help please Im new at this

[shadowrcb2]

I have a new PT840 taurus 40 S&W and love shooting it so much Ive decided to start reloading, well that and since both the walmarts and all of my local outfitters and firearms stores were completly out of 40 cal for over a week. So I bought what I thought was everything I needed first was a Lee loadmaster 40s&w press (from wideners which is here where I live heres a link
http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.c...ir=210|212|237
) then I read up alot on diffrent types of powder decided on IMR SR4756. I also Bought Speer 155 gr TMJ Bullets using federal brass and winchester primers wsp for now. I would like to use federal primers aswell but my lee load master instructions and my modern reloading say not to use them in a lee auto prime. Is that ture?. LOL got side tracked Now for the reason Im here after I bought everything for my rounds I started to look up load data for my stuff and I cant find load data for those bullets with that powder. any help will be appriceated and any extra hints tips tricks and such that your willing to share with my Id love to hear them

Thank you all for reading. R.C. Bowers II Petty Officer Third Class USN
"Recite the Sailor's Creed" I am a United States Sailor. I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me. I represent the fighting spirit of the navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world. I proudly serve my countrys navy combat team with Honor Courage and Commitment. I am commited to excellence and the fair treatment of all.,US Navy: Semper Fortis ("Always Strong"),

[CWPinSC]

Lee is fussy about the type of primer because the Lee Auto-prime is a piece of junk. You'll be far better (and faster) using a hand-held primer to prime off the press. Jusst mo opinion.

[jmortimer]

Don't listen to ignorant opinions. The Lee Auto Prime is a fantastic tool and highly rated by people who know what they are doing. For $12.00 it is worth every penny. I can prime 100 rounds in about five minutes. Just grease the contact points and it takes no effort at all. If you take the time to read Modern Reloading by Richard Lee he explains in great detail why Lee Precision does not recommend the use of Federal primers in bulk priming equipment. They can and have cause chain explosions and I have seen the pictures of the results. Would not want to be around when that happens. I use CCI and Winchester. No problem

[old_folks]

I threw my Lee Auto Prime hand primer away. It's plastic and had too much give in it. It would not seat the primers deep enough, thus, leaving high primers. Just my 2 cents worth. And, no, i'm not a newbie. 50+ yrs of reloading experience.

Stay safe...enjoy your reloading

[snuffy]

Lee is fussy about the type of primer because the Lee Auto-prime is a piece of junk. You'll be far better (and faster) using a hand-held primer to prime off the press. Just mo opinion.

Get your terminology straight before offering advice! This is a lee auto-prime;



It would be used to hand prime off-press. As far as the whole tray of primers chain firing, I suppose anything is possible, just highly unlikely.

Shadowrcb2, why on earth did you start with a progressive? Did you learn to drive in a nascar stockcar? The learning curve is steep enough when going from single stage loaders to a progressive, but starting out on a progressive will be very difficult. Then to buy a Lee progressive, which has a lot of quirks, is over the top!

I can't give you ANY advice on the lee loadmaster, I've never even touched one. I use a LOT of lee equipment, but when I went to a true progressive, I went to a Dillon 650.

[Unclenick]

Lots of folks load Federal in them anyway without a hitch, but the sympathetic detonation issue is real, if rare. The simple precaution to take is just put 10 at a time in the thing instead of a whole box of 100. Read this thread.

[Huskerguy]

It is a proven work horse. I have two and although you can spend more and get something a bit more substantial, these work fine. I also did not realize there are a multitude of adjustments as the Lee factory person related to me in an email.

