Does /k/ reload?
I just finished up loading about 300 rounds of .30-06 for my M1 Garand. It's the first time I've loaded for rifle so fingers crossed.
You have to load it to wartime M2 Ball spec, that's the only thing the Garand can eat. I had a bunch of Korean once-fired brass that had crimped primer pockets, for that I had to purchase an RCBS primer pocket swager tool. There are a lot of accessories you will find yourself forced to buy when getting into reloading. And sometimes you don't even save that much money. For instance, my 30-06 reloads are about $0.45 for the completed cartridge. However, I do save quite a bit on 45LC (I can load those for about 13 cents a round).
Ultimately it is very rewarding, you forget about the initial cost of getting into it and acquiring components because the joy of shooting your own handcrafted ammunition really is a pleasure. So do any /k/ommandos have any questions, or helpful hints regarding this awesome hobby?
>>30241750
Bruh, that is literally the set of the Outdoor Channel's Shooting USA
>>30241729
You loaded 300 rounds of an untested load?
whats the initial cost for getting into it with a single caliber (9mm)? any package deals/bundles out there that include everything you need to start reloading?
>>30241782
M2 ball has a well known loading and is pretty conservative.
I'd be more worried about the OAL.
>>30241729
>fingers crossed
You should stop right now before you blow yourself up. Those rounds look like they were reloaded by a retard. OAL is whack.
This is your first time loading rifle and you went ahead and busted out 300 rounds? I hope you did a load workup first before loading all of that.
I cast for nearly everything. Powder coating cast bullets revolutionized things and I can now treat a cast bullet as jacketed. up to and over 2000fps without issue.
I load 380acp, 9mm, 38spl, 357 magnum, 300 blackout, 500 magnum and 12 gauge slug loads. Everything is loaded for about 10% the cost of factory ammo or less. 500 magnum is 5-15 cents per round(plinker vs magnum powders). 38spl, 9mm, 380 I do for 3 cents a round.
9mm and 223 are the only calibers where you dont save a whole ton of money on. well, if you cast, 9mm is cheap.
Thinking of getting into reloading.
I am wondering if I should invest in the Hornady Lock n Load progressive press. Just wondering if a $500 press is a good investment right off the bat.
>>30241843
Start with a lee press if you are doing rifle. If you upgrade to the progressive later you can use the lee as a depriming station. Pistol you should just get the progressive.
The hornady quick change bushings will work with some lee and most RCBS presses as well with the adapter kit.
>>30241729
150 grain i hope?
garand does best with smaller bites.
>>30241729
Nigger what the fuck are you doing with that OAL? and if you're reloading for a semi auto you should really crimp the necks because the violent an quick way a round gets loaded can possibly cause the bullet to come unseated.
Fucking seat those bullets deeper. There's a cannelure for a reason.
>>30241887
I looked into this, and COL for 30-06 M2 should be 3.3 inches, those that you see that have been seated to the can elude are shorter than that, which means when fired the bullet will have to "jump" forward to start engaging the rifling, which could cause pressure issues. These are Hornady #3037 bullets and the ogive is way steep and the can elude sits way too high up the bullet. There is no rule that says you have to seat to the cannelure. It is more important to have the right COL than it is to seat to cannelure + not seating the projectiles to the cannelure means I don't have to crimp. I've looked into the issue quite a bit and feel confident everything will be fine.
>>30241956
Do you have a manual? I wish I was home so I could take a picture of my Hornady manual and show you where it says the OAL for 150 grain FMJ rounds for Garand ammo.
>>30241839
It's been raining and flooded the past few weeks which means I could not shoot so I reloaded instead. Could not help it.
>>30241956
the listed OAL is usually max.
Seat bullets to the cannelure. The jump does not matter if you are running less than max loads or going for bughole groups.
>>30241808
OAL of 2.8 to 3.3 is an acceptable spread, but the latter is preferable.
>>30241956
I guess you might not be wrong, 3.3" OAL is probably ok, it just looks stupid as fuck.
>>30242000
It does look retarded having that exposed cannelure I agree, but I have read in many places and many peoples experience tells me it's fine.
