Educate me on reloading please

[walt-oxie1]

Just on a whim I decided to buy one of the lee aniversary kits and have no clue as to what I am in for or what else to buy. I have no idea about powders either. Can I use one powder for everything I plan on reloading? How do you tell which primer sizes to use? What book or manual should I buy to start off with? Do they make reloading for dummies? If you can recomend what else I will need it will be greatly appreciated. I do have a good set of calipers (several actually and a new set in the marketplace:wink:). Which would be a good starter caliber? I plan on reloading/loading the following:
.223 or 5.56x45
7.62x39
7.62x54R
.30 carbine
30-30
.308 or 7.62x51
30-06
.303 british
45-70
9mm
45acp
8mm mauser
possibly more.

Here is a link to the kit I bought: http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1182408510.1268=/html/catalog/anivers.html

They are on sale at cabelas for $70.00.

Thanks in advance.

[rep30cal]

There are several good books out there on the correct and safe ways to
reload, get a couple and read, read and read some more. You will need several different powders for what you have listed, I highly suggest that
you pick one caliber and reload that one until you have the process down
and are comfortable that you are loading safe and tested rounds. Sorry,
I do not have the books with me to give you the titles, and .308 was the
first round that I ever reloaded and it was a good learning experience.
The only thing you will need that is not pictured is the correct
size shell holder for whichever cartridge you decide to load, the
ones in the picture are for the hand priming tool and a case lube pad would be nice. I started out with what you have there plus
what I said you need added to it and I got by just fine for many
years. You can upgrade after you learn but there are many
different oppinions on that also. Good Luck.

Be Warned, you are getting into an addictive hobby. :thumbup:

[Geilt]

Congrats on the Lee kit. Its one of the best deals to get your foot in the door on reloading. You'll learn a lot as you come up to speed on the steps you need to follow and, more importantly, the WHY you do things a certain way.

First, there's a good thread going which should answer most of your questions.

http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=1640

Also check out the sticky thread in this section for other good reloading sites.

Lee also has a book entitled "ABCs of Reloading" and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to get in to the hobby. It breaks the whole process down in to easy to understand steps. One nice feature is that it covers handgun, rifle and shotshell reloading without preference.

Also take the time to invest in, or at the very least borrow, other reloading manuals. I like the Sierra, Hornady, and some others. Visit the powder manufacturer websites and request information. They will normally send you data on their powders and their intended use.

You can quickly go poor if you try to buy everything you could potentially need for reloading all at once. Buy the bare necessities first, use it for a few months and then go back and think about what other tools you need.

[robocop10mm]

You are quite ambitious with that list of calibers. I hope I can give you some direction.
Primers. There are 4 basic sizes. small and large pistol, small and large rifle. there are some variations on most including magnum and bench rest (match).

Be careful to not mix them up. Small pistol and small rifle are the same size. The difference is in the thickness of the cup and the amount/intensity of the priming compound. Pistol primers are generally thinner than rifle. Small pistol magnum primers are more intense than regular ones. Small rifle primers are even more intense than small pistol magnum primers.

It is possible (sometimes) to use small rifle primers in place of small pistol primers BUT, NEVER use small pistol primers in rifles. EVER!

Large pistol and large rifle primers are never interchageable. The rifle primers are taller (even though the diameter is the same).

The primer will effect the pressures and velocities of the load. When you work up a load make sure you record what primer (manufacturer, size and type) you used to work up that load. ANY changes in the future will require you to re-work the load.

Powder. You have quite a variety of cartridges. The 9mm needs a fairly fast pistol powder. The larger rifles need a slower rifle powder.

I try to limit the number of different powders I use. I have to compromise a bit but I can buy the 4 or 8 pound kegs and save even more money.

I use Winchester 231 for almost all pistols from .32 acp to .45 colt. Red dot, Unique, 700X and others are also versatile. The only other pistol powder I use is Winchester 296 for magnum loads (.357, .41, .44) 296 requires a magnum primer. H-110 is comparable to 296.

