Press is setup.

snook135 · March 25, 2012, 04:43 PM

I am finding a lot of satisfaction reloading my own ammo. I doubt it will save my money, as I seem to want to shoot more often due to the decreased cost in ammo at or above a 50% savings.

Not sure what caliber dies to pick up next most likely it will be 454 casull due to it normally costing close to a dollar a round. Then 9mm when my Machine Gun form 4 is approved.

Down the line I plan to pick up some rifle calibers but I am not ready for that yet.

markr · March 25, 2012, 08:17 PM

+1 on the .454C. That was my second caliber to reload. I started shooting it in 2003 and Ammo was still less than $1 per round. I was paying $17-$20 per box of 20. BUT I saved every single case until I had several hundred. Now the cheapest I can find factory, IF I can find it, is $30 dollars a box. Since I have all the cases in stock, my cost is just under .50 cents per round using Hornady XTP Mag bullits.

snook135 · March 25, 2012, 08:47 PM

yup since I have been shooting it in 04 i have kept all my brass. I probably have about 1k in brass. what primers, dies, powder, bullet grain are you using for for 454?

mrawesome22 · March 25, 2012, 08:55 PM

I recommend the Hornady dies for the Casull.

They come with an extra taper crimp die that applies a wonderful, easy to manipulate crimp.

37gr H110 under a 240gr XTP Mag using a WSRM primer is about all I care to handle our of my SRH.

The sadist load

markr · March 25, 2012, 09:45 PM

Im currently putting 30gr of H110 under a 300gr XTP MAG. It has some kick but not too bad. I just got a box of 240 grain XTP MAG. Working out of Hornady volume 7, I beleive the starting load was about 34.1 grains. (Book is downstairs). I did one or two at 34, and 35 to test for pressure, then did 20 at 36. I will test these this weekend. . You mentioned 37 grains, I beleive the the load data topped out around 38 grains. I do know that you don't want to push the SRH as hard as the Freedom Arms version of the pistol. The very first box of factory ammo I bought in 2003 was HNDY XTP MAG, and on the box, it was rated at 2000 FPS at the muzzle. And every case got stuck after I shot it out of my SRH. After some confusion, annd research, I discovered the shortcomings of that 6 shot cylinder. It is still a good pistol, but has some limitations compared to the freedom arms. I dig the "Mushroom Cloud" of concusion it creates at the range.

mrawesome22 · March 25, 2012, 10:15 PM

I also heard about sticky cases, thin walls cause it's six shot.....

At 37gr, cases extract fine and they chrono right at 2k, and are a handful to say the least

Never have felt the need to go to the listed 38gr.

Gotta love the looks on peoples faces when that thing goes off.

I tell people they can only shoot it if they promise not to poo their pants

markr · March 26, 2012, 11:22 AM

I forgot to answer part of the question about my dies. I started with an RCBS 3 die set on a single stage press. In the last two weeks I got set up an a Classic Turret press, and a pro auto disc. So now I am using a mixture of dies. Now its RCBS sizing and seating die.....and Lee powder through expanding, and factory crimp. I haven't fired the rounds yet that I made on the terret press. The only thing that will be different in my new setup is my crimp. That is why I made a couple rounds with the charge backed off a little to check for signs of pressure, since I don't know if the start pressure will change due to factory crimp.

snook135 · March 26, 2012, 02:48 PM

I would normally shoot 300gr bullets of factory ammo when i could find it, but normally 240gr. on the rare occasion 45lc. Reloading this one is going to be fun to find what I like but what you all mentioned i will try. Thanks for the heads up on the hornady dies. Are you trimming your cases on these?

I shoot the 454 out of a Ruger super red hawk. I am so glad I kept all of my fired brass!

markr · March 26, 2012, 03:22 PM

I trimmed before. But my new setup with the factory crimp die, I didnt trim. I can see slight variations where the case mouth hits the cannelure.

snook135 · March 26, 2012, 08:50 PM

Im just thinking with that powerful a cartridge it's worth trimming.

March 25, 2012, 04:43 PM	#1
snook135 Junior Member Join Date: March 13, 2012 Posts: 10	Press is setup. I am finding a lot of satisfaction reloading my own ammo. I doubt it will save my money, as I seem to want to shoot more often due to the decreased cost in ammo at or above a 50% savings. Not sure what caliber dies to pick up next most likely it will be 454 casull due to it normally costing close to a dollar a round. Then 9mm when my Machine Gun form 4 is approved. Down the line I plan to pick up some rifle calibers but I am not ready for that yet.

