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Which 9mm bullet weight for Steel Challenge? (Page 2 of 3)
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Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: It always seemed to me that the dudes with all the super weird gear/ammo/guns were rarely the dudes that did the best. I saw a couple guys using lighter 380 bullets but it seemed like it was quite a bit of tweaking for little if any advantage. Besides… With my weird schedule, if I can ever make it to a USPSA match or an IDPA match at kinda the last minute, I want to be able grab one GI surplus ammo can off the shelf of my 9mm reloads. Then rest assured I grabbed ammo that makes minor power factor and meets whatever minimum bullet weight requirement. I don’t want to be thinking “OH, CRAP! I grabbed my Steel Challenge ammo by mistake!”  EDIT: if I wanted to shoot Open with a true 2011 Open gun or some other compensated Open gun, I see HS-6 and LongShot are both good powders for 9 Major. They must be really slow powders that produce enough gas to work the comp. I have HS-6 and LS on hand too. Not that I would “super charge” them to Major power factor level for SC. Next week I plan on firing up the RCBS Pro Melt and seeing what a nice casual throughput pace would get me with one of Mi-Hec’s brass 9mm moulds. And then powder coating them. Then resizing them. |
| The family I shot with worried about the same thing so they found a good 9mm load that ran in all their guns and solidly made minor and quit worrying about it. Made a lot of sense to me. |
BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
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Originally Posted By Trollslayer: How many times have I heard that old refrain,"I brought the wrong ammo"? Have you ever played with final (sized) diameter and its effect on accuracy? You mean somebody at a match said that? That depends. Does the RO/SO get to see the brass trickle out of the ejection port? We had one local dude who flunked the chrono stage at a major match. And by flunk, it was by a lot. Then at some local club match something goofy happened with his gun where the slide came off and kinda flew down range. So the running joke became: “which travels faster, Galen’s slide or his bullets?” Anywaysssss….looking back now, it all reminds me of the line from Pulp Fiction: “….when all you scamps get together, you are worse than a sewing circle.” Nope! To fiddling around with sizing of the bullets. |
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Originally Posted By Trollslayer: I thought I'd ask because I remember discussions about how the fit of the lead bullet to the bore of a particular pistol was important to minimize leading and maximize accuracy. I always used jacketed, so it didn't matter to me. I remember a thread here where a guy slugged his 9mm guns and there was quite a variance. Pretty interesting stuff. I've read about some Sigs that guys shoot 357 bullets in because of the bigger bore size. I've always found it interesting when there is speed differences between similar barrels. My friend and I chrno'd our load and there was 100 fps difference between my Sig and his CZ. Can't remember which way it went but I think I was slow. |
BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: They tell me now that the range is open to the public. So whether they keep the Steel Challenge stages set up all the time….I don’t know. But still 16 years later, those 10 inch plates at 18 yards on the Pendulum stage are still humbling: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/IMG_6307_jpeg-3746278.JPG I went to the Hodgdon reloading data website. They are showing CFE Pistol with a 124 grainer: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/IMG_6348_jpeg-3746282.JPG 4.9 to 5.5 grains. As a side note…. While I was packing the car Saturday morning, I noticed I was out of reloads, so I had to use Remington 147 grain factory stuff (green and white box). It was set for 6 stages. So I quickly grabbed a couple of other boxes…Winchester factory stuff. I got to the last stage and cracked open that one Winchester box…. Black Talons….wouldn’t ya know it!  I can always crank out about 200 of the 124’s/CFE Pistol rounds, and try shooting them for groups on those 10 inch plates at 18 yards. I also have a brass MiHec mould for 9mm that I have never used. It has the hollow point pins. Maybe I can finally get around to shake and bake powder coating??? You'll love the shake and bake system. A large Coolwhip or the extra large sour cream container. Get some BLACK airsoft bbs (I have no idea why but the black bbs create a much better static charge than the other colors) Get yourself a cheap toaster oven and an oven thermometer and your ready to go except for the paint. |
