Reloading

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by Seacowboys, Jan 23, 2009.


  1. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    I have been loading for several years off and on but recently have gotten into it fore-bore due to the high costs of ammunition. I started out with a single RCBS Rock-chucker press but now have three of them set on one table where I load my match rifle ammunition. I also have a Mec shotshell reloader, the progressive one that throws a completed shell with every stroke. I shoot three different calibers in handgun competition so I now have three Dillon RL550 progressive loaders set up, one for each caliber and tool heads for a few more that I load once in a while. I have dies for .223, .270, 7mm Weatherby Magnum, .308, .30 carbine, .30-06, .243, .32-40, .45-70, .45-120, .30-30, and pistol dies for .45acp, .45 LC, . 44 Special/ Magnum, .38/.357 Magnum, 9mm, 9x18, .38 Super, .40 S&W, . 10mm, .41 magnum. I have casting molds for .45 200gr SWC, . 38, . 9mm, . 30 90gr RN, .45 405gr RN, .44, .41, and a few more.
    I always need primers, bullets, shot, brass, and powder, lots of powder. In addition, I have the complete tooling and machines for building AKs, ARs, FN Fals, and a few more, including a bead-blasting cabinet and parkerizing and blueing tanks. I realize that many do not have the time or funds to spend on reloading or weapons builds, so here's the deal; if someone needs to load some ammo and has the components, then I'll share my equipment and time to get them started. If you have skills to barter, so much the better; I'll load your brass for you. This isn't a free-bee and would take some planning but if we work a trade, then we can set up a weekend for loading or building and make it work.
     
  2. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

    Are you knowlegable on reloading 12 gauge? I'm looking to learn to reload "00", #4, #7.5 and slugs. no preference and I've lots of questions.

    If you know this info, what would you take in trade for your knowledge?





    S
     
  3. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    The first thing I would recommend is to break out the Cabelas catalog and spend about sixty bucks; this will save you more money and time than you can believe. Buy the fifth edition Lyman Shot shell Reloading Handbook ($20.00) and a MEC Universal charging bar (about $40.00). The universal charging bar is adjustable for different powder and shot charges and replaces 42 adapters. Get a good electronic scale because they are much faster than beam scales for progressive reloading. Make sure that you have crimping heads for both six and eight section crimps. If you want to load slugs, you will need a roll crimp head as well and might as well get the mold to cast your own slug. Larger shot sizes will have to be weighed and loaded by hand because they don't feed accurately through the charge bar. Buck shot has to be stacked by hand and is very time consuming but you don't usually do marathon buck-shot loading sessions so it really isn't too bad. The reason why I like the Lyman manual is because they clearly identify the type of hulls and this is a critical component; two identical loads in different hull-types can produce dangerous pressure differences and results. Proper wad selection is equally as critical to a load. Some loads might require a filler in the shot (I use corn-meal) to stabilize it. Primer selection is important and powder selection is important. There is enough load data in the Lyman manual to keep you happy for a very long time and I'll bet you can find a good load there for what-ever components you might have purchased already.
    If you plan to load 7.62x39 or many other military brass, you will need some means of removing the primer, as most of them are Berdan primer, a punch won't work when you size them. I made a simple water injector that uses water pressure to eject the spent primer. Some people remove the de-priming pin from their sizing die and just load the Berdan pocket (after swaging the pocket) but I prefer to ream the primer pocket and drill a flash-hole with the drill press so that I only have to go through this aggravating process once.
     
  4. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

    Awesome, thanks for the info.

    So you convert your berdan primed cases to boxer cases?
     
  5. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Yes. It takes some work, but is doable. You'll need better instructions than I can give you, but there are guys on the Handloaders Bench that can fill you in. There's a link on the main page that will take you there. Luck.
     
  6. RouteClearance

    RouteClearance Monkey+++

    I did a few hundred berdan to boxer primed case conversion last fall, and I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN. Belive me when I say that it is not worth the time or effort. and this was with modern convenances and tools. In a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI, it would be impossible.

    The main headache I encountered was with crimped primers. I could not get them out with the hydralic/water/hammer trick. I had to use a dremel with a drill bit to drill a hole at a 45 degree angle to the firing pin dimple, then pry them out with a basic ice pick. I could not find a way to do this with basic hand tools or if I was in a true survival situation.

    I will find good 'ol fashioned boxer brass and pay out of the ass for it.
     
  7. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

    LOL sounds like I won't be doing to much 7.62x 39 reloading. I'm wondering if the winchester rounds are boxer primed. I'm sure the wolf is.
     
  8. RouteClearance

    RouteClearance Monkey+++

    Sorry to say this but the Wolf cases I have seen all have been Berdan primed, but that has been awhile so they may have changed. I do know that the PRI stuff is boxer primed, and is some great brass to boot. Use it to reload to M118 LR standards.
     
  9. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++

    I'm sorry, I meant to say, " I'm sure the wolf is berdan primed."

    PRI?
     
  10. RouteClearance

    RouteClearance Monkey+++

    What I ment to say was PRVI (PVRI Partizan) which is located in Serbia. They manufacture various types of ammo to US standards. IMHO, they well exceed those standards. The prices if you can find this brand are also attractive if the dealer has not marked it up due to demand.

