The "What Have You Reloaded Today" thread

bsand said:
You should be double checking everything... Since reading a bunch of stories of gunshops giving wrong ammo, wrong primers etc. I triple check everything that I'm buying before I leave the store, when it comes to non-returnables like Ammo, primers and powder.
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Yea I know, good thing I plan to load some .223 one day :)
Just need dies and bullets
 
I can finally post in this thread!

100 rds of .45 ACP.
230 gr Cam Pro RN over 7.3gr of HS-6, with CCI Large Pistol Primers.

Think my hands will shake when I fire my first "home rolled"??
 
And while I'm here and even though it was yesterday, 178 rounds of .44mag with 21.5gr of IMR 4227 and 240gr Campro's into some Federal brass that has now all been loaded 10 times with a bunch that are on their 11th trip.
 
Killing downtime over the holidays. :)

1906pc of 9mm
37pcs of 308Win
211pcs of 223 (still left to trim, ughhh!)

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I loaded up 4 different test loads for my 30-30. 170grain bullets over varget,imr3031.

Also loaded up 2 boxes of 180grain round nose cast bullets (.310" dia). A harder alloy, and Imr3031 powder.
I am hoping to get around 1700-1800 fps fom them. Hopefully the micro groove will allow me to work up to the 1900fps range.
 
I handloaded 50 rounds of 38 spl today with those 105 gr swc cast bullets from a Lee mold! I loaded with a small amount of fast powder. These should be powder puff loads with lower report.
Wanted to try these for rabbit hunting with my Ruger 77/357
Just started casting my own bullets, so it makes the whole process of shooting them a lot more fun....:cool:

"Happy New Year" everyone, & happy shooting this coming year!:cheers:
 
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Thinned the rims on some 44 Russian brass, that is for a antique 44 webley bull dog. The gun will accept full length Russian brass, so I didn't have to trim it, which is really unusual for a 44 webley gun.
And did some experimentation with smokeless loads, using Vihtavouri Tin Star. And yes, I know the gun was intended for black powder only.
Some folks load a number of their antique pistols with Trail Boss or Unique. As much as I love Trail Boss, it's burn rate is too fast for this early of gun in my opinion. Unique is slower, but I've had issue with unburned powder until loads get a little hotter, again not really suitable. But Tin Star has a burn rate pretty close to Unique, but gives good clean burns. 2gr left some powder unburned, and little recoil. Worked up to 3gr, which gave good ignition, reasonable recoil etc. So I've loaded 5 at 3gr to chronograph.
Assuming they chrono at somewhere close to the 500fps range, I'll be happy.
 
112 rounds of 7.5x55 Swiss for the K31. 178grn Hornady Amax over 39grn of Hodgdon 4350. Berdan primed GP11 brass, all trimmed, cleaned, worked and cleaned up primer pockets, and primed with Tula primers.

First time trying out these projectiles, but the same load using 174grn Berger FMJ is an excellent load.
 
I haven't reloaded anything :| Too Cold outside and my press is in my mancave of a shed.

Been looking around for an awesome reloading bench to put indoor's, albeit i blew my budget for a new SA 1911..... Woe is me having to reload in the cold for a new pistol :HR:
 
salon_1928 said:
Anything interesting of note working with that GP11 brass? What method did you use to remove the berdan primers and what dies are you using?
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I use RCBS dies and so far they work very well. My groups were cut in half or better with my hand loads vs the already excellent GP11. And these were almost the first rounds I ever reloaded. I think I did 20x 8mm mauser first, but that's it.

as for the GP11 brass, I deprime using a tool I made. I had a piece of quality tool steel round wire(It was a spring of some sort). its about 1/16th or so in diameter, maybe a bit thicker. I made a pointy end, sort of "spoon" shaped. did this with a simple grinder. this I tap into the primer just to one side of the case anvil and then pry the primer out. Works well. To hold the brass, I remove the sizing part of the die and install the die upside down in my press, then place the brass in the die. A bit of case lube and work with the depth of the die in the press to be able to always pop the case out. I use a small 6" prybar under the extractor groove to pry them out if they get stuck. Have not ruined one case.

as for primer pockets, I de crimp and clean the pockets well, and ensure that the two small flash holes are open. I use little picks and dental tools, and brushes. I often re tumble after I have done all that, and trimming/deburring. Sometimes you have to remove bits from the flash holes again, but its nice.

Oh and note that there are two different Tula 7.62 primers. You need the large ones, for x54r not x39. They are the same price as regular large rifle primers and work just great.

second note on primers, they WILL fit deeply into the primer pocket, not flush with the head of the case. This caused me a fair amount of concern, but I did some research and its fine. as well, they shoot just great.

you only have to de crimp on the first firing, not after, and the primers come out much easier after they have been de crimped.

I want to start annealing so I can make the brass last longer, but I have lots of GP11 and a few hundred rounds of boxer primed as well, so its not a huge priority.

For projectiles I like to use near GP11 size pills. 168-178grn with my best groups so far from 174grn Berger long range fmj. I have been toying with using some bulk 150grn bullets as they are quite a bit cheaper, but I suspect accuracy will suffer.

My rifle likes light powder charges, and this has been fairly well documented on the Swiss rifle forums, but you will have to see what yours likes. Its nice cause its cheaper to shoot, and has noticeably less recoil than GP11. I have had great success with IMR 4064, H 4895 and 4350. I am sure many other powders will work well. Its close to .308 and a few other projectiles in case capacity and pressure, as well as other dimensions.
 
Fargone4sure said:
Thinned the rims on some 44 Russian brass, that is for a antique 44 webley bull dog. The gun will accept full length Russian brass, so I didn't have to trim it, which is really unusual for a 44 webley gun.
And did some experimentation with smokeless loads, using Vihtavouri Tin Star. And yes, I know the gun was intended for black powder only.
Some folks load a number of their antique pistols with Trail Boss or Unique. As much as I love Trail Boss, it's burn rate is too fast for this early of gun in my opinion. Unique is slower, but I've had issue with unburned powder until loads get a little hotter, again not really suitable. But Tin Star has a burn rate pretty close to Unique, but gives good clean burns. 2gr left some powder unburned, and little recoil. Worked up to 3gr, which gave good ignition, reasonable recoil etc. So I've loaded 5 at 3gr to chronograph.
Assuming they chrono at somewhere close to the 500fps range, I'll be happy.
Click to expand...

I have a couple hundred shells to thin the rims on too and have to find a good way to hold them. What method are you using?
I've been using Trailboss in some of my antiques but was about to load some with Unique. I'll certainly have to check into the Tinstar also. Thanks!
 
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