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Firearms and Gear => Reloading and Ammunition => Topic started by: DeeDubya on February 02, 2011, 10:03:10 AM
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Are there any handloaders in the community? Reloading is a fundamental part of my shooting enjoyment. I was wondering if anyone has some "special" loads that their CZ likes to digest? I load a lot of the "plated" bullets like Ranier. Mostly because they are cheaper and it doesn't take a hollow point to kill a tin can.
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I was thinking about getting into re-loading but that is going to have to be a back burner idea for a while. :( I am spending a lot of time trying to learn how to admin this Forum so everyone benifits and has fun, Plus the CZForum.com Web Page is going up sometime by the end of this week or sometime next week for sure. ;D
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I reload all of the centerfire rounds I shoot…Can’t afford the factory stuff
Wish .22lr rounds could be reloaded...Trust me, I would if I could, just to save a buck
Haven't gotten into Shotshell reloads yet...Don’t really shoot that much shootshell…Maybe some day
As for what I feed my 9mm CZs;
I run 5.1 g of AA#5 behind a Berry's 124g RNCP
If I shoot any 115g RNCP, I use 5.6g of AA#5
I have use a few Ranier but Berry's make a fine plated bullet
And Accurate Powder has become my one and only powder now
Very clean and flows very well
Shoot safe, Den S
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Yep I agree with you on AA5. It's a good choice for 40sw also. I haven't tried Berry's but will. I still have a bunch of Ranier from my IPSC days in the early 90's. Ranier was one of the first with plated bullets.
When I start working up a new load I generally have at least 3 recipe books open in front of me for comparison. 1) The powder mfg (ie Accurate, Hodgdon, etc.), 2) The bullet mfg (ie Hornady, Speer, etc.), and finally 3) Lymans manual. I will compare a desired load in all three before deciding on a starting load. Pistol loads are easy compared to the high pressure rifle loads which generally perform best at the high end of the chart. I also like to compare the published velocity with my chronograph but mainly for standard deviation which of course translates to accuracy.
I know I have some of the 147gr Raniers loaded with AA5. I'll check the charge wt just for grins.
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like above I reload for all my guns but the 22lr. :) I also cast all my own bullets from the 9mm makarov to the 444.I started casting when I was in germany and scrounged wheel weights from the PX gas station.
here is the bullet I shoot in my brno 375 H&H.its a good one and makes shooting that rifle cheap.less than $5.00 for a box of 20 ;D .
pete
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/txpete/375win001.jpg)
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It's evident you've been casting a while. You don't get that kind of fill without a perfect temperature. I scrounge my lead from sawn off plumber's flashing on jobsites. I buy linotype from a local metals company and mix my own #2. Who's luber/sizer are you using? The Lyman is OK but I never got a heater for it and sometimes the lube doesn't fill the groves completely. I also cast 505gr minies for my Parker Hale musketoon. They are of course pure lead which I find harder to fill or maybe it's because of the base plug in the minie that cools too quickly. I routinely toss about half back in the pot. :-[
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thanks.I have been casting for over 30 years now.I started off on a coleman stove and used a lee cookie cutter sizer.I was lucky I bumped into a guy that bought a old building in belton tx and it had a bunch of linotype in it.I bought 400 lbs of the stuff @.25 a lb :D .
for a sizer I am using a star and love it.I had a lyman-leak-0-matic and gave it to a friend when I bought the star in 94.they are expensive but worth every penny imho.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCtLi8i7tMg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCtLi8i7tMg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/txpete/gunroom003.jpg)
pete
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so envious. what a shiny setup you have. I can only wish.
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well thank you.now its just the 2 of us in the house w/2 mutts :D .I turned the extra bedroom into a gun/reloading room.I am now fully retired and it keeps me busy.
pete
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Unfortunetaly I spent way more than I have or could really afford buying the Domain and setting up this Forum and the Web Site (It's going I promise........I think :D ). So setting up any sort of re-loading anything is not going to happen any time soon. But I an envious of you and everyone else that can do it.
