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Chance
04-22-2016, 03:38 PM
So I was looking at the "post your reloading setup" thread, and it seems the pipeline of making your own ammunition is more complex than I would have imagined. Can someone point me to a good guide to getting started with reloading? I'm hesitant to start digging through Google results, as it may point me to BARFCOM's greatest hits, or something equally as credible.

Hauptmann
04-22-2016, 03:50 PM
So I was looking at the "post your reloading setup" thread, and it seems the pipeline of making your own ammunition is more complex than I would have imagined. Can someone point me to a good guide to getting started with reloading? I'm hesitant to start digging through Google results, as it may point me to BARFCOM's greatest hits, or something equally as credible.

I started with The ABCs of Reloading by Dean Grennell. It's a good guide for the novice. Most hard cover reloading manuals also have some good information on getting started with reloading too. Lyman is probably the best all around guide.

H&KFanNC
04-22-2016, 06:49 PM
Everybody's first 2 steps, in no particular order, should be: find a reloading mentor and buy a dang reloading manual!

So many want to reach out to the Internet and forums for info. That can be a really dangerous practice. Read a reloading manual(s), the more/the better. Once you understand the steps, you will be in a better position to A. Understand the answers you get to questions and B. Ask more intelligent questions.

I started with the Lee reloading manual. I really liked the simple explanations found inside. Explains all their equipment, as well. Just be prepared for it to be a sales brochure but don't let that put you off. Just about all reloading gear operate on the same principles. Mostly different colors equal different costs and add on pieces of equipment.

Good Luck and safe reloading!!!


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BehindBlueI's
04-22-2016, 07:08 PM
I started with a Lee reloading kit. Single stage press and the Lee manual. It ain't rocket science. Complexity adds speed, nothing else. You can have a bone simple reloading set up, make quality and safe ammunition, you just won't make a lot of it very fast. If you can operate calipers, a scale, and have enough sense to follow a cake recipe and end up with cake, you can reload.

I'd strongly suggest starting out with a single stage or a turret press. You'll learn each step in order and get your feet wet at a low entry cost in time and money. If you find you can't make enough ammo to keep yourself fed, then step up to the progressives and automated doo-dads.

I still load on a Lee turret. I keep myself fed pretty easy.

CCT125US
04-22-2016, 07:29 PM
I started with a Lee reloading kit. Single stage press and the Lee manual. It ain't rocket science. Complexity adds speed, nothing else. You can have a bone simple reloading set up, make quality and safe ammunition, you just won't make a lot of it very fast. If you can operate calipers, a scale, and have enough sense to follow a cake recipe and end up with cake, you can reload.

I'd strongly suggest starting out with a single stage or a turret press. You'll learn each step in order and get your feet wet at a low entry cost in time and money. If you find you can't make enough ammo to keep yourself fed, then step up to the progressives and automated doo-dads.

I still load on a Lee turret. I keep myself fed pretty easy.

^This^
I have seen a few folks buy all in and it ends up gathering dust. Start small and see if it's for you. Reloading is a deep rabbit hole, the wrong info can hurt you, or get you so overwhelmed with shit that doesn't matter at the time.

ranger
04-22-2016, 07:36 PM
I would seek out a local experienced reloader to mentor you. As I started looking at reloading 223 and 308 in volume, I found multiple good YOUTUBE videos.

Rich@CCC
04-22-2016, 08:02 PM
Chance,
Where do you shoot? Odds are someone there is hand loader and would be willing to help you get started right.

Buy several manuals and read them. It's good to have multiple references for load data and a hard copy always feels better to me than a web page. But I'm a dinosaur so take that for what it's worth.

olstyn
04-22-2016, 08:38 PM
Odds are someone there is hand loader and would be willing to help you get started right.

This is absolutely the right approach. If you can convince someone to teach you, not only will you learn faster, safer, and with less missteps along the way, you may learn whether it's something you want to do long-term before making any investments into hardware. I was lucky - my father in law is a reloader, and not only did he teach me, he let me use his equipment almost whenever I wanted for quite a long time. Others may have to buy a case or two of beer for their mentors and have less access after the fact, but that still seems like a good deal.

dbateman
04-23-2016, 12:44 AM
What are you wanting to load ? Pistol, rifle shotgun a bit of everything ?

Chance
04-23-2016, 09:15 AM
What are you wanting to load ?