For rifles I use Winchester 748. I load .223/5.56mm, .243, 7X57, 7.62X39, .308/7.62X51, .30-06 with it. If you are loading for a Garand do not use the 748.

For the .30 carbine 296 or IMR 4227 work well.

For my really high power/velocity rifles (.25-06, 7mm rem mag) I use different powders.

The .45-70 is a different animal entirely. IMR 3031 is the best choice for full power loads. I have had good success with IMR 4227 in reduced loads but these require a dacron filler on top of the powder charge.

You really have to ask yourself if you want to wring the most out of a particular gun/bullet/powder/primer combination or if you want a workable load that will work in a variety of guns.

Bottom line? Read at least one good book, maybe two or three to understand what you are dealing with. Reloading can be an addiction far more consuming than shooting. It can also be MUCH more dangerous if you are not well informed

[winky]

what you will need that the kit doesnt include is powder primers bullets and a set of dies for each caliber. If you buy lee dies the shell holders come with them unless you buy there budget line. There not bad dies so dont be afraid of the bargin price. Your best off starting with a rifle round. They only require to die set ups rather then the 3 a handgun does. The lee kit will come with a manual but id buy another. Either a speer, hornady or seirra. Lees arent bad but some of there stuff is dated. As to powders and primers the reloading books will give your the recomendations you want and under no circumstances listen to any recomendations for loads over the internet until youve got a few thousand rounds under your belt and you know a little about what your doing. It isnt rocket science and youll be loading good ammo the first day but you need to understand that what your doing can hurt or even kill you if you get stupid. Just take your time and look for quality rather then quantity at first. Be forewarned though its an addiction and within years you will have so much loading gear that you will come to realize it would have proably been cheaper just to buy ammo and if the bullet casting bug hits you you wil be in so deap that you might even consider selling your house to support your habbit!!!! Its about my favorite thing in life to do other then shooting and you will find in time that youd rather wear someone elses underware the shoot someone elses ammo.

[walt-oxie1]

I appreciate all the good information everybody has provided. I will buy the books that were recomended soon so I can learn further. I know there are alot of safety precautions and common sence that is involved. I just don't want to get hurt or worse while learning. I also do not want to damage my firearms either.

[Norton]

I don't see a case trimmer in the set, Maybe it's there and I just don't see it.
Having several types of primer pocket cleaners is a good idea also.
If you don't have access to a vibratory case cleaner.. try Case Bright liquid.
It is cheap and easy to use.
I like IMR 3031 for 7.62 NATO and 30 06 and IMR 4895 for other bolt action hunting rifles Hogdon H6 for pistols, IMR PB for cast loads. Geilt is right.. the ABCs of reloading is a great book.
But you can get free books from the powder makers such as IMR that show load data for their stuff.
Lymans reloading bible or (whatever it's is called) is a great book full of old fashioned tips that never go out of style.
Last find a good dry place to set up your press and lock up your Gunpowder..

You don't want Eddie Haskel messing around with your powder and primers!

[Geilt]

Most powder manufacturers will send you the marketing information on their powders for free. They don't include load information but they will give you a good idea of what powders work best for certain applications.

Hodgson also puts out an annual loading guide in magazine format which covers a hearty selection of calibers (rifle, pistol and shotgun) that focuses exclusively on all their powders. This should still be on the news stands at your better shops.

After buying some of the better reloading guides you can also look for the caliber specific guides published under the title "Load Books". These are small spiral bound manuals focusing on just one caliber but takes excerpts from other guides. Kind of like the old Cliff Notes versions of books we had to read in high school. Here's a link to the .223 Load Book;

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=360676

Like the old Cliff Notes versions of books, you don't get as much out of it as you would by reading from the source but does give a good general overview.