    As I stated above, I use their 308 cases to reload to NM standards. The brass that I have procured has equaled the Federal Gold Medal brass in quality and standards without breaking the socalled bank.
     
  11. overbore

    overbore Monkey++

    +1 on above.

    For the newbe reloader, I suggest you go to Handloader Bench and d0 a search on Survival Reloading that I wrote. Print it our for future reference; just in case. [shtf] It is in three parts. If no joy, send me a pm with your e-mail and I will send the entire file. I have been at this reloading thing for about 50 years but I am still learning----

    Overbore
     
  12. BAT1

    BAT1 Cowboys know no fear

    My Lee Classic Turrent has definitely been rotating lately. Cabela's had some Remington .308 brass @ .40 ea and I scooped up 300. Ouch. I already have the rest of componants, so they will cost me .60 ea so its still a deal over premade. Serbian 147 gr loads are reloadable Academy had it for a while, under Wolf. Midway Shooters Supply has stock.
     
  13. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    Slug, the commercial Remington, Winchester and other 7.62X39 brass is Boxer and reloadable - I have reloaded several hundred now. The thing to be aware of though - some use small primers and some use large.
    I get my .310/.311 123 or 125 grain bullets at my local Sportsman's Warehouse store.
    Loading this round is pretty easy. I favor the RCBS full-length dieset, and it has both .310 and .308 sizer balls, in case you need to reload for the .308 bore Ruger Mini-30.
    I find that for calibers I use and load a lot for, I can load for about half the price of factory commercial ammo, and get as good or better accuracy and performance. It far exceeds milsurp in performance!
    I put all range-pickup brass through the FL resizer, to make sure it'll work in all my guns of that caliber. Some guns have tighter chambers than others - found that with my .30-30 bolt rifle! Brass picked up or shot from my Marlin 336 and neck-sized only would NOT chamber in the Savage M340! I FL size it and mark it as for the M340 ONLY now.
     
  14. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Not yet a reloader, but at 60 bux plus a case for trap ammo, it is beginning to appeal. Anybody use a Lee Load-All? Looks pretty light duty, but might serve. Comments?
     
  15. SLugomist

    SLugomist Monkey++


    Thanks for the tip.
     
  16. RouteClearance

    RouteClearance Monkey+++

    They are actually rugged for being made out of nylon. The main beef I always had with them is that they are a major pain in the ARSE to change the machines bushings.

    The Load-All does not have any way of clearing the hoppers of powder or shot. You have to repeatedly charge cases to empty.

    They also throw inconsistant charges of flake type powders, but are good with ball powders.

    If you have just one load that you like and you get the machine set up, then they are good to go, but if you have a lot of different loads to load for, then they can become a major headach. The MEC's would then be worth the cash outlay.
     
  17. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Many thanks for that. [bow] I haven't run the cost numbers yet, but it has to be cheaper than buying off the rack fodder. It'll be a steady diet of 7-1/2s, 2-3/4 dr around 1145 fps. Loaded that light, I can shoot 500 rounds a day. (If these old bones can still get 11 lbs of shotgun shouldered.)
    [boozingbuddies]
     
  18. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    Come off some of that retirement horde , you old skin-flint, and buy a MEC progressive loader and do it right out of the gate. This will save you time and money because you'll only end up playing with the Lee Loader and buying a MEC anyway.
     
  19. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    Just spent the following:
    1000 Winchester 209 Primers 28.00
    1000 Assorted wads (WInchester) 20.00 (yard sale)
    25 lbs. No. 8 shot 27.00
    4 lbs.Clays 68.00

    There are 7000 grains of powder in one pound and sixteen ounces per pound so you can do the math on how many rounds this will load and costs per unit.
    P.S.
    I am expecting you down here in Mobile this spring so we can go pester CRC and shoot at the Styx River Sporting Clays. I'll even let you use my MEC Loader [rofllmao]
     
  20. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    I beg your pardon, sir, my skin may be flinty, but I've become rather attached to it. Anyway, given the givens, I thought I'd wet my toes before jumping in. The market swatted me off the Green Monster (fortunately I took out the house money before the worst of it) and left me with a choice to buy a loader or a gun cabinet, and I think the cabinet is going to win (not fond of an armory in a closet.) Not sure how Uncle Sam is going to treat the capital gains in April, could be painful.

    Where are you getting shot for under 30 bux a bag? Around here it's closer to 35. Using Cabela's catalog for estimating purposes will give me an idea, but little else. They run high, and shipping runs it higher, not even counting the hazmat fees.

    I have a friend in VA that uses Claybuster wads with some success (also a MEC user) I shot a lot of his loads, and Cbs are way cheaper than the "name" brands. There is a distinct preference (by me, anyway) for four petal wads rather than three, even if two leaves sometimes don't part like they should. (You know that happened when the wad heads off sideways, no need to go look.)

    So far as the run south goes, pestering CRC is a delightful idea/thought. :D Trouble with spring is that the trap league is in full swing; I might wind up as 6th gun, but --. Pending U Sam's bite, all adventures are on hold. If it isn't too bad a nibble, there are a couple other road trips on plan, too.

    [beer]
     
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