thinking about getting into reloading

grumpyvette

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
GRUMPY??
I think I need to get into reloading ammo as the local stores seldom have any calibers,
I shoot,and when they do its very expensive ammo, any suggestions
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http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/new-reloading-manuals.2379/#post-56752
http://debdavis.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/106649334/MastrRELOADINGExamKey032015.pdf
ID suggest you buy a couple GOOD QUALITY RELOADING manuals and read through them,(ILL LINK a few of THE GOOD ONES BELOW)
before you buy any tools, or supplies but its just not all that difficult, but yeah better understand the process because mistakes can potentially be dangerous, these three are very good

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/93...r-single-stage-press-kit?cm_vc=ProductFinding

a good single stage press may be comparatively slow, compared to some progressive designs, but with the correct accessories will load almost anything, in the common rifle or pistol calibers.

quality press
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http://www.basspro.com/RCBS-Rock-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading-Kit/product/10200311/

decent powder scale
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powder measure/dispenser
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get a basic press , powder scale, powder measure and DIES, shell holders and some reference material too start
THEN READ at least TWO GOOD MANUALS CAREFULLY
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shell holders
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DIES FORE EACH CALIBER YOULL RELOAD
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youll obviously need the dies shell holders,and a decent reloading press, powder scale, manuals etc.
I've also got a mix of RCBS, Lee, Hornady and Redding dies.
the dies with carbide sizing ring
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and small holes drilled to allow trapped case lube to exit the die without deforming the case shoulders are preferred.
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having a micrometer handy to measure case head and neck diam. certainly helps and a caliper to measure case length wont hurt either
use of case lube is mandatory, but you can get by with excellent results using vasoline on an un-inked stamp pad works
smear then use a hair drier to soak in, you want minimal but full consistent case coverage
https://www.amazon.com/Shiny-AS-SHI...ocphy=9012039&hvtargid=pla-491910837320&psc=1

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DECENT HAND PRIMER TOOL
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ERASER OR CARTRIDGE DIS-ASSEMBLER
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http://www.rcbs.com/guide/step_by_step_reloading.aspx#

http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Loads-Complete-Volume-Waters/dp/1879356643

as a general rule look over the reload tables and select a bullet weight in the upper 1/2 of the weight range available, and select a moderate powder charge with a bulky powder that almost completely fills the case,with that powder charge listed, never start with the top load listed or use loads posted on the internet or anyplace else without comparing them to ALL THREE MANUALS, suggested loads, to start with,work up slowly,any load that approaches the max loads might be dangerous in some guns
READ THE MANUALS SEVERAL TIMES CAREFULLY
and ID suggest sticking with FEDERAL,or WINCHECTER,or CCI primers


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1E29HKNRHA9N24YFQ42N

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1E29HKNRHA9N24YFQ42N
after your set up you can save 30%-80% on good hand loads over the cost of factory ammo so it won,t take long to recoup the cost and start saving if you shoot much
ESPECIALLY if you also get into bullet casting (yeah tools & molds & sizers cost even more) but allow you to turn out good alloy bullets for far lower cost

example

50 factory 44 mag cartridges generally cost $30 plus
once you cast and hand load , reloads will cost about 1/4 or less than $7 a box untill the brass wears out and that can easily take 10 plus reloads per case
ID also point out that some calibers/cartridges are hard to locate at a decent price like 35 Remington or 375 Winchester or 445 DWSM 401 power mag ,458 LOTT cartridges like those can generally be loaded with cast bullets at less than 1/4 the price of factory ammo which at any price can be hard to locate

theres an old joke among RELOADERS that states!

I got into reloading to save money and shoot cheaper,
now that I'm into reloading I find I'm shooting 5 times as much ammo, AT THE RANGE,
and
I'M shooting ten times more frequently.........AND IM MAKING AMMO AT 20% OF WHAT IT USED TO COST...
but I'm still spending a bit more MONEY
,I THOUGHT THIS NEW HOBBY WOULD SAVE ME MONEY?





got any questions please post them ideally with pictures and details
I,ve been reloading for 4 plus decades so theres little I have not done


theres several on-line load data sources, but always compare listed loads too the three reference data books
http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=270 Winchester&Weight=All&type=Rifle

http://www.realguns.com/loads/44remmagrifle.htm
 
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Grumpy I just decided I have to start to reload to be able to afford to shoot how I want. I went to the farm 2 weeks ago & had 4 coffee cans full of cases in different calibers thats when I realized I shoot a lot. I just bought a Hornaday reloading kit # 085003 for a start I will buy a couple books & a couple of die sets to start out with. I think I need a 9MM a 40 cal. & a .45 cal & maybe a 357 Mag to start with then move up to some rifle cartridges like the 30.06 & 308 because that is what I hunt with then afterwards get a 223/556 & 762x39 for the AR's & AK's any helpful info will be appriciated
 
