To Re-Load or Not???

There ya go Bill!! Aint it funny how things can work out? Zip at that distance the bullets would work for what you are wanting and work well, they just arent the best for precision shooting but would be great for reaction practice.
 
zip777 said:
I might be interested in any bullets you don't want. Some of my shooting is just for fun and skill training (raise rifle quickly to shoulder and fire at 25 and 50 yards) so super accuracy is not needed in those rounds.
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Zipp, I'll keep this in mind. If the sorting process goes badly I may offer you the whole lot. haha

Speaking of sorting, I realized that I don't have a digital scale that is precise to the tenth of a grain. Doh!
 
BHarada said:
Zipp, I'll keep this in mind. If the sorting process goes badly I may offer you the whole lot. haha

Speaking of sorting, I realized that I don't have a digital scale that is precise to the tenth of a grain. Doh!
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Sounds good and that's one of the last things I need as well. Almost bought a Hornady scale today for about $50 but the ratings were not good.

Any recos on a good scale? I have one but I weighs in grams not grains. I imagine I could convert but not sure I'd want to. I'd like to keep the scale in the $50 to $100 range.

Saw the magnetic versions (no batteries yay) but again ratings have accuracy questionable.
 
For reloading I use a simple RCBS balance that came with my reloading kit. Didn't your Lee kit come with a balance? The only shortfall is that it's really just a go/no-go gauge, which for measuring powder loads is fine for me. You set the various slides to the desired load weight then see if the powder drop centers the indicator.

With the fine ball powder I use for .223 I weigh each powder drop until I get five consecutive good drops. Then I weigh every tenth drop.

But using a balance to weigh bullets would be a time-sink since you'd have to fiddle with it constantly to get an actual weight reading. That said I just ordered an American Weigh Gemini-20 .001g digital scale (which also reads in grains) from Amazon for weighing said bullets.
 
I should also add that I don't let my powder measure go below 1/3 full as I've found that drops start to get light if there isn't a sufficient weight of powder over the measure's cavity.
 
I think it has a "ballpark" scale but since I don't yet have the kit I'm not positive. I'll have to go look at the Lee website. Maybe it will be good enough for powder. Seeing how I'll be shooting irons only for awhile maybe I can hold off. I just saw many posting about having a digital scale so I assumed it was needed.

<< newb. Lol
 
That Lee balance is really good, I got one with my kit and when I bought my digital I compared them even with the test weight and it was really accurate to a tenth of a grain but my ADD wouldnt let me wait on it to settle out so I got a Frankford Arsenal digital that I have used for quite a while, its quicker and allows me to measure each powder charge. I know I shouldnt have to measure each drop and I dont but I feel better doing it.
 
Thanks guys. I can say now once everything arrives I can actually stuff cases. Woot!

**tears up a bit** lol
 
I went to a local LFS this afternoon and checked out their reloading components. While the cast lead bullets were reasonably priced at $37-$45/500 (depending on caliber), the CCI 41 primers were $65/1000! :eek:
 
BHarada said:
I went to a local LFS this afternoon and checked out their reloading components. While the cast lead bullets were reasonably priced at $37-$45/500 (depending on caliber), the CCI 41 primers were $65/1000! :eek:
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That is completely crazy, I was looking at Powder Valley today and they are having a time getting their stuff shipped but they are working at it....they still had the Tula 223 for $20.50 a thousand but stated that today's order wouldnt ship until the 10th of January, and their stock is going way down fast. I am hoping to sell this scope because I put a bigger one on the rifle and use the money to buy 8lbs of CFE223 and then throw in just a little bit to get 2k .223 primers, 1k large pistol primers and 1k large rifle primers. I have some bullets and I think with this bunch of supplies I should be good for almost a year. I use the CFE223 for the Sports and the .308's, I have a ton of .22lr, and for my 45 long colt each bullet takes about 11gr of H110 and for the ACP each shell takes about 6gr. In those two cases 1lb equals a bunch of bullets. If I have money left I will buy another lb of H110 and of Longshot. Then I will definately be good unless the guberment does sumpin stoopid!!
 
I recently learned that you can use small rifle primers in place of small pistol primers, which makes it a lot easier should I decide to reload 40 S&W. I already have large pistol primers for 44 mag and 45 ACP
 
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I just spoke to my local reloading supply guy (130 miles away) He has my 8lb keg of CFE223, 2 boxes of #41 primers (a little pricey) some Large Pistol Primers, (45lc and 45acp) and 1 lb each of H110 and Longshot set back for me. No price gouging whatsoever. The CCI #41 have a retail price that is a little high but no one bought them during the craze but he doesnt sell guns either just reloading supplies. So remember to support your Local Supplier they will take care of you!!
 
Good news Grover! I wish I had something similar locally. All we have is Bass Pro and honestly they stink for reloading stuff. No knowledge and limited selection. I'm going to go on a wider search tho. Maybe a nearby city has a place. ???
 
