SIGforum
Reloading binges

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February 21, 2018, 10:17 PM
TVzombie
Reloading binges
So last week I finally got back to my press after a 7 month hiatus. I had about 6 cases of projectiles on hand so I got busy. Not a non stop marathon, but consistently grinding through boxes of 500 at a leisurely pace. I'm down to one and a half cases left in just over a weeks time. That's on a progressive so it's not what I consider impressive, but it will keep me shooting till summer.

I'm at that point again where I'm debating between whether I should hold off the rest just in case I want to modify the loads a little or reload all of it so I can order more. Not that big of a dilemma, but something to ponder. Its very satisfying having ammo at the ready and supplies on hand. Even with the recent drop in prices I'd rather roll my own.

So this got me thinking. What has been the longest reloading binge you've done before getting to "enough for a while"?

-TVz
February 21, 2018, 10:50 PM
sigcrazy7
Ask 45Cal. I believe he only loads it as he needs it. Wink

I mostly load rifle nowadays, and I’ll rarely have more than 100 rounds on hand at a time. But with my type of shooting, 30 rounds is a lot for a single day.



Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus
February 22, 2018, 06:48 AM
Rodfac
Pretty much, I'm a load it as I need it guy myself. But there's always a cpl of boxes of each caliber ready for use.

Lately however, I've been on a casting binge....44, .45, .357, 32-20, 25-20, .22...in the neighborhood of 750 bullets of each caliber, and some, like the 32-20 & 25-20, two different types. Lately, it's the lead that's been hard to come by as WW's become scarser...alloy weights are still easy to find, but the pure lead stick on's are not. Rod


5th Spl Forces, Air Force Bird Dog FAC, lll Corps RVN 69-70.... We enjoy the Bill of Rights by the sacrifices of our veterans;
Politicians, Preachers, Educators, Journalists and Community Organizers are beneficiaries, not defenders of our freedoms.
February 22, 2018, 06:58 AM
rduckwor
Like sigcrazy, I mostly load rifle these days, so I will load what I need for a single match and stop. I need to get on a loading binge for pistol though.

RMD




TL Davis: “The Second Amendment is special, not because it protects guns, but because its violation signals a government with the intention to oppress its people…”
Remember: After the first one, the rest are free.
February 22, 2018, 07:12 AM
jmorris
I don’t load out components to “stock pile”. The day I do would be the day before I needed them for something else or came up with another load I liked better.

That said it isn’t uncommon to load a few thousand rounds for an afternoon shooting machine guns.
February 22, 2018, 07:28 AM
Blue68f100
If it's the caliber I shoot all the time I will load everything up (3-5k). But I will do this over a weeks time for my back limits how long I can sit or stand at the press. With my setup I can load 500/hr very easily. Frees up space for more bullets to go when every I catch them on sale. But I'm not changing my load. If you think you may tweak the load I would hold off.


David

P229R 9mm, Nitron, Beavertail Frame, Night Sights, DA/SA, SRT & Short Reach Trigger
February 22, 2018, 03:55 PM
fredj338
I don't binge. I keep about 500rds on hand at any given time. It cuts down on mistakes & allows me to change a given load if I find it lacking. That is the great thing about progressives, I don't need to load for more than an hour to make a bunch of ammo.


IF YOU AREN'T HANDLOADING, YOU AREN'T SHOOTING ENOUGH!
NRA Instruc: Basic Pistol & Met Reloading
February 22, 2018, 04:07 PM
45 Cal
no tweaking these days,that was fifteen twenty years back ,some go back much longer the 06 for example and 223.
I load like crazy for days on end thanks to good friends on this forum that sent me much brass and I promptly worked it and loaded and put in ammo cans.
Mostly its the 629's I shoot and every piece of it is loaded,like two fifty ammo cans in stock with the coated cast.
Its just me and the pups and I enjoy keeping buisy
February 22, 2018, 06:03 PM
Bisleyblackhawk
Yes...I confess...I am a binge reloader...I load enough to last awhile...mostly Cowboy Action...

I just finished up reloading over 500 12 gauge cowboy action shells...the "binge" took a day and a half on my ancient single stage MEC 600...this will get me pretty much through the year with cowboy action...I have one load that I use...7/8 ounce #7.5 shot, CB 4100-12 wad, #31 bushing (20 grains +or- International Clays), W209 primer, Rem STS hull...if I load my old ACTIV hulls, I only change wads to the pink AA clones, everything else stays the same...

I use one load in .45 Colt...5.2 grains of Clays usually with a WLPP and a 200 grain cast bullet...I'll load 2000 at a time which gets me pretty much through 4-5 months of shooting...

Rinse and repeat...

My reloading life is mundane and boring Wink

I'm with Ralph...I don't tweak much anymore Smile


********************************************************

"we've gotta roll with the punches, learn to play all of our hunches
Making the best of what ever comes our way
Forget that blind ambition and learn to trust your intuition
Plowing straight ahead come what may
And theres a cowboy in the jungle"
Jimmy Buffet
February 22, 2018, 06:54 PM
FN in MT
I binge load and cast during the Winter...as there;s not much else to do.

But for pistol I have progressives so in a day I can load a LOT of pistol ammo.

My rifle ammo is all PITA to load, LR stuff. Very time consuming. I finished all my pistol ammo and just starting on the 6.5 Lapua now.
February 22, 2018, 07:07 PM
TRshootem
I should have most of my USPSA loads done by the end of March. 9mm for Carry Optic and .40 for limited. A bit of a heavy bullet, soft shooter in 9mm for steel challenge. All my LR rifle stuff is nearly done. No 3 gun action for me, just can't find the time and a bank to rob.
February 23, 2018, 10:15 AM
TVzombie
I must confess this current binge was due to some much needed upgrades. Last month I sprung for a couple of quick change kits for my Dillon press. So I've eliminated a lot of the frustration of futzing with the powder measure when I switch calibers.

I should have done that years ago.

Now that I'm almost done with the 40 and 9mm on hand I can swap over to 300 black and finally work up some loads. The last time I started I ran out of loaded pistol ammo. I had to undo the powder measure and set it up for pistol again. Annoying to say the least. Its seems expensive to have a quick change kit set up for each caliber, but its worth it when you can swap calibers under 10 minutes and only check the powder drop once. My biggest headache with reloading is now gone. Big Grin


Thanks for the replies.
-TVz
February 24, 2018, 07:55 PM
Messer454
quote:
Originally posted by TVzombie:
I must confess this current binge was due to some much needed upgrades. Last month I sprung for a couple of quick change kits for my Dillon press. So I've eliminated a lot of the frustration of futzing with the powder measure when I switch calibers.

I should have done that years ago.

Now that I'm almost done with the 40 and 9mm on hand I can swap over to 300 black and finally work up some loads. The last time I started I ran out of loaded pistol ammo. I had to undo the powder measure and set it up for pistol again. Annoying to say the least. Its seems expensive to have a quick change kit set up for each caliber, but its worth it when you can swap calibers under 10 minutes and only check the powder drop once. My biggest headache with reloading is now gone. Big Grin


Thanks for the replies.
-TVz


Totally agree. I hate it when I get a new caliber and have to switch stuff around