March 25, 2012, 08:17 PM	#2
markr Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: Arsenal of Democracy Posts: 405	+1 on the .454C. That was my second caliber to reload. I started shooting it in 2003 and Ammo was still less than $1 per round. I was paying $17-$20 per box of 20. BUT I saved every single case until I had several hundred. Now the cheapest I can find factory, IF I can find it, is $30 dollars a box. Since I have all the cases in stock, my cost is just under .50 cents per round using Hornady XTP Mag bullits. __________________ I like to make beer, bullets, and jerky.....but not at the same time. Washed up 11B1P

March 25, 2012, 09:45 PM	#5
markr Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: Arsenal of Democracy Posts: 405	Im currently putting 30gr of H110 under a 300gr XTP MAG. It has some kick but not too bad. I just got a box of 240 grain XTP MAG. Working out of Hornady volume 7, I beleive the starting load was about 34.1 grains. (Book is downstairs). I did one or two at 34, and 35 to test for pressure, then did 20 at 36. I will test these this weekend. . You mentioned 37 grains, I beleive the the load data topped out around 38 grains. I do know that you don't want to push the SRH as hard as the Freedom Arms version of the pistol. The very first box of factory ammo I bought in 2003 was HNDY XTP MAG, and on the box, it was rated at 2000 FPS at the muzzle. And every case got stuck after I shot it out of my SRH. After some confusion, annd research, I discovered the shortcomings of that 6 shot cylinder. It is still a good pistol, but has some limitations compared to the freedom arms. I dig the "Mushroom Cloud" of concusion it creates at the range. __________________ I like to make beer, bullets, and jerky.....but not at the same time. Washed up 11B1P

March 26, 2012, 11:22 AM	#7
markr Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: Arsenal of Democracy Posts: 405	I forgot to answer part of the question about my dies. I started with an RCBS 3 die set on a single stage press. In the last two weeks I got set up an a Classic Turret press, and a pro auto disc. So now I am using a mixture of dies. Now its RCBS sizing and seating die.....and Lee powder through expanding, and factory crimp. I haven't fired the rounds yet that I made on the terret press. The only thing that will be different in my new setup is my crimp. That is why I made a couple rounds with the charge backed off a little to check for signs of pressure, since I don't know if the start pressure will change due to factory crimp. __________________ I like to make beer, bullets, and jerky.....but not at the same time. Washed up 11B1P

March 26, 2012, 03:22 PM	#9
markr Senior Member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: Arsenal of Democracy Posts: 405	I trimmed before. But my new setup with the factory crimp die, I didnt trim. I can see slight variations where the case mouth hits the cannelure. __________________ I like to make beer, bullets, and jerky.....but not at the same time. Washed up 11B1P

March 25, 2012, 08:47 PM	#3
snook135 Junior Member Join Date: March 13, 2012 Posts: 10	yup since I have been shooting it in 04 i have kept all my brass. I probably have about 1k in brass. what primers, dies, powder, bullet grain are you using for for 454?

March 25, 2012, 08:55 PM	#4
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	I recommend the Hornady dies for the Casull. They come with an extra taper crimp die that applies a wonderful, easy to manipulate crimp. 37gr H110 under a 240gr XTP Mag using a WSRM primer is about all I care to handle our of my SRH. The sadist load

March 25, 2012, 10:15 PM	#6
mrawesome22 Senior Member Join Date: November 9, 2005 Location: Ohio, Appalachia's foothills. Posts: 3,779	I also heard about sticky cases, thin walls cause it's six shot..... At 37gr, cases extract fine and they chrono right at 2k, and are a handful to say the least Never have felt the need to go to the listed 38gr. Gotta love the looks on peoples faces when that thing goes off. I tell people they can only shoot it if they promise not to poo their pants

March 26, 2012, 02:48 PM	#8
snook135 Junior Member Join Date: March 13, 2012 Posts: 10	I would normally shoot 300gr bullets of factory ammo when i could find it, but normally 240gr. on the rare occasion 45lc. Reloading this one is going to be fun to find what I like but what you all mentioned i will try. Thanks for the heads up on the hornady dies. Are you trimming your cases on these? I shoot the 454 out of a Ruger super red hawk. I am so glad I kept all of my fired brass!

March 26, 2012, 08:50 PM	#10
snook135 Junior Member Join Date: March 13, 2012 Posts: 10	Im just thinking with that powerful a cartridge it's worth trimming.