Ammunition reloading and or Black Powder Rifles???

[Shade]

I was wondering how many members here are into reloading their own ammo
or shoot black powder/muzzle loading firearms.

 

[MKP]

I've done a little of both, but I'm no expert in either. My uncles reload ammo, and I've often used that. And love muzzleloading but can't afford my own gun at the moment.

 

[AKPilot]

Used to do both as a teenager.

Shot primarily BP for competition in California back in the '70s, in the junior division (<18). Father bought my a T/C Seneca and I won a Patriot pistol. Also had a Springfield trapdoor and a side-by-side BP shotgun (accidentally fired both barrels at a pheasant once and learned a good lesson). I wanted an underhammer for the fun of it, but never got it. We did the Rendezvous circuit, including Friendship. So I was also accomplished in flint-n-steel/fire starting, traps, and tomahawk/knife throwing. Then I turned 16 got a driver's license, found girls, and that ended that.

Would also reload smokeless shotgun shells for dove and pheasant hunting.

 

[powderburner]

Does it count if I used to reload in the olden days?

I had tooling for 38/357, 9mm, 45, 223, and 308. Really paid off when you were going through 1-2K rounds per week, but that was back in my bachelor days when I had spare time. I don't have time now to even think about getting those toys out to play--

 

[MarkII]

There are LOTS of people in my area that either load their own shells or hunt with black powder (and that's an understatement, actually). I'm one of the few who have never done it, though. (I've never even owned a gun! )

MarkII

 

[dedleytedley]

I want to get a flintlock one day to go with my antique powder horn and shot bottle. They are family heirlooms from the 1850's. A good friend is an avid shooter and reloads everything from 22's to 45's. He recently got a fowling gun(blunderbuss) from the 18th century.
In Canada flintlocks are not legally firearms and are exempt from most of our gun laws. You don't even need ID to buy one. Ted

 

[Trident]

Does it count if I used to reload in the olden days?

I had tooling for 38/357, 9mm, 45, 223, and 308. Really paid off when you were going through 1-2K rounds per week, but that was back in my bachelor days when I had spare time. I don't have time now to even think about getting those toys out to play--

Wow, I'd say powderburner is an appropriate name for you! I'm saving brass, but figure it'll be awhile before I start reloading. Since 11/5, I've been in massive acquisition mode on all fronts. And I've bought about 5000 rounds of various calibers, and continue to buy since you never know if it will go away or get really hard to come by. Stores are pretty well stocked here now, after the huge rush this year.

 

[jef955]

Count me in !
9mm
357 sig
45 acp
45 colt
300 remington ultra mag
38/357 mag

No black powder

My specialty is wasting mass quantities of ammunition

 

[Shade]

I currently reload, .357 Magnum, .45 ACP, .223 Remington, 7mm Rem Mag. .30-06 SPRG, .300 H&H Magnum and 8mm Mauser. Along with .410, 20ga. and 12ga. shotshells. I also cast my own bullets for the .45 ACP and .357 Magnum and for my Muzzleloader.

5000 rounds, you are just gettting started...

It is just as addicting as Rockets...

 

[BRC]

Count me in also....

.223
.45 ACP
.38/.357
9 mm

Shoot blackpowder with a Ruger Old Army..(.58 Caliber, I think)

 

[jef955]

I wonder where all this .223 is is going......

 

[Pem Tech]

Add another...
.308
.223
7mm BR
7mm Magnum

SInce this has come up I have a hankering to set up my bench in the shop and start loading again.

 

[Pem Tech]

I wonder where all this .223 is is going......

Downrange...
Very fast...

 

[Shade]

Add another...
.308
.223
7mm BR
7mm Magnum

SInce this has come up I have a hankering to set up my bench in the shop and start loading again.

I was running a welding, fab and repair business on the side up until last May
08 when I changed jobs. And at that time I decided to close down the side
biz. I am finally now this summer getting the shop re-organized one corner
for rockets another for reloading and alot of stuff is getting hauled away in one
fashion or another. Cleaning the dump up!

Which 7mm Magnum?

 

[Trident]

I currently reload, .357 Magnum, .45 ACP, .223 Remington, 7mm Rem Mag. .30-06 SPRG, .300 H&H Magnum and 8mm Mauser. Along with .410, 20ga. and 12ga. shotshells. I also cast my own bullets for the .45 ACP and .357 Magnum and for my Muzzleloader.

5000 rounds, you are just gettting started...

It is just as addicting as Rockets...

That much reloading, and building rockets ... you must not sleep!

When I started buying .223, it was "I gotta get to a 1000 rounds." Then when I passed that, it was "Make that 1500, so when I do some shooting, I'll still be over 1000." Then it was "You know, 2500 rounds sure has a nice sound to it" ... I'm well past that, and it still does not seem like enough.