Just pistol. I father reloaded, briefly, when I was a kid, so I'm a little familiar with the process. He half-assed everything though, so I didn't really learn much of the "right" way to do things.

FPS
04-23-2016, 12:05 PM
Here are a few lessons I learned since starting about a year and a half ago:

- The basics are fairly easy to learn from a book. The troubleshooting is what takes time. Some calibers I had no trouble with (9mm), others I have had continual problems with like crimp jump (44 mag) and bullet stabilization (full house 10mm). Some of the problems have to do with plated bullets, others could be the dies, some of it could be me.

- Plated bullets (Xtreme in my case) are cheap and have worked fine for me with 9mm and 357/.38. Coated bullets have worked better for me for .44, .45 LC, and 10mm. If I were to do it over, I would just do all coated.

- In the reading material I started with, not enough information was given regarding neck tension. The emphasis was on crimp. Calibers that only need a light crimp (9mm) this is no big deal. Calibers that need strong neck tension (44mag) this is a problem. I had to do a lot of extra reading in my troubleshooting process to figure this out.

- Starting with a Lee turret press was the right call for me. Single stage would have driven me crazy. The Lee turret can be used like a single stage or like an auto indexing turret. Caliber changes are super fast. I would not want to load any slower than a turret (next purchase is going to be a Dillon XL 650 - turret isn't going fast enough for me)

- If you go with Lee dies, take their die setup instructions as a basic starting point but realize you may have to tweak quite a bit. I have found much better info on die setup on forums than in their provided instructions.

So in short, if I had just started with 9mm and no other calibers, I would have said reloading is easy. If I would have started with 44 mag (with Lee die instructions and xtreme plated bullets), I would have said reloading is very hard due to the issues I have run into. Different calibers can have different "issues".

JCS
04-23-2016, 12:15 PM
I don't have a mentor as no one I know reloads so I'm self taught. Reloading isn't that complex but at the same time it can be. If you're simply reloading to plink then it really is pretty simple. I leaned through lots of YouTube videos but the biggest asset you will find for reliable info online is the reloading podcast and Facebook page.


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Hauptmann
04-23-2016, 12:48 PM
I don't have a mentor as no one I know reloads so I'm self taught. Reloading isn't that complex but at the same time it can be. If you're simply reloading to plink then it really is pretty simple. I leaned through lots of YouTube videos but the biggest asset you will find for reliable info online is the reloading podcast and Facebook page.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I taught myself as well. I have a mechanical aptitude and have a meticulous attention to detail, so once I figured out the startup equipment and procedures the rest was hands-on experience. Reloading is like carpentry(measure twice, cut once)......only you go slow, and continuously measure the quality controls on the finished product. If there is a tool to measure something.......get it. Digital calipers, case gauges, digital scales, and chronographs are all important.

The problem with a reloading mentor is that they can give you good advice.......or bad advice. Pick the wrong teacher, and you learn bad habits.

richiecotite
04-23-2016, 01:07 PM
There's a lot of good info on 1911forum, benos, and cast boolits.

FWIW, you can't go wrong with the ABC's of realoading, though if your only loading pistol, a lot of the info won't be of any use to you.

I also found a beginners guide that's only about 70 pages. Very high level, general info, but it can read cover to cover in a day or 2 or 3 bathroom trips. It's yours if you want it.


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dbateman
04-24-2016, 11:49 PM
Just pistol. I father reloaded, briefly, when I was a kid, so I'm a little familiar with the process. He half-assed everything though, so I didn't really learn much of the "right" way to do things.


Pistol is usually pretty straight forward, and a good place to start learning how to load your own ammo.

The best how to book that I have seen on reloading is a book by an Australian, Nick Harvey his book is called Nick Harvey's Practical Reloading Manual*
It walks you through the steeps of setting up your equipment and safely loading ammunition. The way Nick teaches reloading is very similar to how I was taught by my father, grandfather and a few other men who I shot with in various rifle clubs as a child.
These days I don't necessarily do things the exact same way Nick teaches them because I've developed my own style of loading.
There is load data in Nick's book but most of it is for ADI powder, which does cross over to US powders but it might be a bit of a pain for you.

I have never read the ABCs of reloading but I have seen it recommended quite a few times over the years, I would say it's most likely worth a look.


As far as load data goes, most bullet manufactures have reloading handbook. I like to have a selection of books from different manufactures so I can cross reference.
Any of the big names like Hornady, Lee, Hodgdon, Lyman, Redding ect all make good reloading handbooks, they all tend to have good load data but as someone mentioned they tend to drive their own products. All the powder manufactures also have load data, they tend to give it free in small booklets, they tend not to have much other than load data in them, but they are a very good reference.

