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Looks like I'm starting a new aspect to this, a friend of a friend passed on, he sold the guns for the widow and gave me a full loading set up. Its all Lyman bought in the 70s, at least that's when all the manuals are dated. Its two large reoaders,
six sets of dies, a scale, and all types of other stuff that I don't have a clue what they are. Tons of primers, cases, propellant, ect. All is in excellent condition. Should the propellant due to age be considered still viable? And if there are any cartridge collectors, there was also a box of Rem .32 rimfire included.

RK

RK,

It sounds like you've gotten a genuine deal on some good equipment. The powder may, or may not, be good. It depends largely upon how it's been stored. Have someone familiar with reloading check it out for you. Normally, if you open the can and it smells like fresh ether, the powder should be OK. The only other way to tell is load a few rounds with each can and fire them. You can use parafin wax to simulate the bullet but be careful as it will become a deadly projectile if the powder is normal. I've used 20 year old (or older) powder that was fine and much newer powder that was bad. It a "just depends" thing.

RK,

I've stored powder for 30 years. It was well packaged and is still fine. They tell me that it will start to look and smell rusty when it is going bad.

Damn,I must be getting old and going bad then.

RK

For pistol cartridges, the Lee dippers work perfectly fine and are almost foolproof. Be careful, a fool could still put in 2 dippers of powder and get a real BIG bang.

I had a buddy over last night who has been reloading for 20+ years, we got it all set up. Two loaders, two powder dispensers, two scales, twelve sets of dies, lube pad, case trimmer, primer seater, ect. Need bullets, brass, primers,propellant and I'm ready to start. I set up one side for pistol, the other for rifle. Will start with 9mm and .223, I shoot more of that than anything else. Next will be .45 and 30.06. I think this is going to be fun. I'm still reading up on all the loading stats now. Thanks for the advice.

RK

RK, I'm in the process of loading some 9mm right now and the load I'm using is 6.0 grains of Unique with a 124 grain FMJ bullet. I'm using a 30 (or more) year old Lyman D-7 scale and a .7cc Lee dipper. The dipper will scoop a consistent 5.8 - 5.9 grain load of Unique and that would be an excellent load in a Luger using bullets of either 115 or 124 grain. Unique doesn't meter well but is an exceptional powder for loading 9mm. It's also impossible to drop a double charge as Unique nearly fills the case with one charge.

If you're going for quantity then one of the ball powders and a measure is a better way to go.

Thanks for the advice, what surprises me is the variance in fps and pressure by different types of propellant and bullet weight. I've been shooting 115g FMC but will load up the 124g with the large grain powder as recommended for the idiot factor. I'm still reading.

RK

RK; just my opinion; get a carbide resizer for the 9mm. MUCH easier, and not messy. Also, unique is hard to beat for the 9mm.
Lonnie

Yes Lonnie is right, when I was reloading 10 years ago, I found that carbide was the way to go. If you don't have one, a VERY light coat is all you need to squeeze those puppies.

I liked Unique also and it filled the cases up and was easy to use. I mostly did 9 mm and .45, but reloaded others also.

Lonnie and Ed, you are right on!!

I really think RK has just jumped butt hole deep to a tall giraffe into a new hobby!!! He's got the bug!! RK, have fun and be careful. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Hi Roadkill,

I've been reloading for 15+ years. A favorite powder of mine is BLUE DOT. It does good loads in 38 spl +p / 357 mag / 44 mag / 45 acp and 9mm P.

For a good BANG in LUGERS try a 124gr bullet over 8.0grs BLUE DOT, Winchester Small Pistol primers ( WSP ). I use FEDERAL brass.

This is a good load for the Toggle top [img]wink.gif[/img]


kidvett [img]cool.gif[/img]

I too favor the 124 gr FMJ, I use Remingtons or Hornadys or UMC when I shoot loaded ammo. Unique is a good accurate powder for standard loads. For Artillerys I LOVE the 8 grs of Blue load mentioned above. Makes that long sucker recoil better and it really BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMs. Case ejection indicates that the load is just about right for the mass of that long barrel. Standard loads hardly come out of the gun, but they are fine for the 4" models! AINT LUGERS FUN!!! I have suspended my cannon alone shots, my hands are my lively hood! I cant risk them! [img]cool.gif[/img]

So we can still call you FFT?? That's Five Fingered Thor !! Happy to hear it Buddy!! <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

Thor,

Glad you quit messing with cannon firing.

RK,

Reloading is really a neat hobby. I am getting old and short of free time so I load for economy mostly. I buy 9mm and .223 loaded because you don't save many $$ for your effort. I would reload if I wanted something special.

I load .38, .357, .40, .44sp, .44mag, .45ACP, .45LC, 30-30, and 30-06 for economy and to get exactly the load I want. I always check the Lee dipper with a scale when setting up for a modest load and then stick with the dipper for production. For max or near max loads I weigh every charge.

My .38s and .45s shoot one hole groups at 25 yds from good guns.

Sounds like RK is hooked! I started in about 1969 with a Lee hammer-pounder for 9mm and 7X57 and shot hundreds of rounds of both. I now have a Lee turret press. I do like the fact that Unique is bulky enough that a double charge overflows in both 9mm and .30 Mauser! Have fun and do not have distractions around while reloading! It is enjoyable but VERY seious business. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Thanks for the comments. Is it best to start with unfired brass and make up lots keeping up with number of times fired? And is there a parameter to work within reference the throw away date of cases? How are the cases best marked? The book says use fingernail polish and color code lots with marks to indicate number of times fired. I'll load first for a new P1 made in 64 for 9mm and a NEF(H&R) bull barrel in .223, and a MKVI in .45. Definitely won't try them in my others until later.

RK

RK,

Obviously new brass is nice, but unnecessary for most purposes (except maybe benchrest matches or perhaps varment loads).

For very accurate rifle ammo, use new or matched brass fired the same number of times. One thing I haven't seen in the above responses is case trimming. For bottleneck rifle rounds you MUST trim the necks after every few reloadings. I do it every time. Cases grow up to .030" or more in length every time they are resized. If you jam a long neck into the rifling--WOW! Lots of excess pressure. Don't do it.

Pistol brass lasts for many reloads, you shoot lots of pistol ammo, and it is easy to loose brass from a semi-auto. Therefore, I use pistol brass until it cracks (maybe 10 or more loadings) and I scrounge brass wherever I find it. That said, for match ammo I do sort and cull the brass carefully.

Hello Al,

You mentionned 1 hole groups at 25 yds in 38 & 45...

Can any of your 9mm's do this?

My experience is similar: 38's & 45's are very accurate BUT not the 9mm PARABELLUM...

My best LUGER does 1 1/2 inches and my P-38 does 4 inches ( HORRIBLE...)

My best EVER 9mm was a HK P7M8 which did 7/8 in at 25 yds

kidvett [img]wink.gif[/img]

Kidvett,

My "good" .38 was a 1950s Gold Cup--great gun that I shot in matches for maybe 20 years. Plumb wore it out.

I have 2 accurized .45s, both GI. One has a Bomar rib and light spring for light reloads and the other is set up for hardball DCM matches. These guns are so tight that they aren't really weapons. You must oil them before shooting and about every 30 rounds, but they do shoot.

I have one Luger and another to be delivered in Sept. I had my 1936 shooter out on Tuesday. It shoots about 2" high and 1" to the left at 25 yds. Believe it or not, the first 4 rounds went into a 1" group with Wallmart ammo. It has a fairly heavy trigger and tiny sights per the Luger design (not like my 1911s). Anyway, the group opened up as I relaxed a little (or something). Anyway, it's still a neeeat gun.

I am of the opinion that barring a few exceptions, one cartridge is as inherently accurate as another. A great deal of time, effort, and money has been expended over the years getting the best accuracy out of the 45 ACP. The 9 mm Parabellum is an orphan in this respect. What would it do if the same effort were put into it?

AL,

I've shot with a 1950 MATCH GOLD CUP 38 wadcutter [img]eek.gif[/img] a very accurate piece!

Had about a dozen 45's over the years...ALL good shooters...nice memories of an old WWI era COLT 1911 Commercial [img]smile.gif[/img]

But I do have a 4 inch Model 29 ( long live Dirty Harry! ) that does 3/4 inch at 50 yds with 300gr Speer bullet backed by a heavy charge of 2400 ( long live Elmer Keith! )It is a favorite winter time carry piece...

And I'm still trying to get decent accuracy from 9mm pistols.....

kidvett [img]cool.gif[/img]

Kidvett and Unspellable,

The US army match shooters (and gunsmiths) seem to have achieved some success in 9mm. As I understand it, most of the service people now use 9mm at Camp Perry matches.

My Luger seems very accurate. However, my match 1911s have great sights (I use progressive eyeglass lenses like Thor to get a sharp sight picture), very light and smooth triggers, and are tighter than bank vault doors. If a Luger were set up similarly (maybe Hugh could do it), I believe it would be as good or better than the 1911 because the barrel is fixed to the sights (if the toggle is tight enough). The 1911's sights are on the slide and there is a lot of room for movement between the barrel and slide.

Anyway, I now shoot for personal fun (rather than match success) and don't plan to turn a Luger into a paper punch (only) like my match .45s. However, if Hugh is interested (the grips have already been reworked by him).......?

I also have a Ruger SA 4.75" barrel stainless .44 mag that is unbelievably accurate with full power loads. It is so-so with .44 special loads, but give it 20 grains of 2400 behind a 240 grain SWC and it is as accurate as anything I have (slow to load and a 6 round magazine though).

Al,

Ever shot a BOWEN custom Blackhawk? I shot one, from a friend's, and MY GOD ! what a piece....

A long term project is to get a 4 5/8 in. 44 Blackhawk built by BOWEN for deer hunting....I'm presently using a 4 in. M29 & a 6 in. M629.

Shooting paper for fun, accuracy testing, hunting ang collecting LUGERS & P-38 are my primary activities in the shooting sports.....

kidvett [img]cool.gif[/img]

Kidvett,

No, I never shot a Bowen gun, but I've seen plenty of articles on them over the years.

I'm not really into hunting or heavy recoiling guns anymore (if I ever was). I have a couple of 30-06s (that I haven't shot for 20+ years) that I won't part with for sentimental reasons, but I did sell my Ruger flattop .44 magnum 20 years ago. It shot remarkably small groups at 100 yards, but I never expected to need anything more than .45 ACP again. Then, I moved to coastal Florida and I do live on the water. There are some nasty critters here that .45s might bounce off of--so I got another .44 magnum as a boat gun.

Anyway, rifles are too awkward for me today and in my experience the Ruger SA .44 Blackhawks make great industrial strength medicine for tough varmints. I have been lucky enough over the years to find two guns with light triggers and incredible accuracy. The Rugers are big and crude compared to my Colts, but great guns.

At present I am into neat guns and fun shooting--Colt 1911s, Colt SAAs, Luger(s), etc. etc. and an AR-15 .223. I can shoot these all day, nothing hurts, and it's still fun. The big stuff is available if needed.