Well hello Mr. Powder Measure... nice to meet you...

Magnum Wheel Man · July 20, 2011, 09:07 AM

so... I load around 60 different cartridges, & most of ( well Ok... everything I've reloaded for the last couple years ) has been load developement ( I kind of enjoy trying to squeeze the tightest group out of each cartridge I load for, & I've kinda become overwhelmed by how many cartridges I load for, so seems I never get to where I'm reloading a bulk quantity ), thus I've been scaling all my powder charges, as I usually do them in groups of 10 or so... the last week or so, I finally filled one of my powder measures & ran 750 rounds of 38 Special "cowboy carbine" loads...

... amaizing how quick a guy can reload, when you don't have to scale out every single charge

I'm finalizing my 45 Colt Cowboy loads for my Rugers, & hopefully will be able to use my measure again soon for 1000 45 Colt cartridges in the next week or so ( hoping to do some cowboy action competitions next year... wanted to do it this year, but never got my loads defined & cartridges loaded

)

anyway... so anyone else ever putz with the reciepes so much that you rarely get around to doing your bulk loading??? or do I fall into some sort of group that needs counsiling

higgite · July 20, 2011, 09:58 AM

Quote:

anyway... so anyone else ever putz with the reciepes so much that you rarely get around to doing your bulk loading??? or do I fall into some sort of group that needs counsiling

Yes and yes.

Jimro · July 20, 2011, 10:27 AM

I load a lot less than 60 calibers.... but I do know exactly what you mean.

And yes, you need counseling. No one judges here in the circle of trust.

Jimro

**Unclenick** · July 20, 2011, 10:36 AM

Heh, heh! You have arrived at your support group meeting.

I have two speeds. Slow and real fast. I love load development and its related puzzles and have whatever I need for that. But for volume I've also indulged in progressive presses, good powder measures, a Giraud trimmer. Find a load and load it by the season.

Magnum Wheel Man · July 20, 2011, 10:43 AM

NICK... that was my intention... when I started years ago... find a good load, load a 1000 rounds & move on... the trouble with my plan, is that I'm not just willing to shoot one cartridge / gun until I find what works the best... so I have 100's of targets saved, with the load, gun, & date on them, to compare as I work my way through all the potential powders, bullet combinations, COL's etc.

at least with the "cowboy stuff" I have to have a "good enough" attitude... basically if I can shoot a 2" or smaller group at the proper distances, & I like the combo, & how it loads, it's going to have to be "good enough"

BTW... love how that Trailboss meters... I think the last I used the powder measure on was a stick powder... much tougher to use than the lil doughnuts

serf 'rett · July 20, 2011, 12:55 PM

Quote:

anyone else ever putz with the recipes..?

Yep.

Quote:

needs counseling?

Professional help needed!

Shoot, I’m just a beginner, loading for all of TWO pistol calibers, and I’ve bogged down in five different powders, five different bullets, three different primers…

By the time I get a load developed I’ll need to restock …

Unless I think a different powder/bullet/primer/brass combination may yield the magic miracle group

GWS · July 20, 2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

so... I load around 60 different cartridges,.......

So that means you have 60 guns to reload for!!.......what else do you have time for?

So if you load a box for each caliber, that's somewhere between 1,200 to 3,000 rounds!....nothing to snuff at!

Quote:

45 Colt Cowboy loads for my Rugers, & hopefully will be able to use my measure again soon for 1000 45 Colt cartridges in the next week or so ( hoping to do some cowboy action competitions next year... wanted to do it this year, but never got my loads defined & cartridges loaded )

Seems to me you could put a progressive to good use with that need.

Quote:

anyway... so anyone else ever putz with the recipes so much that you rarely get around to doing your bulk loading??? or do I fall into some sort of group that needs counsiling

Did that before buying my Pro 2000 to compliment my Rock Chucker. Now days, when I finally settle on a load I like, I buy another shell plate and die plate and move the caliber to the progressive. I find that I can load just as accurately with it, once I meter and settle the powder load in the Uniflow powder measure (The Pro 2000 comes with a Mic adjustable Uniflow). Any time I dump some more powder in, I put my cell phone on vibrate, and call myself. Putting the phone against the hopper, it vibrates (settles) the powder to a repeatable state of volume....makes the throws more repeatable for me.