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Originally Posted By Plainsman62: You'll love the shake and bake system. A large Coolwhip or the extra large sour cream container. Get some BLACK airsoft bbs (I have no idea why but the black bbs create a much better static charge than the other colors) Get yourself a cheap toaster oven and an oven thermometer and your ready to go except for the paint. I still have the Harbor Freight powder coat gun in the box, new. I already have the toaster oven. I made up trays way back when, when I thought I was going to be spraying them. Nose down. On that non-stick aluminum foil. Last night I watched a few videos on YT about powder coating boolits. There were a few dudes who were doing it with what they call a “number 5 container”. Which I guess refers to the type of plastic or its recyclability . But absolutely NO airsoft BB’s. They were generating enough of a static electricity charge with just the plastic tub. Way back when, I tried dissolving the powder coat in acetone, and baking the kinda coated boolits on a mesh basket. They tried sticking to the basket at first, but they definitely stuck to each other. That was a cluster. I gave up on that idea. So in one of last night’s videos, I watched a guy dump the freshly baked PC’ed boolits directly into a 5 gallon bucket filled with water. They didn’t get stuck to each other or clumped together. The actual powder coating I got from a guy who used to PC my steel targets / target stands. One jar is a zombie green, one is a bright blue, and I can’t remember what the other color is. He gave me a sales pamphlet or brochure from Cardinal , IIRC. ( cadinalpaint DOT com ) Attached File I think the powders that he gave me are some type of polyester, but it has been so long ago. I think a lot of people get their PC powder from cast boolits forum member “ Smoke”. It might be a week or so out before I am ready to powder coat. Thanks for the reply. |
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Look at the bottom of any plastic container. There will be a triangle with a number inside the triangle. #5 generates static that is needed for powder to stick to bullets. There are some horrible utube videos on powder coating. I learned the process at Cast Boolets in the Coatings and Alternatives forum. https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?184-Coatings-and-Alternatives Forum filled with good guys. When you get there read the stickies for the best info.  4th of July ammo. |
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
I used to use the black airsoft bbs when I started doing Shake n Bake. I was also starting with HF Red...  I have better quality powder now. I have Eastwood Jet Black and a couple direct from Prismatic Colors. I have been shaking in a #5 quart yogurt container without the bbs and having satisfactory results. It makes the process so much faster for me not having to worry about separating the bbs from the bullets. Attached File |
I am not an AFT agent.
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Originally Posted By dryflash3: Look at the bottom of any plastic container. There will be a triangle with a number inside the triangle. #5 generates static that is needed for powder to stick to bullets. There are some horrible utube videos on powder coating. I learned the process at Cast Boolets in the Coatings and Alternatives forum. https://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?184-Coatings-and-Alternatives Forum filled with good guys. When you get there read the stickies for the best info. https://i.imgur.com/3rlzjG6h.jpg 4th of July ammo. Yes sir! Cast boolits is where I first learned about PC’ing boolits. I finally got around to getting the MP mould out of the drawer. I scrubbed the cavities with water, Dawn dishwashing soap, and a toothbrush. I will have to see what diameter this: Attached File Actually drops them at. I am guessing that I would want them go drop, then PC, and the resize at 0.356” for 9mm. The “359” marked on the mould seems kinda “fat”. Now, I’m just trying to find the correct baggie of pins that goes with that mould. Thank goodness I saved my extra Lyman die boxes: Attached File There are a lot of tiny parts that go with these moulds. |
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Well…. I was thinking about casting some boolits down in my cellar tonight… Then I realized I had a little friend visiting with me: Attached File That was some old .40 cal brass I had in that bucket. The plastic got brittle over the years , and the bucket cracked, spilling the brass onto the cellar’s floor. I think I am going go give him a few minutes. I’ll check back later. Hopefully, he will move on to “greener pastures”. |
Thanks to some folks in GD, they clued me in that it was just a garter snake. I was able to cast some good ones tonight: Attached File Yes, I know…they are frosty looking. They were running about 0.365” in diameter and about 140 grains. The Lee push through sizer says it is 0.356” Is that too much to “squish” in one pass? Or should I try a different mold? |
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I also found the old powder coat my buddy gave me: Attached File Attached File Attached File I googled the red one. That came back as a polyester powder, so I think that is good sign. |
