troy_mclure
New member
what round do you most hate to reload?
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round you most hate to reload?
- Thread starter troy_mclure
- Start date
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
for me it's either 17 K Hornet, or 5.7 X 28... both have their own set of extra headaches...
Claude Clay
New member
not that i hate----more like the least fun are 223 and 32 acp
Dillonhelp
New member
30 M-1 carbine-the cases stretch a bunch, and are tapered just enough that you must use case lube.
azredhawk44
Moderator
.308.
I don't mind straightwall cartridges at all. Not a big deal.
And .223 doesn't have enough surface area to generate much friction when resizing... but I hate trimming bottleneck cases in general. I can usually avoid trimming .223 by shooting a given batch of brass to 3rd firing then leaving it at the range for some other schmuck to trim if he picks it up. I will then work on a new batch of retail ammo and reload it to 3rd firing, or order some once fired, or do some range pick-up brass that I check for OAL so I don't have to trim it.
I don't shoot enough .30-30 to be bothered by the occasional reloading session for it.
But... .308 for an M14 is a royal PITA. Especially if you want to re-use the brass past the 3rd firing. I L-O-A-T-H-E trimming the case length.
I've ruined several sizing dies for .308 by using the wrong case lube. I'm now using an RCBS lube pad and their supplied lube and that seems to work okay. I'll never use OneShot again.
If I were loading .308 for a volume suitable for a bolt gun with a lesser appetite, it wouldn't be a big deal. But for an M14... yuck.
I still do it, though. I love shooting that rifle.
I don't mind straightwall cartridges at all. Not a big deal.
And .223 doesn't have enough surface area to generate much friction when resizing... but I hate trimming bottleneck cases in general. I can usually avoid trimming .223 by shooting a given batch of brass to 3rd firing then leaving it at the range for some other schmuck to trim if he picks it up. I will then work on a new batch of retail ammo and reload it to 3rd firing, or order some once fired, or do some range pick-up brass that I check for OAL so I don't have to trim it.
I don't shoot enough .30-30 to be bothered by the occasional reloading session for it.
But... .308 for an M14 is a royal PITA. Especially if you want to re-use the brass past the 3rd firing. I L-O-A-T-H-E trimming the case length.
I've ruined several sizing dies for .308 by using the wrong case lube. I'm now using an RCBS lube pad and their supplied lube and that seems to work okay. I'll never use OneShot again.
If I were loading .308 for a volume suitable for a bolt gun with a lesser appetite, it wouldn't be a big deal. But for an M14... yuck.
I still do it, though. I love shooting that rifle.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I never cared much for .38-40. I seemed to have more problems with it than I ever did with .44-40.
I'm now loading .32-20, and it should also have the "thin necks" issue, but so far no problems at all.
I'm now loading .32-20, and it should also have the "thin necks" issue, but so far no problems at all.
For me its 5.7x28mm and .223. Not that I don't enjoy loading them but I kinda have to get in the mood to reload them. Especially the 5.7x28mm. I don't even experiment with different powders and bullets for this one anymare. I have a couple good working recipes for it that work really well and thats good enough for me in that caliber.
FrankenMauser
New member
.380 Auto - Most of the powders I like to use have very minimal min-max spreads. (Sometimes as little as 0.3 grains from min to max.)
Since charge weights that low are not consistently accurate within 10% of the target weight, from my powder measure... I have to trickle each charge by hand. It gets very old.
I'll do it for other cartridges all day long, but that damned .380 gets to me. Maybe it's the combination of tedium and tiny cases.... (Not to mention, I have to plan on losing 50% of the cases. My pistol does not play well with brass.)
Since charge weights that low are not consistently accurate within 10% of the target weight, from my powder measure... I have to trickle each charge by hand. It gets very old.
I'll do it for other cartridges all day long, but that damned .380 gets to me. Maybe it's the combination of tedium and tiny cases.... (Not to mention, I have to plan on losing 50% of the cases. My pistol does not play well with brass.)
currently it's .45ACP, because the brass (Federal) + primers (Winchester WLP) that I'm using never want to seat flush, so whenever I'm priming brass on my press (a single-stage Rockchucker II), I'm always pushing up on the handle like there's no tomorrow...pressing out 100 rounds this way doesn't seem very appealing...
