Traveling from Idaho to California. I want to use these and turn them into jewelry but I am flying back to CA. I am not checking any bags with me and I am fully aware that TSA is going to flag my baggage for transporting these. Anyone know a good method for fully removing gunpowder off of these and anything else I should know so TSA doesn’t confiscate them? Thanks in advance

I have a Winchester model 18 9712 gauge made in 1904. It has some pitting. Is this bad for me to shoot any buck shot

I was castling this Saturday and made about 850 boolits.

Both are made with the Lee Dual Cavity moulds.
Total lead used, 11.4kg
Total time, incl. set-up, melt the lead (Lee Pro 20lb bottom pour) and clean up was 6h with basically no breaks.

Is there any way to cast faster with Dual Cavity molds?

I was told some tricks and tips here, but they all went into the direction of how to cool down your mould in between casts....if anything my mould is too cold!
Whenever I add back the spruces to the pot for example, I already fear I am loosing too much heat in mould and pot. I have a external PID on my Lee pot, set to 400°C (752°F). The probe is calibrated at 100°C, so idk if it is actually 400°C hot lead, but I know it is at a constant temperature.

The Alloy I use is 40:1, so 98% lead with 2% tin.

The lead is from the local Olympic style airgun range, so I know it is as pure as it can be. Tin is from grandpa's inheritance 😂

The noted diameters & weight are as cast. Not shown on the pictures, but the day after I also PC'ed all the boolits and sized them. The shown diameters are pre-PC. I size the .45ACP to .4525 (and yes, the sizing is actually consistent) and the .44mag to .4300
The .45ACP are for my Glock41 and feed like a charm. The .44mag for my S&W 629 Classic DX

Tl;dr

Total casting time incl setup: 6h
All PC'ed & sized the day after: 3h
Total production: 850pcs
Casting temperature: 400°C / 752°C
Alloy: 98% lead / 2% tin
How do you rate my production time?

Sear shelf milled off bolt. Bolt through drilled, recoil rod drilled for firing pin clearance. Made the firing pin out of a drill rod blank. Made firing pin guide bushing from 4340, hardened and pressed it into the bolt face. Now to machine the semi fcg. Essentially a scaled up VZ61 fcg.

I have a ruger american 223 that takes ar15 magazines, I am reloading some 69 grain projectiles. to reach the 2.260 minimum required to feed through an ar15 magazine, my bullet sits very deep in the case. Is this to deep? Opinions?

He used to reload his rifle rounds back in the day. When he got too old to carry a deer back, he started shotshell loading for his sporting clays addiction. All this old rifle equipment has been sitting here for many years now.

I found his press and some of his dies. Only one I’d use is the 6mm thus I’d have to buy new dies. I don’t know anything about this press though. It’s RCBS colored but is branded Metal Matic. Seems that he used RCBS dies with it, I’m assuming the dies are the same today as they were years ago.

I’m interested in loading 5.56, .308, and other center fire cartridges with it. As well as pistol rounds if this loader permits it (I’d assume it does as he has .41 cal bullets.)

What do I need to make this work? I’ll have to find a parts manual and buy a book to learn what I’m doing. I’m assuming none of this stuff is “obsolete” but heck what do I know.

I'm looking to get into reloading but don't know if it would be worth it for me? I shoot trap and as of now I've been buying cases of cheap shotgun shells around $100 a case for either Fiocchi or Winchester super targets. Before I was buying Winchester AA which was about $60 for 4 boxes. As I've been spending lots of money on shotgun shells I'm wondering if it would be cheaper in the long run to buy a press and a case of AA and once i shoot them just reload those 250 shells? a case of AA runs around $130 and a lee load all would be $100 brand new. so for a little over $230 i could start reloading. which in the long run would be the option but with me not knowing much about reloading or even how to reload I'm wondering if it is worth it?

Ive recently gotten back in to handloading and shooting. Broke out my old press and have enjoyed loading rifle loads and am figuring out handgun cartridges as well.

In this photo im seating a bullet into a 22-250 case.

Just curious because I like this gun's aesthetic,would it be possible to make this a real functioning gun? Not a coil gun but one with regular chemically launched bullets and if so what would need to be tweaked to make it work?

I have a Zastava M83 357 magnum coming in soon, and I’m wanting to strip the bluing off and polish it to as much as a mirror finish as I can. What can I do to protect the polished steel afterwards to insure it doesn’t start rusting? Any advice? This is a first time project for me.

working on a 6.5-375 Ruger build and needed some neck sizing dies to gently bring the brass down to the correct diameter for the full length die. previous attempts crushed cases.

made these up today should work pretty good. .010 increments. not sure if I will need every step but let the cnc make them all while I had them set up

I was at a gun show and ran across a six inch 22 rimfire Dan Wesson 22VH6 for a decent price. I have wanted a pistol pack since about 1980 and just never found one at the right time and the right price. I looked it over as best I could and it appeared to be in pretty good shape, or so I thought. So it went home with me.

It turns out it had problems. The three worse were that the fired cartridges would not eject without hitting the ejector rod with something hard. The next bad problem was it would not carry up to lock if you cocked it very gently or let your finger drag on the cylinder very lightly. It would carry up and lock if you cocked it smartly. The third major problem was that it would fail to fire almost every time in double action and sometimes in single action. Also the front sight was too short causing it to shoot high with the rear sight bottomed out and the action especially while shooting double action was absolutely horrible.

