What did you do in the reloading room today?

#2,603
I got bored and decided to time my reloading operation to see how much time I spend from start to finish on 50 rounds. Sizing, cleaning, chamfering, priming, dropping powder and seating. It took an hour and five minutes for 50 rounds start to finish, including set up of the sizing and seating die, and the AutoTrickler.

Then I was still bored so I ran some numbers in JBM for a slow DTAC vs. a fast 105 and it appears I can run the DTAC at around 2700 and have essentially the same wind drift as a 105 at 3010, with a longer flight time to help me spot trace better. So I build 3 ea. DTAC in .5 grain increments from 30.0 to 33.5. of Varget. Going to run to the range today to do the speed test. Nothing wrong with the 105's, just bored and thought I'd try the experiment for fun.
 
#2,604
Looks like (according to JBM), TOF is pretty similar between a 105 at 2850 and a DTAC at 2700. I'm running the 105 at 3010 in my GT, so there's definitely a possible TOF advantage to a slower DTAC there. Results TBD...

105 @2850:

200 0.224 0.0 0.0
300 0.347 0.0 0.0
400 0.478 0.0 0.0
500 0.619 0.0 0.0
600 0.770 0.0 0.0
700 0.932 0.0 0.0
800 1.107 0.0 0.0
900 1.297 0.0 0.0
1000 1.502

DTAC @2700:

200 0.235 0.0 0.0
300 0.363 0.0 0.0
400 0.499 0.0 0.0
500 0.644 0.0 0.0
600 0.799 0.0 0.0
700 0.964 0.0 0.0
800 1.140 0.0 0.0
900 1.328 0.0 0.0
1000 1.530
 
#2,605
Don't mean to eavesdrop but... yeah, @todd, try the DTAC's, I totally feel like 115's are easier to see than with 105's, never really thought about TOF being part of it, but it jives.

In my mind 105/107/108's < 112/115's... I've never had a chance to shoot the hybrid 109's and am too cheap for A-tips (for now), but heavier is better in my mind.

3100fps from a 6GT seems screaming fast to me though, and 2700fps a little slow, I'm going 6GT for my next barrel and am hoping for 2800-2850fps with 112gn Match Burners for a barrel (wish they were DTAC's but they weren't available). I might want to try 109's/110 A-tips , but IDK.
 
#2,607
FWIW, I'm only at 3010 not 3100, that's like 6XC speeds (those speed freaks!)

I was able to get the 112 MB's to 2950 with 34.1g of H4350 - but with a 28" barrel. You should have no problem doing 2800-2850 with them.

I'm always trying stuff just to experiment and see what happens. If I don't like the results, my 105 load shoots fine.
 
#2,608

IDK if anyone can really see any difference per se, but our brains are capable of some craziness that we don't fully understand yet, so who knows? ...maybe the extra time of flight helps a little? We know the extra splash does.

I work in audio and while editing we sometimes cut and move things in much smaller pieces than milliseconds, down to one sample out of 192,000 samples per second... and we can sometimes hear the difference. Since sound travels at ~1 millisecond per foot, hearing something move/change the difference of a few samples doesn't seem possible, we shouldn't be able to hear it, but it is and we do sometimes.
 
#2,609

I get it. No offense taken.

I just feel like I see more when shooting the heavier bullets. IDK what it is exactly, or if it's indeed all in my head (and that's all it might be). I wish I could explain it better. It's probably more about the impact/splash for me, I feel like I get more feedback, like which way a plate twists, seeing stuff that makes corrections easier/faster, shit like that, the 112/115's just seem easier vs 105's for my eyes, so I don't think it's unplausible that time of flight might contribute to that effect in some way... IDK lol.

I never was talking about trace, I'm not a big believer in seeing trace either. The only time I ever consistently see trace is when I'm on binos back behind another shooter, and other than it looking pretty cool, I'm not sure I could ever extrapolate any decent info out of seeing it, especially as a shooter (though I rarely see it behind the gun). Most of the time when I hear guys talking about seeing trace, I roll my eyes.
 
#2,610
@reubenski I did mention that I was just trying this for fun. IF I can see a difference, great. If I can't see a difference, no worries. You're right about atmospherics playing a large part in the visibility of trace. In those cases where trace is visible, I'd like to test for myself if a slower, heavier bullet makes a difference and if I can pick it up more readily than a lighter, faster bullet. I do know that at matches, when I'm on glass, I can definitely tell a difference between someone shooting 2750 and someone shooting 3000. We're already playing a game where milliseconds matter, we're trying to hold still in weird positions during that 0.002 seconds where the bullet is travelling down the barrel; why not try something that might allow my brain to process a little more information during that additional 0.060 seconds TOF difference at 600 yards? I totally get that doesn't seem like a lot of time. If it doesn't help me see trace, it will give me a little more time to process splash on the target or measure a miss to adjust off of. Again, it's just a test for fun. I'm not making any claims that it's a scientific fact and will jump me from mid-pack to Top 10 at a national match here.

BTW, @CK1.0 As a drummer with experience playing with a click and recording, I totally get what you're saying about the mind being able to perceive moving a note milliseconds in a track (especially a snare drum).
 
#2,611
The data posted was in reply to your question regarding the difference between a 105 at 2850 and the 115 at 2700. I'm pushing the 105 to 3010. That's a different dataset which I didn't post here.
 
