Minimal/Sensible Reloading Set Up for low volume single handgun caliber

[SandHill]

I recommend you learn to reload in a different, more common caliber (9mm or .38 Special), before setting out to load .32 S&W short.

Guns chambered in 32 S&W Short are very old and very weak, especially the top-break design. Most are black powder era. Loading black powder cartridges is not for beginners, and using smokeless powder in a gun built for black powder is unsafe.

Loading smokeless powder cartridges for a .32 S&W Short revolver built to handle smokeless powder ammo means you will be using very small powder charges between 1 and 2 grains which will be hard to meter properly in a powder dispenser. You will need a quality scale to accurately measure such small powder charges, and you will have to weigh each powder charge.

If you still want to proceed with learning to load using the .32 S&W cartridge here is a good article explaining the situation.

https://massgunownership.com/reloading/32S&W.html

Thanks, Elgatodeacero! That link is great! Both my revolvers are solid frame, one was built for black powder, the other one smokeless.

In addition to the reloading data, that link had great info on inspecting and mesuring the revolver. It's super useful.

I'm really pretty ambivalent about reloading. I understand loading something like 9mm would be a better place to start. But it's avaialbe online now starting around $0.22 a round before shipping and tax. Small pistol primers appear to still be super hard to find and running $0.10 each, then you need powder and bullets even if you already have brass, and that is before the investment in reloading equipemnt. I'm just not sold on the econimics for common calibers.

For "exotic" calibers, like .32 S&W, it totally makes sense to me. I could see loading things like .357 Sig and 10mm as well.

If I do dive in, I think I am going to follow the many recommendations on here and go with the Lee Classic Turret, probably buy the press alone without the kit and add what I need individually. I like the idea of getting a highly accurate digital scale.

Another question: can anyone recopmmend a good class or club in the Bay Area where I can get educated on relaoding? Like ot get soem hands on experience as opposed to jsut reading. I seem to remember there used to be a club in the East Bay that would do an all-day meet on Saturdays, but I can't find it in the stickies now.

[stand125]

If you're going to get the Lee classic turret pressed then get the Lee Auto disk dispenser because it works amazingly well. Here is very brief video of the classic turret in action.

https://youtu.be/Zrhd56fQsrw

[Imageview]

[allright]

If you're going to get the Lee classic turret pressed then get the Lee Auto disk dispenser because it works amazingly well. Here is very brief video of the classic turret in action.

https://youtu.be/Zrhd56fQsrw

THIS ^^^^^^^^

['ol shooter]

If there is one offered in your area, take a reloading class. Not only will you get proper instruction but you will be able to load your ammo in the class.

[Elgatodeacero]

The Lee Classic Turret plus the Lee Pro Auto Disk powder measure are solid choices for equipment, but you will have to find a Lee Micro Disk (impossible to find, discontinued by Lee) or buy one of these to throw such small charges of powder……

https://www.titanreloading.com/product/titan-micro-charge/

[sofbak]

Depending on chosen powder (?), this might work.

https://www.titanreloading.com/product/lee-adjustable-charge-bar/

Works way better than the fixed diameters of the discs... But only goes down to .28cc vol, so it might not be small enough.

[pacrat]

- A signle stage press, maybe something like this Lee press for $62 with free Prime delivery: http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Reloading-...0-890f5a4e2f90
Or maybe spend a bit more and get this sturdier looking model: http://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-...0-890f5a4e2f90

Then I need dies. Lee sells a carbide three die set for $51: https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION...0-890f5a4e2f90

And apparently I need to order a crimping die separately ($28): http://www.ebay.com/itm/265661937605...3ABFBM0MCdzYhh

OP, you absofreak'nlutely don't need a separate crimping die. Especially a LEE FCD. The bullet seating die in any die set. Serves 2 functions, seating/crimping. LEE makes some good stuff, reasonably priced. But they also have a PT Barnum Marketing Strategy.

I"M ALWAYS F'N AMAZED. When a member comes here looking for insight to getting started minimally. As you are. And the EGG SPURTS spout crap advice about turret presses, automatic powder dispensers, and every other damn dodad and whatnot under the sun.