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Those cast bullets don’t look so great to me (probably will shoot OK I suppose). Looks like there is some finning from the mold not being closed all the way - check that there isn’t any small chunks of lead or debris on the flat surfaces of the mold keeping it from closing fully. Then you probably need to mess around with the temp of the lead and mold to keep the bullets from having issues where it isn’t a consistent liquid pour. Should not have lines in them like some of them do. Your .359 mold is intended for .38 spl/.357 mag projectiles where hitting .358 for a sized cast projectile is the most common cast size to use. If they size down to .356 easily in one pass, just do that. But they will be even larger after powder coating so you will be sizing down more than the .360 to .356 difference. |
a loaded gun won’t set you free, so you say…
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Originally Posted By tac556: Those cast bullets don’t look so great to me (probably will shoot OK I suppose). Looks like there is some finning from the mold not being closed all the way - check that there isn’t any small chunks of lead or debris on the flat surfaces of the mold keeping it from closing fully. Then you probably need to mess around with the temp of the lead and mold to keep the bullets from having issues where it isn’t a consistent liquid pour. Should not have lines in them like some of them do. Your .359 mold is intended for .38 spl/.357 mag projectiles where hitting .358 for a sized cast projectile is the most common cast size to use. If they size down to .356 easily in one pass, just do that. But they will be even larger after powder coating so you will be sizing down more than the .360 to .356 difference. Thank you sir! I did a google image search a few days ago. And came across an article in Handloader magazine: Attached File My immediate thought was “WHOOPS! I ordered the wrong mould!” That was 11 years ago, when I ordered them. I still have the invoice. If my memory is correct, MP had not started making moulds yet for PC’ed boolits. So that is why it still has the lube groove. I’ll hop on MP’s website or maybe NOE’s website this weekend and order a groove-less 9mm mould. |
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I took the flat nose pins out of that mould tonight. Upon a closer inspection, sure enough, there was a little “bead” of lead that had gotten stuck to the flat of the left half of the mould. I tried taking a BBQ lighter to it, being mindful to keep it moving. NOPE! Not good enough, not enough heat. Then I switched over to a MAPP gas torch. Again keeping it moving,… I could see that “bead” change color…. Then I just kinda pushed it off with a brass punch. EUREKA! Then I let that half cool down on its own. Once it got cool enough to handle, then I mated it up to the other half. Holding them up to the light to see if there was light squeaking by. I put a piece of steel across my electric hot plate. Then put the mould on that. I ran short on time tonight, so I had to shut everything down. Later this week I will be back at it with the hollow point pins inserted. |
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A “new-to-me” gun today: Attached File And with this gun…HECK YEAH! I could tell a difference between my 147 grain/ TiteGroup loads vs. the 124 grain/CFE pistol loads. The 147’s felt softer.
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Originally Posted By wvfarrier: I use the 115gr xtp (i bought several thousand from a store that closed) loaded to 1275fps. In a full size steep gun, recoil is negligible and they are accurate and fast. I stopped off at another gun store today. They had the 115 grain HAP’s: Attached File Their sales tax rate is 9.85% so out-the-door, we’re talking $83.44. So 16.7 cents per “round”.  |
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Ran some of my handloads through a Czechmate today: Attached File Gun ran 100%. No issues with my Production type 147gr and 124gr loads / OAL’s |
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I shot a Steel Challenge match yesterday. I ran out of my reloads, but luckily I had bought one of these buckets from Academy Sports: Attached File $108.95 out the door. Or 43.6 cents per round. Then I stopped by Cabela’s on the drive back. I bought 1,000 of the 115gr Hornady HAP’s for $165.72 OTD. Or 16.6 cents per “round”. Then I had the cash register guy ring up two 500 count boxes of the 124gr Hornady FMJ’s, separately from the 115gr HAP’s. $156.76 OTD Or 15.7 cents per round. The sales tax at that Cabela’s is almost at 12%. It’s very rape-y. I think just about everything else at that particular mall is dead. It is otherwise a ghost town. If 12% sales doesn’t kill off that Cabela’s ….the last thing clinging on there…I would be really surprised. I’m working a lot of overtime this month. And probably next month, too. |
