Got my Lee Handload kit and I have a few questions

cereal83

cereal83

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Hey all,

Well I finally got my Lee Handloading kit and I went out and got some 180 grain Nosler Accubond bullets along with IMR 4064 powder and some Winchester LR primers.

Well today I was figuring out how it worked and pretty much kind of figured it out. So so far I have lubbed, unprimed, primed about 50 casings.

Basically I want to move on and pour some powder and accually complete a bullet but with my little reloading guide they gave me with the kit I have no idea how it works. I got a little scoop that is like 3.42 cc I think but I have no idea how to turn that cc to grains. :confused:

Another thing I am kind of iffy on is. The die peice that accually puts the bellet into the case, well with my kit, it is adjustable. I have no idea where to put it. Like do I put it as high as it will go or as low as it will go?

The crimper I guess that crimps the bullet. Do I have to crimp? From my readingm you can't crimp it unless the bellet has crimp marks right into the bullet, is this true?

I think that is it for now but any help would be great.

Thanks

:dancingbanana:
 
The 'scoop' is supposed to work with the powders listed in the instructions.If they list 4064 then the scoop is a safe amount in your caliber,(30-06?).Using a bowl,static free type,dip scoop through powder.Level powder across top of scoop,pour into case.There is a chart in the back of the Lee reloading manual that shows scoop powder capacity,your comes to 45.6 grains.The seater stem is adjustable to allow for differnt bullet lengths and shapes.Back it out almost all the way and seat a bullet then measure length of cartridge.If too long turn in stem slowly and try again,repeat as neccessary to obtain proper depth.A caliper is good for checking length.And finally ( I,m running out of breath here) you do not need to crimp most bullets.
 
i think before going futher you should study a couple of reloading manuels so you will know how to set up your dies and get a better feel for loading before you start. may save you a lot of grief. you should also buy a scale rather than trust a dipper.
 
shotgunjoe said:
The 'scoop' is supposed to work with the powders listed in the instructions.If they list 4064 then the scoop is a safe amount in your caliber,(30-06?).Using a bowl,static free type,dip scoop through powder.Level powder across top of scoop,pour into case.There is a chart in the back of the Lee reloading manual that shows scoop powder capacity,your comes to 45.6 grains.The seater stem is adjustable to allow for differnt bullet lengths and shapes.Back it out almost all the way and seat a bullet then measure length of cartridge.If too long turn in stem slowly and try again,repeat as neccessary to obtain proper depth.A caliper is good for checking length.And finally ( I,m running out of breath here) you do not need to crimp most bullets.
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Thanks for a good reply. It helped me out alot as to how to do stuff. So just to confirm. I see 4064 with a 180 grain lead bullet but it is asking for 3.06 cc Mine isn't 3.06 so how would I measure up to this? Yes I am using a 30-06.


chappy said:
i think before going futher you should study a couple of reloading manuels so you will know how to set up your dies and get a better feel for loading before you start. may save you a lot of grief. you should also buy a scale rather than trust a dipper.
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I already have the Lyman book and I have read through everything so I think I have the basics. I just need hands on now.

I would like to get a scale but I am looking for a cheap but haven't found anything yet.

Any other responses would also be great too.

Thanks
 
I think that a scale and a powder measure are necessary items even for starters, if the bullet does not have a cannelure...seat it to the length(O.a.l.) recommended in manuals for a start, if the bullet goes into the case with enough resistance you shouln't need to crimp, when you try your new reloads at the range...check to make sure bullets havn't moved on loaded rounds in the mag.
 
I would never trust a dipper for loading charges without verifying it with a proper scale. Your dies should come with instructions telling you how to set them up initially. You will also need a caliper to measure the completed round to ensure its at the proper length.

The Accubonds have no crimping cannulure, they must be measured with a caliper to verify COL


when it comes to reloading there is no guessing or close enough, that can be dangerous.

BEFORE you go any further, have you verified your resized empty cases by chambering it in your rifle, since you seemed to be confused about how to set your dies. If it won't fit now, it surely won't fit when you finish loading.

It takes more than 100 bucks worth of equipment to getting started for handloading.
 
