Who else Hand Loads for their Shootin Iron?

[Tallman]

I started out with the Lee hand loaders. Mostly for straight walled pistol cartridges. I never worried about shinny brass. Now I realize that the tumbler is a good idea. It allows you to inspect the cases for any cracks or deformities. I also always find old brass that I didn't find during my last shooting session, and I clean them up and reload em. They may be discolored, but they still shoot. The main reason to tumble them is to keep your expensive Dies clean.
I also clean out the primer pocket and hole with a primer brush. It takes me a while for case prep, BUT, I've never had an incident with any cartridge I've loaded. Knock on wood. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling to build my own hand loads.

Most of my reloading time is spent inspecting the brass after it have been tumbled and washed in an Ultrasonic cleaner.(Wash first then tumble)
I inspect every aspect of the brass, neck thickness to be sure I measure in four places to be sure it has uniform thickness. Dies are inspected before use for rust, scratches, left over material from previous uses. I had a buddy who had a 30.06 and wanted to borrow my dies for a reloading session. When I finally got them back they weren't worth having any more. Rusted and pitted, all screw heads buggered up and head length out of whack. He took some precision tools and turned them into trash. He left them ride around in the bed of his pickup out of the case no less.
It also ended the friendship.

 

[2NC995]

. I also love my cap and ball revolvers, I do cast my own bullets for those and enjoy it. Ive got more black powder and ammo than Ill ever use....but its so damn fun LOL

Me too. Never got big into revolvers, but I own a pair of 1858 clones. Mine were in good shape when I got them, but very inaccurate. Ended up having to do a lot of work to make them shooters but it was worth it.

 

[Tallman]

Me too. Never got big into revolvers, but I own a pair of 1858 clones. Mine were in good shape when I got them, but very inaccurate. Ended up having to do a lot of work to make them shooters but it was worth it.

Need some pictures of those 1858 clones.

 

[DXman]

I use those too. But for a new rifle I still soot test them. You know where you take a brass case that has been neck re-sized and fired from that particular rifle and soft seat the ball.
Cover it with candle soot drop in place and lock the bolt down. Remove very carefully and read the telltale contact points. That way you can document the maximum length for that rifle. I only have one 30.06 so I don't need to worry about mixing up with rounds made for a different rifle.

I use almost the same method as you, except I just put a lite crimp on neck, then slip the bullet into casing then into chamber, then close bolt.


What I have found to be a little easier for me is the bullet comparator. Have use this one for many many years now. It works off the ogive of the bullet.

There are two of these - they both cover several calibers.

 

[2NC995]

On the subject of tumblers...My Dad loaded for I don’t know how many decades and never used a tumbler. I admit it can be very nice with some powders, but wouldn’t call it necessary. I do use tumblers, mostly because it makes life easier by cleaning while I sleep After I come home I run everything through the decapping press (with auto case ejector) then straight into the tumbler. I clean for utility, not maximum bling....so fine walnut shells and some car polish work for me.

 

[DXman]

Even tho I don't use my tumblers anymore, I still clean them in my Ultrasonic cleaner like Tallman does. With the right solution, all the powder comes out really good. Even the primer pockets are clean.
I don't like my casing to be "slick" & "shiny".

 

[fogdog]

Even tho I don't use my tumblers anymore, I still clean them in my Ultrasonic cleaner like Tallman does. With the right solution, all the powder comes out really good. Even the primer pockets are clean.
I don't like my casing to be "slick" & "shiny".

But they run through my AR's 30 rd magazines so smoooooth when I do a 30 Dump
My Dad never owned a tumbler. He had an entire room of re-loading gear though. It took my Brother and myself 2 days to liquidate his stuff at a Gun Show. He had so much stuff. Me and my brother got what we wanted before that.
My Dad collected guns, and he always said it was his life insurance for my Mom when he passed. 60+ weapons of good quality. We sold most of his weapons and reloading stuff for my Mom. It was a nice chunk of change.

 

[Tallman]

But they run through my AR's 30 rd magazines so smoooooth when I do a 30 Dump
My Dad never owned a tumbler. He had an entire room of re-loading gear though. It took my Brother and myself 2 days to liquidate his stuff at a Gun Show. He had so much stuff. Me and my brother got what we wanted before that.
My Dad collected guns, and he always said it was his life insurance for my Mom when he passed. 60+ weapons of good quality. We sold most of his weapons and reloading stuff for my Mom. It was a nice chunk of change.

When shooting through a semiautomatic you need small base dies which give you the new factory dimension of the ammo. If you are shooting a bolt action the neck resizing is perfect. It was sized to the rifle when you fired it the last time. So just resize the neck and press the the ball in snugly. (Soft Seat)

 

[2NC995]

Gazillions of rounds through SAs - never owned a small base die.

 

[Tallman]

On the subject of tumblers...My Dad loaded for I don’t know how many decades and never used a tumbler. I admit it can be very nice with some powders, but wouldn’t call it necessary. I do use tumblers, mostly because it makes life easier by cleaning while I sleep After I come home I run everything through the decapping press (with auto case ejector) then straight into the tumbler. I clean for utility, not maximum bling....so fine walnut shells and some car polish work for me.

I made my first tumbler from and unused Ice cream freezer. I just pop riveted four aluminum angles to the inside the drum and fitted the lid with a cork and a spring.
Fill with media and brass and lay it on its side plug it in and let it go to town. Worked as good as any I have bought since it gave up the ghost.

 

[DXman]

When shooting through a semiautomatic you need small base dies which give you the new factory dimension of the ammo. If you are shooting a bolt action the neck resizing is perfect. It was sized to the rifle when you fired it the last time. So just resize the neck and press the the ball in snugly. (Soft Seat)

I once loaded for a friend that had a 308 in a Masuer bolt action, I had to use a small base die in order for the casing to fit the tight chamber!

 

[DXman]

But they run through my AR's 30 rd magazines so smoooooth when I do a 30 Dump
My Dad never owned a tumbler.

Fogdog, my reason for not tumbling is: I don't have any Semi Auto's, mine are all bolt action, with bolt actions the casings can stretch to much and have more of chance of head seperation if they are to slick - especially if shooting a "warm" load.

 

[fogdog]

When shooting through a semiautomatic you need small base dies which give you the new factory dimension of the ammo. If you are shooting a bolt action the neck resizing is perfect. It was sized to the rifle when you fired it the last time. So just resize the neck and press the the ball in snugly. (Soft Seat)

Yep

 

[fogdog]

Fogdog, my reason for not tumbling is: I don't have any Semi Auto's, mine are all bolt action, with bolt actions the casings can stretch to much and have more of chance of head seperation if they are to slick - especially if shooting a "warm" load.

I gotcha. The media I use in my tumbler actually doesn't polish them real shinny, but more of a Brite satin finish. Anyway I'll shoot 500, and begin reloading. Then I put them up for awhile. In the mean time I begin shooting 500 more rounds, and so on. So the cartridges can sit around for several months before used again.
In that time period the Brass likes to age. Hahaha, and obtain that saught after factory finish. Kinda

 

[Tallman]

There is an easy way to eliminate tumbling/polishing. Purchase never fired nickel plated National Match Grade Brass Cases. Unfortunately Ihave not been able to find the ones I need for my .06.