Addicting as rockets is definitely true!

 

[Shade]

That much reloading, and building rockets ... you must not sleep!

When I started buying .223, it was "I gotta get to a 1000 rounds." Then when I passed that, it was "Make that 1500, so when I do some shooting, I'll still be over 1000." Then it was "You know, 2500 rounds sure has a nice sound to it" ... I'm well past that, and it still does not seem like enough.

Addicting as rockets is definitely true!

I try to keep between 5000 and 10000 primers on hand at any given time,
just to make sure I have enough. The problem is I use small rifle, small pistol,
large pistol, large rifle and shotshell primers.

Right now I have 20 .50 cal ammo cans filled with loaded ammo bankers box
filled with clean sized and primed brass and another 50 pounds of cleaned
and polished brass that needs priming and loading. I have several friends
that come over with their brass etc. and we have reloading "parties", I have
2000 empty 12 ga. hulls. My buddy Mike and I split the cost of a MEC
progressive reloader (9000, which is one sweet machine) with one guy
loading hulls and one loading wads we can easily have the 2000 done in
under 2.5 hours, maybe even closer to 2 hours. The machine can do 1000 an
hour but you have to stop to reload shot powder and beer... The
RCBS Piggyback press (which I would not recommend) can load 400-500
rounds of .357 Magnum or .45 ACP in an hour.

If you think thats bad I should list you the pile of unbuilt rockets I need to
get to...

 

[BRC]

I should say, I use to reload, I am almost out of primers and been waiting since April to get some !!(Back-ordered Cabellas):confused2:

 

[ben_ullman]

What an interested thread! I learned 2 things:

1) I know what board members to not piss off

2) I never thought u could have just as many rockets as bullets laying around haha

I don't do any reloading but I watched a buddy do it once. I personally stick to safer things. FIREWORKS!! Oh wait........ 1oz for every lb a shell weighs. Ive had as much as .8lb of Bp go off next to me to lift a shell. now THATS an experience.

Ben

 

[Pem Tech]

I was running a welding, fab and repair business on the side up until last May
08 when I changed jobs. And at that time I decided to close down the side
biz. I am finally now this summer getting the shop re-organized one corner
for rockets another for reloading and alot of stuff is getting hauled away in one
fashion or another. Cleaning the dump up!

Which 7mm Magnum?

Remington 7mm Mag in a Remington 700 ADL. Man I miss that rifle...
Had to sell it when time got had back in the 80's. It carried a Leupold VariX II3x9 scope, Butler Creek fore and aft caps, Butler Creek shock absorbing sling, buttstock ammo holder and was in a Pelican rifle case. With nosler 150 grain ballistic tips atop a forgotten charge of IMR H4831, at a REAL (measured) 400 yards I could keep all shots in the white of an 8" Care Bear. (The bear was a present from my ex-wife)

Guess I will have to buy another someday.


What inexpensive tools & lathe would you suggest for a guy who dabbles in metal work?

 

[Shade]

What inexpensive tools & lathe would you suggest for a guy who dabbles in
metal work?

First I will warn you that if you thought rockets and firearms were $$$ just wait until you start with the metalworking machinery.

First of all you have to decide how big or small of things you want to machine.

I have a 13x40 inch lathe. Nice size for what I typically work on, I have a 3 jaw scrol chuck, 4 jaw independent jaw chuck and a face plate, tailstock and 2 steady rests. I spent $1000 for the base machine (better described as felony theft, used I could easy get 5x that. I have another $1000 in the coolant tank, steady rests and face plate, and materials to make the taper turning attachement operable again. Then another $10,000-20,000 grand in tooling. Now I work in that industry and at a previous job I sold tooling, etc. to machine shops. As far as my equipment goes I would feel very much at ease machining 54mm motor hardware and smaller. I also have a source to get the aluminum hard anodized which is a sweet deal.

The Bridgeport Mill is an 8" x 42" table I paid $1000 for it but it would fall into misdemeanor theft. Similar cost of tooling also but I am fairly well equipped in tooling on both machines. I have made parts to repair things as small as RC plane engines and parts for combines.

I also own a 6x18 Brown and Sharp #2 surface grinder. But it is in storage at the time being. If you are getting serious about machining you will need a welder to, being a former Navy welder I am partial to that end of things.

The really big question is what do you want to do/make. Rockets parts? Molds? Motor hardware? What you want to do makes a world of difference.

If you wanna talk on the phone I will PM you my number.

 

[Shade]

Also you can visit my site at

www.shopfloortalk.com

I am know as Shade Tree Welder over there.

We discuss welding, fab and machining over there.

