Thread: Anyone Reload 9mm & Willing to Show a New Guy?

I'm considering getting into reloading (due mainly to considering an obscure caliber purchase in the future), but would like to give it a try first to see if I enjoy it. Not really wanting to put down all the money on a press and scales and all that jazz only to find out it's not something I'm interested in doing much.

Is there anyone around the Portland metro who handloads for 9mm and would be willing to take an evening or part of their weekend to show me the ropes?

I'd supply my brass, bullets, and primers. Would prefer to use your powder and am willing to repay something fair for whatever I use.

Get a hold of member JohnH and see if he's got a class coming up.

I believe your personality has an influence as to whether or not you will like reloading. Reloading is a great hobby, with great benefits to an avid gun enthusiast. I enjoy reading and studying about loads, powders, bullets and cartridge history and but when the time comes to actually reload your ammo it is procedural, repetitive and requires dedicated attention to details and safety. There are few hobbies that can have as devastating consequences due to carelessness or neglect as reloading but given the proper attention it can be a safe and satisfying hobby. I know it sounds antiquated but start by cracking a book on the subject and see if it captures your interest. Reloading is something you should want to do as an extension of your interest in firearms and not just a chore to create obscure ammo.

I've been reloading for about a year. First in .45 ACP, then 9mm, and most recently in the more unforgiving but still doable.40 S&W. I never took a class, just read as much as possible, watched tons of the good on-line videos, and started out with a Lee Classic Turret Press that's been a dream to work with while forcing me to focus on making one round at a time (four full strokes = one round. If I'm in a good rhythm, I can crank out a round in 10-15 secs, so about 200 rounds/hr. But if you decide to do it, you can never ever trick yourself into believing that what you didn't pay 100% attention to is ok. It's almost impossible to double charge on my press, but I had to toss almost 100 rounds of .45 ACP last week when I forgot to do my normal check-the-powder-weight-every-so-many-rounds thing and discovered to my horror when I finally did that I was using the wrong volumetric cone on the automatic powder measure and had loaded all of them with a full .5 grain more of Titegroup than I thought I was, thus putting the load well over max pressure at the length I was loading them. A little thought ran through my head right then that said, "Yeah, but it probably won't blow your gun up, just be really hot and besides, you'd just be throwing away money if you just tossed them all, not to mention the time you've wasted...." I had to tell the little devil on my shoulder whispering that in my ear to take a hike and can the bad rounds. It hurt, but not as much as having the doctor pull fragments of the sear out of what's left of my eyeball when the case head separated and all that power came at me backwards along with the shrapnel that once was the back of my gun. Not to scare you. It's been a fascinating learning curve for me. Just realize there's ever so much more than buying a couple of reloading manuals and thinking now you've got all the info you need. Good luck. Hope you at least give it a try.

And it is a real stress reducer. I find loading to cause me to focus so completely that i forget everything else.

RVTECH has raised an important item. Reloading requires patience. Patience to follow every step accurately. Patience to do it right rather than settle for "good enough". If you are impatient the hobby is not for you.

Speed should not be in your vocabulary when starting out other than how fast the finished bullet is traveling. Speed of reloading comes with practice.

If you are unsuccessful in finding a "mentor" close by, one of the best "Get Started" books on the topic is "The ABC's of reloading". It's often found in public libraries as well as for sale in most locations that sell reloading tools, equipment, and supplies. Even when you are well into the hobby the book makes a great reference. Check one out or buy one first and see if the hobby is for you.

Yes, the hobby can be intimidating. After all, you are working with a product that contains Nitroglycerin and/or Nitrocellulose, both of which are explosives. Couple that with the primers which are "detonators" and you do have the potential for damaging accidents. That said, all it takes are some basic safety steps.

One thing I do know is that once you get started, and build some confidence, you'll be just as hooked as the rest of us here.

Start with this:
Lee Classic Loader 9mm Luger - MidwayUSA

And go from there if you like it!

Originally Posted by skywag

Start with this:
Lee Classic Loader 9mm Luger - MidwayUSA

And go from there if you like it!

How do you get by without at least a powder scale, since the volumes of different powders have different weights? How do you clean your brass?

That looks like a joke to me, sorry.

Originally Posted by Gunner3456

How do you get by without at least a powder scale, since the volumes of different powders have different weights? How do you clean your brass?

That looks like a joke to me, sorry.

This "Whack-A-Mole" loader is best left to someone who knows what they're doing and just needs something to use at the range when working up a load.

In my opinion a scale is essential. Lee Dippers are fairly accurate but unacceptable for use with cases that have a very narrow safety margin with some powders (and 9mm is one of those).

I would recommend the Lee Anniversary Kit

Lee Anniversary Loading Kit

It has scale, powder measure press and all the other items one needs to get started. Just add a set of 9mm dies.

Sure, it costs more but compared to a broken gun? A finger or thumb? How about an eyeball? Loose one of those and the price of the proper "get started kit" will look cheap.

Originally Posted by deadshot2

This "Whack-A-Mole" loader is best left to someone who knows what they're doing and just needs something to use at the range when working up a load.

In my opinion a scale is essential. Lee Dippers are fairly accurate but unacceptable for use with cases that have a very narrow safety margin with some powders (and 9mm is one of those).

I would recommend the Lee Anniversary Kit

Lee Anniversary Loading Kit

It has scale, powder measure press and all the other items one needs to get started. Just add a set of 9mm dies.

Sure, it costs more but compared to a broken gun? A finger or thumb? How about an eyeball? Loose one of those and the price of the proper "get started kit" will look cheap.

I like. I'd also add a set of calipers from Harbor Freight to measure case lengths and finished overall length.

