How do you reload ammo?

Question

I recently got my first handgun (44 mag) I knew the bullets were pricing so I thought about trying to reload them. I have watched videos and read articles and nothing has really broke it down. so the question is How would I get started? What are the steps? And what are the cheapest to most expensive methods.

Answer 1

I am a reloading instructor.



Reloading - only makes sense if you shoot allot - or - you need to shoot bullets that are not normally found on the store shelf. Dropping $400 to $1200 on reloading gear - makes no sense if you only shoot 1 box of ammo a month.



A good way to start - is saving all your brass for the time being and buying a reloading manual.- then take a class or seek out someone who can mentor you on this. Once you have taken a class or learned from another person - now you will be able to make decisions on what kind of equipment you should be getting. There is no shortage of people who started reloading, got scared or gave up, and are now selling their gear on ebay or on a local for sale web page.



44mag is a ton of fun reload. First - because it is very forgiving ...... minor mistakes usually don't blow up a gun. Second - because they make lots and lots of very cool bullets that you will never, ever, find on your store shelf ....... the only way to cash in on these hard cast cheap bullets, or, high tech bullets is to make them yourself.



Start - with a cheap basic C press. These are safe and you need one anyway to make test loads. You do not want a big, expensive, progressive press - yeah, they look cool - but one mistake and you have blown up a gun or lost a hand. Me - I have 5 very trophies - First Place - because the other guy made ammo on a nice big progressive press ......and screwed it up.



A rule with no exception - unless you have it printed in black and white in a book - you do not do it. Just because BillyBob209 says he does something when loading for his 44mag....... this is not going to pay the $14,000 Emergency Room visit and the $56,000 follow up surgeries.



You very much need to have someone to show you - someone you can call and ask questions. Second rule of reloading - if you have a question, STOP! Do not continue!!



Me - I learned to reload on my own back in 1976. From a book. I only loaded 45acp target rounds - 45acp is another forgiving cartridge. It was not until I moved to Kodiak Island, Alaska in 1986, the locals shooting club had lots of reloaders and handloaders - this is when I learned how close I had come to disaster.



If you are shooting 700 -900 rounds of 44mag a year....... you should consider reloading with basic equipment. C-press, carbide pistol dies, manual scale, manual powder thrower, vibration case polisher. If you buy 240gr hard cast lead bullets in bulk - that equipment will pay for itself in 18 months. If you are shooting premium jacketed projectiles - 700-900 per year - the equipment pays for itself in 3-4 years. Now, if you learn to cast you own bullets from scrap lead - now you can drop the cost of a 50rd box of ammo to just under $3.75 a box. Most of the cost is the $.05 per round for the primer.



Starting reloading - you need unrestricted access to a place to shoot. You will load up 20 test rounds, fire them - look them over. Adjust the load, make 20 more, then head out and fire them. When you have a load you like - you make 100 - try them. If you still like them...... now you make a big batch. You have no idea how many times I have seen a guy show up at the local range - all smiles because spent all Saturday making half a 5 gallon bucket of bullets!!! And of the first ten half don't go bang, or, they go pfutt and the lead gets stuck in the barrel!! LOL. Now, the guy will spend the next two weekends - taking all those bullets apart so he can at least salvage the bullets and powder.

Answer 2

Youtube has some of the most outstanding videos out there for the beginning reloader. They cover all the basics, and talk about everything you should consider. Some are produced by the very people who want you to succeed so you buy their products. You can't watch enough of them.



I'm sure more than one person here will give you a nice list of things to consider too. At least one person will also claim to be a reloading instructor, which is pretty funny to most of us here.



The reality is that books and videos are a great resource, and for some it may be all they can get. If you have any connection at all with someone who actually reloads though, have them come over and help with your first batch to make sure everything is going right. A few hours of help from an expert will be the single greatest influence on your success.



Measure.... check.... measure some more.... calipers.... scale... If in doubt about anything, start over. Being careful is the key to success. To a lot of us, it's an addictive aspect of the sport that average shooters miss out on.

Answer 3

Here's how to get started.

1. Buy a good reloading manual.

2. Read it.



The reloading manual will have complete instructions on how to do it.

Here's the basic breakdown:

1. Re-size the case

2. Remove the primer

3. Re-prime the case

4. Drop the powder

5. Seat the bullet

Answer 4

I handload for the .44 Mag as well so that I can feed my Dan Wesson 744 for $0.35/round instead of $1+/round.



