What did do today on your loading bench !

[NF1E]

Deprimed and sized 500 MEN berdan .308 cases and got them in the tumblers. One hour and they get to go in the dryer for a couple of hours. Snowy and misty rainy today so it was a great time to play in the shop. Whatta Hobby!

[Albroswift]

Everything back in action after the flood, just finished up 1500 44 mag and half way through case prep on 1000 308, sized, trimmed, now getting after the chamfering. 

[Albroswift]

After getting done with the 1000+ 308 disassembled the reloading benches and moved everything out of the way, replaced all the rusty iron and PVC water pipe in the most of the house with pex, put in recirculating hot water, put the reloading room back together.

Back to cranking the handle Friday/ Saturday/ Sunday 1000 40S&W w/ 180 gr X-Treme bullets, 250 Nickle case 40S&W w/ 155gr XTP, 200 357 Sig w/ 115gr HAP, and started on 250 10mm w/ 155gr XTP. 

 

 

[98Z5V]

You been busy, Albro!!!     Nice work, brother!  

[NF1E]

Same as Nov, 1 post. Amazing how fast the spent .308 cases turn up. I think this is the 4th batch since my last post on the subject. Will be loading 500 MEN berdan cases today using 150 gn fb bullets over 43.5 gn of Varget set off with Tula KV-7.62N primers. Whatta Hobby.

[Albroswift]

200 45-70, some for the brother's Pedersoli 1874, some for my  Down Under 1874, and some for the Guide Gun. 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2024 by Albroswift

[392heminut]

Loaded 1000 40 S&W, only 1500 more to go and then on to 5000 9mm!

[392heminut]

Got all the 40 S&W done!

Started on the 9mm and the primer bar actuating rod on my Dillon broke. They sent me a new one out the next day.

 

[98Z5V]

3 hours ago, 392heminut said:

Started on the 9mm and the primer bar actuating rod on my Dillon broke. They sent me a new one out the next day.

 Now, how the hell did you break the damn thing?! 

[392heminut]

13 hours ago, 98Z5V said:

 Now, how the hell did you break the damn thing?! 

Hell if i know, I was just cranking 'em out and it snapped! It IS over 20 years old though. I'm seriously considering sending the machine in to Dillon for their rebuilding service. It's something like $90 and you basically get a new reloading machine back.

I would guess the round count on it to be pretty damn close to 100K!

Edited February 9, 2024 by 392heminut

[NF1E]

Loaded 200 rnds of precision .308. 150 gn fb over 43.5 gn of Varget in MEN berdan cases separated in 1 gn groups with TULA primers.

400 more segregated cases to go, but that's for another day. Charging and seating at a rate of three rpm with powder being weighed to +- .02 gn. Whatta Hobby!

[392heminut]

5 hours ago, NF1E said:

Loaded 200 rnds of precision .308. 150 gn fb over 43.5 gn of Varget in MEN berdan cases separated in 1 gn groups with TULA primers.

 

 

I'm still trying to understand why you are loading berdan cases in 308 when there are boxer primed cases everywhere. You must have to look hard to even find berdan 308 cases, I don't think I've ever seen one that wasn't steel.

[NF1E]

Just because if find they last for more loading cycles and provide better accuracy than boxer. No problem finding good brass cases. I have 6 or 8 1K cases of MEN left in the stash. The two flash holes seem to give more consistent ignition.

I do shoot some Boxer primed palma brass that uses small rifle primers for .308 too. Nice to have choices. I think I have maybe 10K once fired DAG berdan brass .308 cases on standby. Difficult part today is finding KV-7.62 N primers.

Whatta Hobby!

[392heminut]

18 hours ago, NF1E said:

Just because if find they last for more loading cycles and provide better accuracy than boxer. No problem finding good brass cases. I have 6 or 8 1K cases of MEN left in the stash. The two flash holes seem to give more consistent ignition.

I do shoot some Boxer primed palma brass that uses small rifle primers for .308 too. Nice to have choices. I think I have maybe 10K once fired DAG berdan brass .308 cases on standby. Difficult part today is finding KV-7.62 N primers.

Whatta Hobby!

[NF1E]

Loaded another couple hundred today. MEN cases loaded with 175 smk over 37.8 gn of TAC.

[NF1E]

Weight sorted a bunch of new Lapua .308 cases. Ran a .307 mandrel down the neck. Primed and loaded 150 with 175 smk over 37.8 gn of TAC.  Whatta Hobby!

 

 

 

[NF1E]

Shifting gears for the Spring 100 yd season. Going from 150-175 gn bullets to Sierra 110 gn fb. Whatta Hobby!

[NF1E]

Loaded a bunch of .308 Lapua cases with 110gn Sierras and Varget to finalize a ladder load for a Savage 110 that I have been playing with. Whatta Hobby!

 

 

 

[Armed Eye Doc]

7 hours ago, NF1E said:

Loaded a bunch of .308 Lapua cases with 110gn Sierras and Varget to finalize a ladder load for a Savage 110 that I have been playing with. Whatta Hobby!

Are you feeling the 2000 yard range in AZ calling you?

[NF1E]

Not even a little. Got ride of my Barrett years ago. My private range only goes out to 300 and that's just about right for my needs. Whatta Hobby!

 

 

 

[Armed Eye Doc]

12 minutes ago, NF1E said:

Not even a little. Got ride of my Barrett years ago. My private range only goes out to 300 and that's just about right for my needs. Whatta Hobby!

That 338 would easily do 2000+.  You don't need another gun until they find the 2 mile spot.

[NF1E]

Rifle I am working with, at the moment, is a .308 , not .338. I am using Lapua .308 brass. Whatta Hobby!

 

 

 

[NF1E]

 

Makes all the difference when work is done creating a charge ladder. As shown , a little work can make a 1" shooter into a 1/4" just by getting the right powder charge figured out. As you can see, less than a quarter grain one way or the other and it goes from being  quite accurate to just pretty good. Worth the effort in my opinion.  Whatta Hobby!

 

 

 

[Armed Eye Doc]

24 minutes ago, NF1E said:

 

Nice shooting there. 

[shooterrex]

Nice. My bolt gun likes 39.9gr Varget with 165gr Nosler ballistic tips.