So I bought a Hornday deluxe reloading kit.

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frank223

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I'm new to reloading and seen the kit on sale, so I jumped on it. I have a few weeks to get it up and running because in the box there was a Certificate for the reloading manual, apparently they were short on inventory when the kit was put together. I like the kit so far and the quality of the press and all the pieces that come with. I plan on starting with .223, .243, and .308. The 223 and 308 will be long range rounds mainly and varmit rounds for the 243.

I'm asking for tips or tricks you guys have. Also, how anal should I be about OAL, cleaning of case, and variances in charge weights. From what I have read, consistency is key, so I plan on taking my time and being careful. I plan on using a sonic cleaner over tumbling, I'm going to try a vinegar/water instead of premade solutions.

Its going to be a few anxious weeks, waiting for the manual in the mail. But it's not like I'm rushing to go shooting out in the -30 wind. Thanks for the input guys!
 
The manual will give you tips on initial set up and instructions for adjusting your dies. What you REALLY need is a somone with a bit of experiance to come over and walk you through things. You CAN get by without having somone come over and help...but it would be a lot smoother if you could find somone.

Some of the good aftermarket reloading manuals are really good to have as well.

Once you get going the entire process can be pretty enjoyable. I am still fairly new to reloading and have learned a lot from what others have shown me
 
OAL gets important after a couple of firings as necked brass tends to stretch. Cleaning is, IMO, minor, but it can't hurt.

What you want to be super-anal about is powder, mainly for safety. Your powders are likely to be bulky, so double-charging's unlikely to be an issue, but forgetting to put any in can suck. Using the wrong powder or too much can really suck. Pay attention, don't take recipes from unknown sources (including posters here) until you get a feel for it.

A mentor is a good idea.

One thing I always recommend is to get a small tin of Imperial Sizing Die Wax. Great stuff; lasts forever. I'd also get a stuck case remover and some spare decapping pins. You'll need them sooner or later and might as well be prepared. I'd be tempted to get another reloading block and a notebook to keep track of results.

While waiting for the manual, you might want to think about your setup - solid bench, legal powder/primer storage, lighting (often overlooked) and so forth.

Welcome to the dark side.
 
Get your self the Lyman manual. I have many others and it is still the most comprehensive and best written manual.

As to how anal you should be? Your choice, the sky is the limit. Many of us OCD types call it "reloading therapy." I would suggest our most bang for your buck will be (aside from sticking to a single bullet, case and powder and primer) will be your charge weights. You can't be too precise. After that oal.

After that you get into therapy levels of detail where the joy soars but the benefits diminish as quickly as the costs rise.
 
there is a number of youtube vids that you can watch if you can't find someone close by to get you started. this reloading thing is addictive and it also gets the most out of you and your firearms. don't expect to save money, expect to shoot more.
 
Congratulations,The Hornady Classic / 007 press is my favorite single stage I have. I really like the convenience of the lock and load bushings. I like to buy the 10 packs direct from Hornady usually 3 packs at a time. They also have a large diameter die adapter so I use these on my Lee classic cast press also. Changing out your dies are a snap with these, lock them in and you are set unless you go to a different style/size of bullet. Everything else you received in this kit is also quite good and you have every thing you need to produce good ammo.
 
Welcome to a new aspect of the shooting hobby.... maybe even what some consider to be a separate hobby - reloading!

There are lots of threads in here on basic reloading questions, so if you haven't already, it might be worthwhile going through some of them.

Some points are worth summarizing:
- Get a couple of reloading manuals and go through them, not just for load recipes, but for other tidbits.
- If you're trying things out, change one thing (powder weight, seating depth, bullet brand, primer, etc...) at a time. If you do get a noticable difference in your loads you won't know why.
- Get rid of the distractions when reloading.
- Only one container of powder and primers on the bench at any given time.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions. There is a great deal of accumulated experience and wisdom here on CGN, even with a few RSA (Resident Smart Ass) types....
- Don't reload for other people.
- If in doubt, don't! Is it worth destroying your gun, your health, your life?

I'm sure there are others, but these are top of my list....

