Lee Loader

Tonight I loaded 50 .45 ACP cases with Berry's plated 230 grain RN bullets over 5.8 grains of CFE Pistol powder. They will most likely be used tomorrow at the range (taking my son shooting) with the Bayou bullets 230 grain RN bullets that I loaded several weeks ago. I love reloading.

Happy New Year everyone! Stay safe.

In another forum I was reading about small vs. large primed 45 ACP ammo (again!). I have read for a few years that the differences between the two for home reloaders is/was insignificant, but my curiosity got riled up. I ordered some small primed brass and some 230 FMJ bullets and am gonna do my own testing. Yesterday I reloaded 20 Federal cases with CFE powder, 200 gr. LSWC and CCI small pistol primers. I also loaded 20 Fed cases with same bullet and powder but with CCI large pistol primers. I have a bunch of Blazer 45 ACP brass, both small and large primed and am processing them now, and I'll finish the loads with Bullseye and RMR 230 gr FMJ bullets. I plan on shooting over a chrony and some accuracy testing (my Ruger P90 won't reliably feed SWC so that gun will need FMJ ammo) I'm going to load up 100 Blazer brass rounds 50 small and 50 large and shoot them through my Ruger P90 and my RIA 1911. I'll see for sure!

Friday I picked up some 125gr. RNFPBB 38s from BumbleBee Bullets to try out. Loaded 100 of them over some BE-86. I bought some more of their 9mm 125gr. RN for the wife's Taurus 905.

Right now I am loading some 250gr 45s into some Colt brass that I got from one friend to give to another friend. Going to set them over some Unique, 9 grains should move them along at a little over 900fps.

Today I hand loaded 26 .357 magnum cases with Bayou Bullets 138 grain button nose wadcutters over 3.5 grains of CFE pistol. These are Johnny's 'now famous' "Powder Puff" load LOL! Everyone enjoys the soft pop and the nice hole the wadcutter makes. We shoot these with kids or newer folks through a 6 inch S&W 686. Love the load.I needed to top off a box so I can take my daughter to the range, so I only made enough to fill it. Tomorrow I will do some Everglades ammo 125 grain FMJ hollow points in .357, if I have time. Keep shooting those wheel guns!

Finally got around to putting some Unique under some 125 grain LRNFP BumbleBee bullets that I recently purchased. I think tomorrow I might do the same with some Bullseye.

Loaded 100 45 Auto Rim for the 1917. Sized, flared, and primed another 100. I'll fill them with Trail Boss and seat a 200 grain cast bullet on them tomorrow.

Started stocking up 9mm for the IPSC season. I did a couple of hundred rounds using Bullseye and Berry's 124 HP's. Ran into issue with some RP brass with really tight pockets. Had to work at getting primers flush.

My first outing though will be a "Steels" challenge. I am thinking 45 ACP for that shoot with 230 grain RN's.

My pet load for the Ruger P95 is Berry's 115 plated and more Bullseye than normal....yet seated pretty long it likely doesn't have too much pressure.

Made up some 45 ACP using 4.8 W231 and Hornady 230 grain FMJ truncated cone. I have had a few of these hang up in the Norinco 1911 Government but not enough to ruin a steel shoot. Had a bit of trouble getting expander set up. These bullets have absolutely flat sides. I don't like to crimp rimless pistol rounds even with a tapered crimp so getting the mouth flared just enough to take the bullet takes a bit of fiddling.

Yesterday I did some 200 rounds of .44-40 smokeless.