Completed winter project!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Or maybe, "Enough is enough," or "Spring is coming." I guess I could have posted this in any of several sub-forums, but since I did it all with my handy Lee Hand Press I thought "Reloading Equipment" might be appropriate. There was, and still is a whole lot of snow outside, so what better to do than load up a supply of handgun/carbine ammo while sitting in front of the computer and reading what all you wonderful people have to say. I started this project close to the end of December, and the last box is dated March 7. If I count correctly I loaded: 750 .38 Specials, 250 .357 Magnums, 700 .45 ACPs, 150 .45 GAPs, 150 .44 Magnums, 200 .44040 WCFs, and 300 .45 Colts. So, I'm all set for this summer, and maybe a couple more. My daughter tells me that the daffodils are blooming down in the Willamette Valley, and I guess it will reach the mountains in another month. Got to move on to other projects, but this was enjoyable.
237710237711
click to enlarge.

Left to right: .45 GAP 200 Gr. JHP, .45 ACP 230 Gr. CLFP, .45 ACP 230 Gr. CLRN, .45 ACP 230 Gr. Gold Dot, .45 ACP 200 Gr. JHP, .38 Sp. 158 Gr. CLRNFP, .38 Sp.158 Gr. CLSWC., .38 Sp. 158 Gr. XTP, .38 Sp. 125 Gr. Golden Saber, .357 Mag. 158 gr. XTP, .357 Mag. 125 Gr. Golden Saber, .44 Mag. 240 Gr. JSP, .44 Mag. 240 Gr. JHP, .44-40 WCF 200 Gr. JSP, .44-40 200 Gr. CLRN, .45 Colt 255 Gr. CLRNFP, .45 Colt 230 Gr. JHP.

[Baltimoreed]

You did all that reloading with a lee hand loader!! Wow! Remind me not to shake your hand or**** you off. You must have Popeye forearms? Nice work.

[FLINTNFIRE]

Nice to see a fellow gap reloader , do not really know why but it caught my fancy , though I load on a square deal b , you did good , glad the weather is supposed to start warming now.

[Winger Ed.]

Gosh that looks like a lot of work.

Before I figured out one of those thumb size de-burring tools would fit in a drill press,
I'd sit and watch TV reaming the crimp out of GI brass primer pockets a thousand at a time.
But that's about 10% of what you did there.

[Baltimoreed]

I played around with gap length .45 acp’s before there was a gap. Should have patented it. The gap and Webley .455 are about the same length so I was thinking about using them in my Webleys.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Just wait until you get a Lee Turret Press!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've had one for years! Also a nice pair of RCBS Rockchuckers and a Lyman Spartan. All mounted out in the shop, where it's too cold to be.

[Bazoo]

Very nice. Lots of satisfaction to using the hand press.

[onelight]

Nice job ! Especially with a hand press.
I load the same way , get enough stock piled that my main bouts of loading are done once or twice a year. I just shoot 100 to 200 rounds of centerfire a week.

[RED BEAR]

And i thought i had accomplished something. I just finished 3500 32acp's but at least i had a lee classic single stage. Before that i finished 2500 25acp's . Now on to something that looks huge 380's. I couldn't imagine doing that many rounds with a hand press my hats off to you.

[Markopolo]

Really nice work... very satisfying.. and warm. I finally build a room onto the house just to keep me out of the shop in the winter...

Red bear, 2500 25acp’s is quite a deal no matter what you loaded them with??? Those little buggers are the only round I have ever given up on in reloading.. I got so mad at them I just washed my hands of them altogether. And I am a happier person now...:groner:

[Chev. William]

You 'gave up' on .25ACP reloading????
I can not imagine that if you are shooting an Automatic.
Factory Ammo is 'too expensive in my Retirement to quit reloading the .25ACP, and of course my wildcat extensions of it.

Chev. William

[lightman]

Well Congratulations!
I'm in the process of casting enough bullets to load what I call my working stock of 38's, 357's, 44's and 45's. This consist of between a couple thousand and several thousand cases, depending on caliber. I'm about half way there. I also have about half of the brass resized, tumbled and primed.

[Baltimoreed]

You guys are a whole lot more energetic than I am. I gradually shoot up what I’ve got in pre match practices and the actual matches and then I’ll clean brass and reload 300 or so and then not reload any of that caliber or bullet weight until I get low again. I do keep around 600 45acp constantly loaded up but my one Dillon is always set up for 45acp so I can sit down and crank out 50/100 with no problem. I have more .45s than any other caliber handgun or pcc. Not counting my .22s, don’t have to reload those cases. No need for me to reload thousands at a pop. The only time that I reloaded every piece of brass that I had on hand was for Y2K with not knowing what might happen. Didn’t buy any tp for a year.

