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Had no idea this thread had continued so long. If I found an unpleasant aspect of handloading, I believe I would be in pursuit of another interest.
What is the most unpleasant part of reloading for you?
- Thread starter GB
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andyo5
Member
Paying for the components.
Just kidding. Actually, lubing cases and wiping the excess lube off afterwards is the most onerous task. Second on the list would be weighing each charge and trickle charging. I only do this for near max loads and for max accuracy loads.
Just kidding. Actually, lubing cases and wiping the excess lube off afterwards is the most onerous task. Second on the list would be weighing each charge and trickle charging. I only do this for near max loads and for max accuracy loads.
Bakebfr480
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I find every aspect of handloading ammunition/bullet casting theraputic!
A coupla thinggs....
Separating range brass. My eyes ain't too good and usually I can tell at a glance if a case is a different caliber, but I still get a lot of misfits. The only way to be sure is to get a bright light and a magnifying glass and try to make out each headstamp. This is very slow and tedious because I usually have to turn a case in the light 3-4 times to see it and sometimes they are scratched or something.
I have picked up range brass but when I just pick up my own brass, there's a lot of weird calibers in there.
Next has to be post-tumbling. Getting the media and dust out of the cases is a pain.
Separating range brass. My eyes ain't too good and usually I can tell at a glance if a case is a different caliber, but I still get a lot of misfits. The only way to be sure is to get a bright light and a magnifying glass and try to make out each headstamp. This is very slow and tedious because I usually have to turn a case in the light 3-4 times to see it and sometimes they are scratched or something.
I have picked up range brass but when I just pick up my own brass, there's a lot of weird calibers in there.
Next has to be post-tumbling. Getting the media and dust out of the cases is a pain.
Mistered
Member
It used to be tumbling until I went to the liquid system - now its case trimming - always hated it but I have devised a simpler system. I got a Morse taper adapter to fit my drill press chuck so now I chuck up the Lee case holder in my lathe, slow it down and trim on the lathe. Seems like overkill but I can do it standing up and the cases are held solidly and I can quickly pop them in and out of the Lee case holder.
Case trimming 5.56. Last year my Dillon size-trim setup wasn't sizing the necks down quite enough for proper neck tension, and apparently the bullets I was loading were just a bit small. I had 5000 once fired GI cases to do...So I went back to an old RCBS die that worked, and got a Wilson trimmer. My wrist said only do about 100 a day, and sometimes that was too much...Dillon sent me a new die later on and all is well again.
Used to cast a LOT of bullets in years past in H&G 4 cavity molds, but between a lack of decent wheelweights for casting any more and--again, my wrists and arms--I don't do it anymore.
I am a single stage press guy for everything--don't trust these newfangled progressive presses (or politicians!). Many years ago I tried to get one of the early (RCBS) progressives up and running right. Finally put the wrenches and tools down and sold it off. Some years ago I was given a Dillon 550. It's STILL in the box.
Can't load for HOURS anymore and have to pace myself, but still like to pass the winter months this way. I put some music or a Great Course DVD on and I'm in my own little world.
Used to cast a LOT of bullets in years past in H&G 4 cavity molds, but between a lack of decent wheelweights for casting any more and--again, my wrists and arms--I don't do it anymore.
I am a single stage press guy for everything--don't trust these newfangled progressive presses (or politicians!). Many years ago I tried to get one of the early (RCBS) progressives up and running right. Finally put the wrenches and tools down and sold it off. Some years ago I was given a Dillon 550. It's STILL in the box.
Can't load for HOURS anymore and have to pace myself, but still like to pass the winter months this way. I put some music or a Great Course DVD on and I'm in my own little world.
oddshooter
Member
I handload on Dillon 550b for accuracy and safety:
38 Special,
357 Magnum,
357 Maximum,
44 Special,
44 Magnum
45 Colt
Quote from above:
"My favorite part of reloading (by far) is load development with a new caliber, bullet and/or powder. Guess it's the engineer in me but the systematic application of knowledge, theory and process to eat away at the unknowns cranks me up. " Me too.
I think most guys reload one caliber with one powder and one bullet. That's not me.
So I use 10 different powders and 6 different bullets for each of the 6 calibers. I use 6 different powder weights for each test lot.
10x6x6x6 = 2160 combos to test with of course, 6 shots each. This requires you to setup your dies thousands of times.
I set the brass holder, the primer size, and a powder.
I set the powder weight. I set the flare.
I set the seater die for the bullet length.
I set the crimp die.
I make 12 cartridges (save 6 for later), marksalot them, and then change bullets which means resetting the seater die 6 times for the 6 different bullets. Resetting the seater die required loosening the lock nuts and guessing how much to turn. Do this every couple of minutes.
This last step was driving me crazy until I got the Redding Competition Seating die which is fully finger adjustable from the top. It cost 5x what the others cost, but is worth every penny.
I then bump the powder charge by .25 grains and start over.
If I were to count the lubing techniques I'm going through, the possible combos count would skyrocket. I can only test about 50 combos a day. Only 300 rounds, but it takes time to shoot every shot for accuracy, measure, and record data.
After testing with 6 shots and saving 6 rounds, I now have a library collection of different cartridges for each caliber; different powders, different powder weights, and different bullets. I always test with the same "Reference Revolver". I meticulously record the testing including chronograph. But, everyone knows that different guns will NOT shoot the combos the same way. The Shooting Logs and the library can save you days of work trying to find that right combo for each firearm.
Did anyone successfully follow this post?
Prescut
I use 6 marked coffee cans while shooting to dump my brass in. That keeps the calibers separate which stopped the horrible steps of ground pickup and hand separating. Cases in cases gets ugly quick.
38 Special,
357 Magnum,
357 Maximum,
44 Special,
44 Magnum
45 Colt
Quote from above:
"My favorite part of reloading (by far) is load development with a new caliber, bullet and/or powder. Guess it's the engineer in me but the systematic application of knowledge, theory and process to eat away at the unknowns cranks me up. " Me too.
I think most guys reload one caliber with one powder and one bullet. That's not me.
So I use 10 different powders and 6 different bullets for each of the 6 calibers. I use 6 different powder weights for each test lot.
10x6x6x6 = 2160 combos to test with of course, 6 shots each. This requires you to setup your dies thousands of times.
I set the brass holder, the primer size, and a powder.
I set the powder weight. I set the flare.
I set the seater die for the bullet length.
I set the crimp die.
I make 12 cartridges (save 6 for later), marksalot them, and then change bullets which means resetting the seater die 6 times for the 6 different bullets. Resetting the seater die required loosening the lock nuts and guessing how much to turn. Do this every couple of minutes.
This last step was driving me crazy until I got the Redding Competition Seating die which is fully finger adjustable from the top. It cost 5x what the others cost, but is worth every penny.
I then bump the powder charge by .25 grains and start over.
If I were to count the lubing techniques I'm going through, the possible combos count would skyrocket. I can only test about 50 combos a day. Only 300 rounds, but it takes time to shoot every shot for accuracy, measure, and record data.
After testing with 6 shots and saving 6 rounds, I now have a library collection of different cartridges for each caliber; different powders, different powder weights, and different bullets. I always test with the same "Reference Revolver". I meticulously record the testing including chronograph. But, everyone knows that different guns will NOT shoot the combos the same way. The Shooting Logs and the library can save you days of work trying to find that right combo for each firearm.
Did anyone successfully follow this post?
Prescut
I use 6 marked coffee cans while shooting to dump my brass in. That keeps the calibers separate which stopped the horrible steps of ground pickup and hand separating. Cases in cases gets ugly quick.
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