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I tried annealing the other day and it really helped with resizing of the brass. I have had problems with brass being hard to resize and getting stuck in the die but these went through extremely easy!  Moosefuckers by Heintron, on Flickr
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| # ? Jul 14, 2011 16:03 |
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| # ? May 22, 2013 19:19 |
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Bedbouncer posted:
I know some guns do it as a means of maintaining lockup for a few extra miliseconds, but I can't think of any offhand that do it. Fake E: For what it's worth, Wiki says that it's called a chamber ring delayed action and that the Seecamp pistols use it.
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| # ? Jul 14, 2011 16:37 |
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QuarkMartial posted:I'd just toss the bulged ones. I'm paranoid and all, but risking blowing up a gun or a hand just for a few extra cases isn't worth it to me. Just to make sure they feed and chamber after reloading, I use this tool as a final check http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=...RTRIDGE_CHECKER It does 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP and 38 super. If it fits in here, it will feed in your gun. On a side note, I think it would be a good idea to take your factory made personal defense rounds and try them in this to make sure they work when you need them.
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| # ? Jul 14, 2011 23:15 |
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I have a pile (a 3"W x 3"T x 11"L Drawer) full of 9mm brass I no longer have a use for, I would love to swap it for 45acp brass if anyone has some of that laying around. I have no idea when I even picked it up, I found it the other day when looking for something else. Also if I cant get a LEE collet neck die what is the next best thing? Thinking in terms of both function and brass life. bunnielab fucked around with this message at Jul 14, 2011 around 23:52 |
| # ? Jul 14, 2011 23:33 |
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bunnielab posted:Also if I cant get a LEE collet neck die what is the next best thing? Thinking in terms of both function and brass life.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 00:18 |
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B4Ctom1 posted:I did some 40 S&W recently and because it has a straight walled case, it can be "de-bulged". 9mm cannot, not at least using the same type Redding G-Rx pass through tool I used. Just to continue along this same line of thought: I came across this bit of info earlier today. The 10mm Glocks also bulge the cases some, too, due to an unsupported chamber (I think this last bit is the case, I could be wrong).
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 00:59 |
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GroovinPickle posted:If your neck thickness is consistent, I believe Forster will cut a die to your specs for something like $15 (plus the cost of the die). If neck thickness varies (for example, if you use different types of brass for a given caliber), Redding's bushing dies are nice, but it's a more expensive option. Heh, it is for a 6.5creedmore, so there is only one brand of brass available. Any dies are going to be expensive, the LEE collet dies are very well though of by a lot of people, esp for being so cheap.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 01:05 |
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So, after some research (and help from you guys!) it looks like it really shouldn't be a big deal if I use cast lead bullets, even indoors, out of a 9mm pistol so long as I keep the velocity down. To help with this, I've been looking at using 147 grain bullets. Is there any negative to using a heavier bullet at lower velocity that I'm not aware of?
