I've spent the past couple days watching videos and voraciously reading abour recycling, casting and reloading ammunition.
I've always been interested in metallurgy of all kinds, but I've never been able to try any kind of DIY stuff due to lack of funds and lack of workspace.
I don't see that changing in the near future but I'm trying to absorb all the information I can on the subject so that if I do get the chance I'll have a base of practical knowledge to start from.
So yeah, reloading/casting/forging/etc thread? Advice, stories, resources for beginners etc all welcome.
Any questions in particular on metallurgy? I'm not too familiar with its effects on making your own boolits, but I have a more technical perspective that maybe I could give some pointers on (as in, it's my job).
dude its only like $200 to get started. start with Lee equipment. cast your own bullets. set primers. measure gun powder. press the bullet in. easy. do your research and go slow.
>>28291624
I literally don't have space to set up a work area, otherwise getting the basic money together for presses, dies, etc and searching around at garages for scrap lead wouldn't be an issue
>>28291519
I'm pretty much at the stage where I don't even know what questions to be asking. I know the basics of casting lead for bullets and I know a decent amount of secondhand knowledge on steel and that's about it
Fuggin still wet tumbling brass as we speak... Shit takes forever but does a good job... Takes a lot longer to dry in the winter too...
>>28291713
I do mine on a $5 fold out table. sounds like you have higher priorities to take care of first.
>>28291486
How would I go about making cases? I really want to start producing some 7.62x45 and other kinda obscure rounds. Could it be casted with steel or brass?
>>28291824
>casting steel
Fuck no you can't unless you happen to have an industrial forge
Brass you could but it's pretty complicated. You're better off just ordering brass in bulk, not sure where you can get 7.62
>>28291816
You work a press on a folding table?
You're a braver man than I
>>28291824
It's hard to make cases by yourself. People usually resize commercial made cases if they want brass in a hard to find caliber.
Is it really worth a couple hundred bucks for a multiple-stafe press? A single stage press seems fine to me, I can sacrifice the time to not have to deal with 5 moving parts at once
>>28291900
I used to have my reloading rig set up on a Black & Decker Workmate. Bottom of it was attached to a piece of plywood with lag bolts and had a sandbag on top of it. Anytime I got a new contract I could fold my workbench up in five minutes and move it with the rest of my stuff. Worked fine.
>>28292099
It depends on how much you shoot. I have a hornady lnl single stage that takes me about an hour to do a box of 100 rounds. This isn't an issue because i shoot once a month, if that, so i just spend an hour here and there making ammo until i'm topped up again.
I'd love a dillon 550, but i can't really justify the cost for the amount of shooing i do.
How much are molds for casting 12g or 20g shot, respectively? I assume they shouldn't cost much compared to bullet or slug molds
Do you need to smoke a mold each time you get ready to pour a batch, or just once out of the gate?
On a cost/benefit ratio, keep your reloading to the fewest different chamberings possible. I'd probably find a bullet caster and then buy in bulk. Laser Cast is the one I've seen the most.
Casting shot? Sounds like too much work to me.
Get the catalog from Dillon. I'd probably buy a "Square deal" press, specialize in one round, then sell that press when you move up to an RL-550B or something.
>>28292099
I think the smallest increment of time is the time spent on a single-stage press. I realize nobody has a multi-stage progressive for every chambering, but jesus is it slow.
>>28291486
>metallurgy
Don't bother trying to make your own cases, they're drawn instead of turned. That's some serious equipment to do that, and even for completely unobtainium rounds it's not worth it.
Almost all bullet casters use either Linotype or Wheelweight lead. Linotype has more antimony, wheelweight has more tin (I forget the exact ratios but it's easily googled). Both will be around a 13-14 Brinell hardness if you don't dick with it, and you can fudge that 1-2 points either way by water quenching or casting hot enough to "frost" the bullet.
-stick on (lead) wheel weights are damn near pure lead and are around 9 Brinell, save those to trade to people doing traditional muzzle loader casting.
A properly lubed (either traditional lube, tumble lube, or powdercoat) bullet should NOT lead the bore assuming there aren't any major flaws in the bore to scrape lead and the bullet is properly sized for your bore. When in doubt, cast a thousandth over what you thought was right.
>reloading
Been doing it 25 years, learned from my father who's been doing it 50+. AMA.
>forging
Doesn't come into play for ammo making. If you don't have a professional-tier setup don't try to make firearm frames.
>sourcing components
powder valley (powdervalleyinc.com), Midway USA, Brownell's/Sinclair Int'l, Graf's, and Natchez are the main sources for powder and commercially produced bullets. Primers are a grab bag. Wheelweight lead can be scavenged from junk yards/pick-a-part places or purchased as scrap from some tire-change places (though this is getting harder and more expensive to do, the EPA's cracking down on how they dispose of it and steel/zinc wheel weights are getting very prevalent). Pre-smelted lead can be bought off oldtimers on some of the casting-specific forums (castboolits, 300blktalk, arfcom, etc) or, if you're impatient and have the coin, Amazon (though this tends to be very expensive per pound).
