What I wish I knew when I got started....
04-12-2011, 02:52 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,813
What I wish I knew when I got started....
Hello all. I am planning on getting started in reloading. I have been reading just about everything I can find and watching YouTube videos.
There is a lot to learn.
I shoot about 100 - 150 rounds per month. And plan on getting an RCBS master supreme, a case tumbler and carbide dies for
38/357
45 acp
223
30-30
30-06
Is there anything in particular I should know before getting started? Is there any advice you would be willing to pass on to someone getting started?
Thank you for any advice or suggestions.
There is a lot to learn.
I shoot about 100 - 150 rounds per month. And plan on getting an RCBS master supreme, a case tumbler and carbide dies for
38/357
45 acp
223
30-30
30-06
Is there anything in particular I should know before getting started? Is there any advice you would be willing to pass on to someone getting started?
Thank you for any advice or suggestions.
04-12-2011, 04:32 PM
#2
Spike
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Central Arkansas
Posts: 7
Read everything you can get your hands on!
I have a 7th edition Hornady reloading manual that covers virtually every question you will have plus the ABC'S of reloading along with a illustrated glossary in the back of the book to help you develope a vocabulary that will enable you to understand the how to along with the items you will need to start. Before you do anything buy a new up to date reloading manual (I used the Hornady as an example only, there are others) and read it before starting. Better yet It would help to have at least two recent reloading manuals to have two sources. This usually is a self taught hobby with very few sources to refer to, further these books encourage you to follow the steps (with no short cuts or leave anything out). If you follow the instructions you probably will develope good loading procedures to ensure nothing bad happens. Most of the old timers (I include myself in this comment) didn't have a mentor nor anyone else they could help a newbie work thru a problem, we had to figure it out ourself. If you do your part it will be a very rewarding hobby with a good chance you will develope friendships along the way. Good luck!! William
Last edited by ra18657; 04-12-2011 at 04:36 PM.
04-13-2011, 01:30 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: WY
Posts: 2,056
I'd have to agree, this is quite often a "self-taught" skillset. Your reloading manual will provide you most of what you need in the way of knowledge to get started, provided you read through it and gain an understanding of what you're about to do BEFORE you rush out and make a mistake.
As far as procedures in your manuals go, they're usually pretty consistent from volume to volume. Where you'll see the most difference between volumes is in the actual load data, particularly as new propellants become available and old ones are retired.
The package you referenced is the updated version of what I bought almost 25 years ago and still use a good portion of today. It should serve you quite well. Don't forget the shellholders! Two low-cost adds I'd also make immediately are a baffle for your powder measure and a set of check weights for your scale.
And once you have some rounds under your belt, don't be discouraged if you find that your reloaded ammo doesn't quite perform the way you'd expected, most often reflected in accuracy. While load development does involve some experimentation, you're also somewhat limited by some gaps in your RCBS package, most notably in the area of case preparation. Consistency is something you should strive for in your reloads. I still recall my first batch of reloaded, mismatched R-P and W-W cases, stoked with what the manual said was the maximum load for IMR4350 in a .243. My shotguns throw a tighter pattern.
Here are a list of tools I wish I'd have purchased sooner, in the order I'd buy them (after the RCBS package) if I were starting over:
1. A chronograph. I used to extrapolate to get an idea what my loads would achieve velocity-wise. Having a chronograph showed me how inconsistent my loads actually were, through statistical analysis of things like "extreme spread" and "standard deviation." In turn, those numbers led me down the road to discover the real importance of case length and neck concentricity (and where case preparation really pays off).
2. A vernier caliper and a case trimmer.
3. A Stony Point/Hornady Overall Length (OAL) gauge and comparator set. Assuming that your .30-30 is of the lever-action variety, You'd probably want the curved version of the OAL gauge, which will also work in autos, pumps, and bolt guns. This simple little setup will tell you quite a bit about your specific firearm and then allow you to accurately and consistently seat bullets to within whatever tolerance you set from your firearm's rifling.
4. A concentricity gauge. I've used a Forster for a few years, got my hands on the new Hornady version that allows you to "correct" run-out and improve individual cartridge concentricity, but it's still in the box. Can't recommend it one way or another - yet.
5. An exterior ballistics program can also be a handy tool, especially if you record trajectories for longer-range rifle shooting.
There are lots of cool tools otherwise, fancy digital scales and powder dispensers. As much as I do like mine, I could get by without them provided I have all of the tools listed above. Other than to the basic procedures, which are different because of the straight-wall cases, pistol ammunition tends not to require so much attention to detail. After time, your cases may need a trim so that they'll function reliably in an auto pistol. Otherwise, pistol reloading is pretty simple.
