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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