Originally Posted by deadshot2

This "Whack-A-Mole" loader is best left to someone who knows what they're doing and just needs something to use at the range when working up a load.

In my opinion a scale is essential. Lee Dippers are fairly accurate but unacceptable for use with cases that have a very narrow safety margin with some powders (and 9mm is one of those).

I would recommend the Lee Anniversary Kit

Lee Anniversary Loading Kit

It has scale, powder measure press and all the other items one needs to get started. Just add a set of 9mm dies.

Sure, it costs more but compared to a broken gun? A finger or thumb? How about an eyeball? Loose one of those and the price of the proper "get started kit" will look cheap.

From the reading I've been doing, it seems smart just to go ahead and start with a turrent press. Are there any similar all in one packages like this, but with a turret instead of single stage?

Originally Posted by Will_Power

From the reading I've been doing, it seems smart just to go ahead and start with a turrent press. Are there any similar all in one packages like this, but with a turret instead of single stage?

A turret press is essentially a "single stage" that you don't have to unscrew and screw in the dies all the time. It is a good way to go if you don't ever see yourself going to a Progressive. A less expensive alternative would be the Lee "Breech Lock" pr Hornady Lock N Load single stage presses. The dies are screwed into a bushing that can be inserted or removed from the press with a partial turn. With this method you will need a bushing for each die you intend to use. Simpler than a turret but also a lot less expensive.

To answer the core of your question, it's never a bad idea to buy a press that you feel you will be using in the future rather than settling for one that you know you'll be replacing.

For those times when you must "delete" some bad rounds, simply buy a collet bullet puller. One collet for a caliber and you're there: add another when needed. I always fear what happens to thrown-away rounds....

Originally Posted by Will_Power

From the reading I've been doing, it seems smart just to go ahead and start with a turrent press. Are there any similar all in one packages like this, but with a turret instead of single stage?

Lee 4 Hole Turret Press with Auto Index Deluxe Kit - MidwayUSA

I'll add this thought ,I always seat the bullet,then crimp it in 2 operations.Makes die adjustments soooo much easier.With a 3 die set,every time u change the crimp setting it changes the seating depth,and vice versa.Yep,it's an extra step,.but once I started doing it that way,I never looked back.

Originally Posted by Throckmorton

I'll add this thought ,I always seat the bullet,then crimp it in 2 operations.Makes die adjustments soooo much easier.With a 3 die set,every time u change the crimp setting it changes the seating depth,and vice versa.Yep,it's an extra step,.but once I started doing it that way,I never looked back.

I agree. The Lee Turret listed above has 4 holes and will accept the extra crimp die. You do need to buy a 4 die set or the extra crimp die.

Originally Posted by Gunner3456

Lee 4 Hole Turret Press with Auto Index Deluxe Kit - MidwayUSA

I DO NOT recommend that kit whatsoever, just because of the 4 Hole Turret Press. I thought the 4 Hole was the same as the Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press.

2 major issues with the 4 Hole Turret:
Primer Disposal - does not work, it tries to chuck it into the tiny hole next to the ram where they just pile up and the only way to get to it is to unmount the press but that's only when they go in. Most of the time spent primers ping off the body and fly somewhere in your work area.
Priming System - The little unit that swings in and out constantly falls off repeatedly until it breaks.

Save yourself the headache and stay away from the 4 Hole Turret, get the Classic 4 hole.

Originally Posted by shoe

I DO NOT recommend that kit whatsoever, just because of the 4 Hole Turret Press. I thought the 4 Hole was the same as the Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press.

2 major issues with the 4 Hole Turret:
Primer Disposal - does not work, it tries to chuck it into the tiny hole next to the ram where they just pile up and the only way to get to it is to unmount the press but that's only when they go in. Most of the time spent primers ping off the body and fly somewhere in your work area.
Priming System - The little unit that swings in and out constantly falls off repeatedly until it breaks.

Save yourself the headache and stay away from the 4 Hole Turret, get the Classic 4 hole.

Good catch. I didn't notice the difference. I agree completely. The Classic Turret will cost about double, but will be well worth the money.

i just recently got into ammo reloading for my glock 17 9mm and i did a lot of research on the subject and on the press / kit itself alot of books recomend starting out with a single stage press but for economy when it comes to upgrading down the road to speed up your production i recomend the lee classic turret 4 hole press now the only place that sells a full on kit is cabelas that ive found for about 200-220 and its worked great for me although if i could do it again id go with just the press and then buy the various components seperate at first the kit seems great but once you get the hang of i, it really seems inadequate

pros nice sturdy press, auto disc powder charger nice set up for deprimering casing
cons to be honest the scale is a pain in the *** id really recomend going with a good reaosnable priced electronic scale
the safety primer system while yes it does work as intended i really find it lacking and time consuming, if your cleaning the primer pocket and chamfering the case every time you end up taking the case of the press after you pop out the old primer then you got pop it back in the deprimer die and work the safety primer which if your not careful about wont load it onto the ram attachment properly and can drop the primer and it disapears somewhere under your work bench

all in all what i recomend is buying the lee 4 hole classic turret press then buying an electronic scale the auto disk powder charger, and a hand primer tool to install the primers after your clean out the primer pockets and of course the reloading dies

oh! on a side note if you have a homemade bench like i do and your table top doesnt have a little lip that goes past the frame youll have to work up some sort of method to clamp it down basicly what i did was mount the press to a board with the threads point up and then mounthed that board further inward on my workbench from the edge

on another note about homemade workbenchs and reloading press be sure you have either locking nuts or lock washers i found that after loading only 700 rounds that the primary nuts and bolts holding my workbenches frame together had worked themself lose