Reloading for first timer

Yoby · Apr 18, 2018

So Sunday my wife decided she had to sit me down and ask what was going on. Well the blunt of the story is cabin fever and lack of hunting and fishing through the fall/winter. I asked her if I could get a new obsession to dick around with and lo and behold I am looking at reloading stuff.

SOOOO.... what is recommended for a beginner reloader? Plan on reloading for my .308, wifes 243, and .40, 9mm, and envision a 300 winmag in my future.

Kurtr · Apr 18, 2018

lots of money and time it is fun and addictive. i have a rock chucker press from rcbs and like it. Dies i have a bunch of this is a never ending rabbit hole. to start one of the kits would probably be the way to go

PrairieGhost · Apr 18, 2018

I agree you will save money buying a kit. If you want quality it's hard to beat the RCBS Rockchucker kit. I would pay a little more and get the one with the digital scale.
You will find powders that will reload the 243, 308, and 300 mag, but performance will suffer if you don't purchase powders best for each caliber. It will be much easier to find a powder that works very well for both the 9mm and the 40 cal.

Many people get into reloading to save money. That will not last long because you will start to reload high quality for performance. I have boxes of bullets laying around not being used because I went to better quality. I think I have about twelve boxes each of Berger VLD and Hornady ELD-X. I maybe better clarify something. People who purchase the $16 308 factory ammo will start out shooting for equal quality for $10 a box. Soon they will find themselves loading for $20 per box, so they spend more that way, but to get the same quality factory ammo they would be paying $40 a box. So yes you will spend more than now perhaps, but you will save a lot compared to premium ammunition. If you don't want to spend that much purchase in bulk. For example you can easily pay $25 for 100 bullets, but purchase 1000 for $140. One of my favorite bullets for the 9mm is the inexpensive 147 gr HP by Rainier. My XDM competition shoots them better than any other bullet. I get a 1000 on sale for just over $100.

Thanks for the opportunity to try be helpful to someone today.

AR-15 · Apr 18, 2018

I have reloaded since i was 14 yrs old, now 65, have had alot of fun, many calibers, now have a Redding T7 and a Lee classic turret, go at it slowly don't turn it into a job, get a good reloading manual, YouTube has a lot of good reloading videos, still learning, just going to start reloading 6.5 CreedMoor

PrairieGhost · Apr 18, 2018

AR-15 you and I have a similiar history. My dad let me take out his Winchester model 43 in 22 Hornet when I was 10 or 12. I really don't remember. I do remember the $3.50 Lee loader that I hammered together loads with.

When the 6.5 Creedmoor was new Hornady printed their load right on the box. It's hard to beat that load. Here is a hint for you. Sorry it's a little blurry. Don't know why the pic doubled up.

USMCDI · Apr 18, 2018

When I started reloading I went with the rockchucker supreme kit and wish I wouldn't have as the press is the only thing I use out of it and maybe the funnel. Get the good stuff the first time as in the case prep center and a chargemaster dispenser and scale or similar pieces by other companies and a Forster case trimmer just to name a few.

thriller1 · Apr 18, 2018

Deburr your brass thoroughly inside and out. That was my first mistake when i started.

Retired Educator · Apr 18, 2018

All of the above. + Get yourself a good manual and follow it. You can experiment a little but my experience is that whenever i went a little over the maximum charge, my accuracy suffered quite a bit.

As was mentioned, you will not save much money, if any, because you will graduate to higher quality ammo. For my goto deer rifle I worked on a load where from the bench at 100 yes, in a 5 shot group, all four bullet holes were touching.

The other benefit is you can reload some really high quality bullets that are not easily available in factory loads. For example, I really want to try a 110r Barnes TTSX in my 270 if and when i ever draw another deer tag. Have never seen them on the ammo shelf.

Good Luck and the rule for all outdoor activities applies in reloading as well. You don't have any activities where you can do it cheaper than buying it in a store.

AR-15 · Apr 19, 2018

Thanks PrairieGhost, will have to get some H4350 if I can find it, Also Yoby, if you need to build a reloading bench, build it heavy so it doesn't flex in any way

Kentucky Windage · Apr 19, 2018

I still remember closing my eyes and squeezing the trigger on my first loaded 243 58 V-max load thinking the rifle was going to blow up and take my face with it............

Reloaders can be grouped into a few different categories. The most dangerous IMO is the benchrest crowd. You will drive yourself insane chasing that dragon around. You won't have any money left either........

Reloading is rewarding. It deepens your knowledge of guns, ammunition and how they work together to create accuracy. Good luck!

Airwolf1972 · Apr 19, 2018

Started 25 or so years ago. RCBS Rock chucker and still use it, it is addictive for sure. I may be old school but I still use the old beam scale that came with the kit, I just don't trust the electronic stuff myself, maybe it is just the old stubborn German in me but it works for me. Just do it and have some fun!!!

KDM · Apr 19, 2018

Most folks focus only on the actual reloading equipment and supplies, which is where you have to start, but I was introduced to a chronograph a few years ago and IMO, that's sort of the "Gold Plating" on reloading. With a chrono, you will have the ability to evaluate your loads with more than just paper, you will be able to explain load performance or lack thereof much better, and it will bring a whole different feel to the hobby. Enjoy your new addiction.

