Warning

 

Close
Confirm Action

Are you sure you wish to do this?

Cancel Confirm
AR15.COM
Armory Sponsor
Previous Page
/ 2
Next Page
3/14/2025 12:20:46 AM EDT
[#1]
Quote History
Originally Posted By dryflash3:
I am using range brass, and "you never know what you will get".

This is also where you check for high primers. Please tell me you at least do this.


View Quote



That is the darn truth right there.



I hand prime everything with the RCBS tool. Aside of being able to easily feel the differences in the primer pockets and how tight or loose a primer from a particular lot of primers is in that particular piece of brass - You also cant help but run a finger tip across as you move from one piece to the next.

The 'range brass' I am finishing up processing right now is getting sorted by which brass the primer has a nice and snug fit in and which pieces primed with noticeably less effort. (honked out pockets)

The brass with the honked out / loose pockets will be used one more time but relegated to lower level loads and not saved for future reloadings.


You can definitely feel the difference.


Not willing to load any almost full power 5.56 loads in brass with loose pockets if I can help it.
3/14/2025 8:50:45 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote History
Originally Posted By DVCNick:

(Snip)….


I don't adjust the press between reloading sessions, so there is nothing special about the first or last set or rounds for me.  …

(/Snip)

.
View Quote


I have had dies loosen or start to unscrew themselves during a reloading session.

When I had a 550, I did drill and tap a few 550 toolheads for set screws.  Then I would drop a piece of lead shot into the set screw hole.  Then thread in the set screw.


It was a long tedious process to get each die dialed in right.

But once it was set, and that piece of lead birdshot was jammed into the die’s threads, it wasn’t going anywhere.


3/14/2025 1:29:18 PM EDT
[#3]
Kinda getting off topic, back to 100 rd case gauges please.
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.

Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
3/17/2025 8:02:21 PM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad][Edited] [#4]
Yeah, back on topic…

I got the card thing ironed out and placed my order with Armanov.

Ya’ll are costing me money!



3/17/2025 10:46:13 PM EDT
[#5]
Using my Armanov gauge, I can tell it's tighter than my Dillon case gauge.

Out of the last batch of 500, 10 didn't gauge in the Armanov.

9 went through the Dillon just fine, so they went into the ammo can with the rest.

I know if a round passes the Dillon, it will chamber in all of my 9mm's.

Pulled the 10th one, resized case, passed the Dillon gauge. Loaded it.

Would not pass the Dillon gauge.

Was pulled down a second time, components salvaged and case went into recycle.

Loaded that salvaged bullet in another case, was GTG.

Not a too uncommon thing with range brass, and why I gauge my rounds.
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.

Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
3/18/2025 7:32:34 PM EDT
[#6]
I got a tracking number email from Armanov.

I did not know they were shipping this stuff from Slovenia???

That makes sense now that UPS was the only option.

Well….duh!
3/18/2025 8:05:09 PM EDT
[#7]
My shockbottle gauge is more stringent than my Dillon gauge. Anything that passes it is match ammo in terms of chambering. I've never had an issue out of either gauge. The shockbottle finds split cases on the regular.

If you're not case gauging 100 rounds at a time with a funnel, you're missing out.
3/20/2025 5:42:24 PM EDT
[#8]
I received my package today:

Attached File


Attached File


Attached File


WOOT!  WOOT!
3/20/2025 6:38:07 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote History
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.

Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
3/22/2025 10:38:59 PM EDT
[#10]
Awesome!  Post up your experience after giving them a whirl!
3/22/2025 11:21:15 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote History
Originally Posted By jcduchock:
I've been using EGW chamber checkers for about two years.

So far they have been pretty good. Looking forward to you pics.

EGW chamber checkers.
View Quote


EGW makes good stuff. I've found them to be really tight at times. Some 300blk that fails my EGW ammo checker runs reliably in all my rifles, but I throw that ammo into a separate bin just in case.

As for armanov vs shockbottle, OPs post mirrors my experience. I hardly use my shockbottle checker anymore.
3/23/2025 10:20:22 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote History
Originally Posted By Metonymy:
Awesome!  Post up your experience after giving them a whirl!
View Quote


Probably 10mm very soon…especially since, if my memory is correct, I do not have an EGW/Lee undersize die in 10mm.


3/25/2025 3:11:22 AM EDT
[#13]
I cranked out about 150 rounds of 10mm tonight.  First time ever reloading 10mm.

Using the blue funnel got at least 75% dropped right in:

Attached File


I had checked about 10 rounds first with my Dillon case gauge,.

Attached File



They all dropped in flush and I did my usual finger rub over the headstamps to check for high primers.

Then I used the metal template “grate” to stripe the headstamp:

Attached File


There ‘s the separate “lid”:

Attached File


So you can flip the rounds over:

Attached File


Continue reading….

3/25/2025 3:14:40 AM EDT
[Last Edit: WeimaranerDad][Edited] [#14]
Remove the case gauge portion:

Attached File


The fit a flip lid box over the rounds:

Attached File


Then flip the whole sha-bang over:

Attached File


My plan is to use these yellow Plano boxes for 10mm, so I don’t grab a box of .45 ACP by mistake.  Then get to the range and figure out that my gun and ammo don’t match.

