Almost back to reloading

[volshooter]

Moved into my ancestral home now that they are all gone. Bout 3 years ago. Had to pay sis half of the value.
Today I just built, Very quickly, a new reloading bench, with material on hand. Man I'm so stoked! It's a lot smaller than my last one. 3'x8' vs 2'x6'.
The pleasure of looking at such a crappy but very sturdy bench has me very happy. Topped it with 3/4 OSB flooring but have oak to go on top. 2x6 frame and 4x4 posts.
This house is over 2800 sqft. and we have no room. 3 complete sets of dining room furniture is crammed in here. All the grand kids (not mine) have stuff stored here in totes. Thousands of stuffed animals, art, books and grade school stuff. They are all in their 30's. Been asking for two years to get your stuff. got the red kester and threw enough away to build a bench. Enough of the why.
I started reloading to get best bang for buck and my loads were more accurate. ( started in 74) I haven't reloaded a single round in three years and missed it every day. Selfish kids didn't wat to give up child toys/mementos.
Reloading or just processing brass give me unbelievable pleasure and peace. Similar to running a knife across a good stone. Both settle me down and give pleasure.
I'll do with this small bench, 2 ft deep, 6 foot long and 36 inches high. Shelves to follow.
I have so much rifle brass to process with love. Winter is almost here. years ago In 308 I only had one rifle that I neck sized only. Then I got another, keeping cases separate. Now I have a couple of AR platforms that will need FL resizing. Looking forward to that!
Have two 45-70's. My 1974 Speer manual listed 3 different loads depending on rifle. During transport they all got mixed. Have BP loads, loads for modern like Marlin and HP loads for Mausers. My main 45-70 is a TC Encore. Apparently, the high end loads are not recommended for the single shot. They will all be pulled.
Dang I went on, I just so happy that in another week I can finally get back to something I love to do. I use a RCBS rock chucker for rifle, a Lee progressive for low power 380,9mm,38 and 45 acp. everything else is one at a time.
Does any one find reloading as pleasurable as I do? Even cleaning and getting brass ready is fun.

 

[32shooter]

I too find reloading relaxing. I can go downstairs to my bench, turn on my tunes and sip on some bourbon while reloading shotgun shells. I don't do much pistol and rifle reloading these days. Shooting more rimfire and shotgun than anything else. I tried to take over one of the spare bedrooms to do my reloading after the kids all moved out. That didn't go over so well.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I haven't loaded anything in five years except for some work-ups for my Dad's pre-serial number Savage 110 in .222 Remington but just for fun I bought a NOS Lee Pro 1000 in .45 AUTO today because the price was right.

 

[contender]

Congratulations for your decision to get back to doing something you enjoy.
I too enjoy my handloading a lot. Building a load, testing it and the satisfaction of seeing the results is very rewarding.
Kudos for you!!

 

[jimbo1096]

I’ve reloaded for about 45 years and used to disappear into the storage room where I had my reloading bench. Sometimes my wife would give up on me and go to bed and I would always be surprised at how long I had stayed there reloading. Much the same here as far as my enjoyment. I don’t have anything fancy just a rock chucker for pistol and rifle and MEC for shotgun. Sometimes I find myself taking hours just going through brass doing sorting and prepping the cases.
I doubt I’ll ever get to shoot what I already have loaded.

 

[Keith E.]

