Forgive me if these have been asked...

[carprivershooter]

There has been a lot of good information for you from this forum. I has been reloding about a year now. I reload 45 acp, 40 cal, 9 mm and 357 and 38 spl. I started reloading and still use a Lee turuit press. I talked to people read books and magazines, searched the internet. I have one reloading manual, but I also get data from the different powder makers and bullet makers. Bullet wieghts I feel are based on what you plan to use the bullet for. I am a person that has a CCW and carry everyday so I practice with a bullet and powder charge the I carry with. I carry a 45 ACP loaded with a 230 grain bullet jacketed hollow point, So i partice with 230 bullet round nosed copper plated. Copper plated bullets are reliable, low cost easy on the barrel and have no lead fouling or polluation to worry about. I think I invested maybe $220 when I started the press, powder, primers and bullets and a book.I added different calibers as i went along.Its fun, relaxing. it allows me to shoot more often. I control the process. Get what you can afford. get the hang of the process and see if you like it. Don't forget a work surface. I had to mod and old computer desk. And use the internet look for forums this one.

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day, I'm new to this reloading myself. Before I even purchased a center fire, I got the SPEER reloading manual #11 (it was on the shelf at the local firearms dealer). I used this to help decide on the caliber to get (.270 win). That was about 13 years ago, I have only just got reloading equipment about three month ago. I went for a Lee anniversary kit from Cabelas. It has all the things I needed to get started except caliber specific items.
listed are things NOT in the kit.
1, dies
2, case holder for press
3, case length gauge and shell holder (for trimming)
4, bullet puller (not absolutely necessary)
5, vernier, micrometer
6, reloading manual
7, brass
8, primers
9, powder
10, projectiles
11, experience

[sob (sweet ole bill)]

Been using Lee Classic for 30+ years. rifle=2 pistol=4 shotgun=2
The next problem will be the first one. As far as I'm concerned, you will not find a better setup for less money.
The only drawback is that you will not be able to crank out high volumes of ammo. (unless you live at the reload bench)
SOB

[Hey_Allen]

Another option, if you're still in the market: look on Craigslist.org or similar sites in your area.

I've seen entire reloading benches go up for sale in my area, for a fraction of the new value.
Either someone got out of reloading, someone inherited from a family member, but things go for sale, often with the desire to get them out of the way.

I got my RCBS rock chucker for half the cost of a new one, and definitely in usable condition. It's not necessarily the cheapest way to get into reloading, but it'll do for my aims (including large rifle calibers).

Heh, being repetitive: read, read, and read more.
It sounds like you like to learn from others mistakes and experience, which saves money for you, both in tools and hospital bills!

Happy loading, happy shooting, and best of luck in whatever route you choose.

[CPTMurdoc30]

And now I am confused. Because I don't yet have a manual, I don't really know A) how to select which powder I want, B) how to select which bullet I want (weight, really...I know what style and material bullets I like)...and...
my last question is, C) is there a place to get smaller amounts of primers? Midway sells them in 500 and thousand counts, I think, and that's a significant cost - like a hundred bones for the small batch.

So, if anyone can give me A, B, or C, I'd be grateful. I'm curious...but my wallet, she's a-thin.

A) how to select which powder I want: This is eally determined by A) what cartridge you are loading and B) what bullet your loading.

So your going to load 357 and 45acp for starting out I would use H4227, W296, H110 in the 357mag and HS-6 in the 45acp. As these fill the case more and reduce your chance to get a double charge and blow your and off. (Your triple load buddy is going to kill himself oneday). Everyone has their favorite powder mine is titegroup in the 45acp. I have about 6# of it in the reloading room.

B) how to select which bullet I want (weight, really...I know what style and material bullets I like)

This one I just use the normal bullet. for the 357 mag I would start with the 158gr lead or 158gr HP. Once I get comfortable with that then maybe go with 125gr or 170gr dino stomper bullets. For the 45acp I like the 200gr Rainer Plated bullets. If you want load 185gr or 230gr which are the std loads. I like titegroup n the 45 but this leaves a rather large volume for mistakes a double or tripple charge can fit in the case. Bullets are either A) lead, B) copper, C) both.

C) is there a place to get smaller amounts of primers?

