Newbie Interested In Beginner Reloading

[muddocktor]

Hell, if you lived anywhere within 150 miles of my house I would give you a perfectly working Pacific 007 press, which is a predecessor to the Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic press. I upgraded to a Redding T-7 turret press and it's just sitting there under my bench gathering dust and waiting for a new reloader to gift it to. But shipping would probably be a bit much, so that's why I would rather give it to a local new reloader.

 

[Wise_A]

Seen more than one plastic frame pistol KB with a double charge of fast powder. A steel frame gun may just blow grips off but seen cracked frames there too. A doubke charge of BE is probably responsible for blown 38 tjan anything else. Though TG is rapidly taking apart guns a ross yhe country from double charges.

So we've migrated from "2.8 of BE in a .38Spl" to "fast powders in general". Mm'k. Couple fun things, cuz I'm such a fun guy.

*The "fast powders" thing is just so much boo-hoo and old hat. Don't like 'em? Fine. Let the rest of us live in peace, as they do a bunch of cool stuff.

*The NRA investigated back in the day and found the "double and a couple thou too deep" thing, which is where most of the whining originates from.

*Those "blown guns" commonly attributed to double charges are quite commonly caused by bullet setback. Same thing happens with cheap factory ammo pretty regularly.

*Don't tell the IPSC/IDPA/SC guys about TG "rapidly taking apart guns across the country".

*The hell does this have to do with anything?

 

[Imissedagain]

Setback

One would think that a beginner ...learning about loading ....would benefit with case trimming skills ...which might be ...never worked in a munitions factory ... a step in manufacturing quality ammo.

Later on they can wing it.
The only thing better than BE is more BE or ...N320 in 380 is sublime.

The OP should pour out some powders and ignite them just to see how they burn and the residue.

Three pounds of BE, Unique and 4198.... poured into three letters on our street... July 4th... decades ago.... gave my neighbors a smile. Next morning when a patrol car rolled by I pointed to my ATF neighbor and said.... he and his Cop buddies made me do it.
..But it was a lesson... Powder 101.

 

[roundgun]

I've been reloading for only 6 months and I love it. One thing you will notice is the reloading community is very generous with their knowledge and resources. Regardless what set up you choose to start with you will find assembling ammo very rewarding. I find my self staring less at a glowing screen in the evenings and more time with my kids as we build ammo. I recommend this activity to anyone who can respect the safety issues. You will become an asset to your family, neighbors, and community with your ability to provide knowledge and ammo from your labors. I suggest loading for your 357 first as it will be easier than the 380 due to physical size, read being able to view powder charge. Good luck and welcome to the reloading family.

 

[Imissedagain]

I've been reloading for only 6 months and I love it. One thing you will notice is the reloading community is very generous with their knowledge and resources. Regardless what set up you choose to start with you will find assembling ammo very rewarding. I find my self staring less at a glowing screen in the evenings and more time with my kids as we build ammo. I recommend this activity to anyone who can respect the safety issues. You will become an asset to your family, neighbors, and community with your ability to provide knowledge and ammo from your labors. I suggest loading for your 357 first as it will be easier than the 380 due to physical size, read being able to view powder charge. Good luck and welcome to the reloading family.

Roger that!
A Well Regulated family activity.... as is learning to tie your own tackle.... occasionally “load” development as well... in hindsight.

 

[Wise_A]

One would think that a beginner ...learning about loading ....would benefit with case trimming skills ...which might be ...never worked in a munitions factory ... a step in manufacturing quality ammo.

Later on they can wing it.

It's not going to teach anything besides turning a crank.

.38, .357, and .380 are not going to stretch very much(or shrink, depending on what you believe). Failing to trim cases for those cartridges will not impede function. It will not provide any better accuracy with mixed brass. You could do it entirely wrong, and nothing noticeable would happen.

All it will do is cause OP, who has already stated that budget is an issue, to drop $100 or more on a trimmer and deburr/chamfer tool.

