Reloading Ammunition

[terry2425]

After 40 years and literally millions of rounds of ammunition, I still enjoy reloading ammunition.
I got my Federal Manufacturers License and started Nevins Ammunition again back in March. Business has been very good because I am able to sell the hard to get ammunition to sporting goods stores at a reasonable price. Along with very high quality remanufactured ammunition, customer service and very fast delivery has been the key to making the business successful. I only wanted to work a couple of days a week, but it has turned into a full time job just selling to 4 sporting goods stores and 3 law enforcement departments.
The most popular calibers are 32 S&W Long, 380 Auto, 9MM, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 44 S&W, 44 Magnum and 45 Colt (Long). All of the calibers are loaded with a variety of different bullets.

My personal favorites to shoot are the 9MM 124 Grn lead RN, the 40 S&W 180 Grn Lead RN FP, 45 ACP 200 Grn lead RN FP, 38/357 158 Grn lead RN FP and the 44 Magnum 240 Grn lead SWC all of which I cast.

 

[nitesite]

You like having it be a full-time job?

And you must be the only guy on the planet who is getting smokeless propellant for pistol use.

I wish you all the best!

 

[terry2425]

Nitesite,

Yes I do like having it a full time job. Gives me a little extra cash to buy a couple of more guns!

I have an old friend from 30 years ago that has a huge manufacturing operation. We both made about a million rounds of ammunition a month, now he produces almost a million rounds a day! He buys factory direct on all of his componets and helps me with powder and primers. Another friend from years ago is Gilbert Berry, Berry's Bullets. Gilbert helps me out with all of my bullets. I remember we use to buy over 500,000 bullets a year from him, about half of what he made. Now he produces about 40 million a month. Nice to have old friends willing to help you out.

 

[oli700]

very cool, I need some HOT 10mm 200gr hardcast

Powder is looking a lot better out this way Nite.....not everywhere but a little better

 

[mingaa]

Can you get Auto Comp, CFE, 800-X or (my favorite) Longshot?!

They will move a 200gr projectile with some authority!

 

[terry2425]

The only powder I have for handgun now is SR 4756. His powder comes in 40 gallon fiber drums and we weigh out 20 pounds when I pick it up.

 

[oli700]

Can you get Auto Comp, CFE, 800-X or (my favorite) Longshot?!

They will move a 200gr projectile with some authority!

seeing 800x and longshot but for me its all about Blue Dot for heavy 10mm loads. 800x sucks metering and the slight velocity gain over BD isn't worth messing with for me.

 

[mingaa]

I look at the Alliant website and they don't list a BD match for 200 - 10mm. In 40 it sends 155 gr hot and 9 -147 get a kick but 40 S&W 180s are weak (1000) while 180 10mm is 1200+. Compressed loads get sketchy - we should talk. I use the powder site for info and am curious where you get more.

I'll post a few recipes when I'm not on the sofa, on the phone - drinking beer!

 

[oli700]

I look at the Alliant website and they don't list a BD match for 200 - 10mm. In 40 it sends 155 gr hot and 9 -147 get a kick but 40 S&W 180s are weak (1000) while 180 10mm is 1200+. Compressed loads get sketchy - we should talk. I use the powder site for info and am curious where you get more.

I'll post a few recipes when I'm not on the sofa, on the phone - drinking beer!

I have a couple resources that list it. I had 50 200 gr XTP's that went a touch under 1200 out of the 29 with 10 gr of BD.
Nite copied a bunch of data for me but its at the reloading spot, all I have in front of me is Lyman 49th and they list 9.6 as a max for BD using 200gr JHP , 1.250 oal , 1148fps, 29,900 c.u.p.
they list a max of 7.6 for 800x , 1119fps at 29,200 c.u.p.

As far as compressed, did it once unintentionally. 15gr BD, 180 fmj.....bout blew the ass end off the brass, they were accurate and felt about like a 44mag out of the 29.

 

[JoeRotella]

I would love to see some pictures of the presses/operation. I got into it 2 years ago. Its nice to see what could be!

 

[terry2425]

Joe,

Will be happy to post some pictures. It's small but works very well for what I do.

 

[terry2425]

Joe,

Here are a couple of pictures of my setup and equipment. It's a small work area and not fancy, but it flows very well for me.

I use 4 Lee Loadmasters and one Lee Turret Press for rifle. All of the dies for the different calibers are setup in turrets for quick caliber changes. All of the Loadmaster Turrets also have the powder measure system on them too. Loadmaster # 1 does 40 S&W. Loadmaster # 2 does 45 ACP, 44 S&W, 44 Mag and 45 Colt. Loadmaster # 3 does 9MM and 380. Loadmaster # 4 does 38 Spl and 357 Mag.

First picture is a loading bench with 2 Loadmasters and a Pro 1000. The shelves underneath store the powder, bullet molds and rifle bullets. Second picture is a loading bench with 2 Loadmasters, a Lee Turret Press and an RCBS luber/ sizer. The bench is on heavy casters and will rotate to the machine that I want to use. The shelf underneath stores most of the cast bullets, which makes the small bench very heavy and stable. Third picture is just a heavy duty shelf unit for finished ammo. primers, bullets and some powder. Fourth picture are the vibrating tumblers, small, medium and large. Fifth picture is a 6 foot stainless for inspectind, packaging and casting bullets. Sixth picture is a Loadmaster making 9MM 115 Grn CP RN ammo. Last picture is because I have CRS (Can't Remember Shit). I tag all of the powder hoppers with the type of powder so there is no chance of mixing powders.

Selling ammunition to the public could create a huge liability problem if something goes wrong. I use the same procedures that we used years ago with the large ammo manufacturing business to eliminate potential problems or mistakes in the remanufacturing process. Some days it's a pain in the butt to go through all of the checklists and procedures before you even pull the handle to make the first round for the day. But to make a safe, high quality round of ammunition, it has to be done.

I normally due 2500 rounds of ammunition a day, about 6-7 hours of work. That includes processing the brass, loading, inspecting and packaging.

Anyway just a few pictures of my "Garage Operation".

 

[JoeRotella]

Thanks for the pictures - I have a lee 1000 progressive. I have done 5k rounds. I use Winchester 231 or Winchester WST. I only load 45ACP, 9MM and 38/357.