Stupid !)%(*&!@)(8 disease

[unfy]

I swear, getting into loading your own ammo is downright evil.  It's a hideously infectious disease.

I went to a couple stores today with the sole intention of only LOOKING at stuff to ponder what I was going to do next.

$100 at guns unlimited
then
$100 at cabelas
then
$30 at menards (sciencing and other stuff)

GOD DAMNIT !@%)(&*@!)(%*!@)(%*

I was supposed to get an RCBS 3L ultrasonic thing for $130, not ... asdfkajsdflkajsdf

Winchester Large Rifle Primers
Pound of IMR 4046
Loading block (never hurts to have more)
Case lube kit (dunno where mine went)
Lee XR hand primer thing
Lee 30-30 dies
Some box of speer bullets appropriate for the 30-30
Lee perfect powder measure
Backsaw & miter box (bought cause it was the cheapest generic wood saw i saw.. miter box will get shelved)
3" PVC test plugs (science!)
The $3 machinest square SFG loves (as do i... and now i'll have a dedicated square instead of something else)

DAMNIT 

I'll be looking into taking the tray off the XR, drilling a whole in some wood or MDF and some other stuff to see how it goes about making filling primer tubes for the LNL AP.  Gonna have to to get it all home and planned and attempt either later today or tomorrow.

The perfect powder measure: curious what it's like.  And, since I was already spending money, what's another $25-$30 ? GRRRR.  Anyway - half the cost (or less) of the rcbs/hornady ones, comes with a mounting stand and wondering how it works out.  First opinions of eyeballing in the truck afterwards: plasticy.... and I'm fearful of not getting the 'knock knock' that the metal powder measures enjoy.  But... if it works, who cares.  More to come on that later after I fiddle.

Stupid !)(%*!@)(%* hobby.

But I do love it so <3 <3 <3

[Ronvandyn]

Hmmm, seems we talked about all of that last Sunday.  I warned you, the initial set-up costs go way beyond the press. 

Anyway, your right about one thing, once you get the bug it only gets worse!  I was loading last week in my garage, with a heavy coat and light gloves on because of the cold... 

Ron

[Dan W]

I am putting you in time out Mister!

[bkoenig]

I hear ya.  I've bought more in reloading supplies / gear the last month than I usually do in several years. 

I have a Perfect Powder Measure and I'm actually very impressed.  Even with stick powder it throws usually + or - .1 grain.  For the type of shooting I do (service rifle, 3 gun, etc)  that's more than accurate enough.  With ball powder it's really accurate.  The trick is to keep the adjustment screw tight, in the center where it pivots.

After years of casting using a ladle over a propane burner I finally picked up a 20lb Lee bottom pour pot and ohmygodisitfast.  I poured about 500 bullets this afternoon, probably about 450 after culling the bad ones.

[unfy]

Mapped out my driving route in google maps.

Comes out to about 30 miles of in city driving, taking about an hour.

Well... guess what ?

After I got home, decided I needed to get a couple little loose ends to tie everything up.

So, I went back to Guns Unlimited... then to Cabela's ... then Menards.

That list should look freaking familiar.  As in the original post.

So I've done 2 laps of the infernal circuit! An hour of driving in traffic each time!

RAWR.

This trip was.... a lil round primer flip tray, a hornady hand primer (it looks like i might be able to be evil with it), the lee primer shell holder pack (oops forgot it last time), a box of twenty 30-30 rounds (i can't seem to find my recent brass... and first factory ammo i've bought in 2 years ?), a 4 piece chisel set (on sale for like $5), and a 3" x 8' mdf board.

RAGE.


bkoeing: well, my first jump into reloading a few years ago was around $850 or maybe $1100.

like every 'loader, i've been slowly adding to my collection... but today was just downright stupid.

i'm surrounded by misc loading gear and consumables spread all over my bed now.

!)(*&%)(!@*%)(@!*)

[unfy]

hornady trays don't quite fit properly on the lnl primer pick up tubes (ie: looking for an easy way to fill tubes).  i can prolly use a round file or a drill to make'em fit perfectly... but instead of possibly destroying newly bought tool... gonna use the mdf to build an adapter block.

[skydve76]

Its very easy to offset the price of the stuff with the prices of ammo right now.  However, you went a bit further than you needed, the powder measure is junk return it and get the scoops.
Also, dont need the hand primer either. 

I got a Lee anniversry press kit that came with everything for $70.  However, that powder measure I dont use, and the balance beam scale I love since it is old school, but I replaced it with a digital. Much more convenient.

[unfy]

The powder measure I wanna fiddle with.  I wanna see if I can make it not seem so icky heh.  And I'm just not a fan of the scoops.  Never have been, never will be.

The hand primers is a mix of wanting to play with them to see what I can repurpose them for, and the fact that it'd just be handy to have a spare laying around etc.

My day to day reloading press is the Hornady LNL AP.  Have put prolly 7000 rounds through it so far.  Love it to death.

I love balance beam scales, but the MTM $35 digital scale is hard to put aside.  Accurate, and since digital scales have a tear function... it's just SOOOO easy and quick to use.

[bkoenig]

I absolutely hate using balance beam scales.  Not so bad for just setting a powder measure, but for repeated use they make me want to tear out what little hair I have left.

[unfy]

After years of casting using a ladle over a propane burner I finally picked up a 20lb Lee bottom pour pot and ohmygodisitfast.  I poured about 500 bullets this afternoon, probably about 450 after culling the bad ones.

Yeah, I love my lee bottom pour pot.  Especially on that 20 pellet buckshot mold <3.

I still use campfire small propane stove for ingot making.

....

And... after cleaning up supplies and tools from the bed (it was fun to wallow in it all, I'll admit hehehehe) .... it hit me where the 30-30 brass was.  Still had some old ammo in a firesafe with the empties too.  Sooooooo.... I didn't *need* to buy the box of factory.  Whatever, will just be more brass after I get rid of the other factory components stuck to it at the range

I got the Lee PPM mounted to a lil bit of 2x4 to be clamped to where-ever I feel like fiddling with it.  Adjusting the tension screw to just a tad looser helped a good bit on just 'initial feel' without throwing charges yet.  Appear to have run out of hornady dry lube so can't hit it with any of that.  Dunno if have any graphite.  I'll just have to 'pass' on that stuff for now.

Given it's design, it looks to be a 'flick measuring tube once or twice to make sure even fill, spin drum, flick measuring tube once or twice to ensure empty, spin drum' ... with the word 'drum' used very loosely

It'll be fun to *actually* fiddle with this stuff.  After playing with high dollar stuff for most of my reloading time (except the copper plating heh) ... it'll be fun to see how plastic does.