#2,616
Finished charging powder and seating bullets in a set of 6.5 CM Lapua cases and Starline cases. Noted my Starline cases are starting to get a bit long in the tooth. Despite Annealing I am starting to get neck splits. Out of 50, three had to be discarded.

And a happier note, double checked my 21 year old Dillion (made by Ohaus) beam scale yesterday. After balancing it at 0 grains, set it to 40 grains, put two 20 grain check weights in it and it read a perfect 40 grains. Love old school equipment that still does the job.
 
#2,621
not rifle, but loaded up a few hundred 38 super for a new blaster i got for uspsa open division. previously i loaded 5 each in .1 grain increments to see which matched the builder's power factor rec.
 
#2,623
The Rifle has over 1800 rounds through this barrel. Started out with 250 Starline cases and 200 Lapua. About 60 of the Lapua cases have never been used and the rest are have just been loaded for the second time. I have 167 of the Starline cases left. So those left are on their 7th loading. Except for split necks the bulk of the loses were caused by setting the shoulder back too far. Got that resolved and loses have been minimal.

Been shooting Starline a long time. Good experience with the cases. However, I called them not to long ago (about the shoulder set back) and they never returned my call. Phil at MPA, helped me get the issue squared away. Spent a good part of a morning on the phone and on text messaging helping out. MPA, highly recommended.
 
#2,627
Got new 3/4" plywood top on my old sheet metal desk I use as a handload bench.
Loaded 25 - 6creed w/ 115dtac .
I work in 25 rd batches
Small batches keeps me from shooting barrel out in short order
 
#2,636
Loaded some confirmations and ran to the range. They ran great if I woulda shot 4 shot groups….both 5th shots pulled from the main group. I’m sure it wasn’t me staring at 2 groups in the 1’s prior to the last jerk of the trigger :rolleyes:

 
#2,637
Today I loaded some 223 for the 700 then for whatever reason I decided to load some 7.62x25 test rounds
being that I had the brass prepped for over a year and still cant find any PowerPistol, so I decided to try CFE pistol.

I loaded sets of five in varying powder increments to test, what a fucking pain in the ass loading single little 7.62
cases with that fairy dust powder that goes everywhere.
 
#2,639
Last year I resurfaced my bench with some really nice 1/4" ply I had laying around. Routered some grooves and installed T-tracks for an Inline Fabrication mount. I've been using the tall and when I want to stand to reload its great. But sometimes I want to sit and it was a bit too tall. I recently got a short Inline Fabrication mount. To use my t-tracks I had to mount to a piece of plywood. I really love the Inline Fab set up and being able to use different presses and other tools- I have one for my barrel vise and now a bench vise.

So today I pulled my AP press off, swapped 6GT barrels, and resized a few pieces of brass on my single stage MEC, all in about 20 minutes.

Here are some pics of the set up.

 
#2,641
Just finishing up some prep on some Federal .308 brass... Going to load until I use up the last of this pound of powder.

Weather is supposed to be downright decent tomorrow... Mid 60's, tolerable wind... Plan to try out to 600.

Wish me luck.

Mike
 
#2,643
Friday I spent the afternoon casting light .45 Colt bullets and 147 grain .355 bullets. My .355 mold (for 9MM) drops bullets in the .357 range. So, I can and do load them for .38 special loads. I have a heavy Kieth mold for .357 and really like those bullets, they are a bit overkill for plinking. So, the 147’s work great, save lead. Tomorrow if the rain moves in I will head back to the shop and lube and size them.
 
#2,644
A little update...

Finished loading my .308 yesterday. Wound up having enough powder for 66 rounds... which was exactly the number of primers I had left in the tray.

10.9 grains of powder left over. Just enough.

Not that anybody cares... Just kinda weird how it worked out.

Mike
 
#2,645
Yesterday I stared at the bags of brass we picked up from the last few range trips. I’m avoiding sorting it all, but will likely do that today so I can run a few batches in the tumbler. Three of my kids shoot with me, so range trips are extremely labor intensive.
 
#2,647
Finished up a few hundred rounds of 6.8 plinking ammo. 90gr gold dot pulls in new Starline brass (second place for worst pull marks on stuff I've bought).



Had my helper in action with a cartridge gage.
 
#2,650
I love spell check :D

I wrote this short note to my Brenda yesterday who is visiting with our son while I am keeping the homesite safe due to the unseasonably cold and then exceptionally dangerous storms that Mother Nature has brought us during these Christmas Holidays.

Check out the Spell Check error

“Been a busy day. Got in an indoor ride early (actually two rides due to a mid-ride break caused the GPS to save half the ride) Got my hair cut, did some shooting at the range, ate a rather disappointing lunch at Johnny’s (can you beleive it?) then home. Picked up sticks around the yard that were blown down by the storm, went for a walk, and then sized, and deprived two different sets of 6.5 brass. Y’all having a good one. And how is Bandit doing? “

Poor Brass. I am sure far lefters all over the nation are preparing to bring criminal charges against me for depriving my brass of their just deserts. I give my brass all the love they deserve. How could they ask for more???

for the serious side of this post. Yesterday evening, I went for a different tack. Normally, I give the brass a good cleaning, then size and de-prime. Due to time restraints, yesterday, seeing that the brass was not terribly dirty, had only modest carbon stains on the neck, I went on and lubed them, resized them. Then started their deep cleaning. Right or wrong, and not a procedure I would normally use, but as said, I need a good number of rounds to shoot for the upcoming few days.
 
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