Hey all, have been on this forum for @ 6 months now. Mostly just lurking and learning as I waited for supplies, equipment, etc. Well all that stuff finally came in and got set up/dialed in last weekend. Two nights ago I loaded my first rounds (15 pcs of 40S&W, 7.8Gr of HS-6 and 165Gr Rainier RNFP set at 1.125) Didn’t want to load more than that until I had a chance to test those. That day was today (out of a S&W M&P 40 Pro) I have to admit that the first shot was scary as hell BUT I am also happy to say that all went fine. Gun cycled perfect, no set back on the bullets in the mag, etc. So… tonight I loaded up another 200 rounds and hope to go shooting tomorrow. I know sometimes some people get tired of all the newbie questions but this place saved me from many a pitfall and taught me things to watch out for so I just wanted to say thank you to everyone on this forum, it’s a great place and I have (and will) learned a ton here. Posted a few pics of my set up as well.

Attached Images

	Closed.jpg (26.8 KB, 179 views)
	Bench.jpg (33.3 KB, 208 views)
	CU.jpg (62.8 KB, 179 views)
	3.jpg (43.9 KB, 141 views)

If any thanks were required, you Thanked us by only loading small test batches rather than "running your progressive for four hours straight" like some folks do lol. YVW.

I'm glad to hear everything went well right from the start. It's very satisfying to make and shoot your own ammo, isn't it...

__________________
Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Looks great!

P.S. MTM makes ammo box with red covers too. Don't want your reloading bench to clash.

Bwaahaha, Uhm the only reason is because I didn't have a prog press!! (Just kidding!) Beside everyone knows you let them run for 8 hours the first go around LOL!
It is really cool shooting something you made, the more I leaarn about reloading the more I want to know, It's almost another hobby all into its own and about addictive as crack!!
They were out of the red ones... Just say'n :-D

A store was out of reloading equipment?!?! That is a little hard to believe.

Congrats on a great set up and approach. Maybe you checked for it, but setback normally occurs as the round is being chambered due to the slide driving the bullet into the feed ramp as the cartridge chambers. Folks check lots of ways. The best way IMHO is to measure the OAL of a round place it in the magazine. Place another round on top of it. Chamber and fire the top round, eject the round that is now chambered. This is the round you measured originally. Check the OAL and compare. That is the most accurate measure of setback. Little if any setback will occur for rounds in the magazine during firing.

Now that is a beautiful reloading bench or should I say Armoire!

Did you build it or buy it? Don't let my wife see it see will want me to hide my stuff like that.

That is down right slick!

__________________
Still Running Against the Wind

That is exactly how I did it jepp2. After firing the first round to make sure the gun cycled OK/Load was OK I measured (again LOL) a round, loaded two, fired and checked the 2nd round that I had measured. The biggest thing I noticed is that the primers looked a little flatter than factory rounds. No signs of excessive pressure but you can see the difference if ever so slight. Maybe it’s just in my head but I like the way mine shoot better than factory.

Rule3 THANKS!! I wanted something that I could hide all of my stuff in if needed when GF’s or guests come over. I have a very good friend that builds “newtiques” like this for a living so I drew it up on paper and went to his place to build it. I get a lot (OK, a whole house full) of prototype furniture that way LOL!! I don’t think he has any sellers in your area though so you should be safe haha!

I do have a question though. I loaded another 200 yesterday and a couple of cases had crimped primers. It wasn’t that big of a deal as I just set up a primer pocket swager die in the single stage and took care of it as I found them (it was always Winchester Brass but not all Winchester brass) I guess I just have never heard of crimped 40s. Also I am checking the powder drop on every 10th to 15th round and length on every 5th or so. It may seem like a stupid question but am I being overly cautious?

I love the job you did on the bench design.

Now, I need to find myself an armoire that's about 6' on a side ...

Not a stupid question. When I load a new caliber I too take measurements at frequent intervals until I am confident that nothing is drifting. Are your measurements all acceptable when taken at that frequency? If so you can decrease the sampling rate then reevaluate.

As a general rule of thumb, I take measurements of OAL and crimp until they are alike and make sure of 5 identical powder drops before I go into full auto mode. Then I take measurements every time I add primers which is 100 units.

More often if anything "feels" suspicious.

Oh and that armoire is just sick...

Thanks Blujax, thats kind of what I ws thinking. It just seems at some point you have to trust the press and dies are doing what they are set up to do (spot checking of course!) and BTW I'm only 45 min south of you in Washington C.H. so "O-H" LOL!!

I-O!! (Yesterday's NCAA B-Ball result notwithstanding).

You can NEVER be to cautious! I still check every 10 rounds(powder) or so or if I remember I use a turret so every round is placed in a reloading box so I am looking at the OAL, it will long funny if way to short. I check the OAL the fist 10 rounds or so when changing a setting or something.

__________________
Still Running Against the Wind

Sounds like I am on the correct path then. My Ammo boxes (though not red LOL) hold 100 rnds so within every 25 I am checking one for powder, one for OAL, etc.
Tonight I want to set up the 45 turret. I started last night and got everything where I wanted but could not get anything close to a consistent powder drop (Using Wichester 231) Using a Lee Pro Disc with the charge bar. The HS-6 for the 40 is dead nuts on almost every drop so maybe the one on the 45 turret just needs used more??