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GW:
It really doesn't take a big bucket of $$$ to start reloading
I started with a Classic LEE Loader (link)
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1296971477.3121=/html/catalog/cleeloader.html
Granted, it loads one caliber by hand, but, you're reloading
A single set of dies costs about as much
It's very easy to use and makes pretty go ammo too
I loaded thousands of rounds of both .38sp and .357 mag before buying my first press and dies
I shoot PPC with ammo I loaded with my LEE Loader and scored VERY WELL with it (289/300)
A plastic mallet, a block of oak and your LEE Loader are your tools
Primers, powder and bullets are your components (you got the brass)
$40.00 for the loader
$ 4.00 for 100 primers
$20.00 for a pound of powder (enough for over 1300 loads)
$14.00 for 100 9mm bullets
Less than $80.00 for your first 100 rounds (which sounds like a lot), but then the cost just keeps getting smaller for every 100 rounds you load
After you've loaded about 500 rounds, you're under $0.30 a pop and now you're making money and starting to save on all your ammo
I still have my Classic LEE Loader
I really should buy one in all my calibers
Be safe, Shoot safe, Den S
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Wel when you put it like that. I'll see about doing it, and working out a place to do it. Not sure re-loading at my desk (It's L shaped and 12 feet long up the ell and 10 feet on the foot) in the great room with my computers would make my bride any to thrilled. 8) And I Know better than to ask for the guest room or my daughters old room. :D
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GW:
That’s the spirit
I started out loading on the floor in front of the TV
A piece of newspaper and my block of oak was my loading bench for years
It really doesn’t have to be that extravagant
As long as you keep track of where you’re at in the loading process, the LEE Loader is almost fool proof…ALMOST
Be safe, Shoot safe, Den S
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Anyone, tried Precision Delta jacket pistol bullets? Price is very competitive with plated bullets. Was wondering about the experience of others, I have yet to try.
http://www.precisiondelta.com/index.php (http://www.precisiondelta.com/index.php)
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I am a newbe at reloading, but since I retired I thought it would be fun to re-load. I was going to set-up in the garage, but my wife thought it might get too humid in the summer so she suggested setting up in the laundry room. I didn't give her a chance to retract her words and we went to work cleaning out the laundry room for my reloading desk. I have an sp-01 tactical 9mm and have had a blast :cheesy: re-loading. I bought everything in bulk, which might have been a mistake as it will probably be a long time before I use up the 8# of HP38 I bought and there are probably better powders out there, but I think this will be good enough for me. I have only re-loaded about 900 rds so far and 8# will load over 11000 rds. This is a picture of my reloading station. (after I cleaned it up a bit :rolleyes: )
(http://house55.homestead.com/reloadingstation_9_1.jpg)
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Hi everyone,
I've been reloading for about 20 years. I started reloading for my S&W 686 .357 Mag. Shortly after, I bought a S&W 4006 and I've been loading 40's ever since. Then came .45 Long Colt followed by 357 Sig and .308 Win and lately I added .45-70 Govt. for a Marlin 1895 and then, because I'm a glutton for punishment, I started loading and shooting long range Black Powder cartridge for a model 1885 Win. High-Wall.
It got so I couldn't keep buying Raniers, good bullets by the way, and I started casting for all the above except the .308. Every now and then I buy some fairly inexpensive hard cast bullets from Missouri Bullet Co. for all the guns (except the 308).
After a while it seemed like the reloading became as much fun as the shooting. I think most reloaders have some of the old "mad scientist" in them as they keep looking for that perfect round for their favorite gun. It keeps me away from the mind numbing crap on the boob-tube at least.
Good shooting!
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I always heard that Lee and RCBS were the best reloaders. I've never tried casting bullets, but I'm sure it'd be fun. You can find lead at tire stores, as they collect the lead weights used to balance car tires. IDK if they'd sell it or give it away, but you can always ask.
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I always heard that Lee and RCBS were the best reloaders. I've never tried casting bullets, but I'm sure it'd be fun. You can find lead at tire stores, as they collect the lead weights used to balance car tires. IDK if they'd sell it or give it away, but you can always ask.
I my experience, lead is most easily obtained from plumbers. The lead roof flashings and toilet flanges were plentiful. Some still use them. When the plumber sets the toilet bowl he will saw off the excess lead and usually keeps it. This is nearly pure lead (best for muzzle loaders) but can be mixed with lin-o-type to make a #2 hardness for handgun and rifle. Always cast in a well ventilated area and wear gloves or wash your hands often. :smiley:
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Seems like somewhere I read that tire weights were to brittle to use to cast bullets, something about having tin or something mixed in? And boy howdy! I would add a leather apron or chaps and a welders shirt to those gloves that DeeDubya just mentioned. If you spill any molten lead and it splashes you don't want to be where it lands I guarantee mia ya cher! Been there, done that, never again
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Some people like wheel weights. They claim to be close to the #2 formula hardness. I feel that there could be to much variation in the casting metals used. Tin and antimony are good for the mix. Tin adds the hardness and makes casting much easier. Casting pure lead for muzzle loaders is difficult. Hard to get a wrinkle free bullet.
I've collected lead from jobsites over the years and have over 300 lbs in 1 lb lyman ingots. Don't know if Ill ever get back into casting though.
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ah good, Like I said I heard or read that, I used them in the past back when a friend and I cast our own .38 and .357 in his kitchen, All we had was an old heavy cooking pot to melt the lead in and a ladle to pour it in the forms. Some fun.
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Linotype alloy was designed for high speed industrial casting of type. I worked for a printer quite some time back and once had to pick up an order from the last outfit in town to run a Linotype machine.
They worked pretty fast but the serif type came out perfect, as it should have. If you want perfect bullets every time, I would say that Linotype alloy is a good thing to have.
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I just ordered a CZ75B. This is my first 9mm and first reloading auto ammo. From what i've read lead and wadcutters are not so good in this auto. I'm looking for a good load combination, case, powder and jacketed bullet for accurate target shooting. Also at a decent price. Magtech seems to have good pricing on cases and bullets. Any other good combo's you all can recommend? Tks
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Hello duke
Welcome to the original home of CZForum and CZForum.com. We hope you enjoy your membership with us and stay for a long time, We are all here to help one another, learn from each other, and make friends, We are International so you could meet some really intresting folks.
As to your post, I would say from personal experience the wad cutters are not a good idea, certainly not reliable enough that I would use any in my CZ's even if I was still making my own. I think the same applies to lead round nose also. But unfortunately that's as far as I can go in trying to help. I have done my own or any reloading in years. But we do have a couple folks here you have and still do, and I'm sure as soon as they see this post they will be of great help.
Welcome again to the Forum.
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I just ordered a CZ75B. This is my first 9mm and first reloading auto ammo. From what i've read lead and wadcutters are not so good in this auto. I'm looking for a good load combination, case, powder and jacketed bullet for accurate target shooting. Also at a decent price. Magtech seems to have good pricing on cases and bullets. Any other good combo's you all can recommend? Tks
Good choice. The 75B is very forgiving with different loads. Which press do you have? I'd first get a good reloading manual and study a bit. Lyman IMO is unbiased and one of the best. Bullets are the most expensive component. I shoot a lot of the plated bullets, mostly Rainier but there are some good ones and much cheaper than jacketed. And, they can be very accurate. Powder is not a big issue just because 9mm doesen't burn much. For 9mm they will all be on the fast burning end of the scale, so you get a lot of loads from a pound. Brass is not a big concern in 9mm as long as you trim them to equal OAL. Starline is always a good choice. Regular small pistol primers, not magnum. You will have "loads" of fun.
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OK DeeDubya,
I can't believe you just said that! Loads of fun, indeed. I thought I was supposed to be the one with the bad jokes and you and b5 and AVM were supposed to be the sober sided founts of wisdom? What am I paying you for if you are going to take over the stand up routines? Oh wait I forgot I'm not paying you, well then that's different then inan't Brain? *Narf!*
So, back to the realm of reality, you use leaded round nose in your CZ 75 for plinking and you don't have any problems with it? I allways found that when I used those the ramp or the mag would shave a sliver of lead from the side of the projectile as it chambered the round. And wad cutters simply never chambered because they almost all ways got stuck going up the ramp or on the mag edge. Didn't matter if they were the truncated cone or the flat to the casing ones.
I'm guessing that it was possibly a matter of having the ramp polished, and that would have made them work or at least work better? For that matter I had trouble with hollow points, semi-jacketed or other wise.
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The plated bullets have enough copper on them to feed well. Any cast round nose bullets would have to be hard and yes a highly polished ramp would help as well would a seasoned barrel. I've never tried cast truncated.
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OK thanks for clearing that up. I really need to find some time and more to the point money to work on my ballistics charts for the forum, and using reloads is one of the things I want to test. Guess I'll need two pistols same make and model maybe year and have the ramp on one polished and the other as is and see how they compare.
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"Anyone" traveling to Texas this week is advised to keep his ammo in the shade! :cool:
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Thanks for the nice welcome. I just joined the forum. Have been out of reloading and shooting for a while (seems being self employed is not conducive to having any time off to do anything). :cry: Anyway my future son-in-law is an armored guard and I just bought him a reloading kit for his 9mm for his birthday. Stupid me, now I got the bug! Ordered a new pistol and will be setting up a reloader as well. Leaning towards the Hornaday progressive. I started out reloading when I was poor years ago with a lee hand loader for 357 mags. Still have it. it worked so well, slow but well. Then I progressed to RCBS's single stage and loaded 30/30, 38's and 357's for years. I also shot skeet and reloaded tons of shotshells for that. I'm anxious to get set up for my CZ, so any help from you experts is appreciated!
I just ordered a CZ75B. This is my first 9mm and first reloading auto ammo. From what i've read lead and wadcutters are not so good in this auto. I'm looking for a good load combination, case, powder and jacketed bullet for accurate target shooting. Also at a decent price. Magtech seems to have good pricing on cases and bullets. Any other good combo's you all can recommend? Tks
Good choice. The 75B is very forgiving with different loads. Which press do you have? I'd first get a good reloading manual and study a bit. Lyman IMO is unbiased and one of the best. Bullets are the most expensive component. I shoot a lot of the plated bullets, mostly Rainier but there are some good ones and much cheaper than jacketed. And, they can be very accurate. Powder is not a big issue just because 9mm doesen't burn much. For 9mm they will all be on the fast burning end of the scale, so you get a lot of loads from a pound. Brass is not a big concern in 9mm as long as you trim them to equal OAL. Starline is always a good choice. Regular small pistol primers, not magnum. You will have "loads" of fun.
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"OK DeeDubya, I can't believe you just said that! Loads of fun, indeed. I thought I was supposed to be the one with the bad jokes and you and b5 and AVM were supposed to be the sober sided founts of wisdom? What am I paying you for if you are going to take over the stand up routines? Oh wait I forgot I'm not paying you, well then that's different then inan't Brain? *Narf!*"
Well somebody's been depositing money in my account. No wait, those are withdrawals.
Aw shucks, GW, just participating in the fun, soaking up the knowledge, basking in the radiant hospitality, exploding with knee-slapping humor (that should be enough) are better than getting paid anyway :huh: right? ... right? ... anybody?
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My son's got a Hornady and likes it. While his is not progressive it still has their "lock-n-load" die holders. Very convenient for changing dies. You know, it may sound a little strange but I enjoy reloading just about as much as shooting. So many variables to play with. Fun stuff.
Came back to say. I got my Rock Chucker around 1980. Still have and use it. But of course a Dillon 650 has it's place too, especially for the auto ammo. :grin:
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Gee DeeDubya
You are a real pal to look that up for me. :tongue: , I'm thinking the ammo is on it's own while I'm there cause, I'm going to be in as much shade as my overweight butt can find :cool: :laugh: I sure hope that line about " Ya it's hot, but it's a Dry heat" is even vaguely true. :shocked: . I'm thinking; have my daughter go out start the car, let it cool then pull around to the front of her Apt Bldg, I run for the car, hoping the wife is keeping up, I dive in slam the door and then reverse the process when we get where ever we are going. And it's a good thing Red's has an indoor range or my daughter wouldn't be getting any time in with her new toys, learning how they feel and work while I'm there to walk her through them. Not that she needs the help but I want to watch her do some shooting with them if I can.
As for you Mr duke Sir;
2 things,
First: I never use the term "expert" when talking about anything at all, since I learned in another life time far far away in a sweaty nasty wet jungle, that you are only an "expert" until either you screw up or someone better comes along, which also means you screwed up. :cheesy: . and
Second: not only are you welcome here I think you and DeeDubya and the rest of the re-loaders here are going to get along just great. I'm not likely to ever get back into the reloading part of shooting since my wife would be less than happy about my spending money on a new habit. And possibly drilling holes in the furniture to mount the press. :laugh:
Hope you have fun as much as we do.
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haha, Ok, I'll call you folks 'Slightly more informed and up to date than me". How's that? :smiley: I really enjoyed reloading as well. As a poor enlisted man, that was the only way i could afford to shoot and go hunting, etc. Now, I have money but no time. Go figure.
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Yep ain't that the way?
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Can you guys point me in right direction please. I haven't got any reloading manuals yet (birthday is next month and wife wants to have something for kids to buy me). Anyway, I'm looking to buy a case of Montana Gold 124g, FMJ's and will be using AA5 and CCI's. Mostly Winchester cases to start. Can someone recommend a starting load? I can't find MG's on the online charts. Is there another bullet that is similar where I can substitute the load data?
TKS!
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Lyman used to be the best (following the Ideal tradition established by John Barlow) but the last two manuals (48 & 49) have simply traded on the name, with cheapened production, fewer pages, important safety messages buried in main text and too much outdated data. Do not believe the grovelling reviews!
Speer has always been good but the latest manual, #14, is superb. Buy it and you will be very happy. It has all the highlighted safety points of the older Lyman manuals and more!
P.S. Sierra also has good data but the Table of Contents could do with a couple of extra pages. I politely informed them of this, giving the Textbook of Small Arms 1929 (rep. via Ian Skennerton) as an example of best practice (which it is) and received an offensively arrogant dismissal. They make good bullets and have some good writers but they seem to have completely forgotten how to deal with new shooters/reloaders. As someone who ran a range for 14 years, I consider their demonstrated attitude to be complacent, irresponsible and dangerous.
Ranting aside, buy the Speer to start and grab the Sierra if you need the extra data, but if you want to make serious use of it you will need to do what I intend: construct a proper table of contents for the how-to part. NB You can annotate the Speer table of contents.
Manuals such as Hornady and Nosler are also good value but are aimed more at the experienced reloader than the beginner. I have had to assist (and redirect) more than one new shooter who started out with the Hornady manual. It would be a much better book if Hornady allowed a professional manual designer to remove the colour and heavy black lines in the how-to section, i.e. set it out properly and if they did a comprehensive proof check of the entire book to remove new and persistent errors prior to each publication.
P.S. I would strongly advise that you get yourself a chronograph and a digital caliper; and read the first chapter in Ken Waters' Pet Loads:
'Developing Pet Loads: Ken Waters' methods of judging pressure'
before assembling your first loads. If I had done so, I would have learnt quicker and saved some time and money, not to mention frustration.
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There are as many different reasons for reloading as there are recipes for BBQ sauce! While most would like to think they can save a lot of money by reloading, it's not always true. Unless you shoot a specific caliber a lot (like competition) then you won't be buying large bulk quantities of components. Add in the cost of the press, dies, measures, scales, case trimmer, micrometer, guages, loading blocks, storage boxes, primer tool, and on and on and you will begin to realize that unless you're having a lot of fun then it might not be worth it. Personally, I load alot because I like it, but I still buy factory ammo too.
