okay hi everyone, i've not posted here in a while, but I just lost my father Dec 19th, it was a very sudden death that none of us was expecting. if i had, i would had got him to tell me everything i needed to know about re loading.
Dads got a TON of lead, Ton of powder, ton of primers, and some lead cast bullets for 9mm and for the 223 But i have no clue on how to set the machine up to drop the right amount of powder.
I ment to get a picture of the powder, primers and the machine. He purchased a newer Re loader about 5 years ago. it spins around when you move the lever.

There is a Ammo dealer not far from me, I was thinking about going to talk to them about who i could sell the lead to, cause dad did it all he melted the lead and casted his own bullets, he got into powder coating the bullets and all this stuff. But honestly if i could just reload what is already ready i would be happy. Not really into the melting lead and casting and all that. I will probably just sell most of that kinda tools if i can get anything at all for any of it.

we enjoyed flying Model airplanes and helicopters for a long long time over 30 years and I'm having hard time selling any of it to make anything hardly not sure the Gun market any better or not.

I know the Primers are federal small pistol ones.

Any tips, or advice or anything be great. I am just trying to go through his things little each day and straighten up. he was one to never sell anything and has stuff from 50 years ago. he was 74.


Thanks again

My condolences to you and your family.

You'll need to get names of powder, weight of bullets and the name of the press to be able to give you any meaningful information.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

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Improvise, Adapt, Overcome

My condolences as well. If you're not going to shoot the ammo you load, you're better off selling the components. The usual rule is not to shoot someone else's reloads.

If you're determined to load them, look around for his reloading manuals and start reading and re-reading the how-to sections. The explanation is way beyond a forum post.

Most of that equipment is pricey and the lead is a precious resource for someone.

Good luck with it. The forum will surely be happy to help once you get a course set.

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Freedom Is Not A "Loophole"

I am very sorry about your father.

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Graydon L. Persing

I'm also very sorry for your loss.

Like has been said above, unless you plan to do a bunch of shooting with your reloads, it would be better to sell the components and equipment than to sell reloads, with could also get you in a ton of trouble with BATFE for being an ammunition manufacturer without a license.

I'll sidestep your question about reloading for now. We can get back to that later.

I'm sorry to hear of your Dad's passing. He was a young man. No matter their age, we can't be ready. Then it happens. We start thinking, "if only . . . ."

May you have strength and peace.

Get a good, authoritative book on reloading and study, at first what you want to reload, but you there are safety issues that concern each type of cartridge. You tube is a great resource but everybody isn't an authority and some explain/show things better and more thoroughly. If you have a question that isn't clear you can always ask us. You can get cast, coated, plated bullets pretty cheap if you don't want to do the melting part right away and don't have enough of what you want.

The principles are pretty easy to pick up on. Give it a try and get back to use. It's good to have a powder scale and some calipers.

You might start with some fairly straight wall pistol cartridges and graduate to bottleneck cartridges later.

SAFETY is TANTAMOUNT. If you don't want to develop solid procedures and routines, don't reload.

The steps are:

Resize the old brass and punch out the primer

Add flare needed to accept the bullet after squeezing down (often combined with resizing)

Prime and charge powder

Seat and crimp bullet

Some reloads may vary somewhat due to case type, but this is the 'skeleton'.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I’m sorry for your loss, reddog. Lyman reloading manual #50 has several chapters on how to get started followed by several chapters of load data for various cartridges and bullets weights with different powders. I would definitely acquire that book. I would also very highly recommend getting the Lyman cast bullet reloading manual Next I would get your hands on the manual for the reloader you inherited. If you can identify what equipment you have folks here can likely answer questions on to set it up.

Sorry to hear about your Dad passing,

Just a couple of observations, first you need to decide if reloading is even something you are willing to devote the time and attention to, to get involved with.(you have already stated you have no interest in casting(making your own lead bullets). Reloading requires time and attention to detail. It needs to be something you have a passion for, if not don't start. Decide if its for you.

If you want to get into reloading speak to people at your local range and see if theres someone who can help you get started and take you under their wing and can be your mentor. Also look around and see if your dad had any reloading manuals and read them from cover to cover and decide if its for you.

Warning....DO NOT try sell your Dads reloaded ammo, selling reloads requires special BAFT licenses and insurance. The separate powder, primers, lead etc can be sold separately.

If you are selling the raw lead any in real quanity, the going rate is $1 per pound. Again talk to someone at your range, for $1 a pound you can find someone to come out and pick up the lead.

Very sorry for your loss. As stated above, if you are going to get into actual reloading you need to obtain a good manual like the Lyman #50 and do some reading on the basics. It's not real complicated but it's also not simple. It can be safe or dangerous depending on how it is done. I've been reloading for 55 years and I still learn new things and buy new equipment.

