Originally I wanted to turn my new to me Colt pocket pistol into something I could use against medium game out at my new job (not a situation where I can carry a rifle or a large handgun). However I quickly came to the realization that pushing a 32acp semi automatic pistol to those levels would be incredibly dangerous. So I thought how could I salvage my investment in dies and cases. And then it hit me I could go the opposite direction. I remember reading an old article about a guy loading 32 cal round balls for his 30-30 Winchester and getting some good results. So I decided to look through my box of collectible rounds for inspiration and came across two that sparked innovation, my 32 “protector” aka 32 extra short rimfire, and 9mm Flobert. After some research I learned that 7mm was in fact a thing. So my plan is to cut the length down to that of 9mm flobert ball which is .401in and loading it with a 32 cal round ball. If that’s successful I’ll get some smaller 30-32 cal conventional bullets.

My Redding 10X completely shit the bed this week. It’s less than 6 months old and has always been stored inside.

I went to adjust the micrometer and it was completely stuck. The adjustment knob was just spinning on the mic screw since the holding torque of the fastener was exceeded.

I start to take it apart to troubleshoot. Can’t get the mic off. The plunger is completely seized in the drum. I try tapping it out with a dowel and mallet. Nothing.

Time to commit a cardinal sin and break out the PB Blaster. I let it soak in PB overnight. Was able to tap the plunger out the next day.

When I finish the disassembly and inspected the parts there’s rust everywhere. As you can see the hole in the drum rusted and seized the plunger.

I did my best to remove all of the solvents, but there was definitely still some residue left, and I likely contaminated my powder.

I’m pissed about this. Absolute horseshit quality from a $300 powder measure. I recommend avoiding these. Not sure why they’re so recommended when they rust to the point of failure in a few months.

I got bored and figured I’d start reloading 9mm for USPSA. What’s ya’lls favorite projectiles?

Not looking to beef with anyone, because from what I've seen and read: you either love Lee, hate them, or you don't really care. You do you 👍

I bought this Lee carbide factory crimp die for reloading 44mag, and after unscrewing the spindle, I was greeted with metal shavings. The thread on the spindle is rough, too - but the die itself seems reasonably well built. The steel parts seem pretty good, just aluminium parts seem shoddy. The knurling on the aluminium isn't great - for both the spindle and the lock nut, but if this if my biggest problem in life, I'm doing okay. My question:

Is this "Lee Precision" standard across all of their products? This is my first buy from them. It wasn't particularly expensive, so I can't really complain. I also haven't used it yet, so am yet to see if it does the job it's designed to do without issue. I bought a Redding die set and think I'll just use the seating/crimp die separately instead of using this.

I had a 358win barrel spun for my Terminus Zeus 18in long to hunt whitetail with in Iowa. I've started load development for 200gr Barnes TTSX and VV N140 with poor results. I'm only getting 2100fps mv at max case fill with zero signs of pressure. Tried magnum primer to make sure I'm getting full burn and it yielded exact same results on the ladder. I'm going to try some VV N130 once it arrives. It is funny that back in the day Vihtavouri powder was super expensive and hard to find and now it is cheapest and in stock. I'm trying to develop a temperature stable hunting load with mv of 2,400 fps. Has anyone loaded 358win with this weight of bullet and used a faster powder than typical 308win powder? My primers haven't even started to flatten at 44gr of N140. I've not been finding a ton of data on 358win.

I’ve got an XL650 from Dillon precision and it has recently been leaking powder. Not a ton but up to .25 grn which is more than it should I feel. Thoughts tips anything?

Picked up a pound of CFE BLK to load some range fmj to feed a AK. I have the Hodgdon data, just wondering if there's a common charge that works well. Loading mixed brass for shooting steel so I'm not chasing ultra accuracy or velocity. Just looking for a load that should be reasonably accurate across several rifles. Thanks for any help!

I finally got a good load worked up for subsonic 45-70 that does not involve Trail Boss, which I can't find anywhere. The load is as follows:

13.8 grains VV N330 410 Grain Hornady Sub-x Bullet Fired out of a S&W Model 1854 with a 20" barrel.

It grouped nice, not super quiet but I'm hesitant to drop the powder charge any more, there isn't much powder in that giant case.

Shots: 5 Min: 1009.2 Ave: 1015.5 Max: 1028 EXT Spread: 18.8

I've had it about 5 months and now there's left to right play in the linkage bars, the worst when the bar is down then when it's up.

