Reloading

[splitsix]

Hello Calguners, I'm very interested in reloading and have a few questions. First of all I have a general understanding of what I would need to get started. But what about picking the powder brand and primers. Is that a personal preference or a standard issue? Are there hotter primers to be used with certain powders? Also what to stay away from? I would hate to load, get to the range and find out I loaded using worthless material. I would be loading 9s 40s and 45s. I'm not looking to get your secret, special load, just your personal experience with loading products. Also what extra tools have you guys found to be useful aside from the general reloader, tumbler, scale, and most important dies. Any and all info will be greatly appreciated.

[Bill Steele]

Hello Calguners, I'm very interested in reloading and have a few questions. First of all I have a general understanding of what I would need to get started. But what about picking the powder brand and primers. Is that a personal preference or a standard issue? Are there hotter primers to be used with certain powders? Also what to stay away from? I would hate to load, get to the range and find out I loaded using worthless material. I would be loading 9s 40s and 45s. I'm not looking to get your secret, special load, just your personal experience with loading products. Also what extra tools have you guys found to be useful aside from the general reloader, tumbler, scale, and most important dies. Any and all info will be greatly appreciated.

Buy a couple of books (I would suggest Lyman's and Lee) and read them through. After you have read them you will have few questions and the ones you do will be very specific in nature.

Good luck, have fun.

[splitsix]

Thank you for you reply and guidance Bill. I'm aware of the books and the recommended load #s combined with the powders for min. and max. load. If there is additional information I will gladly take it into consideration and for sure those books will next to my loading station.

[lpspinner]

Brands of powder, primers are usually personal preference. After reading about powders, you'll find that different powders burn at various rates. Some are quick, while some are slow and everything in between. It depends on your gun, semi-automatic, revolvers, single shots....they all behave differently with various burn rates.

Are you reloading for just plain simple plinking, plan to compete in USPSA/IPSC, IDPA, etc...? These factors also will play a role in your powder, primer, bullet selection.

You will never have worthless materials unless you forgot to charge the case. Every combination out there will basically do they same thing, primers ignite, powder burns and pressure forces the bullet down the barrel.

As for other tools, you didn't mention a set of calipers, case gauges would be helpful too.

[huckberry668]

9s, 40s and 45s are straight wall cases. Useful to have:
1. A reloading manual, always good to have something solid in hand to read.
2. Progressive press... took me a decade to realize sigle stage ain't working out
3. carbide sizing die
4. separate crimp die/step, i don't care what others say but separate die/step makes the rounds cleaner and consistant.
5. regular 'small pistol' and 'large pistol' primers of any brand will work. No magnums needed.
6. Any popular powder suitable for these calibers will work. I use W231 (Winchester) for all of them. except for 40 top accuracy loads.
7. buy bulk components to save money.

[Divernhunter]

Read the Lyman $9 manual and it will answer 90% of your questions you have now or in the future.

[davek8s]

I've been reloading for about a month now. Cranked out 500 rounds so far. I'm just using a single stage Lee kit. Being so new I wanted to carefully do each step.

1 thing no one warned me about is how fast it adds up. It looks cheap with a kit that cost $120 shipped. Then you start adding up everything else, components, a tumbler and dies. But I find it rewarding and a lot of fun, so its worth it.

I use CCI primers, Unique and Win231 powder for 9, 38 and soon 45. I like the Win231 better than Unique. I'm planning on trying some Blue Dot as my next powder.

[huckberry668]

I've been reloading for about a month now. Cranked out 500 rounds so far. I'm just using a single stage Lee kit. Being so new I wanted to carefully do each step.

1 thing no one warned me about is how fast it adds up. It looks cheap with a kit that cost $120 shipped. Then you start adding up everything else, components, a tumbler and dies. But I find it rewarding and a lot of fun, so its worth it.

I use CCI primers, Unique and Win231 powder for 9, 38 and soon 45. I like the Win231 better than Unique. I'm planning on trying some Blue Dot as my next powder.

The 'one time' cost will be just that, one-time. The more you reload the more you save or more you get to shoot for the same $ you pay for new ammo.

Unique is a flake powder, soft and dirty. W231 is a ball powder and burns relatively clean and easy to meter thru powder measures. W231 is a good all around powder to keep in quantity.

[Whiterabbit]

Read the manual!



Just kidding. Seriously, I like Lee's 2nd edition. It's more than just recipes. I like the NRA reloading book even more, it's like an advanced version of Lee (lacks the basics though).

Anyways, here's my experience:

Powders: people who write online about their powder choices it seems to be about brand loyalty. I read stuff like: "I tried H-blah blah blah and it was terrible, and IMR-blah blah was great, so now I only experiment with IMR powders.". Or "I've been loading winchester powders for 35 years, no reason to switch now."