[Conditor22]

I got an idea for a new project for you, a mobile stand for one of your bench mounted presses [smilie=s:

You didn't get enough exercise keeping the roof clear of snow?:)

[Bazoo]

I'm in the process of loading about 600 45 ACP with my hand press. Doing it in 2 batches, lots of fun!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I got an idea for a new project for you, a mobile stand for one of your bench mounted presses [smilie=s:

You didn't get enough exercise keeping the roof clear of snow?:)

That's certainly something to consider. I've seen plans for them in the past. But, truthfully, I did enjoy this "hands on" operation. It was just fine for pistol ammo, but I don't believe I'd enjoy full length resizing large rifle cases like .300 Win. Mag. !! Especially if I had several hundred to do.

As for the snow on the roof, yes, that was memorable; and winter isn't over yet as it's snowing outside right now! At one point I had almost 2 ft. on the roof, and had to shovel a path as I went because the snow on the ground was still soft without a crust to stand on.
But, I keep telling myself that summer will make up for it all! :grin: And I'll have all this ammo to shoot!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I played around with gap length .45 acp’s before there was a gap. Should have patented it. The gap and Webley .455 are about the same length so I was thinking about using them in my Webleys.

That's really funny! I guess we all think somewhat alike. I had a handful of the Remington snake shot shells, the nice brass ones that are rounded over on the end for the .45 ACP. When you shoot them the end straightens out like a shotgun shell, but is kind of ragged. I've never heard of anyone reloading them and reusing them, but someone probably does. I couldn't figure out what to do with them, and got the idea to cut them off below the crimp and make a few dummies and take them into my dealer friend with some preposterous story. I procrastinated on the project for a couple of months and suddenly the GAP appeared and kind of ruined the planned ruse. They're still out in the shop in a small jar waiting for.......?

[RED BEAR]

I actually don't mind loading the 25acp . When i was still working i always preferred making small parts. Even though my fingers have gotten to resemble sausages. And yes if i didn't reload them i wouldn't be shooting them.

[jonp]

Or maybe, "Enough is enough," or "Spring is coming." I guess I could have posted this in any of several sub-forums, but since I did it all with my handy Lee Hand Press I thought "Reloading Equipment" might be appropriate. There was, and still is a whole lot of snow outside, so what better to do than load up a supply of handgun/carbine ammo while sitting in front of the computer and reading what all you wonderful people have to say. I started this project close to the end of December, and the last box is dated March 7. If I count correctly I loaded: 750 .38 Specials, 250 .357 Magnums, 700 .45 ACPs, 150 .45 GAPs, 150 .44 Magnums, 200 .44040 WCFs, and 300 .45 Colts. So, I'm all set for this summer, and maybe a couple more. My daughter tells me that the daffodils are blooming down in the Willamette Valley, and I guess it will reach the mountains in another month. Got to move on to other projects, but this was enjoyable.
237710237711
click to enlarge.

Left to right: .45 GAP 200 Gr. JHP, .45 ACP 230 Gr. CLFP, .45 ACP 230 Gr. CLRN, .45 ACP 230 Gr. Gold Dot, .45 ACP 200 Gr. JHP, .38 Sp. 158 Gr. CLRNFP, .38 Sp.158 Gr. CLSWC., .38 Sp. 158 Gr. XTP, .38 Sp. 125 Gr. Golden Saber, .357 Mag. 158 gr. XTP, .357 Mag. 125 Gr. Golden Saber, .44 Mag. 240 Gr. JSP, .44 Mag. 240 Gr. JHP, .44-40 WCF 200 Gr. JSP, .44-40 200 Gr. CLRN, .45 Colt 255 Gr. CLRNFP, .45 Colt 230 Gr. JHP.

I keep one of those at my hunting camp along with dies and powder and reload in the evening when not using the old Lee Loaders. Works great. That's a lot of ammo.

[Chainsaw.]

Nicely done!! And all on a hand press. Thats aloooot of work. I guess I won’t complain if sitting at my progressive.

Where up in the hills are ya? Wife and I just picked up a new spot outside twisp. Hear theres still 3’ of snow!

[Bookworm]

Back when I first started reloading, about 30 years ago, all I had was a Lee hand press. I loaded 9mm and 38Spl.
I would load up a couple hundred 9mm, put the thing down and walk away from it for a week or so.

When I git a single stage press, I'm not sure it went very much faster, but handling a charged case to seat a bullet was certainly easier.

I haven't loaded on a hand press in at least 20 years. I don't think I miss it.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Nicely done!! And all on a hand press. Thats aloooot of work. I guess I won’t complain if sitting at my progressive.

Where up in the hills are ya? Wife and I just picked up a new spot outside twisp. Hear theres still 3’ of snow!