I have reloaded for several years and have a 40 S&W with dies, brass, powder and bullets. I have read enough to know that the pressures in the 40 can be extreme and one really needs to be careful on this one. Best of luck

[shadowrcb2]

Thanks for your replys

Here is the actual question i had which had nothing to do with my primers or my press

you would have seen my real question was that im looking for load data for a speer 155gr TMJ using IMR SR4756 powder as i have not been able to find any



Now the reason I bought a progressive first is so as not to have to buy another one later down the road and i have an rcbs single stage that was given to me by my grandfather just before he died. i had been helping him prep bullets for reloading and running them thorough his press as quality time with him for years before i went to the navy but he didnt load 40 cal and since i had never really expressed an intrest out loud to him about learning all the ins and out of this he never showed me more then heres how to set the press and run the rounds i was never allowed to charge for him that was his domain he refused to use digi scales loved his blade so id really like help not told how wrong i am i have a decent enough background to figure out about anything on my own but am smart enough to ask for help when i know i need it a little background on me i have been a mason(as in masonry not the brotherhood) i have been a diesel mechanic i have been a Machinists i have been a die setter with TPI corp i have my pilots license and i have been a MAA (Navy MP) in the navy as well as the last 2 years as an AT(Avionics Tech) I have had a multitude of job exp due to the area i lived and the fact i worked for alot of unsucessful small business owners that were quality men and good at there trade but were to nice to own a business and gave people to many breakes on price and under bid themselves out of business or larger companies that have laid off in the thousands all these jobs i had at least
1.5+ years working at them.[B][U]My real question wasnt reguarding the primers just got a little side tracked [U][B] to those of you who were nice enough to reply without trying to tell me how i screwed up or what i did wrong Thank you again very much for the ones who wanted to speed read and not try to help just waisting my time if you would have read the rest of my post you would have seen my real question instead of focusing on one part and not both please go somewhere else since you cant be helpful as far as the lee auto primes being junk RCBS seems to like it since they are using the lee patent to produce their version

now that being said if those who are willing to be helpful could please reply and the critics keep to yourselves id love to here your replys thoughts and ideas

Thanks again R.C. Bowers II Petty officer Third Class USN

[Unclenick]

Not speed reading, or all the information would have been absorbed. It's skimming. I think you have to assume you will get that. I write a lot of relatively long responses, but lots of folks never read more than 10% of one. I see them repeat things I've already said in later posts in the same thread.

Many just don't have the time to invest in reading in detail. To try to get through as many posts as they can within their time constraint, they just look for a key sentence in each paragraph. They don't expect two key sentences in the same paragraph. That almost guarantees some misreads.

In school, I was taught a good psychological strategy for getting concise answers is to give each question its own paragraph. If possible, make it just one sentence of 21 words or fewer. (I forget why 21 was a magic number, but psychologically, it is; or at least it was 40 years ago). The composition window has a tool for bulleting and numbering, and those can help segregate questions in people's minds.

The Speer manual doesn't list a 4756 load. The closest load Information I see is for the Hornady 155 grain XTP, which Hodgdon lists at 1.125" COL in a Hornady case with Winchester SP primer. It has a starting load of 7.9 grains and a maximum of 8.4 grains. Since Speer uses 1.200" COL with their bullet, at the Speer length those loads should be safe and you may be able to work up a couple of tenths higher? Just keep watching for pressure signs.

[Lost Sheep]

Welcome to the forum, shadowrcb2.

Your question received a pretty extensive treatment on this thread:

http://forums.handloads.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=16800
or, if the link does not work, paste this into your web browser
forums.handloads.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=16800

Please do not let the unsolicited advice get under your skin. You've been around long enough to be acquainted with different personality types and to give a wide berth to people you don't know. So, please forgive my unsolicited advice.

If you would like to hear my reasoning on why learning to reload (including priming and charging the cases) on a single-stage press rather than on a progressive is generally considered to safer, just ask.

Lost Sheep

p.s. (added by edit). Unclenick posted while I was composing. I would like to second everything he said.

[alan]

shadowrcb2

I do NOT load for the 40 S & W round, load everything else I shoot, 30-06, 7.62 mm NATO, 45ACP, 38 Special, 9mm Makarov, 9mm Luger, so you may take my comments for whatever you think they might be worth.