The internet is great source of good information but there is also a lot of bad information out there.

Do you have a reloading press any other equipment in mind yet ?


*Link to an older version on Amazon, don't buy that one, it's way to dear. >> http://smile.amazon.com/Nick-Harveys...1557560&sr=1-3 (http://www.amazon.com/Nick-Harveys-Practical-Reloading-Manual/dp/0964306808/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461557560&sr=1-3) <<

mmc45414
04-25-2016, 06:03 AM
It is obviously a pitch, and the gal is a little bubbly, but this vide on the 550 shows the straight forward process:
https://youtu.be/k0__OViMcaA

Even if you do not end up with the Dillon I think it shows the process, and the first round she does by itself, something I think simplifies the explanation. The only thing this doesn't show is setting the powder drop. Pistol rounds really are pretty simple.

ER_STL
04-25-2016, 11:51 AM
Rather than telling you what you should do, here's what I did:

1. Bought a reloading manual but found that proper Internet usage gave all the information I needed.
2. Built a solid bench that mounts to the foundation in our basement. Doesn't budge when loading. Has lots of light to ensure I can see down into the brass when loading (very important if you don't use a powder-check die).
3. Bought the Lee Turret press kit (https://kempfgunshop.com/Kempf_Kit_w/_Lee_Classic_Turret_Press_-90064Kit-6575.html)from Kempf with the disc powder measure and safety prime.
4. Bought a brass tumbler (http://www.google.com/shopping/product/14137500919893408012?lsf=seller:1221574,store:1689 2636352266518443&prds=oid:206005228248615947&q=brass+tumbler+cabelas&hl=en&ei=WkgeV__zLcWhjgTt6qHwAw&lsft=gclid:CJrVnKCdqswCFQkyaQod4EMI5Q), rotary media sifter, media, brass polish, bullet puller (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Bullet-Puller/705511.uts), Hornady One-Shot lube, Dillon scale (https://www.dillonprecision.com/dillon-s-eliminator-scale_8_7_25215.html) and calipers (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Electronic-Digital-Caliper/705361.uts). I'm pretty sure I bought it all from Cabelas.
5. Started keeping brass from the range and from previous factory ammo that I shot.

Once I had that I learned from Hodgon's loading site and a few trusted reloaders what the safe range was for each powder type, bullet weight and OAL I wanted to try. I tinkered around with a few loads before eventually settling on 5.0gr of WSF under a 124gr FMJ with an OAL of 1.14". This has been my load for years.

Loading isn't rocket science. If you're careful and are not prone to a ready-fire-aim approach in life you can glean useful information from the Internet and don't have to buy a manual. In fact, mine collects dust as there are plenty of good sites that will provide load information if you look around (most powder manufacturers do). Also, I've called folks such as Hodgon directly when I wanted to work up a +P load for my little 442.

If on the other hand you're impulsive and are prone to making quick and bad decisions, perhaps loading isn't for you. :)

Hambo
04-25-2016, 06:43 PM
I wanted to save money because I was shooting mainly .357 and .44 magnum. I looked at catalogs (pre-interweb) for single stage kits, then went to my local gun store. Owner said he would set me up with the same stuff and teach me basics. It was a great start because I'm not so great at translating written instructions to actions. Then I read more and more and branched to more handgun and eventually bottleneck cartridges. From there I've worked with wildcats, bought progressives and a metric ton of gear and components.

Bottom line:
-Newb goal of saving money didn't work for shit. But I shoot a lot.
-NEVER TRUST SOMEDUDE'S INTERWEB DATA! Not mine, not anybody's. Don't believe me? Look at data on sites and then look at loading manuals or manufacturer sites and see what people are doing.
-If you're an impatient bastard, if you're easily distracted, or if you think you know more than the engineers who vet data, this isn't for you. Better to admit it and buy ammo than blow shit up. Don't believe me? Look at interweb forums and see all torn up meat and blown up guns. There have been quite a few on castboolits.com in the last couple of years.

Start slow, always verify, and you'll be fine.

mmc45414
04-25-2016, 09:55 PM
Bottom line:
-Newb goal of saving money didn't work for shit. But I shoot a lot.
The more ya save, the more ya shoot!


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LSP972
04-26-2016, 08:02 AM
OP, your hesitancy to use internet sources is well-founded.