Sometimes when starting a new load I will have 3 or 4 manuals open at the same time for comparison. You need manuals. However, you can also find many good loads on-line. I would search for the caliber first, then some of the powder/bullet manufacturers also have data available on-line.
You should always start with minimum pressure loads and work your way up. There are many things that can affect pressures other than the powder charge, like bullet diameter, barrel diameter, seating depth, burn rate, primer selection, even temperature. Be Safe.
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I've only been able to find on generic load online for a 124 weight bullet using AA5 and it was a max load of 6.4g. I'm figuring I should try a test round using 10% less. Any thoughts?
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http://www.best9mm.com/reloading9mm.html (http://www.best9mm.com/reloading9mm.html)
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This is always handy to have on the wall. It changes often but I'm sure this one is fairly current.
http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html (http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html)
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haha, best9mm.com is where I got the only load I could find on the web or even in all the books. I wrote Accurate and the balistician there emailed me back and gave me a good load range for the bullet I will be using. Great customer service at Alliance. Gun will be here tomorrow so will be trying that load on the low end of the range soon.
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Accurate's website shows 4 loads for 124gr/AA5 from 5.0-5.6gr. I would start at 5gr. There are many other really good powders for 9mm too. One of the oldest "Bullseye" is hard to beat for standard pistol loads. Another is WW231 which is a flattened ball powder and easy to measure. The only (I say this cautiously) real problem with fast powders is a double charge. You want to avoid this let me assure you! I formed a habit years ago and still stick to it. I always check the primed/charged cases with a flashlight when they're sitting in the loading block, just before I start seating bullets. You can easily spot a double charge or (more likely) a case with no powder. Both conditions can be dangerous.
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Tks. Accurate didn't have a FMJ load though. I just wanted to make sure. I'm going to use up the 2 cans off AA5 I have, then switch to Bullseye which has more options.
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A specific powder charge will work for any 124gr jacketed bullet. Be it round nose, flat nose, hollow point, FMJ, you're pushing the same weight so pressures will be the same.
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True, but aren't pressures different based on the individual bullet seating and TOL?
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Pressures will vary with seating depth, however with the 124gr bullets you will see that they are seated very shallow with the OAL at 1.169". The difference between the various bullet shapes affecting seating depth is minimal. Just check the manual for their recommended OAL for a specific bullet shape. Always re-check your OAL when switching bullets because the seating die rests on the bullet ogive not on the point. So a round nose may have a greater OAL than a truncated or hollow point with the die set at the same depth. Exceeding the recommended OAL might not affect pressures much but could affect feeding. Switching to a different bullet weight is to start all over. Obviously a 147gr round nose is going to be longer than a 124gr round nose. Seating a 147gr to the same OAL means that the bullet will be deeper in the case. The combination of a heavier bullet and less case capacity means higher pressures for sure. Backing off on the powder charge won't always work. You will have to check the manual for the correct charge or maybe even switch to a different powder.
Seating depth would be much more varied in a revolver load because the bullet shapes are much more varied. Like the difference between a round nose compared to a semi-wadcutter compared to a wadcutter. There the OAL for a wadcutter would be much shorter than a semi-wadcutter.
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Thanks. I contacted accurate and they recommended a 1.150 OAL for the Montana Gold FMJ's, so going to try that to start.
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OK DeeDubya,
b5 and AVM were supposed to be the sober sided founts of wisdom?
You were on vacation too long, Boss... :laugh:
Unfortunately I don't have anything to add to this, but I'm watching it. I just use factory ammo (Usually Winchester or Remington, with Hornady Critical Defense for my EDC needs), and I always figured that whatever she would eat would be fine. Good luck on your quest, and let us know what you find out. I would like to start reloading sometime soon, because I'm not doing NEARLY enough shooting.