If you are going to buy in smaller than 1000 batches of primers I would get them from the local gunstore. I personaly don't buy less than 1000 primers at one time. This is up to you but to start out I would jsut buy powder and primers at your local mom and pop gun store. Your going to pay more but you get to ask questions and then you get to look at guns as well. Then again with the $20 hazmat fee it might be cheaper.

I know my Gander mtn and other gun stores offer primers by the box (100 ct).

[Starvingboy]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but the powder will often have the reloading data on the label. Says what caliber, bullet weight to use, everything.

Also, my library had a good book on Reloading. I picked up my lee pro-1000 with dies by mistake on Ebay. Cost me $40. I was trying to get a cheap single stage press and goofed. Turned out to be a happy mistake. I love the progressive and don't see how people have the patience to build one cartridge at a time.

Anyway, a cheap scale ($20?) is a good peace of mind that you're not overloading. Digital calipers can be had for $6 at Harbor Freight. My lee stuff has the reloading data and cartridge info with it, and if not, they sell it for $1. I tumbled the brass in the dryer using a pillow case full of corn cob cat litter while the wife was away. Then I sifted brass with the kitchen strainer, washed it in the sink, and dried it in the oven using a cookie sheet. LOW $$

[44Magnum]

I wouldn't be using that strainer for food ever again....

[kyle663]

i started out with a lee classic kit too and still use it. comes with everything but the dies and book. if you live in central mo bass pro in columbia, cabelo's and bps in st louis and both in kc. personally i preffer cabelo's they have more reloading selection and ask the guy in that section he should be able to answer alot of your questions. happy reloading

[Hook686]

I have two Hand presses. I found these a very nice mobile single stage press ... beat the snot out of the Lyman 310 Tong Tool, which I always saw as far superior to the 'Lee Pound it with a Hammer Tool'.

I found the Lee Carbide Speed Dies worked very well with this press, though a regular 4 die Carbide set for .357 magnum and a 3 die Carbide set for 9mm work just fine also. The Carbide set avoids the need to lube the cases while reloading.

I have two Hand Presses simply because I like to go faster than a single stage goes, but not as fast as a progressive. I like to see each case have the approximate correct powder in it before seating the bullet. Loading 50 cases with powder, after de-priming 50 cases, and then priming and opening the neck for those 50 cases, bothers me.

I prefer to clean, de-prime, re-size, prime, and open the neck of 50 cases and then add the measured powder, seat the bullet, and then crimp each cartridge one at a time.

I've read too many posts of folks that have a squib round (load without a full charge of powder, or even no powder). I prefer to see the approximate correct level of powder in the case and then seat the bullet without putting the case down.

The Hand Press is quite economical, useful even if you get a replace fixed station press later and I think more enjoyable than wacking at ones ammunition with a hammer.

One thing to keep in mind is ... if you use the powder measures, you will need some way to get the measured powder into the shell case without spilling it ... ie) a funnel works well. I found the powder dippers and funnel set cost about as much as the Lee powder drop.

I started loading .357 magnum with the Hand Press, Carbide Speed die set, scale, micrometer, powder drop, at a cost of about $90 new.

Good luck.

[WESHOOT2]

1) Wear safety glasses, without exception.

2) The dippers are fine.

3) Wear a glove on the hand holding the rod when you hammer the primer in.

4) Your friend is not well-informed, nor knowledgeable, nor right; he is wrong.


NEVER be afraid to ask ANY question: [email protected]




(hurry up and get started so you can shoot more...)

[BigJakeJ1s]

Opinions differ, but I believe it is difficult to tell visually if you have the correct amount of powder in one case. It is much easier to see differences in the amount of powder when comparing two or several charged cases side by side. This is the reason most people, myself included, like to charge all 50, 100, or 200 cases at a time, setting them in loading blocks where they can all be seen, and looking for cases that have more or less powder than their neighbors.

Looking at cases one after the other, if I've switched presses or dies twice, added a bullet, seated it, etc. between checking them, diminishes my ability to tell if there is a difference between them. At least on a fully progressive press, you are checking the powder level in the same case position after every pull of the handle, and most progressive press models can be used with a powder check die to help out.

