Styla247 Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Hi guys, im new to reloading and ive just made my first batch and successfully shot them at some clays. Ive been lurking in the background of PW reading and learning as much as i can and asking the odd question here and their. I just want to say thanks to all you clever people for all your help. I basically started with a lee load all 2 and this recipe. https://www.ballisticproducts.com/bpi/load_recipes/loads_pdf/031203clayspackage105.pdf Its the last recipe using red dot powder as i got hold of some quite cheaply some cheaply. I made 3 slightly diferent varients. As i had some new pre primed game bore hulls i used some of these but they had CX2000 primers in them. I made some using the CCI 209 primers in new hulls as per the recipe and some in once shot Hulls. I had the usual problems of odd crimps and crimps falling into the shell due to column height. So i fitted some felt wads under the shot in the cups and this solved the problem. Hopefully you can see these pics and they have uploaded ok. Thanks for all the info. Also any comments are also welcome. Cheers Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty Posted January 25, 2016 Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 The ones in the last picture look ok. Get yourself a gaep finisher (or similar)and they will look better still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2016 Yeah thanks, the ones in the last pic are what the majority turned out like. I think my next purcase will be a gaep finisher. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 now this is a fantastic post. This shows the right way of doing things. 1, find load information. 2, buy stuff. 3, make stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Thanks, but its mainly thanks to you guys and Lord Geordie for pointing me in the right direction. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Good start The crimps look a little sunken in the middle and may benefit from a card under the shot to fill the case out. This may also close up the hole in the middle as would a little more pre crimp if that's possible on a Lee Loadall. I believe some folk also use a euro cent on the crimp to press it down a little more to create a better rim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Yeah sorry i should of annotated the pics. The sunken batch was my first try, then i added a felt wad under the shot now all my crips look like the 2 in the last pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Yeah sorry i should of annotated the pics. The sunken batch was my first try, then i added a felt wad under the shot now all my crips look like the 2 in the last pic. The last 2 look the best but they're all shootable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Yeah ive shot a few of each and discovered they all work so they arnt wasted which is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 The major prob with sunken crimps, is the shot can fall out! If you lived closer you could have had a go on my MEC to see what you think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Why can't the reloading machine manufacturers get the machine to crimp and finish like the automated machines the likes of gamebore use. They don't need to spin to get a taper and nice finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 MEC loaders do a fab job, Mine is the older all metal dies so does an awesome job, The Ponsness Warren of Mr Rule's does a beautiful crimp! They just go POP insteasd of BANG Mikes Machine turns out a fab shell, I seem to remember Mike saying Johns turns out an even better one, if thats even possible? But My MEC does a fab job too. Trouble with the Lee is the final stage is like the last but one stage of the MEC, it doesn't have a final crimp with radius. But for all intensive purposes, if you don't use a Semi. Then the LEE is perfect. Cheap and easy to use. Mine still gets used from time to time, but mainly sits gathering dust since I got the MEC :sad1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Ahh ok thanks for the offer Lord Geordie, I have actually put some of these shells through my semi without a problem. I am going to get a gaep spinner though, I will post some more pics when i have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Even the Ponsness warren needs the carts spinning after. George Young fired up an old loading machine and showed me the carts it turned out and none of them needed spinning. The process was the same just faster on a larger scale. The finish crimp tool could do with a taper inside to put the taper on the finished cartridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) Straight out of my MEC no spinner! More than enough radius for feeding the semi. Edited January 27, 2016 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Now that is impressive, thats better than some bourght ones i have. What MEC machine do you use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 i thont the 9000gn puts a radial finish on the carts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) It does cooks! Mine is an old MEC super 600 (Basically a 650) in old clothes. but the carrier is set for old pistol primers i believe. At the moment I use the LEE to deprime, and resize. Then I use the MEC to prime, load, and fold. I am very happy with it! i can get a new carrier cheap enough, but just cant afford it yet oxymoronic statement you may think? Edited January 27, 2016 by Lord Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAB1954 Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 My 650 gives similar results to above, a bit of a fiddle to set but after that just puts them out one for every pull on the handle. Great machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Thats nice to know. I might have to see if i can get my hands on a MEC soon then, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Thats nice to know. I might have to see if i can get my hands on a MEC soon then, Shop about, and don't forget to check online sites like Fleabay, Shpock, Gumtree etc. I picked my Super 600 up for £25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Albert Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) The Lee Load-All does produce quality cartridges but you have to make sure the charge length is right and the recipe is followed without replacing any elements. You could try making sure you pull the bar down fully on the final stage. If you need to you can put a washer on top of the cart when it goes into the final crimp stage. It is a good press to learn the process on and if you find it doesn't suit you then you haven't laid out too much of the old moola. You can get a large percentage back by selling it on. I used to use the Lee Load-all when I first started but I upgraded when I found the largest bush was not dropping the full charge required. It was a question of putting the carts through twice or up grading to a MEC. This would more than double the time taken to reload a box. Have a word with those at Clay and Game (probably your nearest re-loaders source) about using European powder ie. Vectan. It's about half the price of the American powders. They will have recipes available as well. I get my supplies from John at FES in Kent. John is a mine of information and you often come away from him thinking I should have taken a larger piece of paper to make notes. Keep up the good work but be careful it's very addictive. I don't know when the last time was that I bought any cartridges. I use hulls that I have picked up from the clay ground as well but you have to be picky with them and try to stick to one brand. Edited January 27, 2016 by Uncle Albert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Styla247 Posted January 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) Hi Uncle Albert Thanks for all that usefull info. I am looking at making sum fibre wad carts using Vectan powder so i will be in touch with the guys at clay and game. Ive also had a look on the FES website and found what seem to be good fibre recipes using european powders. Has anyone tried any of the recipes on the FES website Edited January 27, 2016 by Styla247 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 Hi Uncle Albert Thanks for all that usefull info. I am looking at making sum fibre wad carts using Vectan powder so i will be in touch with the guys at clay and game. Ive also had a look on the FES website and found what seem to be good fibre recipes using european powders. Has anyone tried any of the recipes on the FES website yes, FES supports homeloaders, especially fibre loads. i`ve used john in the past (quite a few times.) i`ve sent john some data, he helped me to. some of his loads are from homeloaders..... cook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayboster Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 i use an old mec grabber 76, still works a treat, and final step adds a nice taper to the finished top of hull, its a proggresive machine although i mostly just load single hulls one at a time, as a slight cock-up during opperation leaves you in a right contrary. ask anyone who uses one, and to cure the sunken crimp problem i just place a couple (3) of overshot cards inside the wad cup to raise the load a little, that are made from old cornflake boxes etc by cutting them out with a 16mm punch. cheaper than chips ...in fact free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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