From Top to bottom
Hornady #3037 projectile seated to cannelure for COL of 3.19"
Hornady #3037 bullet seated above cannelure for COL of 3.3"
Korean M2 Ball Projectile seated to cannelure for COL of 3.3"
As I said, it is more important to have the right COL (3.3") than it is to seat to the cannelure. If that means the cannelure is seated above the rim of your case then that is perfectly OK. These hornady's just have crazy high cannelures and I will buy different bullets next time
OP have you tried dropping one of those into the chamber manually?
Reloader noob QTDDTOT :
>>30241729
Should I resize new brass? (ie rimmed straight walled black powder revolver rounds like .38lc 32s&w and 45lc?
Can I replace the overpriced LEE case lube by anything else?
Why does auto priming systems sucks so hard balls when using auto when a 40usd hand primer works perfect every time
What is your opinion on "outdoor" single stage "pump" shaped presses? I can score a Lee one nib for 60.
cool setup btw.
I only reload shells... 12/16/20/410 but it's waaay easier (even more easier with bp)
>>30242182
Resize new brass? Generally no, check if trim length is correct and you're gtg.
I have used ballistic as case lube but you'll need to either wash or tu,ble the cases afterward to get rid of the lube. I've heard furniture polish wax works great too. Other dedicated sizing waxes that come in tubs work good too.
I find the auto priming system works better than hand priming.
>>30241799
Look for a used press.
I could get you a beautiful pacific tool & die single stage for $50 at my LGS.
Just shop around, if you can't find used get the $100 lee press.
All in all dies & accessories you're looking at about $300.
Very worth it if you shoot $44 mag @ $45 per 50 from the factory.
>>30241729
Are those hornady 150's? they look like it. Doesnt look like you have hardly any of the bullet shank down in the case.
My father and I reload for our hunting rifles and he reloads .45, but thats about it. Can confirm that hunting with your own handmade rounds feels great.
>>30241860
All dies with a standard RCBS or lee thread pattern (basically every die) will work with the LNL die bushings.
I have a LNL and use dies from Redding, Forster, and RCBS. Never had an issue.
One thing I can reccomend is to watch a few YouTube setup videos, getting the timing system right can be a bit tricky and you don't want to break a decaping pin.
If it's your first press I'd say get a single stage hornady and use that till you can think the steps through faster than you can complete them.
>>30241729
How do you have 45ln down to 13¢ a round? My dad is getting ready to reload that round again.
>>30241801
You're an idiot.
>>30242182
Rimmed straightwall stuff- especially light stuff like you listed generally no need as long as you have decent neck tension when seating bullets. a light roll crimp will ensure you wont have any issues. anything with a magnum in the name- I would size it just in case.
expensive lee case lube? Lee case lube is $4 or less per tube and goes a very long way- easily 15k 223 cases. Dilute the lube 2oz to 14oz denatured or high proof iso alcohol. Spray a little in a ziploc, shake in some brass and let dry. easy.
what auto priming system are you speaking of?
I kinda want a lee hand press but I know it would probably only get used once.
For you morons who are saying the cannelure looks wrong, you have no idea what you're talking about. The cannelure on that bullet is cut for loading .308 for semi autos, not .30-06. Seating to the cannelure for that bullet in a .30-06 would be far too short on OAL.
>>30241729
Just deprimed, primed, and loaded about 600 rounds of 9mm yesterday in anticipation of my suppressor. 147gr bullet with 3.4 grains of titegroup. got about 2-300 worth of brass in a tumbler getting cleaned.
>>30242516
missouri cast bullet 10c
primer 2c
powder 2c
That gets you to 14c a round.
if you cast, you can get that bullet price down to under a cent a piece, 5c a round.
> Sitting in garage casting bullets
> annoying fucking horsefly looking thing won't go the fuck away, fuck off Jesus Christ
> kamikaze into pot full of molten lead
> big eruption as about a half pound of lead erupts out and all over the floor
I fucking hate all these spring and summer bugs
>>30242716
Pic related, subsonic 308s I cast. Normally shoot into about 1.5 inches at 100y, shoots to my normal zero to about 60 yards or so. 8.5gr trailboss with a 180gr mihec 311 180 Silhouette hollowpoint. Very fun to shoot, and Hollywood quiet with a can.
>>30242738
are those coated bullets? look like it but hard to be sure. looks like your seating stem is causing a little damage. not ideal but if they're accurate enough...