Zip..this is a little Mom and Pop shop, it is a hobby store. I think he sells more RC plane, boat and car stuff than reloading stuff. He, the son, is a competition pistol shooter, since I started frequenting his store I have seen the 5.56/.223 reloading things increase but he also sells a lot to the CAS, BPCS and IPSC people. I just feel fortunate to have found him and to have struck up a friendship with him. I can see him every 6 weeks and he knows who I am and what I am looking for, or I can call him and say this is Grover and he knows exactly who he is talking to. I really do appreciate customer service like that. I have ordered stuff from him that was not for an AR or any of my other main stream rifles or pistols and he gets it and beats midways price. I had been talking with Japes about loading some 45acp's and John recommended some bullets to me, my reloading shop carried the same brand but not the same hardness and told me I would be better off ordering from the company the hardness I need than buying what he had available. That is customer support!! :D
 
That's awesome Grover. It's great to find those options. Good for you man!
 
Got my first shipment of 55gr vmax in today from brassman. Very cool. I showed my oldest son who is a huge black ops gamer and said "see this son? This is the size bullet the soldiers shoot." His response was "really?!? That's awful small !!"

He will be joining me at the range this spring. He said "dad is it ok if I just start with your pistol??"

Sure son. :)
 
OK I have a question for all of us who reload 5.56/.223. I read in my manuals and other places on the web about cases stretching. Use my Lee case length gauge and trimmer on my cases whenever I am getting ready to reload them but vary rarely does my trimmer remove material. My cases fit perfectly in my Wilson case gauge and I am not noticing any case stretch. How about the rest of you. I have found some stretching on my .308's but on my 5.56/.223's little to none. Is this normal? Is anyone else noticing this? Just something that made me go hmmmmm! :D
 
I've reloaded a few thousand .223/5.56 in the last twenty plus years and only had to trim a few but then I have a lot of brass to work with so they may not have been reused enough to stretch, I don't hunt with them so if they are between the min./max of my Wilson gage I'm happy.

Gary
 
thats it it fits perfect in my Wilson gauge I was just wondering if something was wrong, I do hunt with them but I also do not load to the maximum, just for the best accuracy..
 
Had an interesting discussion with our insurance claim adjuster today. He owns 9 AR's and a 50 cal. We started talking reloading and he asked. "How many times can brass be reused???"

Honestly I didn't have an answer for him. I'm sure it's a LOT or fairly indefinite but really wasn't sure. Anyone know?
 
Zip I have some that is on its 5th and 6th reload. I look it over very closely and if I have any questions I break out my big magnifying glass. In the last year I have put about 20 rounds to the side and quit reloading them because they showed some fault or another. I find that if I crimp heavily that the brass doesnt last as long, the brass will crack around the mouth and I dont load excessively hot either but I am reloading 31 rounds this evening just to do it and a couple are starting to get to the minimum length in my Wilson case gauge which means to me they are about done but I cant tell you how many times exactly. Because I have bought used brass before. And when it becomes available again I will again. ramble ramble ramble Happy New Years!!!!
 
Happy soon to be New Year to you as well Grover and everyone else!

I'm glad I purchased 1000 rounds once fired pre-primed brass then. That will give me ample opportunity to just stuff bullets and learn the prep the brass of the 100 or so factory I fired. :)
 
Can any of you experts suggest maybe 5 different types of bullets to buy for me to get my feet wet on reloading for my M&P 15 TS (14-1/2" Barrel with 1 in 7" Twist and Fixed Vortex Flash-Hider for Overall Length of 16.1").

I've purchased a few pounds of Hogdon H335 and a few thousand CCI 400 primers in preparation.

My thoughts are to buy maybe 5 (at the most), 100ct boxes of different bullets to see what shoots best before settling on a particular type. I suspect a slightly heavier bullet of 60-70gr will shoot best out of my rifle due to the twist rate. There are just so many different makes and styles that my head is spinning.

This will be for target shooting and plinking. But I do want decent accuracy.

Who knows, maybe my powder and primer choice may be totally off base too but I figure I have to start somewhere.

Thanks.

Bill
 
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Not an expert here but your powder and primer choice should do just fine. I selected the H335 and CCI #41's. still waiting on the powder. I'll let the more seasoned reloaders help you with bullet choice based on your rifle. Good luck!
 
I havent had the best of luck with heavier bullets so I am staying in the 55gr weight but I have 5 that I use interchangeably with good results.
1 Hornady 55gr FMJBT
2 Hornady 55gr V or Z max
3 Hornady 53gr V max
4 Nosler Varmageddon 55gr Tipped
5 Nosler Varmageddon, Midsouth Varmint Nightmare Extreme, Midway Dogtown 55gr FBHP bullets (no matter what name they are the same)

These are the 5 bullets I have in my reloading stuff right now, I use the same powder charge and primers and they all shoot the same point of impact out of my S&W M&P15 Sports with 16" 1:8 5R barrels. I have some Hornady 68gr HPBT Match and 75gr Amax bullets but have not been able to work up satisfactory loads with them yet. This is my opinion and something else may work better for you but this is where I have settled at.
 
But I'll add Bill listen to the others. All of my knowledge is from the experienced folks on this thread and some extensive reading. From what I gather its a lot of experimentation and as you say you have to start somewhere. That's what I'm doing. These guys here are great. Ask lots of questions!
 
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