Author Topic: Reloading Pistol Ammo (Read 2217 times)

XD9 · « **on:** October 22, 2008, 02:40:47 AM »

I've been shooting for a couple of years now and have built my gun collection. I'm now interested in getting into reloading. I've been interested in it for a while but I know absolutely NOTHING about it. Where is a good place to start learning about it? I need to know the process and how to do it before I can even begin to know what I need to buy. The first thing I'd like to start reloading is 9mm. I want to get used to that first and then branch out. I didn't know you could save much money reloading 9mm but I talked to a few guys last night who reload it for just over $5 a box. That's less than half of what I can buy the CHEAP ammo for.

Anyway, just looking for a place to get started and tell me what I need to know.

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #1 on:** October 22, 2008, 03:18:05 AM »

This will require some (wading) but is not bad. It has good advice to include list's for the needs for the beginner, intermediate, and advanced reloader.
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,99824.0.html

dbriannelson · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2008, 04:23:16 AM »

Get one of the many good reloading manuals. They all give overviews of the process and some get very specific.

Reloading saves money and is therapudic, too. And if you're going to shoot a whole lot, consider casting your own bullets as well.

-Don

warrior1 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2008, 04:26:45 AM »

the lyman pistol and revolver manual should be of use to you. i refer to mine
quite often. dan

XD9 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2008, 04:37:18 AM »

Thanks for the info. I just found the reloading section of the forums. I had it hidden previously since I never posted on those. It looks like there is some good information. I have a lot of reading ahead of me...

dbriannelson · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2008, 05:07:17 AM »

Actually, I go to the Lyman book most often as well. It's an older manual, but reloading hasn't changed much.

-Don

nodlenor · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2008, 02:27:39 PM »

Another vote for the Lyman manual. It was the first one I bought and others followed. I also have manuals from several other sources.

BIG Dog454 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2008, 02:54:13 PM »

DON'T DO IT!

It's addictive, and you'll find yourself shooting more.

Seriously; it's a great way to go, and a great hobby, I enjoy reloading as much as I love to shoot. Start simple with good basic reloading tools, and they need not be the most expensive. Get a good beam scale, and find someone to mentor you if you can. a + on the Lyman book. Enjoy!

XD9 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2008, 03:25:38 PM »

I don't have enough room in the house where I live now to have the equipment set up. However, we're building our house in the Spring and I'll have my "Gun Room".

I'm just trying to get a head start now and learn everything I can so I can be ready to go as soon as our house is done. I informed my wife today to get me the 49th edition Lyman Handbook for Christmas. That will give me plenty of time to read everything online I can find before then and then read the book and buy equipment before spring.

I plan on reloading for me as well as a few friends so hopefully, the investment will pay for itself fairly quickly. I promised my wife I wouldn't buy anymore guns for at least a year...I didn't say anything about not buying equipment though!! haha. I kind of went on a gun buying spree lately so she's pulling in the reigns...

XD9 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2008, 03:30:42 PM »

By the way, I found the information on the reloading forum here very helpful as well. I read all of the beginners guides on here and the ones that were linked as well. I'm starting to get the bug and I haven't even started yet!

I'm doing some competition shooting (used loosely here) now and everyone there reloads so I'm going to have to get started to fit in! haha

dbriannelson · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2008, 04:24:42 PM »

There's a way to do it very primitively and cheaply, and you don't actually need more than half the kitchen table. When I was about 17 I got a "Lee Loader" that relied on a mallet to smack the dies. Powder was measured with Lee dippers (and a lot of faith). I loaded .45ACP (for a 1928 Argentine) with the kit that all fit in a shoebox.

A slightly less primitive route is the Lyman 310 tool. It's a nutcracker handle and three-die, one priming tool set that fits in a pocket. I still use that for all my .44 Specials, though with an Ohaus balance for measuring powder. It does everything just fine, but it seems not to be available in 9mm right now. Check eBay. I used to use it for .44 Magnum, but now I'm using a single stage press for that and all the other stuff.

So ... don't wait for more room. You can start small and portable and grow it. Check around - I'll bet most guys that have been reloading for awhile still have their 310 tools, 'cause no one wants to give 'em away. Just too handy.