I read "somewhere", that an "H" powder I wanted to try had good "temperature/velocity stability", so it's my go-to brand. What does that mean in quantifiable terms? Nothing! My shelf has as many IMRs as Hodgdons, and we aren't even talking about VV, Win, Accurate, surplus, etc. Not what you wanted to hear, but its arbitrary. So knock yourself out, pick one from a hat if you want. Try what other people like.

Primers:

The manuals (Lee) states that primers must be packaged by density by their explosivity, meaning "bigger packaging" means "hotter primer" for a given type, if the Lee book is to be trusted. My experience? Bullet is everything, powder charge is everything, and EVERYTHING else is second order at best. That includes OAL, primer choice, crimp strength, headstamp choice, force required to seat, etc. Your mileage my vary. However, I would personally focus on getting your powder charges right for your bullet choice first. THEN play with things like OAL and primer choice to fine tune your accuracy or velocity repeatability.

[gun fu]

Hello Calguners, I'm very interested in reloading and have a few questions. First of all I have a general understanding of what I would need to get started. But what about picking the powder brand and primers. Is that a personal preference or a standard issue? Are there hotter primers to be used with certain powders? Also what to stay away from? I would hate to load, get to the range and find out I loaded using worthless material. I would be loading 9s 40s and 45s. I'm not looking to get your secret, special load, just your personal experience with loading products. Also what extra tools have you guys found to be useful aside from the general reloader, tumbler, scale, and most important dies. Any and all info will be greatly appreciated.

Kudos on your decision to reload. Custom made ammunition for less!

The question has been asked earlier what you will use ammunition for?

My .02 (depending on bullet weight and style.)

231 is a good powder for all 3 calibers if using lighter/medium load.

Heavier/major PF 9mm: Winchester Auto Comp, HS-6 or VV N350/ 3n37

Minor/Major 40. 231 and/or Titegroup

45 ACP: 231, Titegroup,

I personally streamline my powders, so I don't have a huge amount just laying around, unused.

Primer decision is based on the gun using this ammunition. Custom, light trigger may have trouble striking the cup firmly, so proven softer primer IE: Federal may be required.

Reloading can be an art if you choose, I find it as a necessity for my main hobby, Shooting.

Good Luck!

DVC

PS: Good tool for powder choices. Faster powders for lighter load and slower powder for small caliber major PF load.

http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

[splitsix]

Lpspinner I would be reloading for the experience and personal shooting. I would like to then tune my reloads to what feels the best to me.

[splitsix]

huckberry668 and davek8s yes this can turn into a costly hobbie depending on how I approach it. Thank you for pointing out the positive out come and joy of shooting what you load. I'm sure I will appreciate sending rounds down range more.

[mjmagee67]

First and foremost reloading will NOT save you a penny! You will just shoot more and more. Everyone is spot on; get a few reloading books and read them Lyman, Lee, Hornady, etc etc. I would buy projectiles in bulk 1000+ at a time, no need to spend a ton of money buying 100 at a time. Montana Gold is a great place for jacketed, I have been moving to plated bullets more and more (more bang for the buck) I buy bulk from X-treme bullets. As far as powders I went with one powder that worked in all 3 (9, 40, & 45) at first, I chose Power Pistol, seems to burn clean, gives very good velocity and fills the cases up real full (hard to double charge-good idea for starting out) Primers I like CCI & Winchester, stay away from the Remington 1 1/2 primers--they are "Small Pistol" but not for high pressure loads. If you get Remington get the 5 1/2 primers. But just go for it and have fun, it's addicting to make your own ammo.

[Sac-AR15]

I also just recently decided to reload since .45 ammo is getting very expensive. All of my handguns are .45's. I didn't realize how expensive it will get once you start adding everything together. The Lyman book helps out a lot. I'm still waiting for my dies/powders/primers to show up so I can start reloading. In the meantime I've been watching videos and reading my book while I'm waiting. I ended up buying the Hornady LnL AP because it seems like a good purchase especially with the 500 free bullets rebate. Will be using 231 for powder and CCI primers.

[bonzaiii]

I also just recently decided to reload since .45 ammo is getting very expensive. All of my handguns are .45's. I didn't realize how expensive it will get once you start adding everything together. The Lyman book helps out a lot. I'm still waiting for my dies/powders/primers to show up so I can start reloading. In the meantime I've been watching videos and reading my book while I'm waiting. I ended up buying the Hornady LnL AP because it seems like a good purchase especially with the 500 free bullets rebate. Will be using 231 for powder and CCI primers.

I'm loading on a Lee Turret, a Lee Loadmaster and just started with my Hornady LNL AP and LOVE IT! I load 9mm, .40 and .45 and use Winchester 231 powder and CCI primers for all. I have been talking to other reloaders recently that have been using wolf primers for some time and love them so i may be switching with my next primer order.