>>30242838
They are coated. Seating stem damage is not a major cause of accuracy loss unless it is affecting OAL. Even then, when jamming lead into the rifling for proper engraving, it is even less important.
>>30242520
QFT.
Op should have loaded about 24 per load to test for the specific rifle. Not to mention taking into account step up loads to test the brass.
>>30241729
you shouldn't load so many of a untested load, what if the throat shorter in your rifle leading to higher pressures, different brass has variances in capacity leading to variances in pressure, some brands of primers are hotter than others once again leading to changes in pressure
your probably fine if you used a load in the middle of the road but check your first few shots for signs of over pressure
also loading a cartridge too light can lead to excessive pressure or detonation
next time load a few test rounds first so you don't have to pull 300 bullets and reload them
also 300 isn't a multiple of 8 load 296 or 304
>>30243169
What is happening in this pic?
>>30243410
Signs of excessive pressure from low to high.
Ejector stamping, mild primer failure, full case blowout
>>30241729
Just reloaded my first .223 last night, only did 10 to test.
Loaded to magazine length, which is near minimum oal.
>>30241729
>that's the only thing the Garand can eat
Get an adjustable gas plug and you can shoot whatever you wish
>>30244294
>Update
Primers are S&B 4.4 small rifle
OAL is 2.269"
>>30241729
My .308 loads work, here's 10 rounds.
Not bad for not having shot this rifle since 2013 and using a random load I pulled from a 3 year old data card.
>>30247371
Forgot picture
>>30241729
No reloaders on /k/?
How do you guys expect to shoot in the coming 'great scare of 2016'?
I'm looking at equipment right now. Been thinking about it for a minute, so might as well pull the trigger. Not sure if I should get a kit or piece it all together. Any suggestions?
>>30248606
I bought a rock chucker kit 8 years ago and still use the press, scale and priming tool. Lee makes some cheaper kits but I have no experience with their presses, I use their dies though and they work fine.
>>30248653
I was looking at the Rock Chucker as it seems a bit more sturdy and has great reviews everywhere. Found one new on EBay for $266, cheaper than other retailers by $100.
>>30248763
That wasn't supposed to say $100 cheaper, just cheaper.
Gents
So, I just bought the Rock Chucker kit. What other tools will I need immediately for .223 and 9mm? I'm researching, but I tend to make my head spin by overthinking things. Anyone that could simplify this for me?
>>30241729
>Only thing the garand eats
Even with the replacement gasplug? I thought you could load pretty much whatever you wanted if you had an adjustable gas plug.
>>30250103
Dies, trimmer for 223, primer pocket reamer if your brass has crimped pockets, maybe a tumbler unless you want to manually clean.
>>30250137
If you have the adjustable gas plugit will shoot whatever you want.
If you don't its 150gr m2 ball loads, which is what the rifle was designed to shoot.
>>30250103
I'd get a Lyman or similar bench top hand crank case trimmer, simple cheap and you'll use it for years. You're also going to need a case durbing/chamfering tool. A caliper is also a must, you need to measure cases & overall length of loaded rounds.
>>30250182
>>30250821
Thanks guys. I think I have just about everything, other than the actual cartridge materials.
Just started have a 270 WSM.. Am pretty much a noob but it is pretty fun and has really helped groupings so far
i've thought about it but honestly don't know where to start. don't have many guns (.40, .45, 7.62x39)
would it be worth it as far as making a bunch of my own? buying all the materials and what not, or should i just keep buying rounds
>>30249870
do you actually use bullseye?
>>30251559
For larger calibres it's worth it where I live (Canada)
I will pay off my investment within a year of shooting. Might be different for you, you gotta do the math though
Loaded 100 rounds of 9.3x62mm yesterday. 55 grains of IMR4064 and a 285gn round nose soft point bullet from Prvi. Ken Waters, in this book "Pet Loads", said that was the most accurate load for 285gn bullets.
