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View Full Version : Update: My reloading thus far, what I've learned



Mark Ducati
10-19-2011, 05:37 PM
Okay,

Here's the steps I plan/ed to follow from a 50AE website:

1. Tumble
2. Decap/size the case
3. clean primer pocket
4. bell the mouth
5. Prime the case
6. charge with powder
7. Seat and crimp bullet
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I tumbled first, then decaped/sized the case with the first dye (screwed the dye in until it touched the shell holder)... eh, those primer pockets were pretty dirty, so I tumbled again, then used a brush and Q-Tips to clean the primer pocket.

I got ahead of my list and primed all my cases, then belled the mouth with the second dye (screwed it in until it touched the shell holder, then unscrewed one full turn per the instructions) to accept the bullet... WAS THIS A MISTAKE? The above list said to bell BEFORE priming the case... well, nothing went "pow" so I guess I'm okay?

Since this is my first time, I hand tested a few bullets in the brass and ALL the cases accept the bullet about 1/16" to 1/8" :) Just enough to allow the bullet to seat, so I guess I got the second dye step okay?

So, I measure 33.5gr of H110 powder on the scale (per reloading book)... used one scoop of powder and then "trickled" the rest... for loading maybe 500-100 bullets at a time, I really don't think this method of measuring powder will be that cumbersome... a 1000, yeah... but not 100.

Then, I screwed the seating dye in until it touched the shell holder... again, per the instructions... DOH! I should have adjusted the bullet seating insert FIRST by first putting a factory loaded round in then adjusting the knob down til it touched, THEN back off... so that I could insert a bullet, measure with my digital calipers, then adjust the bullet in a little more at increments to get the overall case length correct according to the manual.

The FIRST bullet I loaded went in too far!

Thus... I now have a Lyman Kinetic Bullet Puller on order from Amazon.com...

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What happens if the bullet is inserted 1/8' too far? I should still fire right? When I was new to Glocks and shooting, before I knew what "limp-wristing" was, I got a few stove pipes where the bullet got jammed in the case a little deeper... didn't want to waste the bullet, so I still fired them. Well that was 9mm, I don't think I want to take a chance with 50AE.

I felt pretty comfortable doing the first two dye steps by myself... I've got a buddy coming next week to show me the ropes for the powder measure and seating bullets... I was just playing around tonight and only planned to load a couple rounds, BUT quickly learned, this isn't something to "play" with.

Schuetzenman
10-19-2011, 06:19 PM
Doesn't sound like you did anything terrible. Really reloading isn't magic or all that complex. It's merely a set of logical steps to reprocess the brass, charge it then seat and sometimes crimp the bullet.

A bullet seated deaper will have to jump further to get to the rifling, this usually causes lower chamber pressures. A bullet that touches the rifling will cause a pressure spike, sometimes a dangerous one depending on the powder and the charge.

A short round may not feed into the chamber from the mag, then again it may. Long rounds usually do not feed up the feed ramp in a handgun. Bullet shape can cause feeding problems. As an example I tried Hornaday XTP truncated cone HP rounds in my 9 mm many years ago. They were 147 gr weight. I loaded to the maxium listed over all length for 9 mm from my reloading manual. Those suckers wouldn't begin to chamber in the Glock 19 I owned. I shortend the seating depth .100" and they fed flawlessly. I had some 147 gr. FMJ bullets, they would feed at that max length.

The moral to the story is, just cause the round is in print doesn't mean it's going to feed in your weapon. It is always best to check that loading capability of a new bullet type and seating depth before you mass produce the round only to find out you have ammo suitable for single shot, one round at a time loading.

Mark Ducati
10-26-2011, 05:59 PM
Bullet hammers are pretty cool! Just a couple whacks and I got the bullet (the one seated too far in) out :)

50AE, 300gr Speer Hollow Points, 33.5gr of Hogdon H110 powder... loaded half a dozen rounds, they all went boom. I checked the spent brass for any anomalies, manually cycled the next round that was automatically cycled out of the chamber to inspect it (bullet stayed in place), no squibs in the barrel... the above "recipe" or data worked just fined.

However, measuring the overall case length of each loaded bullet, the manual said 1.580"... The factory speer gold dot's that I measured and used to seat the bullets were only 1.572-1.576"... and that's right where my "reloads" are measuring.

Does .004-.008 make that much of difference? As long as it cycles, it should be okay, right?

