New to reloading from the UK

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Furious Pilgrim

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England, UK
Afternoon all,

At my local shooting club we have to use downloaded light loads. They offer club ammo in .38 spl but I want to avoid the lead ring build up by not using .357 cases.
So I decided to start reloading... and now have a million and one questions :)

Already managed to have a few of them answered by looking through some threads on here. :D

So, I've picked up a Lee Classic Turret press, with a .38/.357 4 die set. I haven't actually put it together yet, but while looking at the resizing/de capping die, I noticed the cases I have don't slide into the die. Is this normal? I presume it is, as that's the whole point to resize the case, but I have some new cases here and they too don't 'slide' in.

Pretty much all my shooting is 25 yrd target, so I've picked up some 158grn SWC. How do you know how far to seat the bullet, is it just trial and error?

Next question :D Do I need to do anything with the dies before I use them? Clean them, oil them, lube them?

Is the primer choice dependant to what powder you use? As said, I have to use light loads, so need a powder that works with both .38spl and .357 cases if such beast exists.

And lastly, will you guys stop buying up and hoarding everything, it's becoming impossible to find anything over here :)
 
Welcome to THR.

I always clean up dies, normally they have a packing oil on them to keep them from resting.

As far as the sizing die not fitting. It will always be that way on fired brass. Even after you size it may not depending on spring back of the brass.

On your SWC do you know the size and hardness? This is very important when it comes to shooting lead to prevent leading. If it's a soft lead 10 BH or less you should be fine with reduced loads. Faster burn powders work best on light loads. But if it's a hard lead you have to push them hard in order to get a seal to prevent leading.
 
Furious Pilgrim said:
Afternoon all,

At my local shooting club we have to use downloaded light loads. They offer club ammo in .38 spl but I want to avoid the lead ring build up by not using .357 cases.
So I decided to start reloading... and now have a million and one questions :)

Already managed to have a few of them answered by looking through some threads on here. :D

So, I've picked up a Lee Classic Turret press, with a .38/.357 4 die set. I haven't actually put it together yet, but while looking at the resizing/de capping die, I noticed the cases I have don't slide into the die. Is this normal? I presume it is, as that's the whole point to resize the case, but I have some new cases here and they too don't 'slide' in.

Pretty much all my shooting is 25 yrd target, so I've picked up some 158grn SWC. How do you know how far to seat the bullet, is it just trial and error?

Next question :D Do I need to do anything with the dies before I use them? Clean them, oil them, lube them?

Is the primer choice dependant to what powder you use? As said, I have to use light loads, so need a powder that works with both .38spl and .357 cases if such beast exists.

And lastly, will you guys stop buying up and hoarding everything, it's becoming impossible to find anything over here :)
Click to expand...

Welcome to the THR. Good to have some shooters from this side of the pond.

As for your questions, it is relatively normal that "new" cases also need resizing. Particularly with Lee dies, that some say are harder on brass than other brand's, but also that they bring the cases to their exact dimensions.

I also have a LCT. You made a good choice. I'm quite happy with mine but I'm already looking at progressives as what I shoot is IPSC and dividing by 4 the number of strokes per round will be easier on my elbow.

Just if you wouldn't mind the question, I wonder what the law is in the UK regarding gun ownership, reloading and shooting sports. Here in Spain we have pretty restrictive laws as for both things. Any citizen without a criminal record is entitled to get a "shooting sports" permit, but there is some mandatory training to be undergone (with a written and shooting test included), an expensive safe is required and there are strict rules for transportation of firearms inside vehicles. Carry permits for self-defense are seldom granted. As for reloading, more training required and strict limitations on the amount of components and reloaded ammo you can store at home and how it has to be stored. Much of a pain :(.

So, be welcome and enjoy. You'll find out soon how friendly it is over here and how much available knowledge there is ;).
 
After cleaning the dies, IF they are carbide, you should not need to use any additional lubricant (but a slight dab every dozen or so doesn't hurt).

Buy/download data from any number of sources. I seat a 158LWSC into the crimp groove and add a slight crimp (read your die instructions to see how to set them up. Standard primers should be OK and powder charge will depend on what powder you have available; again, a good reloading book will have that data
 
Thanks for the welcome.

I don't know the hardness from memory, but I will be able to find out easy enough. Same goes for the size.