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 01:07 |
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bunnielab posted:Heh, it is for a 6.5creedmore, so there is only one brand of brass available. Any dies are going to be expensive, the LEE collet dies are very well though of by a lot of people, esp for being so cheap.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 01:32 |
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IuniusBrutus posted:So, after some research (and help from you guys!) it looks like it really shouldn't be a big deal if I use cast lead bullets, even indoors, out of a 9mm pistol so long as I keep the velocity down. 147gr cast lead is fine. I shoot them in a mid-range load and it's very soft shooting. You might have a problem at indoor ranges though. Even if you load it so that you don't have to deal with smoke and lead residue (which I'm not sure you can), I've never been to an indoor range that allowed cast lead bullets.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 01:50 |
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I've been reading up on the whole reloading process for a few days, lots of different reviews of various bits of equipment and such. One serious question I came up with that I can't pin down an answer on is the possible health risks of being around a reloading setup. I live in an apartment, and after looking at all the different setups people have I have enough space to comfortably house a press and a closet I can safely store materials in. I do not have a dedicated room or a garage though. It would essentially be in a small open room (a "den" according to my floorplan) next to my living room. How big of a deal would this type of set up present? Could I reduce the potential effects by processing things differently? E.G. using plated/jacketed bullets instead of just cast lead, and a wet cleaning method first vs. dry tumbling? I can find plenty of anecdotal evidence of people who say they've done it for years like that with no problems, just like some people had a grandpa who smoked two packs a day and lived to be 105. Doesn't mean it's healthy for you. Am I just being paranoid? I'm considering spending the $50 to get heavy metal bloodwork done as a baseline before I get real into shooting later this year. That probably is a bit over the line.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 04:25 |
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PirateDentist posted:I've been reading up on the whole reloading process for a few days, lots of different reviews of various bits of equipment and such. One serious question I came up with that I can't pin down an answer on is the possible health risks of being around a reloading setup. I am no expert but firing a gun should be more hazardous to your health than reloading. As long as you do not eat the gunpowder. My reasoning is that firing a gun will produce a lot of gases, lead and other crap will get on your skin etc. But reloading is relatively clean compared to that. Ok, you might get some lube on your fingers when rezising brass 
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 05:29 |
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Heintron posted:I am no expert but firing a gun should be more hazardous to your health than reloading. As long as you do not eat the gunpowder. True, which is one of the reasons I'm checking out an outdoor range this weekend. Better ventilation for sure, just no air conditioning. I guess my thoughts are more you only get a few hours exposure a week maybe at the range, but your equipment is at your home all the time. I suppose my concern is what might build up over time in the place I spend most of my day.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 06:19 |
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Using basic hygiene cuts down on the vectors which lead can enter your body. Wash your hands after reloading, don't eat your fingernails while handling brass, do not use items meant for food preparation for reloading and so on. There was a thread about this in castboolits forum where the old men got carried away with lead detection swabs and they claimed that the most contamination came from dry media tumbling. This seems logical as the primer residue is pretty fine and the cases are in constant motion. A cover might be handy. Same might go for washing the cases too I guess. Wearing gloves might not be a bad idea if you have to agitate them by hand. The plain lead in bullets, cast or fmj, isn't that harmful, you can suck on them all day before any issues arise, but it's the soluble forms like lead acetate which are the bigger issue. Heintron, how did you anneal your cases? Have you fired any yet? Can you go in to more detail about the caliber and make of the brass? beta fucked around with this message at Jul 15, 2011 around 07:40 |
| # ? Jul 15, 2011 07:38 |
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beta posted:Heintron, how did you anneal your cases? Have you fired any yet? Can you go in to more detail about the caliber and make of the brass? 30-06 Norma brass. Good quality brass that has been fired and resized 3+ times. Firing and resizing the brass has made them really hard to resize again resulting in me having to drill out casings from my dies 2 times (crap lube helped in this as well (redding imperial wax from now on)). I used an ordinary butane torch (~1200C). I put the brass in a drill spinning them around for 2-3 seconds with the flame on the upper part of the neck. When I saw blue on the neck I dropped the brass into a water bath. Fairly quick process.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 07:46 |
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PirateDentist posted:...One serious question I came up with that I can't pin down an answer on is the possible health risks of being around a reloading setup... All of the chemicals involved are very stable and non-reactive through the normal course of things. Your powder jug is capped, lead doesn't just gas, so-on. For storage when not in use, the factory packaging is plenty sufficient to keep everything contained. If you set up a little cabinet to put the stuff in, all the better to keep anything from being bumped and spilled. The only time you will really be exposed to anything is when tumbling and loading. If you are really worried about lead, wearing some nitrile gloves and trying to sift your brass from the media next to a window with a fan running out would do the most to help. Beyond that, just washing your hands after you are done will take care of the vast majority of personal exposure. The loading bench/counter/whateverthefuck is going to have dust from primers, powder, and stuff collect on the surface, as well as the floor below. If you are worried about the floor (i.e. carpet) collecting anything and becoming a concern, one of those plastic mats offices put under their desk chairs to keep the rug from getting chewed up by the worker can be put down while you load. When you are done, cleaning will be as simple as wiping down the bench and the floor pad. Your biggest concern, safety-wise, is really just remembering to keep your powder away from static and your primers away from your powder. Oh, an adjustable overhead lamp will go a long way towards safety and convenience, as well.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 12:57 |
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For those that reload, would you consider the ammo you produce to be match quality? Say you buy quality components, are you actually making better quality than the factories higher grade stuff?