-Don

Dand · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2008, 07:33:13 PM »

I used to have a loading set up in a hall closet. The shelves were about 24-30 inches wide and 24 inches deep. I built up the shelf supports with 2x4 screwed into the walls and added a layer of 3/4 ply wood over the original shelf. Got a portable light and I was in business - especially for handgun ammo - with an RCBS Jr press - not a progressive. It was a little cramped but not bad. I could close the door and everything looked nice and neat.

Yes hang out on the reloading section and you'll be very well informed.

I have used Lee Loaders but loading for handguns drove me to a press quickly. A modest press and above all a good scale are much better, especially for 9mm where very small variations can make a difference.

bilmac · « **Reply #12 on:** October 23, 2008, 03:21:35 AM »

You don't need a lot of room to start, but if you are going to be reloading for a pistol I would skip the hand tool and start with a press, if you aren't talking big rifle calibers, then a small inexpensive press will do fine. You can save $ when you are buying bullets, but the big savings come when you start casting your own. There again I would recommend to skip the very basic one or two hole molds and go for the Lee 6 holer from the start. there is something to be said for starting small and working up , but most of us who did that started loading for rifles, and for someone who is interested in pistols, hand tools and 1 or 2 cavity molds are almost like wasting money, you won't be happy with them for very long.

I would suggest that you avoid the bullet sizing step. Lee makes molds designed to be shot as cast and lube applied as a liquid. This makes for a finished product that is a little messy to handle, but much easier to crank out in vast quantities.

bilmac · « **Reply #13 on:** October 23, 2008, 03:30:24 AM »

I wouldn't try to build loads that are so near the edge that you need to weigh charges, you will need a scale to set a measure, but go with a nice middle of the road load with one of the slower powders so that it fills the case well, and measure your powder. It will be easy to look in your 9mm cases and make sure that the powder level looks OK, that is a big safety factor, not so much that you are accurate to the last .001 grain.

XD9 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 23, 2008, 04:10:53 AM »

Quote from: bilmac on October 23, 2008, 03:21:35 AM

You can save $ when you are buying bullets, but the big savings come when you start casting your own.

I plan on getting into the casting at some point but not starting out there. I want to learn the basics first and become comfortable and confident in my reloading abilities before starting to cast. I'm getting into it more as a hobby. I'm looking forward to saving money while doing it but I think I'll really enjoy it once I start. And it gives me one more gun oriented hobby!!

NE Hunter · « **Reply #15 on:** October 23, 2008, 05:02:34 AM »

Quote from: XD9 on October 22, 2008, 03:25:38 PM

I plan on reloading for me as well as a few friends so hopefully, the investment will pay for itself fairly quickly. I promised my wife I wouldn't buy anymore guns for at least a year...I didn't say anything about not buying equipment though!! haha. I kind of went on a gun buying spree lately so she's pulling in the reigns...

There are legal issues if you reload for other people, I wouldn't do it. If they are reloading the same calibers as you , you can share the expense and share the equipment. If you're thinking of selling your reloads ( to make it pay off sooner ) you'll need a federal license and insurance.

Savage · « **Reply #16 on:** October 23, 2008, 05:32:28 AM »

NE Hunter hit the nail on the head! Reloading for anyone other than yourself is asking for a lawsuit! Even if you give your reloads away!
Savage

XD9 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 23, 2008, 05:49:43 AM »

Hmmm, glad I found that out before doing it! $:-\$

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #18 on:** October 24, 2008, 02:13:07 AM »

If your gonna load for some compitition look hard at getting a progressive press a single stage wil wear you out loading allot of rounds, I have and use both but my dillion SDB gets the knod for loading .45acp. I really enjoy reloading, It adds to the experiance of my shooting hobby casting as well. Its amazing how fast ou can collect stuff I gotta keep a eye on my spendings all the time.

I got the I WANT MORE sendrome pretty bad.

jgalar · « **Reply #19 on:** October 24, 2008, 02:48:31 AM »

If you are loading for pistols then you may want to look at the Lee 3-hole turret press. Its not as fast or expensive as a progressive, but much faster than a single stage press.

