Why I Love Reloading

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I finally set back up my Hornady progressive press. It’s cold up here and work has been slow, so I’ve been working away at the piles of empty brass I’ve collected turning them into loaded ammo. Today I was working on loading some 38 special. I’ve loaded about 600 rounds of 38 special with a mix of light full wad cutter loads and some hotter 110gn JHP loads. 

The bullets are bullets I got from an estate sale and were practically free since I placed my bid based on other things in the lot. 

The primers are old white carton CCI the local gun shop gave me because he didn’t want to sell primers that old. 

The powder is Winchester 500HS, some of which I got for free, and some of what I bought very very cheap. 

Brass is range brass which I’m into for just my time to pick it up and sort it, and some that came from my own shooting. 

To buy the same amount of ammo in new ammo would have cost me about $350. I’m probably into this 600 rounds for under 10 bucks total. Should keep my combat masterpiece fed for quite some time. 

I’m noticing a trend where reloading components are not only becoming available again, the prices are coming down, and the hoarders are selling off parts of their stash. I haven’t done much reloading the last 3 years and have been buying factory as needed to feed my guns. It’s been a good few days cranking out 45acp, 10mm, 44 mag, 38 special and 357 ammo. I’ve loaded about 5000 rounds total in the last week or two. Next up is some 45 Colt with some old Speer 200gn Magnum JHP, or flying ash trays like they used to be called.

I've always considered a reloading session to be therapy. Just me alone at the bench with a 70s hits music CD playing through my 70s era Pioneer Stereo and speakers! Can't get much more relaxed than that.





Terry

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I like reloading nearly as much as I do shooting. I used to enjoy casting bullets too, but no longer have the equipment needed and don't really have the time, but I would like to get back to it one of these days.

Right now I've got the case tumbler running with a batch of very nasty 45 colt brass. I don't remember where I got it, but it looks like it was stored outside, and I found a few balloon head cases in it while sorting it. I threw those in the trash and put the rest the rotary tumbler for a bath. Once it comes out, I'll give it another hand inspection and weed out the ones that I don't like, and then I'll be loading up some heavy 45 colt "Ruger Only" tyle loads to run in my NM Blackhawk and my Rossi 454 Casull Carbine.

I used to cast bullets for 45, 9, and 38 back in the eighties. I don't shoot enough now to make it practical.

Terry

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I just ran into a road block with my 45 colt project. I knew I didn't have a shell plate for the Progressive press, but I was gonna deal with it and load on the single stage since I am only loading 300 rounds anyway. I could have sworn I've loaded 45 colt before, but I don't seem to have a set of 45 colt dies. I probably did poveerty reloading and backed my 45 ACP dies way out, but I'm not gonna play that game this time so I'll get a Lee 4 die set and a shell plate for the progressive. Unfortunately thats gonna have to wait a bit as work has been slow and I over spent a bit last week when I found good deals on reloading supplies.

Ah well! I needed to get a set of 454 casull suitable dies anyway.

[The Shooters Apprentice]

That 45 colt brass was defiantly nasty! I normally only run brass for a half hour to a hour depending on condition but I let it run in the tumbler for 2 hours with this grody 45 colt brass. When I emptied out the water it was more like mud, and while the brass was cleaning up ok, it was still very dull looking. So I gave it a rinse and put it back in with fresh cleaning solution and put it back on for another half hour. First time I've ever had to run a double bath with the wet tumbler.

[The Shooters Apprentice]

It came out pretty nice after the second cleaning. Some of this stuff is pretty old. Lots old old headstamp stuff in here, WRA, Peters, UMC and the likes. Found a few balloon head as well. I used to have quite a bit of balloon head 45 colt brass thinking I would eventually load black powder loads with it, but finally threw it out for feaf of it getting mixed in and accidentally loaded with a hot load.