Point me in the direction of reloading information

[BedroomHowitzer]

I have never reloaded, know nothing about it, but am interested in starting. Ammo is just too darn expensive from the manufacturer anymore. I have a winchester 30-30, and I really like hornady lever evolution FTX ammunition with the pointed tip. Where should I start? Links, articles, help? I have plenty of remington, federal, and winchester ammo I would be happy to shoot up for reloading if brass is brass, but where do I start?

[DixieBoy]

bedroomhowitzer - By the way, that is one of the more imaginative handles I've seen in a while. Welcome to the forum. I'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions shortly. Here's what I'll say:

Since you're liking the Hornady ammunition in this rifle of yours, why not treat yourself to Hornady's brand new 9th Edition of their reloading manual. It's brand, brand, new. I just got a notice about it last week from midwayusa.com Do yourself a huge favor and buy it.

I've got their 7th Edition, and this version won't be too different. You'll find excellent information about getting set up to reload in the first 100 or so pages of their manual. Once you get set up and have some questions that go beyond "what's a die" or "what's a press" the guys will be able to help you out with years worth of experience here. - DixieBoy

[Griff]

I'll stick with my usual suggestion. Start by reading Lyman's 49th Edition "Reloading Handbook. Starting on pg 12, they introduce you to reloading, the why's, and how's of getting started. Just as any other book, they are biased toward their products. But, that's not a "bad" thing. They make great products. Even if I have very few of them. My first reloading book was a Speer reloading manual. That "might" be why I have so much RCBS reloading products... but I have branched out a great deal. Most folks do... either due to that particular manufacturer not having a product, or something else attracts the eye. The good thing, is that most Lyman, Lee, RCBS, Redding and several other manufacturers products will fit and work on the other's machines.

I have reloading presses from Dillon, RCBS, Lyman & Lee. You will generally find that most folks will recommend that which they own. Sometimes that due to a sense of justifying what they have; and from a true appreciation for what they have. Almost all products out on the market today have passed a level of acceptance due to their inherent quality and 2ndly, for their warranty. Some are better than others; on both counts. And you'll find varying opinions on that also!

I generally respond to this question with two answers. 1 - You cannot have too many reloading manuals. Buy and study as many as you can afford. I have about 14 or 15 at present... No, I don't toss them when a new version comes out either! Sometimes the newest edition has more information that the previous edition, but it may also not publish certain older, obsolete info in their new one.

2 - Locate and learn from a mentor. The only advice I give here is to "choose well." Reloading is a dangerous activity, but it can be done safely and responsibly with almost no danger.

[stretch]

Welcome Aboard!

What the other knowledgeable gentlemen said - and, of course,
my two cents!

You MUST have a good loading manual. 2 or more is better, but as a start,
I like the Lee. Lyman was my first one, and that's terrific, too. Lee has a bit
more data, but Lyman has some history for each cartridge. Take your pick.
Either one works fine. I have at least 6 or 7 different loading manuals dating
from just after WWI to the present.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/639649 ... ing-manual
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/217655 ... -softcover

Presses. The Forster Press is terrific, but a little bit spendy. No shell holders needed,
and it really does work beautifully. The spent primer catcher is the best I've seen in
single stage press. Cast-iron body, steel fittings, and bull-strong.

The second URL below is the LEE cast IRON press. It's built like a T-34 - only in
America. With any sort of care it'll last a lifetime. I don't see Midway listing a kit
for this press (press and accessories), but look around the internet and perhaps
one is available.

The 3rd URL below is a Lee kit. The press is similar to the one above, but it's in cast
ALUMINUM. It's a nice kit at a good price, but I'm leery of the ALUMINUM press body. It'll
probably wear faster than the iron one above. Still, it's not a bad kit for the money, but
I'm partial to cast iron press bodies. I own one each of the above presses, but not this
ALUMINUM one.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/265719 ... tage-press
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/317831 ... tage-press
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/121744 ... -press-kit

Read one of the manuals, cover to cover, and then ask around before deciding on
components. If you don't have a mentor, feel free to ask here. Many forum members have
forgotten more than I know about the subject, and I've been rollin' my own for 15 years or so.


But do be careful - reloading can be as much (or more!) fun as shooting!

-Stretch

[Chuck 100 yd]

Welcome!
Like others have said, get and read one of the good
load manuals. Lyman`s is one of the best.
When reloading, I use the Lyman book more than all the others and I have a small library of them. (20+) Mostly I just use the others to confirm that the data is in the ball park.
You should always confirm a load you are not familiar with in two or more load manuals.

PS. I prefer Lyman load manuals because they make some of the best bullets molds available and load data specific to each bullet can be found in the manual. They also list all the different common jacketed bullets and loads for them .

[shooter]

1st get a couple of different reloading manuals. The Lee and Lyman manuals are excellent for information on cast bullets. Hornady, Speer, etc., seem to lean more toward jacketed stuff. As stated before, most manufacturers push their own products. Lee and Lyman sell bullet molds, and Hornady and Speer sell jacketed.

After you figure out the basics and ask some questions to make sure this is something you want to get into, I would suggest buying an "all in one" kit from a manufacturer. RCBS has a single stage kit that has everything you need to get started except brass, primers, powder and dies for around $350. If you're looking for one that's a little more affordable, Lee has a similar kit with their products for less than $150. The Lee is the one I started with. I like their hand priming tool the best, and their products are the best bang for your buck, though some would disagree. If you go with the Lee kit, I would definitely recommend upgrading the scale it comes with. You can add or upgrade equipment as necessary as you get more involved in the hobby. Hope this info helps.

A couple of rules all newcomers should follow, IMO.

1. Always stick to published loading data, and preferably check with more than one before choosing a load.
2. No drinking an loading. The beer can wait. There's no sense losing a gun, or finger, eye, etc. due to not paying attention fully while loading.
3. No distractions like kids, t.v., etc. See above rule for reasons. Teaching someone is fine, but you don't need the distraction of someone in there talking aimlessly or kids messing around in the loading room pulling your attention away from what you need to be doing.
4. One powder on the bench, and one only. If you mess around and mix powder you just ruined the whole batch. If you mix it without realizing it, you could blow up a gun. I have ruined one pound of Unique by not following this rule. That was the only time I've made this mistake.

There are plenty more safety protocols to follow, but those listed are pretty important, especially if you're just getting started and trying to figure things out. It can be confusing enough until you get the hang of it, then it's just fun.

[EdinCT]

The the above information is spot on. I will add you can go to Hornady's web site and get leverevolution load data. Just remember Brass or primer changes, will change pressures so when starting with any different componets drop your powder charge and work up slowly. They used to recommend dropping 10 % to start.
Also don't get caught up in Maxium loads the original 30 WCF had a 160 gr bullet at 1900 FPS and it set the hunting world afire, because it worked.

[AJMD429]

Although I think a good bound "reloading manual" is a good idea (I would say get the Lee and the Lyman, plus your favorite jacketed-bullet-maker's ones), as far as "reloading data" I do think the internet CAN be a good source for several reasons:

• more current (powder strengths and what is considered a 'safe' load actually changes with time)
  
  more data (good sites use data from many different manufacturers, reducing the chance that an errant typo is the only source you rely on)
  
  more cartridge comparison options and search functions (i.e. "if I just use 4895 for my bottleneck-rifle cases, what cartridges can I expect to be able to load, vs. if I also stock 4831"

But yes, you can get 'bad' data. Personally, I use two sources mostly:

• AmmoGuide.Com - GREAT for search-and-compare functions, but has a mix of 'manufacturer' and 'user' data (each load states the source), which can be good or bad.
  
  LoadData.Com - poor 'search' functions but only uses 'manufacturer' data as far as I can tell.

Both sites require a nominal membership fee but it is less than the cost of most reloading manuals and gives you ten times the load data. I like AmmoGuide.com even though it has 'user' data, as I will NEVER use any load data, even from a manufacturer, until I get a couple other sources that 'bracket' or are very close to that data, so I don't fear just seeing some guy's home-brew and spiking it up a bit and tossing it into my brass.

[BenT]

Everybody has given good advice. Read either Lee or Lyman. I started with Lee stuff and still use it , so you don't need to go hog wild on spending a ton of money. All you need to get started is

press
dies
Priming tool ( I like the Lee)
A digital scale , they are much more affordable then they use to be.
tool to clean the primer hole.

