Reloading questions

[TimH]

I know nothing about reloading ammo. So lets say you wanted to reload 12 gauge shotgun shells, some .223, 7.69 x 39 maybe 9mm. What do you need? Can you use the same basic equipment for shotgun shells and rifle cartridges? Do you need cartidge specifics dies & other things. Do you use the same gun powder for everything? Can you reload Wolf casings? Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Tim

 

[dakotasin]

no, you can't use the same basic equipment for shotshells as for handgun and rifle cartridges. shotshells need their own equipment.

you can use the same basic equipment for rifle and handgun.

you do need cartridge specific dies for rifle and handgun. only need 1 press, though. set your dies up, tighten the set screw, and then it is just a matter of screwing/unscrewing the dies to re-set everything. they can share the same press, trimmer, powder thrower, scale, and handtools. each cartridge family will share the same shellholder (ie 308, 7-08, 243 use the same shellholder, but you would need a different shellholder for the 338 family - 338 win mag, 7 rem mag, 264 win mag)...

definitely do not use the same powder for everything. the rate the powder burns will dictate its use. rifle cartridges will use one type of powder, and handguns will use another powder. further, a 223 will use a relatively fast powder, and a 7 rem mag will use a much slower powder. so, while there are some powders that are flexible and will cover a myriad of uses, there are extremes in rifle cartridges so that it is possible to need 2 or 3 (or more) different powders just for rifles, 2 or 3 for handguns, etc.

don't know about wolf cases. never tried tried 'em.

 

[Okiecruffler]

First of all, wolf cases are steel and won't resize, but I've often wondered if you could just neck size them, but that's a question for the experts.

I always recommend that people buy Modern Reloading by Richard Lee before they buy any equipment. Granted it has a huge amount of "My stuff is better than eanyone elses stuff" in it, but it will give you a good idea of what you need to get started.

Getting started isn't that expensive, I do a huge amount of reloading with my $20 Lee handpress. I've loaded literally 10's of thousands of shotshells on my Lee load alls. I think I paid about 20 dollars for the last one I bought, but that was a long time ago.

If this thread gets moved over to the Reloading board, you'll get more advice than you thought possible.

 

[TimH]

Thanks for the info. I didn't realise that there was a reloading forum I never ventured over there

 

[George S.]

There are some excellent books available about reloading procedures and equipment. available. There are some websites devoted specifically to reloading and have lots of information:
http://www.loadyourown.com/
http://www.reloadammo.com/reload.htm
http://www.reload-nrma.com/
http://www.handloads.com/

Try local bookstores like Borders or Barnes and Noble or even Amazon.com to find reading material. There are a wide variety of reloading manuals with comprehensive data for loading just about any caliber rifle or pistol round. These manuals are an absolute necessity for creating safe reloaded ammunition.

Reloading is fun and can be a great way to cut the costs of target ammo or to create your personal hunting rounds.

 

[halvey]

wolf cases are steel and won't resize, but I've often wondered if you could just neck size them, but that's a question for the experts.

The short answer is no. Don't reload Wolf. Heck, don't even buy Wolf.

I've heard you can resize, but it will wreck your dies.

 

[Mal H]

"I didn't realise that there was a reloading forum I never ventured over there"

Now you have.

 

[lee n. field]

Others have covered a lot, so. . .

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Tim

Get Speer's and/or Lyman's manual, and start reading.

 

[TimH]

Look Toto I don't think we're in Rifle Country any more. We're in the land of Reloading......

Thanks for the input everyone

 

[Handgunr]

At one time (don't know if they still do) RCBS had a die set that you could reload shotgun shells on a regular single stage, or turret press.

If they are still available, then the answer would be "yes", you could buy one press and load all the aforementioned calibers/gauges on the one press.
I don't think the dies were awful popular, as most of the people that loaded both, opted for two seperate setups for loading metallic cartridges, and shotshells.
As far as steel or aluminum cases are concerned, they're pretty much a "one-time" deal and designed for that purpose.
Some guys do try to reload them, but I think it's more of an experimentally "can I do it ?", and not a standard practice.
I think their success rates are pretty low with either. Steel cases obviously put a lot more stress on a press than do the brass ones, and aluminum cases are iffy when worked like brass.

I have three Dillon's, a Lyman Mag-T turret press, and an Orange Chrusher single stage for swaging and case forming. I also have two older MEC 600jr's for 12 and 20 ga. reloading.
I don't load many shotshells anymore, once in awhile, but mainly use them for slug loads in the shotguns. Although I don't use slug guns for hunting anymore, it's fun trying to develop good smoothbore slug loads just to say you did.

Take care,
Bob

 

[bdhawk]

handgunnr is right. RCBS makes shotshell dies for single stage presses. they are limited to the presses that have the steel insert screwed into the frame for the dies. you have to remove the insert and then screw in the shotshell dies.

 

[Smokey Joe]

New Reloader advice...

should always be the same: Start by reading and study, BEFORE you rush out and buy a bunch of expensive equipment! Reading reloading manuals is good (Lyman's 48th ed. is best IMHO) but for a real, detailed, explanation of the basics, nothing beats The ABC's of Reloading, published by Krause and available from them: www.krause.com if you can't find it at a local store, on e-bay, or a gun show.

Study first, buy later, should be taught to all newbie reloaders. It ranks right up there with Benjamin Franklin's "Marry in haste, repent at leisure."