And then the bullets I'm using (Missouri, 12bhn .452"-dia, 185gr) + the thicker brass almost always bulges the cases, so I run all the 'finished' (seated/crimped) rounds through the resizing die one more time (ugh)...Maybe I'm doing something wrong.
Or maybe I need to get a taper crimp die.
And then the bullets I'm using (Missouri, 12bhn .452"-dia, 185gr) + the thicker brass almost always bulges the cases, so I run all the 'finished' (seated/crimped) rounds through the resizing die one more time (ugh)...Maybe I'm doing something wrong.
Or maybe I need to get a taper crimp die.
crimsondave
New member
.223 for sure. Royal pain to resize.
freakshow10mm
Moderator
I hate loading rifle. I hate using lube. If I didn't have to lube them it would be different.
I think that .44-40s were the most pain for the least gain of any cartridge that I have reloaded.
I don't mind trimming cases, and even make .30 Herrett cases (cut and them trim, then fire-form, then trim again).
I guess .357 Sig cases are currently causing me the most concern, as I try to find an easy way to be SURE that all of my rounds have enough tension in that short case neck to avoid bullet setback. So far, they all do, but it is a concern.
SL1
I don't mind trimming cases, and even make .30 Herrett cases (cut and them trim, then fire-form, then trim again).
I guess .357 Sig cases are currently causing me the most concern, as I try to find an easy way to be SURE that all of my rounds have enough tension in that short case neck to avoid bullet setback. So far, they all do, but it is a concern.
SL1
.30 Carbine, only because the case is so narrow that it is tippy in the shellholder. I have to hand hold each case through each step. Otherwise it is a nice little cartridge and a lot of fun to shoot.
Next would be the little auto pistol cartridges like 9x18 and .380 because they are so short and my fingers are so thick it is cumbersome to handle them.
Next would be the little auto pistol cartridges like 9x18 and .380 because they are so short and my fingers are so thick it is cumbersome to handle them.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
what I do for 223 is roll them on a new pad with STP Oil Treatment in it, take the case mouth & spin it into the pad to lube a little of the mouth, then take a small ( used STP oily rag ) & wipe off the excess ( as dry as I can get the case ), & they size easily, & I never get pressure dents in the shoulders... makes the 223 one of the easier ones to reload for me...
anything small enuff to make me pinch my fingers!!
MagnumWheelMan when i first started this reloading stuff an old man took me under his wing so to speak , he taught me more than i could ever remember but one thing i do remember for sizing lube he used an oldtimey horse hair brush, the kind ya shave with.
he`d smear stp on it work it in then dry it the best ya could with a shop towel then presto instant perfect layer of lube , never a stuck case or a streched case from the expander balls.
MagnumWheelMan when i first started this reloading stuff an old man took me under his wing so to speak , he taught me more than i could ever remember but one thing i do remember for sizing lube he used an oldtimey horse hair brush, the kind ya shave with.
he`d smear stp on it work it in then dry it the best ya could with a shop towel then presto instant perfect layer of lube , never a stuck case or a streched case from the expander balls.
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freakshow10mm
Moderator
7.62 Nagant sucks too. You have to FL sizer after bullet seating, then crimp.
crimsondave
New member
Freakshow, you don't have to use standard case lube. I've never used it EVER. Use this. Works great.
Takes about 3 seconds to lube a rack of 50 cases.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=438512
Takes about 3 seconds to lube a rack of 50 cases.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=438512
freakshow10mm
Moderator
That stuff is terrible.
Also when I load, I load a minimum of 5,000 at a time.
Also when I load, I load a minimum of 5,000 at a time.
crimsondave
New member
I use it for every caliber I've ever reloaded for years. Never had an issue.
"Also when I load, I load a minimum of 5,000 at a time."
Good Lord! Is your last name Winchester???
"Also when I load, I load a minimum of 5,000 at a time."
Good Lord! Is your last name Winchester???