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: Yes! Correct about the no power factor thing in Steel Challenge. 15 years ago, I had heard about Open division shooters using 90 and 100 grain bullets normally meant for the .380, for Steel Challenge. The other advantage beside just the speed, was more room in the case for more powder. More powder meant more gas to work the compensator. Which equalled s flatter shooting gun. Which meant the dot got back into view quicker, which got placed on the next plate sooner. 90-100 grain bullets are kind of annoying IMHO. They are tricky in a bullet feeder, tricky to seat deep enough to have proper neck tension, tricky to be long enough to feed. Hard to make power factor, might need lighter recoil springs if not worried about pf. I have a load that works with a specific bullet , but not in a pcc because they chamber too hard and get kinetic bullet pulled with certain brass like blazer. I like 124gr or 115gr fmj for ease of loading and economics. Powder charge and recoil spring plays a big factor too. |
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Originally Posted By snackle: 90-100 grain bullets are kind of annoying IMHO. They are tricky in a bullet feeder, tricky to seat deep enough to have proper neck tension, tricky to be long enough to feed. Hard to make power factor, might need lighter recoil springs if not worried about pf. I have a load that works with a specific bullet , but not in a pcc because they chamber too hard and get kinetic bullet pulled with certain brass like blazer. I like 124gr or 115gr fmj for ease of loading and economics. Powder charge and recoil spring plays a big factor too. Thanks for the reply! At the match over the weekend, I noticed there was only one guy who was scrounging up the brass. So I asked him which bullets he liked. He said he liked the 147 grain Brass Monkey Bullets: Attached File Then he either said “With my 4 kids shooting, I need a cheap bullet.” Or “With the four of us shooting, I need a cheap bullet.” I saw one of his kids earlier in the match loading up those speckled bullets into magazines. They kinda reminded me of a robin’s egg. Side note…. Hornady changed up their 500 count boxes, at least for 9mm, they are narrower. So they have to be taller now. So tall they won’t fit in my usual 9mm bullet drawer, in my roll around tool box. But I did find these last night: Attached File Then I found another box, so I cranked out 500 of those TMJ’s last night. I still had Tite Group in the powder measure, and it was still dialed in at 3.5 grains, so that’s what I went with. I think the gun club I am a member of was handling the reloading stuff from a deceased member’s estate. And that’s where I picked up those Speer TMJ’s. EDIT: the heat and humidity was absolutely brutal on Saturday at the match. (Which is why I wasn’t scrounging any brass.) I thought I had applied sunscreen, but the white horizontal stripes on my temples must mean I sweated off all the sunscreen. EDIT #2: I hand cycled those TMJ reloads through my CZ’s. They were seated out to 1.15” for an OAL. No problems there either. |
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I shot my first USPSA match in 14 years, yesterday. I used those Speer 147grain TMJ’s. The gun ran 100%. I’m not gonna lie, the heat/humidity kicked my butt. I did see a few people’s guns jam yesterday. Whether that was an issue with their gun or their ammo/reloads…I have no idea. But I will say this, like those old Mastercard commercials , having a gun and ammo combo that just flat out runs….PRICELESS! It is a different crowd or generation now shooting these matches. 14 years ago, you coulda shouted from the peanut gallery, “IF YA PUT SOME POWDER IN THOSE CASES, YOU’RE GUN WOULD ACTUALLY RUN.” And everybody would have had a good laugh about it. The other thing that kicked my butt was all the walking I got in from tape’ing targets and re-setting steel: Attached File I reckon 10,000 steps is 5 miles. I know some of the rules have changed so I didn’t feel comfortable enough to take on the RO duties. And I didn’t feel up to running the tablet and entering peoples’s scores. Our squad might have been missing a few people. I think they backed out at the last minute. So tape’ing and resetting was my wheelhouse yesterday.
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EDIT: I asked one of the guys in my squad who was doing the RO duties if had actually taken the RO class. He said, “Yes!” So I asked him, kinda bluntly, “Is there still this stupid popper calibration rule if you don’t knock a full size pepper popper down with the first or second hit, you should stop yourself and ask for the MD/RM to calibrate the popper?” He said, “Yes!” I think I replied with, “Jeesh, they still haven’t changed that rule?” Then another dude who reloads piped up with, “What I learned from that….don’t reload 115’s! HA! HA!” So another reason why I am glad I was shooting 147’s. |
| We had a guy that liked to complain about the poppers. We certainly had some finicky ones occasionally but for the most part they were good. He would shoot one on the edge and then call for calibration. I loved it when they fell down with a single decent shot. |
BikerNut:
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
Normal people like motorcycles. Real people like motorcycles.
