Very interested in reloading

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ok guys, I need some help, I am an avid shooter, and im not the only one who knows how expensive this hobby is. For that reason I am very interested in getting in to reloading, now.....here is where i need the help. unfourtanetely i have NOBODY close to me that reloads so i am kind of on my own, I want to know what all i need to start. Good material and good equipment that is easy to find other dies and etc. but i am also on a budget, so the cheaper ones would be good :D its something i want to learn about for a hobby and i beleive it would be a VERY valuable skill to possess. Thanks for the input, ANYTHING will be helpful since i know nothing.
 
Give us some idea of what caliber/calibers you want to load and how much you intend to shoot in a week/month. This will have a large bearing on what folks here can recommend.
 
Start simple and learn as you go.

Question is common and is answered in the stickies or in several archived discussions.
Buy "ABCs of Reloading" and/or Lyman's #49 manual and read it/them.
You should go to various press manufacturer's sites and see if they have any "how to" videos (Hornady and Lee have such).
You should go to YouTube and watch various videos on any presses or calibers you are interested in.
Next, do you have a small or big budget? Do you want to load less than 100 a week or do you need 2000+ a month?
If you have a small budget and you're not sure you will like loading, you can look at Lee's kits. You can also buy the Lee Reloading Press and the Lee book for about $30-35.
You will need a strong work bench. These can be your main work bench or a portable bench. Lee even offers a portable bench where you supply the concrete block (and the wood?).
Looking at a minimal just starting out and can't afford much, I like the little Lee press (with the Lee book), a set of Lee carbide pistol die sets. Your should get the 4 die set if offered in your calibler.
The Lee die sets come with a shell holder and a powder dipper. The instructions also include powder charges using the dipper that are safe.
You pour some powder into a cup and push the dipper into the powder so gravity fiils it up. You then knock off the excess powder with a straight edge (a business card works perfectly).
All you need then are powder, cases, primers, and bullets.
Start off with common jacketed bullets and shoot.
You can get a complete set of Lee dippers and the Lee book will reference the dipper to be used for each powder/bullet/caliber. If you use any data beyond what came with the Lee die instructions, you will want to weigh several charges to verify when weight you are actually getting from a given dipper and powder so you don't have any over-charges and over-pressure problems.
As I said, the data on the die instruction sheet is safe as is with a wide safety margin. The book works closer to max and, as the book says, weight charges so you know what you and your lot of powder are actually throwing.
This is all some people do. It is cheap and it produces ammunition that works.
If you decide that you want more control, more accuracy, or more power, you will then be entering the point where you will want a powder measure, a scale to weigh the powder charges and, possibly, a 1" micrometer and a 6" caliper.
From there, you can determine just how much more press you need and what type of press you want. You will learn, from your simple beginnings, just what is important to you.
No matter what, you will always keep the cheap little Lee press as there are frequently little jobs that are easy on the small press but would involve more time and effort on the main press(es).
 
ok, fair enough, im interested in 5.56, 9x19, and maybe some .357 mag and i try to put atleast 300-400 rnds down range every two weeks, and i have to be honest, im not sure what stickys are.......
 
This is a good place to start.

Get the books. Read the books. Take your time. I taught myself. I decided to reload about a year before I made my first round. I consider myself a newb still, (going on two years and about 5,000 rounds) without a problem. Ask questions, good people here. They like to help. In turn I try to help people comming up behind me, here and at the range. Be safe, Rick
 
Mr Strickland -
Welcome to reloading !

Very interested in reloading
Then you're in the right place. 1 or 2 of us are fairly interested too!

.....here is where i need the help. unfourtanetely i have NOBODY close to me that reloads so i am kind of on my own...
And you may never meet anyone until you fill out your location in your "profile" so we'll know approximately where you is. :D

I want to know what all i need to start.
Read, read, read. Read the stickies. Go to your local library. Borrow or buy a book called The ABC's of Reloading.

Good material and good equipment that is easy to find other dies and etc. but i am also on a budget, so the cheaper ones would be good its something i want to learn about for a hobby and i believe it would be a VERY valuable skill to possess. Thanks for the input, ANYTHING will be helpful since i know nothing.
• Although most of the supplies and equipment can come through the mail, it's still VERY helpful to find a local gun store that sells primers and powder. Start calling all your local gun stores to find out who stocks those items.

• Start saving all your brass. Most of the money you save will be because you're recycling your brass. If you take 100 rounds to the range, then bring home 500 empty cases. When you feel the urge to hug a tree and join the Sierra Club, then you can slow down on the recycling. :)

• Start collecting plastic cans with lids that stack. I like the big red Folger coffee cans. The big Coffee-Mate cans work well too. Hope you like drinking coffee!


All the best! ;)
 
thanks rick, i appreciate it, that is pretty much my plan, but...... i am currently looking at the lee 50 th anniversary kit 90050. it seems to be a pretty good deal, i am also looking at several manuals, What do You think?
 
What's a Sticky?

ok, fair enough, im interested in 5.56, 9x19, and maybe some .357 mag and i try to put atleast 300-400 rnds down range every two weeks, and i have to be honest, im not sure what stickys are.......
Stickies are threads in the forum that have been arranged at the top of stack of threads. Since they "stick" to the top of the stack, they are called "stickies".

