Reloading for dummies

[lordhedgwich]

So i recently picked up a carcano in 7.35x51 I have another thread here about it and im thinking about getting into reloading but I have no idea what i would need or how to do it. I found this on jg sales
http://www.jgsales.com/lee-50th-anni...s-p-48626.html

would this work? is that everything i would need? thanks guys

[allaroundhunter]

Once you get that you will need dies, a shell holder (or 2), and components (brass, bullets, powder, primers).

And of course you'll need a place to mount the press.

[lordhedgwich]

A good link for shell holders? Im looking to reload 7.35 carcano, 8x56r, 8mm mauser, and 7.62x25 other than primers, brass, dies, and bullets this is pretty much what i would need?

[tahunua001]

lee is your cheapest option but I would go with RCBS, they are probably your best compromise between quality and price. usually with oddballs like 7.35 you are financially restricted to lee dies unless you want to spend $100+ on a set of them. lee dies will still fit in RBCS presses but tend to oversize your casings and they wear out faster, how much faster I can not say but it is a challenge to get some of my 6.5 jap casings through my sizing die.

there are lots of youtube videos out there and RCBS sells kits much like the lee kit with everything you'd need to get going.

dillon is about as good as you can get but their stuff is pricey so I tend to recommend RCBS.


your biggest problem is going to be getting reloading information for them. 7.35 is not going to be found in most reloading manuals so you'll more than likely be forced to spend lots of time practicing google-fu and trying to find something that you can use. one thing I've noticed is that a lot of the recipes you find on forums like this one are well beyond recommended maximums and given the weak carcano action that could prove disastrous so you might want to back off a grain or two on your powders.

lastly, be very careful what powder you use. there are dozens of manufacturers and they all have their own designations which sometimes overlap. Hogdon 4895 is not the same thing as IMR 4895 and so on so be careful what you buy and use in your loads.

[lordhedgwich]

Should i buy primed brass? or unprimed?

[allaroundhunter]

If you buy primed brass online then you may have to pay a $30 hazmat fee, I'm not sure. I just buy unprimed brass because using a different primer causes a load to shoot differently. So if you sight in with that primed brass and then use a different primer when you reload the case again then your POI will probably be slightly different.

[tahunua001]

unprimed is usually a better deal. the best deal I've found is to get the cheapest ammo you can possibly find that is boxerprimed not berdan(berdan is non reloadable without special attention and is mostly used in military surplus) and shoot that up while building your reloading supplies then reload using your spent brass.

[AL45]

I have a single stage Lee press and Lee 7.35mm dies. My Lee manual shows reloading data for the 7.35mm and the dies came with reloading information. I have a set of Lee dippers for the powder and will use H4895 powder for my first reloads. I also use a funnel, scale, calipers and hand primer. I have about 250.00 invested in reloading tools and currently reload .45 Colt, .308 and 7.35mm. It is a simple and slow set up, but it works fine. Eventually you will need a case trimmer as well.

[tahunua001]

I've found that lee data is kindof useless. the stuff that comes with dies calls for powders that none of my LGS, including big box stores ever have on hand. in addition I have heard that some some cartridges they just take a similar cartridge and cut and paste the data, such as as 8x56R where the starting loads are too anemic and causes problems because they use the same information as 8x57 mauser.

also, the use of lee scoops is something I would never do nor recommend. very imprecise and can lead to a very wide standard deviation which gives both the chance of squibs as well as receiver failures, especially on a gun with weak action and progressive rifle twist.

powder measurers and scales are the the best and safest way to go.

[AL45]

I agree that the load data and 1 dipper that comes with the dies does limit you. You need a few manuals. As to the accuracy of the dippers, they tend to throw a few tenths of a grain under what they claim, which is hardly a dangerous situation. They are all I have ever used and so far I have never had a failure. I do weigh each charge on hot loads and I plan on sticking with loads in the 30,000 cups range even though the Carcano is supposed to handle loads in the 40,000 range.

[tahunua001]

the problem is that powder volume does not equal powder mass. for instance you can stuff somewhere near 50grs of IMR4064 into a 30-06 casing yet if you were to use trail boss powder you couldn't even stuff 20. there is no way that lee scoops can be accurate for all types or powder within even half a grain+/-.

[AL45]

The Lee dipper set comes with a chart which tells you the number of grains each dipper will throw with each powder. You select the correct dipper for the load and powder you are using and sometimes you have to use multiple dippers. There are indeed many loads that you can't duplicate, so you have to use a scale and weigh them. It may be a poor man's way of reloading, but it is actually accurate and very safe. The dipper will always throw very close to the same amount if you use the same dipping technique each time. I have found that even if you change scooping techniques, you are never off by more than 3 or 4 tenths of a grain.

[PzGren]

I would start with a good reloading handbook, like Lyman, and make sure, that I would understand how to properly size and trim the brass. There are many other variables that will come into play when you want to get an accurate rifle load.

[CowTowner]

There's a sticky in the Handloading forum that every new reloader should read. You can find it here: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230171
I covers the equipment you'll need which includes manuals.

[Farmland]

Just a little about the Lee 50th Anniversary kit. To be honest it is a bargain and will get the job done. I had one that I sold about three years ago on this site.

It is light weight but will stand up for demanding reloading. In fact I kept the primer and still use it over my Hornady.

At the time I needed a single stage press and this was given to me. I sold it and bought the Lee Classic Cast press.

For the money it can't be beat as a kit. Plus it will also give you time to see if you like reloading then you can build from this set. If you find reloading isn't for you then your investment is small.

[FortressOfTears]

I started with the Lyman T-mag II Kit for 400 bucks or so. It gives you most everything you need to get started, as well as the book. You would still need dies and shellholders, and i would recommend a different priming method than the lyman press's method (i use the Lee hand primer with no serious complaints).

I also got this book and enjoyed it for the very nice summary view for a beginner:

The Beginner's Guide to Reloading Ammunition: With Space and Money Saving Tips for Apartment Dwellers and Those on a Budget [Paperback]

for $10 it saved me a lot of time and worry over missing some important step that i didn't find in scouring the internet for beginner's tips.

[SIGSHR]

Not "Reloading for dummies"-"Reloading for Beginners"-which we all were once. I am a graduate of the School of Lee Loader.
Dippers are easy enough to make, an old case with a used primer in the primer hole, heavy wire for a handle, grind them down till they throw the charge you want, then label correctly.
I will try to dig it out,I think my 1972 issue of the Lyman handbook has reloading info for 7.35 Carcano.
Yes,the kits are a wise purchase,give you everyhing you need to get started.

[Doby45]

There is no "Reloading for Dummies" as dummies should not be reloading. Pick up a few manuals and go over them, especially with your more "exotic" cartridge.