>>28291486
Reloading is 20% knowledge, 80% experience.
>>28292099
Depends on the calibers you reload and how much you shoot, as well as how much your time is worth to you.
For example, I shoot over 1000 rounds a month, mostly straight-walled calibers that require little/no brass prep, and reloading them all on a single-stage would be a multiday nightmare. So I have a progressive (Hornady LnL AP).
Someone that shoots for the absolute most in accuracy will want either a high-end single stage (Forster Co-Ax) or something like the Wilson hand tools.
Someone that shoots mostly bottleneck rifle rounds, due to the prepwork involved, would do fine on a single stage or turret press.
For most shooters, a turret press is sufficient. Capable of doing everything shy of .50BMG, fast enough to do a couple hundred pistol rounds in one sitting.
I also shoot a METRIC FUCKTON of shotshells, and spent the $1200 to get a Spolar with all the gauge conversions (I primarily shoot 28ga and .410 since they use the least shot) since I'm a skeetfag.
>one day at the range will see me shoot almost a full case in every gauge--800 rounds minimum, usually a full 1000 rounds in one day.
>>28292178
Depends on the mold, the material the mold's made from, and a few other factors.
I smoke my steel molds every use because they're old and imperfectly made, it helps them drop more consistently. I don't smoke my brass or aluminum molds, they drop fine without it.
What alternative sources of lead are there aside from tire shops? Are ranges generally cool with letting you dig lead out of their berms? provided you get permission first of course and don't fuck up the berm
>>28292248
How do you resize cases? What tools do you need?
>>28292405
No, they are not.
Old sailboat keels are several hundred pounds of lead. Cabelas sells sacks of lead shot. Scrap lead can be found online. Redneck ranges are an unrestricted source.
>>28291486
Anyone here cast their own 12ga slugs?
>>28292405
>are ranges cool with digging out lead?
Generally not for earth berms. Ask, and be able to show up after hours, at indoor ranges and you can usually sweep up a couple hundred pounds of lead in a few minutes. But ask first, obviously.
Alternate sources are Amazon (guaranteed quality/mixture, horrible prices) and casting forums (good price/lb, if you buy from someone with a good rep almost always excellent experience, sporadic availability). If you're willing to buy vast quantities of it or go in on a group buy you can usually get pallets of pure lead and ingots of antimony or tin off Alibaba/AliExpress, but due to shipping costs (everything comes from China) and the fact it's palletized freight and at best curbside delivery, it's a massive investment of funds. My range does it once a year, we order 10 pallets (~40 tons) of lead and a pallet of antimony for the club then resell it by the ingot.
Not gonna list my specific source as she (yes, she) asks to not be named, but I buy my lead off one of the forums. Runs about $1.20 per pound, is wheelweight lead, comes pre-smelted into manageable ingots, every ingot is hardness tested and scored with result.
>>28292423
You resize cases with resizing dies and a press.
It doesn't matter what kind of press, everything made after the 70's is standardized thread size. All die sets come with a resizing die (either separately or as a resize/deprime die), or you can buy them individually. Every company that makes dies makes them, in every caliber they make dies for.
Are there any good ways of testing scrap lead for material makeup? Other than casting out a round, dry-cooling it and hitting it with a hammer
>>28292618
Brinell hardness testing, the kit's like $30.
Deformation/shatter test (hit it with a fucking hammer, make sure it doesn't fracture).
Pay exorbitant amounts of money to have it chemically analyzed.
Ask whoever sourced it what it is/where it came from (99.999% chance it's either commercial bullet lead or wheel weight lead, the formulae for each is readily available and standardized).
>>28292618
Note the temperature it melts at
>>28291856
>>28291982
I knew that about steel. I don't know why I said that. I had moment of stupidity.
Thanks though guys. Would it be hard to resize brass into what I need for that caliber?
>>28292248
What would be the accuracy difference at, say, 2000 yards between Hornady match .338 LM versus some hand-loaded shit on a Wilson?
>>28293153
well, there's a lot of factors that go into it.
If I were given enough time with the gun and an unlimited budget to develop loads, I'm pretty confident I could get the gun down to 5" 5-shot groups at that distance. I'm really not sure what factory Hornady is capable of.
>>28293153
If you perfectly match the round to the gun
>Seating depth, bullets sized to that specific bore, powder type and charge, primer, case lenth, neck tension
Then quite a bit of difference at extremely long range
I just bought an RCBS press (old, used, JR-2 I think), Lyman Ohaus M5 scale,Lyman Turbo tumbler, case lube pads, chamfer tool, and powder measure for $150. Did I do good?
