What have you reloaded today?

[Adam5]

I got in a little bench time yesterday.

I hope to test the .350 Legend load next weekend. I loaded 60 rounds with 150gr Brass Monkey polymer coated 9mm bullets over 27.8gr of W296.

I also loaded 200 of one of my favorite 9mm rounds. Xtreme Bullets 124hr hollow points over 6.7hr of Accurate #7.

 

[deathbeforehonor]

Well here's a hot mess of jumbled thoughts and pictures..

Well damn if I haven't been too busy with work and trying to piece together multiple firearms.. I finally got my 9X25 Dillon P80 build up and running! Lone Wolf Dist. sent me the wrong trigger bar in a frame completion kit (Small Frame) a quick email and hours later they sent out another bar and trigger shoe free of charge.. That resolved one of the issues.. I couldn't get the trigger to reset 100% of the time.. So I ordered a Ghost 6.5lb striker spring, Ghost Lady Connector, A new 6lb Ghost Trigger spring (Lone Wolf's is most certainly not 6lb), and a GEN 4 Trigger housing as I read that it would raise the trigger/connector fulcrum point and help with reset issues (requires modification to fit P80's/Gen1-3) All parts from NDZ via their site and fleabay.. It was like $34 more than I anticipated having to spend.. However it dry fired & reset flawlessly without even having to add the new trigger housing ($15 wasted). I added a Vickers/Wilson Steel Front sight, Glock OEM Steel Rear (From Greece of all places, not pictured), and the badass swapable steel slide "Charging Handle" to add weight to the slide. I'm currently just running a 24lb ISMI spring on a SS Guide Rod.. I might get a tungsten one down the road. Pearce +2's for 17+1

I cooked up (Heat Treated) some of my cast HAM'R boolets with HI-Tek coating applied, they went from a nice Lime Green to Golden Brown. They also upped the BHN from 16ish to 30ish! I loaded 20 @ 2 different charges and 2 different COL.. But I also had them boxed with some longer than mag length 168gr Speer Gold Dots. The Berry's MFG. boxes don't like anything over 2.6".. So when in a hurry to get stuff together and get to the range I forgot the fact that the lid wasn't latched and almost spilled the whole box! It freakin` jumbled up my cast loads.. I still shot them anyways.. The groups were honestly better 1 1/2" @ 50yd, But I'll have to do it all again.. This time not jumbling them up and test the expansion capabilities on jugs. 30bhn is pretty hard, I hope they still get some expansion. I suppose it's a trade off between accuracy, velocity, and expansion capability with cast.

This is just under 2,400 sized, checked, and coated boolets. It took a while, I had a blister under a blister on my palm from doing all of them!

I've been working on loading some 168gr Gold Dots for the 300 HAM'R.. Kinda been doing it on the hush hush because I had this crazy Idea of taking out a patent on an extended overall length magazine.. I bookmarked this

Espacenet – search results

Espacenet: free access to millions of patent documents. Find out if your invention is unique or if other inventors have filed patent applications that are considered to be prior art.

worldwide.espacenet.com

and started trying to get through it all to see if there's anything like it out there. I think I've ultimately decided I don't have the time or the money to get a patent lawyer involved.. and even if I did I'd need to come up with proper designs, get to tooling, and fabricating some. I'm honestly surprised no one has come out with such a thing! I mean seriously you can bring the AR15 into a new era with some of these new high bc bullets, optimal powders, and load em` fast and long!

Here's some of my results from the tests so far..
Speer 168gr Gold Dot Bullet 2.390" WIN Brass 1.603" Shoulder Bump 1.347" W296
2.395
19.8
2008,2059,2022,2043,2101
HI 2059 LO 2008 ES 51 SD 22.5 AVG 2033
20.0
2087,2058,2095,2070
HI 2095 LO 2058 ES 37 SD 16.6 AVG 2077
20.2
2054,2084,2055,2050,2135(Blown Primer)
HI 2084 LO 2050 ES 34 SD 15.6 AVG 2060
2.388"
20.2
2108,2162,2151,2129,2127
HI 2162 LO 2108 ES 54 SD 21.29 AVG 2135.4
20.4 - 50yd - 2001, 2027 - AVG 2014 QL Predicts MV 2,080 - 100yd - 1952 QL MV 2,083
2.390"
20.4
2133,2111,2151,2129,2127
HI 2151 LO 2111 ES 40 SD 14.32 AVG 2130.2

Speer claims that the 168gr Gold Dot has a BC of .572, and honestly as slick and a rather ingenious a design, I still find that a little optimistic.. Using my numbers that I have gathered based upon the velocities the HAM'R can push it.
This is what QucikTarget spits out .425 BC @ 2,130 AVG.

