Good day folks. Just got back from physiotherapy, and to my disgust, my therapist will recommend to my MD (whom I shall see tomorrow) that I don't go back to work for another three weeks, at least! That is extremely frustrating, to say the least and to stay polite.
That being said, I will apparently have some time on my hands, and the same physiotherapist recommended Lego to rebuild my concentration. I am not strong on stealing toys from my heir, so I asked if reloading would do the trick... And he agreed it would be just as good!
Now, here is what I already have on hand:
-A bolt action .223/5.56 caliber rifle in a 1:8 twist with a 22" barrel (it was born a Ruger predator, but the stock has been upgraded to a Boyds At-One and bedded by a real gunsmith, not me)
-Lee loader kit for .223, never used
-Plenty of uncleaned brass (447 and counting) from inexpensive ammo (Aguila) fired in the said rifle
If I understand the basics correctly, I am missing:
-Bullets. I think about buying Sierra 69 grains TMK. The range where I shoot offers 50, 100 and 200 yards. Other suggestions are welcomed.
-Powder. I first thought about Varget because it seems to be versatile enough to be the only powder I ever buy. I guess I could buy more than on powder if needed, but I like to keep it simple whenever possible. Some .30-06 reloading is quite foreseeable, some .243 reloading might also come in a much more distant future. Other suggestions are welcomed (for powder, not calibers, I have enough trouble like that with my heir's mother).
-Primers. I am thinking CCI Benchrest (CCI Primer BR4 Small rifle B.R.). Other suggestions are welcomed.
-According to Lee's instructions, a plastic mallet. I have read about a rubber mallet elsewhere. I am confused. Please advise me and be specific, i.e. : you need this mallet exactly, with web reference or picture if possible, and, if you feel like it, say why! Don't laugh, I have no clue what I am doing. I might as well buy the right thing first.
I will also need, in order to experiment loads, and most likely buy with the bullets and powder:
-Scale. Was thinking about a Lee scale Safety 1/20 accuracy. The absence of batteries is seen as a strong selling point on my part. The manufacturer says it is resistant to wear, which seems a good quality, but I fail to see why they would say otherwise. Other suggestions are welcomed.
Further down the road, I would probably (not so sure, don't really understand why, but hey, Christmas is coming) need a reloading manual of some sort (paper or web?); now, keeping in mind I will first reload only for the .223 and see if I like the result, and that I might be tempted to treat the .30-06 the same way in a relatively near future (volume does not justify it by any means for the .30-06 now, but what if I was to simply enjoy reloading?), your suggestions are most welcomed in that regard. You may also consider I do not need a manual. Please say so if it is the case.
I might even get to the point where I will refuse to bring dirty looking brass with me at the range because I will have grown snobbish. I have seen a few cleaning devices on the Internet, such as ultrasound boxes and another one where I would have to turn the wheel manually. I don't think I will want to turn the wheel. Suggestions/explanations are welcomed. Does shiny clean brass add anything to the quality of the ammunition? Seriously?
A few questions now:
-Is it really necessary to clean the brass (remove burnt powder residue inside) before I reload it? If it is, please advise on how to proceed. Tutorials are welcomed if you judge them appropriate.
-Is it necessary to trim the brass to exact length? If so, which tool should I buy? Think affordable quality here as well as anywhere else.
Thank you in advance. Please feel free to mention anything I would have forgotten. Remember, English is my second language and I am currently disabled due to a brain injury!
That being said, I will apparently have some time on my hands, and the same physiotherapist recommended Lego to rebuild my concentration. I am not strong on stealing toys from my heir, so I asked if reloading would do the trick... And he agreed it would be just as good!
Now, here is what I already have on hand:
-A bolt action .223/5.56 caliber rifle in a 1:8 twist with a 22" barrel (it was born a Ruger predator, but the stock has been upgraded to a Boyds At-One and bedded by a real gunsmith, not me)
-Lee loader kit for .223, never used
-Plenty of uncleaned brass (447 and counting) from inexpensive ammo (Aguila) fired in the said rifle
If I understand the basics correctly, I am missing:
-Bullets. I think about buying Sierra 69 grains TMK. The range where I shoot offers 50, 100 and 200 yards. Other suggestions are welcomed.
-Powder. I first thought about Varget because it seems to be versatile enough to be the only powder I ever buy. I guess I could buy more than on powder if needed, but I like to keep it simple whenever possible. Some .30-06 reloading is quite foreseeable, some .243 reloading might also come in a much more distant future. Other suggestions are welcomed (for powder, not calibers, I have enough trouble like that with my heir's mother).
-Primers. I am thinking CCI Benchrest (CCI Primer BR4 Small rifle B.R.). Other suggestions are welcomed.
-According to Lee's instructions, a plastic mallet. I have read about a rubber mallet elsewhere. I am confused. Please advise me and be specific, i.e. : you need this mallet exactly, with web reference or picture if possible, and, if you feel like it, say why! Don't laugh, I have no clue what I am doing. I might as well buy the right thing first.
I will also need, in order to experiment loads, and most likely buy with the bullets and powder:
-Scale. Was thinking about a Lee scale Safety 1/20 accuracy. The absence of batteries is seen as a strong selling point on my part. The manufacturer says it is resistant to wear, which seems a good quality, but I fail to see why they would say otherwise. Other suggestions are welcomed.
Further down the road, I would probably (not so sure, don't really understand why, but hey, Christmas is coming) need a reloading manual of some sort (paper or web?); now, keeping in mind I will first reload only for the .223 and see if I like the result, and that I might be tempted to treat the .30-06 the same way in a relatively near future (volume does not justify it by any means for the .30-06 now, but what if I was to simply enjoy reloading?), your suggestions are most welcomed in that regard. You may also consider I do not need a manual. Please say so if it is the case.
I might even get to the point where I will refuse to bring dirty looking brass with me at the range because I will have grown snobbish. I have seen a few cleaning devices on the Internet, such as ultrasound boxes and another one where I would have to turn the wheel manually. I don't think I will want to turn the wheel. Suggestions/explanations are welcomed. Does shiny clean brass add anything to the quality of the ammunition? Seriously?
A few questions now:
-Is it really necessary to clean the brass (remove burnt powder residue inside) before I reload it? If it is, please advise on how to proceed. Tutorials are welcomed if you judge them appropriate.
-Is it necessary to trim the brass to exact length? If so, which tool should I buy? Think affordable quality here as well as anywhere else.
Thank you in advance. Please feel free to mention anything I would have forgotten. Remember, English is my second language and I am currently disabled due to a brain injury!