What did you do in the reloading room today?

Uggh....that sucks. I was using stainless pins and wet tumbling. Problem was that the pins were cut the perfect length to wedge across the case mouth of my 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5 SAUM brass. Had to use pliers to remove pins on every affected case and then manually shake out all the pins stuck in the case that were captured by the wedged pin. The tumbling media you are using would have avoided that.
hahaha same here! what a pain in the ass. Nothing like a 15 minute task turning into 45... SMH
 
Last night loaded 50rds of 338LM with 285ELD-M, 50rds of 6.5saum with 147ELD-M, and 50rds of 300prc with 208gr Bergrer LRHT.
Actually a small dent in what I need to get caught up on at the reloading bench :D
This morning going to take it and couple other rifles out to TVP and do some shooting out to a mile with a friend. Basically create more fired cases that will need to be reloaded.:ROFLMAO:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Balor
I got a cool day off and shamed myself into trying to straighten it up. Discovered 12+ brass bags that needed to be sorted. So I’m sorting out 38 Spl, 357 Mag, 12 ga, 20 ga, 9mm, and 45 acp (🤬 45 acp SP).
 
IMG_5859.jpeg

About half way through the project, and hoping that I don’t find more bags of mixed brass.
 
I got a cool day off and shamed myself into trying to straighten it up. Discovered 12+ brass bags that needed to be sorted. So I’m sorting out 38 Spl, 357 Mag, 12 ga, 20 ga, 9mm, and 45 acp (🤬 45 acp SP).
That doesn't sound like any kind of fun sorting out pistol brass. 12 bags of it sounds like some sort of torture.

While you were doing that I loaded up 60rds of 6.5saum with 147ELD-M
Along with 150rds of 300prc with 208gr Berger LRHT. More to do but it's late and getting up early to go shoot out to 1000yds tomorrow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Modoc
View attachment 8487123
About half way through the project, and hoping that I don’t find more bags of mixed brass.

Can't find picture so use some imagination please.

I use a card table (in front of idiot box) and a strait edge (3 ft ruler) and some tubs with lables on tape.

The brass is dumped a couple handfuls at a time on the table and shoved base of cartridge against the strait edge and then drawn toward you.

Makes sorting faster, the brass that is predominant is left for last so it can be swiped across the table into a tub.

A trash can for junk and a container for recycling.

The lengths and diameter can be seen when lined up.
 
Been rather busy. Got 50 6T finally finished and been working on 6.5 Creedmoor rounds for Brenda’s rifle. I was rather disappointed with the cases. They had deep stains that extended cleaning would not eliminate. However, everything else went fine. Finally got all of her rounds loaded. So, rifle rounds all caught up until tomorrow when I hope to finish off a box of GT’s at Prince.

Also, had a box of .32 H&R’s needing loading. The cases were clean, just been putting it off because Brenda simply has not been able to stand and shoot, recovering from her broken hip. So, I knocked them off. A bit disappointed in having several split upon resizing. Otherwise, cranking them out with the Dillon 550 is a breeze compared to the multi day process of getting cases for precision rifle loads prepped and charged.

Funny thing though. I separate my handgun cases of similar size by alternating nickel with plain brass. The nickel brass seems to be brittle and often splits. am not sure of the need or even ability to anneal those cases. However, never really annealed cases for hundguns, almost all of the are loaded with light loads. Plus flame annealing would not appear to be recommended. The splits often are the length of the case and the head is very close to the neck.
 
Hell of a set up man

thanks... i love it for its purpose... wish it was better insulated, better AC, but I make due.

Cant wait to get a dedicated PRECISION reloading room set up. T7 or 419, Amp, Henderson, fx120 tricklers, etc, etc. Dedicated to only precision rifle. Thats what I'm looking for
 
  • Like
Reactions: sierracharlie338
Yup. Loaded up test rounds yet again for my dual AR load quest. Using the 75gr hpbt bullet and starline virgin brass. I did a test with the Craddock and the CLE ar and my CLE just wasn't shooting like it normally did. Craddock shot well pretty much at all of em. I completed it and when I was packing up, I realized my dang suppressor was moving.....


