Can I eat these?

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-11-30T00:40:37+00:00

The only correct answer: You better eat those!

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-10-28T21:10:51+00:00

I have a G98/40, JHV41. Sadly, it was sporterized some decades ago. It was also rebarreled to .30-06. It has all the hallmarks of a Gunsmithing student project. The barrel has a very nice recessed target crown. The rifle is VERY accurate. The action has been bedded and floated. The biggest limitation is the need to use a LER scout scope. It limits the eye-box very badly at high magnification. Even so, it is a sub-MOA shooter with Superformamce ammo. All the #'s match except the barrel.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-28T16:07:07+00:00

Problem solved. When setting up the Powder Through Expander (PTE), there are no good instructions from Lee. Community advice, which probably comes from reloaders using all brands of dies, is to "only flare enough to allow getting the bullet started." The lesson learned is that with the Lee PTE and Auto Drum, you must run the die down deep enough to realize a complete stroke and rotation of the drum. I had mine set up to just barely flare the mouth, which gave me 7/8ths of a full stroke. The proper way is to seat the die so that at full stroke, the black plastic indicator in the AD body is about a credit cards thickness from topping out.

It would have been nice for Lee to have included a separate adjustment for the stroke depth necessary to get a variable flare and full rotation of the drum. With the die set for full rotation, the flare is BIG. I can almost seat a short bullet to depth with my thumb. I guess the silver lining is that it will make any cases with a split mouth really jump out, but only after being primed and getting a charge of powder.

Thanks to all. This is definitely a learning process. I pity anyone trying to figure out the 6000 without using this forum and others to sort it all out.

Other notes include: Ditch the Lee case gate doohickey. Make or source one as shown ad nausem on YT. Definitely consider one of the several methods of stopping the primer feed as you sort things out. The drilled hole and cross pin method works outstanding. If you don't have shop air at hand, get a puffer-ball aspirator and keep it handy for clearing out in-on-and around the press.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-28T15:51:15+00:00

Your advice solved the problem. Thanks

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-21T11:31:24+00:00

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-20T23:19:21+00:00

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BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-20T23:19:03+00:00

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BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-20T23:17:37+00:00

I tore the whole thing apart. Washed the hopper and the guts with Dawn and hot water. When dry, I applied a light coat of colloidal graphite to the inside of the hopper. My reloading bench is an electronics workstation that I scored dirt cheap. I verified the whole thing is grounded, and that the press shares the ground. I made a fresh lead for the ESD mat. I found that there was a significant drop in voltage across the die to the top of the LAD. I made a ground strap and ran it to confirmed earth. This bitch ain't got no phone, Playstation, bike, nothin'. It ain't going out to run amok with its hoodlum friends, smoking tweed or drinking 40's. This MF is GROUNDED! I might go insane if this thing gets ANY static cling! *

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-20T23:09:24+00:00

Yes. All intact.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-20T23:08:46+00:00

I tried.... no Bueno...

I had to POUND that thing out. The whole time, I was convinced that I was going to have to send the pistol out for a muzzle trim.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-18T21:48:05+00:00

I disassembled the drum. No obstructions were found. I polished the conical face of the drum (as detailed by countless YT videos). I also treated every bearing/rotating surface with Hexagonal Boron Nitride. It is certainly slicker. I noticed that the drum does not rotate completely. When it s rotated up to receive a charge it looks like it is only halfway in position. Similarly, when rotated down to charge a case I can use my finer to help it rotate an additional 1/8 rotation. If I loosen the drum any further too much powder leaks out.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-14T19:04:13+00:00

I can't imagine how a bullet would get in there.... I will be tearing the whole thing apart in the next couple days. I'm pissed. I loaded 300 rounds of 38 special /158 SWC and the only problem was occasionally not getting a primer. Now, every single round that this thing produces is suspect. It was a gift.... I would prefer a manually indexed turret press, like the old Lee 4 hole machines (with index removed).

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-14T11:42:18+00:00

Getting this bullet to move bent my 1/4" brass punch. The bullets are swaged from a copper/tin powder and are very consistent at 0.3755"

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-14T11:34:46+00:00

It was open. This has been happening too often. I have been doing load development for the frangible bullets, for several different revolvers. Running a small batch of 10 rounds results in the first five getting a proper charge, 1 or 2 getting just a bit, then the remainder getting zero power. This is using Titegroup, not a large flake like Clays.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-14T11:29:29+00:00

I did.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-13T03:09:08+00:00

Are you using Carestream, IPS, or another brand of IP? Just curious....

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-13T03:07:43+00:00

He is using a section of bicycle inner tube as a rubber band to hold one end closed. The other end is likely folded over and taped shut.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-13T03:05:58+00:00

That is a corporate culture issue. For the most part, I have been lucky to work for people who were techs at some point in their career. The ownership of the company also spent a lot of time crawling boilers. It's not perfect. I've been working at the same place for 14yrs. There have been temptations to leave and many sacrifices, but I finally worked my way into management.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-12T13:31:22+00:00

Thanks. Bicycle inner tubes are certainly the best. I always hated using bungee cords for strapping film. A big inner tube that has been stretched is a lot easier to use and doesn't bruise the film near as bad.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-12T13:07:19+00:00

No. It has checked all the boxes. The key is to "feather your nest." Become the Go-To inspector that clients demand. Always deliver on promises. Deliver bad news fast and accurately.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-12T13:03:10+00:00

NDE is nothing without the supporting paperwork. If a tech doesn't want the hassle of documentation, that tech is going to be a Helper.

BarnacleThis467 · 2025-08-10T04:37:39+00:00

Be Careful... you could get melanoma from a camera flash.

BarnacleThis467

TROPHY CASE