Gun laws in the UK, where do I start :(

Shotguns (2+1 max), it is my right to own one with a license. The police have to prove that you shouldn't have one.
Firearms, I have to prove that I NEED one. Self defense is not a valid reason. Target shooting or pest control is pretty much the reasons people give.
Firearms include shotguns with 3+1 and greater, rifles etc. The only semi auto rifles allowed are .22 LR. All other caliber rifles have to be bolt action or straight pull.
Pistols are not allowed unless they are black powder, or have a barrel length of 12" and overall length of 24". Again, no semi auto unless .22 LR.

You have to join a club, do training and 3 months probation. Then apply for your license, mine took 3 months to come. You need a gun safe to store them, ammo is stored separately. You need to have your home inspected by a firearms officer.
If you buy/sell a gun, you need to notify the police. You are granted a set amount of guns/calibers that you may buy, and have to apply for more. Ammunition is controlled, you can only purchase set amounts. Reloading components are not controlled.
You are only allowed to shoot in designated areas. If I wanted to shoot on my land, or someone else's with permission, I have to apply for it, and have the land inspected.

Basically, no pistols unless they are 24" long! Semi auto = .22LR only.
 
Welcome aboard sir.

The Lee Turret presses are an incredible value in my opinion. You can get better, but for the money you can't beat them. I do most of my handgun loading on one.

For light loads in .357, I like Trail Boss powder. I don't know what availability is like there, but if you can find some, you should give it a try. The Cowboy Action shooters use it over here for light loads.

As far as primers go, there are only a few select powders that you need magnum primers for. Your standard small pistol primers will load the vast majority of loads in both .38 and .357. Brand is not important. I have used thousands of most of the different brands and have never been able to tell the slightest difference.

Quick question and it's a little off topic.
You said that self defense isn't a valid reason according to the laws in the UK. If your home is burglarized by an armed criminal and you were to shoot in self defense, would you be charged with a crime?
 
Quick question and it's a little off topic. You said that self defense isn't a valid reason according to the laws in the UK. If your home is burglarized by an armed criminal and you were to shoot in self defense, would you be charged with a crime?
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Yes. I would have to prove in court that my life was in danger and my response was not excessive. From the police's point of view, if you have enough time to get to your gun, then you have enough time to call the police...
It is very difficult to act in self defense.
 
I recently read a story from the UK where 5 men broke into a farmers house. He shot 2 of them. They all ran away. Thevfarmer was arrested for causing "grievous bodily harm". Pilgrim, do you have the duty to retreat in your own house?
 
This post just shows how fortunate we in the USA really are even in the anti 2nd Amendment states. We need to continue to fight so the "Old World Mentality" stays in Europe.
 
When resizing, even with carbide dies, if they feel a little hard to size put a little lube on. I have stuck one before using carbide dies. And it was a new case.
 
Furious Pilgrim said:
Thanks for the welcome.

I don't know the hardness from memory, but I will be able to find out easy enough. Same goes for the size.

Gun laws in the UK, where do I start :(

Shotguns (2+1 max), it is my right to own one with a license. The police have to prove that you shouldn't have one.
Firearms, I have to prove that I NEED one. Self defense is not a valid reason. Target shooting or pest control is pretty much the reasons people give.
Firearms include shotguns with 3+1 and greater, rifles etc. The only semi auto rifles allowed are .22 LR. All other caliber rifles have to be bolt action or straight pull.
Pistols are not allowed unless they are black powder, or have a barrel length of 12" and overall length of 24". Again, no semi auto unless .22 LR.

You have to join a club, do training and 3 months probation. Then apply for your license, mine took 3 months to come. You need a gun safe to store them, ammo is stored separately. You need to have your home inspected by a firearms officer.
If you buy/sell a gun, you need to notify the police. You are granted a set amount of guns/calibers that you may buy, and have to apply for more. Ammunition is controlled, you can only purchase set amounts. Reloading components are not controlled.
You are only allowed to shoot in designated areas. If I wanted to shoot on my land, or someone else's with permission, I have to apply for it, and have the land inspected.

Basically, no pistols unless they are 24" long! Semi auto = .22LR only.
Click to expand...

Thanks ;). Now it's clear that the UK and Spain have the worst gun laws in Europe. Here they still allow people to shoot semiauto pistols. All the other regulations are very, very similar, not to say the same. Over here there is another downside when it comes to components, as all we have available is a locally manufactured brand called "Optima" (which is good quality, luckily enough) and the French Vectan powders. No American or VihtaVuori delicatessen for us.