From my research, I know I need dies (308), hand-primer tool (or skimp and do it on the press), case trimmer and calipers, shell holder, trays and maybe a trickler.
Anything else I'm missing?
>>28293153
This guy again
>>28293260
2000 yards, wind is your #1 enemy to group sizes. Hell, it comes into play at 100 yards if you're going for the tightest possible groups.
As an example of what a handload can do, I have a 1000m competition gun in .243win (plain ol' .243, not a wildcat) with a 1:8 Krieger barrel designed specifically to shoot 115gr moly-coated DTAC's.
At 100 yards I can consistently put 10 rounds into a 0.200" or smaller center-to-center group. My best is a 0.091" 10-shot CTC group, but normally I'm shooting 0.17" ish. At a thousand yards I'm normally shooting 7-9" groups because of wind, even though the MOA value of my 100 yard groups should indicate both the rifle's and my ability to shoot <2" groups at 1000y. I suppose if I ever get a 100% perfectly calm day I might get close, but so far my best 1000y group is a hair over 5", and it's the only one I've shot under 6.5". It was a fluke.
>>28293319
Get a scale for measuring powder charge
If you plan on reloading spent brass, especially milsurp, get a small hand rimmer (not sure of the proper term) to widen the primer hole, some milsurp brass will have crimped primer holes that make placing a new primer annoying
>>28293319
Yeah you did pretty good.
If you plan on reloading military brass, you'll need a primer pocket reamer (assuming your chamfer tool didn't come with one). Lyman makes a good all-in-one that has a VLD chamfer head, debur head, large and small primer pocket uniformers, and large and small crimp reamers. It's also pretty cheap, and all the bits can be chucked in a drill so you're not doing it by hand.
The Lyman scale you got is decent. Very accurate, but slow.
Some dies come with a shell holder, some don't. Check listings to see which do and which don't.
I personally prime and deprime everything on the press, I don't like hand tools for that.
Tricklers are nice to have and are pretty cheap.
>>28293153
Not him, but I'll attempt to answer your question as best I can. Like just about everything else in reloading.....it depends. TL;DR, the hand loaded shit on a wilson will be significantly more accurate, but the reason is different from what most shooters would expect.
1. Mass produced ammo has improved a lot over time. Having to reload just to get decent accuracy was maybe true a couple of decades ago, but nowadays a box of match stuff is pretty much as accurate as whatever you could make on your own, and for a fairly reasonable price considering the time and expense in precision tools and components necessary to make such consistent ammo on your own. I say this because people really underestimate what commercial ammo is capable of, and they see the results of customized handloads suited to that specific firearm versus ammo that is designed to be as accurate as possible in as many different firearms as possible at the same time, and draw some understandably wrong conclusions.
2. The biggest advantage to reloading isn't making really really consistent ammo (although that helps immensely), it's making ammo that is customized to your firearm. When you go down this rabbit hole, you'll start reading about things like barrel harmonics and fouling shots. Some guys will adjust the cartridge overall length to maintain the same distance between projectile and the beginning of the rifling after the throat begins to erode away to maintain accuracy. Some guns just really like certain loads, and it's not always the load that is the fastest or most powerful. The only way to know is by trying numerous loads, controlling every single variable possible and carefully documenting your results with target shot measurements and chronograph readings. Once you get everything dialed in, it is obscene what kind of accuracy you can see. But this level of accuracy ultimately isn't the result of super consistent ammo, it's the result of a ridiculous amount of customization.
>>28293400
>>28293339
Thanks for info. Should've mentioned that I'll be reloading for a 308 bolt action. Goal is precision, so I won't be using milsurp or mil brass.
I think I'll skip out on the hand primer and trickler, save some $$$.
Is a precision case gauge necessary for bolt action?
>>28293453
It's not necessary for anything but helps initial die setup.
It basically prevents you from getting the dies either not set deep enough and fucking up your headspace (by not pushing the shoulder back enough on the brass) or setting them too deep and both wearing out your brass earlier and hurting accuracy (by pushing the shoulder back too far).
Likewise, skip the runout gauge. Extensive testing on my end shows runout either doesn't matter (with most calibers anyway) or is such a minor factor on accuracy shooter error or other conditions mask it to the point of non-measurable differences.
>>28293453
>worried about the brass on a bolt gun
Not that I expect you to be dealing with too much Milsurp brass on a .308 anyways, but typically a bolt-action is sturdy enough that a little difference in pressure off the brass won't cause huge problems.
Be sure to load to the factory parameters of the model rifle you're using, but don't be afraid to experiment. There are reloading books out there with reference charts of the maximum/minimum grains usable per caliber and O.A.L. and they'll come with info like typical FPS and ballistics performance.