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 15:41 |
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With exact repeating precision and match grade bullets, yeah. You can easily load better than "match" ammo for significantly cheaper per round.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 16:36 |
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PirateDentist posted:How big of a deal would this type of set up present? Could I reduce the potential effects by processing things differently? E.G. using plated/jacketed bullets instead of just cast lead, and a wet cleaning method first vs. dry tumbling? As said before, most of your supplies are going to be very stable, and as long as you wash your hands afterwards and don't eat the primers or something, you'll be fine. I like to use D-Lead soap after a loading session (after shooting also), just to be extra safe. The exception is your tumbling - dry tumbling produces dust, and whether or not you keep the lid on, some of it is going to get into the air and go everywhere. The dust contains lead and a few other nasties, and depending on the size of your apartment, may or may not get places you don't want it (food preparation surfaces, fruit left out, etc). Wet processes, like stainless steel tumbling, solution cleaning, or ultrasound, trap all this dust in water, so you just
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 22:24 |
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Heintron posted:Moosefuckers by Heintron, on Flickr I'm kind of disappointed you didn't save that photo name for another bicep progress picture.
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| # ? Jul 15, 2011 22:55 |
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I finally got out to test a new batch of reloads last weekend, and while they shot exactly how I wanted they were smokier than the last batch even though they were lighter on the powder. When I left the range my nostrils were black. First and last time I hope that ever happens. I'd fired about 75 rounds (and some random factory loads with other weapons): 2.6gr Solo1K (recommended minimum) 147gr LSWC from Missouri Bullets Wolf/Tula SPP 1.130" OAL out of a Sig 229 For this first batch I know that I didn't not flare the case mouth quite enough so a little bit of the lube escaped out of the top of the case and was smashed to the side of the bullet. Could this be what happened? I've heard Solo1K is a little smokey, and the first time I tested reloads, it was just that - a LITTLE smokey. Same gun, same bullets and primers, but 2.8-3.0gr powder instead.
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 01:57 |
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What's a good powder for 147-grain lead out of a 9mm? I bought a container of Power Pistol on my Hornady manual's recommendation but it looks like that's not what people are using. Oh and just so I have this straight heavy bullet + slow powder = less perceived recoil, right?
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 02:17 |
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11b1p posted:For those that reload, would you consider the ammo you produce to be match quality? Say you buy quality components, are you actually making better quality than the factories higher grade stuff? Yep. I have a post a few down from the OP that details my components, equipment, and methodologies.
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 02:27 |
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Operating Rod posted:Oh and just so I have this straight heavy bullet + slow powder = less perceived recoil, right? All other things being equal, at max load, using a 124gn bullet, AA#2 (fastest) is hilariously light, AA#5 is a bit lighter than factory 9mm ammo while still making reasonable velocity, and AA#7 (slowest) gives me the most power and the most recoil. In .357 Magnum, AA#7 feels barely heavier than .38 +P, and AA#9 is loving stout. So...it's very much the opposite. I think where the heavier bullet gives you a benefit is in having super light loads that will still cycle an autoloader, while still making a given power factor (since it's based on weight * speed). Someone who loads 147gn correct me if this is wrong.
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 02:41 |
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thermobollocks posted:All other things being equal, at max load, using a 124gn bullet, AA#2 (fastest) is hilariously light, AA#5 is a bit lighter than factory 9mm ammo while still making reasonable velocity, and AA#7 (slowest) gives me the most power and the most recoil. In .357 Magnum, AA#7 feels barely heavier than .38 +P, and AA#9 is loving stout.
