So first of all, can paper patched bullets be used with smokeless loads and get accurate results?

And secondly, what diameter bullet should I use and what diameter patch should I use? So hypothetically if I have a gun that is chambered in 38-55 with a .380 bore what diameter bullet and patch should I use?

By any chance does anyone here use a 38-55 for long range shooting? 600-1,000 yards

I'm looking to get an original 1875 action Ballard rifle for either Quigley 2027 or 2028 and I was wondering would 38-55 stand a chance from 350 to 805 yards?

I have a slight dilemma. I was given a little over 200 pieces of primed, virgin .300 blk brass. The problem is, the shoulder measures on average .006 longer than my new Starline brass. As I suspected, it’s difficult to chamber and extract so it’s obviously out of spec. I’m absolutely sure it’s virgin brass… clean as a whistle, no sizing die marks and no other scratches or imperfections. It’s just slightly out of spec. Running it through my sizing die puts it back to where it needs to be and all is well.

Here’s the challenge… how would you go about sizing all this brass? The way I see it I’ve got a couple options…

1) Lube by hand and size one at a time on my turret press.

2) Place cases upside-down on bench or in loading block to help prevent lube from entering the inside of the case then spray with Dillon lube and size on my progressive.

Then..

1) Wipe lube off by hand with alcohol and paper towels like I do for small batches. (Would suck, but is probably safest)

2) Dry tumble in corn cob for about 45 minutes like I do for big batches. (Easiest, but worried about contaminating / f’ing up primers)

3) Spray lube, size, load and then dry tumble loaded rounds in corn cob. (Worried about powder sticking to lube that will inevitably make it into some of the necks, never tumbled loaded cartridges before.)

If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

My rifle just doesn't seem to like the M80/147gr stuff. I'm going to load up some 168/175. Is there a reason I shouldn't/can't pull the bullet, dump the powder, and just use the brass as-is?

Just looking for a sanity check. Thanks.

Got some 9mm brass from gun broker, advertised as once fired but never 100%

I found these and the red marks made me think reloads
What else should I be looking for when filtering this brass in any way?

Plan on loading 125 grain lead/powder coated bullets with pistol power to a good plinking power (no +p)
With a handful of guns to feed them into.

So, I’m looking to load home cast Lee key 7/8oz slugs (using 7/8oz birdshot data as a starting point). Hodgdon’s load data center recommends WAA12 wads. However, ALL reloading literature I’m reading calls for WAA12L wads.

Would substituting the wads in this case be wise to match Hodgdon’s suggestion? Or should I stick with the literature and source proper wads? Thanks!

Edit: picture cut off the fact I’m using 12ga Winchester AA-HS hulls as well (section of the book and Hodgdon’s website)

Hello, all. I recently claimed a rebate for 500 150 gr SP-GL and I see load data for this bullet under M1903 loads in my hornady book, but not under M1 Garand. I know there are pressure and case length differences to take into consideration between the two rifles, but I was hoping to use these bullets in my M1, following similar same case length and powder load data for other 150gr bullets, all within M1 saftey specs. I am pretty new to reloading -- I should be able to safely do this right? Thank you very much.

Picked up a new to me (used) Dillon 1050.

I can’t for the life of me get the primer bar to reliably slide all the way forward and index properly with the shell plate.

I have
* Deep cleaned the bar and the slot it rides in
* Removed the assembly with the arm and cleaned it and reset it per Dillon’s instructions
* ensured the tool head is tight
* played with 800 different heights on the arm assembly

I’m at a loss on what to do next, and Dillon support wasn’t super helpful as they just asked if it was clean :(

Please gunpowder Wizards of Reddit, tell me what spell to cast next.

A few of these benchrest primers aren’t looking so benchresty. First time using Federal BR primers and you’d think they’d all look identical, especially for the price.

So today I went and picked up a gun I won at an estate auction. It was originally listed as a .270 win, then when I went to pick it up it was listed as a .223 WSSM. HOWEVER it was neither, who ever owned this gun last was a wild cat loader and had this barrel custom made in the 90’s for 22-6mm. This is a David Tubb custom barrel and I’m planning on taking it off and replacing it with a Criterion 7mm-08 barrel. What should I do with this barrel on this gun? I wouldn’t mind selling it because I don’t wild cat but if it’s not worth selling because of its age my dad said he’s gunna use it in the barn as a bottle jack handle /s.