>>28293319
Get some polishing medium for your brass. Not a critical step but normally it's pretty cheap and makes your hand-loads a ton sexier. Just throw it in in about a 1:1 mix in whatever vibrator you use to clean the brass, one load of medium is usually good for a couple loads of brass.
Anyways, my own question: is there any chemical safe to add to scrap lead that will clean it faster and cut down on dross than just rinsing and airdrying? Will soap or anything cause problems during smelting, assuming it's dry?
>>28293453
>so I won't be using milsurp brass
Shame, M118 brass is some of the best. IMO only beaten by virgin Lapua brass, which is hella expensive.
Considering you can get cans of M118LR for less than a buck a round, it'd be crazy to not use it.
>>28293496
This. If you're not already an experienced shooter, or just want some .308 plinking stuff, you'd do a lot worse than to blast some old milsurp and then convert it back into snazzy handloads
Anyone here cast their own bullets for .380acp and 9x19? I'm looking for a bullet mold that will fit both cartridges well so I can save a bit money on buying so many molds. I'm intending to be reloading with Unique or Universal Clays and I'm wondering if anyone here's tried anything like that before.
>>28293527
>>28293496
OK OK, calm down guys, I'll use some milsurp. I was already planning on buying some Prvi, seems like it's well made stuff.
Yeah I'm aware of M118LR... haven't seen any for that much of a steal yet.
>>28293548
Pretty sure Lee makes molds for .380, couldn't tell you about 9x19 though, sorry
>>28293550
Don't get me wrong, if you can't find a good price or just don't like the performance of milsurp brass just drop it.
Part of the process for reloading is testing, studying, and being your own Quality Assurance
>>28293550
Milsurp is more than sufficient as they have said already. However, I will advise you to stay away from once fired milsurp brass, or at least be aware of the cons of such brass so you can watch for warning signs. I say this because I had a batch of 5.56 brass that kept having head case separations, and I suspect it was because it was 5.56 that was fired from a machine gun, as opposed to a rifle like I assumed when I got it. I don't know for sure what it was fired in, that's just my suspicion. The headspace varies a lot more in a machine gun, so it may have been doomed to fail after only being fired once. Any once fired brass should be carefully checked, period, but doubly so for milsurp once fired brass.
>>28292168
Shot tends to be made in a shot Tower. Google it if unfamiliar.
>>28293713
didn't realize those were still in use? I'm fairly certain people still home cast shot though
>>28293591
>>28293561
What kind of workspace do you guys use?
Apartment life here, I'm leaning towards building a small portable bench
>>28295122
I use dumpster-dived cabinets and countertop. Durable, stable, and free. Also, once I got around to refinishing the cabinetry, looks pretty good.
>>28294037
Lead birdshot (#12 through T-shot) is formed in a shot tower. There are basically sieves for DIY that do almost the same thing.
Steel birdshot (#7 through BBB) is cast, quickly and dirtily. T shot is milled from round stock.
All buckshot is cast.
I have no idea how the bismuth or tungsten alloy shots are made.
>>28293550
well, shit. My source dried up (Sportsman's Guide).
Looks like Ammoseek has IMI Razorcore and FGMM 175's for less than a buck each. Definitely go with the FGMM, the brass is breddy gud and the ammo's accurate as hell.
>>28295386
>FGMM
Yep, FGMM is what I'm gonna buy to start. Local guy is selling it for $1 per rd.
Can you guys learn me on neck sizing vs FL sizing for bolt action 308?
I've read conflicting opinions on which is better.
>>28295462
Neck sizing works the brass less and leaves the shoulder and body dimensions exactly as fits your gun, but the rounds most likely won't fit someone else's rifle.
FL sizing gives rounds that should work in every gun and will produce identical results every time, but works the brass more meaning your brass won't last as long.
>>28295492
FL sizing also sizes the neck though, right?
With RCBS dies, do I need to buy bushings as well?
>>28295947
Yes, FL resizing sizes everything including the neck.
RCBS doesn't make bushing-compatible dies, you don't need them. Bushings are for specialty applications like custom chambers with a tighter than normal neck. They also can cause more problems than normal dies, specifically creating a donut right above the shoulder. Until you get into custom-made barrels with nonstandard chamber dimensions, don't worry about them.
>>28296251
Ok thanks.
So if I'm understanding all of this correctly, brass will expand to fit my chamber after being fired. To expand brass life, it's best to neck size every firing, and then FL resize after the brass gets too long? Does the case still need to be trimmed after neck sizing?
>>28296340
Either FL resize or neck resize. Don't mix them, ever.
Yes, with neck resizing you still need to trim.
The main benefit of neck sizing is you have brass custom-formed to your gun, extending brass life is a secondary benefit. It's neither necessary nor always the most accurate (for example, David Tubb, one of the all-time greatest long range competitors, FL resizes exclusively).
Can someone recommend me a turret press or at least point me to somewhere I can research the difference between brands?
>>28296553
Lyman T-Mag is best turret press
This is kind of reloading but what load would be good out of an 14-18 inch 1:28 twist sawn off black powder rifle/ pistol?
Is there a formula for this?
>>28296643
Not really a formula.
Everything's gonna suck out of such a short barrel. Look at some of the pistol loads for Walkers. I'd start with 40gr of FFFg behind the heaviest minie ball you can find. Avoid sabots.
Anyone got any suggestions for starting gear?
>>28296666
Would it be better to go with a .54 at that rate? Though the only one's I could find are pretty slow in 1:48 twists.
Also:
>Check'd
>>28291713
>I literally don't have space to set up a work area
I've seen presses mounted on small boxes made out of 3/4" ply and shit that can be clamped to your computer desk, kitchen top, table or whatever. There are guys who have mounted presses on stools. This stuff can be tucked away under a bed. If you want to reload don't let a lack of space stop you, work around it.
This is far from ideal but if you don't have space there are ways to do it.
Most normal people wouldn't consider putting their reloading bench in their bedroom, but as a /k/ommando, and lacking of space, I don't give a fuck.
>>28296713
With the velocities even FFFg can produce from a 14" barrel, you need to go with the biggest, heaviest bullet possible. That being said, a .50cal 300gr minie at 800fps is still a hell of a lot of KE. Just not what it could be from a 24"+ barrel.
>>28294037
Only one or two shot towers still in use in the world.
Almost every maker now uses the Bleimeister (sp?) process instead. Easily done at home as well.
>>28296737
>Most normal people wouldn't consider putting their reloading bench in their bedroom, but as a /k/ommando, and lacking of space, I don't give a fuck.
Does that mean if I want to set my up in my bedroom I can't be a normal person?
>>28296832
You're here, aren't you?
>>28296737
is that your setup? Mines going in my bedroom too... i don't give a fuck either.
>>28296737
>lee single
fuck yea, really like being able to switch which side the handle is on
>>28296832
The way I always look at it is what would happen if I brought a girl to my room and she asked me what the red metal thing was and why it was here. I don't think I would be viewed as normal, although I and probably others like me think that it's perfectly reasonable to keep your dies and scales in the draw underneath your t-shirts.
>>28297129
oh yeah, i'm totally gonna make mine portable so that i can stick it in my closet between uses.
Gotta blend in, yaknow
>>28296894
Yes. Maximum comfort. My press doubles as a clothes hanger when I get undressed at the end of the day.
>>28297045
Pretty good press, great considering how much they retail for, a Rock Chucker would have costed a third more and I would still be catching primers in my bin. It's steam engine tier engineering, the castings are huge and it just feels solid in operation.
Any opinions on the Hornady Lock-N-Load press?
>Lee Reloader Single Stage press is roughly $30
Hot damn.
Anyways, how do you guys feel about those handheld priming tools? They any good?
>>28297129
If I can't just explain that it makes bullets cheaper and have her be okay with that then she doesn't belong in my room.
>>28297276
I had a Lee auto prime.
I never felt that it seated the primers well, they were always proud of the case and un-even. There wasn't enough leverage, and it was built for small hands.
One day I decided to tape a block of wood to the handle to give me more leverage and the first and last thing that happened was it snapped. So fuck that shit, I threw it away, got a Ram Prime, lost the Ram Prime spring and replaced it with one from a ball-point pen, and now my primers are seated easily.
Anyone here use lead casts for self-defense, hunting, etc?
Is the problem I hear brought up about the recycled lead being too hard worth listening to, or is it just Fudd-lore? Say if you have wheelweight Lead/Tin/Antimony casts, is that really going to be too hard and cause overpenetration in, say, handgun rounds?
I know slugs are cast from soft pure lead because they need to escape the barrel without any kind of polymer rider.
>>28297338
Alright I was pretty much expecting that
>>28297328
You're obviously sensible and live around sensible people.
It's irrelevant anyway as I'm perma-virgin, I just think of that as a 'what if' litmus test to try and gauge how normal people would see me.
>>28297379
Some other brands might be good though. Pretty much everyone I hear about uses some form of hand-held primer, I think it's regarded as the fasted method.
So I guess they can't ALL be pieces of shit.
This was my first attempt at Paper Patching.
>500rgn casted bullet
>dia of .458
>PP up to .472
Casted the bullets from wheel weights
Okay I think I'm set on the Lee Classic 4 Turret Press Kit with the 4 die sets .223 and .45.
Links.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008M5TSCG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_3&smid=A2B2TXVNKFJH7I
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HDL9P0K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A30DGGRQPDAP9Y
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N8OLCM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Anything I'm missing? Should I wait for a better deal? Is something I picked wrong?
>>28297262
they can work when you get it dialed in
I don't care for it to be honest.
the priming system is kinda weak
you can bend shit real easy if it gets caught turning
you have to be very cautious that you go the entire distance when throwing the lever to index everything properly
>>28297407
What caliber is that and what is the purpose of the paper?
>>28297635
577/450
The paper is to bring the bullet up to size and to reduce fouling.
>>28297188
Do you happen to have a schematic or blueprints for your stand?
>>28297555
check em
the dark blue is the priming station. the whole thing can get real fucked up if the primer seater hangs up and stops the station from turning. itll push the metal pole out of wack and bend the top black plastic support all to hell
it can happen fast with the built in leverage to turn multiple stations
cast iron powder throw thats probably older than i am. works great
>>28298043
I read that as 'iron powder thrower'
I was very confused
>>28298053
>pocket sand is for bitches
>>28298132
>steel pocket sand
I wanted to post this earlier but it wouldn't let me mostly to point out how awesome the castboolits forum is
I did a crl+f >>28292248 mentioned castboolits
But I feel the emphasis is lack . It's is (imo) THE place to go when it comes to this topic
Also I think we should do bullet PORN threads
The near thing about powder coat is that it allows for softer alloys or faster velocity's over a traditional lube job , and it's pretty too !
Also gonna plug ammo channel on YT , speaking of whom I'm hope he didn't get vanned for the machine gun build
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gYPdNAp9Q0
>>28300193
What's up with the painted bullets?
>>28300828
To look cool/lube the bullet/stop lead fouling from happening/make identification easy?
>>28292248
>Wheelweight lead can be scavenged from junk yards/pick-a-part places or purchased as scrap from some tire-change places (though this is getting harder and more expensive to do, the EPA's cracking down on how they dispose of it and steel/zinc wheel weights are getting very prevalent)
This.
I work at a car dealership and have watched over the last ten years as wheel weights have gone from all lead to mostly zinc and steel, maybe 10-20% lead these days where I'm at (Portland, Oregon area). If you're paying for this stuff, make sure you don't get taken.
>>28300193
Gonna second the plug for Castboolits, tons of awesome stuff there.
And thanks for the heads up on The Ammo Channel. I just watched the vid on rebushing Berdan cases for Boxer primers,
Wish I had kept all those Hungarian and Nazi 8x56r cases ages ago >:(
>>28296737
And yet I have 2 progressives and 2 turrets, as well as a mec loader, mounted to a 2.5'x6' workbench in my room....how /k/ is that?
anyone cast for 300blk?
>>28301619
pretty fucking /k/, bet you make regular donations to the kube
>>28301819
I'd like to cast for 300blk, I'm convinced 300+ grn bullets are possible at mag length for an AR. For a dedicated subsonic projectile, bigger is better. Why not go full retard and try for 325?
>>28302044
what kind of fps would that thing be going? casting would be the only way i could afford to shoot the heavy weight stuff
>>28302131
Well subsonic, so below 1058 fps at my elevation. I'd shoot for 950-1000 to compensate for changing atmospheric conditions, give me a bit of wiggle room.
I just want some ultra-hard hitting thumpers. Is that so hard to ask? Remember, subsonic 300 blk literally has the same KE as .40 or .45, depending on projectile mass. I want more than that.
excellent i dont have to start my own thread
I am looking at getting a pretty classic lever action/revolver combo in the same caliber. Probably some flavor of ruger, with some type of winchester 92 clone
Now originally I had my heart set on the 45 colt. Considering I will be reloading, the colt seems very versatile, people evidently load it in a whole rainbow of pressures
But I've been reading around--evidently the industry standard chamber for 45 colt is oversize, even in the higher quality models, and you end up working the brass a lot more than it should, and it shortens the life of the brass dramatically especially at higher pressures, and can even lead to safety issues
anyone who has loaded 45 colt, especially higher pressures, can weigh in on case life? The guy I was reading, John Linebaugh, was source for the above, but then again he also makes his living re-barreling, re-chambering 45 colt revolvers so of course he sells it pretty strong.
my other option I was thinking is to up the ante and just get everything in 454 casull. tighter tolerances in the chambers, higher pressure ratings, etc, just (much) more expensive and harder to find
>>28302607
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyFbNd7bBro
This is a great video for exactly what you're asking. Yes it's pretty long, but you can skip around in the process if you want, or just watch the intro to get the basic info you're looking for.
I really want to see a webm of someone firing a gun, picking up the brass, reloading it, chambering the round, then it loops back to firing the gun.
Also, can you reuse fired shotgun hulls and wads, or should you always use new stuff for shotguns?
>>28303340
You can reuse Hulls, though you'll need to re-crimp it much like brass. Pretty sure you can't re-use wads.
Random question: when drying lead, brass, etc. is there any reason not to use a hairdryer, just to dry the water? I imagine using a hairdryer to dry lube may cause some issues.
>>28303340
You can reuse hulls, but reusing wads isn't the greatest idea since the wad needs to form a seal with the hull and barrel and probably won't after its been fired.
I know this can vary a lot but what is the setup cost for being able to load your on .308 rounds (as an example)?
>>28303412
I've used a hairdryer to dry brass before. I probably wouldn't use one on lead indoors, just to be on the safe side.
>>28303425
$150 for single stage press
$30 for dies
$25 for powder
$15 for powder measure
$5 for caliper
$5 for loading block
$4/100 for primers
either
$25 for mold
$40 for melting pot
$1.25/lb for lead
or
$0.10-0.30 per boolit
roughly speaking
>>28303425
a really basic reloading press set will run you between $100-$200, scale will cost you $20 or so, gunpowder will be another $20-$30 for a pound, primers will be $30-$50 per thousand
depending on what you pick up, you can get the rounds themselves for about $1.40/round, brass is free or about $80 for 500
so all told, about a thousand dollars, but that's assuming you really have nothing and is also not counting some things like lube
>>28303475
ach, shit my number for each boolit is totally off
scrap that, closer to 800 or less even
really depends on where you can find deals and how much bulk you buy
>>28303475
>$1.40/round
Jesus christ
>>28303480
>>28303481
yeah, caught that mis-type right after I posted. think it was meant to be closer to .10-.40 per boolit
>>28303468
Thanks man. I was mainly asking because I didn't even know what was required (other than the materials that construct a bullet)
>>28303530
go for the Lee press and die kit, Lee products in general are great babby's first reloading equipment
>>28303475
Just because you mentioned it. I assume a scale is used to measure the amount of powder used. Wouldn't you have to buy a very accurate scale to know for definite how much your packing?
Sorry for all the questions, Ausfag with no experience here.
>>28303538
they sell reloading scales that measure in grains
yes, they are incredibly accurate, so much so that blowing on the scale will screw your readings.
They zero on whatever the pressure on the scale is when they're turned on, so you can zero them on a small bowl and measure each charge off that zero, or you can zero on each individual casing - that's only really necessary if you're going for incredibly specific accuracy charges.
Look up JiuJitsu2000 on youtube, he does very long videos where he walks through reloading X caliber from start to absolute finish. He's incredibly in depth, great for beginners. Since most steps are universal for whatever you're reloading, you can learn a lot very quickly.
Also, BUY A FORMULA BOOK. You cannot measure the proper length, charge grains, etc. by hand.
>>28303538
Ok, so a powder measure comes with a table of densities of powders, or at least my Lee did.
So you look up a proper charge for a given powder in a reloading manual, multiply the density by the charge, and set your powder measure accordingly.
Although a scale isn't strictly necessary, it is useful to verify the density of a powder and the accuracy of a powder measure.
>>28303554
oh, also, if you're reloading fired brass, you need either a drill trimmer or a lathe trimmer. either way works and they're both fairly cheap
Thanks everyone for your help. Once you get away from B 4chan is fucking awesome. I'm about to buy my first rifle in the next couple of months and plan on making my own ammo
>>28303538
Such a stupid question in hindsight as I was thinking that accurate scales had to be really big (like ones grocery stores use). And I had those prices stuck in my head from when I wanted to purchase one for a home based business.
>>28303631
what are you planning to buy? .223 is really good for reloading
>>28303640
No, mechanical scales are more similar to scales you may have used in a science class in highschool. digital scales are the size of calculators
>>28303631
>B
What the fuck is B?
>>28303650
>mfw old 4chan memes
>>28303647
I will probably end up with a 223. or even .22 rifle because of $. Im really interested in long range hunting and target and those really don't cut it. I dream of 338 LM. If things work out I'll get something in .30 that can hit hard at 1200 yards.
I'd love to get into competitions, I'm still just researching as much as I can.
>>28303670
don't feel bad about starting at .223, it's a great mid-range caliber for reloading and learning rifle marksmanship
>>28303678
Your probably right. Though I've had enough hobbies and been through enough of the "start with this first and then move onto the better thing" process that I'm a little over having to go through the first few steps. I have this feeling I'll probably get questioned when I apply for my license why I would want a "large" calibre for my first rifle, because straya.
I will feel bad about anyone with a longer range rifle near me and will have penis envy.
In saying that its what I'll end up with haha.
>>28303698
I'd recommend a lever action so you can have your handgun and rifle cartridges reloaded all at once, but I forgot they banned them ebuhl salt highcapacity babymurderers over there in Straya
>>28303716
I think you can have them because I just had a look and there are a few for sale second hand online. But for the license Im able to get now bolt action only. Im going second hand which I know can be silly. Almost every sale sais "only a handful of rounds fired, near new".
![565099[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/PEXxvLY.jpg "565099[1].jpg")
I hate my shitty setup of using a clamp to hold my power drill and rubber bands to control the speed of my case prep tools.
It's at the point where I'm considering getting one of the prep centers.. but holy shit all these 8-32 thread slots and no 1/4 hex bit holder or mini keyless chuck?
Reviews for the Frankford Arsenal Case Prep Center with case trimmer say it didn't last long.
The RCBS power case trimmer prep center was about $400.
At this point buying a mini drill press would be cheaper and it would take all my existing tools.
And fuck those unpowered lathe trimmers. Fuck them to hell.
>>28303918
why do you need a clamp and rubber bands to run a drill case trimmer?
>>28303468
$ 4/100 primers
whatcha loading there pal ?
>>28303926
Because one hand is feeding the cases into the machine and the other hand has the case gauge/calipers for the spot checks.
>>28304013
nigger just slow down and hold the drill like a normal human and do spot checks with both hands
you don't need to be rushing or "multitasking" when reloading
>>28304030
I agree when it comes to the priming and the powder phases.
But after dealing with other shit that just gave the worst hand cramps and took forever I want the case trimming step to be as literally painless as possible and not take up hours of my weekend.
>>28303530
Don't get press kits. Especially Lee ones, you will want to replace at least a quarter of it with something better within a year. I bought a Lee starter kit and the only thing I still use is the little powder scoop, the champher and burr too and the primer pocket cleaner.
Instead spend a hours researching a list of the basic things you need and then research what's the best make or kind of item for you. Buy once.
A weekend spent researching will save you time, money, give you better equipment and you won't feel buyer's remorse when you buy a set and find out that your Lee scales take 15 years to stabalise.
>>28296769
You seem knowledgeable in black powder, I have a .45 Tompson Center Seneca. What size grain of grain do you reccomend? Starting loads? Favorite brand of black powder or substitute?
>>28304208
I should specify, I'm using this for hunting, most likely with round ball, or a sabot if the twist will stabilize it. I will definitely be using patch and ball for targets
>>28303918
Case prep is the only part of reloading I hate.
>>28302299
.458 SOCOM
>>28304116
Have you tried just not reloading for hours on hours at a time? Giving yourself carpal tunnel isn't good man.
If you really feel you don't want to lower the amount you produce then go ahead and grab whatever case prep stuff you like, it all just seems a bit excessive to me
>>28304274
.50 Beowolf would also fit the bill.
How good is .38spc for reloading? Looking to get a babbus first revolver and a police trade-in .38 is looking more and more attractive.
>>28306470
Pretty cheap and as long as you use light loads you can use the case near indefinitly.
>>28306470
>>28306677
Is .357 like the ultimate for handloading revolvers?
Or should I get something like a Taurus Raging Judge to have everything from .454 cassul to .410 to .45 LC to .45 ACP?
Just as something to play around with making different hand loads.
>>28292485
>Sources of lead
When lead prices are up, a range may call a "miner" to harvest used shot. So don't count on them letting you in.
Auto salvage yards. Pull wheel weights off of junk cars. Bring a pail or a sack, a hammer, screwdriver and pliers.
>hey junkyard dawg, can i fill this little pail with wheel weights for a couple dollars?
Two hours will give you more than you can carry.
>>28303340
Shotshell reloader here.
Shell can be reused as long s primer pocket is tight and crimp keeps shot in. Winchester and Remington STS up to 12x from a double gun or pump Gas autos can scorch the plastic, limiting to 3-5x.
Dont even consider reusing wads. They are designed to act as a cushion, and need o be considered sacrificial, ast hey become scorched, torn, deformed, and useless. Like trying to reusing a 9mm slug you dug out of a sandpile.
>>28303481
Dont factor in the cost of dies and press and tools. Just calculate the component cost.
Brass 0.40รท10 times =0.04
Primer =0.04
Powder=0.06
Boolit=0.15
0.30 cents per kaboom
>tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies
>>28303650
>dafuq is /b/?
You do NOT want to know (giggle)
>>28307210
probably an old timer just browsing /k/
What is a good introductory twxt regarding metallic reloading tools, procedures and methods? Years of shotshell experience, want to start large pistol.
>>28306719
>Taurus
Fuck no
.357 is probably the best magnum round for reloading, since it's sizeable and easy to work with, has good pressure tolerances, and can fit revolvers and leverguns both. Also there are some shotgun adapters if you want to fuck around with that.
.44 is good but you're really dealing with a heavyweight there and by that value, you're gonna get less adaptability
>>28307241
Youtube
JiuJitsu2000, FortuneCookie45, Hick Cock and Fat Man 88888888888 have pretty good reloading videos. Once you know how to reload one caliber you just about know them all.
>>28309286
>candy for bad kids
>>28293319
You done good. Get a couple of reloading manuals, from different manufacturers.
