Reloading for Newbies

[wyododge]

Okay, so I think I am ready to take the leap. I have been saving brass for years and just spent 28 bucks for a box of 7mm mag.

So I was looking around the internet for a press kit and found one from Hornady. here Comes with everything but the dies.

I understand that this is probably as basic as it gets, but is it a good place to start. I am a recreational shooter and occasional hunter at most.

If this is a decent 'beginners' press kit, what else will I need to get things going?? Obviously primers, powder, brass....

Right now I have .223 rem, .40 S&W, .38, 7mm mag that I would be reloading. Not sure I will ever get into shotguns.

Any suggestions for us newbies out here from you veterans? Be nice!!!!


Thanks
------------------

Jeff

[Fronty Owner]

Look at the Lee Anniversary Kit.
Same basics as your kit, but add a scale and 1/2 price.
Basic equipment you will need
Reloading Manual (this will answer alot of your questions)
Sturdy table/bench. One you wouldn't be afraid to jump on.
Press
Hand primer
3 or 4 piece dies (for your quanitity, you dont "need" carbide") for each caliber.
scale
calipers
primer pocket cleaner
case length gauge
powder meter.



On the nice list
tumber.
RCBS kinetic bullet puller (you will end up buying one eventually)
lube pad
powder trickler
reloading trays
comfortable chair
case neck mics
case neck trimmer


www.midwayusa.com has everything you will need.

just watch ordering primer and powder online, there is a $20 hazmat fee for each container.

[patdaly]

Fronty makes good points, also good luck finding primers.

I started out with a RCBS Rock Chucker, it is good to learn on a single stage press. Depending on how much pistol shooting you do ( or .223 ), you may wish later to do that loading with a progressive. I run a Lee Progressive 1000 ( now called the pro1000 ).

Finally, loading is not rocket science, but I must stress that manuals are simply starting points, and not all will agree exactly, start light, and work your load up. Pay attention when you shoot to the spent cartridge as much as you do to the accuracy. LOL, I have a couple of loads that flatten primers, be very careful when you get near that stage.

Oh yea, ALWAYS verify your powder charge, on EACH AND EVERY ONE........

Finally, have FUN.

[Fronty Owner]

In reloading, everything is driven around what your trying to accomplish.
Are you a high volume shooter? you start looking at a progressive.
Are you a 1/4 MOA, 1000 yrd shooter? you will want to invest in high end precision measurement equipment.
Are you somewhere in between? you will probably invest in a lot of supplies you wont use all of (altho 100 bullets dont last long with 5 shots of .5 gr incriments of three choices of powders and a pound of powder goes even faster burning 60 to 65 grains at a time)

Now, for the thing no one told me (since you have a 7mm Rem Mag also), A 150 Grain Sierra Game King with 60 grains (+/- a half grain) with CCI magnum large rifle primers give me the best result on accuracy and phone book penetration that matches factory corelokt loads. I can turn around and load with Nosler ballistic tips interchangeably with the game kings. This give me one load setting for varmint to whitetail.
Going between 62.0 grains and 66.0 grains opened the groups up more and produced more felt recoil. Staying near the minimum loads seemed to give me the best groups with minimal drop at 100 yrds and minimal loss in penetration. Your results will vary.
On the other hand, loading for my .223, at max seems to give the best performance, but the recoil is much harsher than with factory or surplus loads.

Verifying your charge depends alot on what your shooting. with Varget in my.223, a full case is 1.5 grains under max charge without using a drop tube (something you wont need for 7mm RM). When Im loading practice ammo for the 7mm RM, I use the powder dispenser and will get it dialed in by weight, the weigh every 5th throw. to verify its not changing because the dispenser is based on volume. With 50 rounds in my tray, go over each one with a bright light and visually inspect the level. if one looks high or low, its dumped on the scale or back in the dispenser. 7 mag with IMR 4831 will hold a good 75 grains of powder (WAY too much), but it wont hold a double charge like alot of cowboy rounds will (thats for later discussion).

[patdaly]

Hey Fronty, it has been more than a few years since I actually reloaded ( moves, kids, etc. ), I am looking for primers now, but the big question is there seems to be few of the old standbys for powder, I used to use Unique for my .45, doesn't seem to be still produced, did someone buy them out and remane it? It was dirty, but seemed to work best for me.

I can find the rest for the most part, but I am curious, what is Varget?

[Fronty Owner]

Unique is listed on Alliant's website under shotgun powders. I dont reload pistol or shotgun so I haven't looked for availablity lately.

Varget is an extruded powder from Hodgdons. Its not a widely used powder outside of the smaller rifle rounds, but its reputed to be one of the best powders for small bore used in year round conditions.

[wyododge]

My dad told me that I should probably load rifle cartridges before I go to handgun due to the possibility of an over charge. He told me that a rifle can handle an overcharge better than a handgun. So I figure I am going to stick with my 7mm rem mag and .223. I did used to be a fairly high volume shooter, by my standards any way, 3000 rounds or so a year, .223 and 1000 shotgun and handgun. But with prices and availability that has gone WAY down. I haven't shot my .223 in over a year. As far as what I am looking for in a round, obviously 7mm rem mag will be mostly hunting, .223 will be target. 7mm probably no more than 300 yards and .223 no more than 600 yards. Handguns I stay around 50 feet. I actually found pre-primed .223 brass, but it seems that buying it and reloading it are pretty equal in price. So it looks as though to start I will be loading my 7mm mag only. This may be advantageous though as I can really focus on one thing until I get more proficient.

Assuming I can find primers (rather large assumption) what kind of brass do you guys buy, or is it basically all the same??

Next, the sierra game king seems to be a fairly inexpensive round, should I just get a couple hundred and load that one round, or should I get a 'target' round and a hunting round. Seems to me they may perform differently.

[Fronty Owner]

I use remington or winchester brass in my 7mm.

I started with sierra game kings because they were cheap to develop loads. Later, I found that Nosler ballistic tips gave comparable performance for varmint. While the game kings are a low cost shoot, it has the benefit of being a boat tail design. the cost is cut because it doesn't have much of a copper jacket. in game, it acts more like a monolithic lead slug.

For primers and powder, you can order online, but there is a hazmat shipping fee. For development, check all your local gun shops or Cabela's if your on the east side of WY.

[wyododge]

Well I found small rifle and small pistol primers. No luck on the large rifle mag primers, but I will keep looking. I got a good deal on some 160 gr barns triple shock bullets. The guy had a partial box so I got 30 or so. I was talking to a freind of mine and he said the solid copper bullet will foul my barrel. Now I'm obviously not a rocket scientist, but aren't full jacketed bullets the same???


BTW, Fronty, in post #4 you were discussing your loads for the 7mm mag with the 150 gr sierra game king bullet and 60 grains, what brand of powder are you using?

[Fronty Owner]

cant give away all my secrets at once...

I like IMR 4831 for my 7mm.
I think Im going to try a pound of IMR 4895 and see how I like it.