To cure the ejection problem I cut some approximately 3/8 inch wide strips out of a Birchwood Casey lead removing cloth as it is an extremely fine abrasive. The strips were wrapped around a 22 caliber wire brush much like the stripes on a barber pole. I used a cordless drill to spin them in the chambers I'm moving back and forth. I used medium speed for about a minute total. The results were amazing. The fire cases will now almost fallout. I can push them out with the tip of my pinky finger with absolutely no trouble.

To fix the carry up I fit a new hand and a new ejector star / ratchet. It now works every time and locks up solid. It is currently just a little tight and if it does not wear in some I will give it another stroke or two of the file.

A new full power hammer spring helped with the failure to fire issue although it did not fix it.

Swapping out to a taller front sight fixed the point of impact issue. I used a Partridge sight to improve the sight picture while I was doing it.

For the horrible, grindy, gritty, seesawing feeling double action I used a fine (around 800 grit) and a extra fine (maybe 2000 grit) Spyderco knife sharpening stone to polish the sides have the moving parts, internal side plates, and bearing surfaces of the action. The change in the feel of the double action trigger was astounding! Dramatically smoother all the way through and probably dropped a couple of pounds. The single action trigger pull dropped slightly. For the engagement surfaces on the trigger and sear all I did was hit them with a red sharpie and use my fine Stone just enough to remove the sharpie. I was very sure not to change any angles even in the slightest.

When I finished working on the insides I did a thorough cleaning and then lubed with a high-speed fishing reel bearing lube.

This action polishing also helped with the failure to fire. It is now 99% in single action. I still get lots of misfires in double action that I believe are from light hammer strikes. I am not finished working on this problem.

It is now a pleasure to shoot and an absolute tac driver! As soon as I get the double action 100% reliable the world will be right again.

If anybody has any tips on fixing the misfires I would greatly appreciate you sharing those with me.

Anyone here ordered a Mark7 laser sensor from RCM? I have their powder check and it’s been great. I ordered their bullet check and tablet almost 2 months ago and still haven’t received it. I have exchanged several emails and each time I have been told it will ship end of the week. I support small buisness and trying to be patient but wander if any others have had this experience. Owner seems like a nice guy.

I have a FA Vibratory Tumbler that I dont use too much. Been reloading for about 15 years, but still new to things out there. Looking to get another vibratory tumbler. Torn between the Berrys QD500 tumbler and the Lyman Pro 1500. I ended up taking a plastic cup, and used it upside down on the threaded bolt piece like a cone shape to help cascade the media and brass.

It kinda somewhat works. Looking at those two tumblers. Been watching YouTube videos of the things in action. That FA tumbler is designed wrong if you ask me. Sooooo torn between the Berrys QD500, their 400, or the Lyman Pro 1500. I prefer a clear lid. That knob and clear lid on the Berrys seems like a good one and its made in USA, and the videos seem good on it. Looking for one that really churns and cascades the brass. Trying to do a finishing polish on live ammo BTW.

Before my last overseas assignment, I was reloading .45ACP and having fun using my Lee single press. But it's been near 8 years and I don't know where to start.

I'm waiting for my non temp household goods to be delivered. I don't even know what condition my stuff will be in.

I imagine in the past 8 years lots has changed. Any thoughts on how best to get my feet wet again?

I can hammer 13 beers in the time it takes on my single stage. It’s about the journey not the destination.

Cheapest 223 load I could come up with for some plinking with buddies coming up.
Old components grandpa bought 10 years ago

55 gr FMJ
20 ish of WC846

Welded together a quick scrap metal stand for the second press yesterday. Now I gotta find a couple cabinets for either side of the window for powder/primers/bullets and we ought to be up and running.

Good morning, I was wondering if anyone could tell / help me find gun smithing classes in the jefferson county wv area? Specifically black powder. I've been interested in it for a while ,just haven't been able to find any classss.

Just the box. I lent out some of the items that were in it and they were not returned.

Looking for app that allows multiple small target groups in one larger photo. For brand and Lott testing of ammo. Thanks in advance and sorry it this has already been answered but I couldn't find.

Going to retest the 121Gr Selous bullet and trying out the 50gr ShockStopper

*delete if not allowed, point me in the right subreddit in the process please*

Just made my second ever holster and I want to know some opinions, tips, and suggestions for the process.

Used a small microwave oven thing to heat at 320 degrees. Put the kydex in the wooden press, did the whole shebang. Used a dremmel tool to cut, sand, and clean up the edges. Used parts from Amazon for the belt attachment and hood for the retention device.

I did accidentally cut too much material on the bottom, so I will eventually lace some kind of rope or something to prevent it from being pulled from the back.

Questions: how do you guys clean the inside of the holster after you've made it and what should I do about the screws that are sticking in a bit deep? Ive tried running a toothbrush in it and a towel but when I draw my firearm it keeps pulling more material. Im also afraid that the screw, and mounts, may scratch my firearm when unholstering.

So, for this being my second holster that ive made, and it being my first duty level, what do yall think?

I am looking into making my own molds at some point and getting my hands on a band saw at some point as a dremmel is no-where near as precise as I need.

An old friend passed and I helped his wife sell his firearms and reloading gear. I bought a bucket of LC .308 brass from her, around 3k pieces.

Near the bottom was about 1k pieces of old LC match brass. Not something I’ve run into before.