If you look at the numbers it's still an amazing 300yd deer bullet..
Range Velocity Time Energy Total Drop
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
yd ft/s sec ft-lbs Drop in
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0 2135 0.0000 1700 0.0
25 2090 0.0355 1628 0.2
| 50 2045 0.0718 1559 1.0
| 75 2000 0.1089 1492 2.2
| 100 1957 0.1468 1428 4.0
| 125 1913 0.1856 1366 6.4
| 150 1871 0.2252 1306 9.4
| 175 1829 0.2657 1248 12.9
| 200 1788 0.3072 1192 17.2
| 225 1747 0.3496 1139 22.1
| 250 1707 0.3931 1087 27.7
| 275 1668 0.4375 1038 34.1
| 300 1630 0.4830 991 41.2

There's three other bullets I really want to try. Nosler's 155gr Custom Competition, Sierras 155gr Palma's, and their 155gr Tipped Match King.. Based upon OAL and BC's they might be able to squeek out just a hair more performance over the Speer GDs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I messed around with making a few 9x25 cases as soon as I received the barrel and dies.. I find it rather odd that you need to run a full .355 (or .358 for cast) neck expander through it after it's been through the Dillon Die! It's rather annoying, but I'm sure they did it for a reason. I matched my sizing shoulder/headspace to the barrel, took some internal and external case measurements.. popped the numbers in QuickLoad. I started my ladder at 11.7gr and went to 12.7gr of MP275 (Longshot) with a Lee 95RF (100gr) Cast and Coated Boolet on top. I was very pleasantly surprised by velocity, flawless function of the P80 through all 51rds, and by the look of the brass/primers all loads still appear to be safe. Although based on velocity QL shows to get the velocity I reached on my final SINGLE round @ 12.7gr I'd be around 60,500 psi !!! I'm not sure the little P80 or the brass would handle that! Maybe I just lucked out and didn't blow myself up today.. I'm glad to have it running, now to try out all sorts of powders and bullets for the new cartridge

I finally got all of my parts (including a Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2 4-20x50mm) for my Savage Whelen build. The parts are off to a well known ODT'er for some Cerakote. The funny but sorta sad thing is that I'm already looking into all of the necessary things to turn it into a 35 Nosler! It's looking like $650 (Custom Dies Included) + Machine time.. I figure I'll give it 2yrs and if Nosler hasn't brought it to market, I might consider doing it myself. I've been on the look out for some particularly badass bullets for the ole` 35. I found these last night https://store.thegundock.com/produc...gr-9.3mm-wcannelure-50-per-box#product_detail
I figured at over 50% off I'd give resizing them to .358" a try. The .494 BC might end up about .505 BC after they grow 10 to 15 thou from getting sized down .008". I grabbed a few boxes. Hammer Bullets and Cutting Edge are the next two I need to get. Running numbers on the Cutting Edge 275gr Maximus, it looks like it could make the 35 Whelen a 600yd Elk gun.

I had to open up the receiver to accept magazines while in the MDT ORYX Chassis, Fit a Pacific Tool & Gauge Spiral Fluted Bolt, Polish the feed ramp, and smooth out some other spots. I find it silly that this piece of metal has so many rules and regulations.. People will always find a way to kill one another, hell ask Alec Baldwin..

I really hope to find more time for any of what I want to do, I was kinda sorta supposed to work today... I said screw it, ignored the phone, and went to the range

Happy & Safe Reloading Y'all!

 

[deathbeforehonor]

I loaded up 9 rounds of Lehigh's 210gr Controlled Fracturing last Thursday night.. They were for a friend who hunts on his own property, suppressed, and at cough night cough.. Anyways the bullets are damn expensive and I absolutely couldn't find any load data other than what Lehigh has on their site..

Lehigh Load Data
Trim to 1.358" CFE BLK 11.0gr 970fps COL 2.225"

I loaded 3 - 9.7gr, 3 - 10.1gr, 3 - 10.5gr
My buddy was having issues zeroing his NV scope on a different upper and mounting a new IR illuminator.. It left very little light Saturday.. So I only got 3 chrono readings.. 900, 910, 945 at the three charge weights. He liked the 10.5's and said to load up 10 more, I decided to load 10 @ 10.7 as well earlier. We got to test them just before dark again.. Once again hardly any light to chrono.. All 20 printed 1/2"-3/4" groups @ 50yd. We decided that the 10.7 loads were the ones. Still really don't know the velocity, but they're NO earpro quiet. I loaded the additional 72 bullets just now. I'm not sure how Lehigh thinks you can get 11gr in a case! QL shows 10.5gr @ 110.8% Fill Capacity and 10.7gr @ 112.9% based upon all of my measurements. 11gr shows 116.1%!

These were the first loads that I've had so compressed that bullet seating literally took effort to compress the powder. I've loaded thousands of .223/5.56 rounds at 108ish % Still somehow never felt as compressed as these.

