All this shelter in place bullshit is good for something.
Decapped, cleaned, and swaged about 5,500 cases of 556.
Next is a bucket of 308.
Decapped, cleaned, and swaged about 5,500 cases of 556.
Next is a bucket of 308.
- Thread starter Kisssofdeath
- Start date
My H4350 order came in the mail today. My wife woke me up and without another word said, “You got explosives in the mail today...” She continued to look at me with an expression that said she was concerned she married a psychopath. ?
That was me last weeks. I've been loading a ton. Literally nearly out of consumables now.
Been going at a rate where I have loaded in 1 week, what normally takes me 3 or 4 months. Loaded every magazine in the house, now I'm filling a 50 cal can with 223. Have every 308 case loaded up, ready to go to the range. Have probably 2k 9mm loaded. I have plenty of primers but bullets and powder, I'm getting low. And all the ranges around me are still closed, so I can't even go shoot. Hoping they open after they were deemed essential lol. This whole covid is a cluster.
I normally load standing... I just ordered one of those tall director's chairs on amazon because I want to sit for some of this prep lol.
Lol, I have 55lbs of .223 to decap and decrimp.... I’m not looking forward to it lol.
Got the last of 450 rounds of .223 prepped and ready to prime and charge.
First time using Hornady One Shot. Works great if you don't let it dry too long. If you give it 5 minutes and start sizing it's right there with Imperial wax. Let it sit 45 minutes or so and the 1.456" shoulder bump was getting stretched to 1.458 on extraction. Imperial wax to the rescue, and my .002" bump was restored.
First time using Hornady One Shot. Works great if you don't let it dry too long. If you give it 5 minutes and start sizing it's right there with Imperial wax. Let it sit 45 minutes or so and the 1.456" shoulder bump was getting stretched to 1.458 on extraction. Imperial wax to the rescue, and my .002" bump was restored.
I feel you, this has been sitting under the bench for almost 2yrs. I would have put it off longer if it wasn't for this time off and being stuck at home.
On the Hornady L&L I can do about 1000/hr decapping or swaging.
I may buy a LNL or Dillon just to make things a bit easier.
I was thinking about that new lee app press. They say it can be set up to swage as well. I wouldnt mind it just for decapping purposes honestly.
Disassembled everything and put it in storage containers so I can move from California....
TEXAS, HERE I COME!!!
Gonna get a SBR and suppressor as soon as I get settled in and a trust made. Time to be free(er than California)
TEXAS, HERE I COME!!!
Gonna get a SBR and suppressor as soon as I get settled in and a trust made. Time to be free(er than California)
Glad to see I'm not the only one that reams out primer pocket crimps. That's the bitch step when doing my 5.56 loading.Got the last of 450 rounds of .223 prepped and ready to prime and charge.
First time using Hornady One Shot. Works great if you don't let it dry too long. If you give it 5 minutes and start sizing it's right there with Imperial wax. Let it sit 45 minutes or so and the 1.456" shoulder bump was getting stretched to 1.458 on extraction. Imperial wax to the rescue, and my .002" bump was restored.
I just made that same move in November. It’s an incredible feeling. Congrats!
Replaced/installed the two upper left cabinets.
I had a 40" cabinet to hold fired empty brass. It pulled itself away from the wall due to the weight inside of it.
The back piece was still attached because the cabinet actually came apart.
Pic of old cabinet pulling away.
Beefed up the new ones before mounting and had my stepson help me install them.
Put everything back into the cabinet and figured I might as well straighten things up before loading anything.
Might build a door for the shelf where the books are stored.
Once that's done, I'll slap some paint on the uppers.
I had a 40" cabinet to hold fired empty brass. It pulled itself away from the wall due to the weight inside of it.
The back piece was still attached because the cabinet actually came apart.
Pic of old cabinet pulling away.
Beefed up the new ones before mounting and had my stepson help me install them.
Put everything back into the cabinet and figured I might as well straighten things up before loading anything.
Might build a door for the shelf where the books are stored.
Once that's done, I'll slap some paint on the uppers.
Finally one of you reasonable californians is moving here instead of the yuppies. Tell those you leave behind that "its awful and full of hicks, they wouldnt like it."
Took 2 hours and found the distance to the lands of my new 6 Dasher. Now I can finally load some fireforming loads and head out to the range this weekend! As much as I like reloading, I'm getting tired of it after 2 weeks. Need a range day!
I fully intend to deploy a misinformation campaign against the yuppies.
