So What Did You Do On The Reloading Bench Today?

[The_Shadow]

Likely pushing those Berry bullets too fast and stripping the copper plating...

[CurtisM]

Drove the wrong vehicle to the range so I didn't have my chrono with me.  I was wondering if I was pushing them too hard.

[gandog56]

Drove the wrong vehicle to the range so I didn't have my chrono with me.  I was wondering if I was pushing them too hard.

Primers are the best way to determine that, not a chrono. Are the primers flattened, or bulged, or excessively cratered?

[sqlbullet]

Primers are the best way to determine that, not a chrono. Are the primers flattened, or bulged, or excessively cratered?

I don't know a polite way to say this, and I mean no offense, but this is exactly backwards.

The Chronograph combined with posted load data is going to reveal pressure problems even when no other signs exists.  If you exceed published velocity using documented components you are over pressure no matter how nice your primers and brass look.

Primers are the least reliable pressure indicator since there is so much variability in cup hardness, even for the same brand/type between lots.

http://www.massreloading.com/reading_pressure_signs.html

[The_Shadow]

Primers are the least reliable pressure indicator since there is so much variability in cup hardness, even for the same brand/type between lots.

Agreed the same primers being used for 60K psi are the same ones being used for 37,500 psi for 10mm...
Yes primers can show stresses from several different situations, but trying to determine the causes is a process all to its own...Nonetheless they still need to be looked at for various signs.

Primers (loose fitting) can be pushed outward under pressure and in a semi auto pistol, that can actually cause an early opening or unlocking of the blowback operated firearm and as the casing slams the breech face reseat that primer. 
Sometimes the primer will get blown out completely and push the casing off the extractor hook leaving the casing in the chamber. 

[CurtisM]

http://www.massreloading.com/reading_pressure_signs.html

Have this site bookmarked and use it, probably learned about it from here.  Great info.

[slayer61]

Primers are a difficult read.
The below primers are from my 357 Sig P229 with pressure signs at/about max charge, but I think I have a slightly long chamber



On the other hand, these pictures are from factory ammo for my revolver 

[The_Shadow]

Primers are a difficult read.
The below primers are from my 357 Sig P229 with pressure signs at/about max charge, but I think I have a slightly long chamber

Your chamber may not be long you may be over sizing the brass and pushing the necked area too deep...  Check to see if backing off of the sizing die will allow a better chamber fit.  You want to be 0.000" (flush) and not more than 0.002" below flush as sized...
This also helps the 9x25 Dillon as well...

[gandog56]

Half of the old cardboard ammo boxes I had for all my 10mm reloads were deteriorating, warping, or tearing. Or all of the above at once. So I just got done replacing all the 50 round cardboard ones for 100 round plastic ones.

[Sobrbiker]

Sized, tumbled and inspected/primed just under 150 4x S&B 10mm cases.
These were 180gr 1250fps loads to start, and then reloaded/fired with a mix of 180XTP, 180 and 200gr MBC hard cast coated, and 200gr Doubletap WFNGC's-all warm but not nuclear (1250-1325 on the 180's and 1150-1225 on the 200's). Fired out of a 5" RIA FS.

I'm pleasantly surprised that the brass is holding up very well with only 6 relegated to a final firing pile due to easy priming, and I've only suffered a 8% loss rate out in the desert and forward of the line at the indoor range.

With SG Ammo's prices on their loaded S&B, I may by more rounds as a source of brass again!

[bigboredad]

Not nearly enough having ms really screws me on a lot of things.  Was only able to reload 100 45 colt loads for a upcoming pin shoot.  Still need to do a hundred 10mm for a plate shoot tomorrow. Decided on a load of 7.5gr of unique under extremes 165gr rnfp.
Ran a 100 of them last week and they felt really comfy and shot well.  I usually cast my own but it's been really hot and the heat has been kicking my little white butt this week

Sent from my SM-T377V using Tapatalk

[blaster]

de- primed & sized 3 - 400 .40 S&W cases. started priming them but it got late. will finish loading them tomorrow after work.

[slayer61]

300 9mm Xtreme 124 over HS6 for the Mrs and 350 40S&W Xtreme 180 also over HS6 for me.

[Univibe]

Pulled my new Redding  Big Boss 2 press, and my new RCBS Bench Priming Tool out of their boxes.

Loaded 100 rounds of .357 Mag, fifty 158 at 1250 fps, and fifty at 1000 for light loads.

[gandog56]

Just received a box of brass I traded for on ammobrasstrader. I got 134 7.7 Jap and 25 .303 Brit. They have all been decapped and run through a vibratory cleaner but I am going to run them all through my wet rotary tumbler with the stainless steel pin media to scour out the primer pockets. Then I will size them all, trim them all to length, chamfer the cases inside and out, final polish in corncob Flitz media additive and NuFinish Car Wax. Then separate by headstamp and bag them for reloading later.