r/reloading

Hi all, just a quick one: bought two factory boxes of 44 mag from Federal. I usually get Hornady XTP, which stock would rotate heavily from my LGS. They always look the same, consistent quality amongst the cartridges.

I'm wanting to know how the brass has discoloured like this, differently amongst cartridges in the same box, and what causes it? It's strange to see these factory boxes with one discoloured case next to a pristine one. The ammo is fine, I'm not fussed and I once I tumble the cases and reload them they'll all look the same - I understand that environment and humidity changes brass, etc, but why doesn't it happen consistently amongst the cartridges in the same box (produced, I assume, at the sane time at the Federal factory)?

Thought this might be interesting here. I dug out and out back on display my grade school cartridge collection my dad and i made. Fairly current to late 90’s. Been in storage since the early 2000’s. Maybe I’ll start adding to it.

In a previous post I was kinda eaten alive for doing small sample size testing. Ok, I heard ya, I listened to the Hornady podcast episodes on load development and group shot counts. Here is a 30 shot string at 100 yards. Ruger American Gen 1 6.5mm Creedmoor, Alpha brass, 38.8gn H4350, 140gn ELDM. I dialed up 1.5moa so I didn't shoot out my POA. After that I input the parameters into the Hornady 4DOF app and shot my steel plate at 500 yards, easily 2x farther than I've ever shot before. Was dead on, 100% hit rate on steel. Neat. Not sure i can squeeze much more or is this rifle, time to dream up the next step.

Trying my hand at swaging 6.5mm projectiles.

Bit of a learning curve for forming the boat tail, but I reckon the next batch will be better. Looking forward to shooting them. 147gr 6.5mm.

I dunno looks pretty sus to me.

Hi,

New to shooting. Just got some hand loads from a friend I made on the range.

Don’t know if I am being a weirdo, or just trying to be safe … but I would love to hear some semi professional opinions on these hand loads I got.

Noticing a lot of super tiny flecks of brass shavings on the ammo and some slight deformations/ scratches on a few of the cases. (which may be normal - just not used to that with factory loads)

I was test firing a few and had some bolt closure failures - tried to do some research and it all pointed to a casing issue.

For reference - 208 gr (from what i’m told)win 308 howa 1500 action

Any knowledge helps - thanks!

How'd i do?

I've tried a few, and also stickers on top of existing targets to highlight aiming points. Not really married to anything.

I also bought white 12x18 card stocks to use with the birchwood target spots.

I will never shoot these, but could I?

Trying to find actual manufacturer dates has been almost impossible.

I think the US Cartrigde Co rounds are near turn of the century?

Seems like the Western Lubaloy are 40's or 50's.

What do you all think?

Could they be pulled apart and reloaded?

Or are they better suited to sit in the safe and eventually let someone else worry about it?

My ar shoots the ammo in the pic really well. 3/4 in groups

But note: some of the ammo is 223, others are 5.56

My question is, if I want to reload for this rifle do I get 223 or 5.56 dies?

Brand recommendations are appreciate, as local stores only seem to carry hornady

My old scale is in grams.

I made it work off the serial and made an ardino control the motor well referencing the scale but takeing calculated amounts of steps off the motor. Made it so diffrent types of powders have different throw profiles.

It seems to hit around 1.7grams (26.235 grains) in about 20 to 30secs depending upon how the final part feeds and seems to have an extreme spread of around 0.6mg (0.00926 grains) with ball powder cfe223.

Varget was a pain to tune. But got it dropping 2.8grams in about 30 to 40 secs and dropping with an accuracy of a kernel 1mg (0.0154grains)

If you got any questions feel free.

Bubba busted out the Dremel to accomodate the .223LR at the OAL of 2.55”.

Bubba like ‘em short and thicc but also long and skinny.