New to reloading with questions

[glenwolde]

If you are used too Lee dies then I'd stick with that. Don't add confusion by switching brands as they are all a little different in ways. Reloaders tend to favor whatever brand they start with. That's OK. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Not my choice, but I started with something else.

One thing about revolver rounds: The dies will roll crimp rather than taper crimp. This is fine if the bullet has a crimp groove. If it doesn't have a crimp groove the roll crimp tends to deform the bullet. The Berry's plated bullets don't have a crimp groove. In my experience when you reload smooth bullets like that in revolver rounds it's best to treat them like they are for a semi-auto and taper crimp them. This would require you purchase a .38 taper crimp die separately, or pick another bullet.

Does that make sense?

 

[patrickd]

I am a new reloader and have loaded 45 ACP rounds on my Rock chucker press. I would like to make some 38 special loads for my J-frame since 38 factory loads are very pricey. I do like to shoot the little revolver a lot and would only use the reloads for range play.

I need dies and was thinking of the Lee 4 die set with the factory crimp. It is what I have for the 45 and they seem to work well. Any other dies I should consider?

I see the berrys bullets are cheeper than most the 125 grain flat points are on sale if I buy 1000. Any problems with using that bullet? here is a link .38 125 gr Flat Point - Berry's Manufacturing

Any help and advice would be great, Thanks!!!!

I've shot a lot of the Berry's plated 125 gr. Never any issues from them. My only complaint is the ones I have found don't have a cannelure for crimping. I think you'd need a taper crimp die for the bullets with no grove. Standard 38/357 dies come equipped to do roll crimps. As for the lee dies, I have them in all my pistol calibers and they are just fine. No complaints from me on Lee pistol dies.

 

[crankyoldlady]

I like the 158 grain LSWC from Missouri Bullets for my .38 SPL range loads. They hit POA for me and have the benefit of using less powder.

 

[gmiller0737]

All My Dies are LEE Brand & No Issues & have had some Sets for 20 Years,I have Loaded Berrys & Xtreme Plated Bullets But Prefer The Lead SWC 158 Grain Bullets (I Like The Way The Crimp is on The SWC Lead)

 

[cowboy4evr]

In the light weight revolvers ( airweights) I have found the 125 gr bullet , plated or cast on top of a load of titegroup powder (using current load data ) has been a very very nice load .
In using plated bullets , you can use the roll crimp die if you have to , just just a very very light crimp so you don't cut through the copper plating . Neck tension is what is holding the bullet in place so go easy with the expander die , just enough to " barely " start the bullet . Reloading is fun , go slow , learn well and enjoy .

 

[rwsmith]

Or the other way round......

Why not get the 357 mag die set. It will load 38 Spl just fine. That way if you ever get that caliber you don't have buy a 2nd set. I'd go with coated bullets 100% for any velocity under 1500 fps. Just use a lead hardness appropriate to the velocity. For small volume reloading the Lee single stage kit is great.

.38/.357 dies. Use as is for .38 special. Get a spacing ring to put under the die when you want to load .357.

 

[rwsmith]

Some calibers.....

I don't know that you'll ever really save money by reloading. Yes, the ammo you make will be much cheaper than factory stuff but once you factor in the equipment costs it may be more expensive to reload. On the other hand, it's a great hobby and very rewarding and well worth the expense of the equipment if you enjoy doing it.

For me 38 Special is pretty easy to reload. I'm using the Hornady die set where the seating and crimp is done on the same die. It's really easy to set up once you get the hang of it and so far the ammo I've turned out has been very accurate. I've also used Lee dies and they've been very good especially for the money.

9mm is so common and in such high production that it is cheap. I don't save much like that. The more expensive or 'odd' ammo like .357 or rifle ammo I definitely save money on. But as I said before. I reload on the cheap and don't buy everything that comes out.

 

[kbm6893]

Very true - and I have posted similar MANY times on MANY forums - get into reloading as an extension of your interest in shooting and NOT as a cost savings measure. The ability to tailor loads for particular uses is something you can never have by buying ammo. Also it sure was nice to have the components on hand when others were scrambling during the 'hard times'. Also it's nice to be able to 'knock out' a few hundred rounds in short order to go shooting and not have to chase around to buy ammo for an impromptu shooting session. However reloading is not for everybody and I have known more than a few who got into it and lost interest very quickly and sold their equipment. Either they were not really into shooting as much as they thought or simply were not 'wired' for the dedicated and procedural repetitiveness that reloading requires.

I gotta disagree. Reloading WILL save you money, especially in .38 Special. Nearly $50 for 100 factory loads vs $13 for reloads is $370 in savings in the first 1000 rounds. That will pay for the cost of press, dies, calipers, and scale. Not to mention making you immune to the next ammo shortage, which is why I started (after Newtown when nothing was on the shelves).

As for the Lee dies, I'm a pretty new reloader. Only load .38
And 9MM. And i use the Lee 4 die sets. Never an issue. I like the crimp die.