Moved into my ancestral home now that they are all gone. Bout 3 years ago. Had to pay sis half of the value.
Today I just built, Very quickly, a new reloading bench, with material on hand. Man I'm so stoked! It's a lot smaller than my last one. 3'x8' vs 2'x6'.
The pleasure of looking at such a crappy but very sturdy bench has me very happy. Topped it with 3/4 OSB flooring but have oak to go on top. 2x6 frame and 4x4 posts.
This house is over 2800 sqft. and we have no room. 3 complete sets of dining room furniture is crammed in here. All the grand kids (not mine) have stuff stored here in totes. Thousands of stuffed animals, art, books and grade school stuff. They are all in their 30's. Been asking for two years to get your stuff. got the red kester and threw enough away to build a bench. Enough of the why.
I started reloading to get best bang for buck and my loads were more accurate. ( started in 74) I haven't reloaded a single round in three years and missed it every day. Selfish kids didn't wat to give up child toys/mementos.
Reloading or just processing brass give me unbelievable pleasure and peace. Similar to running a knife across a good stone. Both settle me down and give pleasure.
I'll do with this small bench, 2 ft deep, 6 foot long and 36 inches high. Shelves to follow.
I have so much rifle brass to process with love. Winter is almost here. years ago In 308 I only had one rifle that I neck sized only. Then I got another, keeping cases separate. Now I have a couple of AR platforms that will need FL resizing. Looking forward to that!
Have two 45-70's. My 1974 Speer manual listed 3 different loads depending on rifle. During transport they all got mixed. Have BP loads, loads for modern like Marlin and HP loads for Mausers. My main 45-70 is a TC Encore. Apparently, the high end loads are not recommended for the single shot. They will all be pulled.
Dang I went on, I just so happy that in another week I can finally get back to something I love to do. I use a RCBS rock chucker for rifle, a Lee progressive for low power 380,9mm,38 and 45 acp. everything else is one at a time.
Does any one find reloading as pleasurable as I do? Even cleaning and getting brass ready is fun.

Congrats on getting back "home". Enjoy.

Maybe let the remote hoarders know that there will be a purge in XX days.

Keith

 

[volshooter]

Nothing like shinney brass tailored loads. I came across a well used built Mauser in 25/06 back 30 years ago. Took 6 months to find the right load. Not a disappointing minute. Just patience. Ole gal is rough looking but has never failed to drop white tail in their tracks. I did trace it back to the mid 50's. Bet she was a beautiful thing once. My longest one shot drop was 480 yds. A very unusual shot range around here. Happen to be in west TN.
I used to often spend 8+ hours at a time on the bench. Now at my age I expect to spend more quality vs quantity time. Another week before I get things in order. Glad I have plenty of primers. Last gun show I got sticker shock.
I have more reloads than my son will shoot in his life time. All made with loving care. Now days some factory loads are almost as accurate as mine, but they are made for the masses. Mine were worked up for each firearm.

 

[contender]

"Mine were worked up for each firearm."

A golden statement. One of the main reasons TO reload.

 

[TULLYMARS]

I'm primarily a handgun shooter, and as I get older I find that the range time is secondary to the pleasure I get from the reloading process. Like others have said, I've got more loaded than I'll ever shoot up, but it's nice to have a little excess. Enjoy your new old hobby!

 

[GasGuzzler]

My cheap Pro1000 in .45 AUTO should be here Monday. Only got one (1911) and I have by far the least .45 AUTO ammo loaded out of anything I shoot. Going to have to relearn and do so on a progressive but at least I have a stash of primed brass and the feeders from my APP should fit this too (I think). Can't wait.

 

[volshooter]

Finally got to load some today! Just 10 cases of 45-70, I only had 10 hard cast left from bag. 405gr hard cast over 17 gr of Unique. Standard load. Cannot believe how much was misplaced during move. Still haven't found my best scales or 45 colt dies........
After move I had almost two 5 gallon buckets of spent brass. I spent weeks cleaning and separating.
Resized some 308 today ,sweet. Resized some 45-70 a friend gave me. He shot Trapdoor. Almost tore my bench up resizing.
Just being honest I have more than I'll ever touch off in my life.
I have forgotten how relaxing reloading was. Even processing brass.
I started reloading in the early 70's to get better loads than factory for 30-30 and 30-06. Now it's for love.
Started with a LEE manual set. A RCBS rock chucker is my go to for rifle and high pressure 44mag. Tried a progressive once, didn't feel right. Tried a friends Dillion once, felt just wrong.

 

[contender]

Thanks for the update.

Yes,, it's relaxing to reload your own ammo. But I also enjoy my Dillon as it allows me to make enough quickly for competition so I can slow down & enjoy my RockChucker for other stuff.

 

[TheTexasRAT]

Finally got to load some today! ... ... ...

Feels good, don't it?

Still haven't found my best scales

I just bought me an AND FX 120i digital scale today. That was the easy part, now I have to anxiously await its arrival.