WOW. didn't expect that kinda feedback so fast.. Thank you all. i know he was a member of a online gun group but no clue witch one and what his name was. I wasn't talking about selling live rounds, i was just talking about selling the lead bars and lead casts that are not 9mm or 223 those are the only two i care about reloading. I used to reload with dad when i was a young teen i always enjoyed doing it. just he would set up the powder drop and all i had to do was load. I know you can buy lead cast bullets to reload with already that is what I would do if i ever wanted to reload more, but I think hes got enough already to last me a lifetime, i don't do that much shooting.
i will get more info today and post.

He should have a reloading manual or a couple. Usually the first couple chapters go over the basics of reloading. Most reloaders would consider this mandatory reading. YouTube can be helpful once you understand the basics and want to see how it’s done. There’s probably videos of the exact press he had.

I’d guess that the rounds he loaded had the basic details included somewhere on the rounds packaging. Most people will record the powder type and amount at a bare minimum. OAL (overall length), primer type, number of times the case has been relaoded are other common notes. For example a common 9mm round would be 124 grain lead truncated cone, with 3.9 grains of Bullseye powder, with and OAL of 1.10”, and a Winchester small pistol primer (WSP). All that lingo probably doesn’t mean much but knowing each detail is critical to understand before attempting to make any loaded rounds,

One word of caution would be that loading lead in 9mm and .223 isn’t really a beginners proposition. Both .223 and 9mm are a small case with high pressure. Any small errors are magnified when dealing with these rounds. .38 Special or even 45 ACP are much easier to learn on. With lead 9mm a beginner can get rounds that shoot and cycle the gun, but there’s a good chance the accuracy will be much worse than any factory round. Try to load .223 and there’s a decent chance you’ll have problems getting the round to chamber if a couple different steps aren’t done correctly.

The lead should be easy to sell and the molds used to crate the individual bullets can be worth anywhere from $20 to $100+ depending on which molds and their condition. If I was selling the lead I wouldn’t go less than $1.50 or $1.25 per pound if someone takes it all.

Very sorry for your loss. I recommend not to sell anything until you know what you have. Buying all that stuff new is very expensive but as used it has little value. If you can make a pan cake and like the results you can learn to reload any ammo of your choosing. It looks like you are overwhelmed with too much stuff. I taught my self how to reload and that was the best part of reloading for me. I think the best book out there for learning is “The ABCs of RELOADING” The Definitive guide for Novice to Expert. If you can identify Salt and pepper you can identify all your stuff. Identify and separate and begin with a very simple round like the 38 special. Try to find someone that reloads that will help you set up. Good luck and don’t give up. It’s not hard it’s just a matter of understanding.

Okay so went down to the garage and took some pictures so i could post what all he had.
Hodgdon H335 rifle powder
Hodgdon HS-6 pistol/shotgun powder
Accurate No.5 powder (says for .38 special and .45)
Federal small pistol primers
Federal large pistol primers

on the led cast bullets he already has ready to load it says 125gr. LRN 45-45-10 lube.

Got a LEE Ergo prime tool he purchased it this last time when he got back into reloading after a very long time break from it. I think about 2014 when he got back into doing it.

its a lee reloader but couldnt find a model number on it. it has spot for 4 driffrent Dies ( not sure proper word for them)

I found a box of about 150 rounds that he marked I reloaded,
HS-6 5.69 gr
125gr powdercoated new CCI

I forgot i had came by one day while he was reloading and the machine was set up and i sat and reloaded for a while. I wanted some ammo to shot in my gun at the time it was a SV9 and it didnt like the reloads for some reason kept getting stuck. but my newer gun Taurus G2c and dads springfield always shot them all.

I guess the 5.69 gr is the powder load.. I know hes got stuff wrote down i just have to find it.

I will do as suggested and see if i can find someone local who reloads who doesnt mind showing me how to measure out the powder and stuff. As said ive reloaded before as long as the machine was already set up i just don't know how to set it up from strach.

I too am sorry to hear of your loss, losing a father can be very difficult.

Personally I would first decide if I wanted to reload, it's not something to be done haphazardly, and research/study are necessary. The ABCs of Reloading is an excellent text and as mentioned above the Lyman 50th is also a good "how to" manual with good load data.If you decide to reload, get manufacturer's instruction manuals for the tools/equipment to familiarize you with each tool.

I would hold off on selling the casting supplies/equipment as quite often reloaders starting with no intention to cast bullets, venture into casting. If you have room to store it, keep it at least until you're sure you won't be casting.

If you decide to sell off everything, advertise on some forums' classified sections, also a good way to determine prices....

Very sorry for your loss, and I can relate... lost mine Nov 24th at 92. RIP, dad.

My wife’s parents never got rid of anything, and there were some gems in the 10,000 pounds of drek. You will need to take time. Hang in there.

Wow. I had no idea lead was going for that much.
Maybe that explains why someone cleaned out the backstops at my club. They let us take it, and I've carried out 50-70 lbs when I needed lead, but someone went in there last weekend and did a number on it.