I loaded 30 more rounds tonight... very cool to be able to "roll your own".

abpt1
10-26-2011, 06:07 PM
Bullet hammers are pretty cool! Just a couple whacks and I got the bullet (the one seated too far in) out :)

50AE, 300gr Speer Hollow Points, 33.5gr of Hogdon H110 powder... loaded half a dozen rounds, they all went boom. I checked the spent brass for any anomalies, manually cycled the next round that was automatically cycled out of the chamber to inspect it (bullet stayed in place), no squibs in the barrel... the above "recipe" or data worked just fined.

However, measuring the overall case length of each loaded bullet, the manual said 1.580"... The factory speer gold dot's that I measured and used to seat the bullets were only 1.572-1.576"... and that's right where my "reloads" are measuring.

Does .004-.008 make that much of difference? As long as it cycles, it should be okay, right?

I loaded 30 more rounds tonight... very cool to be able to "roll your own".

I say as long as it feeds and fits in your mag your G2G...... I wouldn't be worried unless it was like .020 short ...http://www.qtl.co.il/img/trans.png

O.S.O.K.
10-26-2011, 09:38 PM
Schutz - one thing - seating a pistol bullet deeper doesn't lower chamber pressure, it increases it... but Mark pulled the bullets and reseated them, so all's well. As mentioned, a tad deeper isn't a problem.

Don't download that H110 too much - it needs to be at full pressure for proper ignition.

Mark Ducati
10-27-2011, 11:13 AM
According to the Speer Reloading Manual data for the 50AE, they recommended a minimal starting load of 33.5 grains and a max load of 34.5 grains.

I used a balance beam type scale, and it was pretty level as best as my eyes could tell... I weighed each load individually.

I must say though, that 33.5 grains of H110 and shooting the exact same 300gr Speer HP factory loaded ammo... the H110 at the minimal 33.5 grains of powder, feels a tad "hotter" than the factory loaded ammo and the "boom" sounds a little different too. The only way I can describe it is to say it has a deeper sound, like something from a subwoofer.

O.S.O.K.
10-27-2011, 07:48 PM
Yes - there is a narrow range for that and W296 (same powder) - you don't download them at all, so the starting load is actually "right there".

And if you think that's a healthy charge, the 500 S&W takes 45 grains thereabout for a 300 grain bullet.

Mark Ducati
10-28-2011, 11:59 AM
Yeah, I've fired a S&W 500 6" barrel of a friend's... once! Very nice and healthy KICK...

That's a revolver on my "to do" list one day...

O.S.O.K.
10-28-2011, 01:29 PM
I went the bargain 500 S&W route... NEF Handi Rifle. But I have to say, I really like it!

One thing is for certain Mark, you are saving a chunk of change loading your own 50 AE - the factory stuff is sky high $$$.

NewbieAKguy
10-28-2011, 09:16 PM
Here are some hp bullets on sale at Widener's: http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=1049

Mark Ducati
10-29-2011, 08:29 AM
I went the bargain 500 S&W route... NEF Handi Rifle. But I have to say, I really like it!

One thing is for certain Mark, you are saving a chunk of change loading your own 50 AE - the factory stuff is sky high $$$.

I bought my first DE 50AE a few years ago, that was the first gun I sold last April when I needed to raise the cash quickly to buy that property adjacent to a national forest... BUT, I keept all my ammo, knowing I'd buy another DE in future... I have something like 400 rounds of Hornaday HP factory ammo and a couple hundred rounds of spent brass which I'm reloading right now. The boxes I bought still have the price sticker on them from a few years ago... $26.95 for a box of 20 rounds. How much is the stuff going for now?

Mark Ducati
10-29-2011, 08:33 AM
Thanks Newbie...

1000 bullets for $195.... but damn, those are some FUGLY bullets! Hahaha... maybe they shoot better than they look? Seriously, I'm sure they're fine, I've just never seen ammo that has that "glazed" look in their eye... maybe they're made in Kali and been smokin' some pot? Hahaha.

http://www.wideners.com/images/fulls/F50.jpg

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/images_thumbs/Speer%2050%20AE%20Gold%20Dot%20300gr%20HP%2023995. jpg

Holy Cow! Just found the above picture, and the price is $40 bucks a box for 20! $2 bucks a piece? That's more expensive than the surplus Argentina and Brazil 50 BMG ammo I bought a while back too for $1.50 a round!

Mark Ducati
10-29-2011, 08:43 AM
BTW, you should have seen me shooting my first batch of 50AE reloads... I was a little apprehensive to say the least. I put on my Kevlar/Leather motorcycle gloves, leather jacket and helmet... I didn't know what to expect, and just in case of a "Ka-Boom" on a DE, I wanted to be protected as much as one could.

Schuetzenman
10-29-2011, 08:48 AM
:lmao3: