help new reloaders

that's why I set my reloading bench up in the garage most time the kids and the wife don't come in there and I can keep focused on what im doing . just to touch on the subject of books I use sierra book for load working as they kinda get you started in the right direction with a accuracy load but that comes with a grain of salt as like said before that comes with their barrel and action and controlled conditions not ral world outside stuff. but I feel they have the best info for me .
and then on the other end of the spectrum I also like the nosler book as it touches on case capacity and this was mentioned before about underloading or light loads . the slower the powder the fuller the case and the fuller the case the better the burn . now this also takes some careful watching as not all is equal in the world as we know it . so yes to all that was said about take your time read study and then make your plans . keep your area clean and clear and only do one thing at a time no powder till it's time to put it in no primers on the table while your cleaning cases and so forth and get a plan and stick with it do everything in order the same everytime all the time that way there are no missed steps . there is a lot of great advice here . these are just some of mine . right now I can figure about 50 -60 dollors to load 100 300 weatherby shells ,but this don't figure in the cases dies and press priming tool and other little things that one may need so if just shooting a few rounds a year reloading may not be economical but if you want to learn something new by all means give it a go .

and don't forget to clean primer pockets . my father in law don't and it drives me crazy lol.

Scott
 
my advice is,never listen to what others tell you unless your sure that they know what they are talking about..a lot of false information is out there..
 
Although temperature sensitivity is real, of course, it's not something that is going to KB a modern action, especially a typical varmint barrel. I've been loading with powders that are considered as very temperature sensitive for better than 30 yrs., and I'm not one to run my loads on the light side either, not by any stretch. For many years I've worked max charges up at cold temps, and at hot temps, then used them in reverse conditions, never had anything more than some obvious higher than usual pressures present, but nothing that screams danger!

In short, anyone that KB's a modern action is doing something critically wrong, and it isn't temperature causing it. They're either using the wrong powder, using a fast burning powder with the wrong data, or a heavier bullet than what the data was supposed to be for. Bottom line, it's not a temperature issue.

It boils down making sure all aspects of the components and data correlate. this is why I log my loads before I load them. That way when i finish a batch I can go back and verify that everything is what it's supposed to be. And that if I experience any high pressure signs, I can identify the cause with absolute certainty.

GS2
 
I started reloading in early 1950s when it was still considered a hazardous hobby. We did not have printed loading data or any real books on the subject. I bought several hundred pounds of the 4895 that Hodgdon was selling in the brown paper bags at the time for about .10 cents per pound it seems cheap but I was making .8 cents an hour pushing shopping carts at the time.
Since then I have owned two reloading shops making custom reloads for people in the 1960s and 1970s when the liability was not too much issue. I won a lot of bench rest matches. that was my advertising. Kept all my customers and load info on 3x5 cards.
Before we reloaded we would sweep the area then with a little dish soap hose the floor down, the dish soap would reduce static electricity on the floor area. Then with a large pan each of the reloading equipment would be washed in dish soap as well to remove static. every thing was steel and pot metal and would collect static. it was not for fear of a boom but a problem to keep dishes and scales steady. Some plastics do the same today.
we would load all lots on one day to keep humidity and loading temperature the same. we did not know how it would affect the load. Smoking was a no. I didn't like it, and never tried it!
We would make a lot of our own reamers for the dies. Many reloaders would request the reamer that the barrel maker would use for chambering for making reloading dies. Thing have changed a lot since then. Then a neighbor came over and asked for help. In his reloading room he had a TV with a football game on the TV several times I would ask a question and he was watching the TV then after a minute he would say "what" I found his distraction annoying. I left
after 15 minutes he realized I was gone. I told him that the only way I would help him if he got rid of the TV, Radio, Dog, from the reloading room first. He didn't come back for a while, till... one day he said he blew his rifle up!
 
Thanks guys. I am considering getting into reloading even though I don't shoot many rounds per year. I would just like to be more accurate. As much reading as I do there aren't a lot of places that actually list step by step process and all the equipment necessary. This site and thread have been very informative.
 
My absolutely dont even think about trying it rules to live by
1 pistol primers are stored in different containers than rifle primers
2 pistol and rifle powder are stored in different containers
3 ONLY ONE POWDER ON THE BENCH AT A TIME. ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS
4 WEIGH EVERY THIRD ROUND OUT OF THE MEASURE
 
Get your routine down and do it the same each and every time. Don't get distracted! Follow the guidelines and check each shell casing with a light to make sure it has powder and that the primer is seated correctly and flush! This also lets you know how full your cases are with different powder and that nothing went wrong while loading cases. I have only found one in 35 yrs. but, I'm glad I did. I weigh each load on the scale, I don't drop powder directly from drop charger. I'm just anal that way I want to know each load is exactly what it calls for. Enjoy reloading! Millions of people do. Rudy
 
I'm a lot like Furhunter.....still have a mess of old targets as references.....some of old guns long gone.