People who don't like motorcycles are just... weird.
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Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: We had a guy that liked to complain about the poppers. We certainly had some finicky ones occasionally but for the most part they were good. He would shoot one on the edge and then call for calibration. I loved it when they fell down with a single decent shot. The one and only time I ever asked for a popper calibration at a local club match, the MD came over, smacked the popper with his hand, and said “Yeah, that does seem to be set heavy….RE-SHOOT!” Then he cranked on the adjustment bolt to set it lighter, and smacked it with his hand again. “A’yup! That feels about right.” The poppers I saw this weekend were a totally different design than what I usually see. They have a separate base plate that was maybe 12” by 12” square. Then the popper plates themselves were plasmaCAM’ed or water jet’ed so that on the bottom, it had an inverted “T” design. Then the separate base plate had two notched uprights that the “arms” of the inverted T popper plate dropped into. There was an adjustment screw/bolt with a spring. I thought it was a pretty slick system, especially for tearing down because you could just pull the popper plate straight up out of the base and carry that separately without worrying about your fingers getting pinched with a hinged base made from angle iron. That newer base plate design with the spring made it easy to turn it into a forward falling popper, too. I think there was a brand new guy in the squad ahead of us who didn’t realize it was a forward falling popper. He put two or three rounds onto it not realizing he was inadvertently re-setting it with each hit. |
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I took the SL900 off my bench and replaced it with my other 650. Luckily I had all the 9mm related doodads to switch it over. I installed the Swage-It: Attached File And I was still having issues with the stock or OEM ejector wire hanging up cases: Attached File Kind of a pain. I filled up one Akro-bin with decapped and Swage-It’ed brass. That is what is in the FART now. |
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More adventures in de-priming 9mm, aerobically: Attached File Attached File The pro about using the Swage It tool is that it will find the .380’s for you. And then those .380’s get the pliers treatment, then off into the scrap bucket. Attached File Yes, a rock / piece of gravel can get stuck in the case feeder tube and then cause a log jam: Attached File I have found two Berdan primed pieces of 9mm tonight. I thought they were nickel plated brass. Turns out there was steel underneath it. I will say this though, the Dillon universal decapper has held on there really well. If it had been a Lee decapper, I would have pushed pin/rod assembly up through the collet a few times already. |
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: That newer base plate design with the spring made it easy to turn it into a forward falling popper, too. I think there was a brand new guy in the squad ahead of us who didn’t realize it was a forward falling popper. He put two or three rounds onto it not realizing he was inadvertently re-setting it with each hit. LOL, good one! That sounds like something I would do. |
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: Then another dude who reloads piped up with, “What I learned from that….don’t reload 115’s! HA! HA!” So another reason why I am glad I was shooting 147’s. Heavy bullets is why I own a 45 ACP for shooting steel. The 158's from my 38 Spl were not getting it done and magnums were disallowed on that range (for some ridiculous reason). Momentum, not energy, is needed to knock things down. For me, it's 230 gr at 830 fps (5.3 gr of W231). |
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Originally Posted By Trollslayer: Heavy bullets is why I own a 45 ACP for shooting steel. The 158's from my 38 Spl were not getting it done and magnums were disallowed on that range (for some ridiculous reason). Momentum, not energy, is needed to knock things down. For me, it's 230 gr at 830 fps (5.3 gr of W231). I agree with you there. Uumph…gumption…wallup…whatever you want to call it. I know full size 42 inch tall poppers are expensive at about $300 each, bbbbuuutttt… There are smaller circular steel plates out there that fall, that can be mounted to a vertical 2X4 post. It would be fun to see more all steel stages. Speaking of steel…. I did find this gadget for those steel case and most likely Berdan primed 9mm’s: Attached File Here’s the link: https://inlinefabrication.com/products/magnetic-quick-detach-for-dillon-case-feeders?srsltid=AfmBOoqvnzHcmUxDwh6eKfl1rfMRsras4h8ugvcNdPEo5X_PDvWkMDNS And the YT video:  RPG2 Magnetic Case Feed Detach for Dillon Case Feeders But since I have that big transfer magnet by Frankford Arsenal for the stainless pins, I reckon on just passing that magnet over the brass as they are still set out on the table. After they get done drying. |
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I ordered the Lee aluminum 6 banger for 9mm, 124ish grains, tumble lube mould tonight. And some handles. I’m hoping those will drop closer to say .355 or .356 I already have the Lee bullet sizing die that screws into a single stage press. My plan is to try powder coating these tumble lube bullets. As a side note…. I looked at other moulds from say Lyman, RCBS, and Saeco.  Those Saeco prices were nuts! Anywhooo…I kinda wish, now, I had kept the Star, and bought the bullet feeder mechanism and the bullet collator. 
