Reloading the cheap, portable and fully capable way

**Alaskan Survivalist** · 04-15-2010, 11:47 PM

Just for kicks I measured the velocity of an 8 ounce fishing weight being cast from my pack rod and when I figured the energy it matched that of a 30.06. It gives you ideas when combat fishing.

**hunter63** · 04-16-2010, 11:14 AM

This thread was a very good basic starting point, and was done well. Kudos's AS.

Too many vids, forum posts, and articles are written by people that want to impress others on their knowledge and STUFF they have, and tend to boggle the mind of someone just getting started.

It doesn't take a lot of equipment to get started, you can get nuts with catalogs, and easily run up the cost.

As with a lot of things, having ALL the STUFF is nice, but scares a lot of people away. Just the thought of fooling around with powder, bullets specs loads etc, as well, is enough to scare people away. (What if I blow myself up!)
Don't get me wrong, re-loading is SERIOUS BUISNESS, but then again so are chainsaws, power tools and vehicles.

Some times too much information is put out there, and so a lot of people just say, Well, maybe some day.

So for anyone thinking about getting into the re-loading life-style(yeah, changes the way you think about shooting), start with Reading a good (or many good manuals), compair notes, the you are ready to make informed choices on equiptment, powders, bullets.

Maybe we should do a thread on the Lee Loader, or "How to get started for about $25 bucks?"

**randyt** · 04-17-2010, 09:25 AM

back to the lee hand press. the one i have was my fathers. i've used it a bit for handgun loads. i tried it on 30-30 and it seemed to take a lot more pressure to resize so much pressure it's a PIA. i lubed the cases but am i doing something wrong? i want to full length size due to having a few different 30-30 rifles.

**hunter63** · 04-17-2010, 10:18 AM

Using a full sizing die is going to take a lot more pressure than say, pushing out a primer, or setting a bullet.

Most sizer dies have a carbide ring that literally pushes metal the length of the case.
Not a really good job for a hand press, just because of mechanical advantage that can be generated.

I know that even with the Challenger press, quite a bit of pressure is needed sometimes to do a resizing, and I do use the Lee lube when ever I do any resizing.

They say that you don't have to use it when using carbide dies, but as I have both carbide and non-carbide, I just lube everything, in case I forget which dies are in the press. Beats the crap out of trying to get a stuck case out.

**Alaskan Survivalist** · 04-17-2010, 12:29 PM

Some cases are harder than others but I never had any I considered hard to press. The die may need to be adjusted. One of the reasons I read instructions and keep the die instructions in case. The piece that goes inside neck is where they stiffen for me but I convert 30.06 to 270. Do you lube the inside of neck?

**randyt** · 04-17-2010, 01:04 PM

i haven't lubed the inside of the neck. maybe the die needs adjusting, i'll dig up the instructions and check that too.

**Beans** · 04-30-2010, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Alaskan Survivalist

I think I'll be doing this from now on. I once double loaded a 308 and when fired it cronograghed at 9000 feet per second and the bullet desinigrated before it hit the paper 25 yards away. The only part of the bullet I found was the copper that shreded off the bullet and fell about 10 feet from the barrel. I'm lucky I didn't blow myself up! I have been checking every since but your method seems more systematic and idiot proof. Thanks for tip!

I have been handloading since 1970. I am just being inquisitive, but what make of gun did you fire THAT round out of and what weight bullet were you using??????

**Alaskan Survivalist** · 04-30-2010, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Beans

I have been handloading since 1970. I am just being inquisitive, but what make of gun did you fire THAT round out of and what weight bullet were you using??????

I was shooting a TC Encore and had ordered a custom 26" target barrel from the factory. I had ordered many Encore barrels because I was experimenting with different ideas and I could get custom barrels made to my specs for 450 dollars. Cheap compared to other target rifles of equal accuracy. The bullet was a Hornady 168 gr hpbt. I spent a lot of time working with the 308 but eventually dropped it because I found the accuracy comes from modest bore capacity and increasing loads even to approach the Russian 7.62x54 it began to loose it's accuracy edge.

**rebel** · 04-30-2010, 09:00 PM

Great info. Thanks! I'm about ready start reloading.

**kyratshooter** · 05-01-2010, 12:08 PM

I remember back when the Challenger press came out you could buy them on sale as a kit, press dies and dipper for $19.95. I sold a raft load of those things.

I never had one returned either. Folks would come in and order bigger an better, but never parted with the startup set. They always had a use for it. Many set it up for a single caliber and just left it alone. I remember one guy even epoxied the lock rings on the dies so he would not have to readjust the settings.

**Alaskan Survivalist** · 05-01-2010, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by kyratshooter

I remember back when the Challenger press came out you could buy them on sale as a kit, press dies and dipper for $19.95. I sold a raft load of those things.

I never had one returned either. Folks would come in and order bigger an better, but never parted with the startup set. They always had a use for it. Many set it up for a single caliber and just left it alone. I remember one guy even epoxied the lock rings on the dies so he would not have to readjust the settings.

You have been reloading awhile. I'm not familiar with the challenger kit but I think most starter kits run about a 100 dollars now. I'm down to reloading just 3 calibers myself.

**Batch** · 05-01-2010, 11:34 PM

So, would it be best to buy one of these kits for each caliber?

I have 30-06, 30-30, 9mm, .40, .357 mag, .44 mag. Well, .22 and 12 gauge also. But, do they make worth while hand loaders for those calibers?

**Alaskan Survivalist** · 05-02-2010, 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by Batch

So, would it be best to buy one of these kits for each caliber?

I have 30-06, 30-30, 9mm, .40, .357 mag, .44 mag. Well, .22 and 12 gauge also. But, do they make worth while hand loaders for those calibers?

You just need dies, shell holders and case lenght guage to match each caliber and one kit. 9mm Is fairly cheap and may not be worth your time to reload unless you get into a more productive set up. I'm not sure about the price of 40 and 357 mag ammo but I know it pays to reload 44 mag, 30.06 and 30-30, especially for custom loads. Rimfires cannot be reloaded. There are 22's that can be reloaded stating with the 22 hornet going all the way up to the 22 Eargersplitting Loudenbomber.I have no experience loading shotgun shells except for my 410 and pistol shotshells. 410's are spendy little suckers. Others should advise you on shotgun shells.