I only load for 6 calibers on the progressive....pistol and rifle...so far. Adding to that is easy......just add more time and money. (I have neither)

60 calibers! Wow...blows my mind!

I am looking into old folks homes with shooting and reloading facilities, for when they commit me. Counciling?....what do they know!

Magnum Wheel Man · July 20, 2011, 01:56 PM

Quote:

So that means you have 60 guns to reload for!!.......

um... a couple more than that

somethings get more complicated... fast twist 22 Hornet just for example... I have both a custom revolver, & a Custom rifle to load for... I want a light, medium, & heavy bullet combination that shoots good in both a 6" revolver & a 21" rifle... that alone may keep me busy past my reloading years...

45-70... got a 14" Contender barrel, a Russian Remington double rifle, a Custom Martini single shot ( with a 2" faster twist rate than standard ) & a Marlin Guide gun... I need at least 3 specific loads in 45-70...

in all fairness some are easier... like 7-30 Waters... only ( so far ) have a Contender barrel... but then I always wanted a 7-30 lever... so some day even that cartridge will get more challenging, as I'll want to keep my pointy, slippery bullet loads for the Contender, which won't work in a lever action... ( BTW I have a pretty full collection of Contender barrels, most every chambering made, & a couple customs never commercially made )

fortunately, I like developing loads about as much as I like shooting, so for me it's really 2 hobbies in one

Ike666 · July 20, 2011, 04:51 PM

Groan - it's a disease!

I've been beating my head against a 175 load for .308 for about a month.

This week, I backed off of that and loaded 1000 .45 ACPs (I know .45 Autos) and 1000 9mm. Not because I needed them but because I needed to go into production-mode to clear my head.

sc928porsche · July 20, 2011, 05:38 PM

I am usually quite particular about my charges, especially when developing. Once I have a particular one developed then I throw charges from either the powder flow or disc dispenser. This is of course on pistol cartridges. I have 2 loadmasters for pistol. One for small primer and the other for large primer.
With those, I can load 600-800 per hour. Perodicaly I weigh the charge to make sure they are being dispensed properly.

For rifle ctgs, I use the powder flow in a charge just slightly under what I am loading and trickle to the proper amount. I use the "O" frame press for them.

My goal is always the same. Highest velocity and still retaining tight groups. I dont belive that I reload 60 different ctgs, but offhand I would say the the number is between 30 and 40.

Hammerhead · July 20, 2011, 10:04 PM

Happiness for me is a Redding 10X meter with repeatable micrometer settings.

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

GP100man · July 20, 2011, 10:15 PM

It was just me & I only have five calibers ,but multi arms in each .

Then we`ll get into casting different bullets for each1 & starting all over

Gotta go load errrhemm ,get some more therapy

Doodlebugger45 · July 21, 2011, 04:39 PM

I know what you mean. I only have 10 calibers and 12 different firearms that I load for, but i have 32 different jugs of powder sitting there. I have made progress though. For my revolvers I made it a goal to develop 1 low recoil plinking round and 1 high power consistent load for each caliber and I have done that for each one. So, at least I do have 1 set load for when I want to sit down and crank out 200 rounds for a shooting session for one of them. But it doesn't keep me from tinkering around to find something even better.

Same thing for my rifle loads. I have a goal to have 2 different loads with different bullet weights that will consistently deliver sub-moa using hunting bullets and at least one load that will do better than that with match bullets for each rifle. I am about 75% of the way to that goal now. But even then, it doesn't stop me from trying to find an even better combo. But it's nice to have a go-to load for each rifle that I can sit down and crank out 40 of them without wondering about different variables and I know they will work just fine.

It would be mighty boring to me to just keep cranking out the same load each time. And this way it's always a surprise to go up to the targets and see the results.

**Unclenick** · July 21, 2011, 05:06 PM

I gave up years ago on developing an ultimate and final best load for a gun. New stuff just keeps coming, so I've settled for developing "interim loads". These are the best loads I can make for a gun until I find something better. Good thing there is nothing in the rules about having to stop looking.

