Looking to start reloading

[Agent 0range]

It is good that you have started looking for trends. Yes, look for that fibonacci pattern, the general means and averages and NOT necessarily specifics and you will see that although you have 8 different starting points with 22 different sources, all of those sources agree that these other points are all safe... That is a good trend that you can bet on. Start low and work your way up.

Do you trade too? Looking for trends is a day trading thing to say... heh...

Not trying to thread jack OP, but thanks for the insight Stilly!
I trust the published data more and am using it a a guideline, but I've already noticed that Hornady tends to be on the conservative side and have to take that into account. I'm mainly looking for ranges so that I can determine a low starting point that will still cycle and load ~20 round batches starting with those numbers and increase by .2 gr for each batch after. (Starting with 9mm). I'll take those 3-4 batches to the range, see what works and what doesn't and make adjustments from there.

I can see this as being both a science and an art. I agree that to start, it's best to stick to the numbers until reaching a comfort level that would allow me to put some twists on them. Just trying to keep things as safe as possible to start. I like my hands and my guns and have no desire to lose any of them!

Not a full time day trader, but I dabble. Lol. I'm in inventory control and looking for trends in variances to root cause and countermeasure is second nature for me.

[wpod]

So, I now have the Lee Classic Turret Kit, Lee stand, Franklin Armory digital scale, and other items to reload.
I assembled and adjusted everything.
Here is my first reloaded cartridge

Once fired, tumbled 9mm Luger. Winchester small pistol primer, Berry's 124 gr. target hollow point, 3.8 gn. 700-X powder.
I only did the one. Have to start somewhere.
The press worked as advertised. I didn't use the safety primer or the auto disc. I measured into the pan and poured it manually.

Happy with this.

[Grunt81]

Lookin' good! That's a pretty round. It'll feel even better when you fire rounds that you made. Especially when they shoot better than factory and cycle 100% reliably.

I used to use that same scale until I upgraded to a Gempro 250. It worked very reliably until it didn't. Make sure you calibrate it before each used and get to know EXACTLY what the powder pan weighs. For example, I know mine was supposed to weigh exactly 109.0 grains. If it deviated anywhere from there, or gave an improper negative reading once I took the pan off, then I knew it was time to either tare it or recalibrate. Usually zeroing it out worked fine. On the Gempro, the powder pan is supposed to weigh exactly 108.92 grains. If it's off by more than 0.02 grains, then I know it's time to tare it. It tends to drift over time, but will hold calibration well when I tare it.

Did you use the Lee FCD for that round?

[wpod]

Until the scales earn my trust (the FA digital and the Lee balance that came with the kit) I will be weighing , probably, every round.
Today going to make sure both scales read the same then verify the Auto-Disc.
That first round will not be fired (like a businesses first dollar bill).

[wpod]

So, I ran several powder charges through the Auto-Disc to check the consistency. A bit concerned.
For my starting charge is 3.7 gn of IMR 700-X.
Manual says .53 on the disk for a 3.9 charge (I know the disk hole may vary).
The inconsistency of the throw weights concerns me.
20 throws, last 10 were resetting tare each throw (didn't change results).
3.7, 2.1, 3.4, 3.2, 2.9, 3.5, 3.2, 3.5, 3.4, 3.5...
(resetting tare)
3.4, 2.9, 2.0, 3.5, 1.5, 3.1, 3.5, 1.7, 3.6, 3.5...
Checked that case was empty each time charge was dumped into the pan (pan weighs 111.4 gn).
I got good at looking at the charge in the case and estimating how light it was.
Think cleaning the (brand new) hopper again would help? (yes, I made sure it was completely dry).
This is why I'm not going to fire that first round pictured above.

[stilly]

... I like my hands and my guns and have no desire to lose any of them!

Not a full time day trader, but I dabble. Lol. I'm in inventory control and looking for trends in variances to root cause and countermeasure is second nature for me.

Yeah my **** would never forgive me if I lost my hands... I mean my G/F! I mean well, yeah anyways, looking to have some inventory control of my own...

So, I ran several powder charges through the Auto-Disc to check the consistency. A bit concerned.
For my starting charge is 3.7 gn of IMR 700-X.
Manual says .53 on the disk for a 3.9 charge (I know the disk hole may vary).
The inconsistency of the throw weights concerns me.
20 throws, last 10 were resetting tare each throw (didn't change results).
3.7, 2.1, 3.4, 3.2, 2.9, 3.5, 3.2, 3.5, 3.4, 3.5...
(resetting tare)
3.4, 2.9, 2.0, 3.5, 1.5, 3.1, 3.5, 1.7, 3.6, 3.5...
Checked that case was empty each time charge was dumped into the pan (pan weighs 111.4 gn).
I got good at looking at the charge in the case and estimating how light it was.
Think cleaning the (brand new) hopper again would help? (yes, I made sure it was completely dry).
This is why I'm not going to fire that first round pictured above.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Welcome to the world of 700-x and 800-x. THAT **** SUCKS if you do not have the proper powder hopper. That measures better for shotgun, BUT if you have a LNL powder dropper or prolly a QC uniflow from RCBS and you are using the PISTOL tube (and rotor if using a LNL dropper) then it is a lot easier to control. I have never used it with my Lee dropper.

