DK Firearms

Ask the Reloading Experts

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Gulf Coast States

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • bohica793

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Joined
    Feb 10, 2014
    Messages
    2,258
    Points
    83
    Location
    On the farm south of Magnolia Springs
    Since you haven't loaded in a while, I would suggest you use what presses you currently have for a bit and figure out what you like, don't like and features you would want in a press. Only then would I go out shopping for a new one. Spending $500 or more on a press to load less than 500 rounds a month seems like overkill to me, but that's just my opinion. Dillons are great although I personally run a pair of Hornady Lock and Load progressives for most of my work. I do have a Dillon Square Deal I use exclusively for 10mm mainly because the caliber changeover time on it is annoying.
    If you can, find someone with the equipment you are interested in and see if you can get some hands-on time to find out if it is good as you expect. Remember you are making a long term investment and don't want to have to make it twice.
     

    Fanner50

    Master
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    17   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 28, 2012
    Messages
    2,428
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pensacola
    I just returned (without setting it up) a brand new Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press. Brand-new press and it wouldn't index. You Tube has tons of tutorials on how to set it up. To me, it was way to trouble prone to deal with. When Lee includes spare parts with the brand new press you know you're in trouble. Plus, my Hornady lock rings that I use on all of my dies would not all fit on the Lee press tool head. It's too small. So, it's back to my trusty RCBS RCII single stage. The Dillon's look very nice, but pricy, and probably more than I need. I like the looks of the Redding Turret Press, but extra turrets are $80 something dollars, compared to extra Lee turrets that cost $15 dollars. My old RCBS is still getting the job done, and doing it very well.
     
    Last edited:

    Jevaughn

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Joined
    Nov 27, 2018
    Messages
    1,069
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pace, fl
    I just returned (without setting it up) a brand new Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press. Brand-new press and it wouldn't index. You Tube has tons of tutorials on how to set it up. To me, it was way to trouble prone to deal with. When Lee includes spare parts with the brand new press you know you're in trouble. Plus, my Hornady lock rings that I use on all of my dies would not all fit on the Lee press tool head. It's too small. So, it's back to my trusty RCBS RCII single stage. The Dillon's look very nice, but pricy, and probably more than I need. I like the looks of the Redding Turret Press, but extra turrets are $80 something dollars, compared to extra Lee turrets that cost $15 dollars. My old RCBS is still getting the job done, and doing it very well.
    I've loaded thousands and thousands of rounds on a rock chucker. Once you get into a rhythm, it's not bad. Yes, a progressive can dump out more rounds in the same amount of time, but I trust a single stage more. Easy to visually inspect how much powder drops, you can feel the seating/crimping better as well.

    Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
     

    Jevaughn

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Joined
    Nov 27, 2018
    Messages
    1,069
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pace, fl
    I'm heading to Orlando to visit my oldest at UCF. Anyone know of places there or along the way to check for reloading essentials?

    Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
     

    Omaha

    Shooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Joined
    Apr 24, 2014
    Messages
    48
    Points
    8
    Location
    Pensacola
    Anybody out there thinking about getting or starting a commercial reloading business??? Pro and Con's
     

    oneshot

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Joined
    Sep 27, 2012
    Messages
    2,897
    Points
    113
    Location
    North end santa rosa
    No is not a good time, Just doing it for your self is hard enough . Primers is the # one thing now.. To meanly , and not enough supplies to depend on , Used brass is no problem. Then the cost of liability insu. The small person just can't compete . Just my 5 cents.
     

    Bowhntr6pt

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Joined
    Feb 20, 2014
    Messages
    2,176
    Points
    113
    Location
    Central Florida
    Anybody out there thinking about getting or starting a commercial reloading business??? Pro and Con's

    With insurance, start up costs (equipment, business related needs, etc.), and significant capital needed to buy powder, primers, and projectiles in bulk, I'm talking tractor trailer bulk, I don't see how you will be able to compete with on-line sources... or even Wal-Mart, especially when things smooth out... and they will.
     

    yossarian

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Joined
    Feb 13, 2021
    Messages
    15
    Points
    3
    Location
    Perdido Key
    Hi all. I don't have any experience with reloading so these are probably some dumb questions. I have a few bags of once-fired brass casings from cleaning up over the years that I'd like to get to a reloader. It's mostly 30-06 HXP I got from the CMP, 30-06 PPU, & .223. None of it is washed or deprimed though.

