Ammunition reloading

TACOMATODD · February 22, 2019, 09:07:34 PM

Just curious as to what cartridge and how YOU do it. Me? Everything thing rifle from 243 win up to 300 win mag. At least on reg basis. Pistol 38 spcl to 45acp. Scattergun 20 to 10. Lots of different stages on rifle for accuracy, fewer for plinking. Pistol is pistol. Shotgun, well, it's a shotgun. But, I still take my time and DOUBLE check my weights n measures AND my manual for my selected ingredients. I do all of my wife's ammo also. Of course, muzzleloaders, everyone loads for those, whether thought of that way or not. I am happy to go into further details on any of these if anyone shows an interest. Some casting also.

AZ_builder · February 22, 2019, 09:56:00 PM

I load everything from .22 up to my 50bmg. I have the set up for shotguns but no time to mess with it. Shells are cheap enough for now. The .22 long rifle was a kit I bought for the heck of it. No practical but cool to have. Mostly load for the 6.5-06, 50, and the 7 rem mag. I'm able to get out to 2000 yards at a spot here close to home but most target shooting is kept under 1200 and hunting usually kept under 700.

TACOMATODD · February 23, 2019, 02:06:59 AM

smiley_whackoPlease tell me more about the 22lr kit. Definitely sounds curious, and very interesting. With the exception of this, and primers, I can make practically everything for yet another hobby. How do you go about removing the indentation made by the firing pin on the headspace rim of the rimfire?

Chuck White · February 23, 2019, 08:25:34 AM

I have reloading dies for 35 different cartridges, from 17 Remington to 444 Marlin, but mostly reload for 204 Ruger, 223 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington, and 44 Magnum!

I also have MEC loaders for 2½" 410 and 2¾" 12 gage!

AZ_builder · February 23, 2019, 08:28:33 AM

You don't remove it, the new primer is a liquid that coats the inside of the base and dries. Firing pin sets it off just like a factory round. Again, just a novelty thing, I wouldn't want to make thousands of them but nice to know I can make enough if I had to. 22lrreloader.com

Chuck White · February 23, 2019, 11:28:27 AM

When reloading 22LR, you just have to remember to chamber them so that the original firing pin dent isn't lined up with the firing pin again.

The firing pin has to be lined up with a section that hasn't already been dented!

AZ_builder · February 23, 2019, 03:34:00 PM

Very true, I failed to mention that part

sawguy21 · February 23, 2019, 04:26:03 PM

I wouldn't think .22 rimfire would be worth reloading. The casings would have a limited life span.

AZ_builder · February 23, 2019, 05:42:16 PM

It's just nice to know you can.

Banjo picker · February 23, 2019, 07:10:15 PM

Any of you guys ever reloaded large pistol shells to take out carpenter bees? Major fun getting rid of a terrible nuisance.

Prime it put in a reduced load of powder a piece of Styrofoam from an egg carton then some #12 shot or what ever you want to do the dirty deed then another piece of styrofoam then a very small amount of elmers glue. Problem is it takes a good while to make them and only a few minutes to shoot them up when the bees are out. Banjo

moodnacreek · February 23, 2019, 07:52:23 PM

Back before I got the sawmill bug I was crazy about waterfowl hunting and geese where starting to winter here. We had a floating blind on the Hudson and started using goose decoys. Got me a 10ga. mag. and the shells where expensive. Used a lee hand loader, cost about $15.00.

Chuck White · February 23, 2019, 08:12:33 PM

Banjo; I've reloaded styrofoam shotshell loads in 38/357 & 44Mag.

Snake shot that I carried with me when I went out in the prairie, back when I was stationed out in South Dakota!

I think for the bees, you'd likely want to use #12 shot (dust)

Banjo picker · February 23, 2019, 08:25:34 PM

Chuck I load the snake shot a little hotter than the bee killers. Deb filmed me once knocking down the bees. 44 goes boom and the bee falls like a rock. Banjo

SawyerTed · February 23, 2019, 09:49:50 PM

In rifle cartridges I reload common calibers
.243
.270
.308
30-06
30-30

In pistols I reload
.380
.38 Special
9mm
.40
.357 magnum
.44 magnum

I don't reload any shot shells. Had to draw a line somewhere. I enjoy reloading and refining loads for my firearms. I avoid really hot loads and tend to keep my loads somewhere around 80% of maximum. Maximum loads just aren't fun to shoot. I find, for me, that I get better accuracy with loads 75-80% of maximum. Chasing high velocities doesn't excite me much either. I like hitting where I aim consistently with enough power to get the job done.

My favorites to shoot are .270 in rifle cartridges and .40 S&W in pistols. I deer hunt mainly with a .270, sometimes with .308 and 30-30.

TACOMATODD · February 23, 2019, 11:03:51 PM

Sounds like we all appreciate the NRA and Ollie North USMC, retired, maybe. At heart, ALWAYS, OOH RAH! Not me, but him. Cause I am a lifer civilian, just raised by a marine. Could not get being a rifleman out of my blood if I wanted to. Dad passed in 2010. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think about him while in solitude. After all, he is the one responsible for getting me started in this hobby. Thank you Dad. I miss you.

jerry sundberg · February 24, 2019, 07:25:29 AM

I reload for 30-30 30-06 7x30 Waters 7mm Mauser 45-70 gov't 32H&R mag 7.62x39 7.92x33 Kurz. Some for single shot rifles I've built on RBs and 94 Stevens actions. What I do need is a bullet mould in .323-.325 dia. 80-110 grain. Any one have one they'd sell? Most of the loads I make are cat sneeze loads. Low noise and recoil.

Ed_K · February 24, 2019, 09:17:57 AM

I haven't reloaded in 15 yrs. All the casings,primers,powder and lead are in the locked gun cabinet. Are the primers and powder still good? I look at them from time to time but just don't have time to sit down and figure out how to check for safety's sake. What do y'all think?

AZ_builder · February 24, 2019, 09:32:58 AM

As long as they're kept dry and at a constant temp (room temp) they'll be fine

TimRB · February 24, 2019, 04:54:58 PM

Quote from: Ed_K on February 24, 2019, 09:17:57 AM
All the casings,primers,powder and lead are in the locked gun cabinet.

You might consider moving the powder out of the cabinet. Reason being, depending on how solid and airtight the cabinet is, it could go boom if a fire broke out. If the powder is more-or-less out in the open, it will just burn (excitedly) in a fire.
Tim

starmac · February 24, 2019, 09:42:15 PM

Are you talking about a wooden gun cabinet, or a gun safe. A safe would make a pretty potent bomb.

Chuck White · February 25, 2019, 07:12:31 AM

If you are not worried about a friend or family member messing with the powder, it would be safer to just have it stored on a shelf rather than in an enclosure!

That way, in case of fire it would just burn instead of exploding!

Weekend_Sawyer · February 25, 2019, 09:20:07 AM

The last thing I reloaded was 45-70s for a hog hunt earlier this month.
I was happy with them.

TACOMATODD · February 25, 2019, 04:13:06 PM

As to the powder part of the question. As long as it does not smell like acid or vinegar, it is fine. Remember, humidity WILL change, maybe enough, to affect burn rate and/or accuracy, and/or potency of primers and/or powder. That is why a climate controlled storage area is such a good idea. I know from 1st hand experience.

Ed_K · February 26, 2019, 08:03:22 AM

Thanks TACOMATODD, Thats what I needed to know. Yes the gun cabinet is a wood an glass type only reason for it being locked was yrs ago we had little prying hands all over everything,and I haven't used any components in many yrs.