The machining forum link...

https://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=21

Let me know what you wanna do.

 

[Pem Tech]

Thanks!

Boy, you is a thievin' sort...
:roll:

First I will warn you that if you thought rockets and firearms were $$$ just wait until you start with the metalworking machinery.

First of all you have to decide how big or small of things you want to machine.

I have a 13x40 inch lathe. Nice size for what I typically work on, I have a 3 jaw scrol chuck, 4 jaw independent jaw chuck and a face plate, tailstock and 2 steady rests. I spent $1000 for the base machine (better described as felony theft, used I could easy get 5x that. I have another $1000 in the coolant tank, steady rests and face plate, and materials to make the taper turning attachement operable again. Then another $10,000-20,000 grand in tooling. Now I work in that industry and at a previous job I sold tooling, etc. to machine shops. As far as my equipment goes I would feel very much at ease machining 54mm motor hardware and smaller. I also have a source to get the aluminum hard anodized which is a sweet deal.

The Bridgeport Mill is an 8" x 42" table I paid $1000 for it but it would fall into misdemeanor theft. Similar cost of tooling also but I am fairly well equipped in tooling on both machines. I have made parts to repair things as small as RC plane engines and parts for combines.

I also own a 6x18 Brown and Sharp #2 surface grinder. But it is in storage at the time being. If you are getting serious about machining you will need a welder to, being a former Navy welder I am partial to that end of things.

The really big question is what do you want to do/make. Rockets parts? Molds? Motor hardware? What you want to do makes a world of difference.

If you wanna talk on the phone I will PM you my number.

 

[RimfireJim]

Remington 7mm Mag in a Remington 700 ADL. Man I miss that rifle...
I could keep all shots in the white of an 8" Care Bear. (The bear was a present from my ex-wife)

Guess I will have to buy another someday.

Which - the 700 ADL, or the Care Bear?

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

I reload most of the major military calibers plus a few sport cartridges. Some bullet casting too. When ammo was cheap, my handloading went into hiatus. Haven't done much at the reloading bench lately.

 

[genimijim]

I was wondering how many members here are into reloading their own ammo
or shoot black powder/muzzle loading firearms.

I shoot muzzleloading firearms, rifle, shotgun, pistol, percussion & flintlock.
I enjoy hunting with them, deer, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, dove & rabbits.
When not hunting I like to shoot in competition, sporting clays, trap & skeet with the shotgun, it takes a while loading but a lot of fun.
Then with the rifle, shooting at 25 yds, 50 yds, 75 yds & 100 yds at paper targets. The pistols are shot at 25 yds and 50 yds at paper targets.

I do have modern firearms, but don't reload, just love shooting. :bangbang:

genimijim

 

[sandmantoy]

I have always hunted since I was young and still do. I used to be on the state high power team for my state and compete in national events back in the late 80's and into the 90's. Got to go to Camp Perry when it was still at it's best and used to shoot with Norman Houle as he became one of the top shooters in the country. I like black powder hunting and shooting second to my Rem 06. I used to reload for competition but it's been awhile since I have last reloaded except for the occasional head swap on some surplus ball ammo to my favorite bullet for hunting.

I went back to rocketry it was a cheaper hobby believe it or not lol :bangbang:

 

[dave carver]

Both. I like pistols. My .357 Ruger Security 6 has never seen a factory load. I have a Lee Loader casting pot and make my own bullets, too.

And, many years ago K-Mart used to sell black powder pistol kits. I spent like $30 for a .36 Navy Colt reproduction. I got the Sherriff's model with the shorter 5 1/2" barrel instead of the longer 7" standard model. It was just like a rocket kit where you had to fit and finish all the parts. The grips were a roughed in shape you had to carve to fit and in did, it fit my hand perfectly.

 

[thunderdog]

Im in
50 cal bp
44 cal bp,
45, 38, 357, 308, 223,22 mag
12 gage
:bangbang:

 

[Peartree]

I have always hunted since I was young and still do. I used to be on the state high power team for my state and compete in national events back in the late 80's and into the 90's. Got to go to Camp Perry when it was still at it's best and used to shoot with Norman Houle as he became one of the top shooters in the country. I like black powder hunting and shooting second to my Rem 06. I used to reload for competition but it's been awhile since I have last reloaded except for the occasional head swap on some surplus ball ammo to my favorite bullet for hunting.

I went back to rocketry it was a cheaper hobby believe it or not lol :bangbang:

I wonder if we saw each other. I drove the "shooter shuttle" at Camp Perry for two weeks one summer in the late 80's or early 90's. So long ago now I'd have to really think to remember.

 

[Pem Tech]

Which - the 700 ADL, or the Care Bear?

Probably both....
That was fun.