As far as procedures in your manuals go, they're usually pretty consistent from volume to volume. Where you'll see the most difference between volumes is in the actual load data, particularly as new propellants become available and old ones are retired.
The package you referenced is the updated version of what I bought almost 25 years ago and still use a good portion of today. It should serve you quite well. Don't forget the shellholders! Two low-cost adds I'd also make immediately are a baffle for your powder measure and a set of check weights for your scale.
And once you have some rounds under your belt, don't be discouraged if you find that your reloaded ammo doesn't quite perform the way you'd expected, most often reflected in accuracy. While load development does involve some experimentation, you're also somewhat limited by some gaps in your RCBS package, most notably in the area of case preparation. Consistency is something you should strive for in your reloads. I still recall my first batch of reloaded, mismatched R-P and W-W cases, stoked with what the manual said was the maximum load for IMR4350 in a .243. My shotguns throw a tighter pattern.
Here are a list of tools I wish I'd have purchased sooner, in the order I'd buy them (after the RCBS package) if I were starting over:
1. A chronograph. I used to extrapolate to get an idea what my loads would achieve velocity-wise. Having a chronograph showed me how inconsistent my loads actually were, through statistical analysis of things like "extreme spread" and "standard deviation." In turn, those numbers led me down the road to discover the real importance of case length and neck concentricity (and where case preparation really pays off).
2. A vernier caliper and a case trimmer.
3. A Stony Point/Hornady Overall Length (OAL) gauge and comparator set. Assuming that your .30-30 is of the lever-action variety, You'd probably want the curved version of the OAL gauge, which will also work in autos, pumps, and bolt guns. This simple little setup will tell you quite a bit about your specific firearm and then allow you to accurately and consistently seat bullets to within whatever tolerance you set from your firearm's rifling.
4. A concentricity gauge. I've used a Forster for a few years, got my hands on the new Hornady version that allows you to "correct" run-out and improve individual cartridge concentricity, but it's still in the box. Can't recommend it one way or another - yet.
5. An exterior ballistics program can also be a handy tool, especially if you record trajectories for longer-range rifle shooting.
There are lots of cool tools otherwise, fancy digital scales and powder dispensers. As much as I do like mine, I could get by without them provided I have all of the tools listed above. Other than to the basic procedures, which are different because of the straight-wall cases, pistol ammunition tends not to require so much attention to detail. After time, your cases may need a trim so that they'll function reliably in an auto pistol. Otherwise, pistol reloading is pretty simple.
04-13-2011, 08:00 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: central and east texas
Posts: 4,894
I'd have to agree, this is quite often a "self-taught" skillset. Your reloading manual will provide you most of what you need in the way of knowledge to get started, provided you read through it and gain an understanding of what you're about to do BEFORE you rush out and make a mistake.
As far as procedures in your manuals go, they're usually pretty consistent from volume to volume. Where you'll see the most difference between volumes is in the actual load data, particularly as new propellants become available and old ones are retired.
The package you referenced is the updated version of what I bought almost 25 years ago and still use a good portion of today. It should serve you quite well. Don't forget the shellholders! Two low-cost adds I'd also make immediately are a baffle for your powder measure and a set of check weights for your scale.
And once you have some rounds under your belt, don't be discouraged if you find that your reloaded ammo doesn't quite perform the way you'd expected, most often reflected in accuracy. While load development does involve some experimentation, you're also somewhat limited by some gaps in your RCBS package, most notably in the area of case preparation. Consistency is something you should strive for in your reloads. I still recall my first batch of reloaded, mismatched R-P and W-W cases, stoked with what the manual said was the maximum load for IMR4350 in a .243. My shotguns throw a tighter pattern.
Here are a list of tools I wish I'd have purchased sooner, in the order I'd buy them (after the RCBS package) if I were starting over:
1. A chronograph. I used to extrapolate to get an idea what my loads would achieve velocity-wise. Having a chronograph showed me how inconsistent my loads actually were, through statistical analysis of things like "extreme spread" and "standard deviation." In turn, those numbers led me down the road to discover the real importance of case length and neck concentricity (and where case preparation really pays off).
2. A vernier caliper and a case trimmer.
3. A Stony Point/Hornady Overall Length (OAL) gauge and comparator set. Assuming that your .30-30 is of the lever-action variety, You'd probably want the curved version of the OAL gauge, which will also work in autos, pumps, and bolt guns. This simple little setup will tell you quite a bit about your specific firearm and then allow you to accurately and consistently seat bullets to within whatever tolerance you set from your firearm's rifling.