Semiauto rifles are allowed but have a limit on mag capacity. Two rounds :eek:, so maximum is 2+1 in the chamber. Another funny one is that "military calibers" like 5.56x45 or 7.62x51 are not allowed in semiauto rifles. Bolt actions in .308 or .222 are allowed, but just be careful that you are not caught with a bolt action and using any "7.62 NATO" ammo or you'll be facing loss of license and a fine.

As for using a firearm for home defense in case of burglary, there have been cases over here. Note that every violent death goes through Court, and what the Court will try to find out is whether you had no choice but using deadly force to defend yourself, your loved ones or a third party. Defending property is not an excuse. If it is ascertained that using the firearm, regardless of the kind of permit on which it is registered, was the only alternative, you are very likely to be OK. An example would be, a 5 ft, 130 lbs man has his home burglarized by three 6 ft, 200 lbs robbers, gets his pistol and shoots. Kills one, injures another and the third one flees. He is likely to be OK. If the home owner is 6 ft and 200 lbs, and the burglar is a 130 lbs drunk, it's likely that you'll serve prison. There has to be an actual necessity of using deadly force, and similar rules apply to the use of deadly force by the police.

Lots of people say, over here, that criminals, their rights and their welfare are much better protected than those of law abiding, tax paying citizens :(. And it's close to being the awful truth.
 
Welcome to THR ! It's nice to have such culture mix, from different parts of the globe :D Hope one day you and others can experience more freedom with firearms.
As to your questions, yes, clean your dies to make sure packing oil and any packing crud is removed, then oil them back up. I use hornady one shot.

As for load data, powder and seating depth.. I strongly suggest a good load manual for you to read and learn the basics before you begin. ABCs of reloading,
Or the Lyman 49th edition has a good introduction, easy to understand and covers a good amount of info. Load data from books or online data from manufactures website will give you the over all length of loaded rounds.

A good set of calipers is a must ! Most people use digital, easier to read and accurate. Example of OAL 1.590 for 160 gr swc, you would back out the adjustment of your seater die after set up in press. Get the bullet seated some in the case and measure the Over All Length, keep adjusting the seating stem down and press the bullet, measure until you reach the desired number measured with your calipers.

Most questions can be answered here and THR has a lot of good, knowledgable members. Still nothing can replace a good manual.
The hoarding/ panic buying seems to be slowing down, so hopefully this pinch for supplies eases for everyone !
Americans tend to get a little rattled when our Second Amendment gets threatened in any way :cuss:
Try to find a member at your gun club that is experienced with hand loading and make a friend :D , maybe he can help show you the basics.
Again welcome here, be safe.
BluewaterLa
 
Lots of people say, over here, that criminals, their rights and their welfare are much better protected than those of law abiding, tax paying citizens . And it's close to being the awful truth.

Very true and it seems that our FREE country is trying to head the same direction, the bulk of the work load and taxes are on the middle class.
There seems to be more laws being passed to protect the criminals and keep providing for the lazy ! It's frustrating for any descent person.
 
Reloading components are not controlled.
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You have chosen.............wisely, then !


IF a case slips right into your die, either your die s broken, or the case is. OR, you're superman.... hey, it happens. But you should need the ram of the press to put it into the die, and pull it out. In a sizing operation, thats what the die does.

Clean them
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Not only advised, actually in the instructions.

Primers : Unless you are using mag load of mag powders, magnum primers are not needed. Standard primers will work for the loads you are looking for.

I'd also suggest a reloading manual, if the crown hasn't banned those, too.

If so, http://www.hodgdon.com/ is not a bad start.


Welcome to THR, and congrats on taking back your liberties an inch at a time.
 
Ok, so...

I recently read a story from the UK where 5 men broke into a farmers house. He shot 2 of them. They all ran away. Thevfarmer was arrested for causing "grievous bodily harm". Pilgrim, do you have the duty to retreat in your own house?
Click to expand...

The Tony Martin case? The guy's house had been broken into several times and the police hadn't done anything, so he waited up one night for them to come back ;) They only problem was, he shot one in the back, and it was seen that the criminals were trying to flee. Hence he is in prison :(

If someone breaks into your house, you are only allowed to use 'reasonable' force. The problem is, in the heat of the moment things look very different to when looking at them in court months down the line.