Andy

[T. O'Heir]

"...he tests this from time to time..." He's an unsafe idiot. Stay away from him when he's shooting anything.
"...The dippers are fine..." Lee dippers can vary the powder charge plus or minus a full grain. And for completely unknown reasons are calibrated in CC's. CC's are not a standard measure for anything firearm related. You will not find them in any loading manual. They're ok to get close and finish with a trickler, but they're useless for loading by themselves.
"...a place to get smaller amounts of primers?..." Your local gun shop will sell 'em in 100 packs.
"...got my RCBS rock chucker for half the cost of a new one..." Used RCBS kit isn't a bad thing. RCBS' warrantee is for their kit, period. Have any problems and they'll fix it with a phone call. Even if you buy used.
Go buy a copy of The ABC's of Reloading. Then look into an RCBS Beginner's Kit. Gives you every thing you need less dies and shell holder.

[Bullet94]

govmule84

I’ve got a couple of extra reloading manuals. Which brand of bullets are you planning to use?

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

And for completely unknown reasons are calibrated in CC's. CC's are not a standard measure for anything firearm related.

G'day this statement got me thinking. It took me a while to get the information to post. I think this might clarify things a little.

It would be difficult to measure the volume of one grain of powder and not very precisely. However, it is very easy to weigh a large sample of known volume and calculate
the volume of a single grain.
To find the exact volume of a single grain of your powder, set your powder measure to any setting, preferably a large whole number such as 4.00 or 5.00.
Weigh a sample. Divide the micrometer setting by this weight to find volume of a single grain of the powder you're testing. Mark this number on the powder container and you'll have it for reference in the future. Average of several samples increases accuracy and confidence.

Micrometer setting
Grains weight of sample = setting for one grain (cc) (VMD)

In a perfect world you would never again have to weigh a charge for this container of powder. However, if anything can go wrong it will at the worst possible time. For this reason, we strongly urge you to check your charge with a scale every time you reset your measure.
Grain, Granules and Cubic Centimeters
The grain, as used to measure gunpowder, should not be confused with a granule or kernel of powder.
A grain was so named because it was the weight measure equal to one plump grain of wheat. A grain is a grain is a grain whether using avoirdupois, troy or apothecaries weight. The re-loader uses the avoirdupois system where there are 7,000 grains or 16 ounces to one pound. The same system we use daily
in the USA to buy and sell gunpowder, steak, potatoes, etc.
A centimeter is .3937 of an inch.
There are over 16 cubic centimeters to one cubic inch.
A liter is 1000 cubic centimeters and will hold I kilo of water. A cubic centimeter of water weighs one gram or 15.432 grains.
grams x 15.432 = grains
grains / 15.432 = grams




Lee Safety Powder Scale
Magnetically damped and Approach-to-weight

Safety and accuracy are the most important features. Easy to read and set. Calibrated with weights traceable to the UNITED STATES BUREAU OF STANDARDS. Even if you already own a combination bullet and powder scale, you will want a Lee Safety Powder Scale.
90681 31.98
Volume Measure Density (VMD) Volume of • Grain of Powder
This is a term we use to describe the average volume of one grain of a specific powder when metered by the
average re-loader.
The chart below is that part of a cubic centimeter that is needed to hold one grain of the powder specified.
Cubic centimeter was selected as a standard not only because that is what the powder companies use, but a
cubic inch is a comparatively large unit. To obtain the same degree of accuracy, it would be necessary to carry
the number out two extra places.
To find the volume needed for any charge, simply multiply the charge in grains by the number behind the
powder you are using. It is then easy to set your measure to that number.
ACCURATE VMD VMD VMD VMD
A NITR0 100 .1349 A-XMR-2015 .0730 A-XMR-2495 .0748 A-XMR-3100 .0748
A-XMR-4064 .0755 A-XMR-4350 .0740 ACC MAG PRO .0663 ACC XMP5744 .0751
ACCUR #2 .0838 ACCUR #5 .0623 ACCUR #7 .0653 ACCUR #9 .0657
ACCUR 1680 .0655 ACCUR 2200 .0694 ACCUR 2230 .0657 ACCUR 2460 .0656
ACCUR 2520 .0683 ACCUR 2700 .0685 ACCUR 8700 .0688 PEARL SCOT .1333
ROYAL SCOT .1587 SOLO 1000 .1331 SOLO 1250 .1220 SOLO 1500 .1099
ALLlANT VMD VMD VMD VMD
ALLlANT STEEL .1063 ALNT 410 .0804 ALNT E3 .1489 AMER-SELECT .1341
BLUE DOT .0865 BULLS EYE .1064 GREEN DOT .1262 HERC 2400 .0742
HERCO .1122 POWER PISTOL .0889 RED DOT .1413 RELODER 10 .0746
RELODER 25 .0707 RELODER 7 .0728 RELODER12 .0691 RELODER15 .0706
RELODER19 .0706 RELODER22 .0697 UNIQUE .1092
HODGDON VMD VMD VMD VMD
BENCHMARK .0715 BL-C(2) .0645 CLAYS .1462 H 50 BMG .0694
H LIL GUN .0678 H RETUMBO .0721 H TRAP100 .1171 H-PYRDX RS .0811
H-PYRODX P .0823 H-VARGET .0731 H1000 .0713 H110 .0656
H322 .0725 H335 .0645 H380 .0691 H414 .0661
H4198 .0750 H4227 .0769 H4350 .0725 H450 .0653
H4831 .0725 H4895 .0728 H870 .0686 HP38 .0926
HS6 .0712 HS7 .0680 INTERNATIONAL.1266 LONGSHOT .0824
PYRODEX CTG .1014 TITEGROUP .0847 TlTEWAD .1300 UNIVERSAL .1099
IMR VMD VMD VMD VMD
IMR 700X .1343 IMR 800X .1071 IMRPB .1205 IMR TRAIL BOS .2172
IMR3031 .0762 IMR4064 .0745 IMR4198 .0792 IMR4227 .0769
IMR4320 .0716 IMR4350 .0735 IMR4831 .0735 IMR4895 .0728
IMR7828 .0725 SR4756 .1100 SR4759 .0993 SR7625 .1046
MULWEX VMD VMD VMD VMD
AR2205 .0741 AR2206 .0714 AR2207 .0759 AR2208 .0725
AR2209 .0713 AR2213 .0686 AS50 .1208