Here is a video showing the press in action:
http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html
select turret press in operation

XD9 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 24, 2008, 02:50:57 AM »

Quote from: Badnews Bob on October 24, 2008, 02:13:07 AM

I got the I WANT MORE sendrome pretty bad.

I know what you mean there. I've only been shooting a couple of years and I don't like the "collect things over time" method. I've bought pretty much everything I need for all types of hunting / shooting in the past two years. I think I've about worn my wife out.

One of the good things about starting to reload (and something I keep reminding my wife about) is that it will save money!! For once, I'm going to buy something that will SAVE money.

XD9 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 24, 2008, 03:07:28 AM »

Quote from: jgalar on October 24, 2008, 02:48:31 AM

If you are loading for pistols then you may want to look at the Lee 3-hole turret press. Its not as fast or expensive as a progressive, but much faster than a single stage press.

Yeah, I've been looking at this press. I definitely don't want to start out on a progressive. At least at the beginning, I won't be loading enough to make it worth the investment of a progressive model. I've been looking at the turret presses though. I like the convenience of being able to keep all the dies set up and change them out with the turret plate. Lee seems to be pretty acceptable quality as well and their turret presses are getting great reviews everywhere I look at them. Can't beat the price either!

Thanks for the videos...

Savage · « **Reply #22 on:** October 24, 2008, 03:37:22 AM »

I have a Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press. I use it for calibers that I used to load on a single stage. I can use it single stage and batch load, or use it as an auto indexing turret. Either way it works fine. Get the four hole press, and use the Lee Factory Crimp Die in the fourth station on all your pistol calibers. It will save you a lot of grief!
Savage

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #23 on:** October 25, 2008, 02:54:35 AM »

I just bought a Lee classic cast Four hole turrent and use it the same way as savage discribed it works very well and turns out some nice ammo. The primer catcher is the best thing going IMHO, +1 on the crimp dies as well.

fatoldfool · « **Reply #24 on:** October 25, 2008, 05:13:36 AM »

Another vote for the Lee 4 hole as recommended by Savag and Badbob....very handy, doesn take any more room than a "one-holer".

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #25 on:** October 25, 2008, 06:39:11 AM »

As the others have said, get a Lee 4hole turret, great for rifle and pistol. Even the original aluminum base turret will only last for 25 or thirty years or so. If possible, for your very first try, a straight case will be a bit simpler to get into the basics of reloading, but if it needs to be 9mm, no big issue. The Lyman and Lee manuals are more instructive for the first timer. Of the nine presses I own, the most used, by far, is an old Lee 3hole turret, set up for 12 calibers

XD9 · « **Reply #26 on:** October 25, 2008, 07:29:42 AM »

Sounds like you guys have made my decision easy...plus the fact that it's so inexpensive. I've started putting together a materials list of things I'll "need". Do you suggest purchasing the Lee Turret KIT or buying the press alone and then getting certain accessories?

kansas45 · « **Reply #27 on:** October 25, 2008, 08:03:57 AM »

Buy the kit. The accessories will come pretty fast. Be sure you have a good set of calipers. If you don't have one, get yourself a tumbler or vibrator. For rifle, & some pistol reloading, get a case trimmer. To check your finished product, buy a case guage. There are a lot of things to acquire, & you will figgure it out as you go.

XD9 · « **Reply #28 on:** October 25, 2008, 02:26:52 PM »

One question...do you guys have the Turret Press or the Classic Turret Press? It seems the Classic has a few upgrades and is a little sturdier. Is it necessary? I'd like to set up with the powder measure in one of the turret holes, as well as having the safety primer tool added on. Does the regular turret press allow this?

Savage · « **Reply #29 on:** October 25, 2008, 03:05:24 PM »

Buy the classic turret press. You'll need the 4th die station. I have owned both the 3 and 4 hole presses. The classic is worth the difference in price. And yes, you can install the Safety Prime on the older 3 hole press. The powder measure mounts on the case mouth expanding die. Makes no difference if it's on the 3 hole or the 4.
Savage