Reloading BS thread

loaded some Hornady 158 gr XTP in 357 magnum today. Will take them to the range this week and have my brother shoot them to see how they perform. Will use the chrono to see what speeds I'm getting. Will do some .38 special +P in the next couple of days.

 

Thought i would share something I've been doing for a bit now. Dawns powerwash does a great job for cleaning brass. 3-5 sprays in the media and come back 1-2 hours later to these.


I do have a question for y'all though- when does one know how the media is no longer good? I bet i have 200 hours on the current media in the vibrator.

 

I've been adding some vehicle polish to mine. Does just as good.
Good question on the media. I'd like to know also.

 

When it starts to take a lot longer to get the results you want. Like if you normally do 2 hours in the tumbler and its clean, but then notice its taking 3+ hours to get the same results. Stuff lasts a long time. If you toss in a dryer sheet (i cut one up into 4 strips) itll collect alot of the loose dirt/dust/ect too

 

well I just ordered 500 158gr jhp bullets from Everglades. They seem to be one of the only places I can find this bullet. This should keep me busy for a short period of time.

 

If you use walnut shells, they start to leave the brass dusty when it’s breaking down. It can also leave the brass feeling greasy when it gets loaded up with polish (I use Brasso.) and case lube. I’m overdue for a new batch.

I want to try the Dawn idea as a polish to see how it works.

 

I use crushed walnut, flitz, and cut up dryer sheets. My brass comes out really clean and shiny. The dryer sheets are always filthy dirty, so I'm going to assume it's doing its job of extending the life of the walnut media.

 

I use crushed walnut with some Iosso polish. Brass comes out looking new.

I've never tried the dryer sheets - sounds like it is a good idea.

 

Brasso contains ammonia. I wouldn't use it on firearm brass.

Either stainless steel pin tumbling with dawn and lemishine or walnut with a cap full of mineral sprits. Compare a handful of old walnut to new. It gets pretty dark.

Dryer sheets may help keep dust down, but they don't seem to do much else for me.

 

Stainless pin wet tumbling is great and gets brass shinier than anything else I have tried but it comes with it's own frustrations. I use an old food dehydrator to dry the brass afterward otherwise it ends up with all kinds of water spots. Also I use a home brew lanolin case lube and with Dawn it wasn't taking it all the way off and just leaving a thinner dirty coat of case lube over everything. I switched to Woolite and they come out clean and shiny as can be now.

 

anyone reloading 357 magnum with Alliant 2400 powder. I'm thinking about going out to my local reloading supply store tomorrow and buying a 1 lb container to give it a try.

 

I use Unique in my .357, but know that 2400 is also a good choice.

 

I'm a huge fan of unique. when I first started reloading pistol ammo about 10 years ago, I had to be frugal. So I found the one powder I could use across the board for all my pistol calibers. 380, 9mm, 45 acp 357 mag and 38 special, and that one powder was unique. I have since expanded my powder pistols but have never tried 2400. I see it listed in most of my reloading manuals for .357 and .38 special.

 

I've been using Unique for 30 years - in multiple pistol calibers. I really like it. It's a little dirty, but extremely versatile. All the old-timers I knew when I was starting reloading all liked it.

I have some 2400 - I've had it for a few years - and have planned to try it in .357. Most of my reloading at the moment is for a competition load and a couple of plinking loads. One day, I will take some time and play with new loads..............

 

The lemishine eliminates spots.

 

H110/W296. Pretty close to 2400.

H110 is great in 44mag and 300blackout too.

 

I use lemishine in the mix as well but have still ended up with water spots when it dries.

 

I dump mine on a towel then grab the 4 corners and shake them around.

 

Does anyone have any 6.8 brass they don't need and would be willing to trade/sell???

I can trade virtually any caliber and amount of anything else.....

 

I do not, but I will ask around my area of north Idaho.
I do have alot of .223, 5.56, I don't need that I would be willing to trade for 30.06 for my Garand, or 7.62x39 .