Near Chemult, OR. Yes, we still have 3 ft. But the weather is warming during the daytime, and it's starting to melt. By the middle-end of April it will be 85% gone. The Wikipedia says that it's the snowiest place on the West Coast, similar to Flagstaff, AZ, which of course is not on the West Coast.
I'm at 4,600 ft. elevation. Frankly though, I love it here and moved here with my eyes wide open. Discounting late Dec. through March it is a great place to live. Lots of wildlife, fresh air (when the folks farther down the hills aren't having forest fires!), trees, excellent water, great lakes for fishing, and not many people. The post office is 5 miles away and the grocery stores are 37 miles away. Being an "old timer" I don't know how many years the Good Lord will give me to enjoy it, but I'm thankful he has given me at least a few. Some say that the two best places to live are by the ocean or in the mountains, and I've done both and prefer the mountains. But I had to spend enough time in the cities to make it happen. This will be my last stop, and I'm where I want to be.

I do have a large shop on the property, big enough to park a tractor inside along with two pickup trucks. It has a wood stove, but at present there's just too much "stuff" piled around it to take the chance of using it. I moved here about 18 months ago and brought along a lifetime's worth of "stuff" that will take another year to completely sort through and store and to get a decent reloading area set up. This project was really just a way to pass some time during the winter. It was productive, and I enjoyed it; but yes, I took breaks from it. When I worked on it I loaded 1-2 boxes a day. My wife is disabled and I'm her caregiver, so it had the added advantage of being nearby when she needed my assistance, besides staying warm.

As for the Lee Hand Press, I saw another thread recently with some disparaging comments, but it works fine for me. I've owned 4 of them over the years and have given two of them away to new reloaders to get them started. The third is somewhere in the pile in the new shop. This one is the current model with the bushings for rapid die changes. If you want to achieve a satisfactory level of production, then you have to buy enough bushings to have one on each die so you can just set the dies to the proper depth to accomplish their tasks, and then swap them in and out of the press. Fortunately they aren't very expensive, and come two per package. There is nothing at all inferior about the end product ammo, as you're using the same dies you'd use in a bench mounted press, just squeezing the press together rather than pumping a handle.

Some of the bushings have slightly looser tolerances in the machining of their threads and don't fit into the press as tightly as one would like, so you have to set them just right or they'll eventually turn a little and pop out the top. It's just an annoyance, and easily reset with a little twist.
All in all, a good tool.

I guess part of what "works for you" is how you approach shooting and what you shoot. For myself, I rarely shoot more than a box of ammo in any one shooting session. I'm too old to be running, ducking and dodging while firing multiple rounds; and my shooting years were all spent shooting for score on silhouettes and bullseye targets. Cans work well too! Just be sure to pick them up after you kill 'em, and drop them in the garbage can. I just can't personally imagine shooting a case of ammo at a time, but "different strokes" as they say. I'm a little slower but enjoy every round.

DG

[Chainsaw.]

Nice! I went through La Pine on my way down to Lakeview to go to Thunder ranch. I really like that part of Oregon. Especially that close to the Oregon outback. Wife and I keep threatening to move somewhere down there but the rat race keeps us near Seattle for now. Hope that snow melts soon!

[Reverend Al]

I wish that I had completed some of my winter projects ... I just seem to keep getting more and more projects!

:sad:

[dverna]

I loaded around 500 .38 Spl's on a Co-Ax before giving up and loading on a progressive. I admire your tenacity. That is an outstanding achievement.

[15meter]

I thought I was doing good with:250 222, 300+ 7mm Mauser, 400 30-06, 140 450 Bushmaster, 150 22 Hornet, 250 204 Ruger, 100 8mm Mauser, 60 318 Westley Richards, 150 220 Swift, 100+ 303 British, 80 375 H&H, 20 300 H&H, 60 9.3x74r, 40 8x60s, 40 416 Rigby, 50+ 43 Spanish, plus a half dozen+ more calibers in small lots-20 to 40 rounds.
All done on an RCBS Rockchucker.

Wouldn't want to do it on a hand press.

Still have 100 204 ruger, 200 hornet, 40 450 nitro express, 20 375 h&h and 20 6.5 carcano's to do on the rockchucker.

Did ~70 boxes of 12 gauge trap/skeet/sporting clays on a Mec 9000 progressives really shine when you get into the high volume stuff.

Have 500+ 30-06 and 750+ 30 carbine to do on the Dillon 550 with 500+ 38 specials on the square deal.

Have to lube/size/GC the boolits for the 06 and the carbine, the 38's are just getting BLL.

Then I think I'm ready for the shooting season.

Back has been bothering me so much I never put a boat on the ice this year, first time since the 70's I didn't hard water sail. Stayed in the WARM shop. At times I think the wife thought she was a widow.

Hope the back straightens out in time for motorcycle season.

Forgot the 100 30-30, 400+ 6.5x55, 6.5x53 and 6.5x54r.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

You're doing alright on the reloading! Best wishes about the back -- been there and done that!

[osteodoc08]

That’s a lot of work really. My hats off to you. I got a wild hair and reloaded about 1k 45 ACP but that was on a Dillon 650. I could only imagine itnon your press. Hope you enjoy a safe and fun filled summer.