To the OP; sorry about your loss. I wouldn't be in any big hurry to get rid of that equipment. You're sitting on a gold mine. You may change your mind and decide you want it. In the past I've let my melting pot sit idle for a year or more. Then I'd regain interest and be glad I still had my stuff. And it ain't cheap if you go to buy it.

Very Sorry for your loss

The NRA has recently began certifying Instructors for teaching the NRA Basic Metallic Cartridge Reloading course

The only Instructor that I see offering the course in Georgia is in Buford. I am not too sure how far that is from you

Face to Face instruction is better for many people than just reading about it in a book. Obviously you need the manuals for load data

If you do not have a shooting buddy that hand loads, you might inquire at your local range to see which of your fellow shooters hand loads and ask if they might mentor you

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"Acta non verba"

Thank you all, I have been cleaning out the garage and finding all sorts of brass, and bullets he had casted. and some looks like he had casted and powder coated. some im not sure are the correct caliper or not. Guess there is more to a bullet then just the mm of it like 9mm or 45. some of his has .056 or something like that wrote on notes in the bag..
I would like to reload some 9mm and maybe some 223. those only guns I plan to shoot any but look like he had already reloaded quite a bit. but planed to do even more.
they are 4 different sized bars of lead anywhere from right over one pound up to 5.5 pounds each. I went to GA Arms in villa rica ga and they said not to sell the lead for less then $1.80 per pound. I advertised on facebook and was talking with a member here, but the guy here only offered $125 per pound and only wanted 50-60 pounds.

found a bunch of LEE molds. some look older and in bad shape others look new still. i see new ones only cost around $15-$20 so not sure much money in selling them. But I just don't want to keep stuff that will never get used. I have already made two truck loads full of trash to the dump cause my dad kept every single thing he ever had. Things I hadn't seen in 20-30 years i had no clue he still had.

but im getting all the gun stuff in order. to see what all is there. lots of powder also is it safe to have powder stored all together? its in a garage that isn't for cars just has ammo and tools stored in it along with other things. kinda feel like we need a separate building just for all of that kinda stuff.

Thanks again for the kind words.

Very sorry for the loss of your Father.
Right now you need family time...................

the reloading stuff can wait but I would not sell the lead, since
it a "Gold Mine".

Get back to where you can go on living without a weight on your shoulders and be with family with a good feeling in your body again.

We are here to help but you need to get things squared away, right now.

Sound advice from Nevada Ed.....

Randy

Condolences on the loss of your dad. I know what you must be feeling right now having gone through it myself 15 years ago. Over time it will get better and easier.

I'll second what NevadaEd and growr said. Unless there is some urgent need to deal with it right now, the reloading stuff can probably wait until you've had some time to recover and adjust.

In regards to storage of the powder and primers, they should be fine just the way your dad stored them until you're ready to do something else with them. Sounds like they've been where they are for years and haven't posed a problem. Unless something else has changed or will be changing immediately about the use of the space where they're being stored, there should be no urgent need to change how or where they are stored.

If you can, take some time for yourself and your family. The job of sorting through all this will still be there waiting when you're ready, and you'll be much more clear headed about it and less likely to get rid of something you later wish you had kept.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Sorry for your father's sudden death, that is truly a shock to everyone in the family. No one has time to prepare emotionally.

Selling your dad's stuff that you don't need is always difficult. Everything had value to him, it has emotional value to you because it was your Dad's work. At $1.80 a pound plus shipping costs, you will have a difficult time selling lead that has a market price today of $0.90 per pound. You might have better success selling the lead and other reloading supplies to local shooters directly without shipping costs.

I'm a victim of buying more shooting / reloading supplies than I might actually need. It gives me extra determination to go to the range and not leave it for the 'estate sale' by my widow. Another shooter came to the indoor range with 3 buckets of lead ingots totaling almost 180# that went home with me for only $85 -- another bargain I couldn't pass up.

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S&WHF 366

Sorry to hear about your father.
The best thing I can suggest is you find someone local to mentor you on how it all works. Having someone show and talk you thru it is a lot better than trying to do it over the internet.

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Shut up and reload!

Sorry to hear of loss. My old grandmother used to tell me to have my fire insurance paid up.
On beginning reloading a mentor is good advice along with reloading manuals. Google and utube are your friends. Above all patience and safety.

@OP, my condolences at your loss.

Like many have suggested, take some time to heal before you sell your father's excess reloading gear. When you are ready, inventory the gear that you have, then decide what you want to keep and what you want to sell. With the bullet molds, you will need to know: mold number (i.e.: TL358-158-RN [Lee format], 38-158 [RCBS, Pacific format], 358155GC [LYMAN format]), the number of cavities, and whether the molds have handles or not. For molds, dies, and any other hardware, you could list it here.

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Judge control not gun control!