Help

greggrhall

New member
EE Expired
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just starting out with reloading and was just wondering if anyone would let me now of all the close calls or hints for keeping it safe while reloading and out at the range. Things to really watch out for . Thanks G.H.
 
Don't allow distractions in your reloading area.
Don't mix brass headstamps OR weights.
Wear safety glasses - always!
Keep all sources of ignition away from your reloading operation. (cigarettes, candles, lighters, etc)
Always check powder level in your cases after charging and before seating bullets.
Never keep more than one type and number of powder on your bench at any one time. Ditto for bullets/weights.
Recheck your scales each time you start a loading session.
Never load a cartridge using your memory, record good loads in a book and look them up before proceeding - every time!
Don't forget to prime your cases before charging them with powder.
Never check a loaded round for fit in your rifle inside your home unless you have removed the firing pin first!!
Always run all your hunting ammo through your rifle before taking it afield.
Just a few. There are more, I'm sure, but not at the tip of my tongue just now. Regards, Eagleye.
 
Reloading is completely safe.
Read your manual and follow it religiously. Pay attention to what you're doing. Never mix powders or primers, ever.
 
There is one other that I would add, when loading cartridges do NOT do anything else...this includes watching TV, having an in-depth conversation or entertaining the kids.
Give the job at hand your entire concentration.....and when starting out, one shell at a time.
 
Also a good thing to do is shake each full shell when reloading is finished. to double check that there is powder in it. It is so easy to forget powder. This could cause the bullet to just enter the barrel. this is a bother to get out but if gone un noticed could cause dangerous pressers pushing two bullets out. Happened several times to me lucky I noticed before I chambered the next shell

Good luck reloading.
 
I always use the RCBS loading block, to put powder in the cases, before I put the bullets in, I make sure to visually ensure that every one has powder in it. Definitely a single stage is the best way to get into reloading, even though it takes a lot longer, especially for pistol, getting it right is worth it.
 
Watch the vaccum if it does not have a bag it may explode while cleaning up powder(happened to a dfriend of mine). Wear glasses, pay attention.
 
One other to add. Make sure your primers are seated in the correct way. When I first started out I had flipped them properly in the holder but in priming (my error) a few were seated backwards and I didn't check before adding powder and seating bullets. Went to the range and squeezed the trigger. Nothing....WTF?.....checked and saw the problem. I was lucky the firing pin didn't set off the primer. I had 3 in that batch. It has never happened again. CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK EACH AND EVERY STEP !

When in doubt ask, just like you did here on your post.

Handloading is fun and rewarding to me. I just wish I had more than a book to teach me back when I started. Now we have Gunnutz and almost any gun store will provide some type of assistance. Enjoy.
 
Wear a full face shield. They're cheap at Princess Auto. I've had small pieces of metal come off a grinder and bounce around between my eye and a pair of safety glasses. A primer (not that I've ever had one go off) is just about the most perfect object ever invented to get past a pair of safety glasses and it'll be going a hell of a lot faster than my grinding slag.

Full face shields are cheap and can be bought from Cambodian Tire, Princess Auto, or just about anywhere that sells tools.
 
CATS! Never let cats in your re-loading area! One of my cats dumped 200 primers on the floor after i had just finished depriming a wack of brass! I spent hours sorting primers off the floor and hunting them in the farthest reaches of my basement! If you own a cat you may understand the ever so casual way they will walk up and push something off a table just to watch it fall.
 
was about to add a few hints/tricks of my own that i've learned over the years, bit it looks like everything has been pretty much covered. hate to sound like a broken record(or is skipping cd the phrase, now??), but SAFETY is number one
 
Make sure primer pockets are clean and primers seated to bottom of pocket--good habit is to get in the practice of running your finger over the head of the case to feel for high primers --also hand priming tools provide much better feel than priming on press. If you forget to put a primer in a case and add powder and a bullet--do not try to prime it--pull bullet and dump powder out.

If you are loading bottle neck cases make sure you measure case length and trim as required--this is important to keep pressures normal.

FWIW, 44Bore
 
Back
Top Bottom