Intro to Reloading Update

Finally got everything together and have started cranking out 9mm. Started out initially with turning wheel weights into ingots, and then transitioned into casting 124 grain 9mm. Did a good bit of research, in here and other sources as I began putting together my bench around a Lee four turret. Started out with loading about 20 using the minimum load in the Lee charts with WIN 321, and tested them at Turcotte in my G26 with a Lone Wolf barrel. Minimum load was too wimpy and barely would cycle and when shot one at a time, would often not lock the slide back. Next batch of 20 was slightly above the middle of the road load and worked perfectly. Loaded about 150 and shot them all off last weekend. The information in here definately helped me avoid some problems I would have otherwise run into along the way. Next project is to start casting some .38 Special 158 grain bullets and pick up the dies to load for my Dad's old Colt Trooper.

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Coming along nicely. Good looking bench.

Great update! Some of my first loads were 9mm at the book minimum and like you said would barely cycle the action or not at all.

Good looking boolits too. Did you size them or just tumble and go?

I did resize the bullets because the first time around, I wanted to be sure, however, I subsequently determined it was probably not necessary.

Nice! Welcome to two new hobbies. I just learned how to cast boolits at the "Cook Off". That's a nice setup for reloading. Mine's not nearly so neat

Looks good!

VERY good looking reloading setup. Is the bench anchored to the walls?

One suggestion...... Build or buy a small table and put your Lyman vibrator on it. I would not run a vibrator on my bench.

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Looking good!

Bench is anchored to wall but also built up and reinforced bench surface before installing press. Tumbler just happens to be on bench in photo but I actually run it outside next to an external outlet so the noise doesn't bother me. On an unrelated topic, I bought my powder at Bass Pro because it was close and convenient and the $25 extra charge eliminates any advantage, individually, to buying on line. Do folks do group on-line buys?

What was your low end charge with the 231? I run 4.0 Gr of HP-38 Some stuff. This seems to work well.

Good looking bench by the way. Mine is set up on one corner of the work table for now.

Paul

Nice Tumblelubers

Evil, keep tabs on us for another group buy. When...? Who knows, but it will happen..........

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Paul:

Right now, I'm using 3.8 grains of WIN 231 with the 124 grain bullet. The Lee book has 4.0 as the max load and I may bump it up there at some point. The minimum load was 3.3, which was clearly insufficient.