>>30251585
yeah for the bigger rounds i can understand it being way cheaper. i was just looking into as far as stocking. i know the startup cost could be more expensive. but say i want to make a few thousand rounds of each caliber that i have, would you say it would be cheaper
>>30241729
>my first time reloading
>better load 300 rounds
Who cares if you are using "M2 specs"
You are a fucking idiot
>>30251668
It would be for me, but you really gotta do the math man, figure out all the costs involved and compare that to reloading. That's what I did buying rounds was about 80 cents per, and reloading was about 45 cents. If you're making thousands of rounds I would say it would be most likely worth it
>>30251700
You've gotta consider more than the cost, it's almost impossible to match the quality of hand loaded ammunition because you're the QC director. The biggest thing I love about reloading isn't the consistent accuracy it's knowing that I'm stockpiling what would be $1.25+ a round match .223 for less than people pay for PMC bronze.
It's a comforting feeling to know that you have the best possible ammo you can have.
>>30248490
Primers will be a bitch to find anyway
>>30252294
My thought exactly. Already ordered some .308 Palma brass to simplify my primer needs (allows use of small rifle primers in large rifle).
>>30251580
Judging by the can of bullseye on his bench and the badly etched powder hopper on the right, I'd say so. Bullseye is a good all around powder for many pistol loads and has a generally light charge weight. I switched to bullseye for a while but went back to HP38 because bullseye is a very high nitro powder and it softens the powdercoat on the base of bullets.
>>30252294
I wont really feel any sympathy for anyone who gets caught with their pants down no primers or bullets. primers and powders are more available today than they have been in 4 years. I'll be fine, even if there are 8 years of hilldog ahead of us.
>>30241729
i never have to reload
>>30241729
IV8888 has some good video on reloading match loads for the M1. Also..I think you might be a little shallow on your OAL, Please tell me you arent filled with powder all the way into the neck.
>>30242564
My best friend owns an indoor shooting range, I have 2 50 cal ammo cans full of brass that has been tumbled. He doesnt shoot .40 so its good for me. I usually try to go to an outdoor range once a month, if nothing more just to sort through their brass and take what I need.
>>30241975
That's a stupid excuse, hopefully you won't wonder why your Garand exploded
I reloaded some .22LR last month. On average, I had a 83% success rate. Not bad for a round that conventional wisdom says you can't reload.
>>30245111
That is too long & will not feed through your magazine, shorten then down to about 2.255
2.260 is the max for magazine loaded .223/.556 in an AR15
Might be different in another gun though....
Here's the .22LR reloading kit I used. It was a lot of fun tinkering with it
Some 308 I loaded up. Shot it today as a matter of fact.
>>30241729
Yeah, I reload. From behind cover.
>>30253480
>>30253696
How's the quality of the kit? Did you buy their priming compound? Any pics of the bullets?
>>30253935
The kit quality is good, The mold produced bullets without flash or severe mold lines, The dipper and priming bar are kind of cheap, but serviceable. I bought the priming compound and it worked as advertised.
With my first batch of 50 rounds, I had about a 2/3 success rate. I tried to figure out why I was having so many failures and it occurred to me that perhaps the priming compound was coming out of the rim. I was able to get almost all of the duds to fire eventually by loading them in my old single shot rifle and raising the muzzle skyward and shaking the rifle to get the priming compound back to the rim.
In my second set of 50 (pic is from my second set of 50... thought I had a picture of completed ammo, but I can't find it), I soaked some paper disks (the holes out of a paper punch) in the priming compound and stuffed them in the case after I'd primed it and before I added the powder. That helped a lot. I've thought that maybe a wax compound might be better, but have not had the time to mess with it.
>>30253696
lol why? that seems really really fucking tedious and generally awful. I consider 38spl my new 22lr. 105gr cast boolits give really light recoil.
>>30241887
OAL > cannelure
use your calipers not your eyes.
>>30242113
There is nothing wrong with Hornady bullets. The high cannelure is no big deal, don't worry about it. Load what your gun likes and your wallet can afford.
>>30254385
Why? Merely to see if it could be done and if so, how well it worked.
I wouldn't do this on a regular basis, as long as .22LR ammo is available at a reasonable price. But I now have first-hand experience doing it, so it was worth the time to learn.
>>30242716
fucking LOL
>>30242716
Be glad none of it got on you. I've got scars from molten lead splattering on my neck. Zero entertainment value.
What is the oddest or rarest caliber you've loaded, Anon?
For me, it's .54 Burnside. Pic related.
>>30254648
Forgot pic, dammit.
