Reloading BS thread

I use Ramshot Tac. Pretty cheap and meters well. One of the standard powders for ARs.

 

Win748.......26.5 grains under 55 grain projo......Win748 is ball powder and flows extremely accurate every single charge

 

When college starts and i get my schedule down i'd like to start reloading some 12 gauge trap loads, my grandpa has a reloader that he'll let my use.
My list so far is
hulls
primers
powder
shot (#6 and 7 1/2)
and wads.
Am i missing anything?
this is the reloader (i think)

 

You likely already know this but you can't use #6 on most trap fields or for clays at most courses, 7.5 is usually the largest allowed. Not sure about your grandfathers MEC but have a feeling it may not resize the base fully. If your shooting an auto or pump using hulls fired from other guns that can cause an issue (sometimes) unless you resize first. I only use compression hulls Win. AA or Rem. STS. I'll go head first into a dumpster after them in a heartbeat even though I have thousands of them.

With 12 ga. if your going to be shooting trap and 1 1/8 oz. loads (max allowed) then you might want to check the pricing on promo loads and compare it to what you need to spend in reloading components. I load and shoot 1 oz. at 1200 fps, those can be spendy buying factory loads so it is worth it to me. 1 oz. will handle 16 yard trap, skeet and most sporting clays courses just fine IMO and save a little bit of money in lead. For handicap and longer SC shots I do shoot 1 1/8. My go to standard load is Rem STS hulls, Win. 209 primers, Clays powder, and Downrange DRXL1 Green wad. I've worked with Kevin at Downrange when he first started making wads for cold weather use, great guy and company. And that combination will make soot balls out of targets. In the summer when the temp. and humidity is just right and you center them it will create an orange doughnut for a second then the dust from the ring will shoot through the inside of the doughnut hole and disappear. Because the ATA rules call for a visible piece of the target to be seen broken I have wondered if the puller would call lost. Nothing hits the ground, it just disappears.

Good luck and run the field!

 

Thanks for all the info, I did not know that about #6 loads, but I very rarely shoot at a trap range these days.

You wouldn't happen to know anything about reloading with steel shot for duck hunting would you?
I'm planing on making a small batch of trap loads (to start out), and dabbling in the duck loads as well.

 

Steelshot requires a different steel reloader or a conversion kit on your current reloader.

First thing you need to do is figure out which mec model you have and read the instructions on how to adjust it. Plus you need to make sure you have the right charge bar and correct bushing for whatever powder you use. Reloading shotshells is different the metallic reloading because each hull calls for different components namely wads, powders, and primers. Its not very difficult once you get started but be careful and do lots of research.

 

Thanks for the info, i'll be picking up some books in the near future.

I bought home some reloaders today, one is a MEC, but the model # is worn off (i think, i'll clean it up in a little bit and inspect it) and the other is a texan, according to my Grandpa it's multi-gauge, and he has all the dies (somewhere).

 

On the MEC the model number should be stamped on the base most likely between the mounting holds. It looks like it may possibly be a MEC Jr

 

It is a mec JR, pre-85 so the parts are expensive, this one is set up for 410 and i want to reload 12, so it'd be $180 for gauge conversion dies, or i can get a used mec jr mark v for $125 locally.

 

If you are going to get a mec. Look for a sizemaster since it will resize the shells for you. if now the mec jr you are looking at will work as well.

 

9mm
357 Mag
44 Mag
223 Rem.
220 swift
243 Win.
30-30
30-06
300 WSM
300 WM
7x57
I think that`s all I reload except occasional 204 Ruger for a friend who has the equipment but not into the reloading.

 

Heads up to my fellow reloaders. Midwayusa.com is offering free shipping on orders over $150. Great time to stock up on heavy reloading components (bullets). Now if only I could find powder.

https://www.midwayusa.com/promo/freeshipping-offer

 

70 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip, 41.0 gr IMR 8208 XBR, Neck size only, Remington 9 1/2 Large rifle primer. Not bad for an old rifle. Rem 788 LH 6mm Remington.

 

I've got a question that I think I already know the answer to.

I'm relatively new to reloading, and I've successfully loaded .223 Rem, .270 Win, 300 Win Mag and 9mm Luger. I recently acquired my first revolver. Chambered in .44 Special, which does not seem to be a very popular round.

I ordered the dies from Bass Pro, and was able to find some .44 special brass online at Cabela's. Powder is the same as I use for 9mm, and bullets and primers were in stock at Cabela's. I worked up three different rounds, and finally got to go to the range over the weekend. I was excited to test my new loads, but they wouldn't fit in the cylinder. I didn't want to force them in because I figured that would be bad for the gun and tough to get out after the cases expand.

If I run my finger over the bullet and down the case, the case feels like it has a sharp edge and there is a slight bulge around the bullet. The die set that I bought does not have a crimp die. Should I order one? Will that solve my problem?

 

Sounds like you expanded the case neck just a bit too much, only do it so the bullet will barely start. You might need to adjust your seating die again. Most I think will crimp and seat the bullet at the same time. I do highly recommend a LEE Factory Crimp Die. It does wonderful crimping and is worth the added cost. Save those until you get the FCD and just load some more and try the crimp on the seat die, if your set has one. KYPD.

I use Lee Dies mostly and have the carbide 45 Colt die set. I use the lube pad and run just a thin layer around the outside of the neck about 1/32" wide. The carbide die and that combination are like butter. Makes the effort to resize the cases almost non-existent.

 

@CowboyTaco, are you resizing the cases? Are you putting a roll crimp on the case mouth and then measuring the crimp with calipers? Are you checking that dimension with cartridge specs as listed in your loading books? You do have several reloading manuals, right?

 

Agreed with 45LC. Pick up a Lee factory crimp die and adjust it for a nice roll crimp on your 44 Special rounds. You can lock up a revolver but good shooting non-crimped ammo if the bullets shift in their case. Will also solve your size issue.

 

What are you trying to say?

 

I also use the Win748 for the AR. I like that powder a lot, but don't have much to compare it to.

KYPD? I got the Lee 3-die set, which I don't believe has a crimp die.

http://www.basspro.com/Lee-Three-Die-Pistol-Die-Set/product/1202294/#desc-tab

I was thinking about picking this one up to finish the process:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...=SBC;MMcat104792580;cat104761080;cat104516280

The brass I'm using has never been fired, so I did not run them through the resize die. Once they are fired and have expanded, then I'll resize them.

I'm pretty sure the die set I have is not putting any crimp on. I checked the width of the case mouth last night. It measured .458 and my Hornady reload manual said .456. Wikipedia says .457.

I only have the Hornady reload book. I've read a lot of people say to get multiple, so I tend to look up whatever round I'm working on online. Any recommendations on a second book?

So what I'm gathering from the responses is that I do need to get the Lee Crimp Die, which is what I was thinking before asking the question.

I don't recall if I mentioned it in the original post, but the case will get about halfway down into the cylinder. I would have thought that .458 would be pretty darn close, but hopefully the crimp die will narrow the case by the .002 that I need. I guess I'm an idiot for not checking the case diameters before trying to shove it in...

This is why I love TacomaWorld! I couldn't figure out how to phrase my Google search to get the answer I needed, but get it here in less than 24 hours.

 

Will a brand-new case fit easily into the chamber of your revolver? When I was using the Lee three die set, back in the olden days, the crimp and seating were done with the same die. The case was getting squeezed as the bullet was getting pushed into it. Not the best way to go. Now I seat and crimp with separate dies.