NORMA
VMD VMD VMD VMD
NORMA 200 .0677 NORMA 201 .0691 NORMA 2010 .1434 NORMA 2020 .1208
NORMA 203 .0691 NORMA 204 .0677 NORMA 205 .0672
RAM SHOT VMD VMD VMD VMD
R COMPETITION .1278 R ENFORCER .0693 R SILHOUETIE .0796 R TRUE BLUE .0684
RAM BIG GAME .0708 RAM MAGNUM .0661 RAM TAC .0671 RAM ZIP .0816
X-TERMINATER .0681
SOUTH AFRICA VMD VMD VMD VMD
MP200 .0892 MS200 .1061
VECTAN VMD VMD VMD VMD
VEC AO .1196 VEC BA10 .1350 VEC BA9 .0919 VEC SP10 .0668
VEC SP3 .0682 VEC SP7 .0658 VEC SP8 .0682 VEC SP9 .0682
VEC TU2000 .0762 VEC TU5000 .0720 VEC TU7000 .0704 VEC TU8000 .0704
VIHTAVUORI VMD VMD VMD VMD
v-3N37 .0913 v-N105 .0900 v-N110 .0833 v-N120 .0776
v-N130 .0754 v-N133 .0770 v-N135 .0777 v-N140 .0733
v-N150 .0746 v-N160 .0734 v-N165 .0712 v-N170 .0713
v-N310 .1214 v-N320 .1210 v-N330 .1079 v-N340 .1066
v-N350 .0977 v-N540 .0701 v-N550 .0692 v-N560 .0690
WINCHESTER VMD VMD VMD VMD
WIN 231 .0931 WIN 296 .0656 WIN 452AA .1171 WIN 473AA .0975
WIN 540 .0683 WIN 571 .0680 WIN 630 .0666 WIN 680 .0655
WIN 748 .0655 WIN 760 .0666 WIN AA PLUS .1296 WIN ACTION PI .0810
WIN MAG RIFLE .0718 wSUPER-FLD .0840 wSUPER-LIT .0847 wSUPER-TAR .1205
Copyright 12-14-2005 Lee Precision, Inc.
These numbers are approximate. To find out the exact volume of any powder see CALIBRATING
YOUR POWDER. It is so very easy to do and saves a great deal of time when setting your measure.
LEE LEE PRECISION, INC.
4275 Hwy. U, Hartford WI 53027
PRINTED IN THE USA www.leepreclslon.com

I apologize if the powder graph does not turn out properly. I'm still learning my way around the computer. If you want me to re do any part just PM me and I can e-mail it to you.