PrairieGhost · Apr 19, 2018

KDM I have been contemplating a LabRadar. I am on my 5th chronograph, but would like a little more. Now I sometimes shoot over two chronographes, one at ten feet and the other at 100 yards.

KDM · Apr 19, 2018

Yep PG. I've watched a crappy load transform into the favored ammo for a particular gun by using a chrono. Sometimes all it takes is to add a couple grains of powder and push the pill a couple hundred fps faster and VIOLA, cloverleaf groups.

Retired Educator · Apr 19, 2018

Notice - not one of these suggestions mentions anything about being able to do it cheaper. You can do it a little cheaper if you want to copy the shells you can buy at Walmart but that is not the purpose of reloading as every suggestion above concludes.

JMF · Apr 19, 2018

Reloading without a chronograph is like crapping without TP.

fly2cast · Apr 19, 2018

I love reloading. Started about two years ago. My neighbor is very generous and lets me use his equipment, which is mostly basic stuff. I buy what I need for myself and pay him for things that I use. If you can split the costs with somebody, it isn't too expensive. He bought everything he owns at an auction for about $200. It was enough to get us by. People say it's more expensive than buying shells. It is only if you get really caught up in it. For me, I figured out what worked well and didn't tinker around much after that. My groups are great for me, and much better than what I bought. Now instead of my 6mm costing $30 a box, I do it for around $8ish but shoot a lot more because it's so much cheaper. So in the end, it's costing the same but I shoot a lot more.

Norske · Apr 28, 2018

fly2cast pretty much nails the money saving idea. I've been reloading since 1967 and haven't damaged a gun yet. Any reloading manual you read will tell you to examine what you just did to the case after every step of the process. Do this. Of course that makes progressive presses kind of unnecessary, but they are too expensive for starters anyway. Let's continue on the budget by buying Lee case trimmers. A big advantage to these slow trimming tools is they can't loose their length adjustment. I even like Lee dies for the collet feature of most of their rifle dies, and that "finishing" die in the pistol kits. The powder scale can be balance beam or electronic. I have an old RCBS beam and an electronic scale I bought from Ballistic Products. Both are reliable. As for the press, the most important thing is the ram doesn't go "over-center" as the handle is lowered. If it goes to the top of its travel, then back down slightly as the handle is lowered, setting up the dies is made more complicated. I don't recommend buying a press on-line, instead check any press you are buying for this before leaving the store. You don't need the most expensive press in the store, unless you want to help the salesman make his car payments by adding to any commission he may get. i like the aforementioned Hornady manual because I use Hornady bullets in many of my rifles. I also like the Lyman manual and use the on-line resources from the powder companies. In addition to fully agreeing to confirm load data from more than one manual, I'll add pay attention to the primer used (they are not all the same strength) and the overall length measurement of the loaded cartridge stated in the manual. Reloading computer programs give predictive information,not all are actually tested for pressure before publication.
There are lots more details you'll pick up as you gain experience.
One final caution: The 243 has a reputation for quickly going from safe to hazardous peak chamber pressures. There are other popular cartridges that share this, notably the 7mm Rem Mag. This is often due to wear and roughening of the chamber throat with use. This means a safe load in a new rifle may not be safe a few years later.

Petras · Apr 28, 2018

One little bit I'll add because I didn't see anyone else post it is this: ladder tests. There are videos on youtube that explain how to do a ladder test when developing a load. It's pretty simple really. The goal is to find what is called an "accuracy node". Basically, load 1 round at the minimum load recommended by whatever manual you are using, then in .2grain increments work your way up to max load loading 1 round at each increment. Once you've reached max recommended load, go shoot. Start at your lightest load and work your way up to the heaviest, checking each spent case for over-pressure signs. What you are looking for in this ladder test is as you work your way up from minimum to maximum load, somewhere in the middle you'll end up with a few rounds that don't gain in elevation on the target, or velocity on the chrono. Once you find those 3 or 4 rounds where there is no real change, thats call the "accuracy node" for your gun/load. Pick the middle of the node for powder charge and from there you can start fine tuning your bullet seating depth to tighten up your groups.

Petras · Apr 28, 2018

I should also add that I started reloading about 4 years ago. I began with an RCBS single stage kit. While they are a great deal and they are awesome for people just starting out, if you are anything like me you will outgrow it quick. I still use the press from the kit, but that's about it. I've since upgraded to a hornady digital scale and a lyman case prep center. Another tool that I've found to be pretty useful is a Hornady OAL gauge. This will help you to measure the throat of your rifle so you know exactly how far out you can seat your bullets.

As others have said, Reloading is addicting. I'm to the point now where nothing is good enough and there's always something to be tweaked to make my groups better. I've got a 22-250 that shoots factory ammo in .2" groups @ 100 yards and my dumb ass believes I can improve on it...

I've also recently purchased a used lee classic turret press and am really excited to get it rolling for some bulk .223 ammo and for pistol ammo when I get around to reloading that stuff

Reloading for first timer

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