Reloading How's & Why's
Reloading, handloading, whatever we call it; is the process of
making your own ammunition. We do it for a variety of reasons. I
think that I am correct in saying that most of the folks I know who
reload, do so for purely economic reasons. Simple, they want to
save some hard earned money. I have been loading for 35 years. I
load pistol, rifle and shotgun in about 25 different calibers. I
have a bookshelf about 6 feet long with reference materials. I have
read everyone of them at least a dozen times. I have made mistakes
in loading ammunition. Luckily I became aware of the mistakes
before any harm was done. We learn by doing. We can learn from
reference materials and advice from a variety of sources. We can
easily get ourselves in trouble if we don't think about what we are
doing.
Folks always ask, " Isn't that reloading dangerous?" Yes, it
can be. No more so than scuba diving, alpine skiing or riding a
motorcycle. You just don't jump in the ocean and scuba, jump into
an expert run at a ski resort, nor do we just jump on a motorcycle
and go for a spin. Oh sure, you could probably do any of those
things, but the chances are that you are going to hurt yourself or
someone else.
In the advertisements it appears that everyone is
happy when reloading. It appears that you just put in some
components and head to the range or hunting grounds knowing that
you have all you need. Whoa! Close, but not without plenty of
thought and work going into the process. I want you to know that it
can be a tedious, repetitive task. For you old time loaders; not
much need to go further. You have learned by your experience, you
have "Been there, done that!" If you are a hunter with a standard
caliber rifle or pistol you could probably bag your game with any
suitable factory load. The factories make excellent ammunition.
That's a fact. Their labs devise and manufacture components of the
highest quality. Yes, they have been known to make mistakes, but it
is very rare to get poor factory ammunition. So there is a factor.
If you do not shoot very much, lets say a few boxes per year for
any gun, then you probably don't need to get involved in reloading.
For the Cowboy Action Shooters, we have a different set conditions.
We shoot a lot. We have rules that indicate what type of bullet,
what it is made of, how fast it will go, etc. Those are the rules.
Our Range Officials and others in your shooting group will advise
you very quickly if you have a cartridge that is illegal or
dangerous or both. We expect them to do that. We are standing
around watching the shooter fire a very small piece of lead at high
speed in the direction of a piece of steel; we do not want to see
anyone harmed by the wrong load.
My point is that by becoming
involved in the reloading process, you will learn to build
ammunition that will meet your individual requirements. The rules
are easy. Lead only, under 1000fps (feet per second) for pistol.
Lead only, under 1400fps for rifles. No jacketed ammunition for
either.
Time for a reminder to join up with that big outfit, the
SINGLE ACTION SHOOTING SOCIETY, known to all as the SASS. There is
a link here to the SASS home page. You can even join up online!
That shooter's handbook will have the rules. Read them. Very
important!
Now here is where you have to start making decisions.
Let's look at some factors:
1. Do I shoot a lot? More than 750-1000
rounds per year?
2. Do I shoot a lot of different guns? Different caliber's?
3. Would my shooting improve if I practiced?
4. Might I be a hero if I was a better shot?
5. Can I concentrate while I am reloading?
6. Do I have a place where I can reload?
Well that was rather
simplistic, but I'm sure most of you, would respond with a YES to
most if not all of the above. If you did, I want you to consider
some basic rules of reloading. If you can live with the following,
then you have strong potential for "rolling your own". I should
thrown in another factor, it is subtle. Have you ever overheard a
conversation between folks of the same profession, whether it is a
phone company lineman, a fireman, a pilot, a stockbroker? You soon
learn that you do not have a clue as to what they are talking
about. And so it is with the Cowboy Action Shooting crowd when
speaking of their ammo. Wouldn't it be nice to know what is going
on when some cowpoke strolls off the line with a sour look and says
that the .45 Colt was sized .454 but was apparently .03 too long to
chamber in his Colt, as he probably had the loads for his Vaquero?