Here is one (but there are others in which you will be interested)
http://www.thehighroad.org//showthread.php?t=238214

Lost Sheep
 
You are going to hear a lot of different approaches. Getting a bunch of manuals and reading them is by no means a bad idea. However I personally get bored of reading and prefer a more hands on approach. I got the ABCS of reloading which is a fast read and a basic reloading set up and dove in head first. I have been reloading since October and have loaded and shot over 4000 rounds in .45acp, 9mm, .38 spec and .357. I did have 1 squib (bullet stuck in barrel) which can happen according to most reloaders. Luckily I caught it and have since installed a light to make sure I see the powder go in every round. It is very important to be careful but a close reading of ABCs of reloading, proper data, and a basic reloading setup is all you need to get started.

PS: If all goes well you will soon learn that reloading will not save you any money, you will just shoot a lot more :)
 
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i am currently looking at the lee 50th anniversary kit 90050. it seems to be a pretty good deal...
Nothing wrong with that kit, if that's what you need. However, don't you think you maybe ought to learn about driving before you rush out and buy a car? You're about 30 days ahead of yourself and you're going to make a snap decision based on little or no information that will cost you money, not save you money.

i am also looking at several manuals, What do You think?
Lyman #49
 
Here, a Lee deluxe. Can be used as a turret with full movement or remove the index rod and it becomes a single place press.

IMG_5077a.jpg

Includes everyting but the dies and any additional turret plates for additional die sets.

You can also put it on a bench built from a kit from Cabelas:

IMG_5076a.jpg

Within a day you can be doing:

IMG_5078a.jpg
 
A few more resources on the 'net

http://www.thehighroad.org//showthread.php?t=238214

http://rugerforum.net/reloading/293...you-will-never-outgrow-novice-handloader.html
"Budget Beginning Bench you will never outgrow, for the novice handloader"

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430391
Post # 11 (Here's my reloading setup, which I think you might want to model) and # 13 (10 Advices for the novice handloader)

http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13543
on page 2, find my post "10 Advices for new or aspiring handloaders" about halfway down. It is the earliest draft.

But the first book you should get is "The ABCs of Reloading". About $17 at Amazon.com, or may be available at your local library. No matter how old the copy you get, it will be good to read. It has no loading data in it, just information about reloading, which has not changed in concept (except for the invention of smokeless powder) since the 1870's or so.

Good luck, be safe, always, all ways. Wear eye protection, especially when working with primers and don't pinch your fingers in your press.

Lost Sheep
 
rfwobbly, i have filled out some of my info, sorry, and i understand what you are saying, you are correct, it just caught my eye, (like that shiny new ar sittin up on the rack.....) i do apologize, i will begin by picking up some reading materials first.

Keep it coming guys, i need all the help i can get
 
Fireman.... I am about 2 years or so into reloading and I have been using the Lee Anniversary kit. Great kit, I loved it... but... at the amount you plan to shoot you may find yourself in a similar situation. I am currently getting ready to switch to a Lee Turret or Progressive press. I am currently leaning toward a turret.

The turret presses are just a few dollars more, and can be used in single stage mode like the anniversary press so you can learn.

Just thought I would toss that out there.

Good luck, and there are some wise people in this area of the website.
 
rfwobbly, i have filled out some of my info, sorry, and i understand what you are saying, you are correct, it just caught my eye, (like that shiny new ar sittin up on the rack.....) i do apologize, i will begin by picking up some reading materials first.

Keep it coming guys, i need all the help i can get

Lots of good suggestions already posted.

The suggestion to read sounds like a daunting task, but it really isn't that much and can be taken in small doses. Many of the books you should eventually end up with are excellent reference manuals for the future. Besides, as good and experienced we all are on the forum, we do forget bits and pieces of details. The books cover all the bases.

"ABCs of Reloading" is a good "how to" book and you may be able to find a copy at the local library. Lyman #49 and boosk publided by the bullet manufacturers (Sierra, Hornady, Speer etc) have "how to" sections besides reloading data.

You Tube has some great information, but don't take all of it as gospel.

Most of the powder manufacturers have loading data on the internet.

Also, while basic reloading is the same, the different books have nuggets of information that is not included in the the other books.

Welcome to the hobby. I enjoy loading ammo as much as "unloading" it.
 
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some quick questions

1: What kind of powder do you suggest? (5.56 and 9x19)

2: How many times can one single casing be reloaded?

3: Can federal xm193 casings be reloaded?

4: Can winchester white box reloaded? and if so, can i use a higher grain? They use 115 gr. i would like to load 124gr.

5: How do you get the spent primers out of the casing?

Im sure i will have more, thanks for the time and patience, and moderators.....if i am abusing this forum please let me know.
 
1: What kind of powder do you suggest? (5.56 and 9x19)

The powder you would use for your rifle may be unique especially depending on your barrel twist and the bullets you will be shooting out of it. Since you mentioned XM193 a little further below, I am guessing you are having good luck with 55gr bullets. That will lead you the faster realm of rifle powders. The different companies who manufacture the powder offer suggestive information as to what would be more tailored to your personal needs.

