Reloading virgin no more!

homefront · December 25, 2005, 12:04 AM

Made my first home brews tonight!
Used Berry's 185gr. plated SWC's over 4.5 grs. of Bullseye, new Remington .45 ACP brass and primers, seated to 1.215 oal. Will try them out at the range on Monday.
I've started on this new hobby with the following:

Lee Classic Cast single stage press
Lee .45 ACP carbide die set
Hornady Lock n' Load adapter bushing kit
Lee Perfect powder measure
Redding powder trickler
Dillon balance beam scale
RCBS primer tray
Cabela's loading blocks and cartridge boxes
Forsters case trimmer
Lyman's Pistol and Revolver Handbook
Modern Reloading (by Richard Lee)

I chose Bullseye because it is frquently mentioned and listed as a much used and accurate powder for the .45 ACP. While the Lyman manual recommended 3.5 grains as a starting point (for 185 gr. jacketed, not plated) out of concern for slide function I upped it to 4.5 grains, well below the 6.7 gr. max listed. It's still a little confusing because Lee did not have loads listed for Bullseye with 185 gr. plated bullets, but did list Accurate powders 2, 5 & 7. Could a jacketed bullet create pressures different than plated ones? Enough that it required a change to a slower powder for the plated bullets? It appears that way to me, so I'll toss out the question; Is 4.5 grains of Bullseye (or any amount of Bullseye) safe behind a 185 gr. plated SWC?
Thanks, and merry Christmas to all!!

Pointer · December 25, 2005, 01:23 AM

Once-a-virgin

Be careful you don't get carried away...

It might get you an "ill-repute"ation...

gm110656 · December 25, 2005, 02:00 PM

Congratulations! You have a good mix of products from different manufacturers and you'll learn from this some very good lessons. All the equipment being marketed today does the job regardles of who it's produced by. A Geo Metro will get you there but not by the same route as a H2 but you'll save $40,000! I shouldn't have to explain any more. Get ready for an addiction and welcome to the club. Never assume anything while reloading and you'll have a safe and rewarding hobby. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Leftoverdj · December 25, 2005, 09:47 PM

Home, you made some very intelligent choices. including that charge choice. There is nothing wrong with switching bullet types around with a medium charge. With high or low end charges, you might create a problem.

In my limited experience, plated bullets behave a lot more like lead than like jacketed bullets. That experience is limited because I quickly decided I preferred my homecast lead. The plated bullets I used were very soft and more than modest charges caused the thin plating to strip.

You should be OK with that 4.5 grains of Bullseye. It's a modest load that will still function most stock guns, which 3.5 grains won't.

homefront · December 25, 2005, 10:25 PM

I'm already carried away! I've been hunting and shooting for over 25 years, and have wanted to reload all the while. I'm taking up this hobby primarily to give my 15 year-old son and I something to do together. My work obligations and his school activities conspire to keep us apart, and I know he would benefit greatly from this experience and carry it with him into his future.
Thank you for the welcome and the help. This is a great website for a great pastime, and the people involved seem to have genuine concern for the success of others.

JJB2 · December 25, 2005, 10:36 PM

hello from iowa homefront!! that is a great idea to show your 15 yr old the ins an outs of SAFE reloading.... i had a good patient friend teach me how to reload about 25 yrs ago.... it is a great, rewarding,money saving, hobby....i sometimes wish my sons had been interested in shooting and reloading............it is good that a guy can build his own ammo better than store bought........ merry christmas to ya!!

LIFE IS SHORT.........

homefront · December 26, 2005, 07:40 AM

As a kid I spent my time tramping through woods and marshes, trapping muskrat and killing ducks. Got alot of self-taught woods lore, made camp fires, built shelters, fell through ice, got lost, stuck in mud, hurt, cold, stung, bit, hit, fell out of trees, chased by angry strangers (usually while I was trespassing!), fought, survived. Had a best friend (whom I now seldom see), and usually a dog, beside me through it all.
Now all the kids do is play video games and download music. The world isn't quite as safe to be let loose in as it once was, so we police our kids much more closely than we ever were. Luckily my son is very involved in music both at school and church, but it's time I got him out to learn about the real world. Guns and other tools are viewed by many today as barbaric devices of murder, and I won't let my kids grow up that way. I won't be beside hime forever, and he's got to learn to handle himself and reloading and firearms are lesson one. Fishing, boat handling, hunting are next!

jsflagstad · December 28, 2005, 11:30 AM

Welcome to the addiction Sir...

