I've been using Hornady One Shot with carbide dies. I like that I don't need to worry about cleaning up after sizing. What do you do to remove the lanolin after sizing? I use a homemade lanolin/alcohol mix on my rifle cases and they are sticky afterwards. I'm trying to get away from wet tumbling a second time before priming/charging/seating.
What did you reload today?
- Thread starter Ad Astra
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I usually don't worry about the slight waxy feel of the cases that I use the lanolin spray on, or I use isopropyl alcohol on a paper towel to wipe them off if it is excessive. I mostly use the DIY spray during high volume reloading of small rifle cases like .223, .30 carbine, etc., rarely with .308. But most of my other rifle cases I use Imperial sizing wax for smaller batches of reloading. So far I haven't had any problems with the slightly waxy cases as far as functioning in my ARs, etc. I usually don't use any lube on pistol cases with carbide dies unless I'm processing a lot of brass, and then only occasionally and minimally. I suppose one could be concerned with the waxy cases picking up dirt, in which I'd use an alcohol soaked rag or paper towel, but my cases go straight from the ammo box to the magazine and are promptly shot before they have a chance to pick up much dirt. YMMV greatly. What can I say, I'm lazy!
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350+ 9mm 124 gr. plated flatpoint over 4.8 gr. of Unique powder.
Ladder loaded 9mm 124 FMJ on 3.6 to 4.1 of Titegroup. The flattened flakes of Titegroup don’t meter very well in my Lee budget powder measures. I get a .1-ish grain variation here and there. I know for plinking and goofing around that doesn’t matter much at all but it still bugs me. The size of the flakes in my batch varied a lot too.
Anyone have a fav powder drop I can stick on a turret press?
Anyone have a fav powder drop I can stick on a turret press?
I think +/- 0.1 gr. is the norm unless you are auto trickling. As already stated some powders meter better than others and some powder measures are more consistent than others, but there will always be some variation. That's why I never load minimum or maximum charges, +/- 0.1 gr. won't be the reason I miss the X-ring. Certainly not with pistol calibers. Precision rifle is another thing, but those charges are individually weighed. As far as powder chargers are concerned, you get what you pay for. Harrels is arguably the very best. Most of my pistol loading is done on my Dillon 550 and Dillon's powder charger works well enough, but there is some slight variation in charges. If I'm loading a caliber that is not set up on the Dillon, then I'm usually using my Redding BR 3 powder measure, it's not set up on a press, but it could be. When setting up a powder measure or just checking for consistent charges, I'll throw 10 charges and weigh them together, the total weight should be very close to 10 X the desired charge weight. So if my desired charge weight is 5.0 gr.s and the total weight of 10 charges is 50.2 gr., then there is some obvious variations in charge weight, but the 10 round average is very close to 5.0 gr. and there are so many other variables that affect accuracy, whatever variations in velocity caused by a 0.1 gr. error will probably be undetectable at normal pistol ranges. Unless you are able to shoot one small ragged hole, I wouldn't worry about 0.1 gr. variations. You would have to chronograph a large number of shots to determine how much slight variations in charge weight affect velocity. Cheaper electronic scales are usually accurate to only +/- 0.1 gr., so how would you tell if it was the precision of your scale or the precision of your powder measure? My Sartorius electronic scale is precise to 0.01 gr., it can detect one granule of Varget powder. But it is a PITA to use because of its sensitivity. I usually use my relatively inexpensive Pact electronic scale to check the accuracy of my charges unless I'm using my RCBS ChargeMaster auto scale.
There are a number of things one can do to improve the consistency of their powder measures. Polish the metal lower "funnel" portion of the powder measure, install aftermarket baffles, keep the powder level in the reservoir near full, rap on the side of the powder measure with each charge, etc., etc. Obviously there becomes a diminishing point of return for all the things one could do to get the last possible bit of accuracy. Just buy the best powder charger that you can afford and live with what ever small variations that occur.
There are a number of things one can do to improve the consistency of their powder measures. Polish the metal lower "funnel" portion of the powder measure, install aftermarket baffles, keep the powder level in the reservoir near full, rap on the side of the powder measure with each charge, etc., etc. Obviously there becomes a diminishing point of return for all the things one could do to get the last possible bit of accuracy. Just buy the best powder charger that you can afford and live with what ever small variations that occur.
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I think that most reloaders striving for precision have unrealistic expectations when it comes to volumetric powder measures. If you read users evaluations from MidwayUSA for example, their satisfaction ratings are all over the place. Some are satisfied with their RCBS, Lyman or Hornady dispensers, some are not. Some will say that the Redding 3BR (my favorite, because I don't have a Harrel) is the best thing since sliced bread and another will say that it's no better than a cheaper product. The precision of any volumetric powder measure is highly dependent on how well a given powder meters no matter how high end the powder measure is. If you are looking for a "set and forget" solution (which you shouldn't), then select a small grained ball powder that meters well and a mid-range charge load, but still check your loads periodically with an electronic scale.
The best use of a precision volumetric scale is to NOT have it mounted to a reloading press, to dispense charges just shy of the desired charge weight and to trickle up to the final charge weight.
The best use of a precision volumetric scale is to NOT have it mounted to a reloading press, to dispense charges just shy of the desired charge weight and to trickle up to the final charge weight.
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Great advice. I’ve been very happy with with my Hornady LNL thrower. Most powders it will measure +/- .1gr very consistently. For plinking or practice ammo this is fine and when I’m setting up the load I allow for the possibility of the +1gn and I’m never loading max loads with it.
If I’m using a stick/extruded powder it will sometimes give me +/- .2gr but I don’t use it much for extruded because those are usually rifle rounds and I tend to load those in batches on a single stage using a RCBS Chargemaster.
Anything I’m loading for defensive purposes or close/up to max loads I reload with a single stage in batches.
Cleaning some .45ACP today. Been on a reloading revival kick recently. I forgot how much fun it was
'nuther 150-ish rounds of 9mm, using up odds and ends before changing up the Dillon 550 for another caliber.
Picked up a Lee autodrum for the turret. With Titegroup having such a small range the Lee Autodisk didn’t have enough , uh, resolution to dispense in .1gn increments. It has decent reviews so I am hopeful it works out well.
Let us know how it works out for you!
The current state of my reloading area. I hope to have it all back together by the end of this week. 
I never thought about using a wooden desk as a reloading bench... You have given me some ideas!
Desks can make excellent reloading benches. Mine is an old drafting table from Iowa State University, has a tag and everything. The top is 3 pieces of pine, 1 3/4inches thick and is joined by tongue and groove down their entire length. Super solid. I like the drawers to stick stuff in.I never thought about using a wooden desk as a reloading bench... You have given me some ideas!
I’m an idiot, I just try and pretend to be smart here.
I am setting at this desk talking to you right now.
The desktop hangs over 1 1/2 to 2 feet on either side’. I bet temporary mounts would work?
Are your presses permanently mounted?
No doubt! Get busy with it!The desktop hangs over 1 1/2 to 2 feet on either side’. I bet temporary mounts would work?
Mine are screwed to 3/4 ply double layered and then clamped to a table. Works great.
Yes, but that whole thing is dedicated to reloading. The drawers have dies, shell plates, tools etc in them.
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