I, in particular shoot AR15's with 1:7" twist barrels and exclusively 75gr+ bullets, which means I use a relatively 'slow' powder which is Reloader 15 from Alliant. But that is what I use in MY rifle, and does not mean that will be what you use in yours - on the contrary, you may be using a completely different recipe. Again, as has been suggested, you gotta do some reading to figure this kind of stuff out.

For 9mm, it will also depend on what you want to get from your reloads. Do you want velocity? Do you want soft shooting ammo? Do you care if the powder burns cleanly? What kind of bullet will you be shooting, lead, FMJ, HP, etc? What weight are those bullets going to be, 115, 124, 125, 130, 145, 147? What barrel length are you working with? Only your G19? These questions you have to answer before someone just gives you a powder to try.

I, personally, use Winchester 231 with 115gr bullets in my M&P9. I use a charge of 4.5 gr loaded to a OAL of 1.090 IIRC (at work, don't have access to my database). This cycles and shoots with wonderful accuracy in my gun, but may not even cycle your slide or may shoot horrible groups out of your G19.

2: How many times can one single casing be reloaded?

This again depends on how you reload them. Cases that are shot with lighter loads you can get more loadings out of then cases that have been given some hotter loads. How many depends on too many factors to give you any kind of definitive answer. I, personally, have shot cases that have been loaded over 10 times with no ill effects, but my loads for them are on the lighter side of the house. But with 9mm, it isn't really worth trying to stretch the limits due to cases not being hard to find nor expensive.

3: Can federal xm193 casings be reloaded?

Yes, but make sure that if they have a crimped primer pockets that you take the necessary steps to remove that crimp or you will ruin quite a few primers before you realize your error. If this makes no sense to you, you have to do some more research.

4: Can winchester white box reloaded? and if so, can i use a higher grain? They use 115 gr. i would like to load 124gr.

Absolutely, you could even put some of the heavier weight bullets in the +140gr range in there if you chose.

5: How do you get the spent primers out of the casing?

Usually, it is done in the same step as resizing with a pin that protrudes from the sizing die to push out the spent primer. Some people choose to deprime/prime sort of out of order/off press by using a seperate universal decapping die and then hand priming their cases with one of the many tools used for hand priming. This gives them more feel when it comes to seating primers which can lead to more reliability from their loads.

I, personally, do it all together on the press but that is what I have chosen to do and doesn't mean you have to do.



Just to cap this, you really have to read up no matter how boring you might think it will be. Believe it or not, when you are really into something, the reading actually doesn't become boring and becomes interesting as you process the information. And if you have read this far into this post, then you obviously can hack reading a couple pages out of a reloading manual or the ABC's of Reloading book:D

Good to have you on board and welcome to the next addiction in the shooting sports.

Damian
 
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ok, i do apoligize for the misunderstanding, i dont have a glock, i have a xdm 9mm full size, AND LOVE IT. My rifle is an armalite M-15with a 1:9" twist, it absolutely loves the mil spec ammo, i make hostage shoots at 50 yards with iron sights all day long, i want the same for my reloads, and for my 9mm i dont have much success with the 115 grain, i have been told 124gr will remedy this problem, 115gr cold bore is about 6 inches off at 25 feet off of a rest. so, with all the winchester white box brass i have i want to use that. I plan on reloading a combination of hollow points and fmj's and yes, i am looking for decent velocity.
 
Your rifle, with that twist, can shoot a broad range of bullets and be able to stabilize them, but your best performance should come from the 62-70gr bullets from what I have seen. Your powder selection will depend on what device and method you want to use for charging your cases and also what just plain works in your rifle. What I mean by the former is do you want ball, flake, or stick powder and which would work best with your particular powder measure. If you go with the Lee Perfect, I can tell you it will leak with most ball powders but it works great with stick powder. My R15 flows through it great.

For the XDm, if you're always off by 6" in a specific direction, then why haven't you adjusted your sights on the gun? And also, and more importantly, 6" which way? If its all over the place then I hate to break it to you, but that probably is not the gun. 6" at 25 feet (a little over 8 yards) is very unlikely of being a gun/ammo fault, its just too large of a spread to be attributed to a faulty gun or a crappy load.

For velocity out of my 9mm with 115gr bullets, I have been using Alliant Power Pistol with great results. But this comes at the expense of noise and A LOT of muzzle flash but it gives me the highest velocities from my M&P 9.

I, personally, don't think you should go this route just yet and should take your time to learn how to load some lighter target loads first. Once you have those dialed in, start experimenting away! Your about to take your first step on a very long path so start thinking marathon instead of sprints.

Damian
 
well, with all due respect i stated that it was a cold bore problem, i can promise you, i can shoot, this is not my first rodeo. i only have the problem shooting cold bore, after three or four rounds its dialed in and im shooting groups close to the size of a quarter, and more people than just me have had the problem, something about the barrel....i dont know for sure. This is not the subject of this thread, i would like to continue with the reloading please.
 
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