New to reloading !! NEED some ADVICE!!!

[Countryguy1982]

First off , let me say to anyone who responds to this, THANK YOU!!! I am new to reloading. NEVER reloaded a single bullet. and Everything that i am reading is like trying to read stuff in a foreign language!! Get some people saying its not rocket science and others have things down to a mathematical art. To be honest its kind of intimidating and getting overloaded. lol Kinda frying my brain! Sounds like you can spend $200 or $20,000 depending on what you want i guess

I just bought a hornady Lock N Load reloading kit off a gentleman of the internet at a steal . Brand new , nothing was even taken out of the box. said he bought it and lost interest. ( 1) What do i need to reload for my .243 .35 whelen and 450 bushmaster ( other than what i got in the kit) Most of my brass will be spent from Factory loads me and a buddy have already shot: ( if that makes a difference)

The kit comes with:Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press, Lock-N-Load Powder Measure, Digital Scale, Handbook of Cartridge Reloading - 7th Edition, 3 Lock-N-Load Bushings, Primer Catcher, Positive Priming System (Small and Large Primer Cups Included, Handheld Priming Tool, Universal Reloading Block, Chamfering and Deburring Tool, Powder Funnel and Trickler, 5.5 oz can of One Shot Aerosol Case Lube


( 2) I am sure this is for the advanced reloader. But i have been reading that people can somehow resize a bullet from .458 bullet down to fit the 450 bushmaster? So what i am getting from reading is that not all 45 cal bullets will fit the bushmaster or work with it? I like heavier bullets and i am still very new to the 450 and the factory hornady loads are killing hogs for me , but they are blowing apart real bad so i would like to be able to step up to a heavier bullet for penetration etc and the .458 bullets seem to got a better selection to my personal needs.

Again thanks to any and all who respond to this. and please talk to me like you would a 3 year old kid lol

 

[AFK]

While I am not familiar at all with the caliber you intend to reload, definitely add a set of calipers to your work bench and obviously dies for your caliber of choice. I am a huge Hornady fan so I will suggest their dies as well. One thing to do is have a full understanding of what reloading entails before you start throwing components together. I have learned quite a bit on this site and others, it all depends on how "scientific" you want to get. For me, when working up a load, I test them at the range and go for what feels good in the recoil department as well as being very accurate from a bench rest. I also pay attention to how dirty it is. Once I find the sweet spot, that's it. I don't chrono the loads or get super analytical with them. As long as I know they are within the safe range, I'm good. It is all personal preference though. A couple of the local clubs by me also have reloading classes, that might be something to check in to as well. I believe chosing a single stage press to get started is also the right movel. Keep it simple and less likely to make a mistake. Even if you graduate to a progressive, don't make the same mistake I did and sell the single stage, you will always find a use for it. I'm sure others will respnd as well with soem good advice. Welcome to the world of reloading. Be careful though, soon you will want to "upgrade", then you will start picking up brass for calibers you don't own, then you have to buy guns in those calibers, before you know it, half the basement is full of reloading gear, safes, and other things you "need."

 

[Fleet]

Well, the first thing you're going to need is a set of dies for each caliber that you intend to load. In most cases, a set of dies will only do one specific cartridge (as in all things, there are exceptions, but they don't apply to what you listed). I'm not familiar with how a LNL caliber change happens, but you'll need whatever is required to do that, in addition to the dies. The second thing I'd do if it were me starting all over...READ the book you have. Get a second book from another manufacturer, and do the same thing. The information in the front will go a long way to starting your education. Read it twice - and for the next week or so, ignore the load data until you've digested the front information. Come here, ask LOTS of questions - none of them are dumb, we all started somewhere.

If you have a buddy that can show you the ropes, so much the better. Some of the stuff most people do in reloading is NOT intuitive.

 

[Old Grumpy]

Sounds like you have the majority of items you need.

You got a press. Have you got dies? I prefer full length (FL) resizing dies. If the cases have all been shot in one weapon and will be fired only in that weapon you can get by with neck sizing in place of full length resizing. Bottleneck cases use a two die set while if you have a straight wall case you'll need a three die set. You will need caliber specific shell holders for each round. Many shell holders cover several calibers if they have the same base dimentions. Powder measure and scale (I believe you have that covered). Loading blocks are helpful and fairly cheap. They will allow you to charge your cases and then check them easier than it is to try to do it one by one.