4. A concentricity gauge. I've used a Forster for a few years, got my hands on the new Hornady version that allows you to "correct" run-out and improve individual cartridge concentricity, but it's still in the box. Can't recommend it one way or another - yet.
5. An exterior ballistics program can also be a handy tool, especially if you record trajectories for longer-range rifle shooting.
There are lots of cool tools otherwise, fancy digital scales and powder dispensers. As much as I do like mine, I could get by without them provided I have all of the tools listed above. Other than to the basic procedures, which are different because of the straight-wall cases, pistol ammunition tends not to require so much attention to detail. After time, your cases may need a trim so that they'll function reliably in an auto pistol. Otherwise, pistol reloading is pretty simple.
As far as procedures in your manuals go, they're usually pretty consistent from volume to volume. Where you'll see the most difference between volumes is in the actual load data, particularly as new propellants become available and old ones are retired.
The package you referenced is the updated version of what I bought almost 25 years ago and still use a good portion of today. It should serve you quite well. Don't forget the shellholders! Two low-cost adds I'd also make immediately are a baffle for your powder measure and a set of check weights for your scale.
And once you have some rounds under your belt, don't be discouraged if you find that your reloaded ammo doesn't quite perform the way you'd expected, most often reflected in accuracy. While load development does involve some experimentation, you're also somewhat limited by some gaps in your RCBS package, most notably in the area of case preparation. Consistency is something you should strive for in your reloads. I still recall my first batch of reloaded, mismatched R-P and W-W cases, stoked with what the manual said was the maximum load for IMR4350 in a .243. My shotguns throw a tighter pattern.
Here are a list of tools I wish I'd have purchased sooner, in the order I'd buy them (after the RCBS package) if I were starting over:
1. A chronograph. I used to extrapolate to get an idea what my loads would achieve velocity-wise. Having a chronograph showed me how inconsistent my loads actually were, through statistical analysis of things like "extreme spread" and "standard deviation." In turn, those numbers led me down the road to discover the real importance of case length and neck concentricity (and where case preparation really pays off).
2. A vernier caliper and a case trimmer.
3. A Stony Point/Hornady Overall Length (OAL) gauge and comparator set. Assuming that your .30-30 is of the lever-action variety, You'd probably want the curved version of the OAL gauge, which will also work in autos, pumps, and bolt guns. This simple little setup will tell you quite a bit about your specific firearm and then allow you to accurately and consistently seat bullets to within whatever tolerance you set from your firearm's rifling.
4. A concentricity gauge. I've used a Forster for a few years, got my hands on the new Hornady version that allows you to "correct" run-out and improve individual cartridge concentricity, but it's still in the box. Can't recommend it one way or another - yet.
5. An exterior ballistics program can also be a handy tool, especially if you record trajectories for longer-range rifle shooting.
There are lots of cool tools otherwise, fancy digital scales and powder dispensers. As much as I do like mine, I could get by without them provided I have all of the tools listed above. Other than to the basic procedures, which are different because of the straight-wall cases, pistol ammunition tends not to require so much attention to detail. After time, your cases may need a trim so that they'll function reliably in an auto pistol. Otherwise, pistol reloading is pretty simple.
as for the op.. http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/relo...ead-first.html
04-13-2011, 01:33 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,421
I highly recommend the Lyman #49 Reloading manual.
You're making a wise decision by going with RCBS.
It's all I use and they have great customer service if anything ever breaks.
No questions asked, they just send the part.
You're making a wise decision by going with RCBS.
It's all I use and they have great customer service if anything ever breaks.
No questions asked, they just send the part.
04-13-2011, 04:25 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,813
You're making a wise decision by going with RCBS.
It's all I use and they have great customer service if anything ever breaks.
It's all I use and they have great customer service if anything ever breaks.
04-13-2011, 08:28 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: WY
Posts: 2,056
So, in the end, I'm probably looking at having spent somewhere between $2800-$3000 on various tools and equipment, and I'm praying tonight that my wife never reads this!
04-13-2011, 10:58 PM
#10
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 119
Come on you've been here since 05 , over a thousand posts , you can't tell me none of your friends reload, that is the best place to start, after you read everything you can get your hands on.Get with someone that reloads ,watch learn, then try out their equipment,you will make your own opinions soon. Better to make your choices after you decide which you like instead of buying what is suggested , and finding out later you would rather have something else.
Alex
Alex