New to reloading

[azasadny]

My buddy just gave me a Lyman turret press and a few good books. I'm going to reload .45 ACP, .223 and .308 and I bought some supplies this past weekend at a gun show, but I still need a digital scale and powder loader before I can start. I have Lee carbide dies, powder, primers, brass cases and bullets and this will be my new winter hobby. My plan is to eventually stock a few thousand rounds in the calibers I shoot. I'm looking forward to learning and mastering the process so I can make some decent hand loads. I have a Colt AR15 and my BIL has an AR10 in .308 and my father has a bunch of .45's, so that what I will start with. I don't know if I'll reload 9mm, I'll have to work out the numbers and see if it's worth it.

[ChrisBennet]

I'd start with the .45, they're easy to reload for. While handloading saves you some money, I think the real advantage of handloading is that you can "work up a load" that makes your particular gun shoot more accurately or do whatever you need it to do.
-Chris

[on2wheels52]

I have both digital and beam scales, for most of my use the beam works better. Perhaps similar to a digital speedometer vs dial, easier to tell at a glance if it's correct without having to mentally analyze the digits.
Jim

[jt1]

Welcome to the hobby. It's almost as much fun as shooting. The best thing for a beginner is to pick up a reloading manual, like from Speer, Sierra, Hornady, etc. There's a ton of good info there about procedures, safety, and load data. Assume nothing, and always double check your work. Darwin keeps a close eye on reloaders who don't pay attention.

Post up any specific questions and I'll help out if possible.

I have a beam scale and a digital, and use the beam far more than the digital. The RCBS 505 scale is hard to beat.

John

[legion]

I am psycho about reloading.

I spent six hours on Saturday reloading 100 round of 9mm and another 100 of .223. Why did it take six hours? Because I measure each and every grain of powder with my digital scale and I make sure the seating depth of every single bullet is very close to the same.

I also do 12 gauge and .30-30.

I think reloading may become my "menopause" hobby in 20 years... (See other thread.)

edit: I should get a turret press, might speed things up. (I have a single-stage press.)

[MT930]

This is a slippery slope in it self. I it is a great hobby for those cold nights.Save some money too, but not before spending some.
If you are a accuracy seeker buy a automatic scale. I hand weighed powder charges for 15 years before I had a RCBS Chargemaster that is the only way to go. Saves time is accurate makes the hobby 2X more enjoyable. All my rifle loads are for bench or varmint shooting, accuracy is critical. 7 rifle cartridges 2 Pistol cartridges.The pistol charges can be hand thrown or done on a progressive type set up. Be safety minded, and force yourself to be organized. You will really enjoy it. Try a automatic scale once you have tried one there is no turning back.

[legion]

I'd love one of those, but I'm running out of room for reloading equipment.

I have two infinitely-adjustable Lee powder measures. I have one filled with Red Dot and the other with BL-C(2). The Red Dot is pre-set of 4.3 grains (9mm) and the BL-C(2) is pre-set for 25.5 grains (.223). It works well-enough.

[Drdogface]

Originally Posted by MT930

This is a slippery slope in it self. I it is a great hobby for those cold nights.Save some money too, but not before spending some.
If you are a accuracy seeker buy a automatic scale. I hand weighed powder charges for 15 years before I had a RCBS Chargemaster that is the only way to go. Saves time is accurate makes the hobby 2X more enjoyable. All my rifle loads are for bench or varmint shooting, accuracy is critical. 7 rifle cartridges 2 Pistol cartridges.The pistol charges can be hand thrown or done on a progressive type set up. Be safety minded, and force yourself to be organized. You will really enjoy it. Try a automatic scale once you have tried one there is no turning back.

Best and most time saving reloading tool I ever bought. If you go with just a scale though, go with Dillon.

[Jeff Higgins]

It's a popular myth indeed that "reloading saves money". I don't know anyone yet that actually saves money on their shooting because they reload. Why? Because we all shoot so much more because we reload. Reloading has a way of turning casual shooters into guys like me. You will find ever more things to try, ever more excuses to go shoot, and even excuses to buy more guns. Just so you can explore reloading for them.

Reloading has to be just about one of the best hobbies going for the incurable tinkerer. There are just so many cool little tools, endless combinations of components in any given caliber, countless little sub-hobbies (bullet casting is my favorite), that a guy can spend a lifetime and not get to all of it. So have fun, and keep us posted.

