Help me get into reloading

[ageingstudent]

I would sort of disagree with the measurements above. When I've measured they didn't match up with what the book said. So don't panic if your are off a little bit. If the finished/dummy round "Plunks" and falls out your good to go. There's too much variance in brass thickness I believe. And bullet diameter(s) differing in the .0005 range isn't uncommon.



This above really gives the right idea about "taper crimping". Considering the leverage required to decap/resize in respect to leverage to "De-flare, taking out the flare needs very little leverage. You may find out one day when you pinch your finger between the ram and a die just how little movement of the ram can impart SO much leverage. The slightest resistance when "De-flaring" will be plenty to do the job.

Along the same lines, it takes very little leverage to seat a primer, compared to de-capping/resizing. I want to feel exactly when the primer bottoms out. I will always use a hand primer seater rather than the press. YMMV So much of what you are doing in reloading has to do with "Feel". At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Last thing....Do you have one of these....... If not GET ONE. You will use it. Bullet pullers should be offered with these press kits!

View attachment 342947

Good Times!

Yes the measurements are a rough base to start from. The plunk in your chamber is real world.

 

[Josh89]

Well due to some unforeseen events(not involving reloading) and me also grabbing the wrong shell holder,I didn't get a chance to reload anything today,but it was nice just to get it all mounted,see it and get to mess with it a little.

 

[DirectDrive]

Well due to some unforeseen events(not involving reloading) and me also grabbing the wrong shell holder,I didn't get a chance to reload anything today,but it was nice just to get it all mounted,see it and get to mess with it a little.

Pics or it didn't happen !

 

[Jamie6.5]

The one thing you have probably learned by now, or will as you advance into your new hobby is, despite what you've heard about the constitution and the bill of rights,...












There's really no such thing as a "free press."

















Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Crohnos01]

Groan....

Don't forget the right to bare arms

 

[Mikej]

Well due to some unforeseen events(not involving reloading) and me also grabbing the wrong shell holder,I didn't get a chance to reload anything today,but it was nice just to get it all mounted,see it and get to mess with it a little.

Funny...Or not. When I got my setup ready to go I just went to messing around, WITHOUT reading everything. I didn't use any powder/primer. I just got to seating and playing around without reading! I learned that you really need to use the "Expander Die" and that the "Chamfer Tool" is for taking rough edges off freshly trimmed brass. NOT for prepping brass for seating bullets! I also learned that seating stems WILL deform HP bullets if you apply TOO much crimp. No harm came to anything, except a couple of Honady XTP bullets. Anyway, I read, learned how to do things properly, and have loaded several thousand rounds in most common hand gun cartridges.

 

[Tilos]

Lee Factory Crimp die.
I don't have one, but I know that they are very popular.
What is the finished product difference between the LFC die and a taper crimp die ?

Here's what Lee says:
"Screw the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die in, until it just touches the shell holder and back out the adjusting screw. With the loaded round in the die, turn the adjusting screw in until you can feel it just touch the case mouth. Then move the cartridge out of the die slightly and screw the adjusting screw in 1/2 turn for a light crimp and one full turn for a heavy crimp. You can adjust for even greater crimp and never have to worry about buckling the case as with conventional crimpers. The case is sized as it enters the die and again as it is pulled out of the die. This assures you every case will freely chamber in any standard gun. Don't expect the carbide sizer to touch every case. It is a fail safe tool for the occasional bad round that could ruin your day."

Here's a thread with 273+ posts on the Lee factory crimp die if you choose to filter thru it
Lee Factory Crimp die for Handgun Cartridges and Cast Bullets

Edit: While seating AND "crimping" at the same time/with the same die there's a chance the bullet can be shaved due to any variation in the case length.
With "crimping" in a separate die/operation, after the bullet is seated, die adjustment is less critical.
If you read thru the posts in that linked thread you'll see that some have experienced the bullet diameter being reduced by the "Factory Crimp" dies as they are designed to resize.
Cast bullets are usually bigger in diameter than jacketed bullets, to match the barrel diameter.
Not everyone re-loads jacketed bullets....

 

[Certaindeaf]

You can easily iron out the flare/bell using a regular roll-crimp / seater die.. just make sure the brass is the same length for best results. Reloaders have been doing that for hundreds (?) of years.
Someone that uses a FCD etc. that only uses a single stage press might want to consider that through-put time will be increased roughly 25% for pistol cartridges.
People with 4-hole Lee turret presses and progressive presses mainly use these dies.

 

[bbbass]

You can easily iron out the flare/bell using a regular roll-crimp / seater die.. just make sure the brass is the same length for best results. Reloaders have been doing that for hundreds (?) of years.
Someone that uses a FCD etc. that only uses a single stage press might want to consider that through-put time will be increased roughly 25% for pistol cartridges.
People with 4-hole Lee turret presses and progressive presses mainly use these dies.

I have a 9mm RCBS 3 die set that has a taper-crimp / seater die. I think the sets are available either way. Roll-crimp or taper-crimp. BTW the instructions are pretty clear on the setting up for combo seat/crimp die.

