• Help Support TNDeer:

Need Reloading Advice

gtk":jp2hjump said:
Dont be scared, but be CAUTIOUS. Things I've learned


A ceiling fan or AC vent can adversely affect the scale
kids are a terrible distraction.. Reload only when you can concentrate
Once you get a load that works for your gun, make a dummy round to keep with your dies. Gives you a quick reference to OAL to compare against
Get a binder with places for each caliber you will reload, and keep notes
Click to expand...

Thanks...especially for the first sentence! I know how dangerous it can be but I almost didn't take the deal after reading a couple things said(not on here). I'm a very cautious person with normal everyday things so I believe I will be with this as well.
 
load by the manual and do not overload specifications and you will be good. load 5 round group recipes and see what shoots best in your gun, you will be amazed how you can dial it in.
 
Reloading can be very rewarding and fun. But even one mistake can be disastrous. The main thing is to check each round to make sure you have the same powder amount in each cartridge and that it's the correct amount. I start down 10% and work up looking for signs of pressure. I don't trust powder droppers. Always drop low and trickle up to the charge weight. If the cartridge doesn't feel right in the gun, don't force anything. You will learn later about neck sizing and jamming your bullets into the lands but for now everything should fit smoothly. Check your primers after the first shot on a new load and look for pressure signs. I keep a card file for each load. All the measurements, powder, primers, times the brass has been loaded, FPS, BC, SD, group sizes, etc etc. There are some very good videos on you tube. You can tell the good ones from the bad ones. When you perfect a load it's like making a hole in one.
 
Another important note if you reload in the house, and especially if you reload on carpet.

1. Significant others do not like the sound of spent primers going thru the vacuum cleaner (after you accidentally spill them)
2. Significant others really really do NOT like the sound of a new primer going thru a vacuum cleaner.
 
For my reload castle I picked up a working vacuum at a garage sale.

Reason is I don't want any intrusions and I know how to house clean.
 
I'll repeat something DaveB said that I think is very important. Only have 1 can of powder on your loading bench at a time. Keep your powder on a separate shelf a few feet away from your loading bench and make it a point to only go get the powder you are loading and set the can in front of you before starting. Keep it there until you finish so you have visual verification that you selected the proper powder the whole time you are loading. After 1st getting the powder can to start a loading session, I read the load, the look at the powder can and say the powder name out loud each time and repeat it a couple of times. Mixing powders up can get you killed. Also be very careful to notice that several manufacturers have powders with the same name, they are not the same. Examples are 4350, 4831, etc.

Another recommendation that I see broken all the time here and elsewhere on the internet is to NOT ever get loading data from a website forum! Only use loads from a reliable source such as a loading manual or bullet/powder manufacturer. Even a very knowledgeable loader might mistype something or make a mistake recalling a load when they give it to you. Don't take that chance. Besides, just because a load is really accurate in somebody else's rifle, it doesn't meant that it will be in yours.

That stack of Loading Manuals you have should have plenty of explanations of the basics of setting up dies and loading good safe ammo. Since you say you are a cautious person, you should have no troubles. I'm the same way and I learned reloading and have never owned a loading manual other than the free ones that gun shops hand out from various powder manufacturers. I also use the powder manufacturer websites a lot and print their loads. For the monolithic bullets, which are different enough that loading based solely on bullet weight is a bad practice, I go to the bullet manufacturers website.

You've definitely not started like most people do with such a setup as that. Congratulations on getting what must have been a great deal and enjoy your new hobby.
 
i like the idea of bolting your press to that slab of granite . keeps you from having to drill holes in your workbench, and I assume it's movable.
 
gtk":sv763ivc said:
i like the idea of bolting your press to that slab of granite . keeps you from having to drill holes in your workbench, and I assume it's movable.
Click to expand...

The slab is "movable"...as long as you have two grown men with strong backs. haha
 
Excellent advice all thru the thread bwg, now get in there and start learning. It's really satisfying to load your own, and as someone mentioned earlier, extremely satisfying when you find the sweet spot and a nice tight group that you just can't get from factory ammo! ;)
 
MUP":2nim0uw8 said:
Excellent advice all thru the thread bwg, now get in there and start learning. It's really satisfying to load your own, and as someone mentioned earlier, extremely satisfying when you find the sweet spot and a nice tight group that you just can't get from factory ammo! ;)
Click to expand...

I agree...sounds like plenty of great advice. Hopefully I'll be posting before long about how everything is moving along.
 
gtk":i947npp5 said:
Another important note if you reload in the house, and especially if you reload on carpet.

1. Significant others do not like the sound of spent primers going thru the vacuum cleaner (after you accidentally spill them)
2. Significant others really really do NOT like the sound of a new primer going thru a vacuum cleaner.
Click to expand...
:lol: Been there....
 
bwgarrett3":1y8k4jvg said:
infoman jr.":1y8k4jvg said:
Has anyone mentioned how much money you're going to save!?
Click to expand...

I don't believe they have. I've read about it tho. How much have you seen it save you?
Click to expand...
It was a joke. I don't believe anyone actually saves money because they usually shoot more than they would otherwise.

You're ahead of the curve since you got a deal on your equipment though.
 
I was going to tell him about the savings but I just couldn't bring myself to type it out. :)

I will say that if somebody shoots mostly handguns, revolvers especially, and they cast bullets, they can actually save money once their equipment is paid for. Also assuming they use Lee melting pots, molds, sizing dies, etc. rather than all the much more expensive casting equipment. But sooner or later they'll start looking at other bullet designs from different mold manufacturers or wanting a bullet sizer/lube press or more expensive melting pot, etc. or certified alloy to make bullets from.......you get the picture. :)

To put some numbers to what I said above, I can load a box of 50 rounds of 45 Colt for about $2.50. 255 grain bullet (30cents/lb lead) 6.7grains WW231($16.25/lb) Primer $25/1000 Cases last a long long time but of course they do eventually split so that cost would have to be added to be the total cost. Again, I bought 1,000 cases at once to get the bulk price.

You have to buy powder in the 8 lb cans and primers 5,000 at a time to spread the HazMAt charge over as many shots as possible.
 
Two scenarios:

1. Lets say you were headed to New Mexico for a Chama-area elk and Mule deer hunt you won. You look at your stash and wonder if corelokt is the answer and you start pricing premium ammo.

Hand loading you solve the problem for under the cost of two boxes of premium ammo. And what happens if the purchased ammo doesn't group and you have to switch to some other premium brand? And how many rounds you taking with you to NM?

2. You have a 10-point monster whitetail deer standing motionless at 350 yards. Your low priced discount store ammo drops how many inches at 300 yards? Do you have ammo matched to your hunting location? No, you have ammo and thats it. Whats a ballistics table anyway ??


When you load your own you are the king of the ammunition castle and you can manufacture a round for that 350 yard shot and squeeze it off KNOWING that deer is gonna look great on the wall.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top