 

[Imissedagain]

The current Lee #90685 is an aluminum frame.
Will load 25 458WinMags and 25 460S&W Mags ASAP.
Sized/deprimed two Hornady once fired cases with RCBS carbides.

Lee makes simple hand case trimmers .... check Brownells.

My boy’s Marine Gunnery Sergeant buddy will not tech code for machining until they get the feel of operating manually.
The wives are skilled veterinary surgeons who, despite what cheapo doctors do, operating tools and areas are sterile.

Threads give people options, both technically correct and philosophically diverse..... they can decide how to Run.

Have fun
Stay safe

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I have finished reading the Lee reloading book, yet did not see an answer to this question. If you were to reload standard presure loads using the Lee data, dippers, etc, how long will the brass last? How many times on average can you reload it before it becomes unsafe?

 

[arjay]

Brass from low pressure pistol rounds lasts a very long time.The case mouth will eventually develop cracks and then you can just toss them.Bottleneck rifle brass does wear out sooner and you need to watch for a bright ring just above the webbing.Toss them when that shows up

 

[Wise_A]

I have finished reading the Lee reloading book, yet did not see an answer to this question. If you were to reload standard presure loads using the Lee data, dippers, etc, how long will the brass last? How many times on average can you reload it before it becomes unsafe?

You could shoot .38 Spl until the headstamp wears off. People actually have. The limiting factor wouldn't even be the pressure of the load, in most cases (a few cases are going to split prematurely, right down the side). What will actually can the brass is the amount of case mouth expansion and crimp you apply. The case mouth will work-harden and split. Ever straighten a paperclip, and then bent it repeatedly until it broke? That's work-hardening in action.

I believe Guns and Ammo did a test with .38 Spl brass once, starting with a batch of ammo and dies set up to work the brass as little as possible. That took too long, so they resorted to just firing and reloading the same case repeatedly. I can't remember precisely, but I believe they loaded that one case 120-130 times before it finally cracked at the mouth.

.45 ACP will last until the headstamp is illegible from ejector scars. Probably ditto with .380. I don't even bother to track that brass, I figure I lose enough to keep my brass "fresh".

Rifle is a different matter, as the pressure causes brass to flow from the base to the mouth. That's why brass needs to be trimmed (depending on a bunch of things, including cartridge design...some rifle cartridges rarely, if ever, need to be trimmed). After a given number of trims, enough metal has migrated out of the base that the case will fail.

 

[Engineer1911]

It is worth repeating ! !

Before I trimmed all my 357 mag and 44 mag brass, I frequently had to force a case out of the cylinder. Sometimes that case did not slide easily into the shell holder.

After I trimmed all my magnum brass, I never had another stuck case and crimps were all consistent. I did not deburr any of the case mouths, sizer die removed outside burr, flaring the case mouth removed inside burr.

I have also measured slow case growth on my 45-70 brass. I trimmed once with no more problems. I have posted this several times in the past regarding trimming straight wall cases. I have never trimmed 9 MM, 40 S&W, or 45 ACP brass.

QUOTE:

I had this set-up when I was a geo-bachelor for a while. I washed my brass in a bucket. I had my press bolted to a 2x4 that I clamped to the table. For basic, straight-wall stuff, it was completely adequate.
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QUOTE


NOBODY, I mean NOBODY can reload quality accurate ammo with a reloading set-up this simple. You gots to have more STUFF ! ! ! Equipment manufacturers will go out of business if you keep thins this simple.

 

[Wise_A]

How is trimming the brass going to help it get into the shell holder? For that matter, what could trimming fix that would cause extraction difficulty, but not attendant loading difficulty?

I suspect you either had a bullet issue, or more likely, an issue with seating depth. Shortening the case slightly "fixed" an issue while keeping the same OAL, but you probably could have gotten the same result out of turning a knob.

I know because I made a batch of .38 Spls exactly like that, so I stopped seating the bullets so deep and the problem went away.