So here we go again. Loaded up 60 rounds and will test only the CLE this week hopefully. If I can't get this one to work well in both guns with the same load I'm gonna abandon the idea and just load 77smk for the CLR and 75 hpbt for the Craddock and let it be, but I'd much rather have a single load for both to load up a few thousand ready to shoot
 
Looking for pressure/velocity on a 20 Practical 24" AR. 40 gr Berger, H335, Norma USA Brass, CCI BR.

Berger manual stops at 24.1gr, Sierra 39gr goes way higher.

Started at 23.2 going to 25gr in .2 increments. 5 each.
25gr got me 3630fps with no pressure signs. Looks like I can go higher. Hoping for 3700.
Nice accuracy at 24.8.

Follow at your own risk.
 
Today I finished processing 700 pcs of 510 Whisper brass.
It was a messy task, using machine tools... brass, chips evrrywhere...and the area was cleaned a couple of times, before the photo..the plastic bucket is for chip control on the mill... the pile of brass in the lathe bed from serious neck turning of the brass magnum cases.
This, is heavy duty, wildcat, brass making.
Cutting up new magnum cases for the .510 Whisper.
The new limited factory .510 Whisper cases are always out and $5 each.
So buy in large quantity of magnum brass cut em up and neck turn em yourself, and save a ton.
These were about 65 cents each...the first 200 Lapua 338 were $2 ea, found a better deal.
 

Attachments

  • 20240910_162153.jpg
    20240910_162153.jpg
    639.9 KB · Views: 40
  • 20240910_162034.jpg
    20240910_162034.jpg
    861.5 KB · Views: 39
  • 20240910_162350.jpg
    20240910_162350.jpg
    1.2 MB · Views: 40
Worked on removing stuck brass from dies……did 3. Seems small compared but a pain in the butt!!

.510 whisper is something I could use…
I did the same when I stuck a hybrid case in the die and pulled off the SS case head...I didn't lube it enough.
It's a totally different procedure, pretty much requires a lathe or a mill. Since there is no case head left to tap only a stuck body. But a 7/16X 20 NF works great but it must be centered precisely.
Here's what it looks like.
Indicate in mill to center, drill out rough edges, tap with centering fixture, then use bolt & spacers to pull case body out of die.
The lathe use the same basic setup, but a boring bar to remove rough edges.
 

Attachments

  • 20240826_173018.jpg
    20240826_173018.jpg
    412.3 KB · Views: 24
  • 20240826_173943.jpg
    20240826_173943.jpg
    555.3 KB · Views: 24
What’s your load components for the fireball? I have one being built at LRI right now
For Cup and Core, I’ve had good results with H335, Rem 7-1/2 BR primers and 40g Hornady V-Max or Nosler BT

Monos the only change is to Lil’ Gun and 44g Hammer Hunters or the 35g Hammer Hunter which I need to finish load development.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sierracharlie338
Looking for pressure/velocity on a 20 Practical 24" AR. 40 gr Berger, H335, Norma USA Brass, CCI BR.

Berger manual stops at 24.1gr, Sierra 39gr goes way higher.

Started at 23.2 going to 25gr in .2 increments. 5 each.
25gr got me 3630fps with no pressure signs. Looks like I can go higher. Hoping for 3700.
Nice accuracy at 24.8.

Follow at your own risk.
Looks like my 24" practical is shooting the 39g seirras 3875 with 27g of wc844 which is quite similar to h335.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Halfnutz
I took a 35 Whelen to Africa in the late 1990s using 225 Trophy Bonded Bearclaws. Walloped the shit out of plains game through big Kudu.

When one of the PHs commented on it killing everything with one shot, the other PH said, “it’s the American 9.3x62.” Which seemed to satisfy him as everyone was nodding in approval.

Re-organized/inventoried my powder storage and did a 10 step ladder for load development int the 35 Whelen.

Now to get to the range and see what the paper and Chrono say.

View attachment 8501932
 
I took a 35 Whelen to Africa in the late 1990s using 225 Trophy Bonded Bearclaws. Walloped the shit out of plains game through big Kudu.

When one of the PHs commented on it killing everything with one shot, the other PH said, “it’s the American 9.3x62.” Which seemed to satisfy him as everyone was nodding in approval.
I’m basically wildcatting with Hammer Hunters right now. We already had a solid load with Cup and Core bullets, but the ignorant want lead-free here so I’m starting over.

On the plus side, these bullets are giving me amazingly small groups compared to traditional bullets. 🖕
 
  • Like
Reactions: FWoo45