be that tight. Probably a dumb question, but do you lubricate your pistol brass when you reload? Carbide says you shouldn't have to, but I do - I use Hornady One-Shot - everything seems to go much more smoothly when I do.

 

[erwos]

I agree - that is pretty interesting - it's possible that due to the longer case and higher pressures that maybe you're doing more sizing that with 9mm, but it shouldn't be that tight. Probably a dumb question, but do you lubricate your pistol brass when you reload? Carbide says you shouldn't have to, but I do - I use Hornady One-Shot - everything seems to go much more smoothly when I do.

Nope. But I must admit I'm kinda thinking about that now.

 

[bigmancrisler]

I agree - that is pretty interesting - it's possible that due to the longer case and higher pressures that maybe you're doing more sizing that with 9mm, but it shouldn't be that tight. Probably a dumb question, but do you lubricate your pistol brass when you reload? Carbide says you shouldn't have to, but I do - I use Hornady One-Shot - everything seems to go much more smoothly when I do.

For straight wall pistol calibers I don’t lube but stuff like 350L and 30 Carb I do lube. Even though they’re are all Lee carbide dies.


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[John from MD]

If you lube cases lightly when using carbide dies you will get easier, smoother operation of the press.

 

[trickg]

If you lube cases lightly when using carbide dies you will get easier, smoother operation of the press.

That's why I do it - I really noticed a difference loading 45 ACP.

 

[lazarus]

For straight wall pistol calibers I don’t lube but stuff like 350L and 30 Carb I do lube. Even though they’re are all Lee carbide dies.


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30 carbine has a relatively high angle taper for a “straight wall cartridge”. It isn’t actually steep, but it is present. With a carbide die I can get away without lubricating, but I usually use just a tiny bit. One little spritz with lube and shake it around in a bag. Like 1/10th what I would with bottle neck cartridges.

I don’t own any other straight wall rifle cartridges. I don’t lubricate any pistol cartridges other than 7.62x25, because it’s a bottle neck.

 

[Sherman]

just pulled my first 6.5 grendel reloads and boy they were not great lol. First point was too much crimp on some, but the biggest thing I noticed is most of the bullets looked like they were "squeezed" in and were pretty deformed, Pretty sure its related to how I sized them and potentially the brass itself (S&B LRP) as I haven't had that issue with my Hornady brass. I've got to get some non-sized fired brass and see how it compares

 

[erwos]

My first 6.5 Grendel loads also sucked. Sizing die didn't get them small enough for my AR, so had to use them in the bolt gun again. Switched to small base after that.

ETA: loaded a few hundred 9mm last night, plus a test batch of 147gr 308. Plan for the winter break is to finish off the 9mm projos and then swap the 650 to 357 mag. Also spent some "quality" time this morning sorting out Federal headstamp cases for revolver usage.

 

[bigmancrisler]

30 carbine has a relatively high angle taper for a “straight wall cartridge”. It isn’t actually steep, but it is present. With a carbide die I can get away without lubricating, but I usually use just a tiny bit. One little spritz with lube and shake it around in a bag. Like 1/10th what I would with bottle neck cartridges.

I don’t own any other straight wall rifle cartridges. I don’t lubricate any pistol cartridges other than 7.62x25, because it’s a bottle neck.

Idk about anyone else but my 30 carbine brass seems to stretch quite a lot.


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[John from MD]

Idk about anyone else but my 30 carbine brass seems to stretch quite a lot.


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I never noticed that on any of my reloads. I used to shoot a RCBS cast bullet with 2400 powder.

 

[bigmancrisler]

I never noticed that on any of my reloads. I used to shoot a RCBS cast bullet with 2400 powder.

I use extreme bullets 110gr RN under 14gr of H110 (IIRC, I have it written down in my book but can’t remember off the top my head)


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[erwos]

Finished off my 9mm bullets this afternoon. Would say I've got about 1600 rounds in reserve now, which should get me through January and February depending on how many matches I do.

Did the 357 Magnum conversion to the 650. Anyone who bitches that this is "hard" needs to get their head checked. It requires like one tool and takes maybe 20 minutes. I assume a primer system swap would have been more time-consuming, but you can also short-circuit that by flat-out replacing the entire assembly. Got through setting the sizing die, the powder die, and the bullet feeder die before running out of time. Will deal with the powder measure, seating die, and crimp die some other day. On the positive side, the 650's shell plate seems to do a way better job of lining up the brass with the die, so it's pretty smooth in operation.

I THINK I am going to start using some Fed SPMPs for these. Not because of the magnum thing, but because they're supposedly just as soft as normal federal SPPs.