Little-Known Reloading Phenomena

Jim Taylor
[subject]
Wednesday, February 07, 2024, 07:52 (299 days ago)

I discovered this during an extended session of prepping brass and reloading. I had approximately 2500 fired 9mm cartridges and had spent weeks sorting them by headstamp and then resizing, depriming them, neck expanding and then priming. Then I loaded them all. It was a massive undertaking using my old RCBS Rockchucker. I handled each piece of brass at least 7 times during the entire reloading process (and it was 8 or 9 times with some) which adds up to handling at least 17,500 pieces of brass.

Finishing I felt like I had run a marathon! As I cleaned up and reorganized the loading bench I ran across a massive rifle cartridge that I did not recognize. I wracked my brain but could not remember having such a HUGE cartridge in my collection! Wondering what it was and where it came from I picked it up and looked at the headstamp. It read: "WW Winchester .30-30"!!!!
That put my head into a spin for a bit. Then I picked up another huge cartridge that turned out to be a .45 Colt!

I finally figured out that weeks of handling the little bitty 9mm cartridges had gotten my brain into a rut thinking that the small round was "normal" and thus any of the cartridges that I used "normally" looked abnormal.

I told Mic McPherson about it and he shared a story about a similar experience that he had. I am sure it's common but since I don't mess with the little cartridges all that much it had a real impact on me.

Smallest ctg. I’ve loaded was .32 ACP

WB
[subject]
Wednesday, February 07, 2024, 11:05 (299 days ago) @ Jim Taylor

But I’ve always wanted to do .25 ACP (.22 LR sounds fun too). The .32 ACP is exactly the same as the .32 S&W Short but it has a semi-rim case. Usually a .32 revolver will fire .32 ACP, but ejection can jump the extractor.

My .300 GNR “Wichita Classic has an extra cylinder that shoots .32 ACP, S&W long and short, .32 H&R, and .327 Federal!

I’ve also loaded .17 cal. rifles and boy it can be tricky. .22 Hornet based ctgs. are no walk in the park.

Just got some cast 78gr .313 bullets for .32acp

Jeff Spencer
[subject]
Wednesday, February 07, 2024, 18:12 (299 days ago) @ WB

they are very tiny!

Years ago we came up with a 17 Rat's Ass cartridge

Gary Reeder
[subject]
Thursday, February 08, 2024, 11:07 (298 days ago) @ WB

It was a 22 Hornet necked to 17. I bought a Cor Bon bullet maker gizmo and a bunch of tiny little lead cores and brass jackets and commenced to have the worst reloading experience of my life. The 17 caliber anything is the devil's tool. I had a fellow that was a 17 freak and asked me how it was going and I ended up selling him the whole kit and kaboodle cheap. Loading any 17 caliber plus making the tiny little bullets is insane.

Several years later I saw that an ammo maker had done the same thing of a 22 Hornet in 17 caliber. He can have it gladly.

I have loaded a few dozen 22LR with different molds and now

Sean Harper
[subject]
Thursday, February 08, 2024, 12:17 (298 days ago) @ Gary Reeder

I am trying 22 cal round balls, no thanks on anything smaller.

Sean

Is there any light .224” with a check shank

WB
[subject]
Thursday, February 08, 2024, 13:40 (298 days ago) @ Sean Harper

That can be loaded as a heel? I tried that in .41 Long Colt. I even shot SWC backwards like that!

Yes , I have 2 molds I do that with.

Sean Harper
[subject]
Friday, February 09, 2024, 07:59 (297 days ago) @ WB

One is a MP mold 224-38 HP, I have to get the mold very hot to produce good HP bullets but once the mold is hot it spits them out nicely. The other is a Noe 224-46 WFNGC that I use the gc shank as a heel both molds take some time warm up and produce good bullets.

Sean

I made a swage pin to use with the LEE sizer

WB
[subject]
Friday, February 09, 2024, 08:52 (297 days ago) @ Sean Harper

By golly it works like a charm! I cast that ugly RN Lyman bullet then my "pin" punches a HP in the nose and slightly reconfigures the nose to a more flattened tip.

The LEE sizer has a longer sizing throat that holds the bullet while the pin punches with minimal distortion. Paco Kelly's rimfire kit did the same thing. I've also done some like work with the .30-30 bullet.

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