Getting back to Reloading

[MMH]

After a 20 year sabbatical I am getting back to reloading. I plan on reloading pistol & rifle. I was planning on getting the Hornady Lock n Load AP progressive press & 308 & 45 ACP dies.

I assume that I will also need a brass tumber and case sizer. Is there anything else that I need to get started?

[mbinpa]

I am not sure what features your reloading press has but you will probably need a powder scale.

I also use a hand primer. This allows me to prime my brass without loading them at the same time - I use this as an inspection period since I have to handle every round and I can check for split cases and other defects. Also useful if I want to sort by headstamp.

Finally, unless you are just storing the finished product in ammo cans or such, don't forget boxes or heavy duty baggies to put the loaded rounds in.

[tonyfac]

Don't forget updated load data.

[dgood71]

And a caliper for measuring 1/1000's of an inch.



https://www.dillonprecision.com/#/co...584/?viewImg=1

[MMH]

I'm looking at the Hornady Lock n Load AP which has the automatic powder drop. I believe that this scale measures the amount of powder based on volume not weight.

Good suggestion on the hand primer. So I assume that the procedure should be:
1. Lube cases & resize & deprime (I assume that the cases cannot be resized dry).
2. Tumble to remove lube & clean up.
3. Inspect cases, measure and trim as necessary
4. Hand prime (not necessary to hand prime as cases will have been inspected).
4. Send thru press.

I am not sure what features your reloading press has but you will probably need a powder scale.

I also use a hand primer. This allows me to prime my brass without loading them at the same time - I use this as an inspection period since I have to handle every round and I can check for split cases and other defects. Also useful if I want to sort by headstamp.

Finally, unless you are just storing the finished product in ammo cans or such, don't forget boxes or heavy duty baggies to put the loaded rounds in.

[dgood71]

So I assume that the procedure should be:
1. Lube cases & resize & deprime (I assume that the cases cannot be resized dry).
2. Tumble to remove lube & clean up.
3. Inspect cases, measure and trim as necessary
4. Hand prime (not necessary to hand prime as cases will have been inspected).
4. Send thru press.

Handgun cases usually don't need lubed. Perhaps it depends on the dies you're using, but I don't need to lube handgun cases. Rifle cases definitely need lube.

What I typically do for rifle is deprime the cases with a Lee universal decapping die. It doesn't resize the cases, so no lube necessary before the depriming. Then I tumble the brass to clean it up before I lube, resize, and reload.

For pistol I typically just deprime and resize in one step while loading, except for .40 S&W. Because some pistols (ie Glocks) don't fully support the case in this caliber, the base of the case can expand to the point where it won't fit in the chamber of another gun. Resizing doesn't always fix this problem, so I gauge-check all .40 cases after resizing and before loading. This ensures that I'm not loading a round that will get stuck in the chamber of my gun. (There are "push through" dies that you can get that completely resize a .40S&W case to eliminate this problem but I don't have one)

Most straight-neck pistol cases like 9mm, .45 and .40S&W don't need regular trimming. Doesn't hurt to check them for fit though, so caliber-specific case gauges are extremely handy, especially when loading for semi-autos that are more prone to feed failures if something is out of spec.

[Twoboxer]

Some additions to what has been asked/said above:

1) Those powder measures substitute volume for weight because its cheaper and easier to measure volume. But you need a scale to adjust the VOLUME thrown by your powder measure so that it throws the WEIGHT you want in the cartridge. Typically you will throw and weigh many charges until you get the weight you want, then throw several more to make sure its consistent.

I advise your first scale to be a beam scale. If you're on a tight budget and can tolerate some ergonomic difficulty, the Lee scale works. But any other major manufacturer's beam scale will be easier to operate.

2) Using carbide dies, you can do pistol without lube. Cleaning (eg with a tumbler) is usually done first, unless you don't mind dirty lol. Then on the press with die (1) you size and decap, reprime, (2) charge with powder and bell the mouth to accept setting a bullet, (3) set the bullet (and perhaps crimp here too), and finally (4) crimp (better done in a separate operation from setting the bullet).

3) Rifle you will probably want to clean then lube so they can be (1) sized and decapped. Next the lube needs to be cleaned off by hand or with another tumble. Then back to the press for (2) prime and powder charge, (3) bullet set (and maybe crimp), and (4) crimp.

[ShooterInPA1]

Because some pistols (ie Glocks) don't fully support the case in this caliber, the base of the case can expand to the point where it won't fit in the chamber of another gun. Resizing doesn't always fix this problem, so I gauge-check all .40 cases after resizing and before loading. This ensures that I'm not loading a round that will get stuck in the chamber of my gun.

I had this happen once.....and that was enough for me.

Now I use a Lee Factory crimp die. Now I have 100% reliability:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/716...cp-45-auto-rim

[MMH]

Handgun cases usually don't need lubed. Perhaps it depends on the dies you're using, but I don't need to lube handgun cases. Rifle cases definitely need lube.

What I typically do for rifle is deprime the cases with a Lee universal decapping die. It doesn't resize the cases, so no lube necessary before the depriming. Then I tumble the brass to clean it up before I lube, resize, and reload.

For pistol I typically just deprime and resize in one step while loading, except for .40 S&W. Because some pistols (ie Glocks) don't fully support the case in this caliber, the base of the case can expand to the point where it won't fit in the chamber of another gun. Resizing doesn't always fix this problem, so I gauge-check all .40 cases after resizing and before loading. This ensures that I'm not loading a round that will get stuck in the chamber of my gun. (There are "push through" dies that you can get that completely resize a .40S&W case to eliminate this problem but I don't have one)

Most straight-neck pistol cases like 9mm, .45 and .40S&W don't need regular trimming. Doesn't hurt to check them for fit though, so caliber-specific case gauges are extremely handy, especially when loading for semi-autos that are more prone to feed failures if something is out of spec.

Thanks for the clarification. I was referring to bottleneck cartridges. What you suggest for pistol is exactly what I used to do. And, what you suggest for rifle makes alot of sense. Did not think about getting a separate decapping die.

[dgood71]

I had this happen once.....and that was enough for me.

Now I use a Lee Factory crimp die. Now I have 100% reliability:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/716...cp-45-auto-rim

I'm not sure that a factory crimp die would make a difference with the .40S&W problem I mentioned, as the "Glocked" .40S&W cases expand at their base (near the primer) and not at the neck. It's this expanded base that can cause rounds to either not chamber properly or get stuck in the chamber of another gun. Even after resizing I've found a few (maybe 1 or 2 out of 100) cases that refuse to fit in the case gauge because of the expanded base.

But as far as crimping goes, I've heard good things about the Lee F.C.D but I don't have one. I just use the standard Dillon crimp die that came with my die set.