Lots of people say, over here, that criminals, their rights and their welfare are much better protected than those of law abiding, tax paying citizens
Click to expand...

Indeed.

Try to find a member at your gun club that is experienced with hand loading and make a friend , maybe he can help show you the basics.
Again welcome here, be safe.
BluewaterLa
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There are people at my gun club who reload, who are more than willing to help. It's always nice to hear other peoples experiences.

I've got the Lee reloading book that came with the press, but haven't read it yet :eek:
 
blarby said:
IF a case slips right into your die, either your die s broken, or the case is. OR, you're superman.... hey, it happens. But you should need the ram of the press to put it into the die, and pull it out. In a sizing operation, thats what the die does.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I wanted to hear! :)
 
From the police's point of view, if you have enough time to get to your gun, then you have enough time to call the police...
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Yeah, but they fail to take into consideration the time it takes the police to respond and arrive. I'm a huge supporter of our LEOs, but they're only human. They can't magically appear exactly when you need them.
The anti gun people here that are trying to make our laws more like European countrys' use the same argument. Just call the police. It's crazy.

Bolt actions in .308 or .222 are allowed, but just be careful that you are not caught with a bolt action and using any "7.62 NATO" ammo or you'll be facing loss of license and a fine.
Click to expand...

If it weren't for the fact that your gun rights are being stripped away, that would be funny.

Lots of people say, over here, that criminals, their rights and their welfare are much better protected than those of law abiding, tax paying citizens . And it's close to being the awful truth.
Click to expand...

The left over here is trying to catch us up with you. We must stay vigilant.
 
Quote:

"From the police's point of view, if you have enough time to get to your gun, then you have enough time to call the police..."

This is a joke where I live in Central IL. Police response time is about 40 minutes, res ipse loquitur.

As far as the implicit police protection behind such a ludicrous idea, in the U.S. the Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly, and decisively, that government has no obligation whatosever to provide personal protection to individuals. Government's obligation in keeping order refers to society at large. This only reinforces our Second Amendment Rights, because our own government says we're on our own until the police arrive, which is usually just in time to clean up the blood and break out the body bags. Whose blood it is and who the body bags will be for is therefore up to US, the gun-owning citizenry.
 
Great to have you on the forum, always feel free to ask questions! But buy a good reloading book and read it cover to cover first!
Good reloading, Catpop
 
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Welcome to the forum. If you can find it, Win231 ( or HP38 - they are the same powder) is a good powder for light .357 loads.
 
Not to reference anyone in particular guys,

But I'm pretty sure he knows where he lives, and he's expressly stated he knows what the situation is.

Bangin' on him about how much that sucks doesn't change his situation, or make him a better 'loader.

If we wants to rail on that, we have plenty of threads for it- but this section is for squishing bullets- not heads- together.


I'm just glad we can put on a good and useful face to those so far away !


I'm glad we had some of the info you needed, can we help with anything else ?

Do you have the ability to cast your own bullets ? Thats really the next progression in the reloading addiction, and other than primers and powder, will save part of the "hoarding" problem you are having.


If they ever do decide to limit your reloading component supply, its hard to justify taking away 150 kilos of tyre weights and a mould :D

You could also purchase commercially available rounds with small pistol primers and break them down for their components, could be pretty handy.
 
I don't mind talking about how backwards things are over here, takes a fair amount to offend me, but I'll keep it on topic now. Might put a thread up later for you lot to poke fun at me :)

There are guys at my gun club who cast their own heads, I've thought about it myself, but for the time being I'm happy to get to grips with the reloading parts. Saying that, I have got a 15kg stash of pure lead to use when I do.
 
So I've been reading the Lee reloading book, everything is starting to make sense :D

The club I shoot at have some limits on muzzle energy and velocoity. 471ft lbs and 1400 fps. Jacketed bullets aren't allowed.
For some reason I had it in my mind these were fairly tame limits? Maybe they are? But looking at the loading data, it seems they aren't as light as I imagined?

Unfortunately, the Lee manual doesn't list data for a 158grn swc. I presume a search on here will throw up some loads to try though. For reference, these are what I have coming

http://www.shellhousebulletcompany.co.uk/apps/webstore/products/show/4302078
 
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