My first order of business is finishing my LTC (already started the application), getting my damn California playoff my truck, drivers license, and cleansing myself of the California blehhhh LOL.
I already have all my assorted AR parts in a pelican case just teasing me to be assembled in standard configuration ??
Gonna order an 2nd bench. But this will do for now. I just move around a few things depending which tool I’m using.
Loaded up 11 rounds for a Satterlee 10 load test using H4350 and Nosler 168 ABLR in my 06. I scored 8 lbs so I can go forward with load development.
Got all my quick change mounts and wall rails from Inline Fabrication today and put them all together. Absolutely great stuff, and will do a full review on the reloading page sometime this week. Got my frames in for some of my ammo wall art, and finally got a decent little LED light for the bench. This is my second reloading bench: one in my shop, and one in my house...now I can easily change my presses out depending on where I want to reload.
Yup.
Fired up my new ultrasonic cleaner. Get too close and this thing could cleanse someone's soul. Packed away the Harbor Freight beginners model.
Finished trimming some brass.
So needed to get away from my home computer, I weight-sorted primers...
I have this same cleaner. The funny thing is that I didn't read the label until this morning - then I see your pic of it too!
ADMONITION!
Finally got around to modding a hornady 7wsm die to work for my 7/270 wsm. 7wsm vs 270/300wsm prints claim a .039 thou difference. After measuring my go gauge(same as fire formed) protrusion from the die and acounting for the shell holder -.002 for shoulder sizing, I came up with .036. Knocked that off the case hardened die with a hard turn insert and tried a piece of brass..exactly .002 set back. Still waiting for a .3120 reamer to open the neck sizing up so I can ditch the expander as well.
Oh, and I had to bed my second chassis today.
Oh, and I had to bed my second chassis today.
Worth it or what? I’ve been window shopping this for some time.
It is. If I was forced to put a value on it, it’s a solid $3-$400 tool. But I have zero buyer’s remorse at $600. Supply and demand.
I’ve had it in the cart online for 6mo. Finally pulled trigger. Should have sooner.
And if it’s worth it it’s worth it. No risk no reward. Haha. I was thinking it would be legit and glad to hear that it is so ??
Did some more organizing, as well as install some more Inline Fabrication rails to help with organization:
What part of Texas?
The Houston area. My house is being built in Pearland at the moment.
I finally got started to reloading a few rounds of 223.
I ran into some issues again, though. It seems that when you fix one problem, another pops up!
Any recommendations for keeping a Dillon 550 primer slide aligned? The tensions on the primer tube don't help... Too tight and the slide won't move, too loose and the slide moves left and right.
I ran into some issues again, though. It seems that when you fix one problem, another pops up!
Any recommendations for keeping a Dillon 550 primer slide aligned? The tensions on the primer tube don't help... Too tight and the slide won't move, too loose and the slide moves left and right.
I would recommend the primer bearing track from Uniquetek, can also get it off eBay. Definitley helped with consistency. The primer system is a little finicky
My reloading area looks a Bandito’s party house.
I was going to say something, didn't, but since you weighed in... I would go crazy if I tried to keep my office this organized, much less my reloading bench.
You know the old saying that a cluttered desk is the sign of a creative mind? I must be really creative.
I just got my 6.5/06 back with a new barrel so I have been setting back the ammo I had reloaded for the old shot out barrel so I can shoot it in this new one.
All is well but I have to start over developing a round for this barrel but am going to start out with what I had loaded for the old barrel.
I had to push the bullets back in a bit as I was always extending the seating for throat erosion and I know this will not be where I find where I get the best performance with this new barrel.
I had about 30 rounds that I pushed in a little deeper so they would chamber, and they should be enough for me to do some barrel break in--then I will start all over getting the round I need for the new barrel.
I was a bit surprised at how far out I had seated bullets for the old barrel trying to get all of the "goodie" out of it before I gave up and re-barreled it.
There must be some Jew and Scotch in me. I ran the old barrel as far as it would go, and keep me happy, before I gave it up. FM
All of those pretty, neat, benches that you show on here are pretty, I'll give you that, but how many rounds of how many different calibers are you loading? and how often?
My bench is a hubbub of 5 different calibers but used daily for one thing or the other as well as the occasional chainsaw, bicycle repairs for the little kids in the hood etc. and whatever My Squaw puts out there. "Here, fix this zoomerino."
The secret is to have everything in it's place and clean up after any one operation is done and returning those components to their place before going to the next.