[Drdogface]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

It's a popular myth indeed that "reloading saves money". I don't know anyone yet that actually saves money on their shooting because they reload. Why? Because we all shoot so much more because we reload.

Jeff,
You say that like it's a BAD thing

[azasadny]

Guys,
Thanks for the advice, it's very timely as I'm in the "hardware acquisition mode" now. I'm trying to get everything setup so that I can start reloading .45ACP and .223 on 11/23. I still need a scalre (I like the digital one pictured here) and a powder loader. I've got the components, books, turret press and tumbler. I used to brew my own beer, and I'm seeing the similarities with these two "hobbies". I want to get good gear so it's enjoyable and productive!

[azasadny]

I bought all of the gear I need (ha ha!) from midwayusa.com and I'm setting up the workbench and area in the basement for my new hobby. I'm having trouble finding CCI small pistol and rifle primers and .223 brass. Seems like the reloaders are buying everything up! I'm excited about this new hobby since it will help me pass the cold, dark MI winters. I plan to reload all winter and shoot pistol at the local indoor range where I'm a member, then shoot rifle outdoors when the weather gets warm. I'd like to have 10,000 rounds of each caliber I shoot (9mm, .223, .45ACP and .380). There is much to learn, but I'm ready. I used to brew my own beer and in 2 years, I brewed 100 6gallon batches (all grain), which shows how focused I can be...

[azasadny]

Well, I've got all of my gear, most of it purchased from midwayusa.com and bullets, powder and primers purchased at the local Gander Mtn. I've got my bench assembled and I'm ready to start reloading 45ACP, .223 and 9mm next weekend. My buddy Tab Tanner is coming over next Saturday to get me started, so I'm prepping (cleaning brass, etc...) so we can make at least 500 rounds next weekend. Supplies have been hard to find, I still haven't been able to find 9mm bullets. I did get my hands on a virtually unlimited supply of lead, so I can cast my own bullets...

[azasadny]

I just made 150 cartridges for my AR15! Tab Tanner and my BIL came over today and Tab got us started. Seems like it will be a lot of fun!

[legion]

Originally Posted by azasadny

I just made 150 cartridges for my AR15! Tab Tanner and my BIL came over today and Tab got us started. Seems like it will be a lot of fun!

I did 20 for my .30-30 today. I always do a small batch when I am dialing in my dies.

So far I reload 9mm, .223, and .30-30.

Too bad Ill have to buy all new equipment for .50 BMG.

[azasadny]

I've just finished making 250 rounds of .223 Tab set everything up and showed me how to do it, so I'll continue tomorrow. My goal is to complete 1000 rounds of .223, 500 rounds of .45ACP and 1000 rounds of 9mm by the end of the year...

[legion]

Originally Posted by azasadny

I've just finished making 250 rounds of .223 Tab set everything up and showed me how to do it, so I'll continue tomorrow. My goal is to complete 1000 rounds of .223, 500 rounds of .45ACP and 1000 rounds of 9mm by the end of the year...

That's a lot for one day and an ambitious goal for a beginner.

I don't make more than 50 of anything until I have a chance to shoot it.

200 in a day is about my limit of concentration. (100 for shotgun.) Be careful, mistakes in this hobby can be deadly. Make sure you follow procedures that allow you to spot mistakes immediately.

[Jeff Higgins]

Umm... O.k., let me get this straight - you just reloaded 150 rounds of .223 ammo. What did you do to work up the load you settled on for this? Are you cognizant of the need for, and the techniques used to work up a safe load in any given caliber for any given firearm in that caliber? I'm not even sure where to start on this one. Do you even understand how many steps you just skipped? Important steps; important to your safety and that of anyone who happens to be nearby when you first fire one of these new reloads.

Every loading manual will list "starting" and "maximum" loads for a given bullet weight and brand, powder type, case make, primer, and overall length. Those loads are listed with the caveat that they are safe in the test firearm or test barrel only, and maximums must be approached with caution in any other firearm. As in increasing the load one grain at a time, starting with the minimum, all the while monitoring the load for signs of excessive pressure in the firearm for which it is intended. We typically load up five at the starting powder charge, five more one grain of powder up, five more with yet another grain of powder, and so on.