I think you will find this hobby very rewarding. Just do everything with the utmost care, contro and accuracy and I think you will have positive results.

I have been reloading for a while now, and am still learning everyday and I'm sure many other would say the same.

JSF

azredhawk44 · December 28, 2005, 11:49 AM

Beware the Lee Perfect powder measure. It is not perfect.

All your other gear that you picked up is good stuff. I started off on a shoestring budget reloading, and ended up with some lee stuff:

Modern Reloading (great book, I see you have it too)
Lee Perfect Powder Measure
Lee auto-primer
Lee powder scale

I figure 3 out of 4 ain't too bad... My powder measure had the rubber bushing inside of it tear. But it did it gradually.

I noticed one day that my loads were getting heavier. I started with around 4.0 grains of unique, and 50 rounds in after a year of intermittent use (maybe 1000 rounds loaded with the powder measure) I was pouring about 4.3 grains. I was glad I checked. I kept a careful eye on how much powder was going into my cartridges from that point forward, checking every 10-20 rounds or so.

I put the measure away that day and came back to it with Reloader 15 and some .30-30 brass. I don't remember the exact charge off the top of my head, but I was shooting for about 25.0 grains. I set the thing for it, got it all dialed in, and after about 5 cartridges the floodgates opened. I was getting 27.0 grains, 28.5 grains, 31.2 grains... It kept getting more and more even though the set screw hadn't moved at all.

Turns out there is a rubber elastomer bushing inside that was essentially getting ground away by the gunpowder's abrasion during each cycle.

I threw away my lee powder measure and got one from RCBS that is steel. Haven't had a problem since. Rock-solid and consistent accuracy for the last 500 rounds, and no rubber guts to wear out.

Beware the Lee powder measure!!! It's price is too good to be true.

December 25, 2005, 12:04 AM	#1
homefront Junior Member Join Date: November 11, 2005 Location: Perkiomenville, Pa Posts: 13	Reloading virgin no more! Made my first home brews tonight! Used Berry's 185gr. plated SWC's over 4.5 grs. of Bullseye, new Remington .45 ACP brass and primers, seated to 1.215 oal. Will try them out at the range on Monday. I've started on this new hobby with the following: Lee Classic Cast single stage press Lee .45 ACP carbide die set Hornady Lock n' Load adapter bushing kit Lee Perfect powder measure Redding powder trickler Dillon balance beam scale RCBS primer tray Cabela's loading blocks and cartridge boxes Forsters case trimmer Lyman's Pistol and Revolver Handbook Modern Reloading (by Richard Lee) I chose Bullseye because it is frquently mentioned and listed as a much used and accurate powder for the .45 ACP. While the Lyman manual recommended 3.5 grains as a starting point (for 185 gr. jacketed, not plated) out of concern for slide function I upped it to 4.5 grains, well below the 6.7 gr. max listed. It's still a little confusing because Lee did not have loads listed for Bullseye with 185 gr. plated bullets, but did list Accurate powders 2, 5 & 7. Could a jacketed bullet create pressures different than plated ones? Enough that it required a change to a slower powder for the plated bullets? It appears that way to me, so I'll toss out the question; Is 4.5 grains of Bullseye (or any amount of Bullseye) safe behind a 185 gr. plated SWC? Thanks, and merry Christmas to all!!

December 28, 2005, 11:30 AM	#8
jsflagstad Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Up Nort Posts: 419	Welcome to the addiction!!! Welcome to the addiction Sir... I think you will find this hobby very rewarding. Just do everything with the utmost care, contro and accuracy and I think you will have positive results. I have been reloading for a while now, and am still learning everyday and I'm sure many other would say the same. JSF