You clean bench guys would have a fainting spell and the Vapors and apoplexy were you to look at my bench, but I know where everything is and all is in MY order.
In some part of the back of my mind I envy you, you are all so neat, tidy, and orderly, but do know where you would be coming if you needed something and didn't have it.
I would like to see pictures of "working" benches that work almost everyday or everyday, in my case. I would bet they are not so neat and tidy but well organized. There is a difference between clutter and,I got my shit together but don't touch anything.
And NO, I am not going to post pictures. Above my pay grade and knowledge.
All is well but I have to start over developing a round for this barrel but am going to start out with what I had loaded for the old barrel.
I had to push the bullets back in a bit as I was always extending the seating for throat erosion and I know this will not be where I find where I get the best performance with this new barrel.
I had about 30 rounds that I pushed in a little deeper so they would chamber, and they should be enough for me to do some barrel break in--then I will start all over getting the round I need for the new barrel.
I was a bit surprised at how far out I had seated bullets for the old barrel trying to get all of the "goodie" out of it before I gave up and re-barreled it.
There must be some Jew and Scotch in me. I ran the old barrel as far as it would go, and keep me happy, before I gave it up. FM
All of those pretty, neat, benches that you show on here are pretty, I'll give you that, but how many rounds of how many different calibers are you loading? and how often?
My bench is a hubbub of 5 different calibers but used daily for one thing or the other as well as the occasional chainsaw, bicycle repairs for the little kids in the hood etc. and whatever My Squaw puts out there. "Here, fix this zoomerino."
The secret is to have everything in it's place and clean up after any one operation is done and returning those components to their place before going to the next.
You clean bench guys would have a fainting spell and the Vapors and apoplexy were you to look at my bench, but I know where everything is and all is in MY order.
In some part of the back of my mind I envy you, you are all so neat, tidy, and orderly, but do know where you would be coming if you needed something and didn't have it.
I would like to see pictures of "working" benches that work almost everyday or everyday, in my case. I would bet they are not so neat and tidy but well organized. There is a difference between clutter and,I got my shit together but don't touch anything.
And NO, I am not going to post pictures. Above my pay grade and knowledge.
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There is at least two reasonable Californians here now, lol. Glad to be here.
No loading today but I did work on cleaning up a bit and marking some magazines. I also picked up some new snap caps to do some dry firing work. 
Today was massive brass prep and prime for a ton of loading. Creating my own powder shortage this weekend!
Just got in some new Alpha 6.5 and 6 CM and loaded enough to do some social distancing on Sunday morning.
Loaded 100 of my old faithful 260 load.
Winchester brass
Hornandy 140 BTHP
H4350
Winchester brass
Hornandy 140 BTHP
H4350
The dillon was looking and feeling skanky. If not from years of loading, this last 223 depriming mission (where I sent the decap pin into my knuckle) really pushed it over the edge. Took it apart and cleaned/ lubed everything today. if you haven't done it in years, I'd recommend it. I "polished" a few of the pieces that were looking a little pitted or sticky. Amazing how silky she is now.
Filled up my expedition and I mean filled up!!!!
Everything you can imagine from slings, dies, old presses, bullets, cases, bags, soft cases, old optics, ammo, stocks, parts, powder etc.....
Took it to one of my buddies house I used to shoot with and told him it was all his...
He has younger kids that love to shoot. I'm lucky and can buy whatever I want so I end up with oddities and extras of all kinds of stuff. ( I travel for a living and can spend 250 nights a year on the road in the past sitting in a hotel bar drinking and ordering stuff)
They are on a budget due to handicapped child so it was like Christmas for him and the kids...
Everything you can imagine from slings, dies, old presses, bullets, cases, bags, soft cases, old optics, ammo, stocks, parts, powder etc.....
Took it to one of my buddies house I used to shoot with and told him it was all his...
He has younger kids that love to shoot. I'm lucky and can buy whatever I want so I end up with oddities and extras of all kinds of stuff. ( I travel for a living and can spend 250 nights a year on the road in the past sitting in a hotel bar drinking and ordering stuff)
They are on a budget due to handicapped child so it was like Christmas for him and the kids...
This is what you find in different bins and shelves.....
All unopened still....
It's a sickness... or I need to not shop while drinking 2000 miles from home and forget what's there already.
All unopened still....
It's a sickness... or I need to not shop while drinking 2000 miles from home and forget what's there already.