Doodlebugger45 · July 21, 2011, 06:26 PM

Heh!

I like that term "interim load".

It sounds more precise to my non-reloading friends and especially my wife. Much better than "the best" which implies that my search is over, and even "the best so far" is kind of nebulous.

When I first ventured into loading for rifles, my thought was I'll never get into the ridiculous extremes I hear about from the BR types, that's just crazy. All I wanted was to get safe loads that were as good as the cheap factory ammo. I just wanted to be able to shoot my 7 mag and WSMs more often than I did before. I thought to myself "I'll never be as bad as THOSE guys".

But it's a nefarious addiction. At first I figured 50 pieces of brass for each cartridge was plenty for my needs. The fired brass went into a plastic jar and then I'd reload them, no big deal. But then I picked up different brands of brass, so I had to sort them of course. And then it became important to separate them into batches according to how many times they had been fired. Then I found myself weighing cases, separating them into relatively equal weights. And of course regular ole FL sizing dies are not necessarily good enough, I had to try neck sizing dies for certain applications. And the need to try every powder I heard about became a passion, not to mention trying every weight and every brand of bullet for each caliber. Needless to say, there are now countless assortments of specialized equipment, powders, primers, bullets, and bins of brass sitting on my shelves.

There are still a few procedures I hear about that the BR guys do that I haven't tried yet. Those would be silly and I'll never be THAT bad....

July 20, 2011, 09:07 AM	#1
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 6,992	Well hello Mr. Powder Measure... nice to meet you... so... I load around 60 different cartridges, & most of ( well Ok... everything I've reloaded for the last couple years ) has been load developement ( I kind of enjoy trying to squeeze the tightest group out of each cartridge I load for, & I've kinda become overwhelmed by how many cartridges I load for, so seems I never get to where I'm reloading a bulk quantity ), thus I've been scaling all my powder charges, as I usually do them in groups of 10 or so... the last week or so, I finally filled one of my powder measures & ran 750 rounds of 38 Special "cowboy carbine" loads... ... amaizing how quick a guy can reload, when you don't have to scale out every single charge I'm finalizing my 45 Colt Cowboy loads for my Rugers, & hopefully will be able to use my measure again soon for 1000 45 Colt cartridges in the next week or so ( hoping to do some cowboy action competitions next year... wanted to do it this year, but never got my loads defined & cartridges loaded ) anyway... so anyone else ever putz with the reciepes so much that you rarely get around to doing your bulk loading??? or do I fall into some sort of group that needs counsiling __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

July 20, 2011, 10:27 AM	#3
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 4,268	I load a lot less than 60 calibers.... but I do know exactly what you mean. And yes, you need counseling. No one judges here in the circle of trust. Jimro __________________ "Gorsh" said Goofy as secondary explosions racked the beaten zone, "Did I do that?" http://randomthoughtsandguns.blogspot.com/

July 20, 2011, 10:36 AM	#4
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 9,163	Heh, heh! You have arrived at your support group meeting. I have two speeds. Slow and real fast. I love load development and its related puzzles and have whatever I need for that. But for volume I've also indulged in progressive presses, good powder measures, a Giraud trimmer. Find a load and load it by the season. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Patron Member

July 20, 2011, 10:43 AM	#5
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 6,992	NICK... that was my intention... when I started years ago... find a good load, load a 1000 rounds & move on... the trouble with my plan, is that I'm not just willing to shoot one cartridge / gun until I find what works the best... so I have 100's of targets saved, with the load, gun, & date on them, to compare as I work my way through all the potential powders, bullet combinations, COL's etc. at least with the "cowboy stuff" I have to have a "good enough" attitude... basically if I can shoot a 2" or smaller group at the proper distances, & I like the combo, & how it loads, it's going to have to be "good enough" BTW... love how that Trailboss meters... I think the last I used the powder measure on was a stick powder... much tougher to use than the lil doughnuts __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

July 20, 2011, 04:51 PM	#9
Ike666 Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2009 Location: SW VA Posts: 399	Groan - it's a disease! I've been beating my head against a 175 load for .308 for about a month. This week, I backed off of that and loaded 1000 .45 ACPs (I know .45 Autos) and 1000 9mm. Not because I needed them but because I needed to go into production-mode to clear my head. __________________ ___________________ "I'm your huckleberry."