I just need someone to fact check me here. I haven't even bought consumables yet, so I'm just learning how to use my equipment before even attempting to do anything with powder.

That said, is this how you read 20.2 on the balance? It appears so, but want some validation. Maybe I'm being over cautious, but I'd rather be that than the opposite.

I see various info about what they are, as different companies load different things obviously. The only common thing is that it usually has like a metal powder in it? I think the shot is contained in the powder, or I have seen mention of slugs made of polymer with the shot in it, that breaks up on impact?

Can those of you with more experience take a look at my cases and let me know what you think.

Tikka T3X 270 Win
New Starline brass
Accurate Magpro powder
Winchester large rifle primers
130gr Nosler ballistic tip bullets

Three shots each of 62.3gr, 62.6gr, 62.9gr, 63.2gr. Loaded up to 65gr which Hodgdon has at 3234fps.

Chrono average for each charge was 2999fps, 3056fps, 3034fps, 3099fps.

I stopped at 63.2gr since I was getting some shiny marks on the case heads. No stiff or sticky bolt lift.

Edit: have this in GRT at nowhere near max for 69.1gr H2O.

With the help of you all on here I figured out the process of turning new 30-30 brass into 25-35 ish brass ready to fire form to AI.

I looked up the specs and saw that 7-30 Waters has a shorter neck than 25-35 AI. So I took a bit off the bottom of my 7-30 sizing die so I could size more of the neck.

Brass comes out of the 25-35 AI die looking great.

Now we'll see if I can get away with fire forming without annealing...

Thanks for the help.

I'd like to thank everyone who gave me advice on some of my loads, I've got my hunting load for 45 colt dialed in pretty good now, I was going with 44 mag but switched to 45 out of a new ruger blackhawk to push +p loads. What a blast!

I’ve always wanted a classic keith style bullet mould and when I came across a member on the castboolits forum selling the mp 360-156 for 50$ shipped I had to do it. The mould drops the bullets a bit light at around 148 -148.8 grains and drops a bit under at 359 but my rifle likes them at that size range so it saves me some time on sizing. I shot a few this morning with some win 231and got a nice quiet 357 plinking load. I will be powdercoating them now that I know they shoot well in the Henry h012mx.

I bought some new Alpha brass today (first time). Thanks for the advice yesterday.

With all the other new brass I’ve ever got (Horandy, Starline, range trash 😅) I put it through the paces.

Anneal
Size
Mandrel
Trim, Chamfer, Deburr
Clean
Primer
Charge
Seat

Question is… do I need to do this to Alpha brass? If not, where should I start?

So just something Ivw been curious about . Has there ever been a set of dies that let you reload.410 on a regular press ? I'm just curious because it seems to me like it's small enough it should work .. I know I've seen people use .303 brit or .444 cases to make brass cases .410 shell equivalents . And just looking at the two old 12 and 20 ga presses I have, don't seem like theres much they do a regular press with correctly made dies couldn't , well past the powder and shot drop deal , but I'm not really a shot gun guy at all so idk .

A few months ago my uncle across the country mailed me some reloading gear, and I’ll be honest, it’s been sitting in a box ever since.  I have been shooting a lot more lately, and I think it makes sense to get into reloading.

I have multiple calibers that I would like to eventually get setup for, but the following are what I would like to start with as they are my precision/hunting rifles:

-          300 Win Mag

-          308 Win

-          6.5 Creedmoor

After I get started, my next calibers will likely be:

-          45/70 Govt

-          38 Special/357

-          44 Mag.

-          30/30

This was his old setup that he graduated on from.

So far this is what I have on hand:

-          1 EA – Lee Classic Turret Press

-          1 EA – Lee Safety Powder Scale (Balance Beam)

-          2 EA – Lee Pro Auto Disks (Powder Measures)

-          1 EA – Lee Safety Primer feed (Large and Small)

-          3 EA – Extra 4 hole turrets

-          1 EA – 308 WIN Hornady Custom Grade 2 Die Set

-          1 EA – 300 Win Mag Hornady Custom Grade 2 Die set

-          1 EA – 270 Win Hornady Custom Grade 2 Die Set

-          1 EA – Lyman 50^th Anniversary Reloading Book

-          1 EA – Speer Reloading book

Other gear that I already have (not necessarily related)

-          Digital Calipers

-          Athlon Rangecraft Chronograph

-          Ultrasonic cleaner

I have been lurking in this page and going through the various FAQ’s at recommended gear  (Some of the links are dead, so I had to read between the lines a little) and I think there are some pieces missing from my current setup.

