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+1 on Beretta

AND go slowly at first, follow the manual to a "T", do not deviate from any of the written procedures and develop a system - you will understand that very soon as soon as you get going. Everybody who reloads has a a different system on they do things and most of that depends on what equipment you have. PM me if you have any questions - Been reloading a LONG time!
 
My 'go to' book' for years has been my Lyman's. Lots of general information on powders and 'how to',as well as tons of reloading data recipes.
Let us know what brand/type of press it is and we can be more helpful.
 
This might help... I put this together for someone a while back that asked about a Dillon Progressive press.



I live in Kent, so if you want to swing by while I'm making some rounds, you are welcome to do so and pick my brain. There are a LOT of little things that are not covered in books that I had to learn on my own. And then there are little things I picked up that make the process a little easier.

I agree, you can get more out of spending time with someone that is doing it in an hour, than you can reading a book all day.

th_Reloading101-2.jpg
 
Follow the TWO STEP RULE; STEP 1 read the directions; STEP 2 Follow them. Do not start with the max load they are very seldom (never) the most accurate. Write down everything keeping good notes is essential to being able to duplicate that very accurate load you found. NEVER TRUST YOUR MEMORY. Ask any question you have it will prevent many mistakes and get an inertia bullet puller you'll need it. Work your cases in a system clean, deprime,prime,add powder seat bullet. I run all my cases in the cleaner then size and deprime all of them, prime all and put in a holder with the primer up, measure powder and put it in and move to another holder mouth up, seat and crimp bullet put in range box marked with a tag showing, date, primer type and maker, powder maker type and grains, bullet maker and weight. the changeing of holders will prevent double charges and you'll know were you were before the wife called you to take care of her emergency.
 
+1 and the more the better.

A good idea but, just because I've done something a thousand times the wrong way doesn't mean I know what I'm doing. Read some reloading manuals.

Not to discount what you've said. But some people, like me, are "visual" learners. I'm just giving him options.

1. Work your load up from min to max
2. Don't work in a distracting enviornment, find a room with no distractions and stay focused at the task at hand.
3. find a safe and a well thought out process for cleaning and prepping your brass, etc and follow it.
4. Learn how to trouble shoot your press
5. Look into each case before you seat the bullet
6. If you have any second thoughts, pull the bullet.
7. Find a friend with a Chrono
8. Buy a good digital weight scale, Calipers and Case gauges.

I learned hands on from someone myself. I bought some beers and steaks and he taught me enough in one evening to get me started, and showed me what to look out for.

Some of the more important things to watch out for are...

1. Too much powder
2. No powder
3. high primers
4. OAL
5. Crimp
6. Learning to detect a "squib" (a round with no powder)

Everything else you'll learn on your own as you figure out what works for you. For the most part, it's figuring out the little annomolies with your press learning how to maintain it and learning how to safely tailor loads to your gun and what you are trying to accomplish.
 
Another key advise I give any new reloader is "Build a Squib round" and shoot it. That way you know what one feels like and you know what to look for and how to remedy it. I can explain the sound to you, I can draw you a diagram, I can mimick the sound of one, but nothing is better than first hand experience.
 
I'm currently debating between a Dillon 550 and a Dillon 650. It will be my first personal machine, but I've got a bit of experience on my dad's single stage press. Recently purchased the newest version of the "ABC's of Reloading" and once I'm done with that I'll look at getting a few reloading manuals (Speer, Hornady, etc.).

My biggest hang-up is deciding what I want to reload. Right now, I'm only interested in .45 ACP so the 650 would let me crank that out quickly but I probably wont be doing enough to warrant the 650 and the 550 lets you change calibers much easier. Obvious solution is to buy both! Too bad I need a better job first. Choices, choices...
 
I'm pretty sure I'll end up with both of them at some point, I'm just trying to figure out which would be better to start with and I'm lousy at predicting the future. I'll likely start with the 550.
 
I've never personally had the misfortune of running across a "squib" round but when you say "build a squib round and shoot it"... does the primer alone have sufficient force to ensure that the round doesn't become lodged in the barrel?

I'm asking specifically in regards to both 9mm and 45 ACP. Anyone ever done it, either on purpose or accidentally?? :huh:
 
I've never personally had the misfortune of running across a "squib" round but when you say "build a squib round and shoot it"... does the primer alone have sufficient force to ensure that the round doesn't become lodged in the barrel?

I'm asking specifically in regards to both 9mm and 45 ACP. Anyone ever done it, either on purpose or accidentally?? :huh:

97% of the time, the primer will not have sufficient power to push the bullet out of the barrel, and it will almost always be stuck in the barrel. Which is why it makes very important to be able to detect one, especially if you do any kind of rapid fire as is commonly done in competitive shooting.

Another tell tale is that the majority of the time the casing will need to be manually cycled out of the pistol in a semi auto pistol.

Slow fire is easier to detect. If the gun goes "pop" instead of bang, STOP!

if you attempt to shoot another round behind that lodged bullet, the combustion/pressure of the following bullet will create more pressure than the barrel is capable of handling and you will blow your barrel out at the least.

I have experienced 2 squibs. both in 9mm.

in an event of a squib, first of all STOP. Do NOT look down the barrel, as tempting as it is.

Drop the mag, clear the cylinder for revolvers. And conduct a field strip, seperating the barrel from the slide. With a solid steel rod (I use one wrapped in electric tape to protect the rifling of my barrel, similar to what I do for my cleaning rods. Small enough to fit in the barrel, but stout enough to tap a bullet out) insert into the barrel from the business end (exit), and using a hammer, tap the rod gently to push the bullet out towards the breech end.

Inspect the barrel, before putting it back together.
 
Great advice guys, I will definitley pick up a beginners book on reloading.

Aristotle13, thank you for the offer. I might take you up on it, the best way for me to learn to actually seeing the whole process.

BTW, I finally picked up the reloader from my co-worker yesterday. It's a Lee Percision hand loader. He hasnt used in for 10 years but worked flawlessly before he put it away. The set came the the loader, and the dies for .45acp. I will post some pictures later today for you guys to examine the parts.

Thanks.
 
okay, here are the pics:

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5f12yd.jpg

what are these for?
2igooci.jpg

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21awuw5.jpg

wterza.jpg

I'm not a Lee progressive guy. But it shouldn't be hard to figure out, I run Dillon.

First thing's first, that's not going to work with the drywall screws. You need actual nut and bolts bolting that press to the bench. I can't tell from the pictures, but your bench should be stable enough to dance on, flimsy bench and screwed on press are not a good combination. You're variances/deviation will be all over the place.
 

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