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Paul B. · June 12, 2000, 04:11 PM

Faiello5. Congratulations on joining the ranks of the reloading clan.
I would get a case tumbler. Shiny brass is so pretty, and it does look professional.
My suggestion for powder is WW-231. It meters in a powder measure like pork fat through a goose. Flake powders such as Unique do not meter as well through powder measures. Scale check weights are a good idea, but if you want to save a few pennies, get several different bullet of known weight, and use those. Most electronic scales do come with two check weights for calibration. My RCBS did.
As to which bullet to use? I don't shoot pins so I cannot help you there. I cast my own, so if you can find bullets that match the Hensley & Gibbs #68, a 200 gr. bullet, you should get good results for plinking,target, and general all round fun use. Other bullets I cast are Lymans #452389, 185 gr. wadcutter. Very accurate in the .45's I have that will feed it. Lyman #452460, 200 gr. Only fair in my semi-autos, but shoots weel in a Ruger .45 Covertible with the ACP cylinder. RCBS #45-230-RN, a conventional 230 gr. round nose. Seems to duplicate hardball in most of my guns. All bullets are cast of wheel weight metal and have a BHN number around 12 to 15 depending on the age. A batch of WW metal I bought back in the early 1970's casts harder bullets than current WW metal. Both can be heat treated to BHN 27 to 31, but that is not neceassary for hand gun bullets, unless you are going for hot .44 Mag. loads.
Good luck on your new hobby, and I hope you get as many years enjoyment out of it as I have. I don't post loads on forums, but if you want them, you can E-mail me for what I have used.
Paul B.

June 12, 2000, 04:11 PM	#8
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Faiello5. Congratulations on joining the ranks of the reloading clan. I would get a case tumbler. Shiny brass is so pretty, and it does look professional. My suggestion for powder is WW-231. It meters in a powder measure like pork fat through a goose. Flake powders such as Unique do not meter as well through powder measures. Scale check weights are a good idea, but if you want to save a few pennies, get several different bullet of known weight, and use those. Most electronic scales do come with two check weights for calibration. My RCBS did. As to which bullet to use? I don't shoot pins so I cannot help you there. I cast my own, so if you can find bullets that match the Hensley & Gibbs #68, a 200 gr. bullet, you should get good results for plinking,target, and general all round fun use. Other bullets I cast are Lymans #452389, 185 gr. wadcutter. Very accurate in the .45's I have that will feed it. Lyman #452460, 200 gr. Only fair in my semi-autos, but shoots weel in a Ruger .45 Covertible with the ACP cylinder. RCBS #45-230-RN, a conventional 230 gr. round nose. Seems to duplicate hardball in most of my guns. All bullets are cast of wheel weight metal and have a BHN number around 12 to 15 depending on the age. A batch of WW metal I bought back in the early 1970's casts harder bullets than current WW metal. Both can be heat treated to BHN 27 to 31, but that is not neceassary for hand gun bullets, unless you are going for hot .44 Mag. loads. Good luck on your new hobby, and I hope you get as many years enjoyment out of it as I have. I don't post loads on forums, but if you want them, you can E-mail me for what I have used. Paul B.