What did you do today in the world of reloading?

[CodyK]

Ordered some Hornady .270 Win primed brass from American Reloading. $45 not a bad price. Gonna load up some 145 ELD-X. Those things shoot like laser beams out of my old Savage 10.


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[c.tiberius]

How old is too old for powder?!?!?

Bought a flip home and found this .
The imr 4350, one of the green dot and the h4831 are still sealed.
The other ones are opened and half way used.
They don’t smell bad .

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[DustyDuds]

How old is too old for powder?!?!?

Bought a flip home and found this .
The imr 4350, one of the green dot and the h4831 are still sealed.
The other ones are opened and half way used.
They don’t smell bad .

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They are most likely fine for reloading.
But if you are uncomfortable about using them, I will happily take what you don’t want!

 

[Polkwright]

How old is too old for powder?!?!?

Bought a flip home and found this .
The imr 4350, one of the green dot and the h4831 are still sealed.
The other ones are opened and half way used.
They don’t smell bad .

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If it passes the sniff test I'd (cautiously) load them.

 

[single stack]

If they don’t smell rancid they are most likely still viable.
When you try them only load a small batch, maybe 25 shells and see how they work.
I would use them.

 

[single stack]

I found an old 1/2 pound can of IMR 700X in the back of the closet. It had to be thirty years old at least.
I opened it. It smelled fine, kind of a acetone/chemical odor. I used it up and thought that the old can might be collectable.
After a small online search, somebody bought it for $5.00 and paid the shipping.
Not really worth the time to go to the post office but it made somebody happy.

 

[Polkwright]

I found an old 1/2 pound can of IMR 700X in the back of the closet. It had to be thirty years old at least.
I opened it. It smelled fine, kind of a acetone/chemical odor. I used it up and thought that the old can might be collectable.
After a small online search, somebody bought it for $5.00 and paid the shipping.
Not really worth the time to go to the post office but it made somebody happy.

I've got half a can of that, but it's newer in the plastic jug. I got it during the Sandy Hook panic. Because nobody else wanted it. Turns out 700-X and a 125gr LRN (one of the few bullets I could find) was an extremely accurate load.

I've been thinking of using it up. It does not play well with powder measures, though I've found ways to deal with that. If memory serves me (ha!) I tested the .3cc dipper and it throws 3.2 gr -3.3 gr for me and that's right at the starting load for a 158gr bullet.

Right now my deranged thought is to dig out the old Lee Loader and go all whack-a-mole on that 700-X. I even have some 158gr LRN. How classic can you get? I get like this every once in a while. Screw the Dillon. Let's get back to basics. It re-centers me. I have enough 700-X for 1,000 rounds with that recipe.

Now I have a friend that had limited funds who loaded a couple of thousand rounds a year with a Lee Loader. Yeah ..... I think I'll still hold some 700-X in reserve. A few boxes can be fun but let's not get carried away.

Maybe I'll do a range report comparison post between the Lee Loader ammo and my standard load of W231, with the same bullet, loaded on the Dillon.

 

[rp-]

I changed departments at work and actually have to work now. Been too wore out to load but got to the range Saturday to test some 7.62x39 finally and some 10mm. Both shot great so now to full scale production when I have time and energy. I also just got a 5 pounder of bluedot from American reloading to do the 10mms and eventually to start on 5.7x28.

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[MTA]

Rolling some fatties

 

[rp-]

Rolling some fatties
View attachment 475041

Those bullets look mean. What are they?

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[MTA]

Those bullets look mean. What are they?

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So I have had two boxes of 200gr FTX sitting in my garage for a long time. I have tried to sell them a few times and Ill never have a rifle that uses them so I pulled the red plugs out of them with pliers

Best case, they work good, worst case they are range fodder and are no longer taking up space on my bench

 

[Polkwright]

Haven't been reloading much. I've loaded up most of what I have and that will last me through the winter. I can reload a lot faster than I can shoot them up.

I'm waiting for the heat to break. I've decided to dig out the casting equipment I've been accumulating over the last ten years and take it back up. I was casting a few decades ago but gave it up as I just did not have the time. But now I'm retired. With the repeating shortages over the last decade sometimes commercially cast bullets were hard to get. I never actually ran out but it was close. Close enough to plan a backup. As prices came down I bought stuff here and there. I pretty much have everything I need. I have more moulds than I remembered. I seem to have neglected the 9mm and .45 ACP but I don't shoot them as much. I've got the .38/.357 and the .41 covered.

The goal is to cast all winter. I need about 5,000 bullets to hold me for a year. If I come up short I'll just buy what I need. No pressure. I'm not into scrounging for lead so I just bought some metal direct from a commercial caster which is cheaper than Rotometals. I really don't have the room to process scrap anyway. I'll still save about 25%. But that's not the goal right now. The goal is to get going. Get some good bullets. Learn to powder coat. If I'm successful I can always buy some moulds with more cavities. First up...an Ideal 358 432. Some eBay low bid I won. It looks almost new.

