First Foray into Reloading

[TwinMustang]

A bit like skipping high school and starting in graduate school ... a couple of reloading manuals are a must ... adhere exactly to safe reloading practices and data ... don't use data from an online source unless it is from a bonafide 100% legit firearm powder/ammo manufacturers website and use the exact components specified in the manual/manufacturers website

I have two PDFs and an old Hodgdon manual (probably late 70s to early 80s). I have no intention of going of half-cocked, but at the same time I'm reloading to save money. I want to reload my russian calibres mainly to increase consistency and reliability, decrease wear and tear from corrosive ammo, and be able to afford using them for fun shooting rather than hunting.

 

[bertn]

I managed to snag a 9mm 4 die Lee deluxe set, so good to know I got the right dies!

I’m not opposed to buying brass, just looking at ways to save some money where I can. My budget is pretty slim, so I can do more fun stuff if I stretch it out.

Once fired 9mm is plentiful and cheap. At my club I can get soo much 9mm brass if I'm willing to pick it up as not many of the members reload 9mm.

Buying used starting price for 9mm is about 3 cents a piece, this is roughly the same price as you would get at a scrap yard so you will lose no money at all on it as long as you pick up your brass again. If it wears out you sell it for scrap brass and get your money back : )

 

[homer76]

I beg to disagree with you, fine sir. I've dome it for a few calibers, and if you're trying to find an oddball caliber it may be the only option. But for .223 to 300 blackout, it's fairly straightforward.

Shortening brass is easy. I bought a mini cut off saw from Harbor Freight Tools. I used it to convert .223 to .300 Blackout and cut carbon arrows.

 

[PPCLI-Jim]

Shortening brass is easy. I bought a mini cut off saw from Harbor Freight Tools. I used it to convert .223 to .300 Blackout and cut carbon arrows.

The worst part 8mm Lebel to .41 Swiss, is it's a tapered case. But my Wish brand one has enough slack tolerances, that it still clamps well.

 

[Grouseman2]

When I was younger I loaded 30-30 Win ammo for years with nothing but the old Lee Loader kit that didn't even have a press or a weigh scale ... I ordered it from the old SIR store in Winnipeg for $9.95 ... a box of bullets, primers & IMR-3031 powder kept me in the hunting field for several falls with my hand-me-down pre-64 Win Model 94 ... the Rock Chucker press came years later

 

[FLHTCUI]

Well the title says it all.

I have never reloaded before. I understand the basic principle, but I've never used a press or measured powder before. I have recently acquired a new-to-me Lyman T-Mag II Turret press and I'm in the process of acquiring dies. I'm also looking to replace a couple missing parts (non-essential) such as the primer quick release pin and the primer punches and sleeves, if I were to use the built-in primer tool.

I'd like to keep a log of my reloading here so y'all can critique and offer suggestions (or rude remarks so I can block you, because I don't need any more negativity in my life.... I work for the government), but also to keep a record of what I did, and how it worked.

First up, I'm looking for a set of dies for 9mm para. I'll get powder and pills if/when that happens. I'm also looking for .303br dies, but that's less urgent since I have a Lee Classic Loader kit and I plan to hunt, not mag dump. I might also be interested in .30-30 dies, but that's down the line. It's my backup deer gun.

I would also like to take on the dubious project of reloading 7.62x25TT. I suppose I could find Berdan primers and kit and do it that way with the old milsurp shells, but I would rather do it with newish brass. As such, I plan to take .223 Rem brass and trim/neck it down for the job. I have never modified brass before, so that's another journey I'll be on. I know it can be done, as some of you fine folks probably have done some of that yourselves. For now, I really want to be able to have fun with my TT33 without having to pay out the nose for the ammo.

Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Rude remarks? Please give me an excuse to block someone rude. I get great pleasure out of removing negativity.

TM

Have you surfed through the EE under reloading ??
One can find many good deals on the calibres you mentioned or contact a former site sponsor RW from mission BC for new Lee dies for starters.
There are many reasons to reload and to be thrifty is not really at the top of the lsit.
Education and therapy fall into reasons for reloading as does accuracy and perfection.
Interesting name you have, twin turbo ?
Oh, how did the Rust Festival go this year in Rupert , you knwo the one that starts o Sept1st and runs through Aug31st ....