Looking to get into reloading

[soldier147]

I mostly go on the rifle forum, but my dad suggested that I look into reloading for the few guns I own. Here's a few questions:
1. Are 7.62x54r easy to reload and what brand of ammo is best to shoot then reload.
2. Best starter kits
3. ANYTHING that I need to know period before beginning.

I know there are alot of threads on these, but I don't have all day to look, so I apologize. Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thanks.

 

[Jim Watson]

Books are good; The ABCs of Reloading and a handbook with 7.62 Russian load data would be very valuable. The Lyman handbook does.
Read up, it is tough to learn handloading one question at a time on the internet.

Reloading 7.62x54R is no harder than any other caliber if you use good cases. Commie surplus does not qualify. I don't do it myself but looked at the product reviews at MidwayUSA.com
The Privi Partizan and Winchester USA (WWB) were rated good for reloadability, Sellier and Bellot and Wolf Gold were not.

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

With 7.62 X 54R you will have to make sure you use the correct diameter bullet. You are supposed to slug the bore in order to make this determination. Bores will vary from .308" to .313" from what (little) I understand.

 

[marineman]

I recommend Lee Pacesetter Dies. They are about $25 and contain everything you need plus a crimp die. They even come with a load data card. You will probably want to get a Tumbler. I got the Cabelas brand one from Cabelas. It came in a set with media, polish, and the tumbler and works great. It was one of the less expensive ones I found, but it got good marks and from what I can tell, deserved good marks. You will need brass trimmers for every caliber you want to reload, with the possible exception of pistol calibers. I got the Lees. They are about $5. I got the 4-hole Lee Turret Press Kit as my basic setup. As a side not, the wax-based lubes such as Imperial work better than the spray lubes. If you buy spray lubes and the brass gets stuck in the dies, try the wax. It will probably solve the problem. I recommend Lee items. They are not expensive, but get the job done.

 

[ants]

First, buy books as recommended by Jim Watson. Don't do anything until you read up on it.

Second, buy a stock of components: Brass, primers, bullets, and powder.
Right now, they are in very, Very, VERY short supply.
Doesn't do any good to buy press and dies if you can't buy components, does it!

I feel sympathy for all the new reloaders who just spend hundreds on bench equipment, but haven't loaded their first rounds because they can't get supplies.

P.S. Many of the 7.62x54R cases available are Berdan primed, not boxer. Go read your new books on that subject and get wise before you begin.

 

[soldier147]

thanx.......i was talking to a guy aftre i posted and he said not to reload 7.62x54 because of the possibility of screwing the gun up.....whatever that means

 

[greyling22]

if at al possible find somebody locally to show/tell you how it all works. it's not that hard, once you know what you are doing. but i recommend lee brand stuff. it's cheap and decent quality. a youtube video of a guy doing some reloading might be enlightening as well. but unless you shoot a lot, might be more cost effective to just shoot factory. only brass cases are reloadable, steel and aluminum are not, and as far as I can tell, all brass is pretty much the same.

 

[oneounceload]

What do you need?

Brass, dies, primers, powders, bullets, manuals, scale, bullet puller, loading block, press, calipers, powder dispenser, trickler, patience, sense of humor.

What can you currently FIND?....Unfortunately, most brass, primers, bullets and brass, along with dies and presses are in very short supply due to mass hysteria and panic.

Start by buying reloading ammunition in your caliber and watch for supplies as they become available and start buying them. If, after a time, you decide it just isn't worth it, you;ll be able to seel what components you accumulated

 

[fastbike]

Reloading 7.62x54R more likely to "screw up" a rifle than other rifle calibers. It is a lot harder to find brass. Most of the rifles that shoot 7.62x54R also need a .310 - .312 bullet instead of the more common .308. This means you have fewer choices for reloads and fewer choices for supply.

 

[rfwobbly]

Reloading 7.62x54R more likely to "screw up" a rifle than other rifle calibers.

That's not true. New reloaders are likely to screw up every gun they own unless they start out reading lots of books on the subject and start taking things very seriously.

 

[33rowdy]

Quote
"thanx.......i was talking to a guy aftre i posted and he said not to reload 7.62x54 because of the possibility of screwing the gun up.....whatever that means".

I'll tell you what that means.....

It means that the guy doesn't know what he is talking about. "possibility of screwing the gun up" That's what the books are for. Read a good book or three, do what they say and suggest, and shoot the gun with confidence. If its not accurate, you didn't screw it up. You learned something and do something else to make it better.

 

[soldier147]

thanks for the input.....I will have to give it some serious thought.....I was thinking of buying factory ammo then reloading the spent cases as soon as I get the proper equipment to do so.

 

[Yo2slick]

Being fairly new to reloading the best advise I can give you is READ READ AND READ! Read everything you can and study up on it. Dont take anything off the internet to heart, use it as a starting point and then look up info from there. Always pay attention and take your time. Like one of my fellow HighRoaders says, "We are literally playing with Dynamite."

 

[ants]

As long as you can find factory ammo with boxer primed brass, that's an excellent place to start.
Save that empty brass. Look down into the mouth of empty brass to see if it has one hole or two holes, way way down in the bottom.
Two holes = extremely difficult to find primers and tools to reload.
One hole = keep it for reloading.

 

[soldier147]

thanks will do