Each fired case is recorded as to charge, and inspected for signs of excessive pressure. At the very first fired case that shows signs of excessive pressure, we stop. And go back one grain of powder below that. And, if there are any left with that charge (or increased charges) those bullets get pulled and those loads are not fired. I simply cannot overstate the importance of this procedure.

Changing any one component can have a drastic affect on pressure. A given "minimum" load can be increased to greatly over a safe maximum with a change in any one component. Different brands of bullets, even of the same weight, will dramatically change pressures. Changing brands of primers in a proven safe load can raise pressures to unacceptable levels. Cases vary in weight by manufacturer, and by lots from a given manufacturer. More weight means less internal volume - the outside dimensions are fixed, so the extra brass has to reduce powder capacity. This reduced capacity translates into increased pressures for a given powder charge.

I understand the desire to load as many as possible so you can just go have some fun shooting them. That is all well and good, after the preliminary steps necessary to working up a safe load have been taken. You cannot skip those steps. You cannot simply pick a load and go for it, without the requisite testing. You may get lucky and get away with this haphazard approach. Once, maybe twice, but eventually it will bite you. And it bites hard... I have seen the results of overloaded centerfire ammunition. Blown up actions, blown up pistols and revolvers, and some very unlucky (careless) reloaders who have lost their vision to this, lost digits or whole hands, and have even been killed by bolts flying back through their heads. This is nothing to mess with.

I hate to be a wet blanket in all of this. I just want to see you remain safe while diving into this wonderful new hobby. So, unless your 150 rounds are a rock bottom, starting load, with the same components used as those shown in a reputable manual, I would stop right there and not shoot any of them. They may indeed be safe, but just chambering one and pulling the trigger is no way to find out. Make up some batches of test loads using the same components. Start with a listed starting load for your bullets, cases, powder, and primers. Make up five of those, then five more with one more grain of powder, and so on until you reach your combination used in your 150 loaded rounds. If each incremental step working up to that load proves safe, and only if they prove safe, you should be good to go with what you have. I would not shoot any of them until you have taken the time to do this. Please.

[azasadny]

Jeff,
I understand your concerns and they are completely legitimate, but there is a lot of info I didn't include in my post such as:

- Tab Tanner, who has many years of reloading under his belt, came over and set my reloading rig up

- We used the Lee manual to determine the proper powder load
- brass was previously resized, cleaned and lengths checked
- The exact same brass, powder and bullets were used for this initial session
- Powder weight and bullet length was checked during the entire session
- No alcohol, interruptions, distractions or other activity was going on during the reloading session, I was concentrating on the process and on each step the whole time
- No changes were made once the dies and measurements were dialed in

Your post included many, many good points and safety is the most important thing to remember, I believe that 100%! I had purchased 1000 brass Winchester unfired, unprimered cases, so I was starting at a point where I could produce that number of cartridges and much prep work had been done earlier in the week. I don't just want to make cartridges fast, I want to make them good, safe and consistent, so that's really my goal. I can see how my previous post would tend to make me look like I was skipping steps or being careless, and I'm certain y not. I'm glad there are guys like you out there to help people understand the ramifications of this hobby and how important it is to start with good data and to measure, check, remeasure, etc... along the way!

[azasadny]

BTW, I bought a Lyman Challenger 1500XL digital scale and a digital caliper for precise measurements. I use a Lyman T55 powder measurer and I check every 5th load to confirm the correct amount of powder is being placed into the shells. I'm resizing the reused brass I have with the Lee dies and the pistol dies are carbide. The Lyman turret press is functioning correctly and I use the Lyman hand prime to prime each case. I'm using the powder and primers recommended by Tab and that he has significant experience with. We both have AR15's and the loads I'm making are well within spec, I'm not into "experimenting", I just want to make reliable rounds for target shooting. All of the used brass I have came from the same gun I'm reloading for, but I do a full length case resize for each cartridge. I'm good at following instructions and paying attention. I used to brew my own beer and I brewed 100 batches of all-grain beer in 2 years without a single contaminated batch, which is a pretty good achievement. Home brewing and reloading are very similar, except that in reloading there is even less margin for error and errors can hurt or kill someone, which is always 1st and foremost in my mind while I'm working.