New to reloading

hunter90899 · 01-02-2010, 07:54 PM

Just getting started in reloading, and I have a few questions. Before loading new brass should they be resized or can they just be cleaned and loaded? When purchasing different brands of rounds or kinds IE Spitzer VS HP can the same weight bullets be loaded the same or at least use the same loading data to get started till a good load is worked up? For example can an 85 gr Sierra BTHP us the same powder levels an 85 gr Nosler BTSP?
Hope thees don't sound like stupid questions but from reading these posts and seeing a few of the outcomes of improperly loaded rounds can do I just want to get my ducks in a row....
Thanks
Steve

spaniel · 01-02-2010, 09:57 PM

Regarding new brass, if it's bottleneck rifle you need to at least neck size it. That's what I do. I have yet to encounter a new brass lot that needs FL sizing. But often with Winchester brass the neck is not perfectly round, a simple neck sizing and ready to go. In a bolt gun I have yet to use a FL die within the first 5 loadings but your gun may differ.

Regarding bullets, again assuming bottleneck rifle, loads with different bullets of the same weight should be close but not exact. For example my 300WM I shoot the 200gr Accubond and 200gr Sierra Matchking, I seat them the same length (measured to the ogive) but I get peak accuracy at 74gr Re22 with the SMK and 73.2gr with the AB. You really need to optimize for each bullet for max accuracy. But you should be able to use the same powder.

bronko22000 · 01-03-2010, 04:35 AM

I asgree, you should size them. You will almost always have cases that are slightly deformed, especially at the mouth from handling at the plant and shipping. When you size them you will have uniformity which leads to better accuracy.

hunter90899 · 01-04-2010, 12:22 PM

I have another question on reloading .243 rounds... I had 10 rounds left out of some store bought Hornady rounds with the moly coating. I decided not to use them so I knocked the bullets out and removed the powder, I plan on using these with Sierra 85 gr BTHP and a differant powder. My question is how do I safely remove the primer to resize? I did not think that I would have to resize but I took one of the new bullets and it slid in with little effort.
Thanks for the sound advice so far.

pnut · 01-04-2010, 01:13 PM

You can safely remove a live primer by just going nice and slow.
I've done it a bunch of times without any going off.
Some will tell you to soak it in water or wd40 and it's just not needed if you just take it nice and slow.

rhans53 · 01-04-2010, 04:21 PM

Pull your sizer up into the brass, then resize without popping out the primer, but if it's factory brass and you used a bullet puller I'm not sure you can't just go ahead and load them back up

spaniel · 01-04-2010, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhans53

Pull your sizer up into the brass, then resize without popping out the primer, but if it's factory brass and you used a bullet puller I'm not sure you can't just go ahead and load them back up

Or simply put the empty case in your rifle and pop off the primer. Then there's zero risk involved.

hunter90899 · 01-05-2010, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhans53

Pull your sizer up into the brass, then resize without popping out the primer, but if it's factory brass and you used a bullet puller I'm not sure you can't just go ahead and load them ba/ck up

Why is that ? Should factory brass not be loaded back up?

pnut · 01-05-2010, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter90899

Why is that ? Should factory brass not be loaded back up?

I think he was referring to using the factory primer.
I'd personally just pop it out and put one that I normally use in it.

hunter90899 · 01-05-2010, 04:30 AM

I understand now thanks, yeah I was planning on using new primors.