Reloaders unite

Guns & Gear DIY
1

I reload, do you?
I reload 5.56, 30.06, 9mm, .45acp.
I have had some moments reloading. Checking, adjusting, and then IT happens!
It does not matter what, something happens. I have had primers inserted upside down, I have had powder dumps. That is when you are trying to set a bullet in the brass and you have to correct it then you double pump the powder in the brass and powder goes everywhere. I had it going and running when I went to check on the settings and the primers jammed up and I have multiple loaded rounds with bullet crimped and no primer on it. These are just some of the headaches when you are reloading. Another is getting supplies at a good price or available. I have a logbook with all the information about each load.
Round - round grains
Type of powder - amount of powder in grains
Type of brass
type of primers

I have the Dillon 500 and a Dillon 750. I also have two MEC 600 JRs for shotgun reloading.

I love the challenge to push for precision. Weighing your brass, measuring your brass. measuring the powder. Then after I am done, I gauge them and double check them for abnormalities. I want this post to be informative and a learning place. So, if you have questions ask. If you have information share.

Are there any other reloaders out there?
How are things going for you?
How many rounds have you done in one day?
The most I have done is about 500 rounds.

10 Likes
2

Got my fill as a child. I had to load my own on my dads reloader if I wanted to shoot trap. Loaded a ton of 12Ga stuff years ago but not any more.

6 Likes
3

You left out smacking the bullet puller on the ground after finding out the die wasn’t set right after seating the bullet.

9 Likes
4

Thats one of those “Been there, done that deals” a lot of us have lived.
Well said Mike.

4 Likes
5

Theere is a very active reloaders’ forum over on The High Road

4 Likes
6

I used to reload 9mm and 40 on a Dillon 650. I started acquiring stuff to reload .556 when the price of primers went way up. Everything came to a screeching halt.

1 Like
7

I have loaded about every cartage there is 300 mag to 5.56 44 mag to 9mm and yes i have made my share if mistakes rcbs rock chucker single press mec 650 12 ga which i sold the other day now i have a set routine i follow and not any more guff ups my days of reloading is coming to a end got a box of 45,s to load some day.

5 Likes
9

I don’t reload, but I want to.

I have no idea how to even get started though.

5 Likes
10

We have more in common than you think. I didn’t know how to get started before I got started.

3 Likes
11

Just starting out, I recommend getting something like the RCBS rock chucker II. It’s a single stage press. That will teach you the step-by-step process, and how things should be. Things to watch out for and correct before the next step. Then you can graduate to a progressive type of press. With out the step-by-step learning, you can get in way over your head on a progressive press because everything is done at one pull of the lever. Before you know it your pulling bullets out of, if you’re lucky, just a few rounds. could easily be 50 or even 100 rounds before you figure out you made mistake.

6 Likes
12

What do you think about the Lee hand press set to get started with 9mm.

Seems about as slow as you can take it step by step.

3 Likes
13

I have never used that press. I cleaned my brass before reloading, and I also crimp the bullet at the end which he didn’t show.

2 Likes
14

Yeah. The 9mm kit comes without the crimping die, but I can buy one separate it looks like.

You all have opened a new rabbit hole to explore.

2 Likes
15

Good luck.

1 Like
16

I found that’s when it made the most sense. While primers went up to 10 cents per or more, 9mm and 223 went up to a dollar per round.

I’ve learned to buy more than I use when prices are down and use more than I buy when prices go up. Over time, my reloading cost remains lower than manufactured ammo cost. Plus I don’t have to worry about quality and reliability that cheap ammo sometimes have.

3 Likes
17

Not very familiar with that one. I have I think it’s the lee precision hand primer, Ilike it pretty good

2 Likes
18

I’ve been reloading since 1976 on an RCBS Rock Chucker single stage press. Over the years,it’s taken on a life of its own butduring the lean years of Obama, Covid and Biden, I never worried about not going to the range and running through a couple boxes of ammo. Back then, I would watch prices and stock up on primers, powder and projectiles and brass-especially brass. Everything else could be acquired a bit at a time. For a long time back then, primers could be had for $35.00/1000 so I bought Army Ammo cans and stored them in my garage where the temps never dropped below 55 degrees, along with unopened powder containers. Opened containers are kept in a room in my living quarters set aside for “man Cave” activities.

Before purchasing a press, I would recommend the purchase of 1 or more reloading manuals from Hornady, Speer, Sierra, and/or Nosler to read up on what is needed to reload safely, how to do it, what equipment you need to get started, Then you can make a list of what you need to reload your favorite rounds, the recipes contained in each of the multiple manuals you will eventually acquire, (this will let you compare recipes in each manual to determine if there is any difference to achieve a desired velosity),

Also, you might want to explore the local gun shops to determine what powders and primers are available to load your ammo. If your LGS has an acceptable powder and primers available for purchase, you’ll save $$$$ by not having to pay shipping or Haz-mat charges, which you can then use to by more components or get more elaborate equipment (like a wet tumbling system that uses steel pins to restore “once fired brass” to like-new condition. I’ve used the wet system from (stainlesstumblingmedia.com) for about 20 years and it;s still going strong. Besides, “once fired brass” is cheaper than new and, if examined carefully for splits or expanded ptimer pockets, can be safely reloaded several times.

I use the RCBS Universal Hand Prining tool because it allows me to prime both pistol and rifle, small and large primer pocket without buying shellholders for each caliber I reload. I bought 2 so I could have one each for small and large primers even though they come with what is needed to convert from small to large and back simply. Besides, having 2 units gives me “spare parts”. should I need them.

Finally, I like my RCBS Rock Chucker press because it forces me to handle each round several times (sizing, expanding the necks, priming, dropping the powder, seating the projectile, and crimping the round. ( I use lee factory crimp dies in a separate operation for uniform crimps from round to round) .

2 Likes
19

I have an attachment that I put on my press that pulls the bullet out because I hate the bullet puller hammer.

6 Likes
20

Get a reloading manual and read it a lot. Mark in yellow marker points that are important. I have Sierra manuals and Lyman reloading manuals.
Then you need to figure out how you want to reload. There are progressive presses which in my opinion are not as precise as single step presses.
Then where are you going to get your brass from?
What type of powder to use and figure out why. Then you need to find out what grain of bullets you want to use and why.
All your information can be found in the manuals.
Like what @Richard56 said!

3 Likes
21

And everything I posted above is just scratching the surface. But it’s a good starting point to get you going…

3 Likes