Reloading musings.

[Western4444]

Lots of agreement here, I love reloading. It is therapeutic. I shoot every week, so I reload every week. And yes trimming is the part I use to hate, but with the FA trimmer now one of my favorite parts. It goes so quickly. I can trim and clean primer pockets in 15 minutes. And they are perfect.

 

[1maineguide]

I find it very relaxing actually. I do hundreds and hundreds of rounds per year. I do things one step at a time. I have 223 brass sitting in boxes all trimmed that are polished and ready to load that have been sitting for a year or two. Many other calibers the same way. These stormy winter days and nights here in Maine get put to good use. I spend many hours just playing with cases now so that when I need to put loads together I can do that.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

I love reloading—very relaxing—I agree trimming is not like pressing a new bullet in a case, but I can stand it—what I hate now, is buying components—use to I'd say I need some RE16 and some xxxbullets…go to my two local reloading shops and pick them up…now I go to the store, look on line, ask on boards and maybe I get one out of the two…been like that off and on for now close to 8 years with a little respite of two of the "trump era" Years… I'm sick of it…

 

[justinp61]

I like reloading and Prepping cases. When possible we try making our own tools for reloading. This is a Henderson Trimmer with Foster 3 in 1 Trimmers we modified with a Variable Speed Power unit. It trims cases fast and accurate and does the chamfers inside and outside of the mouth all at the same time.
Also use a K&M Neck Turner we modified with a Power Driver to make turning the necks easier and faster. Most times you only need to Turn Necks once. I Turn the case necks when new and then again after the second firing to make sure they are the same thickness so when I size with a bushing I get the same neck tension.

First I start with cleaning several hundred (Wet Tumbling SS Pins). After Dried.
Then run 100 through the AMP.
Then Neck Turn 100. (if needed)
Then run 100 through the Henderson Trimmer.
May do this one night or over several nights.
Next is run 100 through the Sizing Die
Then Prime 100
Then load 100 with Powder
Then put the bullets in 100 for seating.
Again maybe several nights
THEN START ALL OVER AGAIN!

Once you get a rhythm going it is easy process and hard to stop. Many a time Jill comes into the reloading room and says 'Do You Know What Time it it"? I know that it is time to stop then.

You trim before you resize?

 

[skipglo]

Just bite the Bullet, and buy the Frankford Arsenal case prep center. Your trimming is a breeze

 

[Lee Goodwin]

Reloading is therapeutic. Did some case prep yesterday and that satin sheen on the brass was comforting.
A nice acoustic guitar works too.
Reload on!

 

[Son of a Gun!]

I like reloading, it's relaxing, it gets me out of my wife's hair (she probably likes reloading too), it's rewarding to shoot a small group or take an animal with loads that I've worked up, it's a hobby that feeds another hobby, shooting/hunting. My loading is done in batches, usually 50 rounds in a batch and generally only load a couple times a year. Definitely not a high-volume shooter. The last couple days I've been working on batches for my 22-250 and 260.

Having said all that, I've come to the conclusion that I absolutely, positively hate trimming brass! Trimming is the most monotonous, boring, mind-numbing thing I've ever done! It makes going to the dentist feel like your first date with a girl you really liked.

On a bright note, last year I bought a Frankfort Arsenal hand priming tool that was on sale really cheap. I like it a lot, easy to set up and fast.

BTW, I use a Forster hand trimmer.

I too have a Frankort prime tool and really like it. I've also started using a Lee Quick trim and trim dies instead of my old RCBS hand crank trimmer . It is much more precise than the hand crank and easier to use. Only drawback is you have to buy a die for each cartridge.

 

[Old Rooster]

Reloading can be good for the soul! I have been in terrible pain for about 8 months. For most of this time I have been able to reload and shoot pain free.

My other choices of a activity always cause pain.

Joint replacement may be the cure, but reloading gets me through a lot!

Sorry your in pain so much and I can relate to that problem.
I tell myself when I feel really bad to "do what you can when you can".
I enjoy your comments.

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

Man all you guys who hate trimming brass really outta take a look at the RCBS auto multistation trimmer. Using mine I can get about 4 per minute done--trimmed, chamfer, deburred, primer pocket cleaned out nicely and case neck brushed/lightly lubed. I used to turn the necks and ream out/deburr the flash hole and all that using Sinclair tools. Now I cheat and buy new Lapua, Norma or Nosler brass and just reload it. Once fired, I do all the first-time trimming, case polishing and have stopped using the Sinclair tools to turn necks and flash holes. I can process about 100 rds in 30 minutes, excluding tumbler time. With all that said...yeah case prep is not my favorite step either!

 

[tony d willIiams]

Thank you,
Been struggling with pain for many decades. And I have not reloaded for quite a while, might even be a year or more. I had forgotten how peaceful and calming it is.
So I will start my fire in the garage, opposite wall from reloading station, set up my measuring devices, set up my reloaders, and relax. I hang a SS colander type basket with wet/cleaned brass over the cast iron stove to dry them.
Trimming is good while I am considering the loads I am going to make. Is my recipe correct, can I make it better? Should I make loads the same for caliber, or fine tune for each pistol? How are the new powders? Perfection is not possible, but how close should I try for? Do I really need a new gun? Am I getting too anal?
Just how I do things.
Today, might just take the day off, no cooking or preparing for Christmas, just some time for reloading.
Once again, I thank you.

 

[Old Rooster]

Have a calm peaceful day buddy.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

You trim before you resize?

No
Resize then trim.
Thanks for seeing my process out of order!
I should have been in bed rather than posting.

 

[SnakeRiverEric]

So true on trimming, I went the Henderson trimmer route and now it is fun again.

 

[Western4444]

Just bite the Bullet, and buy the Frankford Arsenal case prep center. Your trimming is a breeze

Agreee!!! Just do it!