As to the powder you purchased, why that particular number. If I remember correctly, 4756 was a rifle powder. Re loads for the 40 S&W round, how many loading manuals have you looked at? Unless 4756 is an "off the wall" item, very unusual, I would think that most manuals would show something with it. Also, there are a series of Load Data Cards made up by caliber, that cover a quite wide variety of powders and bullets. I believe they are available from Mid Way, try midwayusa.com or look them up on Google. One might also ask why the 40 S & W in the first place, though here we get into personal preferences, and purely subjective considerations.

As to the press you use, I used an RCBS JR. Press for years, loading thousands of rifle and pistol rounds on it. If you set things up properly, the necessary die changes are minimized, not eliminated, but certainly minimized.

Re Lee Press, I've heard people sware by them and then other people sware at them. I use a Dillon 550, that I purchased roughly 30 years ago, early 1980's. While it is not automatic advance, it works quite well, has been very reliable, and Dillon's After Sale Service is without comparison.
Thery have gone up considerably in price, but you might find one worth while. Your purse might be the deciding factor here. You can use Dillon dies or ANY standard reloading dies (7/8 x 14 TPI) Try looking at ebay.com

Good luck.

[Lost Sheep]

I found this on the web with a search for "IMR SR4756"

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Hodgdon%20Basic%20Manual.pdf
if the link does not work, paste this into your browser
hodgdon.com/PDF/Hodgdon%20Basic%20Manual.pdf

I clipped the text below directly from the .pdf loading manual found there.


SR 4756™ This fine-grained, easy-metering propellant has long been a favorite of upland and waterfowl handloaders. Top velocities with great patterns are legendary. Like 800-X, SR 4756 performs extremely well in the big handgun cartridges. Always a top choice.

40 S&W CASE: HORNADY
BBL: 4" PR: WINCHESTER SP
WARNING: This data is intended for use in firearms with barrels which fully support the cartridge in the chamber. Use of this data in firearms which do not fully support the cartridge may result in bulged cases, ruptured cases, case head separation, or other condition which may result in damage to the firearm and/or result in injury or death of the shooter and/or bystanders. Check with your firearm manufacturer if in doubt.


135 GR. NOS JHP COL: 1.125"
SR 4756 6.6 1018 28,800 PSI

180 GR. HDY XTP COL: 1.125"
SR 4756 6.6 1018 28,800 PSI

200 GR. HDY XTP COL: 1.125"
SR 4756 5.5 910 32,900 PSI

Lost Sheep

and I found some more:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/27379973/i...dloaders-guide
or if the link does not work...
scribd.com/doc/27379973/imr-handloaders-guide

The closest thing I found there to a 155 grain FMJ is 7.8 grains, 1195 fps, 32700 psi shooting a Sierra 150 grain JHP out of a 4" barrel, 1.125" C.O.L.

Please go to the web site and read it for yourself, as I can not guarantee (and will not be responsible) if I transcribe something wrong or got mixed up on the wrong paragraph. I checked it twice, but you never know. I'm a bit dyslexic, which makes me prone to transcription error.

[Jim243]

Shadowrcb2

Welcome aboard, it will take a little time to get your sea legs with the Loadmaster but will be fine and ship shape in no time.

Yes you can use federal primers with the primer feed on your press, I would recommend you purchase the explosion guard

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=533868

it goes on your press between the primer feed and you and it's only $4.99 that way if you do set one off you will be fine and not hirt.

As to loads for the powder you have Lost Sheep has given the load. But I would suggest you look for Win 231 powder (it is getting harder to find). I do not like using Shotgun powder for my pistol loads, but many do. The Win 231 is a ball powder and will measure better and more accurate out of the powder measure on your press (Lee Pro Auto-disk).

Again welcome and welcome to reloading.
Jim

[shadowrcb2]

unclenick Lost sheep and alan thanks alot for your replies lots of good info

[shadowrcb2]

Thanks to jim as well you were posting as i was thanking the other and yeah ill get my sea legs soon enough.

[Shane Tuttle]

Let's make a deal, shadow.

You work on your sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation so reading your posts aren't so painful. Others will work on answering the questions you pose.

Deal?


