The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old January 9, 2013, 05:03 PM   #1
WiggyHD
Junior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2013
Posts: 6
Just found this site!

After some reading, I thought I would introduce myself. I am just starting to get ready to start reloading. My wife bought me some stuff at a yard sale including: RCBS Special 5 press kit that includes a 505 scale, primer tray, case lube pad, a 22-45 cal funnel, a dial caliper case length gage, a case loading block, and some hammer looking thing that is clear green plastic. In the basket of stuff, there was also a die set for a .32 Win Special, a Lee Auto Prime, a 2 Vol set of Hornady 4th edition, a Speer Reloading manual, assorted bullets (no of which I will use), shot (for 12 gage), and a bag of 100 wads.

To go with the wads, there was a MEC 650N progressive reloader that neither the press nor the attachments look like they have been used. My wife just stumbles onto these things. She paid $100 for all of it so I would spend more time in my shop and save money at the same time.

I also found a Lyman Reloading and cast bullet guide for getting started in reloading and casting.

I know there are newer offerings of these books, but do I need to go to the expense, or will these get me going? I will be reloading: 45 ACP, 357 mag, 380 auto, 223/5.56 NATO, 300 Win Mag, and since I have the equipment, 12 gage. I will be doing some reading on here and in whatever books you suggest. I have already found that sometimes it will be cheaper to buy some bullets in a box and reload them versus buying new cases?

THANKS!
Mark
WiggyHD is offline  
Old January 9, 2013, 05:06 PM   #2
RobertInIowa
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 4, 2012
Location: Iowa
Posts: 149
Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you've got a good start on things. You'll find a lot of useful information using our search feature and library as well as the forum conversations. Happy handloading!
__________________
Guns don't kill people, fathers with pretty daughters do.
Two wrongs don't make a right, but three comes pretty close.
Proud NRA member
RobertInIowa is offline  
Old January 9, 2013, 06:58 PM   #3
serf 'rett
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 25, 2009
Location: Stuttgart, AR
Posts: 1,569
Welcome to the forum.

Looks like your wife got a good deal. Hornady's currently printing their 9th edition while Speer is on their 14th.

You may want to update with a couple of new manuals which would have some newer calibers, powers, tests, etc. Many folks recommend Lyman's 49th edition as a good manual.

Some online information is available from powder makers, but I find this information can be limited.
__________________
A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.
serf 'rett is offline  
Old January 9, 2013, 07:19 PM   #4
BigD_in_FL
Junior member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2012
Location: The "Gunshine State"
Posts: 1,981
Shotgun reloading is different than metallic so make sure you have a manual for that as well.
BigD_in_FL is offline  
Old January 9, 2013, 10:04 PM   #5
WiggyHD
Junior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2013
Posts: 6
Amazon here I come! Thanks for the guidance!

Mark
WiggyHD is offline  
Old January 9, 2013, 10:30 PM   #6
CharlieDeltaJuliet
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 25, 2012
Posts: 755
Welcome. Yeah like others have said, sounds like you have a good start.. If you have any questions, please ask, and if you get a chance email,write or call your reps about gun legislation... Sorry don't mean to sound pushy but we all need to. Thanks and again, welcome Wiggy
__________________
" The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to
keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect
themselves against tyranny in Government.
..." - Thomas Jefferson
CharlieDeltaJuliet is offline  
Old January 10, 2013, 03:51 PM   #7
math teacher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 5, 2012
Location: Southwest WA Coast
Posts: 558
The hammer looking thing is likely a bullet puller.
math teacher is offline  
Old January 10, 2013, 04:07 PM   #8
chris in va
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 26, 2004
Location: Louisville KY
Posts: 13,804
That 'hammer looking thing' will be your best friend when you screw up and need to disassemble all those bad rounds you made. Trust me, I know.

Couple of suggestions.

1. Reloading is absurdly addictive. Don't be tempted to make 200 rounds before you even fire them. Make ten at a time, put them in a baggie with a brief description of the powder, charge weight and OAL. That way if/when they don't function right you'll only be out that ten. By all means try a few different loads, just don't go making hundreds until you see what works in YOUR gun.

