Reloading Advice

[Bkreutz]

Yes, start with a couple of manuals and imagine there may be some youtube videos that show the process.

If you don't know someone who can go over the steps in how to do it, check around locally at places like shooting ranges, gun clubs, hunting and gun related stores to see if they know of a class being offered.

Is it required to take a course, no, but having a mentor can make it go a bit smoother and inspire confidence.

I'm in favor of having a mentor as well. We all know most shooters like to talk about anything shooting and handloaders like talking and showing off their stuff even more. I've had a number of new handloaders come over and watch what I do and ask questions. They haven't always bought the same equipment and used the same processes that I do, but that's OK too, I've told them about different methods and equipment during their "introduction" and they were able to make intelligent choices. I feel good about passing on the knowledge and passion of handloading. I've also made some lasting friendships doing this. Ask around, I'm pretty sure you'll find some handloaders willing to share their knowledge with you.

 

[Wheeler57]

I am sure there is a wealth of videos on youtube. Watching a video often is helpful because you can watch the process you are reading about in the manuals.
I bought a Dillon 550 and as a novice me and my buddy made 500 in an hour the day after we put it together. We do 38 and 9mm so far. And we are not fast both because we are novices and because we are extra careful to get it right since we are not experienced.
Also, you will find everybody has a different opinion about what components to use. Due to the time I started there were limited choices ( you know, the shortage)so I had to use what I could find. So far I just used the manuals that had the data for the components I bought and everything has turned out well.
Good luck

 

[metalman60]

Your Request for Advice-

Start with one well known book, say from RCBS. Get a single stage press, and buy a very good scale. Add to this a Redding 3BR powder measure.

Everything else will fall into place. Use the book and well known powders.
You will have fun.

 

[fredj338]

FWIW, I was in the same boat a year ago. The first thing I bought was powder. It was already drying up, and I didn't want to be stuck when I was finally ready. The next thing was primers, though those seem more available now.

I had a goal in mind (.44 Mag max loads), used freely available load data, forums, etc, to get a list of suitable powders, and then bought when something from that list was available. I didn't buy a press and such until about 4 months later, at which point pistol powder was all but impossible to find.

So, my two cents, if you want to start gathering stuff but aren't quite ready to buy everything, start by gathering the things that are hard to find, as they will take the most time. The day you are ready to take the plunge, you won't have trouble buying a manual or a press or whatever.

I caution against buying powders on the fly like that. Sure, if it's something common, you might be ok, but without some study & knowledge of load data, just buying powder can get you stuck with something not suitable for your eventual needs. Even when things are really short, you can often find something powder wise to load with. Primers are about the only thing I can recommend being bought in advance. There just isn't a lot of diff between brands, especially if you are working up loads from scratch anyway. Plus, I don't care how much powder you have. you aren't loading a single round w/o primers. I can always find a powder to make do, but you MUST have primers, lots & lots of primers.

 

[fredj338]

Start with one well known book, say from RCBS. Get a single stage press, and buy a very good scale. Add to this a Redding 3BR powder measure.

Everything else will fall into place. Use the book and well known powders.
You will have fun.

Back in the day I would have said buy a good ss press. Today, with more options, I would say it depends. If you are loading for handgun or feeding an ar, a ss press gets old fast. So a Lee Classic turret or the Dillon 550B makes a ton of sense. You can run them both a single round at a time. The 550B has the advantage of being a full on progressive once the learning curve has been flattened. Think of the 550B as in inverted turret press in the beginning.

 

[YNC(AW) TangoCharlie]

At the present time, I'm confident that I'll only be loading handgun rounds (starting with 9mm/.380). Being relatively new shooters, the wife and I want to get proficient on these calibers, by shooting them exclusively before deciding what comes next. That being said we've decided on a progressive press with the idea of starting the learning curve by reloading one round at a time in the very beginning.

Without starting a "color war" the only thing we need to decide is if we're Team Red or Team Blue. I've read and researched as much of the pros and cons of each as I can find and I find I flip-flop daily.