I even had him not fire one of the 20rds, hence the 72 left.. It was because I couldn't get it to seat to 2.225". I felt like something was wrong with it, pulled it and measured the bullet and charge. The charge and bullet length were all good, just too much compression. The bullets measure 1.608" in a 2.225" COL!

Anyways I'm glad they turned out easy enough, accurate, and hopefully work well for him to put some meat in his freezer. I was never too impressed with 300blk's subsonic hunting performance.. one of the reasons I never got into the cartridge. Hopefully these are the subsonic hunting bullets of all bullets.. I find it kinda odd that nobody loads them, most seem to use Lehigh's lighter bullets..

 

[deathbeforehonor]

So freakin` stoked! A few days ago American Reloading dropped a few random bullet lots.. I sent out an email right away asking about the 5k .308 155gr HPBT's they had. It took a few days but the response I got back was exactly what I was hoping,, they're Nosler Custom Competition 155's! American Reloading is now getting ALL of Nosler's Pulldowns!! So keep an eye out for some "Tarnished" top shelf bullets
I had to re-run all of the numbers, but after I did.. I through my wallet at em` and got the 3k they had left!

308 155gr HPBT - 250ct

308 155gr HPBT - 250ct

americanreloading.com

$509.95 fort 3,000+ (There's always extras Equates to 16.9¢ per bullet! I've seen some listed on here for a while now @ 40¢ per! (Higher than Gunbroker w/tax & shipping)

This is what I'm ultimately hoping for, the numbers below are for longer than magazine length loads. Bringing it down to a 20rd 350 Legend Stainless Steel Mag Length (2.310") is 45fps slower, 6yd shorter MPBR, Magpul 30rd 300blk mag 2.263" 65fps slower 7yd shorter.. It's roughly a 3% difference to go .143" longer.. Like I said they'll barely squeak by the Gold Dots (Which I paid 60¢ ea. for) But from all of my number crunching this is ultimately the MAXIMUM Capability the 300 HAM"R can offer.

Bullet : .308, 155, Nosler CC HPBT J4 53155
Bullet Weight : 155.0 gr
Muzzle Velocity : 2220.0 ft/s
Twist Length : 13.0 in , Right Hand Twist
Gyroscop. Stability : 1.52 (Right on the bleeding edge of "Recommended" stability)
Ballistic Coefficients : BC1 = 0.450 (Highest BC to OAL ratio for the cartridge)

Maximum Point-Blank Range: 235yd
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
yd ft/s sec ft-lbs Drop in
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 0 2220 0.0000 1696 0.0
| 20 2185 0.0272 1643 0.1
| 40 2150 0.0549 1591 0.6
| 60 2115 0.0831 1540 1.3
| 80 2081 0.1117 1491 2.4
| 100 2047 0.1407 1442 3.7
| 120 2014 0.1703 1396 5.4
| 140 1981 0.2003 1350 7.5
| 160 1948 0.2309 1305 9.8
| 180 1915 0.2619 1262 12.6
| 200 1883 0.2935 1220 15.7
| 220 1851 0.3257 1179 19.3
| 240 1820 0.3584 1139 23.2
| 260 1788 0.3916 1101 27.6
| 280 1758 0.4255 1063 32.4
| 300 1727 0.4599 1027 37.6

| 300 1921 0.4227 1057 32.2 (6.5 Grendel)

In comparison this is a 6.5 Grendel loaded to it's maximum potential in a 16.2" Barrel and at 2.4" COL shooting a 129gr Nosler Accubond LR BC .530 It still gets the HAM'R But it's damn close.. Most ballistics presented for the Grendel are of the 24" barrel variety..

 

[thevalueman]

NOBODY!!!can pontificate like "deathbeforhoner"!!! BUT...I've finally captured some large rifle magnum match primers!!! so, I'm off on my 300 prc adventure...OH...I might add...I finally procured a seating die!!!...now, all I need to do is get the scope for the rifle....

however, I will not let that stop me from getting started!!!!
Lapua brass neck sized, and ready for powder and primers!!

 

[Adam5]

Today was .38 Special day on a friend’s Rockchucker with the brass that I prepped earlier in the week.

500 rounds Xtreme 158gr plated over 4.2gr of W231
100 rounds of Hornady 158gr lead round nose over 4.2gr of W231
50 rounds of Remington HTP 158gr JHP over 4.7gr of W231

 

[fotog54]

Didn't do any actual reloading but I did take pic of my setup. The SDB on the left I have had for about 15 years and is used for .45 and soon .38 special. The 650XL I bought in late 2019 and is 9mm only.

 

[thevalueman]

that's a lot of stuff packed into a small space!!!

 

[K79540]

I've been loading some soft 9mm for the micro carry. .nothing special but it makes shooting the 3 inch stuff fun

 

[Cartman]

I have been loading all nickel 9mm lately.