Reload

[Dangerousdan]

I'm new to reloading. I have been told to read and understand reloading manuals. If I buy now. My question? Is there a shelf life to Primers, powder? Where would a person store these items to be used at a later date? (I will have to read and understand) loading manuals.

 

[oneounceload]

Short answer - no

keep powder and primers in a cool dry place - i.e. NOT a garage in FL for example in the summer

 

[jcwit]

No problem to store just cool and dry. I've got powder over 20 years old and primers from the 50's that I'm still using.

Regarding reloading check out one of the reloading kits from one of the mailorder houses, Midway USA, or Natchezz come to mind. I suggest getting a turrent press and using it as a single stage till you get the hang of it, won't take long. Personnally I like Lee for value spent and I don't wish to get into a desertation about Lee products. Pick up one of the Lyman manuals even one of the older ones will explain to you what you need to know.

Really its fairly simple

Deprime and replace primer with new one

Charge case with powder "pay attention to what you're doing here.

Place bullet in case.

This is a little overslimplified but the manual explaine the reset.

Only other tip is get a scale, much better than dipping the charges.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Reading, et. al...

Dangerous Dan--If you're reading up BEFORE purchasing equipment and supplies to do a new activity, you are Doing It Right. Good on you!

The "standard textbook" on reloading is titled The ABC's of Reloading. It is put out by Krause Publishing. They must be doing something right; they just brought out the 8th edition of The ABC's. Website: www.krause.com

Get it @ yr local sptg gds sto, gun sho, or over the I'net @ Amazon or the like, or contact the publisher--they sell direct.

The ABC's covers all aspects of reloading, and goes from the basics to much further advanced. Belongs on every reloader's bookshelf, well thumbed, IMHO. Having read it, you will be in a much better position to decide what you (1) must have to start with, (2) want in addition to #1, and (3) can wait to get. Or, decide not to reload after all. In any case, you will be far better informed on the subject, and there is no downside to that.

You will need a reloading manual if you decide to proceed in reloading. My go-to manual is the Lyman's; they just came out with the 49th edition. There are several good manuals out there, plus each maker of powder and bullets has info on the web of course.

The manual is like a recipe book--how much powder, which bullet, etc. The ABC's is a how-to and why-and-why-not-to type of book. So that is the one you should start with.

One thing you should NOT do is to use recipes posted anonymously on the Web. Any yahoo can post anything they want, and then you and your Old Betsy get to be the test case. Not a healthy situation. The websites of the powder companies aren't anonymous--I'm not condemning them, BTW.

In answer to yr question abt. primers and powder, the shelf life is VERY long given decent storage conditions, i. e. fairly cool and dry. They should be kept in their original containers. Ten years is nothing, to components thus stored. Posters to this forum occasionally report of shooting up old surplus ammo from WW II with zero, or very few, misfires--that's about 65 years in storage.

Oh, and welcome to The Magnificent Obsession--Reloading!