The Reloading FAQ

[ceyko]

I can load them for 5 times cheaper than 20 cents a round. You can't reload them not because of the steel, but because of the primers flash holes. Next time I reload a bunch of .223 I'll invite you over for slave labor and in turn you can learn everything you need to know.

Won't promise I can make it, but I'd appreciate the invitation. Seems like a no brainer to get over there if I can. Plus I can bring a couple of rifles to see if you're interested in restoring them.

[CJ]

Yeah, just realized I posted up w/o stating my intentions. For me the initial purpose is 5.56/223 stuff for my AR. I just bought a bunch of rounds at 20 cents a pop, but I'd rather have the know how, experience and confidence of doing it myself. Even if it is at or slightly above 20 cents a round.

Of course, I'd like to expand to 9mm and other stuff (suppose reloading 22 would be stupid).

I guess you can't really reload steel cased rounds?

Take care,

I can load them for 5 times cheaper than 20 cents a round. You can't reload them not because of the steel, but because of the primers flash holes. Next time I reload a bunch of .223 I'll invite you over for slave labor and in turn you can learn everything you need to know.

[ceyko]

Yeah, just realized I posted up w/o stating my intentions. For me the initial purpose is 5.56/223 stuff for my AR. I just bought a bunch of rounds at 20 cents a pop, but I'd rather have the know how, experience and confidence of doing it myself. Even if it is at or slightly above 20 cents a round.

Of course, I'd like to expand to 9mm and other stuff (suppose reloading 22 would be stupid).

I guess you can't really reload steel cased rounds?

Take care,

[CJ]

I dont have a reamer and i can load. Its not a necessity to me.

I would say that i have the basics. As little as it takes to get a loaded round.

The accuracy ive been able to achieve is far and beyond any off the shelf ammo.

Heck some people dont even use scales they use lee dippers.

I'm assuming you guys are talking about deburring tools.

Trimmers, deburring tools, primer pocket swages, case gauges, etc. are all only for rifle cartridges. If you're looking to do pistol it's only a press, dies, and your components.

[Sleeper]

I dont have a reamer and i can load. Its not a necessity to me.

I would say that i have the basics. As little as it takes to get a loaded round.

The accuracy ive been able to achieve is far and beyond any off the shelf ammo.

Heck some people dont even use scales they use lee dippers.

[ceyko]

Was out of commission for a bit, but I appreciate yall posting up. Figured there was a good bit more to it then just a press and various parts for the ammunition. This has given me so stuff to think about going forward and plenty more to research. ESpecially since I don't know what things like "reamers" are and what they do. I mean, it sounds straight forward enough - but in reference to reloading - gonna have to look it up.

[Sleeper]

Another must have if doing any military brass or any brass that comes with a crimp is decrimp tool/swager.

You can buy a fancy tool for a 100 bucks that does a faster job or a ten dollar tool that is more manual labor. I go cheap because you can throw it in a drill.

[bronco71]

You can also substitute phosphoric acid diluted to 20% (2 parts acid to 8 parts water). You can find the acid at home depot, it is commonly used for cleaning cement. Just dip your dirty cases in the solution for around 60 seconds and then pull them out, wash in fresh water, and place on a pan on the sun to dry. you can actually watch the cases flash clean in seconds. This works best with fresh fired brass.

That's cool. Also an ultrasonic cleaner can be used, I haven't tried it yet but hear it works good and fast. I have one I do my motorcycle carbs in so might have to try it.

[CJ]

also a reamer. Tumbler is for cleaning/polishing brass; it can get pretty dirty after several reloads without cleaning and can cause chambering problems in tight chambers....also can scratch dies.

You can also substitute phosphoric acid diluted to 20% (2 parts acid to 8 parts water). You can find the acid at home depot, it is commonly used for cleaning cement. Just dip your dirty cases in the solution for around 60 seconds and then pull them out, wash in fresh water, and place on a pan on the sun to dry. you can actually watch the cases flash clean in seconds. This works best with fresh fired brass.

[bronco71]

also a reamer. Tumbler is for cleaning/polishing brass; it can get pretty dirty after several reloads without cleaning and can cause chambering problems in tight chambers....also can scratch dies.

[Sleeper]

You Must have

Press, dies, calipers, scale, headspace gauge, lube, a way to cut the brass down to length, and a way to clean range brass if not buying new.

If you buy brass from places you can buy it processed, That will add 13-15cents per round vs range pickups and doing it yourself.

If im forgetting something please chime in.

I am posting for bottle neck rifle cases. Handgun is alot less tedious as far as case prep.

[ceyko]

Was curious if anyone was willing to add to the FAQ by any chance. I know it takes awhile and such.

1. The press FAQ is really helpful. It's amazing how a single post was easier to 'get' how it all fits together compared to the 3 hours of reading I just did at 1001 other sites. Thank you.

2. What I'm interested in is what other things are must haves vs useful vs just cool. i.e. Tumblers are mentioned. Is that must have or useful?

Not that anyone cares, I'm working on figuring how much I need to go spend so I can reload. I'll even buy brass if it is cheap enough, although I'm trying to keep what I shoot if I can. Either way, if I can cut it from 35-45 cents a round to 25 cents for BRASS rounds - this is interesting stuff to me.

I think one investment would be a brass catcher too huh?

[CJ]

Ill be loading a couple hundred rounds tonight.

[sosoe]

Good to read, Thanks.

[CJ]

CJ, I definitely want to take you up on this offer, but I will probably have to wait until the end of January. Please send a PM. I'm going to purchase some brass and projectiles first too. I would like your input on what to purchase in 223, 30-06 and 45 ACP. I'd like to do 50 rounds of each or so, then I can get my own Rockcrusher and get to work while watching sports on TV or something along those lines.

I will definitely buy the lunch at a decent place to make it worth your while.

My wife is a professional event planner, and later today we have a running date, then a cycling date tomorrow, next weekend is a play with her mom and my son, then we have the holidays, the new TicketCity Bowl, the Cotton Bowl and then I have to get my son to his grandparents in San Antonio after that. It will be late January most likely. This also gives me time to get together some materials for the project.

It's not a problem. Turned out Dillon forgot to ship me new decapping pins in my last order, and I broke my last one friday (stupid ass Korean berdan brass). I have a Rockcrusher as well if you want to mess with that one. And you and me both on the wife thing. She's more of a clandestine sneak attack planner. One minute I'm reading my guns to go shooting, the next minute I'm trimming trees.