As soon as it's not over 90° anymore....

 

[Coon]

Haven't been reloading much. I've loaded up most of what I have and that will last me through the winter. I can reload a lot faster than I can shoot them up.

I'm waiting for the heat to break. I've decided to dig out the casting equipment I've been accumulating over the last ten years and take it back up. I was casting a few decades ago but gave it up as I just did not have the time. But now I'm retired. With the repeating shortages over the last decade sometimes commercially cast bullets were hard to get. I never actually ran out but it was close. Close enough to plan a backup. As prices came down I bought stuff here and there. I pretty much have everything I need. I have more moulds than I remembered. I seem to have neglected the 9mm and .45 ACP but I don't shoot them as much. I've got the .38/.357 and the .41 covered.

The goal is to cast all winter. I need about 5,000 bullets to hold me for a year. If I come up short I'll just buy what I need. No pressure. I'm not into scrounging for lead so I just bought some metal direct from a commercial caster which is cheaper than Rotometals. I really don't have the room to process scrap anyway. I'll still save about 25%. But that's not the goal right now. The goal is to get going. Get some good bullets. Learn to powder coat. If I'm successful I can always buy some moulds with more cavities. First up...an Ideal 358 432. Some eBay low bid I won. It looks almost new.

As soon as it's not over 90° anymore....


View attachment 476048View attachment 476050

I was always curious to try casting my own bullets, but when I was younger, I couldn't afford the equipment. Now, I'm just old and lazy, I guess. Good luck with this, I hope it's as enjoyable as it will be productive.

 

[rp-]

I have time and space so I collect wheel weights from the shop guys at work and cast them into a muffin tin, then use those in my lead pot. 5000 is a tall order though. I did it early this year and late last year using a 6 cavity lee mold. It took a while. I have a whole 5 gallon bucket of weights but I've been putting it off until it cools down.

Yesterday I started loading some 10mm with 180gr HST bullets. I got about 275 or so done before I had to go to sleep. I'll crank out the rest of them soon and when I run out of HSTs I have some fmjs as well.

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[Mills]

Fix’n to load some blue 9’s
Fix’n!

 

[Coon]

Fix’n to load some blue 9’s
Fix’n!
View attachment 476078

Little blue pills?

 

[MTA]

Went to cabelas for a supply run

Going to load up some 185gr mousefart 45acp loads so my wife can shoot at the range tomorrow. Much more enjoyable to shoot than 230s at max

 

[Polkwright]

I was always curious to try casting my own bullets, but when I was younger, I couldn't afford the equipment. Now, I'm just old and lazy, I guess. Good luck with this, I hope it's as enjoyable as it will be productive.

The first time around I really didn't have much trouble getting it to work. Of course I had a boatload of free Linotype. I also had quite a bit of wheel weights. But I often cast pure Linotype. Makes very nice bullets! This time I'll be using some Hardball alloy. Should work well. I need something to fill my time.

 

[Polkwright]

I have time and space so I collect wheel weights from the shop guys at work and cast them into a muffin tin, then use those in my lead pot. 5000 is a tall order though. I did it early this year and late last year using a 6 cavity lee mold. It took a while. I have a whole 5 gallon bucket of weights but I've been putting it off until it cools down.

Yesterday I started loading some 10mm with 180gr HST bullets. I got about 275 or so done before I had to go to sleep. I'll crank out the rest of them soon and when I run out of HSTs I have some fmjs as well.

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Yeah. I have a 20# pot. I figure maybe 700-800 .38 158gr SWC's per load? Conservatively? I don't remember if a 20# pot can actually operate with 20#. Might be 17# or 18# in reality?

I don't really remember how long it took to run one pot full with a 2 cavity mold. I used to have two pots and I'd run two pots in a day. Sometimes a third. Seems like it was 3 hours or so per pot? That would be like 7 runs. Ought to be doable before it gets hot in the spring. We'll see! I'm not pushing it. I'm retired so I can make it my job. The wife will be gone all day for three days a week, and half a day for one day. I've got 50# of Hardball Alloy on hand. That's at least 2,000.

It's entirely possible that my memory is faulty. We shall see.

 

[MTA]

Haven't been reloading much. I've loaded up most of what I have and that will last me through the winter. I can reload a lot faster than I can shoot them up.

As soon as it's not over 90° anymore....

I hear you on this.. I hate loading out in the garage during the summer so this past spring I brought my Dillons and single stage into my office. Much more enjoyable experience..

The Dillons have been spoiling me. I never want to use a single stage ever again... I just loaded 100 45 LC on it and I was damn near clawing my eyes out from how tedious that has become. I cant believe I use to crank out thousands of .223 on that thing...