RanchRoper's Reloading Ruminations

[Rifletom]

Funny! Thats 1.600" to us. I believe RR said his dummy round cycled smoothly. Sounds like he's good.
Mine are set at 1.580". 250gr LRNFP.

[RanchRoper]

1.79" on the 8 rounds I just shot....see range report.....

[RanchRoper]

Put together 50 rounds in about an hour. No rush lots of double checking and powder weighing. Auto drum powder measure throws pretty consistent charge. I check every 10 rounds. 6.5 or 6.6 every time. Overall impression of reloading? Relaxing and satisfying. And there will be a certain cool factor packing my own homemade rounds horseback.

Cowboy bullets made in the bunkhouse.

[JEBar]

just think about it .... after the coming winter, by this time next spring how many high quality rounds you will have on hand ....

[RanchRoper]

LOTS.

[JEBar]

I know I find it nice to be able to pack hundreds of rounds in my range bag .... its really nice to be able to shoot until I'm ready to stop

[RanchRoper]

I have trained myself to take max 50 rounds to range at 1 time. Maybe not now.

[Cofisher]

And there is the truth of reloading. You don't really save money, you shoot more.

[Mistered]

And there is the truth of reloading. You don't really save money, you shoot more.

Very true.
AS I have repeated many times reloading should be take on as an extension of one's interest in guns and shooting and not purely as a cost saving undertaking.

[Mags]

.
I would think that to do based on cost savings alone, there might be less joy in reloading because it becomes a chore.

And there is the truth of reloading. You don't really save money, you shoot more.

Very true.
AS I have repeated many times reloading should be take on as an extension of one's interest in guns and shooting and not purely as a cost saving undertaking.

[RanchRoper]

Well I'm having fun so far....primer seated cockeyed this morning...that was interesting...got it out without a "hold my beer and watch this" moment...

[Mistered]

there might be less joy in reloading because it becomes a chore

It shouldn't be a chore. If thats what it becomes for someone then they should quit.
It should be a hobby that is enjoyed.

[RanchRoper]

Tea in the Henry mug, cowboy tunes playing, and making ammo. Seems good to me.

[RanchRoper]

300 rounds in the ammo cabinet that I didn't have a couple of days ago. Not bad...

[JEBar]

how's Badger handling the separation anxiety ..

[RanchRoper]

He's busy right now shedding out his winter buffalo coat...it's a full time job.

[mrguvna]

I have been reloading for many years and I use the Lee turret press for all. I use the on-press priming tool and place the primers in using my fingers, never had any problems with primers. might not be the best practice but don't have any FTF using many brands of primers. I will say that remington primers are weak and i do not like to use them at all. I have had a few squibs with H-4895 and remington primers, so it is winchester, federal and cci in that order for me.

[RanchRoper]

I used Winchester primers and placed every one by hand in the cup. I had 1 turn sideways on me that I did not know about until shell would not come out of holder. So now I guide the little primer holder lever into place every time.
I did over 50 in an hour yesterday which is fine for a beginner. But I actually like doing the primers by hand and guiding it so I know its done proper.
I also check every shell for powder after each throw. Good habits for me.

[RanchRoper]

Question: the Lee auto drum powder measure at station 2 on the turret throws a powder charge of 6.4 gn to 6.8 gn. Tough to dial it in to the 6.5 in manual.

The 8 rounds I shot the other day were loaded with a variance of 6.4 to 6.6. Max is never exceed 7.8.

Will I notice a difference from 6.5 to 7.0? Would it be noticeable to an off hand shooter or are we talking chrono stuff?

[Ojaileveraction]

Felt or not I could not stand that kind of variances in powder weights.
Makes me crosseyed thinking about it.