Author Topic: Handloading for my Handis (Read 1338 times)

petemi · « **on:** March 31, 2010, 10:22:45 AM »

I finally got the rest of the stuff ordered today to begin handloading for my Straight walled Handis, .45-70, .45LC, .44 Mag and .38 thu Maxi. I found small rifle and pistol primers at Natchez and Wolf large rifle and pistol primers at Widener's. They were the only ones I found in stock. I wanted .445 dies also, but couldn't find them at a price I can afford right now.

Pete

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2010, 10:25:35 AM »

Congrats Pete, just get 44mag dies, they'll work for the 445 just like 357mag dies work for the Maxi.

Tim

Datil · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2010, 10:32:12 AM »

About time you started reloading Pete!!!!!! You are not getting any younger,
Goopd luck Marv.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2010, 10:34:34 AM »

Quote from: petemi on March 31, 2010, 10:22:45 AM

Wolf large rifle and pistol primers

It shocked me when I found that Wolf primers are made in Russia. WTH? Why can;t we do something RIGHT in America for a change??? where are all the AMERICAN primers going?

forgot to add.....Wolf primers work just like the rest, but paying $35/1000 is ROBBERY!

petemi · « **Reply #4 on:** March 31, 2010, 10:43:52 AM »

$29 per thousand.

Pete

jeepmann1948 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 31, 2010, 11:12:17 AM »

Congratulations Pete
Glad you have Succumb to a new addiction

The good news is it will allow you to shoot more, the bad news is you will spend as much or more money because you are shooting more

Enjoy my friend !!

wayne24 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2010, 11:12:32 AM »

You will have a blast reloading .Plus getting to shoot more.
Wayne

petemi · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2010, 11:20:32 AM »

Quote from: Datil on March 31, 2010, 10:32:12 AM

About time you started reloading Pete!!!!!! You are not getting any younger,
Goopd luck Marv.

Marv, I figure when I'm in the Old Soldiers Home, I can use my food tray for a bench and roll my wheel chair out on the porch to try my loads.

Pete

PigBoy Crabshaw · « **Reply #8 on:** March 31, 2010, 11:36:09 AM »

Congrats Pete. I've been burning the midnight oil going over posts and reloading web-sites about componets and such, second guessing everything!
I have almost everything I need. Gonna us a Lee Classic Cast for rifle.
I'm getting the business from guys on a local board about getting a Dillon to start cranking out pistol rounds.
Build the loading bench last summer and need to get motivated to mount up.
I just started the boy in a NRA 22 rifle musketeers program a few months ago and I can see getting him going on the 357 Handi by end of the summer. He really wants to drop a deer now that he's 12.
So many 357's will be needed for range time.
Good luck and lets see some reloading station pictures. It may spark a few more of us to get'er done.

-gary

petemi · « **Reply #9 on:** March 31, 2010, 12:31:17 PM »

There's two reloading benches. The summer and the winter. The summer is in the gun/tool room in the barn. It'll be used July 31st thru August 3rd. The winter is in the basement and will be used the rest of the year, August 4th to July 30th.

Pics will follow........someday

Afterall, it only took 68 years, 11 months and 29 days to get this far. Let's not get too impatient

Pete

quickdtoo · « **Reply #10 on:** March 31, 2010, 12:45:14 PM »

Just in time!!!!

Tim

cwlongshot · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:03:44 PM »

GLAD to hear it Pete!!

Drop me a line any time if I can help..

CW

PigBoy Crabshaw · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:41:26 PM »

I have never reloaded a round and have reloading video's and books older than my 12yo.
I'm just going to get off the fence and do it. This summer I turn 50 and I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. Shooting more for sure!

-g

zoner · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2010, 01:53:47 PM »

congrats Pete on gettin the reloading bug. You'll wish you started long ago,my friend. Will help ya out if you need it

Antietamgw · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:30:33 PM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on March 31, 2010, 10:34:34 AM

Quote from: petemi on March 31, 2010, 10:22:45 AM
Wolf large rifle and pistol primers

It shocked me when I found that Wolf primers are made in Russia. WTH? Why can;t we do something RIGHT in America for a change??? where are all the AMERICAN primers going?

What really surprised me was that guys like David Tubb say they get lower SD's with Wolf over Fed 210's in their long range loads. WTH! I passed those things up at $18/1000 a couple years ago...

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:39:35 PM »

About time Pete! You will love reloading the straight walls. I'm doing .45 Colt and 38 Special right now. I use CCI primers and have four different powders to choose from. I have a cheapo Lee press but it gets the job done. Let us know how everything works out.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:48:57 PM »

And the addiction spreads! Your gonna love it Pete.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2010, 02:54:53 PM »

Good deal Pete on the reloading it is lots of fun! You will learn quick, I just started 12 months ago, at age 53, and it is every bit as much of an addiction as buying Handis. Just remember what Tim says about the short throated 45 70s; you will find a bunch of bullets that will not load to 2.55" without using a reamer.