2. Start with 45acp. Arguably the easiest round to reload for as no trimming is involved and placing that big fat bullet on the case couldn't be easier. Skip rifle and shotgun loads until you get someone to show you how.

3. Controversial, but consider using a Lee Factory Crimp Die. It'll make SURE all your rounds will fit the chamber. It can't compensate for bad OAL lengths, that is your responsibility.
chris in va is offline  
Old January 10, 2013, 09:16 PM   #9
abelacres
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 5, 2010
Location: Jackson County Florida
Posts: 207
If you don't have any experince reloading I would suggest reading the ABCs Of Reloading

Sent from my TB782B using Tapatalk 2
abelacres is offline  
Old January 31, 2013, 12:37 PM   #10
WiggyHD
Junior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2013
Posts: 6
Sorry so long. Migraines....

I finally found somebody local (small town) that has been reloading for decades. He is going to help me design a good, funtional, and moveable table. If you all have some pics of your workstations that you are willing to send me for ideas, please do. In exchange for homemade BBQ and homemade wine, he will come over and guide me until he feels comfortable with my progress. He also runs the reloading section of a local farm store. Good advice about keeping track of loads and how that load shoots. I am going to get a 5 section spiral notebook to get me started, then, I will do spreadsheets for each caliber.

THANKS!
Mark
WiggyHD is offline  
Old January 31, 2013, 04:50 PM   #11
rlc323
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 23, 2013
Location: Forgottonia, Il
Posts: 217
Looks like you found the right guy to get you started off.

Your wife deserves something nice for Valentines coming up because you got way, way, over $100 worth of gear in that deal.

Last edited by rlc323; February 1, 2013 at 11:08 AM.
rlc323 is offline  
Old January 31, 2013, 08:21 PM   #12
WiggyHD
Junior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2013
Posts: 6
Yeah, she's a keeper!

Mark
WiggyHD is offline  
Old February 1, 2013, 10:37 PM   #13
Lost Sheep
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 24, 2009
Location: Anchorage Alaska
Posts: 3,341
Books are forever

The manuals you have are good forever. The early chapters of almost all manuals contain descriptions of and instruction on the loading process. This has not changed much at all in the past 90 to 100 years (since the popularity of smokeless powder supplanted black powder). So, read those chapters of the manuals you have first. Reading different writing styles will broaden your view and expose you to different areas of emphasis.

Having a mentor, you are miles ahead of most beginning reloaders. Lucky you.

The load recipes in the older manuals should be checked against newer manuals, as the formulations of propellants (gunpowders) have evolved over the years and more modern measuring methods have suggested changes for reasons of safety. ALWAYS compare load recipes from different sources and pay attention to the test gun from which they were fired. Every ballistics lab is different.

The 505 and the MEC are well worth the entire purchase price. Your wife is a good shopper.

Congratulations and welcome.

Lost Sheep
Lost Sheep is offline  
Old February 2, 2013, 12:35 AM   #14
j357
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 25, 2009
Location: Liberty Twp, OH
Posts: 283
Benches, we dont need no stinking Benches -Pics of Benches

I would call some of these works of art!
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231150
j357 is offline  
Old February 2, 2013, 08:54 AM   #15
bubbacrabb
Member
 
Join Date: April 7, 2011
Posts: 35
While a manual is handy, I've found I rarely use one anymore. I usually just go the powder manufactures website and use that load data.
bubbacrabb is offline  
Old February 2, 2013, 01:07 PM   #16
CherokeeT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 23, 2008
Location: Medina, Ohio
Posts: 273
Your wife got you a whole set up for $100 - great deal, and a great wife. Read a lot and ask questions here if needed. Having someone local to guide you is geat. Get busy and enjoy it....
__________________
God Bless America
US Army, NRA Endowment
TSRA Life, SASS
CherokeeT is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:16 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.06329 seconds with 10 queries