[Seattlefungus]

Walt, Walt, Walt... You've done did it. Reloading it the second greatest addiction! (Shooting Military Rifles & Pistols being the 1st.) Dude, you should of kept that caliper set you sold me!! Yes I stared slow too. 25 years ago. 1st, it was a Lee hand single loader for 30.06... Then, an RCBS single stage Rockchucker Jr. so I could load .38 and .45. Then I got a single stage Rockchucker Max, for Big rifle cartridges. But that wasn't enough... Then I had to get the Lee 1000 Progressive press, Then I had two of them. Justified because I was shooting PPC and SQC pistol... I had the Hornaday loading guide, The Serria, the CCI... Rotary case trimmer. Military brass de-swager... I was only deluding myself, I was in the downward sprial... Finally. I found myself with an eight foot bench. Four loaders on it. With a giant Blue Dillon 1050 right in the middle... I had to admit it and come to grips with the fact I was a load-aholic.

[winky]

those 1050s are sweet! Id love to have one. What i did was go another way. Ive got 5 square deals set up in the pistol calibers i use most and a 550 to do the rest. It saves me alot of time swapping caliber conversions. I can just leave the set up with the load i use the most and all a guy has to do is dump some powder and primers in it and go to town. Still want to at least get a 650 with a case feeder set up in 45 acp. That would save alot of time on my loading. Ive also got 2 singel stage o presses but there not used much anymore. Dont ask me how much ive spent on casting equiptment!!!!!!!!!!
Walt, Walt, Walt... You've done did it. Reloading it the second greatest addiction! (Shooting Military Rifles & Pistols being the 1st.) Dude, you should of kept that caliper set you sold me!! Yes I stared slow too. 25 years ago. 1st, it was a Lee hand single loader for 30.06... Then, an RCBS single stage Rockchucker Jr. so I could load .38 and .45. Then I got a single stage Rockchucker Max, for Big rifle cartridges. But that wasn't enough... Then I had to get the Lee 1000 Progressive press, Then I had two of them. Justified because I was shooting PPC and SQC pistol... I had the Hornaday loading guide, The Serria, the CCI... Rotary case trimmer. Military brass de-swager... I was only deluding myself, I was in the downward sprial... Finally. I found myself with an eight foot bench. Four loaders on it. With a giant Blue Dillon 1050 right in the middle... I had to admit it and come to grips with the fact I was a load-aholic.

[walt-oxie1]

Walt, Walt, Walt... You've done did it. Reloading it the second greatest addiction! (Shooting Military Rifles & Pistols being the 1st.) Dude, you should of kept that caliper set you sold me!!


I figured I would be in for a fulfilling hobby. That is why i decided to "roll my own" as they say. I am alright in the caliper department. I still have a few sets (another new one for sale actually). I guess I have alot of research ahead of me before I start.

[Seattlefungus]

What it really gets down to is what kind of shooting are you going to do... 20 to 40 rounds of prone or seated bench with a rifle. No problem with a single stage. Take you time. Look through the tables and read the load outs. Keep in mind that Serria makes a nice loading manual with Mil Spec loads... If you shoot an AR. The type of chamber can make a difference as well as the general table you use. I start at the lower range of the tables and work up the load. Not for max speed. I do it for comfort and accuracy and consistency in the performance. But if you like to go out and bump shoot or empty 8 or 9 30 rounders... A progressive type machine maybe in your future. I use them both. Single stage for bullseye shooting for quality control and progressive for quantity. The Dillon puts out both for large amounts of consistent reloads for practice and competition.. There are all kinds of tweaking you can do, use a chronograph, a shot timer, shell gages, micrometer adjustable dies, carbide dies, tumblers, some are gee whiz, some are very handy... I like to get a bunch of plastic 50 round ammo boxes, load a couple hundred of each handgun caliber to have on hand.. Get some of the plastic 20 round high power cases and load 80 or so single stage loaded ammo. keeping them handy. So what ever type of shooting I decide to do, I'm good to go. A tumbler is great, clean your brass right after the range and I put them in coffee cans until I decide to load them, I also sort by brand... You still have to check the brass for cracks, dents, signs of leaks by the primers or the primer flowing rearward out of the pocket (A sign of over pressure)... It can really add a interesting dimension to the shooting hobby...