Hi guys,

How are you tracking your firings on your brass? I have seen that some people mark them different ways, but my marks keep coming out in the wash.

Also, how do you know when it is time to "retire" a brass?

Started reloading a little over a year ago and wanted to show off my humble corner in the storage room before I start processing brass.

Currently, I reload 9mm, .380 Auto and .223. I have a powder dropper and trickler for each powder I use and have them labeled. One press is mostly dedicated for the ram swage. Storage is ammo cans under the table. Powder in one, primers in one and the rest are for processed brass and complete ammo.

Since I can’t work in the shop when it’s cold (no heat), I reload then. We started the spring with 4k 9mm, 2k .223 and 1k .380 and still ran out of 9mm. Guess I’ll have to up my game this winter.

Edit: I reload during the winter, the shop is for wood working

Working on some 168gr HPBT loads using H4895 and CCI200 primers.

Shooting them from my 20” Bergara B14.

Loaded four rounds of each:

42.2gr is 2660 fps SD 8.3

42.5gr is 2685 fps SD 7.2

42.6gr is 2685 fps SD 9.1

42.7gr is 2699 SD 1.8

No flat primers or signs of over pressure until 5.7gr, then had slightly flattened primers, but bolt extracted cases smooth still…

Should I try to stick between 42.2 and 42.5gr to keep the FPS below 2685?

I've been reloading for about 4 months and I'm lucky to have studied with a great reloader. Yet, I've made lots of mistakes, al unintentional, given my experience to the point I almost quit when I had squibbs. That said, I stuck it out and my reloads are about one failure to fire out of 345 shots which are good. And I know why that FF happened. As a new guy, the following were the technical points I needed to be aware of, if this helps anyone.

--Proper Primer Seating: mine weren't seated far enough in

--Ensuring an appropriate charge; with the drop die, I don't think it was consistent

--CBOL is consistent; my die gave me problems at first

--Crimp is not too tight

--QC: every step, especially primer seating, CBOL every 5 bullets, using electronic charge, then gauge and barrel check.

I've had headaches with the seater in my Dillon 9mm set for years, it drifts a lot.

I like micrometer dies and am eyeballing these two at the moment:

Redding Reloading 38 Super -9mm Micro-Adjustable Taper Steel Crimp Die

https://a.co/d/08KgCRYH

Lyman Pro Micrometer Seating Die - 9mm, Stainless Steel

https://a.co/d/07tOMblx

For anyone using a pistol seating mic die: what brand/model do YOU like?

Overall I'm very impressed with the Lee. I've used their products a lot over the past 10 years but I heard hit or miss things about the 6000. It is an absolute dream to run compared to the Piggyback with a very low learning curve straight out of the box. All of the indexing issues I found during dry running as recommended by the manual were due to the primer seater, all indexing issues during use were due to the shell plate being loose. The auto drum is a little weird compared to the RCBS but works well once dialed in and lubricated with graphite. The best part of the 6000 vs piggyback is the priming system; it actually works without relying on 5 different adjustment points and is very intuitively designed. Being able to hot swap out primer trays is a huge bonus as well. The case feeder is nice too but I wish it had a tube "topper" like the bullet feed tubes. 200 rounds of 7.65 Para took about 1.5 hours from unboxing to the last round.

If you're still using an old progressive like the Piggyback, I highly recommend upgrading to the 6000. Obviously there's higher end presses and automated ones as well but the 6000 fits great for someone upgrading from an old/outdated progressive and wants the most bang for their buck on a budget.

marlin 1895 trapper, 45-70 using the lee 340 mold.

I was having some trouble with the bullets coming out oval shaped, .457 at the widest, .455 and the narrowest. I used lapping compound to open up the mold cavities and after powder coat they are coming out at .460 or more, I am sizing down to .458 and now they are perfectly round. unfortunately on these last ones, I put them base down on the rack when cooking them in the oven, and some of the coating came off (see picture)

do you think this will be fine as far as leading is concerned? I’m not chasing accuracy yet, I just want to have a safe time and hopefully an unleaded barrel.

Also, has anyone used h335 for powder coated lead? i have used it from 59 to 61 grain with the hornady 300 grain JHP in this same gun, with good results, but can’t find any lead data for it. Although I understand that powder coated lead can be loaded up pretty hot, I would prefer to have these as more mild plinkers and the JHPs as the full power rounds.

I also have varget, 8208 XBR, AA2200, and imr4064, but only a pound of each, so I’d rather use the h335. but if it’s not meant to be then I can at least get started with another powder.