Handloading for the .44 Mag is easy because the brass is durable, the powders generally fill the case well, and you don't have to worry about force in the same ways you do with necked cases.



I can load a lot more of them a lot faster to boot.



I use this: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/937051/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-master-single-stage-press-kit with this die set: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/703076/lee-carbide-3-die-set-44-special-44-remington-magnum



My tips are this:

1. It was hard to find cast bullets that would handle 44 Mag pressures/velocities without needing a gas check put on. Adding those are both time consuming and expensive, and copper wash bullets are junk. The alternative is to use a good metal jacketed bullet like: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/106426/hornady-xtp-bullets-44-caliber-430-diameter-200-grain-jacketed-hollow-point-box-of-100 Not only are they fairly cheap, but they can easily handle 44 Mag.



2. Find a good powder and stick to it. I use Alliant 2400, which is a fine ball powder that isn't terribly efficient, making huge fireballs at every opening... but it is safe, accurate to meter, and lulsy to shoot. Don't do what I did for .308 Win and buy half a dozen powders... that's nothing but a pain to manage.



3. Make sure to roll crimp your brass. The Lee seating die can roll crimp if you set it up per their instructions.



4. Follow the instructions from your manual, the press, and the documentation that came with the dies. My first batch, I forgot to use the expander die before charging powder and seating bullets... Here was the result (those three were the only ones with goofed up brass, the rest were fine):

Answer 5

....even though I don't reload...I have also researched it and found out a few things. (1) Reloading does not "save" you money...it simply allows you to shoot more for less. Riddle me this....how much are you planning on shooting ? For me, in my locale, I was advised that purchasing a single caliber setup ( ie: 44 mag ) would cost...round figures....$400 bucks and for me, it isn't worth it. You can't reload 22LR and I don't shoot enough 45 acp to justify the initial outlay. The other ammo I use ( 556/223...'62x51 or 12 gauge target loads), can be had for cheap. (2) watch MORE YouTube vids, if you're that interested and then go online and download / read a manual or two.....so you know what you're getting into. (3) stop in at your friendly, local gun dealer and ask questions.

Answer 6

Start with a single-stage press. Kits that have almost everything you need are available from all the major makers, and it won't take but a few minutes to see what else you want, even coming into it cold (for instance, you'll have to have the die set for the 44 Special/Magnum, powders, primers, bullets). You'll want more than one handloading manual, and most of them include step-by-step instructions. Read the instructions. It ain't rocket science. I'd also suggest you start with somebody's already cast and lubed cast lead bullets rather than jacketed bullets.

Answer 7

Step 1) Go buy a reloading manual.



Step 2) Read it.



Step 3) Buy all the components and tools necessary to follow the instructions EXACTLY, or you'll wind up with a blown-up gun.

Answer 8

It's pretty straight forward. If you're using previously fired brass you'll need to resize it, by running it through a die. You may need to trim it if it has gotten a little long. You'll have to punch out the old primer in your press. Put in a new primer using a hand priming tool. Measure out some powder, by weight. Pour it in the case. Put a new bullet on there and seat it using another die. That's pretty much the gist of it.



You'll probably need to buy a beginning reloader's kit. Most of the big gun retailers offer them. Brownell's, Midway, even places like Cabela's and Bass Pro have them. However, you're not going to save any money. The initial outlay buying all the gear you need is not really all that cheap. People say reloading doesn't save you any money at all, it just lets you shoot more for the same price.



One of the hand press kits is probably your cheapest way in. Though that's pretty slow, and still almost $100 to get going, not even counting your actual powder, bullets, primers, much less the dies you'll need for each caliber you want to load. http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press-kit.html



I think Lee makes some of the best stuff.



http://leeprecision.com/reloading-kits/

Answer 9

Get a couple reloading manuals. Powder manufactures and bullet companies put them out. Sierra one of the best, I like Speer also. They provide good information. RCBS makes a really nice Reloading starter kit you will not out grow. The Rock Chucker press for instance, is sturdy. Many others give you stuff you will outgrow. Shotshells are simplest, ( different press though ) then straight wall handgun cartridges. When you get to rifles, it gets more technical, but, there, loading for rifles, you will see a huge benefit in loading your own ammunition.

Answer 10

I ask a friend who has the equipment and the experience. I buy the parts from him and he adds a profit which is still cheaper than retail but this is not practical for rim fire.