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: I ordered the Lee aluminum 6 banger for 9mm, 124ish grains, tumble lube mould tonight. And some handles. I’m hoping those will drop closer to say .355 or .356 I already have the Lee bullet sizing die that screws into a single stage press. My plan is to try powder coating these tumble lube bullets. As a side note…. I looked at other moulds from say Lyman, RCBS, and Saeco. Those Saeco prices were nuts! Anywhooo…I kinda wish, now, I had kept the Star, and bought the bullet feeder mechanism and the bullet collator. Did you get the round nose or the truncated cone mold? I have the TC mold and have been happy with it. Attached File |
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Round nose. I saw a thread on the cast boolits forum about which mould for CZ75’s. A few posters there recommended the round nose version. I kinda had my second thoughts before I hit proceed on the transaction. “How can something be so inexpensive yet work so well?” The flip side being the Saeco and the RCBS steel/iron moulds. If I bought one of those, and I didn’t like it or my guns turned into jamomatics, I would be out about 160 to 230 dollars. |
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Don't know if you have a Lee AAP. I use mine for progressive decapping.  And progressive bullet sizing. Down side is it uses different sizers than what is used on a standard press. I gave all my old style sizers to a member here. |
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
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^^^ that thought has crossed my mind. To get one. Buttttt…. Once I get through all this 9mm brass… I might track down a local guy who is buying brass from an indoor range. I think he has an automated 1050 and is processing brass. I think I started a thread here a while back about the automated decapper from the RollsizerDOTcom people. And depending on how my elbow feels, I might also spring for their rollsizer. Of course, naturally, the catch is none of those two options do anything for removing the primer crimps. Does the APP do anything for primer crimps (when set up for depriming)? Has anybody been able to cobble up a Dillon casefeeder to supply the APP? |
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: ^^^ that thought has crossed my mind. To get one. Buttttt . Once I get through all this 9mm brass I might track down a local guy who is buying brass from an indoor range. I think he has an automated 1050 and is processing brass. I think I started a thread here a while back about the automated decapper from the RollsizerDOTcom people. And depending on how my elbow feels, I might also spring for their rollsizer. Of course, naturally, the catch is none of those two options do anything for removing the primer crimps. Does the APP do anything for primer crimps (when set up for depriming)? Has anybody been able to cobble up a Dillon casefeeder to supply the APP? Nothing near as refined as a 1050. |
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
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I’m kicking myself, now. There used to be a place in St. Louis called Hi Tech ammo. At some point they moved to Wentzville, MO. They do pull down stuff. So I was there one time easily 15 years ago to buy some Lake City brass and some WC 844 powder (at least I think that is what it is called). I said something to the proprietor about dealing with the primer crimps. He replied with something like “We have eleven 1050’s. We would be willing to let one or two go.” Considering the volume they used to do, I figured they were all in the “ridden hard and put away wet” category. Plus no lifetime warranty on the 1050. And of course my bank account at the time, I didn’t even bother asking “How much?”