July 20, 2011, 05:38 PM	#10
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,325	I am usually quite particular about my charges, especially when developing. Once I have a particular one developed then I throw charges from either the powder flow or disc dispenser. This is of course on pistol cartridges. I have 2 loadmasters for pistol. One for small primer and the other for large primer. With those, I can load 600-800 per hour. Perodicaly I weigh the charge to make sure they are being dispensed properly. For rifle ctgs, I use the powder flow in a charge just slightly under what I am loading and trickle to the proper amount. I use the "O" frame press for them. My goal is always the same. Highest velocity and still retaining tight groups. I dont belive that I reload 60 different ctgs, but offhand I would say the the number is between 30 and 40. __________________ No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.

July 20, 2011, 10:04 PM	#11
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,182	Happiness for me is a Redding 10X meter with repeatable micrometer settings. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

July 20, 2011, 10:15 PM	#12
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,779	I thought ???? It was just me & I only have five calibers ,but multi arms in each . Then we`ll get into casting different bullets for each1 & starting all over Gotta go load errrhemm ,get some more therapy __________________ GP100man

July 21, 2011, 04:39 PM	#13
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	I know what you mean. I only have 10 calibers and 12 different firearms that I load for, but i have 32 different jugs of powder sitting there. I have made progress though. For my revolvers I made it a goal to develop 1 low recoil plinking round and 1 high power consistent load for each caliber and I have done that for each one. So, at least I do have 1 set load for when I want to sit down and crank out 200 rounds for a shooting session for one of them. But it doesn't keep me from tinkering around to find something even better. Same thing for my rifle loads. I have a goal to have 2 different loads with different bullet weights that will consistently deliver sub-moa using hunting bullets and at least one load that will do better than that with match bullets for each rifle. I am about 75% of the way to that goal now. But even then, it doesn't stop me from trying to find an even better combo. But it's nice to have a go-to load for each rifle that I can sit down and crank out 40 of them without wondering about different variables and I know they will work just fine. It would be mighty boring to me to just keep cranking out the same load each time. And this way it's always a surprise to go up to the targets and see the results.

July 21, 2011, 05:06 PM	#14
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 9,163	I gave up years ago on developing an ultimate and final best load for a gun. New stuff just keeps coming, so I've settled for developing "interim loads". These are the best loads I can make for a gun until I find something better. Good thing there is nothing in the rules about having to stop looking. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Patron Member

July 21, 2011, 06:26 PM	#15
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	Heh! I like that term "interim load". It sounds more precise to my non-reloading friends and especially my wife. Much better than "the best" which implies that my search is over, and even "the best so far" is kind of nebulous. When I first ventured into loading for rifles, my thought was I'll never get into the ridiculous extremes I hear about from the BR types, that's just crazy. All I wanted was to get safe loads that were as good as the cheap factory ammo. I just wanted to be able to shoot my 7 mag and WSMs more often than I did before. I thought to myself "I'll never be as bad as THOSE guys". But it's a nefarious addiction. At first I figured 50 pieces of brass for each cartridge was plenty for my needs. The fired brass went into a plastic jar and then I'd reload them, no big deal. But then I picked up different brands of brass, so I had to sort them of course. And then it became important to separate them into batches according to how many times they had been fired. Then I found myself weighing cases, separating them into relatively equal weights. And of course regular ole FL sizing dies are not necessarily good enough, I had to try neck sizing dies for certain applications. And the need to try every powder I heard about became a passion, not to mention trying every weight and every brand of bullet for each caliber. Needless to say, there are now countless assortments of specialized equipment, powders, primers, bullets, and bins of brass sitting on my shelves. There are still a few procedures I hear about that the BR guys do that I haven't tried yet. Those would be silly and I'll never be THAT bad....