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 03:12 |
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thermobollocks posted:I think where the heavier bullet gives you a benefit is in having super light loads that will still cycle an autoloader, while still making a given power factor (since it's based on weight * speed). Someone who loads 147gn correct me if this is wrong. This has to be it because the 147 grain = low recoil thing I kept seeing was from competition boards. I'm ordering bullets in a couple of days and I'm pretty confused as to what I should get. Would I go really wrong with a 124-grain lead bullets?
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 04:33 |
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ilkhan posted:The real question is do each of those loads give you the same velocity? Absolutely not, only the same operating pressure. However...  According to my chronograph notebook, over a 10 shot string, 6.6 grains of AA#7 underneath a Berry's 124-grain HBFP bullet gives an average velocity (at 6 feet from the muzzle) of 1030 fps. That same bullet, same seating depth, same brass lot, same gun, and same chronograph conditions (weather and all -- it was about a half hour later in the day) on top of 5.8 grains of AA#5 has an average velocity of 1067 fps. AA#5 is perceptibly softer shooting at its max load than AA#7 in a middle of the road load. Edit: Operating Rod posted:Would I go really wrong with a 124-grain lead bullets? They're all I use in .38 Super and 9mm. I love 'em. thermobollocks fucked around with this message at Jul 16, 2011 around 04:38 |
| # ? Jul 16, 2011 04:36 |
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Operating Rod posted:I'm ordering bullets in a couple of days and I'm pretty confused as to what I should get. I would recommend to anyone just beginning to reload for an auto pistol that they use FMJs, not cast lead. They're just a little easier to work with. You won't have to deal with the few and admittedly minor additional variables that cast lead introduces. I don't think you can go wrong with any common bullet weight so long as the powder type and charge is matched to the bullet. Also, maybe it's just me but as a reloader I usually have on hand several different brands and weights of bullets; the search for the perfect load never ends. I have about 6 different brands/weights of 6.5x55 (from 85g to 160g), about 4 different for 9mm and 7.62x39. So buy 115g, 124g, and 147g and then you really can't go wrong.
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 13:10 |
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AR posted:I finally got out to test a new batch of reloads last weekend, and while they shot exactly how I wanted they were smokier than the last batch even though they were lighter on the powder. When I left the range my nostrils were black. First and last time I hope that ever happens. I'd fired about 75 rounds (and some random factory loads with other weapons): I didn't see this answered yet. One thing that's weird and counter-intuitive is that lighter loads tend to smoke more. The way it was explained to me is that there isn't enough powder to hit a sort of "critical mass" threshold that burns the most efficiently. I had this problem (and unburned powder) when I was making light 38spl, until I just pushed it up close to factory velocity. This is also the reason that the rule of thumb with powders is: Shotgun - fastest powder Lower pressure pistol - fast powder Higher pressure pistol - slower powder Rifle - slowest powder The fast powder burns more quickly and thoroughly under the low pressure threshold you have to work with in something like 38sp. Slow powder has a smoother, more stable "energy curve" that has provides a better velocity without stressing the gun as much, but it requires higher pressure to do it's thing properly. That's why I use AA#2 for 38spl and Blue Dot for 357mag. Some of your black-lung is unavoidable with lead, though. You can try different lubes or maybe a gas check to solve that end of the smoke equation. EDIT: I just looked up the powder you're using (http://www.frfrogspad.com/burnrate.htm) and it's some of the fastest stuff out there. 9mm is a relatively high-pressure pistol round for what it is, you might want to try your luck with something a bit slower. Pursus fucked around with this message at Jul 16, 2011 around 15:51 |
| # ? Jul 16, 2011 15:35 |
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Welp this explains why my cast lead 9mm with Bullseye is so smokey. (I don't care it shoots great)
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 16:29 |
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WRT the black nose issue, I assume he's shooting indoors to have these issues. I've never had these problems myself and nowadays I shoot mostly lead bullets.
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| # ? Jul 16, 2011 22:06 |
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Saw that Midway is having a blem bullet sale. They claim most of the blems are from coloration tarnish. Either way blems of any kind make good light load fireforming bullets http://www.midwayusa.com/Promotion/...motionid=518953
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 00:03 |
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Awesome, picked up some 110 gr. HP for the .270's varmint rounds.