Good Luck.

BB

dave29 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2010, 03:51:42 PM »

Awesome!

I just got my first order of reloading equipment from Midway this week!

I am going to start off by loading .38 special, .357, .357 max, .44 mag, .45 colt, and .308.

I can't wait to get started.

bigvarmnt · « **Reply #19 on:** March 31, 2010, 06:47:48 PM »

Good for you Pete, I started about 30yrs ago. None of my friends/hunting buddies were ever interested in it. Guess I'm just the odd one but I have always enjoyed it. They don't mind shooting my reloads though. Man you sure have a short Summer up there. It should be cool enough in the basement for your 4 days of Summer loading. Be careful and PAY ATTENTION! Keep the women out of the reloading room. Good Luck

OSOK · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2010, 08:02:29 PM »

Too bad...the only thing more addictive than handi's is reloading for them.
I was off the stuff for about 15 years, and then I got my .45-70 BC and the urge to sling large lead bullets out of it hit me. I don't think I can kick the addiction again.

If they give Methadone to Herion addicts, what do they give Handi addicts? Hoppe's?

Lucky Joe · « **Reply #21 on:** April 01, 2010, 02:29:20 AM »

Glad to see those of you starting to reload, I've been at it for over 30 yrs. and still learn all the time. Three things I did not see in this thread that I would personally recommend (1) acquire as many reloading manuals as possible, (2) ALWAYS start a new load at least 10% below the minimum load and work up, (3) check out this link it is a vast wealth of knowledge http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php.

Not trying to take away from the GB reloading section that one I also recommend, Castboolits is a very active site with some very knowledgeable participants.

You can't help but have fun reloading.

briannmilewis · « **Reply #22 on:** April 01, 2010, 03:14:01 AM »

Quote from: PigBoy Crabshaw on March 31, 2010, 01:41:26 PM

I have never reloaded a round and have reloading video's and books older than my 12yo.
I'm just going to get off the fence and do it. This summer I turn 50 and I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. Shooting more for sure!
-g

I started at 54, so you have a few years on me...it is never too late and it is a lot of fun. Good luck.

gcrank1 · « **Reply #23 on:** April 01, 2010, 05:34:43 AM »

It is a good idea to check a couple of references to make sure there isnt a typo in the test, especially for the grains of powder for your charge. FWIW, I've always found satisfaction at 10-15% less than the top load listed. That also substantially reduces pressures on you and the firearm.
If you dont have a library full of the different reloading manuals you can get some freebies from the powder manufacturers, and sometimes they are available where you buy your powder (ask).

wreckhog · « **Reply #24 on:** April 01, 2010, 07:47:14 AM »

Handloading can be more fun than shooting. Nice thing about Handis is you can take your time, load 30 rounds and have enough to shoot a whole day. If you were loading for an AR, that would be 1 mag or about 15 seconds of shooting.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #25 on:** April 01, 2010, 08:47:45 AM »

If you are shooting Mac's Bruiser Handloads for the 45 70 then I think 30 rounds might last you a lifetime.

geezer56 · « **Reply #26 on:** April 01, 2010, 02:30:45 PM »

I got started reloading when I was 19. An old guy I worked with gave me a set of dies and went with me to buy a press and scale. He gave me powder and primers til I could afford to buy my own. I have now been a reloader for 40 years. How that happened, I'll never know. I have introduced several guys to the hobby since then. My last convert said that he thought he'd have been better off if I'd gotten him hooked on crack cocaine, that it might have turned out to be cheaper. I also sold him his first Handi rifle. Double whammy! But is sure has been fun!

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #27 on:** April 01, 2010, 03:26:10 PM »

Glad yer getten up and runnin on reloading Pete. There are a couple of powders for the pistol cartridges you don't want to back off from max to much. H-110/ W296 are not to be reduced much, the Hodgdon site will say how much not to reduce by, I'm still at work and don't have my manual with me. Be safe and ask any thing your not sure about. Tim, CW, myself and many more here have been loading a few decades, so should be able to help a feller out. DP

wreckhog · « **Reply #28 on:** April 01, 2010, 03:44:37 PM »

Unique is the best powder to start with. Not the hottest, but the the most versatile, and maybe the safest. Rifle, pistol, cast, jacketed, whatever.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #29 on:** April 01, 2010, 03:48:26 PM »

69 years old tomorrow? Happy B-day