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Oh it's a vicious circle alright. You reload to save money. It is then easily justifiable to shoot more because you can do it so much cheaper.
But not only that... When you're on the line with some of the first fodder you loaded, and you know you double-triple checked all the data, but still there's room for doubt. I mean 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 PSI little bombs that you're holding in your hand. Forget the group, hell you're shaking too much, just pull the trigger. Boooom. Yes, Yes, Yes. Incredible. Before you know it, you're bustin caps like a banchee, groups are shrinking, and soon you know that you would actually trust your home rolled ammo for a defense load. A very secure feeling. :smiley:
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Reloading is more about "reloading", than it is saving money. Yes, we convince our wives that that is the reason, but honestly we do it because we love to reload. We love to tinker, experiment, and have fun. Yes, being able to shoot more is a byproduct of reloading, and cash savings, well that's debatable. Just look at the pictures of reloaders "rooms" you see posted on the reloading sites!
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Yes, we convince our wives that that is the reason...
This is what it's all about for me! :laugh: There are 2 more pistols I really want, but for the most part, the thing I need is ammo. I probably spend about $100 a month on ammo; imagine what I could do with that if I were reloading! My mom's husband has all the gear, but he won't let me reload there... Strange...
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Thirty years ago, I bought a single stage RCBS Rock Chucker, Lee Powder Scale, RCBS powder drop, and a RCBS trickle charger. It's still chucking out the 30'06s, 9s, 38s, 357s, 45s, and 380s. Over the years my sons have loaded 40s, 223s, 7mms, 7mm mags, 257s, 270s, and 300 win mags. The Lee Powder Scale went bad years ago and I replaced it with a RCBS Electronic Powder Scale.
I've been known to buy some factory stuff, but I prefer to reload..... a great stress reliever when I was working. To me, reloading is half the fun and a great appetizer to the range. And that I save a few bucks along the way is a non-negative also.
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Man... My mom's husband (saying that makes me feel like I'm 18 years old... :embarrassed: ) said I can use his gear. He has a progressive rig that he says can do 100 carts/hour... Man... That would allow me to do a LOT more shooting!
I have the world's most noobish question: Why not just look at a box of factory ammo and load using those specs? For example, JHPs in .380 are 90gr as per Hornady. What do you get out of the experimentation? And please, be kind... I know nothing (obviously) about reloading. :laugh:
Also, I don't have the reloader here because my "extra" house space is, at the moment, full of small toys that make obnoxious sounds, battery-operated toys that make obnoxious sounds, and children that, you guessed it, make obnoxious sounds... :rolleyes: :laugh:
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The trick there sir is not the amount of powder they use but the Brand(s) they use. They are all different and have varying ignition properties. I think they keep that info to them selves. Some folks just are not good about sharing. :laugh:
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I agree with GhostWarrior, manufactures are not very forthcoming with their "mix". Some won't even tell you what brand of primers they are using.
A hundred rounds per hour just means I would would burn through my supplies quicker... shoot more... and have to reload more often.... order more often in bigger bulk. Not a bad thing if you can afford it and have the room. And being the anal retentive person I am, I like to weigh each powder charge to make sure it is the same each time. It takes longer, but hey, I'm retired so what else am I going to do on a rainy day when I have no ammo to shoot?
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Well, what reloading would mean for me is I have roughly $100 per month to spend on ammo. That's about, well... not much. And i shoot almost all I buy so i am not able to hold on to much. Reloading would allow me to practice AND pit some away for a rainy day
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In that case..... go for it!
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1. Lapua used to have a big poster with the ingredients for every factory load they offered. I threw it away when moving to a smaller place but wish I had kept it.
2. Sometimes it is not a good idea to reload to factory spec. I do not know of a single responsible handloader who has managed to replicate the .260 Rem factory loads using the fired Remington factory brass. Also, it is standard wisdom round these parts that you use Winchester 7mm-08 brass if you want to load up that cartridge. NB This is not an attack on a particular company, just a way of making a point.
