One setup for pistol and rifle

[zahc]

One of my dad's good extremely nice aquaintences got our family a whole bunch of shooting stuff including a tumbler, bullet puller, powder balance, and a lee shotgun loader. He has since disapppeared without a trace very mysteriously.

Anyway since I bought a chronograph for paintball and have lots of lead melting supplies (fishing weights) I realized I'm not far from a reloading setup. I am equally interested in reloading .45 and 44-40 for economy (and because I can't buy it) and tweaking rifles for accuracy. So I was wondering if the equipment for reloading pistol rounds was a lot different than rifles. Any good reading about reloading setups would be appreciated because searching the web brings up products that I don't even know what they are.

 

[JA]

http://www.reload-nrma.com/
The most cost effective set up is this
http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/820810
It has all the tools needed except dies,shellholder,and a case trimmer gauge that is needed for rifle cases. Lee die sets come with the shellholder. The shellholders in the kit are for use with the hand priming tool only.
All the tools used to reload pistol cartridges are used to reload rifle cartridges. Each cartridge is a different size so you have to buy dies made for that cartridge.

 

[Big_R]

Here's a lot of info on reloading from Steve:

http://stevespages.com/table3.html

It appears you have all the extras that don't come with a kit. I recommend the RCBS Master Reloading Kit. Put that with what you have, add a set of dies and a shellholder, some powder and components, and you've got loaded ammo.

There is very little difference in loading pistol rounds for rifle or handgun if you stay within the published loadings. They will work for either most likely.

Ryan

 

[zahc]

That helps a lot.

I think you misunderstood my situation though. I was interested in loading pistol rounds for cheapness and rifle rounds for accuracy. i do not have a pistol caliber long gun, but I need one of course.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

44-40

Too bad you are so far from california as I have all the stuff for that caliber and a saddle ring 1892 Winchester. I would in addition to the information above to attend area gun shows and pick up 2 reloading manuals particularly an old Lyman for 44-40 information and ones with a lot of explanations of equipment in the front. A bullet mold will come from lyman and an inexpensive die set from Hornaday and a luber of the best priced major brand. The bullet diameter is unusual these days and the brass is hard to find and very expensive. Assuming you have a 44-40 pistol would you wish to sell it? An old timer like me or someone local to you would trade you a modern weapon for it.

Unfortunately the older calibers components are not cheap and you can really lessen the value of an older weapon by using it so me with all the stuff have not fired mine in years since I shot at a mountain lion with it's teeth around the neck of one of my sheep.

You could learn a lot by checking out local shooting ranges for someone to make friends with.

John Paul

 

[zahc]

The pistol in question is a Ruger Vaquero I won in a shooting contest.