For powder measuring you DO NEED a MANUAL and a means. A simple cheap electronic scale calibrated in Grains will suffice for baby steps. And even that isn't ACTUALLY NECESSARY FOR YOUR [LOW PRESSURE] 32s. This will work just fine. https://leeprecision.com/powder-measure-kit.html

FACTORY AMMO SOLD BY THE BAZILLIONS EVERY DAY. Does NOT have measured powder charges.
They are loaded on fully automated machines dispensing charges BY VOLUME.

Compare the chart in the manual to the charges listed for powder volume in the dipper set. When I started 54 yrs ago. I already had a precision Ohaus scale calibrated to 1/10 grain. So I made my own dippers using empty cartridge cases soldered to coat hanger wire handles.

And I also began with a LEE Handloader [whack a mole kit] making 308 ammo.

[stand125]

When I started reloading I wasn't sure if I was going to actually going to take the time to reload so I bought one of the Lee classic loaders for 45 and 9 mm. They worked absolutely fantastic but one thing I did notice is that the seated cast lead bullets just fine but they had a tendency to not hold plated or full metal jacket bullets very well.
I'm not sure if it's because they were designed around the slightly larger diameter of most cast lead bullets but it was definitely an issue using them with plated or full metal jacket bullets. I still have them and I still use my Lee classic loader on my 223 bolt action out in the field if I shoot all my ammo and I feel like shooting a couple more. I carry a little can of powder, a sleeve of primers, a little bag of bullets and I can just load them right here and shoot them again. That kit makes wonderfully accurate ammo. I still have this kit in case I ever get another 308 bolt gun.

https://youtu.be/F_zD6B6Ph60

[TimRB]

I'll be watching this carefully. I've never seen a thread about how to get started in reloading.

Tim

[SandHill]

OP, you absofreak'nlutely don't need a separate crimping die. Especially a LEE FCD. The bullet seating die in any die set. Serves 2 functions, seating/crimping. LEE makes some good stuff, reasonably priced. But they also have a PT Barnum Marketing Strategy.

I"M ALWAYS F'N AMAZED. When a member comes here looking for insight to getting started minimally. As you are. And the EGG SPURTS spout crap advice about turret presses, automatic powder dispensers, and every other damn dodad and whatnot under the sun.

Thank you so much, Pacrat! This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to elicit with this thread.

I'll be watching this carefully. I've never seen a thread about how to get started in reloading.

Tim

Sarcasm noted, Tim. If you had read ANY of my post, it would be apparent that my question was not at all "how do I get started in reloading" although that is in fact what a lot of the answers were directed to. The question was actually "how do I reload one non-standard caliber for a possibly obsolete firearm in very limited quantities without spending a lot ot money on a set-up with enough capacity to supply multiple calibers for Ukraine."

I understand everyone is busy and you have better things to do than help me out here. I greatly appreciate those who make the effort. But if you have no relevant knowledge, or just no inclination to share it, you don't need to post. I won't hold it against you. You can save even more of your valuable time by not stopping by, not posting in the thread you didn't bother to read. How's that for efficiency?

[RNE228]

First, read the stickies at the top of this forum

Second, get a reloading manual. Or two.

For low volume pistol about any single stage press will work.

A standard 3-die set will work.

See if anyone near you has a setup to try; I learned on a friends setup; really helped me decide on what to purchase.

[ar15barrels]

Thank you so much, Pacrat! This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to elicit with this thread.

A standard seat/crimp die can be adjusted to ONLY seat or ONLY crimp and then be used two separate times.
This is the better way to do it.

When you are loading on a progressive press, you do need separate dies to do the seat and the crimp for best results.

You can also seat and crimp at the same time, but the results are not as good as you have the case being pushed against the bullet while the bullet is still being pushed downwards into the case.

By separating the steps, you seat the bullet to it's final length and then you crimp the case against the side of the bullet.
In this manner, the case will not dig into the side of the bullet while the bullet is still moving down into the case.

[RNE228]

Step One - Read the "Stickies" at the top of this forum. They are pretty informative and will give you a good starting point

I'll be watching this carefully. I've never seen a thread about how to get started in reloading.

Tim

[Elgatodeacero]

Free Ramshot reloading manual

https://ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf