Reloading: getting started For Rifle

[davidlt89]

My suggested edits are in "Yellow", suggested deletions in RED, and comments in ORANGE.

Let's start with the 'bare bones' and work our way "up" from there.

Wracking my feeble brain for the absolute minimum that a person would need to get started reloading, I get the following:

1) A Lee Loader in the cartridge of interest - let's say .30-06. (Less than $30 - permanent use.)
2) A hammer - preferably a wooden mallet. (Less than $10, free if you have one - permanent use.)
3) A pound of powder. The INSTRUCTIONS that COME WITH the Lee Loader will recommend a few powders. Select one. (Less than $28 - consumable.)
4) Some bullets. Since it has become 'fashionable' to sell bullets in lots of 50, buy a box of bullets of the type and weight you want to shoot, whether they come in 50 to the box or 100. (Less than $30 - consumable.)
5) Buy a 'flat' (100) of "rifle" (as opposed to "pistol" or "magnum") primers. Follow THE INSTRUCTIONS that COME WITH the Lee Loader in selecting a primer. (less than $5 - consumable.)
6) Buy some cases, or use range pickups or spent factory cases you have from buying and shooting factory ammo. (Less than $40 for 100, but "free" if using range pickups or spent factory cases you have on hand.)

Total comes to less than $150 if you spend the max on everything. The 'consumables' are going to cost you about $60, if you have cases on hand, and there's not much getting around that cost. That leaves the Lee Loader and the hammer/mallet. If you've already got a hammer/mallet, you could get into reloading for $85 to $90.

Your "basic" reloading set up is COMPLETE. Follow the instructions that come with the Lee Loader, and you can load ammunition fully capable of minute of angle accuracy.

As you might imagine, one can go UP - WAY UP - from this 'bare bones' kit. But... This setup WILL get you reloading, and the ammo produced is just as good as the VAST MAJORITY of that produced by those that have all the "other stuff".
 
Equipment
 
Manual
"Moving up" from "bare bones"... means probably getting one of hte popular reloading manuals. Pick one you like. [First and foremost, make sure you have a good manual to refer too for all your loading inquiries.]
 
Presses
The basic piece of equipment for handloading is the press. A press is a device that uses compound leverage to push the cases into the dies that perform the loading operations.[4] Presses vary from simple, inexpensive single stage models, to complex progressive models that will eject a loaded cartridge with each pull of a lever, at rates of 10 rounds a minute.
 
Presses are often categorized by the letter of the alphabet that they most resemble: "O", "C", and "H". The sturdiest presses, suitable for bullet swaging functions as well as for normal reloading die usage, are of the "O" type. Heavy steel completely encloses the single die on these presses. Equally sturdy presses for all but bullet swaging use often resemble the letter "C". Both steel and aluminum construction are seen with "C" presses. Some users prefer "C" style presses over "O" presses, as there is more room to place bullets into cartridge mouths on "C" presses. Shotshell style presses, intended for non-batch use, for which each shotshell or cartridge is cycled through the dies before commencing onto the next shotshell or cartridge to be reloaded, commonly resemble the letter "H".
 
Single stage presses, generally of the "O" or "C" types, are the simplest. They perform one step on one case at a time. When using a single stage press, cases are loaded in batches, one step for each cartridge per batch at a time. Batches are kept small, about 20-50 cases at a time, so that a batch is never left in a partially-completed state, as high humidity and light can degrade the powder. Single stage presses are commonly most used for high-precision rifle cartridge handloading, but may be used for high-precision reloading of all cartridge types, and for working up loads (developing loading recipes) for ultimately manufacturing large numbers of cartridges on a progressive press.
 
Turret presses, most commonly of the "C" type, are similar to single stage presses, but permit mounting all of the dies for one cartridge (or sometimes two cartridges) simultaneously, with each die being installed and correctly locked in position with lock rings onto the press at the same time. Batch operations are performed similar as to on a single stage press, but to switch dies, the turret is simply rotated, placing another die in position. Although turret presses operate much like single stage presses, they eliminate much of the setup time required in positioning individual dies correctly.
 
Progressive presses handle several shells at once, with each pull of the lever performing a single step on all the cases at once. Progressive presses hold all the dies needed, plus a powder measure and a primer feed, and often also include an additional station where the powder levels are checked, to prevent over or under charges. Progressive presses also often feature case feeds that will hold hundreds of cases to be loaded, and all the user has to do is hold the bullet in place over the appropriate case mouth, and pull the lever.[5]
 
[Shotshell presses are a special case, and are generally a single unit of the "H" configuration that handles all functions. Shotshell reloading is similar to cartridge reloading, except that instead of a bullet, a wadding and a measure of shot are used, and after loading the shot, the shell is crimped shut. The shotshell loader contains stations to resize the shell, measure powder, load the wad, measure shot, and crimp the shell.[6] Due to the low cost of modern plastic shotshells, and the additional complexity of reloading fired shells, shotshell handloading is not as popular as cartridge hand loading.] Because shotgun reloading is SO different from "metallic cartridge" reloading, I would leave this paragraph out and have a separate Reference for shotgun reloading. Note the suggested change I made to the title of the thread.
 
Figure 1. An "O" type press with a die inserted and a shell holder in place.

 
Dies
 
Dies are generally sold in sets of two or three dies, (many pistol die sets and dies sets for straight-walled rifle cartridges have four dies in them) depending on the shape of the case. [A three die set is needed for] Die sets for straight-walled cases, typically come with three or four dies, while bottlenecked cases typically have two or three dies. (The third die is a neck only, a "factory crimp" or a "collet" resizing die.)
 
The first die [of either set] performs the resizing and decapping operation. The [middle] second die in a [three die] straight-walled set is used to expand the case mouth [of straight cases] so that soft lead bullets can enter the mouth without shaving lead off, or to keep unchamfered mouths from getting crushed. [while in a two die set the entire neck is expanded as the case is extracted from the first die.] (That's mis-leading. Actually, in the straight-walled case, the mouth is "belled" larger than the bullet diameter by use of the "seond" beling die. In the bottle-necked case die, the neck is squeezed down first, the expanded to LESS THAN BULLET DIAMETER by the expander ball.) In a bottle-necked die set, the second die is usually the bullet seater. In a straight-walled case, the third die is often the bullet seater. The last die in the set seats the bullet and may apply a roll crimp. Special crimping dies are often used to apply a stronger crimp after the bullet is seated.[4] Progressive presses sometimes use an additional "die" to meter powder into the case (though it is arguably not a real die as it does not shape the case). (Then the bullet seting "die" isn't a "real" die either.)
 
Standard dies are made from hardened steel, and require that the case be lubricated, for the resizing operation, which requires a large amount of force. Rifle cartridges require lubrication of every case, due to the large amount of force required, while smaller, thinner handgun cartridges can get away with alternating lubricated and unlubricated cases. Carbide dies have a ring of tungsten carbide, which is far harder and slicker than tool steel, and so carbide dies do not require lubrication.
 
Modern reloading dies are [generally] standardized with 7/8-14 (or, for the case of .50 BMG dies, with 1-1/4x12) threads and are interchangeable with all common brands of presses. [although] Older dies may use other threads and be press-specific. (I know of none, old or new, that are not either 7/8-14 or 1-1/4-12.)

Dies for bottlenecked cases usually are supplied in sets of at least two dies, though sometimes a third is added for crimping or neck-only resizing. This is an extra operation and is not needed unless a gun's magazine or action design requires crimped ammunition for safe operation, such as autoloading firearms, where the cycling of the action may push the bullet back in the case, resulting in poor accuracy and increased pressures. Crimping is also sometimes recommended to achieve full velocity for bullets, through increasing pressures so as to make powders burn more efficiently, and for heavy recoiling loads, to prevent bullets from moving under recoil. For FMJ bullets mounted in bottle neck cases, roll crimping is generally not ever used unless a cannelure is present on the bullet, to prevent causing bullet deformation when crimping. Rimless, straight wall cases, on the other hand, require a taper crimp, because they headspace on the case mouth; roll crimping causes headspacing problems on these cartridges. Rimmed, belted, or bottleneck cartridges, however, generally can safely be roll crimped when needed. Three dies are normally supplied for straight walled cases, with an optional fourth die for crimping. Crimps for straight wall cases may be taper crimps, suitable for rimless cartridges used in autoloaders, or roll crimps, which are best for rimmed cartridges such as are used in revolvers.
 
There are also some specialty dies worth mentioning. Bump dies are designed to move the shoulder of a bottleneck case back just a bit to facilitate chambering. These are frequently used in conjunction with neck dies, as the bump die itself does not manipulate the neck of the case whatsoever. A bump die can be a very useful tool to anyone who owns a fine shooting rifle with a chamber that is cut to minimum headspace dimensions, as the die allows the case to be fitted to this unique chamber.[10] Another die is the "hand die". A hand die has no threads and is operated - as the name suggests - by hand or by use of a hand operated arbor press. Hand dies are available for most popular cartridges, and although available as full-length resizing dies, they are most commonly seen as neck sizing dies. These use an interchangeable insert to size the neck, and these inserts come in .001 steps so that the user can custom fit the neck of the case to his own chamber or have greater control over neck tension on the bullet.
 
Figure 2. Two typical dies for reloading a bottlenecked cartridge, and two shellholders. The decapper/resizer die is on the right, and the bullet seat is on the left. (Wouldn't this be better placed higher up nearer the written description of the dies? And maybe a picture of 2, 3, and 4 die sets.)

 
Shellholders
A shellholder, generally sold separately (except in Lee dies sets), is needed to hold the case in place as it is forced into and out of the dies. The reason shellholders are sold separately is that many cartridges share the same base dimensions, and a single shellholder can service many different cases. Shellholders are also specialized, and will generally only fit a certain make of reloading press, while modern dies are standardized and will fit a wide variety of presses.[4] Different shell holders than used for dies are also required for use with some hand priming tools (e.g., Lee Autoprime tool.)
 
Scales
A [precision] good scale is a [near necessity] good idea for precision reloading. While it is possible to load using nothing but a powder measure and a weight to volume conversion chart, this greatly limits the [precision] options one has to [with which a load can be adjusted] adjust loads. This has the potential to increase[ing] the danger [for] of accidentally overloading cartridges with powder for loads that start out near or at the maximum safe load. With a powder scale, an adjustable powder measure can be calibrated more precisely for the powder in question, and spot checks can be made during loading to make sure that the measure is not drifting. With a powder trickler, a charge can be measured directly into the scale, giving the most [accurate] consistent measure.
 
A scale also allows bullets and cases to be sorted by weight, which can increase consistency further. Except in the case of hand-cast lead bullets, sorting bullets by weight has [obvious] questionable benefits because today's manufacturers have quality control standards that yield bullet weight variances usually smaller than can be measured on typical reloading scales.  [as each set of matched bullets will perform more consistently]. Sorting cases by weight is done to group cases by case wall thickness, and hopefully match cases with similar interior volumes. Military cases, for example, tend to be thicker, while cases that have been reloaded numerous times will have thinner walls due to brass flowing forward under firing, and excess case length being later trimmed from the case mouth. (I wouldn't object to this staying in the text, but I have serious doubts about the reality of a case's capacity being measureably changed by "brass flow".)
 
Figure 3. Typical "balance beam" type of reloading scale. (If we're going to be as complete as the explanations above illustrate, we should probaly should include a picture of a digital scale.)

 
Priming tools
Single stage presses often do not provide an easy way to prime cases. (They used to, but safety nazis got them removed without a SINGLE ACCIDENT EVER HAPPENING!) Various add-on tools can be used for priming the case on the down-stroke, or a separate tool can be used. Since cases loaded with a single stage press are done in steps, with the die being changed between steps, a purpose made priming tool is often faster than trying to integrate a priming step to a press step. (That's not correct. A standard priming arm on the "old" RCBS JR press was WAY faster (probably 5 times faster) than ANY separate, off-press primer.) A purpose made tool is also often more consistent than a model that fits on a single stage press, resulting in a more consistent primer seating depth.
 
Figure 4. Here is an RCBS "hand" primer. (Again, if we're going to be so thorough, we should include pictures of some of the other "auto" primer types. The ones with the little strips of primers you have to buy to use them, for example.)

 
 
Powder measures
Beginning reloading kits often include a weight to volume conversion chart for a selection of common powders, and a set of powder volume measures graduated in small increments. By adding the various measures of powder a desired charge can be measured out with a safe degree of accuracy. However, since multiple measures of powder are often needed, and since powder lots may vary slightly in density, a scale accurate to 0.10 grain (6.5 mg) is desirable.
 
Figure 5. A typical powder meter mounted on an "O" type press. More often, meters are mounted on the bench adjacent to the press. This way the meter can throw a charge into the case before the case is seated in the press for bullet seating.

 
Bullet puller
Like any complex process, mistakes in handloading are easy to make. A bullet puller allows the handloader to disassemble mistakes or just disassemble cases from which he wants components, wants to change components, or wants to salvage components. Most pullers use inertia to pull the bullet; they are shaped like hammers, and the case is locked in place inside. A sharp blow on a hard surface will suddenly stop the case, and the inertia of the heavy bullet will pull it free of the case in a few blows, trapping the powder and bullet in the body of the puller. Collet type pullers are also available, which use a caliber-specific clamp to grip the bullet, while the loading press is used to pull the case downwards. It is essential that the collet be a good match for the bullet diameter, because a poor match can result in significant deformation of the bullet.
 
Bullet pullers are also used to disassemble loaded ammunition of questionable provenance or undesirable configuration, so that the components can be salvaged for re-use. Surplus military ammunition is often pulled for components, particularly the cartridge cases, which are often difficult to obtain for older foreign military rifles. Military ammunition is often tightly sealed, to make it resistant to water and rough handling, such as in machine gun feeding mechanisms. In this case, the seal between the bullet and cartridge can prevent [the] an inertial bullet puller from functioning. Pushing the bullet into the case slightly with a seating die will break the seal, and allow the bullet to be "pulled" with an inertial "puller".
 
Primers are a more problematic issue. If a primer is not seated deeply enough, the cartridge (if loaded) can be pulled, (do you mean the BULLET can be pulled and the powder removed and THEN the primer reseated? If not, reseating a primer in a loaded cartridge is the single-most dangerous operation I can think of in reloading, and WAY more dangerous than decapping a primer that hasn't be "deactivated".) and the primer re-seated with the seating tool. Primers that must be removed are frequently deactivated first—either firing the primed case in the appropriate firearm, or soaking in penetrating oil, which penetrates the water resistant coatings in the primer.
 
Components pulled from loaded cartridges should be reused with care. Unknown or potentially contaminated powders, contaminated primers, and bullets that are damaged or incorrectly sized can all cause dangerous conditions upon firing. It is wisest to NEVER resuse "salvaged" powder unless YOU are the one that loaded the cartridge and you KNOW FOR CERTAIN what powder you used.
 
Figure 6. A typical intertia type bullet puller. (I would move this up nearer the description, and add a picture of a die/collet type.)

 
Case trimmers
Cases, especially bottleneck cases, will stretch upon firing if the headspace of the chamber isn't perfect. How much stretch is based on headspace. [load pressure, cartridge design, chamber size, and other variables]. Typically, "high performance" cartridges ("magnums" especially), need periodically [cases need to be] trimming[ed] to bring them back into proper specifications. Most reloading manuals list both a trim size and a max length. Long cases can create a safety hazard by reducing the amount of space between the bullet and the case wall. If the case gets long enough, seriously [through improper headspace and possible] increased pressure will be the result. (Overall case length has nothing to do with headspace. There is no way on God's earth that improper headspace of a bottlenecked, belted, or rimmed case can cause an increase in pressure. Excessive headspace of a NON-RIMMED, straight-walled case might lead to increased pressure IF the case mouth - the headspace datum point - was driven into the lands ahead of the chamber because the case was too long. HOWEVER, straight-walled cases almost never stretch.)
 
Several kinds of case trimmers are available. Die-based trimmers have an open top, and allow the case to be trimmed with a file during the loading process. Manual trimmers usually have a base that has a shellholder or collet at one end and a cutting bit at the opposite end, with a locking mechanism to hold the case tight and in alignment with the axis of the cutter, similar to a small lathe. Typically the devices is cranked by hand, but sometimes they have attachments to allow the use of a drill or powered screwdriver. Powered case trimmers are also available. They usually consist of a motor (electric drills are sometimes used) and special dies or fittings that hold the case to be trimmed at the appropriate length, letting the motor do the work of trimming.
 
Figure 7. A typical hand-operated case trimmer.

 
Primer pocket tools
Primer pocket cleaning tools are used to remove residual combustion debris remaining in the primer pocket; both brush designs and single blade designs are commonly used. Dirty primer pockets can prevent setting primers at, or below, the cartridge head.
 
Primer pocket reamers or swagers are used to remove military crimps in primer pockets.
 
Primer pocket uniformer tools are used to achieve a uniform primer pocket depth. These are small endmills with a fixed depth-spacing ring attached, and are mounted either in a handle for use as a handtool, or are sometimes mounted in a battery-operated screwdriver. Some commercial cartridges (notably Sellier & Bellot) use large rifle primers that are thinner than the SAAMI standards common in the United States, and will not permit seating a Boxer primer manufactured to U.S. standards. T[t]he use of a primer pocket uniformer tool on such [brass] cases avoids setting Boxer primers high when reloading, which c[w]ould be a safety issue. Two sizes of primer pocket uniformer tools exist, the larger one is for large rifle (0.130" nominal depth) primer pockets and the smaller one is used for uniforming small rifle/pistol primer pockets.
 
Flash hole uniforming tools are used to remove any burrs, which are residual brass remaining from the manufacturing punching operation used in creating flash holes. These tools resemble primer pocket uniformer tools, except being thinner, and commonly include deburring, chamfering, and uniforming functions. The purpose of these tools is to achieve a more equal distribution of flame from the primer to ignite the powder charge, resulting in consistent ignition from case to case.
 
 
Materials required
 
The following materials are needed for handloading ammunition:
 
*Cases [or shotshell hulls]. (See above comments regarding spearating shotgun reloading out to a separate Reference.) [For shotshells, plastic or paper cases can be reloaded, though plastic is more durable.] Steel and aluminum cases do not have the correct qualities for reloading, so a brass cases [is essential] are best. [(although nickel plated brass cases, while not as reformable as plain brass, can also be reloaded)] (Nickle plated cases are actually easier to reload because they are softer.)
 
*Smokeless powder of an appropriate type. Generally, handgun cartridges and shotshells use faster powders, rifle cartridges use slower powder. Powder is generally of the "smokeless" type in modern cartridges, although on occasion the older "black" powder more commonly known as "gunpowder" may be used.
 
*Bullets, or shot and wads for shotshells.
 
*Primers
 
Case lubricant may also be needed, depending on the dies used.
 
Reloading process
The operations performed when handloading are:
 
-Case cleaning (optional, recommended for previously-fired cases)
 
-Case inspection (Look for cracks or other defects, and discard visibly imperfect cases. Bent case mouths may be repaired during resizing.)
 
-Lubricate cases (Carbide dies do not require lubrication.)
 
-Size/Resize the case and prime if primer is mounted on press. [(]For previously fired cases, primer is pressed out in this step with most die sets.[)]
 
-If necessary, r[R]eam or swage crimp from primer pocket [(reloading military cases only)], or mill the primer pocket depth using a primer pocket uniformer tool
 
- If necessary, m[M]easure and trim the case length [(as needed; rarely required with handgun cases)]
 
-If necessary, d[D]eburr, ream case mouth and size case neck [(optional, as-needed; trimmed cases need to be deburred);] some bench rest shooters also do outside neck turning at this stage, to make the cartridge case neck have uniform thickness so that the bullet will be released with the most uniformity
 
-If necessary, c[C]lean primer pocket [(optional; primer pockets will have deposits from combustion)] and do flash hole uniforming ([optional], generally, only bench rest shooters do this)
 
-Expand or chamfer case mouth (not required with boattail rifle bullets)
 
-Clean the lubricant from the cases
 
-Seat a new primer if you haven't already done it at the press. (primer pockets can [often] become loose after multiple "hot" loadings; a lack of effort being required to seat new primers indicates a loose primer pocket; cases with loose primer pockets are usually discarded, [after crushing the case to prevent its reuse])
 
-Add a measured amount of powder (critical step; incorrect powder charges are extremely dangerous, both underweight as well as overweight)
 
-Seat the bullet in the case for the correct cartridge overall length (OAL) and for aligning bullet cannelure (if present) with case mouth if you intend to crimp in the cannelure.
 
-If necessary/desired, c[C]rimp the bullet in place [(optional; some may hold the bullet with neck tension alone)]
 
-[Cartridge] I[i]nspect[ion] cartidges visually and run your finger over the primer to make sure it is properly seated. Most importantly, BE SURE to cycle the newly-made cartridges - everyone of them - through the rifle in which they are to be used to make sure they all cycle without failure or problem. This is one of the most common errors of omission that new reloaders make. They usually only make it once though. After they miss that one opportunity at that deer because their handloads won't chamber or cycle, they never forget to do it again. When performing this test, ALWAYS do it outside and in safe surroundings.
 
 
When previously-fired cases are used, they [must] should be inspected before loading. Cases that are dirty or tarnished are often polished in a tumbler to remove oxidation and allow easier inspection of the case. Cleaning in a tumbler will also clean the interior of cases, which is often considered important for handloading high-precision target rounds. Cracked necks, [non-reloadable cases (steel, aluminum, or Berdan primed cases)], (I reload steel, aluminum and Berdan-primed cases all the time.) and signs of head separation are all reasons to reject a case. Cases are measured for length, and any that are over the recommended length are trimmed down to the minimum length. Competition shooters will also sort cases by brand and weight to ensure consistency.
 
Removal of the primer, called decapping, is usually done with a die containing a steel pin that punches out the primer. Berdan primed cases require a different technique, either a hydraulic ram or a hook that punctures the case and levers it out from the bottom. Military cases have crimped-in primers, and decapping leaves a slight ridge that may inhibit[s] seating a new primer. A reamer or a swage is used to remove this crimp.
 
When a cartridge is fired, the internal pressure expands the case to fit the chamber [in a process called obturation.] (I would argue strongly that "obturation" is the the wrong term and it is not a "process".) After the bullet leaves the muzzle, the case shrinks back to about 0.002" smaller than chamber diameter. This allows the case to be removed from the chamber.
 
To [allow] ensure ease of chambering the cartridge when it is reloaded, especially in semi-automatic rifles, the case is swaged (resized) back to [size] dimensions just smaller than the SAAMI chamber specifications. Competition shooters, using bolt action rifles which are capable of camming a tight case into place, often resize only the neck of the cartridge, called neck sizing, as opposed to the normal full length resizing process. Neck sizing is usually only useful for cartridges to be re-fired in the same firearm, as the brass may be slightly oversized in some dimensions for other chambers, but the precise fit of case to chamber will allow greater consistency and therefore greater potential accuracy. Some believe that neck sizing will permit a larger number of reloads with a given case in contrast to full size resizing, although this is controversial. (Of all the "controversial" items you have raised, this is the least of them. There is NO doubt that neck resizing increases or at a minimum, allows the same case life as full length resizing.)  Semi-automatic rifles and rifles with SAAMI minimum chamber dimensions often require a special small base resizing die, that sizes further down the case than normal dies, and allows for more reliable feeding.
 
Once the case is sized down, the inside of the neck of the case will actually be slightly smaller than the bullet diameter. To allow the bullet to be seated, the end of the neck is slightly expanded to allow the bullet to start into the case. ("Expansion" is ONLY true in pistol cases loading cast lead bullets. Bottlenecked rifle cases are not "expanded" and only occassionally chamfered.) Boattailed bullets need very little expansion, while unjacketed lead bullets require more expansion to prevent shaving of lead when the bullet is seated.
 
[Large Rifle primers] While p[P]riming the case is the most dangerous step of the loading process, it is still very safe. There are no know records of anyone EVER being injured while priming cases. [since the primers are pressure sensitive.] The use of safety glasses or goggles during priming operations can provide valuable protection in the rare event that an accidental detonation takes place.
 
Seating a Boxer primer not only places the primer in the case, it also seats the anvil of the primer down onto the priming compound, in effect arming the primer. A correctly seated primer will be flush with the case head or sit slightly below the surface of the case head. A primer that protrudes from the case may cause a number of problems, including what is known as a slam fire which is the firing of a case before the action is properly locked when chambering a round. This may either damage the gun, and/or injure the shooter. A protruding primer [will] can also [tend to] hang when feeding. [and]Furthermore, the anvil will not be seated correctly so the primer may not fire when hit by the firing pin.
 
Primer pockets may need to be cleaned with a primer pocket brush to remove deposits that prevent the primer from being properly seated. Berdan primers must also be seated carefully, and since the anvil is part of the case, the anvil [must] should be inspected before the primer is seated. For reloading cartridges intended for use in military-surplus firearms, rifles especially, "hard" primers are most commonly used instead of commercial "soft" primers. The use of "hard" primers avoids slamfires when loading finished cartridges in the military-surplus firearm. Such primers are available to handloaders commercially. (This is the first time I've ever even heard of this.)

The quantity of gunpowder is specified by weight, but almost always measured by volume, especially in larger scale operations. A powder scale is needed to determine the correct mass thrown by the powder measure, as loads are specified with a precision of 0.10 grain (6.5 mg). One grain is 1/7000 of a pound. Competition shooters will generally throw a slightly underweight charge, and use a powder trickler to add few granules of powder at a time to the charge to bring it to the exact weight desired for maximum consistency.  Some powders meter (measure by volume) better than others due to the shape of each granule. When using volume to meter each charge, it is important to regularly check the charge weight on a scale throughout the process. (I moved the above two sentences from the paragraph below.)
 
Special care is needed when charging large capacity cases with fast burning, low volume powders. (Rare in rifles, but not uncommon in pistols.) In this instance, it is possible to put two charges of powder in a case without overflowing the case, which can lead to dangerously high pressures and a significant chance of bursting the chamber of the firearm. Non-magnum revolver cartridges are the easiest to do this with, as they generally have relatively large cases, and tend to perform well with small charges of fast powders.
 
Competition shooters also often sort bullets by weight, often down to 0.10 grain (6.5 mg) increments. (The truth of the matter is though, that today's manufacturing processes, and quality control, yield bullets that usually have weights differences considerbly smaller than 0.10 grains.) [The bullet is placed in the case mouth by hand, and then seated with the press. At this point, the expanded case mouth is also sized back down. A crimp can optionally be added, either by the seating die or with a separate die. Taper crimps are used for cases that are held in the chamber by the case mouth, while roll crimps may be used for cases that headspace on a rim or on the cartridge neck. Roll crimps hold the bullet far more securely, and are preferred in situations, such as magnum revolvers, where recoil velocities are significant. A tight crimp also helps to delay the start of the bullet's motion, which can increase chamber pressures, and help develop full power from slower burning powders.] This is all redundant. It's all been said at least once above.

No closing comments?

Edited by Paul on Feb. 26 at 0945 AST.

[gitano]

David, et al,
 
I moved this here because I thought there was going to be more to it. I want to wait 'til these ideas are "complete" before we post them and "close" them at the "root" of the Reference Library".
 
When we all think this topic is "ready for prime time", we can move it back to the root.
 
Paul
 
Paul

[davidlt89]

sorry!

[gitano]

No problem, David. I wasn't criticizing! I'm just trying to 'organize' things so we can procede in a fairly orderly fashion. Please don't be discouraged or offended!
 
Paul

[davidlt89]

Since I don't much about reloading, I am not sure what to add to that. I think this will get someone started and show them what pieces they need, or am I missing something?  
I thought other threads could follow, like something on powders, primers, etc.. I said I was going to put a thread together that showed the different packages (I will, I am just a little slow:)  or, should that be part of this? Not really knowing something makes it a little confusing:biggthumpup: I am not discouraged or offended though Paul, Not really knowing much about reloading, I am widely open to suggestions:biggthumpup: God Bless.

[gitano]

Believe me when I say this is a genuinely GREAT "start", and that from my perspective, it is almost complete. What little I think needs to be added is relatively minor.
 
What I'm trying to avoid is "editing" a finalized Reference. Once it's been completely looked over and whatever adjustments made to "tune" it, I would like it to go to the Reference Library "root" and be "closed". Any further "discussion" should take place in the appropriate site that is not the Reference Library. In the case of reloading, "discussions" about a completed Reference should start in the "Factory Ammo and Reloading" site. If the discussion leads to something that suggests a change to the Reference under discussion, the moderators of the Reference Library can edit the Reference and then re-close it.
 
I will go through your excellent post and put my suggestions in YELLOW. You (and whomever else) can have a look at them and decide whether to incorporate them into the text or not. Once we've all had a chance to look at it and the suggested additions/deletions, we'll copy it to the root and close it.

I realize your post has "been around" long enough for everybody to have had a look, but the truth is, as soon as the Reference Library hit the ground officially, I have been swamped. I will offer my comments today.

Paul

[davidlt89]

Allrighty! I will get rid of the "red" and "orange" and change the color of the yellow. look for the necessary pictures and add them, and would you say this would be ready for the library? God Bless.

[gitano]

Waaalllll... I suppose, but I'd really like the others to offer their comments. My comments were/are almost exclusively suggestions. It is not my intent or desire to be the "Uber editor" here.
 
Let's do this: In a new post, you make the edits from my comments that you feel appropriate. (Copy the 'colored' one into a new post and edit it there, making the changes you feel appropriate.) Then we'll both try to get some of the others to read and comment. That way if they think my comments aren't necessary or are out of line or want to add their own, the original still exists to revert to.
 
Once we get a couple of "yays" or "nays", we can post to the root what more than just you and I have had a chance to 'chew on'. If we can't gin any interest in reading the post and commenting, even if it's just, "Sure, go with it", after a couple of days, we'll "cast it in concrete" at the root.
 
Maybe we'll get those comments while you are scrounging up those other images I suggested. Speaking of which, if you don't find any of those quickly, let me know and I can take pictures of those for which I have examples.
 
Paul

[recoil junky]

Just curious, in this sentance: At this point, the expanded case mouth is also sized back down. This "usually happens in the sizing die (bottle neck casses) or in the decapping process (with straight wall cases) or are you talking about the bell of mouth when loading (usually) cast bullets? Or "crimping", or maybe I'm not getting what your thoughts are here. :o

For a "non-reloader" you've done a great job David.

I can email you pictures of a COAX press and lee's Autoprime if you like.

RJ

[davidlt89]

before I get too much credit, I got most of this from wikipedia, where all kinds of people leave stuff and is open for editing and such. I thought is would be a good start and would be edited with the expertise that THL offers. I have a general idea what some of the information in this post is, but not a lot. you guys would know better than me. I have no idea about the above sentence except that Paul put it in red so it could probably go. If you are also not sure what it says, that would tell me it is probably not needed. God bless.

[Alboy]

Recommending that a beginner use a reloading manual should be done strongly, also read and follow instructions included with the "die set"
 
Does this read a little more clearly for cases?
Cases
 
Brass, including nickle plated brass, work best for beginning reloaders.
Steel and aluminum cases do not have desireable qualities for reloading and are usually better avoided.
 
All of the below is redundant and confusing I would suggest dropping it or making a seperate advanced thread to handle these types of detail.
When previously-fired cases are used, they [must] should be inspected before loading. Cases that are dirty or tarnished are often polished in a tumbler to remove oxidation and allow easier inspection of the case. Cleaning in a tumbler will also clean the interior of cases, which is often considered important for handloading high-precision target rounds. Cracked necks, [non-reloadable cases (steel, aluminum, or Berdan primed cases)], (I reload steel, aluminum and Berdan-primed cases all the time.) and signs of head separation are all reasons to reject a case. Cases are measured for length, and any that are over the recommended length are trimmed down to the minimum length. Competition shooters will also sort cases by brand and weight to ensure consistency.

Removal of the primer, called decapping, is usually done with a die containing a steel pin that punches out the primer. Berdan primed cases require a different technique, either a hydraulic ram or a hook that punctures the case and levers it out from the bottom. Military cases have crimped-in primers, and decapping leaves a slight ridge that may inhibit seating a new primer. A reamer or a swage is used to remove this crimp.

When a cartridge is fired, the internal pressure expands the case to fit the chamber [in a process called obturation.] (I would argue strongly that "obturation" is the the wrong term and it is not a "process".) After the bullet leaves the muzzle, the case shrinks back to about 0.002" smaller than chamber diameter. This allows the case to be removed from the chamber.

To [allow] ensure ease of chambering the cartridge when it is reloaded, especially in semi-automatic rifles, the case is swaged (resized) back to [size] dimensions just smaller than the SAAMI chamber specifications. Competition shooters, using bolt action rifles which are capable of camming a tight case into place, often resize only the neck of the cartridge, called neck sizing, as opposed to the normal full length resizing process. Neck sizing is usually only useful for cartridges to be re-fired in the same firearm, as the brass may be slightly oversized in some dimensions for other chambers, but the precise fit of case to chamber will allow greater consistency and therefore greater potential accuracy. Some believe that neck sizing will permit a larger number of reloads with a given case in contrast to full size resizing, although this is controversial. (Of all the "controversial" items you have raised, this is the least of them. There is NO doubt that neck resizing increases or at a minimum, allows the same case life as full length resizing.) Semi-automatic rifles and rifles with SAAMI minimum chamber dimensions often require a special small base resizing die, that sizes further down the case than normal dies, and allows for more reliable feeding.

Once the case is sized down, the inside of the neck of the case will actually be slightly smaller than the bullet diameter. To allow the bullet to be seated, the end of the neck is slightly expanded to allow the bullet to start into the case. ("Expansion" is ONLY true in pistol cases loading cast lead bullets. Bottlenecked rifle cases are not "expanded" and only occassionally chamfered.) Boattailed bullets need very little expansion, while unjacketed lead bullets require more expansion to prevent shaving of lead when the bullet is seated.

[Large Rifle primers] While p[P]riming the case is the most dangerous step of the loading process, it is still very safe. There are no know records of anyone EVER being injured while priming cases. [since the primers are pressure sensitive.] The use of safety glasses or goggles during priming operations can provide valuable protection in the rare event that an accidental detonation takes place.

Seating a Boxer primer not only places the primer in the case, it also seats the anvil of the primer down onto the priming compound, in effect arming the primer. A correctly seated primer will be flush with the case head or sit slightly below the surface of the case head. A primer that protrudes from the case may cause a number of problems, including what is known as a slam fire which is the firing of a case before the action is properly locked when chambering a round. This may either damage the gun, and/or injure the shooter. A protruding primer [will] can also [tend to] hang when feeding. [and]Furthermore, the anvil will not be seated correctly so the primer may not fire when hit by the firing pin.

Primer pockets may need to be cleaned with a primer pocket brush to remove deposits that prevent the primer from being properly seated. Berdan primers must also be seated carefully, and since the anvil is part of the case, the anvil [must] should be inspected before the primer is seated. For reloading cartridges intended for use in military-surplus firearms, rifles especially, "hard" primers are most commonly used instead of commercial "soft" primers. The use of "hard" primers avoids slamfires when loading finished cartridges in the military-surplus firearm. Such primers are available to handloaders commercially. (This is the first time I've ever even heard of this.)

The quantity of gunpowder is specified by weight, but almost always measured by volume, especially in larger scale operations. A powder scale is needed to determine the correct mass thrown by the powder measure, as loads are specified with a precision of 0.10 grain (6.5 mg). One grain is 1/7000 of a pound. Competition shooters will generally throw a slightly underweight charge, and use a powder trickler to add few granules of powder at a time to the charge to bring it to the exact weight desired for maximum consistency. Some powders meter (measure by volume) better than others due to the shape of each granule. When using volume to meter each charge, it is important to regularly check the charge weight on a scale throughout the process. (I moved the above two sentences from the paragraph below.)

Special care is needed when charging large capacity cases with fast burning, low volume powders. (Rare in rifles, but not uncommon in pistols.) In this instance, it is possible to put two charges of powder in a case without overflowing the case, which can lead to dangerously high pressures and a significant chance of bursting the chamber of the firearm. Non-magnum revolver cartridges are the easiest to do this with, as they generally have relatively large cases, and tend to perform well with small charges of fast powders.

Competition shooters also often sort bullets by weight, often down to 0.10 grain (6.5 mg) increments. (The truth of the matter is though, that today's manufacturing processes, and quality control, yield bullets that usually have weights differences considerbly smaller than 0.10 grains.) [The bullet is placed in the case mouth by hand, and then seated with the press. At this point, the expanded case mouth is also sized back down. A crimp can optionally be added, either by the seating die or with a separate die. Taper crimps are used for cases that are held in the chamber by the case mouth, while roll crimps may be used for cases that headspace on a rim or on the cartridge neck. Roll crimps hold the bullet far more securely, and are preferred in situations, such as magnum revolvers, where recoil velocities are significant. A tight crimp also helps to delay the start of the bullet's motion, which can increase chamber pressures, and help develop full power from slower burning powders.] This is all redundant. It's all been said at least once above.

Other than that I am good to go.

[gitano]

I agree, Don. If "you" think about the depth and breadth of the practice and industry of reloading, it's a bit 'much' to try to include "everything" in one reference. If we stick to a relatively narrow view, focusing on the topic "Beginning Reloading", I think we can "eat this elephant" - one bite at a time. Otherwise I think we are going to "choke" for having bitten off more than we can chew.
 
We have extraordinary experience here at THL. It is my belief that it is our (the moderators of the "Reference Library") primary job, to simply organize that expertise and information, with the goal of producing "something" that exists NO WHERE else. My opinion is, that reproducing what somebody else has written, especially when we DON'T practice the same procedures, is of no value at best, and can in fact, simply be silly.
 
My above comments ARE NOT referring to David's start coming from Wikipedia. In fact, I think that was an excellent place to get something to start to 'chew on'. So let's "chew" on this start that David generously provided, and make it not a regurgitation of what some lawyer for some bullet or powder manufacturer has forced to be written, but rather, the TRUTH about what WE, long-experienced reloaders, ACTUALLY do. Stripping off the the "legalese", and superfluous, and getting new reloaders started off like we WISH we had been when we were "young" reloaders and all we had were reloading "manuals" to read.

Of course that means "work". Work at considering exactly what we think is relevant, and work to dispense with what is superfluous even when it is written "everywhere". Also work at considering what other editors suggest, even if it is contrary to what we might think at the moment.

Editing is TOUGH business, and editors and authors BOTH need to have thick skins and open minds. What a tradgedy it would be for THL if something that started off with such grand plans like the Reference Library, ended up dividing some members of "The Campfire". In my opinion, it takes a very mature group of people to pull off what THL has become. It is that very maturity that I believe will allow us to make the "Reference Library" a special feaure of THL.

I apologize for continued 'preaching', but both the "Library" and THL are worth protecting, and on the internet it is SO easy to get "cross-threaded"even without doing something as inherently confrontational as editing. On one hand, I promise to mimize my "preaching" as I continue to see maturity prevailing, but by the same token, you can expect me to "defend" the friendships and camraderie at THL as best I can.

David - Can you make the edits Don and I suggested in a new post and let us all have look at the next version?

Paul

[davidlt89]

I most certainly can! Just might be later in the week. I have to take a test in "current trends in the use of electrical stimulation in athletic rehabilitation" for my continuing education credits sometime soon and not having done any electrical stimulation in 3 years, I have had to study and practice, alot!!!! I really dislike continuing ed!!!! Anyway, I will get to it as soon as possible.

In fact, I think that was an excellent place to get something to start to 'chew on'.

I certainly hope this ok with everyone? After looking through several old posts on reloading, it seemed evident that finding the information I wanted may not exist to a certain extent. It seemed easier and quicker to bring this "format" and then edit from there. it was not my intent to "steal" something and call it our own. I most certainly figured the members here at THL would "change" a lot of stuff and debunk any myths, therefore, making it THL's. God Bless.[/COLOR]

[Alboy]

David, no worries on "stealing" getting a coherant write anywhere you can find it is a plus start. In posts before I have heavily and openly "stolen" from Lyman, Lee and others with no shame. I still feel you are a strong sounding board for the old timers, it is so easy for us to not write down a step that is so ingrained we do not even think about it anymore but which you have yet to see and will call us on it.
 
I have been slow getting in here but claim the same circumstances as you and Paul, seems the whole world suddenly demanded more time.

[davidlt89]

Bare with me fella's, I have not forgotten this. Been really cranking out my CEU's, almost half done! I also started some bass guitar lessons, and to be honest, I am having some fun and been practicing my scales, alot. I will attend to this though. God bless.