I noticed looking at die sets that some are a single die some are a 2 die set & some have 3 or 4 die to a set why is this & what is best
 
ok. yes it can be a bit confusing at first until you get a good grip on what your doing with each die and why its used. reloading can very easily reduce the cost of ammo by 3/4-t0-1/2, sometimes even more especially strait wall cases and cast lead bullets, these can reduce cost even further, if you cast and size your own 357 mag , 40 cal S&W or 45acp etc. bullets cost of ammo will be reduced significantly, but of course you need the bullet casting tools
rcbs and lee and a few other brands are good quality, carbide dies last for decades , steel dies do eventually wear out but it usually takes several thousand of reloads minimum, carefully cleaned and lubed cases put much less wear on the dies
standard dies are made from hardened steel, theres also CARBIDE sets that have a ring of carbide steel which is far harder and almost immune to wearing out
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Lee Pacesetter-alt1.jpg

there are three die sets for bottle neck cases
ok two die sets are almost always bottle neck rifle cases
the first die re-sizes the fired case,
and the inner pin de-caps or un-primes the case,
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, the other die is used to seat the bullet and in some cases crimp the bullet in place
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/264330/rcbs-2-die-set-30-06-springfield?cm_vc=ProductFinding

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straight wall cases like the 45/70 and 357 mag and 45 acp etc. require a three die set
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the first die re-sizes the fired case,
the second die has an inner pin that de-caps or un-primes the case, and a shoulder that flares the case mouth slightly
the third tie seats the bullet and recrimps the flared lip back into the bullet side wall.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/24...aper-crimp-45-acp-45-gap?cm_vc=ProductFinding

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/48...et-38-special-357-magnum?cm_vc=ProductFinding

I can answer details and provide details but read these links carefully first

http://www.rcbs.com/Resources/Guide-to-Reloading/Step-By-Step-Reloading.aspx

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/presses-and-kits/pdf/IntroToReloading.pdf

http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum/showthread.php?19865-Step-by-Step-Reloading-for-the-beginner

http://www.kevinsworkbench.com/reloading/

http://www.alliantpowder.com/getting_started/why_reload/reloading_cartridge.aspx


and buy at least three or four good reloading manuals like these
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http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

http://www.nosler.com/load-data/

http://www.speer-bullets.com/products/reloading_manual/

http://www.accuratepowder.com/load-data/

http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/load-data/

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/
 
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WELL? ANY PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THE RELOADING FRONT??
any manuals
equipment, or supplies acquired?
any more questions?
 
Doing a lot of research & reading I learned that there is a bullshit hazardous shipping fee if you order powder or primers online & the local gun stores don't carry reloading stuff. I did buy 3 manuals & some other stuff online been reading the manuals & getting a list of what I will need. I will have other questions as I progress not in a big hurry because this is all new to me and I want to get things right and we are getting close to deer season in Pa. was down at the farm sighting in my new Ruger American 308 adjusting the Leupold scope I put on it keyholeing the bullseye at 100 yds.I am real happy with that it is my new brush gun
 
I sighted mine in at 100 yards because it is highly unlikely I will ever get a shot that far out where I hunt its thick woods. On another note I finally got to shoot my muzzle loader I think that's the most fun I've had with a gun ever except for shooting the machine gun
 
what projectile, patch and powder charge etc?
did you get the bore lube soap base grease and patches and short starter etc.
how did you load the muzzle loader ?
how accurate was it?
at what range did you site it in?
any issues with it becoming increasingly more difficult to load due to fouling in the bore?
loading a muzzle loaders a skill thats part ART that needs to be learned, and if done correctly becomes a rather ingrained skill that may appear rather effortless but still it requires a set of steps that if done correctly in order , make for a very accurate rifle if the rifle barrel is of decent quality of course.
but un-like a modern fire arm the owner of a muzzle loader must first experiment a bit, do some testing ,find the load the rifle likes, and constantly use that, load, to get the best results, you just can,t pour powder and ball down the bore and expect consistent accuracy.
even the size and diameter and thickness of the linen patches and lead ball diameter and powder charge maters to consistent accuracy and a gasket wad of compressed cotton ball with grease over it under the patch ball adds consistence to the bore cleaning

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-the-bore-clean-and-accuracy-consistant.4638/
 
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I can't find the Murphy's soap so I was using bore butter I fired 12 rounds at 75-100 yds. with a hornaday round ball & 90 grains of 2f powder the first couple of shots I thought I was missing the target so I put a piece of 2x12 about 20 inches long below the bullseye on the target & realized I was hitting low the whole time . That thing knocks the hell out of a 2x12 right now I'm just trying to get used to the delay & get a little better shooting before I experiment I will shoot it a lot after deer season because shooting is pretty much shut down until after deer season
 
I bought a fiberglass rod & a ball starter powder measure & dispenser & all kinds of other gizmos for muzzle loader what I can't imagine is shooting this thing out in the woods or from a tree stand I was by my shooting bench and had a hell of a time & my hands were warm & I was in a tee shirt I just can't figure out how you do this shivering cold with gloves on those old guys were some tough old SOB's
 
most of the guys I hunt with like to dress up, a bit like mountain men
and they get into muzzle loading rifle season.


youll want to get into the spirit of the late 1700-mid 1800 century pre civil war era culture, think about living in a time when you and what you and you alone accomplished, built, grew, protected, and did ,what your personal relations ,with those around you ,controlled almost everything that happened in your life
no mountain man would be out in the wilderness without his 50-62 caliber hawken, tomahawk, bowie, flint & steel, compass etc.


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possiable kit bag with basic reloading, percussion caps or spare flints and fire starting and game skinning, supplies handy
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https://nepalkukri.com/index.php/latest-products/11-gk-co-bowie.html
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a bowie style fighting knife
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his tomahawk
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POWDER FLASK
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SHORT STARTER
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PATCHED & GREASED BALLS
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this is the same soap base grease in a larger container and cheaper per pound and easier to locate than the smaller container below
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the soap paste is similar to peanut butter or axle grease as it comes out of the can, wet a patch with water and rub a bit into both surfaces to get a well greased patch that makes loading a patched ball fairly easy
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WADDING
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flint & steel
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burning glass
 
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TIMES AND THE NATIONAL OUTLOOK WERE FAR DIFFERENT,
AND FAR MORE LOGICAL AND RATIONAL IN MY OPINION
if someone attacks you you have every right to defend yourself
think about this,
Jim Bowie became nationally famous for killing several people in a duel on a sand bar 1827,
only 9 years later hes killed defending the Alamo with Davy Crockett.
good quality knives were quite expensive in the early 1800s,
a couple weeks pay
pistols and rifles were extremely expensive,a couple months pay or more, especially for the better quality versions.
so most family's had only one or at most two.
most adult males carried a knife routinely , but most were very cheap designs,

now by todays standard a couple guys getting into a pistol/knife duel hardly would make the news,
let alone national notice,
it probably happens twice a day in Chicago in Detroit and east LA,

and the fact that the winner and survivor used a large knife of his own design..
that made him not only famous but a national celebrity...??
in today's world JIM BOWIE AND DAVY CROCKETT would be locked up as criminally insane
for attempting to defend themselves from the poor miss understood illegal immigrants

rather than be celebrated nationally as martyred heroes of the fight for Texas Independence


http://southernmemoriesandupdates.com/stories/knife-fighter-jim-bowie-survives-deadly-brawl/

http://www.thealamo.org/history/the-1836-battle/the-defenders/defenders/bowie.html

http://www.relentlessknives.com/BowieHistory.html
 
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well ? any progress on getting into either reloading or bullet casting or at least shooting your rifles etc?
 
I have a real funny reloading story I followed all directions read a ton of books & still messed up. Reloaded some 40 cal pistol rounds cleaned the cases in a media tumbler de-primed cleaned primer holes chamfored beveled etc. loaded cases with 4.9 gr. bullseye powder miked length & everything was in spec. but it wouldn't chamber. The next day I got a bullet checker & re checked everything and everything was OK so I tried to chamber them into the gun & it wouldn't work I was about to loose my mind when I realized I was trying to chamber them in a 9MM. Now before you piss yourself laughing at me I just bought a Ruger SR-9- 2 weeks ago and its a twin to my Ruger SR40 so that's my excuse & I'm sticking to it . Back to reloading I did up a box of 40's & a box of 9MM so far I will do some 30.06 tomorrow & some 357 I'll do a box of each caliber to test fire after deer season. What I really want to do is shoot my new 300 Mag that Tikka feels good & I like the 2.5 x 8 Leupold VX3 on it . Around my house I can't tell any difference between the 3x9 Leupold or the 2.5x8 Leupold but that's only around the house looking at trees & stuff . On a side note I made a nice primer hole cleaner by cutting down a small brush for a Dremel tool & using the Dremel to clean the primer holes
 
"Around my house I can't tell any difference between the 3x9 Leupold or the 2.5x8 Leupold but that's only around the house looking at trees & stuff"
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yeah! thats why so many crap quality scopes get sold,
look across a street during a brightly sunlit day and even crap quality scopes look fairly good,
its only under poor light, or trying to check out fine details that the difference is obvious.

get your buddy to stand out at lets say 100 yards and hold up a random number of fingers while you play guess the number, of fingers, through the scope at dusk and as he increases the distance and you can usual see the difference fairly quickly.
now theres some good bright scopes, that don,t cost an arm & leg , but they frequently lack in other areas like durability in really cold weather, or moisture sealing
 
I think the scopes I bought this year to re-scope my deer rifle Leupold VX2 3x9 on it then I bought 2 new hunting rifles & scoped them on my Ruger 308 I put a Nikkon prostaff 5 on it then I got the Tikka 300 Mag I put a Leupold VX3 2.5 x8 so I think I'm pretty good on deer hunting guns & scopes. I did learn last deer season about light &scopes because it poured down rain for the first 3 days & Saturday and it was overcast & dark n gloomy
 
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