From: callison@kittyhawk.ecn.uoknor.edu (James P. Callison)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: [RELOAD] Reloading summary
Date: 22 Jan 93 04:02:42 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

OK, here's the summary on handloading I promised...

First of all, I got a mailbox flooded with great responses. Thanks, guys!
It really helped me a lot. Especially Henry Schaffer's articles on
beginning handloading, which he kindly forwarded to me. I'd recommend
putting them (or a condensed version) in the FAQ. I tried to respond to
everyone who sent me something directly, but there are some flaky links
in OKC and Nebraska which occasionaly dump responses into cyber-heaven...

The basic consensus was to go with an inexpensive single-stage press,
carbide dies, and caution. OK, one out of three ain't bad. ;-)
Auto priming systems were also overwhelmingly suggested, as well as a 
powder scoop (as opposed to a scale for a cheap beginning with lower-power
loads) and a good sturdy bench. (I have a big, heavy steel desk to clamp
the press to.)
All agreed that the first thing to do was to buy a reloading manual; I
chose the Hornady manual, and am looking for the Lyman manual. The manual
you choose will have an effect on the supplies you choose--namely, the
powder and bullets you buy. (Maybe not for a veteran loader, but definitely
for a beginner; that's why I chose 240gr. SWC and Winchester 231--Hornady
has loads for that combo.)
I was going to follow the majority opinion and buy a single-stage press,
but, for the price of an RCBS RockChucker+.44Mag/Spl carbide dies, I
got the Lee Progressive 1000 with built-in primer feeder, Deluxe Auto-Disk
Powder Measure, case feeder, and .44Mag/Spl carbide die set. It seemed
like a very good deal ($170 total, including a bag of 500 240gr. SWC
bullets, 1lb Winchester 231, 100 Winchester Large Pistol Primers, and
100 rounds of .44Magnum...and OK sales tax), so I went progressive over
single-stage. As one respondant put it, it's a question of whether you
buy the progressive loader now, or wait until you _really_ need it.
(Well, his way was more eloquent, but it's on another system :-(

I'm mostly into reloading for the economy of it; for $.05/bullet, $.10/case,
and a few cents/load of powder, I'm easily cutting my ammo expenditures
in half. (UMC .44Mag runs $15-$17/box of 50; PMC (either factory, or
reloaded to factory specs) 240gr TCSP .44Mag runs $30/bag of 100; that
leaves a cost of ~$0.30/round.)
I may not see such savings in 9mm, as it's dirt-cheap locally, but I have
a rather large supply of cases--I started collecting my cases long before
I bought my reloading equipment, because I was thinking about possibly
doing it. I would recommend that any shooter pick up his/her brass--not
just because you reload (or will reload), but because of common courtesy.
(Unclaimed brass belongs to the range owner by tradition, but your brass
is yours; treat it as such.) The ranges I go to have a broom and dustpan
back in a corner; they're useful for sweeping out the loose brass the bozoid 
before you left--it makes it much easier to reclaim your brass.

I haven't actually had a chance to start loading yet, but I have run a few
cases through, just to see how it works. For .44Mag, the setup was the
tricky part. My setup came set for .44Spl, but the Lee dies for .44Spl
work for .44Mag; all you have to do is set them for .44Spl and back the
flaring and crimping dies out 2 turns. Of course, those two turns can be
tricky to do accurately :-).

I also ran two or three cases through to test the seating/crimping die.
My first round came out with the bullet sitting on top of the shell just
like it hadn't gone through the thing. My second round came through with
just a teensy little bit of the nose sticking above the case rim ;-).
That reminded me to spend $9 more to buy a kinetic bullet puller--a very
useful little gadget. ;-)

I like the Lee Pro1000 very much, so far. As far as caliber changeability,
it's fairly simple; you buy a kit, which includes the shell carrier plate
and primer feeder, and you buy a set of dies. It costs about $50 all told,
so I'm not sure that it's a real bargain, but it seems like a relatively
simple operation. And, since the disk that holds the dies is removable,
it's possible to get one for each caliber, so you don't have to readjust
your dies every time you change caliber.

I think that about covers my beginning in reloading...with luck, I can soon
provide an update...

				James

James P. Callison       Microcomputer Coordinator        OU Law Library 
Callison@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu   /\    Callison@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu
	constellation!biglaw!callison@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu
DISCLAIMER: I'm not an engineer, but I play one at work...
	"God didn't make men and women equal. Colonel Colt did."
			--Maggie Zombro, "Reasonable Doubts"