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the dipper LEE provides with that kit is safe ONLY FOR THOSE POWDERS LISTED- THERE IS NO "GETTING CLOSE" WITH OTHER POWDERS- if you're going to use powders other than those listed, GET A SCALE AND LEARN HOW TO USE IT- forgive me for yelling but there is no compromise with this stuff- you foul up, get injured, and we ALL END UP PAYING FOR IT- there's always an inquiry into what happened with PUNATIVE LEGISLATION down the road
 
I'm going to be doing some loading tommorow.If you are in the Toronto area and want to see how it's done, PM me and we can work something out.
 
cereal83 said:
I see 4064 with a 180 grain lead bullet but it is asking for 3.06 cc Mine isn't 3.06 so how would I measure up to this? Yes I am using a 30-06.
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When you see "lead bullet" in the Lee data, it means non-jacketed cast bullet, you are looking at the wrong data. As Shotgunjoe mentioned, your dipper will give you 45.6gr of IMR4064. The Lee manual lists 44.7gr as the max load with 180gr jacketed bullet. This means you would need a smaller dipper, not a bigger one. What you really need though is a scale (and calipers and a case trimmer if you don't already have these).
 
don't be a scrooge when you are buying your equipment.i sense you are no wheres near ready to shoot any reloads just yet . take the help that was offered.
 
Workin Man said:
When you see "lead bullet" in the Lee data, it means non-jacketed cast bullet, you are looking at the wrong data. As Shotgunjoe mentioned, your dipper will give you 45.6gr of IMR4064. The Lee manual lists 44.7gr as the max load with 180gr jacketed bullet. This means you would need a smaller dipper, not a bigger one. What you really need though is a scale (and calipers and a case trimmer if you don't already have these).
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Yeah I know I need a scale. I am just saving up to get one. I have the stuff to trim the casing.

dumbdawg said:
don't be a scrooge when you are buying your equipment.i sense you are no wheres near ready to shoot any reloads just yet . take the help that was offered.
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I am not being a sgrooge so I have no idea where your getting that from. Also I have never reloaded before and you think I am nowhere near ready why? Because I don't have a scale, because I am not 100 sure if I have to crimp a bullet and stuff like that? Everybody starts somewhere.

:runaway:
 
100 years ago they loaded with a basic kit, nothing fancy. What you got is more than enough to get started loading. I'm loading now, give a call and don't worry about the Chicken Littles, the sky will not fall down.
 
the reason he's saying that you're nowhere near ready to load yet is the kind of questions you're asking and the tone of them infer that you've got the kit but haven't read the book properly or understand what you've read- so go ahead ask your questions- lots of people try to cheap out when buying this stuff and it usually doesn't pay in the end- the fact that you're trying to use a dipper instead of a scale could be interpeted as either too cheap or too quick-buying a good reloading manual and reading it properly would have answered some of your questions before asking them here- right now what you need to do is buy or read the manual from cover to cover, and take what it says as gospel- you're far too new at this to start "interpeting" the data presented- btw, us "chicken littles" have been reloading for 30 years , still have all our limbs, and haven't blown up a gun- which is where you're headed if you use that wrong powder in the dipper thing- the ammo and component companies spend millions of dollars testing loads not only to sell their books and components , but to make it safe for us too-
 
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t-star said:
btw, us "chicken littles" have been reloading for 30 years , still have all our limbs, and haven't blown up a gun- which is where you're headed if you use that wrong powder in the dipper thing-
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Just counted my fingers and toes, I have all 10 fingers and all 12 toes and I'm sure all my firearms are in my locker, all accounted for. I'm sure nothing has blown up as of today, I would have remembered something like that.
 
100 years ago they loaded with a basic kit, nothing fancy
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And 100 years ago,they were using blackpowder so a few grains either way didn't make a lot of difference.

Just counted my fingers and toes, I have all 10 fingers and all 12 toes and I'm sure all my firearms are in my locker, all accounted for. I'm sure nothing has blown up as of today, I would have remembered something like that.
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By the way,congrats for being over 100 years old.But at that age senility does cause memory problems.:D
 
cereal83 said:
I have never reloaded before and you think I am nowhere near ready why? Because I don't have a scale, because I am not 100 sure if I have to crimp a bullet and stuff like that? Everybody starts somewhere.
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I have to agree with Dumbdawg. Not because you don't have a scale. Because you don't know the difference between load data for cast and jacketed bullets. Because you don't seem to know how to seat the bullet to the correct depth. Because you are asking too many questions you should already know the answers to before you start loading. Do yourself a favour and take 2Katz up on his offer of help.
 
Your basic kit will reload for you, you just need to add a scale and a caliper. There is no way to measure OAL of a finished round without one. I started out with the Lee cheapie scale, though the RCBS is a better scale. The Lee scale is cheap, its just slow to settle. I now moved up to a digital dispenser Lyman DPS ll, and wouldn't trade it for the world.

Take up the offer for Katz to show you how to reload. Once he explains it and you see what he means, it will all be very clear.

Check on the EE forum and see if anyone is selling their scale.
 
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