Get on the Brian Enos Forum; it has plenty of FAQ/newbie information that you can take to the bank. Yes, it is tilted toward Dillon equipment, but the Dillon stuff is quality.

.

ER_STL
04-26-2016, 09:02 PM
Another thing to consider with loading beyond what to buy and how to load is the administrative stuff that leads to a safer loading experience. Things like being able to spot brass that's not fit for loading (splits, bulges, etc), which powders are more forgiving to slight deviations in charges, etc are important skills to have developed before you get too far down the rabbit hole. As LSP noted, brianenos.com is an excellent source of information and was one of the primary sites I visited when I was first getting started.

Chance
05-26-2016, 01:42 PM
I'd like to thank everyone for their input, and PF for starting up this subforum. I have an update on my progress.


It is obviously a pitch, and the gal is a little bubbly, but this vide on the 550 shows the straight forward process:
https://youtu.be/k0__OViMcaA .

I got my SO interested in shooting and survival stuff, so she'll periodically impulse buy things she thinks are interesting (we don't have any kids yet, so a portion of income is disposable). I told her I was interested in learning how to reload, and showed her this video.

Whilst bored at work, she starts texting me about things to get (apparently Amazon had a sell on outdoors stuff at the time). I tell her, "We don't need a tent. Buy that reloading machine I showed you the other day, or something."

So she did. Not the 550 though, the "next one up" (her words). We have a Dillon XL650 now. Just need to figure out some basic things like... where to put it. And how to operate it. And where to get supplies for it. And pretty much every other aspect of this process.

mmc45414
05-26-2016, 06:48 PM
Soon you will start going shooting just so you can have some more empty casings... :)

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mmc45414
05-27-2016, 06:00 AM
Just need to figure out some basic things like... where to put it. And how to operate it. And where to get supplies for it.
A big part of the good news here is you can actually buy components now, unlike the perpetual scavenger hunt of the last few years. Not sure what you are going to load, but with a few exceptions you can just get one of the many powders that are on the faster side and cover a lot of bases. If you can find some 231 (aka HP-38) you could probably get it and by the time you used it up you will have learned enough to know what you want. A single pound will flirt with 1500 rounds, with both of you shooting maybe pick up a four pound jug. There are differences, but primers are pretty much primers at your stage of the game so stocking up on a box of 5,000 is easy.

Lots of online sources but remember there is a HazMat shipping upcharge and I forget but maybe primers and powder cannot be on the same HazMat shipment. Depends on how deep you are going to stock up, the HazMat charge is the same on one pound or sixteen pounds so if you are going to buy a pound it is more than the powder, on sixteen pounds not so bad. Dunno where you live but some LGSs stock components but many are sporadic.

As far as where to put it, do you own or rent? Unfinished basement or not?

olstyn
05-27-2016, 06:57 AM
Lots of online sources but remember there is a HazMat shipping upcharge and I forget but maybe primers and powder cannot be on the same HazMat shipment. Depends on how deep you are going to stock up, the HazMat charge is the same on one pound or sixteen pounds so if you are going to buy a pound it is more than the powder, on sixteen pounds not so bad. Dunno where you live but some LGSs stock components but many are sporadic.

Powder and primers are fine in the same shipment, unless Powder Valley screwed up with my last shipment (8 pounds of N320 and IIRC 4K primers). Had I a larger budget, I'd probably have gone for more like 16 pounds and enough primers to put me at the legal limit for storage, just to spread the hazmat fee farther around, but even on my smallish order, I was still way ahead of buying at retail.

olstyn
05-27-2016, 06:58 AM
So she did. Not the 550 though, the "next one up" (her words). We have a Dillon XL650 now. Just need to figure out some basic things like... where to put it. And how to operate it. And where to get supplies for it. And pretty much every other aspect of this process.

You will not be even slightly sad that you have the 650; as a 5-station auto indexing press, it has some significant advantages over the 550.

mmc45414
05-29-2016, 07:55 AM
You will not be even slightly sad that you have the 650; as a 5-station auto indexing press, it has some significant advantages over the 550.
I have always loved my 550s, bought a second one and added the case feeder, but am starting to wish I had gone with a 650 instead of a second 550. Since I have conversions for the 550 for everything I didn't want to start over, but since I have been doing more and more of my practice with 9mm (love that 9mm AR!) I am starting to think about 650 and keep a 550 for the other stuff.