December 28, 2005, 11:49 AM	#9
azredhawk44 Junior member Join Date: September 28, 2005 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 6,465	Lee Perfect powder measure Beware the Lee Perfect powder measure. It is not perfect. All your other gear that you picked up is good stuff. I started off on a shoestring budget reloading, and ended up with some lee stuff: Modern Reloading (great book, I see you have it too) Lee Perfect Powder Measure Lee auto-primer Lee powder scale I figure 3 out of 4 ain't too bad... My powder measure had the rubber bushing inside of it tear. But it did it gradually. I noticed one day that my loads were getting heavier. I started with around 4.0 grains of unique, and 50 rounds in after a year of intermittent use (maybe 1000 rounds loaded with the powder measure) I was pouring about 4.3 grains. I was glad I checked. I kept a careful eye on how much powder was going into my cartridges from that point forward, checking every 10-20 rounds or so. I put the measure away that day and came back to it with Reloader 15 and some .30-30 brass. I don't remember the exact charge off the top of my head, but I was shooting for about 25.0 grains. I set the thing for it, got it all dialed in, and after about 5 cartridges the floodgates opened. I was getting 27.0 grains, 28.5 grains, 31.2 grains... It kept getting more and more even though the set screw hadn't moved at all. Turns out there is a rubber elastomer bushing inside that was essentially getting ground away by the gunpowder's abrasion during each cycle. I threw away my lee powder measure and got one from RCBS that is steel. Haven't had a problem since. Rock-solid and consistent accuracy for the last 500 rounds, and no rubber guts to wear out. Beware the Lee powder measure!!! It's price is too good to be true.

December 25, 2005, 01:23 AM	#2
Pointer Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 2,559	Once-a-virgin Be careful you don't get carried away... It might get you an "ill-repute"ation...

December 25, 2005, 02:00 PM	#3
gm110656 Member Join Date: December 21, 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 16	Congratulations! You have a good mix of products from different manufacturers and you'll learn from this some very good lessons. All the equipment being marketed today does the job regardles of who it's produced by. A Geo Metro will get you there but not by the same route as a H2 but you'll save $40,000! I shouldn't have to explain any more. Get ready for an addiction and welcome to the club. Never assume anything while reloading and you'll have a safe and rewarding hobby. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

December 25, 2005, 09:47 PM	#4
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	Home, you made some very intelligent choices. including that charge choice. There is nothing wrong with switching bullet types around with a medium charge. With high or low end charges, you might create a problem. In my limited experience, plated bullets behave a lot more like lead than like jacketed bullets. That experience is limited because I quickly decided I preferred my homecast lead. The plated bullets I used were very soft and more than modest charges caused the thin plating to strip. You should be OK with that 4.5 grains of Bullseye. It's a modest load that will still function most stock guns, which 3.5 grains won't.

December 25, 2005, 10:25 PM	#5
homefront Junior Member Join Date: November 11, 2005 Location: Perkiomenville, Pa Posts: 13	I'm already carried away! I've been hunting and shooting for over 25 years, and have wanted to reload all the while. I'm taking up this hobby primarily to give my 15 year-old son and I something to do together. My work obligations and his school activities conspire to keep us apart, and I know he would benefit greatly from this experience and carry it with him into his future. Thank you for the welcome and the help. This is a great website for a great pastime, and the people involved seem to have genuine concern for the success of others.

December 25, 2005, 10:36 PM	#6
JJB2 Junior member Join Date: December 14, 2005 Posts: 558	hello from iowa homefront!! that is a great idea to show your 15 yr old the ins an outs of SAFE reloading.... i had a good patient friend teach me how to reload about 25 yrs ago.... it is a great, rewarding,money saving, hobby....i sometimes wish my sons had been interested in shooting and reloading............it is good that a guy can build his own ammo better than store bought........ merry christmas to ya!! LIFE IS SHORT.........

December 26, 2005, 07:40 AM	#7
homefront Junior Member Join Date: November 11, 2005 Location: Perkiomenville, Pa Posts: 13	As a kid I spent my time tramping through woods and marshes, trapping muskrat and killing ducks. Got alot of self-taught woods lore, made camp fires, built shelters, fell through ice, got lost, stuck in mud, hurt, cold, stung, bit, hit, fell out of trees, chased by angry strangers (usually while I was trespassing!), fought, survived. Had a best friend (whom I now seldom see), and usually a dog, beside me through it all. Now all the kids do is play video games and download music. The world isn't quite as safe to be let loose in as it once was, so we police our kids much more closely than we ever were. Luckily my son is very involved in music both at school and church, but it's time I got him out to learn about the real world. Guns and other tools are viewed by many today as barbaric devices of murder, and I won't let my kids grow up that way. I won't be beside hime forever, and he's got to learn to handle himself and reloading and firearms are lesson one. Fishing, boat handling, hunting are next!