You should get a set of calipers (dial or digital) if you don't all ready have them. Always handy for checking OAL.

As far as bullets go if you are using a jacketed or plated bullets forget trying to resize it. If you're shooting lead (cast) then you will need a bullet sizer die and maybe a lube die. You'll find it easier (if not cheaper) to buy the correct size bullets to start off with. Check the net for suppliers, I'm sure someone makes what you're looking for.

Read your book and ask a lot of questions. When you resize your cases be sure to lube them (stuck cases are a REAL PAIN). Have you cleaned (tumbled) your brass. If not you may want to pick up an inexpensive tumbler (or better yet find a friend that will let you bring you cases over and use his tumbler).

The biggest trick to starting off right is to go slow. Load a few (maybe 10 to 20) following the guide (middle of the road not maximum) and try them out. It's always easier to correct a mistake in 10 rounds than it is 200 rounds. Speaking of mistakes, a bullet puller will come in handy. The "hammer" type works for me and they are the cheapest (great combination).

Above all don't assume. Don't exceed maximum charges or minimum OAL lengths. If you pull the trigger and it goes Pisssst or Pop, stop everything until you check for a squib. Run a cleaning rod through the bore. If it hits something visit your local gunsmith.

 

[Mike 27]

I am not familiar with the 450, but you have a nice single stage press. You will need dies and shell holders for each caliber, a set of calipers (I like digital for reloading). Read the general section of the book, and I recommend the 2nd book and read the general section on it as well and it may explain things differently and you can put some more of it together. The basics are not that difficult just take it step by step. Read the books for all of your equipment, that may clear some things up as well.

 

[irondavy]

Over this last year I lucked into a bunch of reloading equip and like you ended up with a reloading bench full of stuff before I had a clue about what I was doing.

Like others have said get a bunch of books and read them. I would recommend The ABC's of Reloading By C. Rodney James 9th edition. There is no loading info in the book but he starts out at the most basic level and works up. All the pics are in black and white, some of the illustrations are hand drawn, and some of the technical info is outdated seeming, BUT all the safety stuff is still good and I thought the chapters explaining what actually happens when you pull the trigger were very informative.

Also if you live in or around a bigish city use Craigslist. you can find great deals on reloading stuff if you are patient. As an added bonus most of the people you are buying reloading stuff from are reloaders and would be happy to talk shop. A couple guys i have met are happy to answer questions or have me over again to show me something that wasn't explained well in a book or on the net.

Hope this helps
ID

PS we should start a reloading mentor sticky for this area of THR much like the hunting mentors thread.

 

[Hondo 60]

Well, the first thing you're going to need is a set of dies

Nope, sorry but I disagree!

The first thing you need is 2 or 3 reloading manuals
Read them cover to cover twice.
Then the questions you have will be much more specific.
Lyman's 49th Reloading Manual & the ABCs of Reloading (any edition) are two that are favorites of a good many reloaders.

Modern Reloading by Richard Lee, while hawking his products, has a lot of good info too.
Just ignore the Lee hyperbole. He likes to think that his products are best ever.
(and everyone else's are junk or overkill)

Then come the dies, powder, primers, bullets, etc.

This may be harsh, but, anybody who tries to reload without a manual just doesn't have much sense.
Those are the people who blow up guns, or shoot themselves or others near by.

 

[sig220mw]

Hondo and iron said it. Read read read. If you are really interested in doing this it probably won't be much of a problem for you. It wasn't for me I read everything I saw in every gun mag I saw and at the time I started reloading I had subscriptions for 3. I now get "Handloader" magazine and am about to renew my subscription for "Rifle" magazine. "Handloader" has plenty of info in every issue. The only problem I have with it is that it is a bi-monthly. It is hard to wait the extra 30 days.

Some people claim they don't need manuals now because of the internet. The internet is a very good source of information there's no doubt. But on the other hand those manuals don't have servers that go down or computers that go down. The manuals just sit there on the shelf always available. Get yourself 2 or 3. If you have a friend that reloads or knows someone else that does it wouldn't hurt to get some assistance from them in setting your self up. Watching them do it a little will go a long ways in pointing you in the right direction. I am assuming of course that they are careful about what they are doing. If you can't afford to get the manuals right away just be sure to get at least one to start with. You can always get more later.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[zxcvbob]

You need some manuals. At least get the Lyman's 48 or 49 book.

Don't mess with sizing-down .45-70 rifle bullets, they are too heavy anyway. You should be able to use 250-ish grain pistol bullets designed for the .454 Casull or .460 S&W, although I'm not sure about the nose shape (I don't load .450 Bushmaster nor anything like it.) 4227 powder might be a good one for full-power loads, and it's bulky enough you are unlikely to blow yourself up.

Do you know any reloaders who can show you how to do it? The NRA teaches reloading classes...

 

[Josh45]

Get manuals like stated. Lyman 49th is a good one. Get 2-3 if you can, Then ask questions if your confused. We all had to start some where and there will be questions down the road.

Then get some dies for your calibers. The brass you have is fine. Get a die set with a Full Length Resizer in case you get range pick ups or buy brass from else where. Most of the time brass that has been shot in your gun would only need to be Neck Sized in which you would need a die like the Lee Collet dies ( I think its what its called? )

Your second die that comes with the FL die is your Bullet seating and Crimping die as well. You have to adjust them to do it correctly. If you don't you can crush some cases.

Get a caliper, Your going to need it. Also a bullet puller. In case you make mistakes and don't think you won't. Even the most experienced reloader makes mistakes and has to fix them. That is where the bullet puller comes into place.

Oh and don't forget the lube for FL sizing of your brass unless you want a stuck case in your die which I assure you, YOU DO NOT.

Then after you got an idea of what's going on, Your going to need to get bullets, primers and powder.

As for your second question, I'm not 100% sure but when reloading.....I have to say many things are possible. For now, Stick to the basics until you get your feet wet and buy what is already available for your firearms.

 

[twofifty]

stuff for countryguy1982

Good deal on a nice kit! And welcome to a great hobby.

Here are some things & insights to pay attention to (in no particular order):

- A brass case is a thin malleable vessel that when safely reloaded -and supported by a matching chamber/bolt- will seal off and withstand peak pressures of many tens of thousands of pounds/sq.in. of hot gases. Your face and hands will be inches away from those gases; other shooters may be a few feet away.

- Realize that there are plinking loads, hunting loads, benchrest loads, long range loads: not every load needs hours of primer pocket uniforming, flash-hole deburring and neck turning.

- Decide what you want a particular load to do for you. If it's for hunting, do you absolutely need to test 10 different bullets with 20 different powders to get a benchrest group or is 3" at 200yds enough?
- Components are expensive, barrels wear out, but shooting is fun.
- Return unused components to their factory packaging.
- Keep your reloads in well marked ammo cases or boxes, identifying the load's components and main specifications.

- Work up from the manual's start load until you find the accuracy that suits your purpose.
- Learn about pressure signs (bit of a black art).
- Do not exceed max loads or shoot overpressure loads (see manual).
- Chronoing load velocity is helpful to understanding what's going on.
- Seating a bullet too long can lead to pressure misadventures, so can seating that same bullet too short.

- Make sure that you are using the components listed in your manual's recipe.
- There is a tiny bit of leeway on primers and brass brands, something which you will learn to work with after awhile.
- Until you understand internal ballistics stick with the exact bullet listed in the manual's load recipe.
- Watch that you don't jump to unproven conclusions: e.g. you might think that a heavier bullet needs more powder yet the opposite is true.

- SAAMI: look and understand what the SAAMI specs are for each caliber you reload.
- Each rifle chamber, leade, and headspace (i.e. the space that supports the case) are made to SAAMI specs and therefore present a unique set of circumstances that your reloads must be suited to.
- Figure out what headspace is and how it can affect your safety, the accuracy of your loads, and the longevity of your brass.

- Components are factory packaged in lot numbers that relate to production runs. This means that statistically they are supposed to fall within a certain +/- distribution. They may look identical but they are not.
- Components of the same lot number will vary slightly in size, weight, volume or propulsive quality.
- Components from the same lot number will be very consistent (+/- a thou or grain or two) in their critical dimensions, and somewhat less consistent in their less critical dimensions.

- Your own reloads will consequently vary by +/-. They can not realistically be made to be identical in every respect.
- Figuring out which dimensions are less critical and which are of no consequence requires that you pay attention and think things through.
- Figuring out that its ok not to fret the small stuff -whatever that is- takes a guy who knows the purpose of a given batch of ammo.
- If you measure cases at various stages of the reload and shooting process, you will notice that their dimensions will vary back and forth at different steps.