I'm going to bass pro shops to pick up some powder and primers for the first time. I'm using it for 300 blk, what the most likely usable powder they'll have in stock?
>>30254669
How the fuck should I know? BPS sucks. Go to their website, or call them before you go.
Also, do your research (http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp) and have a list of compatible powders so you'll know what to buy out of the stock they have.
>>30253658
I already tested them in my 20rnd mags.
>>30254648
.38-45 Clerke, and I don't even have a gun that shoots it.
generally i make 7.5x55 swiss
more
Nice. 7.5x55 is a great round.
>>30255473
>>30255473
it is, i shoot it out a 1911 carbine built in 1916, and i generally shoot out at 200 yards on a steel plate
the sights are set at 300m so you have to compensate but i reload to make it zeroed at 200 with lower power rounds
heres my small bench
and all my junk
>>30255522
Cool.
Don't the (nearly) FMJ bullets fuck up the steel plates? My local range only allows lead bullets for its steel places.
>>30255552
no i use ballistic tip hollow point
generally the only stuff i have punch through a few times at 200 yards is my 7 mag or the surplus steel core 7.62x54R but yeah it does add a lot of dents but still rings nicely on impact
>>30241729
just finished up my new bench set up in the last couple weeks.
>>30254648
I've been kinda eyeballin the burnside ever since I discovered that you can get new brass for it, looks fun.
my current awkward calibers are
11.3x50 R (43 dutch Beaumont)
7.5×54.5mm Swiss (GP90)
10.4x38mmR (41 Swiss centerfire)
pic is from the fireform conversion process from 8mm lebel to 43 swiss
>>30255762
i really want a verttelli
also isnt the GP90 53.5?
>>30255762
>I've been kinda eyeballin the burnside ever since I discovered that you can get new brass for it, looks fun.
It is a lot of fun. The only downside is that your guests will want to keep "mementos" of their time shooting it. At $4 a case, that's a problem. Don't let that stop you; just watch your guests like a hawk.
I've reloaded the Beaumont and enjoyed it. The others you mention, I have no experience with.
After a day at the range, I just finished tumbling all this 308 and 223. Then load it all back up again.
you dont tumble it with the primers out?
>>30254648
577-450 Martini Henry.
The brass is expensive to buy, but damn it's fun to shoot. 500gr cast bullet behind 65 grains of FF blackpowder makes for a great show.
>>30256300
Either or. Comes down to individual preference. I've never had any media get stuck in the flash hole - the bits of media all pop out with the primer when the decapping pin hits it anyway.
>>30256321
Plus, I check the primer pockets before I put the cases into the shell holder and give them a quick clean with a primer pocket cleaner if needed.
>>30256301
I never reloaded for the 577-450 MH, but I have for the Australian .310 Cadet. Different caliber, but similar action. Man, I love that gun. Fun, minimal recoil, and it's a tack driver. Love it.
>>30256350
I have a 310 Cadet too. At least 310 commercial ammo can be had (although expensive).
>>30255623
Nice setup man, good equipment. those propane canisters have no place in that room though...
>>30256376
yeah they've since been moved, but I don't think having propane canisters around is any more dangerous than huge amounts of gun powder. my only concern is to keep sources of flame or primers away from both of those items.
>>30256301
I've been using the Lyman 457132 over 80 grains.
Nice thump to it and decently accurate.
>>30256355
I reload it, so it's really cheap (once you get past the initial expense of the brass and the mold).
>>30256301
>The brass is expensive
Literally make your own
get brass foil an wrap it like a cheap cigar
>>30256425
Do you have a load that uses smokeless powder?
>>30256300
The media I use (crushed walnuts) is small enough that it gets stuck in the flash hole of my .223 - very annoying.
>>30255623
Nice. Very nice. Do you mind sharing the dimensions? I'm looking to relocate >>30249870
to my other house. It's currently 92" tall on the bench pictured, but my ceilings are only 96" tall so it's a little tight. Your setup is really what I'm looking to end up with.
Did you cut the case feeder down?
>>30261677
I used to use crushed walnuts, but they started leaving a sticky residue on cases so I switched to corncob and have had pretty good results.
I do have them get stuck in the flash hole, but as I use the lee primer pocket cleaner I also run a paperclip through the flash hole to clean it out.
>>30255623
did you buy or build the bench?