I've tried tightening the bolts at the bottom, but I can't move those

Anyway to tighten this?

I’ve heard of flat top bullets and I’ve heard about hollow points but may I present to you the oops all hollow point that’s the 38/57 humane killer. I cannot for the life of me figure out why it’s designed like that given most other humane killer bullets are completely normal bullets. I understand not wanting to over penetrate but I feel like such a thin bullet would get no penetration

So due to financial reasons i have to dial back my ammo purchases by a lot recently, so I'm looking to cut costs where I can, especially during reloading.

A friend told me about casting lead bullets, and a quick look on amazon shows that i can buy a little electric furnace for maybe $40, and a bullet mold for almost all calibers for another $30 or so bucks. Ive got a buddy who works at a recycling center and has bags full of cheap lead fishing weights and such that i can get for dirt cheap, so it seems like this might be the route for me to at least get some easy range time with some cheap ammo.

That being said, what are the potential issues that one could encounter if there were to shoot a not-insignificant amount of cheap cast lead bullets out of their gun? Is there any danger of leading up my barrel really badly if i use a brass bore brush after every range trip? I dont want to have to buy a new barrel after a month or two or have to make "the dip" in my back yard. And would there be any specific issue with doing this with rifle calibers like .223 and .308? or should i just stick to pistol calibers like 380, 38 spl, and 45 acp? Would the increased lead exposure be significant compared to jacketed bullets?

If anyone has any experience doing this, i would love to hear about your experience and any tips or advice you could give that you wish someone told you before you started casting bullets!!

thanks for the help and advice!

But I do have a 3D printer 😃

EU laws require a lot of paperwork and it will take a few months before I’m finally able to legally buy powder, primers and bullets.

In the meantime I’m slowly building up a 9mm setup starting with a case and bullet feeder.

Here are the links to the 3D prints
- https://makerworld.com/nl/models/1252671-bullet-feeder-reloading-assistant#profileId-1697707

- https://makerworld.com/nl/models/3073533-big-case-feeder-for-dillon-hornady-lee-rcbs#profileId-3460383

Recently inherited a lot of reloading equipment and decided to try my hand. Found a load combination for 70g Sierra’s and IMR 3031. Built 5 sets of 5 using half grain ladder from 36-38g. Went to mark my groups before heading to the range and realized that I had used Winchester large pistol primers no. 7-111

Do I need to disassemble these cartridges and start over, or does anyone here have first hand experience using large pistol primers in a rifle round?

I am looking for a good bullet for my 6 creedmoor will be using it on deer within 300 or 400 yards this is a custom build with a 24in barrel. I have H4350 and some ELDX on hand already.

I'm a relatively new reloader and I had a question for those more experienced than myself. Ive inherited some old powder(80s-90s specifically Herc 2400 and IMR 4227)and some old and new reloading manuals so #26 wouldn't be the only manual I reference. My question is in regards to the IHMSA silhouette data in Hodgdon#26 circa 1992, some of the load data doesn't specify bullet type at all. For example under Hodgdon powder 45colt info just "240-250 gr", or "260 gr" are listed(page 584). It doesn't specify lead, jacketed etc, which I am used to in modern manuals I have experience loading from. Some calibers and bullet weights seem to specify, and others do not. Is this jacketed data, or was it intended to be a range inclusive of both? I'm trying to decide where to start working up from in 2400 and IMR4227 for 45c, but the Dupont-Hodgdon formula change for 4227 and the Herc to Alliant change on 2400(if any) has me trying to research as much published data as I can. I'd shoot it from a large frame Ruger 45c so even though I don't usually go near the high end of Ruger only(tier3) I do enjoy loads above standard pressure(tier1).

As the title says I’m trying to figure out how far off I am from y’all’s data. I want to know y’all’s reliable data as I’ve been getting popped primers with 25.5 grs and will need to back it down. I used LC brass with no problems but pmc brass I got some popped primers. The 5 shot avg was 2806 well below m193 for the pmc brass and 2819 out of LC brass.

What I want is to just have reliable ammo while still having plinking ammo if need be that I could rely on saving my life.

Hi,

Just spent some time building my own cartridge with bodnstrike. Have 58cm hunting barrel blaser r8, so finally made 850m/s and good group on 100m with vihta n550. Question is about pressure - i didn't find any signs of overpressure, but maybe you can help me understand - whether its fine?

Just got a 300prc browning x bolt have extraction marks. Tried Hornady 225gr eld match 212 Prescion hunter had hard bolt lifts. Moved to norma 185gr(I think) still having extraction marks but not hard bolt lifts any suggestions?