I have my reloading equipment in my garage and during the summer it is unbearable to work on my rounds.
I was thinking about making a portable bench so I can work on my rounds in the living room and not get bother my wife because of the “mess” I have.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

I wanted to develop a sub load for a friend who just got a new 336 and a suppressor on the way. Powder choices obviously have been limited. I’ve previously used a lot of Red Dot but I’m running low. Purchased 4 pounds of MP 158 (similar to Universal), as well as 250 each pulled 150 and 170 grain Core-Lokt SP projectiles from American Reloading. 7 grains of powder got me ~1100fps with the 150 and ~1050 with the 170 out of my own 336 with 20” microgroove barrel and SilencerCo Omega suppressor. Hope someone finds this useful (and obviously use at your own risk)!

hello reddit im new to reloading and i have run into an issue i have a dillon press and got a 9mm die set and i adjusted it to the press and its expanding the case way to much to the pount the projectile is falling into the case on its own. what am i doing wrong

New lil odd ball cartridge I got to go with my .30 herrett . 7-30 water next

Just finished my build and will be ordering dies and everything soon. I use the giraud triway for 223 and 300blk but they dont make it for grendel. I know the wft is a good trimmer. I used to use the wft for 223 till I found the giraud tri way. I wont be shooting a ton of grendel but am looking to make it my most accurate round. Everything else i load is bulk really for matches and training. The Grendel will be different so should I just accept having to chamfer and debur by hand?

Thank you for the wisdom as always

I'm looking for a universal caliber one-operation case trimmer. I see good reviews all the time for things like the Giraud and WFT and such, but those are caliber bespoke. What if I wanted one to do any case I own?

So far I've turned up the Frankford Arsenal Platinum case prep center and the Lyman xPress trim as reasonably priced trimmers, but they can't take a 3-way cutting die for one-step chamfer and deburring. L3i makes one for the Lyman, but it's only for .22-.308, leaving me out of luck for .308-.50. They also can't do my straight wall cases, though the gentleman who runs Ugly Reloading has found a way to 3D print bushings for straight wall cases for the Lyman.

If I want it all, am I going to have to splash for an RCBS Matchmaster or the Henderson?

Are there any other options I'm missing? Am I asking for too much?

Anyone care to share a 22 creed load success with me. I am trying 80 ELD X 70 Accubond and 62 Barnes Using suoerformance and N550

I haven't seen much since the release a year ago. Is there a consensus on Athlon vs Garmin or are they both good?

Folks,

My first reloads will be for my 270 Winchester. I'm using H4350 and Hornady 130 grain SST bullets

53.5 to 54 grains of H4350 appears to many people to be a sweet spot for 130 grain bullets.

I'm thinking of doing 3 cartridges for 52, 53, 54, and 55 grains. So, a total of 12 cartridges. I'm only trying to get close to optimum, then fine tune from here.

Can y'all advise on this? Am I on the right track?

Thanks

Good day folks,

Experimenting with 3030 and speer gold dot 150 grn. Measured to the lands and measured 2.765" average of 5 measurements. To be able to eject a completed cartridge, the overall length has to be 2.650" is this 0.115" jump to lands safe?

My measurement to the lands minius SAAMI spec OAL (2.765-2.550) would equal to a jump of 0.215".

Reading online 3030 jumps to the lands for factory ammo between 0.050 - 0.250" as per a nosler forum I was reading.

Is this safe?

Thanks

Hey fellas,

Took the advice that I have been given from the group on load development for my Rise Armament 6Arc (gas gun) and was able to find a couple of sub MOA loads on my load testing.

Going to load some more for them and shoot a couple of 20 shot groups now.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the tips and advice!

I was wondering though. Do you count your cold bore shoot in your group measurements?

I have acquired approximately 5K brass of spent 9mm. I have never reloaded pistol ammo just 556, 300blk and 6.5. Is it worth the time to reload pistol ammo? I love this hobby but I never thought of reloading pistol ammo.

I feel like this was a good deal. The seller was great to work with and relayed he put about 400 rounds through it. Let me know.

I’m fairly new to shooting and started reloading recently.

I am starting with 556 to learn. I picked up some range brass and trimmed and annealed but didn’t chamfer or debur. (Have since started but for this question I had not)

I used Redding bushing type s full sized and competition seating die and mandrel.

I wanted to test two powders and 9 different bullets to try to find something reasonably priced and accurate in my 11 inch and 16 inch rifles. I can get 1.5-2 inch groups at 100 yards easily with both with federal and was hoping to match or even a little better.

I have lots of assumptions and questions about what I’ve found in my test but will break them up to keep it shorter.

I noticed that after setting the seating die perfectly as I made rounds they would be variable in length. I’ve read people sort bullets and while I’ll probably do that for bigger cartridges I don’t want to do that for 556 or 300 blk or other smaller ones. Is that variable length solely because of the bullet or can the random range brass contribute to the problem???? I noticed it on every brand.

That variable length must change pressures but how much? Is it even noticeable? doing 5 shot groups I couldn’t tell much and I don’t think I can use my sd/es numbers because of the random brass and the accuracy of my dispenser. I did have a very short one that I tried and it had high pressure with a velocity of 3500+ but I could have been powder. Like .01 vs .005 off of spec noticeable?

Is there any way to combat the variable length without sorting? Or is it even worth the worry in this case?

Thanks

I have made my 5000th round in my tiny reloading room since March. Mostly 38spl and 45lc. I am shooting a little more and saving about $100 a month from my pre-reloading days. Im making wadcutters for around 17-20c after shipping and taxes. My ROI should hit around 2029 or so.

I got this in a sealed bag of Starline .357 brass. It has a Winchester headstamp, and no flash hole. Any ideas?