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 00:19 |
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Bedbouncer posted:I would recommend to anyone just beginning to reload for an auto pistol that they use FMJs, not cast lead. They're just a little easier to work with. You won't have to deal with the few and admittedly minor additional variables that cast lead introduces. Such as? If your loadbook has the weight and profile of bullet listed, I say go for it. The Lyman book has a ton of cast bullet data. The AA manual even has data specifically for Berry's, and those are a great value for a low-mid volume shooter.
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 02:38 |
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Could someone(s) who shoot .308 and have a ball micrometer do me a favor. Could you measure the thickness of the brass at the neck in a few rounds? I just got a batch of brass in and it's litterally jamming at the neck in the chamber. I'm thinking that it's just thicker than what I've had in the past but I'm not sure. (I can check next week when I get back from vacation as I can borrow a mic from work)
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 03:51 |
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Operating Rod posted:What's a good powder for 147-grain lead out of a 9mm? Power Pistol is an ok powder if only because its loads tend to fill the case up nicely. But, it's relatively slow and has a TON of muzzle flash. Very distracting if you're ever shooting at dusk Felt recoil is a very funny thing. Basically, the longer you stretch a given round's recoil impulse out the more "felt" recoil it's going to have. The slower a powder burns, the longer that impulse is going to be. While a fast powder might SEEM like it would be more abusive because it's got a much sharper pressure curve, the actual recoil happens over a shorter period of time so your body perceives as a softer shooting load. You can't discount the amount of gas a load produces either. For a given operating pressure a slower powder is going to have a higher charge weight than a faster powder. You may reach the same velocities but the slower powder is going to produce more gas as it burns behind the bullet. It may be minimal but the "jet effect" of gas leaving the barrel is all part of what a shooter feels as the gun recoils. Take .38 super for example. It's a fairly hot round to begin with, but if you're going to shoot it out of an open gun you WANT as much gas as you can get out of the load to work the comp better. While I still had my open gun I was shocked at the loads people used (and I used... very slow powders, stuff nearly on the verge of rifle burn rates. Cram as much as you can in the case and get that bullet on there fast because it's compressed so much the powder starts shoving the thing back out. No, I'm not kidding... If you shot an open gun load out of a non-comped gun it would be hilariously abusive to shoot. All that gas produced by the the huge amount of powder is no longer working to help you, it's just creating a nasty amount of felt recoil.  summarized. For target loads, pick the fastest powder you can get away with for a given velocity without running into pressure issues. If you're going to load 147gr lead in 9mm Solo 1000 is a great choice. Winchester WST is another option.
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 05:21 |
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Titegroup?
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 05:39 |
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Operating Rod posted:Oh and just so I have this straight heavy bullet + slow powder = less perceived recoil, right? Recoil is a function of three things: Bullet mass Bullet velocity. Slide-assembly mass. (Firearm mass in total has an effect too, but these three are the primary) Of these three, you have control of two components: the bullets and the velocity. If you want/need low recoil, punch in your values into the equation below: KE = 1.1 * ( bullet_weight/7000 ) * [(feet_per_second/3.28)^2] The smaller that number, the less recoil. So the stereotypical Remington 115gn 9mm at 1200fps has a KE of 2.148kJ. Hodgdon's site lists Hodgdon longshot's highest load has a velocity of 1000fps for 147gn round. KE of 2.147kJ (the same recoil). Switch to SR4756 at 668fps for 147gn, and your KE is 0.958 kJ (half the recoil). This is what makes reloading awesome.
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 06:01 |
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Read needknees' post. You're waaaaaaaay oversimplifying it by just reducing it to mv**2.
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 06:20 |
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| # ? May 22, 2013 19:19 |
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I can throw in the mass of the weapon and moment about pivot point too. Internal mechanics of burn rates are just that, internal. The gasses have some influence (e.g. muzzle brakes) but the overall system still falls within 98% as described. Might be a fun experiment to do. Get a chronograph, get a velocity. Create a set of matched rounds. Put an accelerometer on the slide and bench calcs to result.
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| # ? Jul 17, 2011 06:47 |
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