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I just wouldn't know where to begin, but you have to start somewhere. And the sooner I start, the sooner I can start shooting. I've been broke for 2 months! And when I finally do get s little time at the range, I can tell that I haven't been practicing. It's pretty ugly... :cry:
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Bullet manufacturers don't publish their loads for liability reasons. Their product has been extensively tested using a pressure barrel. Many loads are about at max so they can advertise the highest velocity. You can easily push a near maximum load over the edge by something as simple as bullet seating depth or even the amount of crimp applied. Reloading should be as precise and accurate as you can make it in order to be safe. Always start low and work your way up, watching for excessive pressure signs. Flattened primers, primers pushing into the firing pin hole, a light colored ring around the base of the case and difficult extraction are signs of high pressure.
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Chronograph is sometimes a better way to identify pressure problems. Bob Forker (semi-retired rocket scientist) and other ballisticians have reported rifle test pressures as high as 70,000 p.s.i. without visible reaction from primers. Remember those high school science class gas laws, i.e. pressure equals velocity, but bear in mind that:
some firearms have loose barrels which reduce pressure and velocity; and,
some firearms have tight barrels which increase pressure and reduce velocity. See my post on tight Brno/CZ barrels.
Read the first chapter in Ken Waters Pet Loads; and a good manual like Speer #14 before you start. Make notes as you go. I read the Lyman 47th edition from cover to cover at least half a dozen times before I started reloading.
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"Read the first chapter in Ken Waters Pet Loads; and a good manual like Speer #14 before you start. Make notes as you go. I read the Lyman 47th edition from cover to cover at least half a dozen times before I started reloading."
This is good advice. I highly recommend the same.
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Man... My mom's husband (saying that makes me feel like I'm 18 years old... :embarrassed: ) said I can use his gear. He has a progressive rig that he says can do 100 carts/hour... Man... That would allow me to do a LOT more shooting!
I have the world's most noobish question: Why not just look at a box of factory ammo and load using those specs? For example, JHPs in .380 are 90gr as per Hornady. What do you get out of the experimentation? And please, be kind... I know nothing (obviously) about reloading. :laugh:
Also, I don't have the reloader here because my "extra" house space is, at the moment, full of small toys that make obnoxious sounds, battery-operated toys that make obnoxious sounds, and children that, you guessed it, make obnoxious sounds... :rolleyes: :laugh:
When you experiment, you can develop the most accurate load for your gun action and type bullet. For example, I reloaded several batches, starting at 5.2g and stopping at 5.8g, changing each load by .1g. Then went to the range. Of the 7 batches, the one using 5.5g's was the most accurate and had the best grouping. This is now the load I use.
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A modification of Angus Hobdell's reloading recipe. 115 grain JHP ZERO bullet, 4.2 grains of VihtaVuori N320, Federal Small Pistol 100 Primer, and mixed brass. Max OAL 1.121 inches.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsAy0SShvXs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsAy0SShvXs)
This is the formula I'm going to follow. Although I was going to use FMJs, and 4.5 grains of powder. I'm going to buy a Lee Loasmaster, and try to get it dialed in the first 100 rounds. Heard they have problems with the primer feed, but I'm sure I can fix it, I'm good with my hands.
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Are there any handloaders in the community? Reloading is a fundamental part of my shooting enjoyment. I was wondering if anyone has some "special" loads that their CZ likes to digest? I load a lot of the "plated" bullets like Ranier. Mostly because they are cheaper and it doesn't take a hollow point to kill a tin can.
I was Shocked when a friend sent me to Precision Delta to buy FMJ 9mm bullets. They were cheaper that plated bullets. The shipping was included in the price ! I got 1000 of them last week. I have not loaded them yet, but they look like good quality.
http://www.precisiondelta.com/detail.php?sku=B-9-124-FMJ (http://www.precisiondelta.com/detail.php?sku=B-9-124-FMJ)
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I'm definately going to check them out. I shoot mostly 40 but do have a lot of 9mm brass just begging to be reloaded.