I DARE say you should get different powder or you will become paranoid and weigh every charge for the rest of your life if you let this powder scar you like that. Not all powders are like that. I think I saw some Winchester Super Field at Recob's for around $134 per 8lb bottle last week. You might consider calling them and ordering new powder. I just called them and added 8 lbs of power pistol (at $18.09 a bottle) onto the order to eat that hazmat fee. WSF, Power Pistol and Titegroup are good for 9mm as are about 16 others now that I think of it.

Is that a Rainier PHP on that 9mm? My first 9mm looed like a damn ramjet engine because I had my seater too far down...

[wpod]

I honestly feel encouraged already.

[Cowboy T]

Isn't 700X a pretty flaky powder, like Unique, and subject to bridging, especially with the smaller Auto-Disk cavities?

If you can get some Bullseye, Titegroup, or HP38/W231, those happen to meter very well.

[stilly]

Isn't 700X a pretty flaky powder, like Unique, and subject to bridging, especially with the smaller Auto-Disk cavities?

If you can get some Bullseye, Titegroup, or HP38/W231, those happen to meter very well.

You know, that stuff is weird. I had 800-x and tried to set it for 6.0gr and got from 4.2-7.1 and even a 2.6 charge once and all things in between...

Then i got rid of it and got some power pistol and LTFO, power pistol is a favorite of mine now, but I also noticed that some other folks here told me to use a pistol rotor for the 700-x and it ACTUALLY works very well in the LNL or the uniflow droppers using the pistol rotor. I was shocked. No really, I was like, DAMN! You mean I went out and bought a vibrator for nothing?

I was going to get a concrete vibrator and rattle the entire bench to make that powder settle, but using the pistol rotor/tube on my LNL dropper I will aim for 5.0gr in .45 acp and It will throw from 4.86-5.18 with the vast majority being 4.98gr-5.06 gr. I am happy with that. It just seems to work well.

Bumslie does it too, but he has been banned because someone here hates comedians that look like Jason Statham...

[wpod]

Here is my (generic) setup :

The stand works quite well, very stable, very solid (with a cinder block hanging underneath).
If I ever get room in the garage I will do like another Calgunner posted and mount the press to a roll-around tool cabinet. Portable with drawers for tools and such.
I got a set of lockers from my kids' school long ago. I'll keep flamible supplies locked in separate lockers so I don't mix them up.

[Grunt81]

OP, don't let 700-x discourage you. I has pretty huge flakes, bigger than Unique and maybe even bigger than American Select. Both of the powders I just mentioned, will meter better than 700-x, and they work very well in 9mm for 124 and 147 grain bullets. I've never tried them for 115 gr.

I love my Pro Auto Disk. With a ball powder, the extrem spread is 0.12 grains, which means it will deviate 0.06 grains from the target charge.

Power pistol is a great powder for velocity whores, or for those who have no other choice like me the time I bought a pound. It's a very accurate powder, gives great velocities, and meters well. What I don't like about it is the muzzle flash and a little more felt recoil. Also, you have to use more of it than some other powders.

I'm almost out of my 3lbs. of CFE Pistol. This stuff meters very consistently, gives very good velocities, and cleans up easily. Accuracy is about on par with Power Pistol.

Moral of the story, the Pro Auto Disk will meter ball powders like a champ. For flake powders, you'll probably want a different powder measure. If I were you, I'd probably weigh each charge by hand. The Lee dipper that came with your dies works great as a trickler. You can also get good at scooping up one or two flakes if you over charge.

[wpod]

Seeing as I'm just starting out, measuring each charge might be a good thing.
Heading to get a funnel so I don't spill any powder.

[wpod]

So, I now have the Lee Classic Turret Kit, Lee stand, Franklin Armory digital scale, and other items to reload.
I assembled and adjusted everything.
Here is my first reloaded cartridge

Once fired, tumbled 9mm Luger. Winchester small pistol primer, Berry's 124 gr. target hollow point, 3.8 gn. 700-X powder.
I only did the one. Have to start somewhere.
The press worked as advertised. I didn't use the safety primer or the auto disc. I measured into the pan and poured it manually.

Happy with this.

This is my first (so far, only) round. The charge was hand weighed.
When I get home on Tue I'd like to reload some to shoot.
The Hodgson site gives me a starting charge of 3.7 gr of 700-X and a max of 4.2 gr.
Would it be safe to load 3.7, 3.9, and 4.1 gr to see how they'll work in my full-size PX4? If so, ho many of each charge, 10 (one mag each)?
I am going to reload all these in single-stage mode and continue to do so until I gain experience, knowledge, and confidence.
The seating die was set using a 124 gr Federal HST cartridge. I measured the OAL before and after to make sure I didn't seat the bullet in. My reloaded round was the same OAL.
Each mag would be marked (tape) with the charge so I make sure to start light. I would fire one round, resume breathing (lol), and inspect the case. Then fire the other 9, saving the cases in a baggie marked with the charge and twice fired.
After these 30 rounds I would relax and shoot some more factory rounds (saving the brass in a once fired baggie.
Am I on the right track here?
Thank you all for the help.

[Divernhunter]

I would load 3-5 rounds and test they to be sure they function

[wpod]

To commemorate that first reload, I think I'll stamp s #1 on the bottom.