    So before I go posting in the For Sale section, I'm trying to gauge a fair price considering their condition. Looking online, I see that washed and deprimed 30-06 is about 30 ¢/per, so would 20 sound fair? 15? Or would it be better to just take it to the scrap yard with my beer cans?

    Thanks in advance.
     

    Daezee

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    13   0   0
    Joined
    Dec 17, 2012
    Messages
    3,354
    Points
    113
    Location
    Milton
    I just sold 907 30-06 empties (mostly USGI with some commercial and HXP). Took a little while to sell it on the forum; to find the right person that wanted it in this day of .223 and .308 being much more popular. I only had one person express an interest. I sold it for 5 cents each and had to ship it (buyer paid the shipping). This was from my friend's estate; all had been cleaned. To ME, 10-15cents each sounds right (the last I bought I paid 10 cents each for and bought 500 pieces locally...bonus, it had the bullets and powder pulled and still had the original non-corrosive primers in place so all I had to do was recharge with my powder and seat my bullets), but you might have to wait for the right person to come along. I wanted to move stuff along from the estate so priced it cheap, but even then it took a while.

    Just an idea, maybe trade for something you can use in your shooting interests might be easier and give more satisfaction than a few dollars?
     

    yossarian

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Joined
    Feb 13, 2021
    Messages
    15
    Points
    3
    Location
    Perdido Key
    Thanks for the feedback. It's only a few hundred rounds, so I'm not really looking for cash so much as just trying to keep them away from the landfill.

    I originally wanted to list them for trade since I'm slowly burning through my last bit of commercial 7.5 French and hoping to get some reloads. But the "For Sale" rules section seems to indicate I needed to list an actual price or "realistic value" which I don't have a frame of reference for.
     

    Longtooth

    Do not let us mistake necessary evils for good
    Staff member
    Super Moderator
    GCGF Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    36   0   0
    Joined
    Oct 27, 2017
    Messages
    3,404
    Points
    113
    Location
    Milton, FL
    Question

    I have 3 powders
    Hodgdon H4350, Longshot, Titegroup

    My goal was to be able to load rifle and pistol chamberings, but I was looking at data on the Hodgdon site and was confused on something.

    When I load my 115grn 9mm, I use 4grns of Titegroup (Max for 9mm 115 grn is 4.3grn)

    However for 223 55grn, that same powder says the max is 3.1

    Does that sound right? How could the safe max be that much lower for 223?
     

    Jevaughn

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Joined
    Nov 27, 2018
    Messages
    1,069
    Points
    113
    Location
    Pace, fl
    Really fast burning powder, would definitely only be useful in a subsonic load for a shorter barreled bolt gun. I've never tried it, but a little research on other forums says it does work with heavier bullets but wasn't anything close to ideal

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
     

    SAWMAN

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    9   0   0
    Joined
    Oct 21, 2012
    Messages
    13,937
    Points
    113
    Location
    Cantonment,Fla.
    Why do they make/offer hundreds of different powders with hundreds of different burning rates,for tons of different bore diameters and brass powder capacities ??
    Remembering - -> there are quite a few bore diameters that are the same ... however the case volume can be hugely different. An example would be the 300BLK and the 30-378Wby Mag. 20grs vs 120 grs.
    This is one (main) reason that I refer to the above as "chamberings" and not calibers. The 30-06,308Win,and 300BLK- ->ARE NOT CALIBERS. THEY ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHAMBERINGS. (Mag vs clip ... etc,etc.) ---- SAWMAN
     

    Longtooth

    Do not let us mistake necessary evils for good
    Staff member
    Super Moderator
    GCGF Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    36   0   0
    Joined
    Oct 27, 2017
    Messages
    3,404
    Points
    113
    Location
    Milton, FL
    Ok, another, less technical question.
    When I go to the range, I always pick up spare brass and usually just throw it in the brass bins (just trying to keep the place clean) unless its super clean and new. Well, I picked up some brand new Horrnady 6.5 brass and a random 30-06 case; but the interesting thing I found was a 300 Blackout case, but it had some weird marks on it.

    Here are two pictures after I tumbled it. None of my other 300 blackout brass looks like this (Iv only shot factory 300 BO and never made any 300 brass from 223)

    Screen Shot 2021-12-28 at 7.22.25 PM.png


    Here is the Headstamp
    Screen Shot 2021-12-28 at 7.23.31 PM.png


    What is the marking on the case for?
     
    Top Bottom