Then whatever components for the caliber you are loading . You can add more tools as time goes on. Also a secret spot in the basement where you can be left alone to do your load development.

Good Luck!

[Hobie]

I'll stick with my usual suggestion. Start by reading Lyman's 49th Edition "Reloading Handbook. Starting on pg 12, they introduce you to reloading, the why's, and how's of getting started. Just as any other book, they are biased toward their products. But, that's not a "bad" thing. They make great products. Even if I have very few of them. My first reloading book was a Speer reloading manual. That "might" be why I have so much RCBS reloading products... but I have branched out a great deal. Most folks do... either due to that particular manufacturer not having a product, or something else attracts the eye. The good thing, is that most Lyman, Lee, RCBS, Redding and several other manufacturers products will fit and work on the other's machines.

I have reloading presses from Dillon, RCBS, Lyman & Lee. You will generally find that most folks will recommend that which they own. Sometimes that due to a sense of justifying what they have; and from a true appreciation for what they have. Almost all products out on the market today have passed a level of acceptance due to their inherent quality and 2ndly, for their warranty. Some are better than others; on both counts. And you'll find varying opinions on that also!

I generally respond to this question with two answers. 1 - You cannot have too many reloading manuals. Buy and study as many as you can afford. I have about 14 or 15 at present... No, I don't toss them when a new version comes out either! Sometimes the newest edition has more information that the previous edition, but it may also not publish certain older, obsolete info in their new one.

2 - Locate and learn from a mentor. The only advice I give here is to "choose well." Reloading is a dangerous activity, but it can be done safely and responsibly with almost no danger.

dittos

[Ray Newman]

See what griff posted. His advice is dead nuts on.

[pokey]

all good,
just one thing to add, i like these after you have some regular manuals.

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1& ... caliber%27

[AJMD429]

I'll put in a plug for the Lee 'Turret' 4-station press. Basic enough to be EASY to start with, but fast enough for moderately high production rates. The 'turret' piece allows you to get your dies for a particular cartridge (or load/gun, even) set up, then you LEAVE them that way, and just swap out turrets to do your other cartridges or loads. Their "professional" grade disk measure for powder is good, especially if you get the two-disk upgrade and micrometer kit. The cheaper disk-measure isn't as nice in my opinion. Their case-trimmers are a perfect and simple thing. As far as 'dies' - lots of manufacturers make good ones, but Lee ones are typically less expensive and I've never been able to tell an advantage to other brands. If you get the Lee "Factory Crimp Die" for rifle cartridges, it is superb, but I do NOT like their "pistol" version - it is set up totally differently. Search the forum or PM me if you want more info on the differences.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/622290 ... c=wishList

[Les Staley]

All good advice.. see above... get a good reloading book. and if you want to learn basics for cheap, get a Lee Loader for under $20.. caliber specific..(30-30) will load good accurate ammo and will give you a great understanding of the basics.. powder, primers and bullets for your caliber, and a block of firewood in the living room to work on, a little rawhide or wooden mallet and get to loading.. JMHO.. Les

[mikld]

I was very broke when I started loading (1969) and used the most basic equipment I could find; A Lee Loader. Although they aren't thought highly of today (folks suggest complete kits with everything plus the kitchen sink and a tumbler), I got a very good basic introduction to reloading and I've been reloading on and off since (steady for the last 25+ years, boy I'm tired ). I had a Speer manual, a Lee Loader in .38 Special, a pound of Bullseye, CCI primers (I bought them by the 100), generic lead bullets and a bunch of range pick-up brass. I reloaded with this basic kit for about a year and then the new job I started allowed me to expand. Here's a very basic "kit" to get started cheap. I'ts an older article and the prices are much different now, but it'll teach you every step and the whys and wherefores of reloading. My first purchase after I started working was a scale then a single stage press and dies, and more books. Go slow, double check everything, and enjoy!
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_no ... tes.htm/51

BTW, along with 3 presses, 9 die sets, three scales and 20+ years of collecting reloading stuff, I still have 4 Lee Loaders that I use occationally when I feel "retro" or just need a few rounds and don't wanna set up a press...

OOPS, almost fergot; The ABCs of Reloading, and Lyman's 49th Edition Reloading Handbook are excellent "how to" texts. Read them and you'll have a good idea of what equipment suites your reloading needs.