Now, back to the topic at hand. Lost Sheep provided what I was going to suggest. Hodgdon has a pretty good load data base that would give some guidelines to start. Sometimes, you won't find the exact bullet being used. The best you can do is find an average from three sources and load on the low side.

[Jim Watson]

It's too late now, but for the benefit of other new loaders, the FIRST purchase should be the manual. Then you can buy components you have load data for.

Do be careful.
I would not load any heavier than what was required to function the action.

[shadowrcb2]

yeah i can do a bit more work on it structure spelling and punctuation were never my strong suite and im a typo machine

And i had 2 manuals first one given when my grandfather died ( modern reloading) and the other is the one from imr .Where i screwed up was wideners was out of the remington bullets i was after and the speer 155 gr were the only 40 cal fmj's they had so thats what i settled for a mistake i wont repeat

[Lost Sheep]

Tuttle8

Let's make a deal, shadow.

You work on your sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation so reading your posts aren't so painful. Others will work on answering the questions you pose.

Deal?

Tuttle8,

Yeah, I noticed that, too. I believe the writing style is called "Stream of Consciousness" and brought to its highest form in James Joyce's Ulysses (1922) and Finnegans Wake (1939), though Jack Kerouac's On the Road (1951-1957) may be more readable.

However, our own WildAlaska has brought a new dimension to the form with his signatures, which not only do away with punctuation, but spaces, as well.

I should probably apologize for going so completely off-topic, but it's Saturday night, I think I finally got my Networking problems partly fixed and I'm feeling my oats.

All the foregoing is in a light-hearted mood and mostly in jest, so no offense is intended, and, I hope, not taken.

Good night, God Bless, and take care not to pinch your fingers in your press.

Lost Sheep

[Jim243]

Shadowrcb2

Don't worry about the typing, some of us just get up on the wrong side of the bed, or forget to goto bed sometimes.

We have all been there as to purchasing bullets we can not find a load for. (bad grammer I know). What I did was buy Hornady's "7th edition Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading", I use their bullets 99 % of the time, so finding a load is a bit easyier (spelling problem), but I still check it out with two other books (Lyman's 49th edition and Hogdgon's website or 2010 paper back Annual Manual ($8.95)) since I use their powder 95% of the time.

The trick is to buy bullets that you have load data for. This is not always the case. I am looking at Rocky Mt. bullets for a bulk purchase and I know there is (are) no specific (I wish there was a spell checker on this site) load data on. Then you just have to go with a general load for that type and weight bullet, start low and build up your charge 0.2 of a grain at a time (big pain but works). (yes, I know the period belongs on the inside of the perentheses, but don't care.) Then I will use Lyman's book (less mfg bullet specific) and just try to match weight and bullet type (HP, FMJ, RN, Etc...)


What ever you do have fun doing it or it's too much like work.

Good Luck and stay safe.
Jim

[alan]

Jim243 writes, among other things:

(I wish there was a spell checker on this site)

Aside from the fact that my typing is terrible, once upon a time it wasn't but that was years almost beyond count ago, my spelling or what passes therefore, see rotten typing, gets rather arcane, tending to stump the average spell checking software. note the following.

Try typing your post as an email, use the email blank. Your email program likely has a spell check function built in. Having checked spelling there, copy and paste the text to wherever you want to post it.

Another approach is as follows, should your email program lack a spell checker. Go ahead and type the post, with whatever spelling errors might be entailed. Once done, RIGHT CLICK the text, you might have to highlight it first. Click CUT, it will disappear but it's still available. Click on Microsofft Works Word Processor, you might have to click START to get there. I assume you have it on your machine. Click PASTE, then TOOLS, then SPELLING AND GRAMMAR. After spell check is completed, click CUT. Then at bottom of your screen, click Firingline, if that's where you were going to post, then click PASTE, and there you are, your post spell checked. Sounds laborious, but actually it goes quite quickly once you have done it once or twice.

I never heard of Rocky Mt. Bullets, are they cast or jacketed? Would you provide a web address please?