 

[smokindog]

Then pick one and get a move on! Take Welsh up on his offer first

At the present time, I'm confident that I'll only be loading handgun rounds (starting with 9mm/.380). Being relatively new shooters, the wife and I want to get proficient on these calibers, by shooting them exclusively before deciding what comes next. That being said we've decided on a progressive press with the idea of starting the learning curve by reloading one round at a time in the very beginning.

Without starting a "color war" the only thing we need to decide is if we're Team Red or Team Blue. I've read and researched as much of the pros and cons of each as I can find and I find I flip-flop daily.

 

[NJM15]

Need the advice of the seasoned reloaders out there. I've been on the fence about reloading ammo as a hobby so my wife and I can shoot more when we go to the range, and for our EDCs.

My wife and I took a reloading class last week and I now have been bitten by the bug. Presently we're only shooting .380 and 9mm, but as we get more experience we would probably add calibers to that list.

My question is now that I have the bug...where to begin? Should I start by reading Reload Manuals (if so, which ones) or should I start picking up supplies where I can get them at a reasonable price?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Happy Holidays to all!!

If you've never reloaded before, read ,study, ask people that do reload I have been loading .223, 9mm and 40 cal for about two years did it originally to save some money, the prices have dropped since then. Now I load Colt 45's and Sig 357 they are still up there in price. One more thing be careful, very careful and concentrate when loading, usually you wont find a mistake till your shooting

 

[novalty]

It is hard making a decision on presses given the number of options. I have a Dillon 550 which I switched to from a Redding T7, that had a RCBS Uniflow set up with Case Activated Powder linkage kit. I liked the turret setup as I was used to a single stage, and it allowed me to have my 3 pistol calibers set up at once (see below). However, I didn't care for adjusting the Case Activated linkage when switching between calibers. Yes, I could have bought more powder dies and linkage kits, but then they are about $100 combined--plus really cramped working space on top of the turret.


I got a good deal on my Dillon 550, which allowed me to make the change from the Redding T7 without much additional investment...until I bought the caliber conversion kits, and additional toolheads. I like that the 550 is manual indexing, as it isn't much of a change between it and the T7--basically just rotating a shellplate instead of a turret head with added priming feature.

Really still haven't put much mileage on the Dillon 550, and my initial impression, is that I preferred the drum style powder dispenser of the Uniflow with Case Activation kit for powder dispensing, instead of the sliding powder bar of the Dillon. Felt the charge weights were more consistent--but my last batch of 9mm on the Dillon was did good.

I think a definite pro for the Hornady is the Lock N Load system of secure the dies--which allows you to use the same toolhead--but will require you buy LNL Bushings for all your dies.

I believe each press will keep up with your ammo demands, and I don't think you will go wrong either way. There are plenty of videos on YouTube, with helpful tips & tricks for each press--as each does have it's own little quirks. Which ever one you do get I would suggest getting a light kit for the shellplate area: either the Light Strips for the Hornady LNL AP, or the Skylight from Inline Fabrications for the Dillon 550.

Best of luck, and hope you are able to start reloading soon!

 

[Bkreutz]

At the present time, I'm confident that I'll only be loading handgun rounds (starting with 9mm/.380). Being relatively new shooters, the wife and I want to get proficient on these calibers, by shooting them exclusively before deciding what comes next. That being said we've decided on a progressive press with the idea of starting the learning curve by reloading one round at a time in the very beginning.

Without starting a "color war" the only thing we need to decide is if we're Team Red or Team Blue. I've read and researched as much of the pros and cons of each as I can find and I find I flip-flop daily.

One thing to consider when making the color choice is "What brand do the competition shooters use?" These are the guys (and gals) that spend bunches of money and time to be the best and won't accept any compromises. The latest figures I find (4th quarter IDPA Tactical Journal) show 95% Blue, 4.5% Red, and .5% everything else. A lot depends on how many rounds you load per week. During the season, I normally load between 900 and 1200 rounds per week.

All that said, any of the brands will work, some just work easier and faster than others.