Attached File


EDIT:  all in all, it went pretty smooth and fast.  10/10 would buy again!  
3/25/2025 12:52:57 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote History
Originally Posted By WeimaranerDad:
Remove the case gauge portion:

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/IMG_0210_jpeg-3499509.JPG

The fit a flip lid box over the rounds:

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/IMG_0211_jpeg-3499513.JPG

Then flip the whole sha-bang over:

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/IMG_0212_jpeg-3499514.JPG

My plan is to use these yellow Plano boxes for 10mm, so I don’t grab a box of .45 ACP by mistake.  Then get to the range and figure out that my gun and ammo don’t match.

https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/369122/IMG_0213_jpeg-3499516.JPG

EDIT:  all in all, it went pretty smooth and fast.  10/10 would buy again!  
View Quote



What does your marker line in the head indicate?

That tool does look sweet.
3/25/2025 2:15:31 PM EDT
[#16]
I use the sharpie line to tell my brass from my shooting buddies.
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.

Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
3/25/2025 3:05:33 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote History
Originally Posted By Strikefirst:



What does your marker line in the head indicate?

That tool does look sweet.
View Quote


Normally, I would use a green Sharpie marker to stripe the headstamp.

It means that my QA/QC steps are complete.  Green = GO!

But since Armanov supplied the blue marker, I figured I would try theirs.

For metallic/regular brass reliading, the stripe disappears during the tumbling process.

For shotgun shells, since I don’t clean the hulls, the stripes let me know  how many times that hull has been reloaded.

3/25/2025 3:40:41 PM EDT
[#18]
Ive had a shockbottle for a couple years now at least.
Ive posted about it before in various threads.
I do realize its a little on the loose side but Ive never had a issue if it passed the  gauge.
Im a little slower as I had measure the OAL of each round before I drop it into the gauge.  Im a bit of a stickler for OAL.  
I only do a couple hundred at a time on my XL750 and it works well for me.

I dont have any CZ's so I dont have to deal with their notorious short chambers. They discuss it ad-nauseum on the reloading discord.

3/25/2025 7:43:32 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote History
Originally Posted By networkguru:
Ive had a shockbottle for a couple years now at least.
Ive posted about it before in various threads.
I do realize its a little on the loose side but Ive never had a issue if it passed the  gauge.
Im a little slower as I had measure the OAL of each round before I drop it into the gauge.  Im a bit of a stickler for OAL.  
I only do a couple hundred at a time on my XL750 and it works well for me.

I dont have any CZ's so I dont have to deal with their notorious short chambers. They discuss it ad-nauseum on the reloading discord.

View Quote


How short of an OAL for CZ’s are we talking about?

This is the length I go with, mainly shot through Berettas, but I never encountered a problem with my two CZ’s:

Attached File

3/25/2025 7:59:48 PM EDT
[#20]
Thanks. Now on my short list of tools to buy!
3/25/2025 9:45:23 PM EDT
[Last Edit: dryflash3][Edited] [#21]
I have a CZ-85, steel frame target version of the CZ-75.

When I load 115 gr RN bullets, plated or jacketed, OAL has to be 1.10 otherwise round will not chamber.

I worked up carefully as this OAL is shorter than shown in most reloading data.

Found I could shoot the max load listed with my shorter OAL.

So all of my 9mm ammo is loaded to fire in my CZ.

The other 9mm's, LC 9, M&P, Luger, and 3 AR9's all fire this ammo just fine.


We have strayed from the topic of 100 rd case gauges.
Selling agent for Algores carbon credit scam.

Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
3/25/2025 10:25:50 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote History
Originally Posted By dryflash3:
I have a CZ-85, steel frame target version of the CZ-75.

When I load 115 gr RN bullets, plated or jacketed, OAL has to be 1.10 otherwise round will not chamber.

I worked up carefully as this OAL is shorter than shown in most reloading data.

Found I could shoot the max load listed with my shorter OAL.

So all of my 9mm ammo is loaded to fire in my CZ.

The other 9mm's, LC 9, M&P, Luger, and 3 AR9's all fire this ammo just fine.


We have strayed from the topic of 100 rd case gauges.
View Quote


Thanks  dryflash.  

Getting back on topic….

I previously mentioned that I used an Evolution Gun Works / Lee undersize dies for 9mm, .40S&W, and .45ACP.  And a Lee FCD, and never really had to worry about case gauging every round..

Last night was my first attempt  loading 10mm, so I used the regular Lee resizing/decapping die that came with the 4 die set.

The usual Dillon proprietary mouth belling/powder through die was in station #2.

Station #3 was empty.

Station #4 was an RCBS bullet deating die.

Station #5  was the Lee factory crimp die.

I was using brand new virgin Starline brass.

I should have tried case gauging some brass right from the bag.  I could definitely feel the brass was getting resized.  Of course, the case sides had that shiny burnished brass look almost all the way to the extractor groove.

The only I reject I caught last night was a primer that went in sideways….well, it tried to anyway.  

It makes me wonder if I swapped out the Lee sizing die and put in the RCBS sizer instead,, if I would get some that wouldn’t pass the Armanov “hundo”???


Sign up to continue the discussion

Create a free account to share your thoughts, follow topics, and connect with the AR15.COM community.

Already a member? Sign In

Previous Page
/ 2
Next Page
Armory Sponsor