reloading for the first time....need a good reference resour

[cloverleaf]

OK I know I've been hanging out here forever.... and I did My share of "reloading" with Dad looking over my shoulder. But I sat down in front of his press this weekend when I was home to see Mom, and just couldnt get started. I think I need a good manual to give me a little reassurance, since Dad aint lookin' over my shoulder and weighing my charges.... Recommendations? Thanx CL

 

[Elkman]

CL
I was thinking about you the other day, its been a long time hearing from you, glad to see you are back with us again. Do you have "any" reloading manuals? If not most any of the major manufactures of bullets/powder publish one all with "how to" sections. Of course a new Nosler manual would be a great choice. You can also buy used online, I would bet that E-bay has them. Someone here may even have an extra one or two that they could part with. Sorry I was not much help, but the next poster up probably will be. !!!!

 

[muleman]

CL,
I found that the Nosler and Hornady manuals to be most helpful when I started out. The Hornady was especially good with internal and external ballistics. The Nosler was better explaining thing in layman's terms. The Sierra manual is great if you use their bullets. I'd pick the one whose bullets you use the most. You can find the second most recent copies on Ebay for a pretty good deal. If you'd like you could PM your address to me and I'll mail you an extra #8 Hornady manual I have.

Scott

 

[DrMike]

Virtually any manual will stand you in good stead. I think the Speer manual is the most thorough. Nosler and Hornady are both very good at providing information. The new Berger manual is a wealth of information for the hand loader. Any will give you the basics and keep you out of trouble. Of course, you always have the resource of asking the regulars that hang out around here.

 

[gerry]

I agree with DrMike Speer is the best followed by Nosler and Hornady from what I have seen.

 

[sask boy]

CL, welcome to the reloading family :mrgreen: I also used a speers manual to start. I have given that manual to my Nephew as he is now starting to reload.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Vince]

I like the Lyman manual too.

All of them, Lyman, Nosler, Hornady, and everybody else, seems to have a good section on getting started. The reason I like Lyman is that it was written in an easy to read format that just jelled with me and my convaluted brain.

Great seeing you back here and I hope all is well.

Vince

 

[Darkhorse]

You really need more than one. Reason is, different manufacturer's make different bullet weights.
Example; 7mm bullet. Hornady offers a 139 grain. Nosler offers a 140 grain and Speer offers a 145 grain.
For the time being I would forget about trying for Max. loads. Instead concentrate on getting the process down pat and learning how to pressure check.
This is also the time to learn to prepare brass and load for concentricity.
You get this stuff down pat first, then increasing velocity will come naturally.

 

[joelkdouglas]

I would recommend the Nosler manual and the Berger manual. The Nosler manual for good, basic info. The Berger manual goes more in depth, and has articles on bullet shapes, powder lot variance, seating depth techniques, etc. Both manuals are very good, but very different.

 

[cloverleaf]

Thanks guys_ have Dads speer Manual circa 1964 or so. I will need to look it over a lttle more. I was on the way out the door when Mom asked If I was taking Dads "reloading stuff". What she dosent realize is that that will be several boxes :shock: and I really dont have the rooom to set up here at home the way I want to. Have to some thinking on that. Started doing a a little last weekend and I knew after the first case that the sizing die was set wrong. Kinda scared me off. Willl get there eventually but I was tired and out of sorts as it would have been Dads birthday and the folks anniversary last weekend. Not a good time to reload solo for the first time. It can wait, but I can do some reading in the mean time. 10-11 hour days at work and a slow PC keep me away. Thanks take care all. CL

 

[Elkman]

You can make reloading "very" complex, or "very" simple. To create ammo that you can hunt with, thats reasonably accurate , it just takes a few basic steps and a few cautions. If I can do it anyone can. If you have questions "ask" we all started out once also. A couple of things that you can do is to is to decide what do you want to do with your ammunition when you get it loaded. Deer hunting, target shooting, varmints or? You should also inventory the brands of cases, bullets and weights , powder and primers, that you now have.

 

[JD338]

Troy

Pick up a copy of the latest Nosler reloading guide.

JD338

 

[truck driver]

Troy, I started reloading when the guide available to me was an old Lyman which I still have and bought a Sierra when I knew I needed something more up to date and for the longest time I only had the Powder companies free guides that you could pick up at the sporting goods stores.
Which you see and read here on Nosler is more ballistics science than I have ever seen before. It can be over whelming and to start out just follow the directions in the manuals for the bullet manufacture and use the printed starting load. As for setting up your sizing dies it can be very easy if you take your time and start out with the die set high and just screw it down watching the neck of the case to see where the sizing lube leaves the mark on the case when the neck is squeezed down and just stop when it touches the shoulder. You may ruin a few pieces of brass but that's part of the game. The biggest thing is to make sure you lube the brass before you size so you don't stick one in the sizer die. Bullet seating isn't rocket science either. read the directions and set the die so that it just touches the case mouth so you don't crimp the bullet. You do this by placing a empty case in the shell holder running it up in the press with the die backed off so it doesn't touch the case and screw the die down till you fell it touch the case mouth. Make sure you have the bullet seating stem screwed out far enough that it just starts to seat the bullet and adjust for over all length a little at a time. See nothing to it. You can make dummy rounds for practice so you don't have to mess with pulling bullets from loaded ammo if you mess up.

 

[Darkhorse]

I would definitely get an up to date loading manual. Back in the old days (my youth) they were not as accurate in pressure testing as today. Some of the old loads are a good bit above today's max loads.
If you still have the instructions that came with the die set then you can set your dies up that way for "no fail" loading. That's how most of us started out.
I use dummy rounds for setting bullet seating depths. I take a fired case, knock out the primer with a punch or small rod, Then drill out the primer channel so a stout piece of rod or pin will slide through it.
Screw out the seater stem aways and seat a bullet. Measure, then adjust the stem and seat again. Keep doing this until the bullet is seated where you want it.
The next time you want to change depths remove the shell holder, place the case in the shell holder and turn it upside down. Now bridge the shell holder with something like vise jaws (put some masking tape over the metal jaws) then run the rod through the flash hole until it contacts the bottom of the bullet. Now tap it with a hammer out 1/8" or so. Now your ready to start setting the seater up for another round.
This way you won't waste bullets, powder, primers or cases.

 

[Guy Miner]

Troy, no need to get fancy with anything. I've got a manual I can send your way, Nosler Number 6. I'm not using it anymore since I got number 7. PM me with an address. Number Six has a 2007 printing date, so it's not very old. It's also got a decent section on how to use the common reloading tools, and how to perform all the steps. It's a good manual.

I've seen, and used some very compact loading setups. It can be done nicely, and even so that the whole thing can be taken down and boxed up. I did it that way for a few years while I was in the military. Only later did I get to set up a permanent reloading bench.

Regards, Guy

 

[SJB358]

And I will run any QL data you ever need Troy. Anything you need, let us know!

 

[Elkman]

Troy
I was thinking about your post again today, and it dawned on me that I failed to ask you if you knew what components your dad was using.? And were you happy with the results?. That doesn't change how to reload them, but it really could reduce your load testing to zero.

 

[Vince]

What calibers are you loading for?

 

[cloverleaf]

Thanks to Hegland I have a copy of Speer #13. Thanks to all for the help and the offer. CL