 

[YNC(AW) TangoCharlie]

Then pick one and get a move on! Take Welsh up on his offer first

I've already spoken to Welsh and thanked him for his gracious offer. I'm still in the infancy stage (asking lots of questions, and studying the manuals), and will gladly take him up on the offer as I get closer to the purchasing stage.

Again, thanks to everyone who took the time to walk me through the process. I'm sure after the purchase there will be many more questions to come.

 

[smokindog]

OK, last commercial then I load for 9, 40, 45, 45C, and 223 on a LNL. Feel free to PM questions and good luck. As others have said, pick what works for you and enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkHbMaGr30Q

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/406473-so-youre-thinking-about-getting-into-reloading.html

I've already spoken to Welsh and thanked him for his gracious offer. I'm still in the infancy stage (asking lots of questions, and studying the manuals), and will gladly take him up on the offer as I get closer to the purchasing stage.

Again, thanks to everyone who took the time to walk me through the process. I'm sure after the purchase there will be many more questions to come.

 

[hanno]

When you start loading, keep a log of every loading session and print a label for each batch. The log and label don't have to be fancy but should contain all the information you think will be helpful at the range and in the future. At a minimum, they should have the date loaded, case used, primer used, bullet type and weight, powder type and grains per load.

 

[Petrov]

First of all, start with a single stage press. There is always a use for a single stage press even if you get a progressive later on.

I would also suggeste these 2 books:
ABC's of reloading The ABCs Of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert: Rodney James: 9781440213960: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fVqjMi0rL.@@AMEPARAM@@51fVqjMi0rL

and Reloading for handgunners
Reloading for Handgunners: Patrick Sweeney: 9781440217708: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/512z%2B-luEWL.@@AMEPARAM@@512z%2B-luEWL

 

[Petrov]

Also I would suggest that you get a set of calipers, doesnt have to be fancy and expensive can be something like this:
Frankford Arsenal Electronic Caliper 6 SS


I would also get a bullet puller to check your work and examine mistakes.

 

[fredj338]

One thing to consider when making the color choice is "What brand do the competition shooters use?" These are the guys (and gals) that spend bunches of money and time to be the best and won't accept any compromises. The latest figures I find (4th quarter IDPA Tactical Journal) show 95% Blue, 4.5% Red, and .5% everything else. A lot depends on how many rounds you load per week. During the season, I normally load between 900 and 1200 rounds per week.

All that said, any of the brands will work, some just work easier and faster than others.

I recently posted this on another forum. "What does it mean"? Serious competitive shooters, those not sponsored with free ammo, will use the best equip available. With that large a percentage, tough to say anyone can say their other color is better. There is a reason so many buy Blue, even if they are a bit over priced. The important thing though is to get started, pick what ever color you want & go. Things aren't going to get cheaper.

 

[Petrov]

They go blue because they DO wear out their presses and Dillon has a no BS warranty and an excellent costumer service.

 

[fredj338]

They go blue because they DO wear out their presses and Dillon has a no BS warranty and an excellent costumer service.

Actually, but for LEE, I have never had issues getting other brands repaired or parts replaced, even if I broke it. It's one thing that other industries, especially the auto industry, could take note of. It makes for happy, repeat customers.

 

[aurora40]

I caution against buying powders on the fly like that. Sure, if it's something common, you might be ok, but without some study & knowledge of load data, just buying powder can get you stuck with something not suitable for your eventual needs. Even when things are really short, you can often find something powder wise to load with.

You must have had an entirely different experience than I for the last year or so. For many people, myself included, powders were basically impossible to come by new.

That said, yes it would be idiotic to walk into some store and say "I'd like to reload, please sell me some powder". The OP has already identified he wants to load .380 and 9mm. One can identify several powders that would work well in that application by reading freely available reloading data from powder manufacturers. Then one can create a list of powders to keep an eye out for if they become available for purchase.

 

[EugeneNine]

I've consolidated the load data from Lee, Hornady, etc all onto one spreadsheet and sync a copy on my phone so if I'm in a store and they happen to have powder I can just open my sheet and see if I have a load for it.
Made up my own labels too.