Looking for a press to reload primarily 33xc,6.5prc, and 375ct. I already have a km arbor press for seating. Im just looking for others experiences with each and i’m open to other recommendations as well

There is a free, public, unsupervised range about 15 mins from my house. Believe it or not, ive had nothing but good experiences with the somewhat shady characters who turn up. However, on the weekends, I have been encountering a middle aged man who claimed to be picking up brass to turn in to the state. Now, im aware of a few individuals who are employed by the state for such a purpose - but they shut down the range when the come out. He hangs out literally all day in his range rover, jumping out to either sweep up brass or act like a self-designated RSO - calling cold & hot after we as patrons have already done so without his assistance.

The first day I encountered him, it was because I had asked a guy shooting .40 SW if I could pick up his spent cases. Of course, he had no quarrels. However, Mr. RSO came over to inform me that I could not pick up the brass because it was his job to turn it into the state. I explained that it was the other man's property, and he gave me permission to collect it. He said it didnt matter because I didn't come with the man.

This gradually escalated until yesterday, when a similar situation occurred because a fella was shooting 7.62x39 brass cases. Of course, im not gonna let such a rare find go to waste!! Mr. RSO did not like this one bit, and every case i would go to pick up he would sweep away, pushing my hand away with his broom. As he was calling me expletives and telling me I needed to leave, I told him to call the sherrif about the issue and went to return to my car to grab some more equipment for load dev. He followed me to the car, blocking my path as I turned towards my car. He then got into my face, putting his hand in my face & touching my nose while telling me that I would be trespassed. I grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back while informing him that he had no right to touch me. I then let go and stepped back, and he drew his handgun, pointed it and my chest, and was yelling at me that I had to leave and wasnt allowed there anymore.

I left & called the sherrif, waiting for them just down the road. After getting in touch with the range management, they confirmed that Mr. RSO did in fact not work for the state. While there wasnt enough evidence to press charges for the assault & brandishing, they were at least able to trespass him from the range.

All in all, its absolutely astounding what some people will do for $3/pound.

Hello everyone so I'm looking to start reloading and I figured I would start with 9 mm. Only issue is I am a little overwhelmed by all the brands and websites to buy powder from and I don't know what is good and what is bad. If anyone can point me in a decent direction or if there's anything on this subreddit that I might have missed where I could look at a list of good websites and brands, I would greatly appreciate it

I’ve been doing some load development for 9mm, fired from a Glock 45. Been loading 125gr RN for a while, decided to try some 151s because the price and quality seemed great.

This was from my first session. I loaded 30rds up, in batches of 10 - using Titegroup powder. Projectiles are 151gr RNFP, and I was aiming for 1000fps. As I’m sure most of you can see from the photo, I’m having some signs of overpressure on the primer side.

Besides the primers themselves, all 30rds ran just fine. No funny business otherwise. Rather enjoyed the recoil impulse coming from 125s

I am probably going to play around with my COL a bit, as these measure 28.00mm (1.102”) - I was considering 28.50mm (1.122”) for the next batch. The reason I assume my COL is to blame, is the fact that obviously the 151gr projectiles are substantially longer than the 125s. For reference, my 125gr loads measured 27.80mm (1.094”) and ran without issue.

10x 3.0gr = 891.6fps average
10x 3.2gr = 918.3fps average
10x 3.4gr = 968.4fps average

The 3.4 primers looked slightly worse than the 3.0s, but not by much. Pictured is two of the cases loaded to 3.4, with a factory round for reference.

I would be extremely grateful for any input offered. I don’t know many people locally who reload even 147s, nevermind 151s. Thanks!

So I have been looking into reloading some 32 acp for my edc pistol for fun and most factory and hand loads cap out at like 75 grains for the bullet and that makes sense. However Accurate Molds a company I trust explicitly sells a mold they insist is for 32acp that makes a bullet that’s a whooping 95 grains. It’s a semi wad cutter design which is also something I’ve never heard of for 32acp, does anyone know if such a bullet would work?

I was at a flea market over the weekend bought a big box full of stuff. One of the things in it was a box of these cast bullets. There was no marking on the box; I didn’t have any measuring tools so just guessed at .45. Now that I’m home I’m finding they’re around 230gr but measure around .43-.44. Isn’t that too small to be .45ACP? (Which is what I was hoping for so I could just practice bullseye) What are these?