First Reloading Thread!

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dial1911

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Any of you guys converting your 223 brass to 300? I picked up 5000 pieces of 223 for a great price. Just don't know if it would be better to send it off to a service to have it done.

I'm not... but only because I'm anal about head stamps and I don't want my .300 brass to still have .223/Nato head stamps.

If you search youtube, there are a lot of videos of guys converting the brass using a little Harbor Freight cut off saw and the .300 BLK dies.
 
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Buckeye76

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I'm not... but only because I'm anal about head stamps and I don't want my .300 brass to still have .223/Nato head stamps.

If you search youtube, there are a lot of videos of guys converting the brass using a little Harbor Freight cut off saw and the .300 BLK dies.

Yeah, if I do it I'm just going to buy the new trimmer from Dillon. Do they need to be annealed?
 
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dial1911

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Yeah, if I do it I'm just going to buy the new trimmer from Dillon. Do they need to be annealed?


Annealing is a "stress reliever"... bending the brass into a new shape can cause stress build up in the metal due to cold working. By heating it up it allows the molecules to "relax" into their new locations. Not required, but it does extend the life of the brass according to some people.

Personally, I think the pressure build up and heat from shooting it does sort of the same thing, but probably not quite as well.

You can anneal it by dipping the neck of the new formed brass in molten lead for a second or two. That's all that is required.
 

dial1911

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If anyone has a good 300gr subsonic (under or at 1000fps) load for 44 magnum, that would be awesome. 17" barrel.

The exterior ballistics book was a bust- didn't list the .44 Mag at all.

However the standard Speer reloading manual does show test data from a .44 Mag in a 18.5" barrel Ruger. There isn't a load that is sub sonic (but this was a 18.5" test barrel). The slowest load they show for a 300 grain bullet is AA1680 at 20.7 grains. They list the muzzle velocity at 1148 FPS. I'm not sure if you can safely reduce that powder charge or not. As a rule, I always go by the book and don't go under or over published numbers.
 
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Waterguy

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Who's did you buy? I have been looking around.

RCBS makes a good one. There are others, just make sure they have calibration weights and check them often or at least before you use them. Also make sure you allow the scale to "warm up" before calibration and use.
 
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Woodstock

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Made some 38 special rounds with 158 gr cast swc and bullseye. Turn the radio on, get my dies set and the powder charge measure and start cranking on the turret press.
I had let my supply dwindle and had to buy some, wow that price motivated me to make more now.
Unbelievably easy round to load
 

Liberty

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Made some 38 special rounds with 158 gr cast swc and bullseye. Turn the radio on, get my dies set and the powder charge measure and start cranking on the turret press.
I had let my supply dwindle and had to buy some, wow that price motivated me to make more now.
Unbelievably easy round to load

And no chasing brass all over the place when you shoot them!!! New production Bullseye or old stock?
 
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PewPewPewCo

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The exterior ballistics book was a bust- didn't list the .44 Mag at all.

However the standard Speer reloading manual does show test data from a .44 Mag in a 18.5" barrel Ruger. There isn't a load that is sub sonic (but this was a 18.5" test barrel). The slowest load they show for a 300 grain bullet is AA1680 at 20.7 grains. They list the muzzle velocity at 1148 FPS. I'm not sure if you can safely reduce that powder charge or not. As a rule, I always go by the book and don't go under or over published numbers.
I'll post some quick load screenshots later to get some discussion regarding some proposed loads.
 

Liberty

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That's for sure, unfortunately that also makes the brass a little hard to find in once fired.
Pretty sure its newer, when did it change?


Just wondering if you found it stittng on a shelf somewhere recently. Would love to have a lb. for my .45
 
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LXHunter

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Hard to pay for a reloading setup loading 9. Saving .20c a round on .45 and up to 2.00 a shot on common premium centerfire hunting/ match ammo lowers the cost fast.
I agree. I have never had much luck with reloading 9mm and as cheap as it is I find it easier to buy. I currently load .45acp, .223, and .308. With my shooting habits though I find reloading .45acp is really what I must shoot the most - lol
 
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