Stan
 
Congratulations on the Hornady kit….. if you don't have a mentor, watch youtube videos, lots of youtube videos, hours of youtube videos
the lock and load bushings are the best feature of this kit, you can change dies and they will always be consistent ……as mr.e moose said buy a 10 pack..
i also find it helpful to reload in small batches, 20-30 rounds at a time….. i tried to reload 140 once and it was a disaster…..
keep your reloading area clean and organized and enjoy
 
frank223 said:
I'm new to reloading and seen the kit on sale, so I jumped on it. I have a few weeks to get it up and running because in the box there was a Certificate for the reloading manual, apparently they were short on inventory when the kit was put together. I like the kit so far and the quality of the press and all the pieces that come with. I plan on starting with .223, .243, and .308. The 223 and 308 will be long range rounds mainly and varmit rounds for the 243.

I'm asking for tips or tricks you guys have. Also, how anal should I be about OAL, cleaning of case, and variances in charge weights. From what I have read, consistency is key, so I plan on taking my time and being careful. I plan on using a sonic cleaner over tumbling, I'm going to try a vinegar/water instead of premade solutions.

Its going to be a few anxious weeks, waiting for the manual in the mail. But it's not like I'm rushing to go shooting out in the -30 wind. Thanks for the input guys!
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I agree with the other fellow that the Lyman manual is really good. The Lee manual is fun to read because everything they do/make is the best in the world and a fraction of the price. The over-the-top writing is always good for a chuckle. I'm in Toon on and off all the time, if you have any questions just let me know.
 
barsik said:
there is a number of youtube vids that you can watch if you can't find someone close by to get you started. this reloading thing is addictive and it also gets the most out of you and your firearms. don't expect to save money, expect to shoot more.
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I disagree slightly on this comment, reloading = just as good, if not better than some factory stuff that is on the market..... for far less than $20-$50 per box. As long as one can adopt the same shooting frequency they are bound to save fistfulls of cash. The initial setup and procurement of components to start is what kicked me in the pants.
 
Having someone assist you to get started is good but not always possible. Youtube is a great resource, with hundreds of videos on just about everyhting to do with reloading. ABCs of Reloading is a good book, and so is the Lyman Reloading Manual.

For me, the best way to learn something is to break it down into individual steps and learn each step thoroughly before moving on to the next. Sit down with your press and dies, some brass, and a good reloading manual and learn what's happening.

Spend 10-15 minutes checking out the resizing, depriming die functions - take the die apart and see what makes it tick, size and deprime some brass. It doesn't take long to get a picture in your mind of what is happening once you start looking at it and playing with it. Do the same with the other dies: 10-15 minutes on seating and crimping, take the die apart and study it, play with the settings and adjustments, seat a couple bullets. Start with no crimp and then start making small adjustments until you see a crimp. And so on.

Spend time grasping and learning each step before you move on to the next. Trying to learn everything at once is more than most of us can do properly.

Try to have some old or junk brass and a few bullets on hand that you don't mind messing up, because you probably will. Better to do it as a learning process rather than starting to try and make ammo right from the start, which is what most people do. Seeing 47 new reloaded cartridges and 3 empty spots in the box because you wrecked 3 during the learning process is kind of frustrating. Learn on old crap brass and then when you are ready to start reloading you can get out the new stuff. :)
 
jethunter said:
Try to have some old or junk brass and a few bullets on hand that you don't mind messing up, because you probably will. Better to do it as a learning process rather than starting to try and make ammo right from the start, which is what most people do. Seeing 47 new reloaded cartridges and 3 empty spots in the box because you wrecked 3 during the learning process is kind of frustrating. Learn on old crap brass and then when you are ready to start reloading you can get out the new stuff. :)
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Good idea... And while you're at it, try making up a few (2 or 3) dummy rounds, with no primer or powder. The best thin to check for cycling through the action.
 
OldDude said:
Good idea... And while you're at it, try making up a few (2 or 3) dummy rounds, with no primer or powder. The best thin to check for cycling through the action.
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If you are reloading different loads in the same cartridge, a dummy round can be useful for setting the dies. Screw out the seating plug, then adjust the die for proper depth. Lock it down, put the dummy in place and raise the ram all the way. Now gently screw down the seating plug - voila, the right depth. Probably not suitable for high precision loads, but it works fine for the average ones.
 
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