- Don't mix components - label things - stay organized - keep notes.
- Don't rush or allow yourself to be distracted - keep a clean tidy bench.
- Don't take foolish shortcuts.
- Don't assume the critical things, test for them.

- Inspect your brass and pay attention to its condition, for it will lengthen and work harden a bit more each time it is fired and resized.
- After awhile, brass is not safe to reload and must be discarded.
- Cracks, or bulges, or loose primer pockets or necks that will not hold a primer/bullet are signs that case has reached its useful safe life.
- Brass must be trimmed periodically so that it does not exceed the length of your chamber - too long a case can lead to an accident.
- If you're unsure, stop and review your notes and what you've done, check and measure, re-read pertinent section of manual.
- Don't be afraid to use the bullet puller if you think you made a mistake.

- Don't use magnum primers if standard are called for, or vice versa.
- Different primer brands produce different ignition and pressure profiles.
- Different brands of same-caliber cases have different internal volumes - this affects pressure and accuracy.

- When firing your reloads, make sure that you are using the rifle you designed that load for. For example, a .308 load good in one rifle may be unsafe or less accurate in another .308. This is another reason not to fire other's reloads in your rifle, or to let others shoot your loads in their rifle. This is not a mix 'n' match hobby.
- Always pay attention. If something 'funny' or unexpected happens when firing a load, think things through before opening the action. Know what a squib sounds and feels like.

- Have fun.
- Please let us know what you notice on your journey.

 

[BeerSleeper]

Read the manual that came with your kit. It is a great manual. I have it, and Lyman's 49th, and recommend them both.

The internet in general, and this forum in specific are also good sources of information, but the manual is a better source for information in general, and the big picture. The forum is a good place to discuss what you are doing, others will follow along, answering questions, offering suggestions, and pointing out errors (usually politely), but you need the general knowledge from the book to know what specific questions to ask/search on the forums.

 

[cfullgraf]

Read the Sticky at the top of the Reloading Forum titled "For the New Reloader".

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=238214

Good basic information to read while you are waiting for your other books.

Besides Lyman #49, "The ABCs of Reloading" has good information. The Hornady manual, as well as most of the hard cover manuals, have "How to" sections in the books.

The manuals also provide loading data.

While the powder and bullet manufacturers web sites have good information, and I use them, I find there is no replacement for having a hard copy on the reloading bench.

Enjoy your new hobby.

 

[Countryguy1982]

Everyone THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE!!! Also Just found out the wonderful world of youtube.com has tons of reloading videos for beginners! for anyone else who is a beginner , you may want to check it out. Some great info and help on the high road and you tube.

 

[zxcvbob]

Some of the youtube videos are doing it all wrong. So just be careful with that

 

[rcmodel]

people can somehow resize a bullet from .458 bullet down to fit the 450 bushmaster?

Cast lead bullets, maybe.

But it wouldn't be prudent to do it with jacketed bullets.

The .450 Bushmaster is designed to work with .452" 250 grain bullets.

Heavier bullets will take up much needed powder room, or seateted longer, be to long to fit in a magazine.

Look at Magnum class .452" bullets designed for the .454 Casull, or .460 Ruger.
They will not blow apart I betcha!

rc

 

[gamestalker]

You'll also need a case trimming set up of some kind. I use the Lee case length guage for each specific cartridge. It's very inexpensive and yet gets the job done quite well, especially if you use your hand drill to power it.
So far as reloading for your Bush Master, I don't know anythng about that cartridge. Just use the commercially available bullet that is intended for that caliber, and you'll be just fine. Don't complicate the process by trying to resize bullets to function for that application, keep things standardized and as simplistic as possible.
Have fun, you'll probably get addicted in no time!
Welcome to THR from GS

 

[MEHavey]

RCModel gave the best counsel -- the 450 BushMaster takes a .451-.452 bullet, of which Sierra & Hornady alone have more than 2 dozen ranging from 185gr to 300gr XTP stompers.

But if you just have to shoot lead, don't mess with casting/lubri-sizing anything to start. Go here:

http://www.reloadammo.com/relbul3.htm

And look at Montana Bullet Works among others