 

[rwsmith]

The cost of components.......

Brass is the most valuable part, which is why we like to reload.
Bullets range from about 8 cents to 30 cents or more primers are a few cents. Powder is a few cents.

Aside from this are equipment costs but hopefully nothing will have to be replaced.

Then there are some expendable items like case lube, etc.

When I was working I'd go buy a couple of boxes of ammmo, target and jhp type, nyclads if I wanted or anything. It was available and fairly cheap.

Being on disability income, I wouldn't be able to afford to shoot much.

 

[Jupiter01]

Hello;
Lots of good advice here! I wish I'd had something like the forums when I started loading. A can of powder, box of primers, 100 Speer bullets, a hammer, my Brother-in-Law's Lyman single digit reloading manual and his Lee Classic loader.

IMNHO, No manufacturer makes "bad" dies. They will all work, and make great ammo!
Carbide dies are a goodness!
Before I got my Lee FCD, about 20 % of my rounds would not chamber due to overcrimping. The FCD reduced that to about 5%.
Since I learned (again) to adjust my seat/crimp die, they now "plunk" like a Bullfrog off a hollow log! YMMV.

If your J frame is the 357 Magnum flavor, per an article in a recent HANDLOADER magazine, XTP bullets need about 850 fps to expand, which level may not be attainable with a 2" or shorter barrel, and recoil may be in the GRIM area, which does little for (my) accuracy. In that case, you may be happier with a full Wadcutter, or Semiwadcutter at lower velocities.
OTOH, you may like that sort of thing! More POWER to you!

There is no wrong way (except unsafely) to enjoy any hobby!

 

[fredj338]

Even if you spent $1200 on a dillon 650, shoot enough & you are way ahead in $$$, even if you only shoot 9mm. $1200 is only about 5500rds of decent factory ammo. So you would amortize your press setup in about 2yrs of shooting 500 a month. Just about every calibers reloads for 50% less than factory. Yeah, i dont save money reloading??

 

[Bohonkie]

Lots of good advice here. Saving money? Handloading doesn't save me money - just allows me to shoot a lot more! Same thing, I guess. The Lee 4-die set in 38/357 is a good one. I prefer to seat and crimp two separate stages and the Lee set allows you to do that. As for Berry's... fun stuff but make sure to follow load data for lead bullets (not jacketed) and, as with any other load, start low before working up. I heard a while back that Berry's was going to publish loads but I haven't followed up on that. My experience with Berry's is, for the most part, average accuracy but on at least one load horrible accuracy. To be fair, one load resulted in extremely good accuracy. So experiment a bit with them. Good luck!

 

[Wise_A]

Just about every calibers reloads for 50% less than factory. Yeah, i dont save money reloading??

The savings ranges from around 50% to 70% across the cartridges I load for, according to my spreadsheets. I account for gas, taxes, everything.

Unfortunately, this means I shoot 50-70% more. Which is what I believe poster Mistered was getting at. None of us really reduce our shooting budget--we just burn more powder.

What he's pointing out, I believe, is that some people get into reloading with unrealistic expectations. They read about some guy mentioning ammo costs him "4 cents a round" and fail to realize the dude's terrible at practical math. The guy's casting his own bullets from wheelweights he scavenged by driving around 4 hours a week to local garages, and using a passel of 250k primers he bought in 1976.

So yeah, you can "save" some pretty brutal money doing this. But ammo doesn't become free, and it takes time and effort, plus even more time and effort to develop the skills necessary to do it easily and well. You've got to enjoy reloading by itself, and work from there.

 

[kbm6893]

The savings ranges from around 50% to 70% across the cartridges I load for, according to my spreadsheets. I account for gas, taxes, everything.

Unfortunately, this means I shoot 50-70% more. Which is what I believe poster Mistered was getting at. None of us really reduce our shooting budget--we just burn more powder.

What he's pointing out, I believe, is that some people get into reloading with unrealistic expectations. They read about some guy mentioning ammo costs him "4 cents a round" and fail to realize the dude's terrible at practical math. The guy's casting his own bullets from wheelweights he scavenged by driving around 4 hours a week to local garages, and using a passel of 250k primers he bought in 1976.

So yeah, you can "save" some pretty brutal money doing this. But ammo doesn't become free, and it takes time and effort, plus even more time and effort to develop the skills necessary to do it easily and well. You've got to enjoy reloading by itself, and work from there.

My shooting has barely increased since I started reloading. 1500 rounds a year, max. I have made enough in the last three years to keep me shooting for the next several years at my rate. And I just keep making more. I reload to save money and to be immune from the next shortage.

After Newtown, I persuaded my wife to go shooting with me (finally!). We couldn't find any ammo in the stores for .38 or even 9MM. We ended up
Shooting a few boxes of premium carry ammo at paper. +P carry ammo isn't the best to get a nervous new shooter going. Never again!