Are you new to reloading?

ChavalierRancourt said:
What press kit would be recommended to reload .303 and 30-30?
Click to expand...

I recommend what ever you like the best. I have always been partial to RCBS. I have used my press for more than 20 years to load in excess of 50k rounds. Never had a problem.

The equipment is only half of the story: the rest of the story is in your mind. Try to work methodically, and safely. REad up on reloading. Ask many questions of any of us on the forum. I doubt anyone here with reloading experience will decline to answer you if they have an answer you're looking for. Always check, recheck and then check again. Use only load data from known and trusted sources, such as a data book from Speer, Hornady, Barnes and other well known manufacturers. Follow the recipe to the letter, no exceptions.

Above all: ENJOY!

Welcome to reloading!

Robert
 
Oh Robert ,What the great post you offer to me!!!!!!!!!
Single stage for start, yess,you are for me a good reference, you are a gentleman,if you leave in a great montreal area, you gone be my teacher, thanks again for your help.
 
kendo said:
Oh Robert ,What the great post you offer to me!!!!!!!!!
Single stage for start, yess,you are for me a good reference, you are a gentleman,if you leave in a great montreal area, you gone be my teacher, thanks again for your help.
Click to expand...

M. Kendo:

If I was in the Montreal area I would be happy to help you. Since I am not, the internet will have to do. Never be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they might be stupid. There are no stupid questions, only stupid people that do not ask.

Bon chance, mon ami!

Robert
 
Robert McNamera said:
Hello Friends:

I've been in the reloading game for about 20 years now. Not that this makes me an expert, but I'm perhaps a little less dumb than the average Joe

So...if there's anyone in the Edmonton, AB area that is curious and wants to see how it's done, I'd be willing to share info, my techniques, etc.

I have owned or at least operated most of the major brands of equipment out there, so I can at least comment on some of their differences.

My equipment: RCBS Rockchucker of unknown but ancient vintage.
Dillon 650 (On the 8th day, God made Dillon!)

Calibers: .303 Brit, 9mm Luger, .38/.357 Mag, .223 Rem., 30-06, .308,
.40 S&W, .300 Win. Mag.

I have loaded in excess of 50,000 rounds, all told. Have never had an incident of any kind due to being somewhat anal about procedures and safety.

Years ago a kind soul showed me the process and walked me through it on his equipment. I cannot repay his kindness, but I can pay that favor forward.

PM me if interested.
Click to expand...

No takers so far. But the offer still stands.


Robert
 
I got started reloading at about 14, for .270 win and 30-30 when I found my grandpa's box of gear. a 505 scale and a RCBS RS2 press. I read the Speer number 10 manual enough times to almost wear it out before I even started and I knew more about ballistics then than I do now. I used to use the formula to determine ft/lbs from velocity and bullet mass on paper to compare different guns and loads.

Best advice I have ever heard or read on here is get a good manual, read it cover to cover a few times, even every single cartridge's writeup, the articles in the front, the list of fast to slow powders.. Everything.. Over and over until you understand why you use fast powders in some cartridges and behind light bullets and slow powders in some cartridges and behind the heavy bullets.

Obviously a mentor would have helped, but mine passed away a couple years before I started and I was totally set on learning what he did. He also shoe'd horses and welded aluminum, etc, but I'll maybe get there one day.
 
unstableryan said:
I got started reloading at about 14, for .270 win and 30-30 when I found my grandpa's box of gear. a 505 scale and a RCBS RS2 press. I read the Speer number 10 manual enough times to almost wear it out before I even started and I knew more about ballistics then than I do now. I used to use the formula to determine ft/lbs from velocity and bullet mass on paper to compare different guns and loads.

Best advice I have ever heard or read on here is get a good manual, read it cover to cover a few times, even every single cartridge's writeup, the articles in the front, the list of fast to slow powders.. Everything.. Over and over until you understand why you use fast powders in some cartridges and behind light bullets and slow powders in some cartridges and behind the heavy bullets.

Obviously a mentor would have helped, but mine passed away a couple years before I started and I was totally set on learning what he did. He also shoe'd horses and welded aluminum, etc, but I'll maybe get there one day.
Click to expand...
Good on you, Ryan! You have obviously started from a good base point. I have and continue to do the same as you as regards reading everything I can get my hands on about reloading. As for mentoring: I garantee that there are people who reload to be found at your local gun club. Perhaps that might be a place to look?


Robert
 
Obtunded said:
It is terrific that someone is willing to coach and mentor like that, good on you! New reloaders would do well to take him up on his advice as there are volumes of knowledge one cannot put into a book or a video!

Justsomeguy... FWIW, I do not advocate learning to reload on a progressive press. (and for that matter as a competitive precision shooter I don't recommend them for rifle cartridges, but that is me) Yes, they can be a fast way to reload, but you will learn to master each step properly by using a single-stage. You can also pay more attention to very important steps such as weighing charges if you start with a single-stage.

I had a bad experince (one that was entirely my fault) in that while using a progressive, I failed to observe that the powder dispenser was jammed. As a result, a number of my .45 ACP loads had no powder in them. Unfortunately, the few that were squibbed (I have no idea how many) were mixed in with a hopper that had hundreds of cartridges in it. I had no choice but to condemn the entire batch... At the range, I had squeezed the trigger and nothing happened. I ejected a spent casing and assumed that it had simply not cycled properly. Good thing i dilligently checked the bore, because a bullet was stuck half way down the barrel. If I had simply loaded and fired another round in the mistaken belief it was simply a failed ejection, I would have blown up the gun and likely my hand. I never heard or felt a primer detonating with my hearing protection on.
Click to expand...
Moi aussi. I have never loaded on a progressive press again. It may be slower, but it is definitely more consistent.
 
Hi Robert - I would love to take you up on your offer. Like many, I have often wondered about building the cartridges myself, but haven't taken the plunge. Too bad I'm a ways south of you, otherwise I would love to learn more! One thing I really like about this forum is it reminds me that there are a lot of good people in the world (liberals not included....) who are willing to help.
 
Thats a mighty fine offer Robert. I just started reloading this past month.
I have a Hornady Lock N Load AP set up for .38/357. Using 4.0 grains of titegroup under a 158 grain plated round nose. I've been getting good results with this recipe/press combination. The addition of the Powder Cop Die is a god send. If you'd like to entertain one question, I'd appreciate it. Other then Titiegroup, what would you say ida good Pistil powder. I tried HS 6, and was less then impressed. After 6 to 18 shots, I'd have so much unburnt powder around the cylinder of my revolver, it wouldn't rotate at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom