First batch!
As promised, here's my other Christmas gift (the one that's bolted to the table in my basement):
It's a Lee Turret Reloader. And here's my first batch of 50:
I test fired 5 rounds before I ran this batch, and all went "bang" (without destroying my handgun or blowing off my fingers, thankfully!), and fed without a problem. I didn't want to do more than 50, just in case I start having trouble with round #6.
For those of you who are interested, I'm using S&B once-fired brass (of which I've collected thousands over the years), Alliant Unique powder (5.1 grains per round), Winchester large pistol primers and Valiant 200 grain lead semi-wadcutter bullets. I've never used semi-wadcutters, so I wasn't sure how well they'd feed, but the few rounds I tested seemed fine.
Since it's a nauseatingly mild day (sunny and 56 degrees right now), I'll most likely have a range report ready to go this evening.
Reloading is really pretty easy. For me, the toughest part was getting over the mental hurdle of stressing over blowing something up. As long as you follow the data in a quality reloading manual (and follow that data to the letter) you won't have a problem. Once my first test round went "bang", I felt better about it. It's kind of silly to get worked up about it, I suppose -- but I can't afford to replace a damage gun or to re-attach fingers right now, so I don't feel all that bad about feeling so relieved the first time it went "bang"!
I need to find somebody with a chrono to see how closely the FPS match what should be happening per the manual. For now, though, the rounds fire, they feed fine and they cycle the gun. That's good enough for the time being.
It's a Lee Turret Reloader. And here's my first batch of 50:
I test fired 5 rounds before I ran this batch, and all went "bang" (without destroying my handgun or blowing off my fingers, thankfully!), and fed without a problem. I didn't want to do more than 50, just in case I start having trouble with round #6.
For those of you who are interested, I'm using S&B once-fired brass (of which I've collected thousands over the years), Alliant Unique powder (5.1 grains per round), Winchester large pistol primers and Valiant 200 grain lead semi-wadcutter bullets. I've never used semi-wadcutters, so I wasn't sure how well they'd feed, but the few rounds I tested seemed fine.
Since it's a nauseatingly mild day (sunny and 56 degrees right now), I'll most likely have a range report ready to go this evening.
Reloading is really pretty easy. For me, the toughest part was getting over the mental hurdle of stressing over blowing something up. As long as you follow the data in a quality reloading manual (and follow that data to the letter) you won't have a problem. Once my first test round went "bang", I felt better about it. It's kind of silly to get worked up about it, I suppose -- but I can't afford to replace a damage gun or to re-attach fingers right now, so I don't feel all that bad about feeling so relieved the first time it went "bang"!
I need to find somebody with a chrono to see how closely the FPS match what should be happening per the manual. For now, though, the rounds fire, they feed fine and they cycle the gun. That's good enough for the time being.
posted by Alpineman, RN at 3:13 PM
2 Comments:
I really need to get one of those. As a kid me and my dad did some reloading. Seeing yours really motivates me to do just that. By the way nice set up it looks good.
I reload .303 British and 7.62x39mm for my SMLE and SKS. I know well the trepidation of shooting one of your own loads for the first time, and the relief when everything works as it should. I'm currently in the market for some .357 Magnum dies so I can start reloading for my snubbie. Keep up the good work!
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