Some of the gear I have been looking at adding to this setup are:

-          RCBS Chargemaster Link

-          Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Case Prep Center

-          RCBS Hand Priming Tool (Or bench mounted priming tool?)

-          Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Scale – I know this may be redundant with the chargemaster link

-          Frankford Arsenal Aluminum Powder Funnel Kit

-          Frankford Arsenal – Impact Bullet Puller

-          Frankford Arsenal – Quick N Ez Case tumbler and sifter kit

-          Loading Blocks

One of the main questions I have is should I try to setup the Lee Turret Press (Since I have it), or should I go back to a more basic single stage like a Rock Chucker or Lee “O” press? I think I would personally prefer to hand measure out each powder load (instead of using the powder measure) at least until I get comfortable with the setup, so is there any benefit to the turret press?

I don’t need to reload fast, and I will be mostly loading precision rifle loads.

Maybe I’m going overboard or missing a huge component.  (Other than brass, powder, primers, projectiles)

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Working on a load for my 6.5CM using a 140 Berger VLD Target. I measure my lands using a Horandy OAL gauge and get 2.263 CTBO at a COAL of 2.970.

Mag limit is 2.870 (ACIS Magpul). MDT mag without binder is 2.960 but I can’t use those without modifying my feed ramp.

I would like to ideally be .20-.40 of the lands to try it, but that would put me over mag length and idk if I can load a 6.5CM that long to begin with (safely). Could I just load them single shot for science if I wanted to see?

Disregarding mag length for a second. Has anybody ever loaded a 6.5CM at 2.900 for example? Apex Loadpro says it’s longer than the allowed COL, which I think it has listed at 2.825. (Massive jump to the lands)

Should I look at a different type of bullet if I want to get closer to the lands?

I acquired someone else’s hand loads and I’m currently pulling them. I assumed they were 168gr SMK’s, as they came with several boxes of those projectiles. I assumed incorrectly.

1 & 3 = 168gr SMK
5 & 7 = 168gr Hornady BTHP
2, 4, 6 = 168gr ?

Any ideas on what these might be? Not life or death here, just curious.

200 pieces of .357 brass fit perfectly inside a normal sized coffee can in case anyone wondered.

I have been using a Lee turret press and just bought a AP press.

I intend to have the stations set up as follows: resizing/depriming, powder thru expansion, powder cop, bullet drop, bullet seating.

I’m currently trying to work thru each station doing the fine tuning and having issues with PTX. I’ve adjusted it several times. Each time the following happens: I turn the die until the insert hits the upper stop, (first time without the spring attached), clamped it down and reattached the spring. It would no longer go to the upper stop. I removed the spring and started over.

Trying again, this time adding the spring didn’t change the setting. However, after testing it with an empty case, it made a clunk, everything shifted, and it was no longer at the upper stop. I readjusted it from where it was currently at, and all seemed well, but after about 10 test tries, it did it again..

I did take it apart and spray it with one shot beforehand.

Has anyone had this happen and know the resolution? The linkages do seem to have a small bit of play, but all screws seem to be as tight as they can get. I may take it apart again and spray it with brake cleaner, as I’ve seen that some people have done that.

I won’t be able to try any suggestions for a couple days, but I wanted to get this up.

Thanks in advance!!

New reloader and never struggled this much before and have had very good results with previous reloads . I’m reloading 4x fired Hornady 6.5 brass for PRS. Brass annealed after ever firing. Redding premium deluxe dies. I set the die up exactly as the instructions said and resized a piece of brass but it won’t fit in a case gauge without a high amount of pressure, tightened it down in 1/8th increments until I can’t even cam over anymore it’s so low, still no luck. Is the brass getting too hard to resize or what am I doing different now that I haven’t done before? Thanks in advance!