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I remember Hi Tech, miss them. But now we have AR. I lucked out finding my first 1050 from a reloader "quitting" due to health. 8 months later I was up to speed on them and found another 1050 at the funshow. Half the parts were missing and got it for about 1/5th retail. Bought a case feeder, powder measure, some parts and I now have two 1050's. One for each primer size. If your handy, watch the videos on Dillons site, you can get a used one running with some tinkering. Both of mine now have bullet feeders (Dillon) and you run through a primer mag (100) in 7, 8 minutes. That at a normal not hurrying speed. Keep your eyes open, it only took me about 10 years to find one "at a deal". |
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
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I didn’t really pay attention yesterday to how long it took me to crank out 100 rounds with my no-bullet-feeder equipped 650. I would take each 100 and go into another room, and sit down with the Armanov “hundo” and case gauge ‘em. I had the movie “Lord of War” playing in another room. So all told, I cranked out 500 rounds. Plus all the decapping I did on the other 650, so I could get the FART going as I cranked out some reloads. Maybe 1,000 cranks on the 650s’s handles yesterday. I was feeling it. EDIT: I figured out last month that with the Berry’s flip lid boxes, I can get 500 rounds, in the boxes, in a .30 cal ammo can. Yeah, yeah, I know, it’s overkill putting plastic boxed ammo into a metal ammo can. |
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WA, USA
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: I didn't really pay attention yesterday to how long it took me to crank out 100 rounds with my no-bullet-feeder equipped 650. I would take each 100 and go into another room, and sit down with the Armanov "hundo" and case gauge 'em. I had the movie "Lord of War" playing in another room. So all told, I cranked out 500 rounds. Plus all the decapping I did on the other 650, so I could get the FART going as I cranked out some reloads. Maybe 1,000 cranks on the 650s's handles yesterday. I was feeling it. EDIT: I figured out last month that with the Berry's flip lid boxes, I can get 500 rounds, in the boxes, in a .30 cal ammo can. Yeah, yeah, I know, it's overkill putting plastic boxed ammo into a metal ammo can. |
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
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Okay, I don’t feel so bad now. At the USPSA match last month, some guy from another squad was giving me the hairy eyeball as I was pulling a plastic box out of the .30 cal ammo can. So he was either perplexed by how anal retentive I looked… Or that I was actually reloading 9mm. Or at my level of sweatiness that I was still standing. I might try welding some U-bolts to the outside of the ammo can. That way I can attach a shoulder strap to the can. |
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Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad: I might try welding some U-bolts to the outside of the ammo can. That way I can attach a shoulder strap to the can. I've taken an old luggage strap and just clipped it to the ammo can handles before. Something akin to this stock image 
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I am not an AFT agent.
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I was thinking of something that would keep the lid closed. I cranked out 200 of the 115 grain HAPs tonight. I switched the other 650 over to deprime .45ACP. And got an akrobin’s worth wet tumbled and drying. It has probably been 20 years since I reloaded 115 grainers. I’m not used to such a short OAL. So that’s why I just did 200 tonight. I’d like to try them at the range first in a few guns before I really crank ‘em out. The 115gr HAP has a weird shape. EDIT: I spotted this right before I was about to seat a bullet: Attached File |
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WOOT! WOOT! It’s like Christmas in July, at the post office. My Midway order came in. Now granted this only my second Lee mould, but they are coming in neat plastic cases now: Attached File My first Lee mould was a buckshot mould. It didn’t come in a box or case. If I had actually mounted the mould to the handles, you would see that the case has room for the handles as well. I thought that was clever. |
Global Warming Hoax Skeptic before it was cool
Joined:
Jun 2007
Posts:
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EE: 100% (1)
WA, USA
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My last Lee 6 gang mold, 200 gr RNFP in 44 cal came in a plastic box. Years ago I made a wooden box to store my 4,5, and 6 gang molds, so won't be using this box. Separate box stores the 1 and 2 gang molds. |
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
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Here are the results of standing at the casting pot for 10 minutes (I set the timer on my phone): Attached File I’m calling those my 147 count good ones. My “formation” of culls is in the bottom left of the pic. They were culled mainly because they are wrinkly: Attached File Tomorrow I will randomly pull 10 of the good ones and weigh them. Then I will measure them (for diameter). |
Which 9mm bullet weight for Steel Challenge? (Page 2 of 3)
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