I've been doing this since I was very young.....preteen come to think of it. I'm now 58 and have lived though the likes of reading Elmer Keith, Bill Jordan and Skeeter Skelton stuff over the years (couldn't get enough of it either).
I've accumulated a ton of reloading equipment & components, and I've built a special shop just to house it all. The one thing I still do after all these years, regardless of the high production reloading stuff, is still handload all my rifle rounds on a single stage press......taking every step or precaution to make sure they are the best I can do.

Like it has been mentioned here by several........learn the basics, and consider them to be your foundation going forward. Too many nowadays want to skip to the front and just start cranking and loading max. So much is missed out on as well as being dangerous. When I was a younger toad, I couldn't read enough on the subject and I'm so glad I started out that way.....

Bob
 
I'm a lot like Furhunter.....still have a mess of old targets as references.....some of old guns long gone.

I've been doing this since I was very young.....preteen come to think of it. I'm now 58 and have lived though the likes of reading Elmer Keith, Bill Jordan and Skeeter Skelton stuff over the years (couldn't get enough of it either).
I've accumulated a ton of reloading equipment & components, and I've built a special shop just to house it all. The one thing I still do after all these years, regardless of the high production reloading stuff, is still handload all my rifle rounds on a single stage press......taking every step or precaution to make sure they are the best I can do.

Like it has been mentioned here by several........learn the basics, and consider them to be your foundation going forward. Too many nowadays want to skip to the front and just start cranking and loading max. So much is missed out on as well as being dangerous. When I was a younger toad, I couldn't read enough on the subject and I'm so glad I started out that way.....

Bob
 
I'm a lot like Furhunter.....still have a mess of old targets as references.....some of old guns long gone.

I've been doing this since I was very young.....preteen come to think of it. I'm now 58 and have lived though the likes of reading Elmer Keith, Bill Jordan and Skeeter Skelton stuff over the years (couldn't get enough of it either).
I've accumulated a ton of reloading equipment & components, and I've built a special shop just to house it all. The one thing I still do after all these years, regardless of the high production reloading stuff, is still handload all my rifle rounds on a single stage press......taking every step or precaution to make sure they are the best I can do.

Like it has been mentioned here by several........learn the basics, and consider them to be your foundation going forward. Too many nowadays want to skip to the front and just start cranking and loading max. So much is missed out on as well as being dangerous. When I was a younger toad, I couldn't read enough on the subject and I'm so glad I started out that way.....

Bob
 
I second the caution regarding "favorite" loads. When I first started I tended to want to test the max loads in the manual. I usually find better accuracy from loads that are dialed down slightly.
 
Also keep in mind temperature a safe max load at 50 degrees may be a way to hot at 80 you have to adjust dont shoot your winter max loads on a hot summer day bad things can happen
 
I lock the door to the gun room 90% of the time when reloading and I have loaded some to hot but found it when I went to tag the box. 2 gr to much polled them then done it wright. After you pull 50 rounds and reload you will double check your self!!
 
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Keep your load within limitations....if you want 4000 out of a 22-250. For get it....brass won't last long primers loosen quicker and the extra vol wont be noticed in the field. Get a swift....
 
I'm pretty new to reloading compared to a lot of people here, but here are a couple pictures and description of what has worked well for me so far.

When dispensing powder, I place my prepped cases in a cartridge box and work from left to right. I first remove a row of cases and set them aside so there is always a blank space between the full case I'm setting into the box and the empty one I'm pulling from it. After the charge is weighed and poured into the brass, I take a bullet and set it upside-down inside the case mouth before transferring the cartridge into the box. This clearly marks each case that has a charge it in, preventing both squibs and double-charges. In the calibers I reload (.30-06 and .22-250) double-charges are impossible without spilling, but I'm cautious about it anyway.

I dispense powder using the volumetric powder drop that came with my Lee Classic set, dispensing it into an old .30-06 case that has a messed-up neck from a time when I rushed a bullet seating and tried to press it with the bullet cockeyed. Using this case is a constant reminder for me. The only time powder touches the actual prepped case is after the load is weighed (I weigh each load) and 2 seconds before the bullet is dropped in upside down. For .22-250, the bullets are skinny enough that they can pass through the throat of my funnel so I drop in the bullet before I even remove the funnel.

http://imgur.com/rpNoATo
http://imgur.com/kTArsgT

Happy shooting,
Mitch
 
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