Dillon dies for the RL550B come with 4 die set. That spoiled me for prefering seating and crimping in separate steps.

 

[bbbass]

I have a 9mm RCBS 3 die set that has a taper-crimp / seater die. I think the sets are available either way. Roll-crimp or taper-crimp. BTW the instructions are pretty clear on the setting up for combo seat/crimp die.

Dillon dies for the RL550B come with 4 die set. That spoiled me for prefering seating and crimping in separate steps.

Actually I think the Dillon is 3 die and the caliber change kit has the expander that goes thru the powder die and doubles as the drop tube. The powder die comes with the press and is universal.

For a short time I used the Dillon adapter to mount my RCBS Uniflow powder measure up on the 550B so that I could use some RCBS dies and found I was scraping the plating off my bullets... no belling step when used that way. That's when I bought me some 9mm Dillon dies. Sheesh.

This is interesting: Universal Decapping Die (22127): Reloading: Reloading Dies at Dillon Precision

 

[Josh89]

I swear there are no small pistol primers in southern oregon

 

[Josh89]

Update.made my first 45s first two went off but didn't cycle,third one worked great,ran a full mag thru with one jam.fed most of the way in then stopped,but I'd did fit into the barrel just fine.but I think that was just the gun.

 

[Josh89]

Thanks again everyone for all the info and advice

 

[bbbass]

Update.made my first 45s first two went off but didn't cycle,third one worked great,ran a full mag thru with one jam.fed most of the way in then stopped,but I'd did fit into the barrel just fine.but I think that was just the gun.

Are you testing different charge weights? Go up towards the max listed until you find one that is absolutely reliable.

Could also have had a lapse of wrist discipline. It happens. Oh, and if 1911 could be dry slide rails.

Good work Josh89, all your digits and your eyes survived!

 

[Caveman Jim]

This is the one, though it's out of stock at Amazon and just under $30.

Amazon.com : Lee Reloading Press Md: 90045 : Gunsmithing Tools And Accessories : Sports & Outdoors

It is in Stock as of 4pm friday.

 

[Caveman Jim]

If you are getting a set of Lee dies to match your Turret Press...

There is a built in crimp ring in the die so you can set bullet length and crimp in one step. There is only ONE extra crimp step that I have and that's for .223 rounds which I do NOT crimp uunless they are going in an AR-15 which doesn't happen anymore since I load for bolt .223's.


Depending what kit you get....
Down the road you will probably end up getting rid of the scale and going towards a digital scale. It's just faster than waiting for the beam to balance. There are cheaper Frankford Arsenal scales that are around $40 or so and are accurate. There is NO need to drop $150+ on an electronic scale because at that point you are a few $$ away from an electronic powder drop (down the road maybe for precision rifle).

The good thing about having a powder drop for each caliber that you load is you can set it for x- powder, write on a piece of tape what it's dialed in for (powder weight, disc size and what powder you are using). When you switch to a different powder, you rip masking tape off and write new information down.

If you use the Lee powder drop, make sure you have a powder through expanding die. This also needs the riser to make the powder drop clear the primer holder. When my turret spins, the powder drop clears the primer setup by .020", it's just enough so it doesn't bang it and that's all I need. I believe @Caveman Jim had some recent experience with using the expander die to ensure proper case flare.
YES I DID, and still haven't had the time to finish them up.Thank you for all the help!!!


Most importantly RTFM (Read The Frigging Manual) and don't ever feel that any question is too stupid. The only dumb question is the one you are too afraid to ask. Reloading is controlled explosions.

I started reloading about 5 years ago and have done almost everything you shouldn't, I learned a LOT sitting and talking with @deadeye (he was local and always said "come on by) in his reloading room and being brave enough to ask questions even when I felt like it was stupid. The group here on NWFA are amazing and will help, coach and guide you to successfully wasting your time, I mean successfully reloading and being confident in doing it.

Finally, and @Josh89 you see the guys on here in this thread who have information and are willing to share, I can't speak for all of them but I'm guessing many of them would engage you in a private conversation if you ever have questions that are not worthy to post in a thread.

 

[ageingstudent]

Are you testing different charge weights? Go up towards the max listed until you find one that is absolutely reliable.

Could also have had a lapse of wrist discipline. It happens. Oh, and if 1911 could be dry slide rails.

Good work Josh89, all your digits and your eyes survived!

I have found that with lighter loads in my Shield .40 S&W keeping my wrist tighter is more important. It makes sense since there is not as much blowback/recoil to operate the slide.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Just what from I under stand for the oal is if I had the same type of bullet but different manufactures I could put one in to far but still have the same oal correct?

For every caliber I reload I have a case guage checker, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Tilos]

Update.made my first 45s first two went off but didn't cycle,third one worked great,ran a full mag thru with one jam.fed most of the way in then stopped,but I'd did fit into the barrel just fine.but I think that was just the gun.

We (you) need more POWER Scotty

 

[jordanka16]

Indeed it does sound like they are a little anemic, start low but work up in power, 5 or 10 rounds at a time, until you find the ones that function the best in your gun. You may also need to adjust your OAL, if they are longer than the minimum shorten them up a little.