Or that lady with the Trapper, just like yours; has just discovered
that when she switched bullets to an H&G 501 255gr .45 Colt and
because the nose section is longer it will no longer hold 9 rounds
as she was doing with the RCBS RN 250? It is part of the lingo of
the shooting game. Lively discussions about the relative merits of
this or that. Understand the language! You could be getting the tip
of the century, but you have to know what that cowpoke is talking
about! Here are the basic rules of reloading. All of them involve
common sense. Be honest; if you do not think that you are able to
handle them, don't. Be aware that the inability to abide by these
rules can result in injury, severe burns, or death. That sure
sounds serious. It is.
1. Exercise care at all times . Wear safety
glasses while reloading.
2. Never smoke while handling powders or primers or during any
reloading operation.
3. Keep powder and primers any from heat, sparks and open
flames.
4. Store powder in a cool, dry place at all times.
5. Never use a powder unless your are sure of its identity.
6. Always read warnings on powder and component container
labels.
7. Always read and understand the instruction manual for your
reloading machine/tools.
8. Always load in strict compliance with instructions in CURRENT
reloading manuals.
9. Never mix powders.
10. Devote full attention to reloading operations. Avoid
distractions.
11. Keep powder and primers out of reach of children.
12. Use components as recommended. Don't take shortcuts.
13. Never exceed maximum recommended loads.
14. Examine every shell or cartridge before loading to insure good
condition.
15. Double check every operation for safety and uniformity.
16. Check powder charge level in EVERY cartridge case to avoid
double charges.
17. On center fire loads, start with charge weights 10% below
recommended maximum loads.
18. Always watch for signs of excessive pressure.
19. Do not decap live primers, it is safer to destroy them by
firing empty cartridge the firearm.
20. Observe all local fire regulations and codes with respect to
quantities of powders and primers stored and conditions of
storage.
21. Store powder in its original container. NEVER transfer it from
one storage container to another as this will increase the
possibility of becoming mislabeled.
Kind of serious stuff for being
involved in something that can be so much fun. The rewards are
great. You do have the opportunity to gain new excuses for misses,
but it would be a rare person to admit that he missed because he
made a bad cartridge. Please take another minute and look over that
list again. I want you out there enjoying a game. If you can't
really live by the above, you stand a good chance of doing
something that will harm you or the other folks around you. Safety
in ALL aspects of this game is Number One. If you are not ready, no
problem. Buy from a respected commercial reloader, there are plenty
of them. Most make quality cartridges. Check on their policy of
exchanging empty brass. Check on the shipping rates. That ammo is
heavy and requires extra handling fees. Find out if they have
different sized bullets, different shapes and diameters, etc. Your
job. Do some work. You will save some costs as compared to factory
ammunition and probably have a much greater selection.
"Hijinx" and
I came to an understanding a few months back about listing of
actual loads. We both agreed that it was best to NOT list
individual loads in relation to powder charges, etc. We can
certainly talk of components. We want YOU to obtain at LEAST one
recognized reloading manual. The information is out there. The
major companies have free reloading data using their components. I
believe that most will be well served by a current SPEER loading
manual. I say current, as the data in some old manuals is out of
date. Components change, the characteristics of some powders and
primers have changed over the years. If you start reloading, please
don't just believe even your best buddy, giving you the "load" of
the century. Check it out, with reliable reloading manuals.
If you
have gone this far, it is a good sign that you are a candidate.
Congratulations. Get a recent gum magazine, buy some postcards,
spend a few bucks and send away for all those great catalogs of
components, tools, and companies dealing with reloading. There are
many. A good source of addresses would be the current GUN DIGEST.
Next month I hope to help you through the selection of some of the
tools that you will need. Yes, it is true; you will have to put out
some bucks to get safe, reliable tools. Might give some thought to
planning a bench. Something at least 4 feet long by 2 feet should
get you started. It can be a life-long hobby. The more ammunition
you have to shoot, the more you shoot!
Good Shootin! Tioga
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