I have forgotten how relaxing reloading was. ... ... ... Now it's for love.

Reloading is very exciting to me, so I don't get to relax much but rather get wound up.

Started with a LEE manual set. A RCBS rock chucker is my go to for rifle and high pressure 44mag.

I too started with the old Lee Wack-a-Mo rig. Never made one live round with it though. For one it just seemed wrong to set primers with it, and I never could get a decent crimp on several dummy rounds so I moved on to a Buchanan Precision Hand Press with the Hornady L-N-L quick change die bushing, and some Redding dies.

Tried a progressive once, didn't feel right. Tried a friends Dillion once, felt just wrong.

I understand your feelings even though I have never used one. But I still want a Dillion XL750 to at least size and flare straight wall brass and maybe after priming and charging off press I might seat and crimp bullets as well. It is either use Dillion's XL750 to process the brass or Lee's APP. And I already have an APP to decap with and I'm not all that impressed with it so far. So, a Dillion XL750 seems to be on my horizon. I will still charge powder off press no matter what as that is the parts I really love doing one at a time. As for priming I have a PCPS next gen precision primer seating system by Derraco Engineering That I plan on getting a PMA Tool O Frame Benchrest Reloading Press to dedicate for priming alone.

Well now I'm all excited from talking about reloading and it is bedtime. And I am still all excited about getting the new scale. So, it seems as if it's going to be another long night spent daydreaming, till morning, over what equipment I want to get next.

P.S.- Relaxing my foot. Reloading is going to be the death of me if I continue losing sleep over it.

 

[kmoore]

I started around 1974 to save money and shoot more. Back than a .243, 3006 rifle and 9mm handgun. Currently I load about 20 different calibers. It is time consuming, but yes peaceful and satisfying. My rifle loads are worked up to find the best bullets, powder and accuracy for what I will use that rifle for. Handguns are loaded just for practice or SD.

 

[rmc25]

I started around 1974 to save money and shoot more.

I started in 1986 for the same reasons.

 

[TheTexasRAT]

I started in 2020 to make a customized 45 COLT.

 

[GasGuzzler]

I opened the box for the 45 progressive and put it all back and listed it for sale.

 

[Three44s]

My main reward with handloading is "group therapy"!

I quit looking for all those purported savings a long time ago.

It all began 50 years ago ..... seems surrealistic that it's been that long ago ........

I started with a RCBS Jr (still have it and use it from time to time) and added more single stage presses, turret and Progressives. Got dragged into shotshell and added boolit casting as well.

Best regards

Three44s

 

[Justice B. Swift]

Reloading has a special place in my life. I learned to shoot, hunt and fish from a family friend. He had no son, but desperately wanted one. He took me under his wing as if I was his own son. Together we squirrel hunted, bird hunted, fly fished, Elk hunted etc. After the purchase of my first Ruger Blackhawk, he spent considerable time teaching me the joys of reloading my own ammo, using an RCBS press and related gear. That was back in 1982. I now own 3 Dillon progressives, electronic scales, drawers full of Die sets, and specialty tools. Sometimes I even teach him some new stuff. All this is to say that I dearly love reloading, but above all, I truly value the bench time because it brings me close to him as I work, reminding me of our many days spent in the field and at the range. He is now 80 years old and still reloading and shooting and even participating in Cowboy Action Shooting. Our friendship continues and reloading is still something we share. What better reason could there be to reload?

 

[seasterl]

Handloading is a hobby within a hobby and relaxing. It’s a fulfilling thing to accomplish your shooting goals using cartridges you loaded yourself.

 

[volshooter]

I'm blessed fer sure. I spend many a fine hour here just prepping cases by hand. I even go as far as using a drill/Lee chuck and Flitz to polish every single rifle case. Ther's very little else, other than catching blue gill (whatever ya'll call each species) that can hold me like reloading. I have more than my son will ever fire but I'm always looking for more components.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Although I sold the .45 AUTO progressive I bought without using it, I did load 100 .45s and 100 9X19s on my turret. We shot some up at Thanksgiving plus I had a box of 185 XTPs I had no use for ... so I loaded them and gave them to a friend for Christmas. Thinking about asking him if he'd sell me my 4516 back.