Reloading Steps before using primers and powders

[gfanikf]

I was wondering, say I have my once shot brass and I want to start the basic parts of reloading, but due to powder/primer storage issues that I need to work out, I won't be going full steam on reloading. Can I still start getting the basic gear and going up to a certain step that, when I have the storage issue solved, I can just load powder and go from there. I'm thinking of getting one of those Lee Classic Kits, since if reloading doesn't take off, it's only 25 bucks out of pocket.

First thing is I'm ordering a reloading manual. I already have the ABCs Book, but I know I need a proper reloading manual. I just have no clue which to get first. Just wanted to know how far I can go after that.

 

[blarby]

If you have a press, you can at least de-cap. If you don't want caliber specific dies, you can get a lee universal decapping die for $10 which works on everything except 50bmg and a few other really big calibers.

If you wanted to uniform your primer pockets ( if you even want to do that step) you could do it after decapping.

Then, if you had a tumbler, you could tumble them clean.

Then just store them for the magical day you start reloading !

If you really want, you can get this :

http://leeprecision.com/50th-anniversary-breech-lock-challenger-kit.html

for about $150 or less just about anywhere.

Has really everything you "need" except a tumbler.

Even comes with your first die set.

 

[BossHogg]

I was thinking like you not knowing if this would be for me. I decided to go with a single stage and really glad I did. I really enjoy the hobby and it is nice being able to match bullets and powders to what I want to shoot.

I resize and deprime all my brass and then prime them and put them away till I'm ready to reload. Then all I have to do is is add powder and the bullet.

Come on in the waters fine, reloading is fun and relaxing.

 

[SlowFuse]

I've knocked 30-06 primers out of once fired stuff with a socket and a small punch/hammer. Then cleaned the primer pocket up a little with a phillips head screwdriver. I was bored... Took about an hour to do about 50 cases. I wouldn't recommend it, but if you get creative there's a few steps you could go ahead and do.

 

[cfullgraf]

I resize and deprime all my brass and then prime them and put them away till I'm ready to reload. Then all I have to do is is add powder and the bullet.

Come on in the waters fine, reloading is fun and relaxing.

I have been reloading for 30 plus years and this is exactly what I do, even with a progressive.

I would rather get the dirty work out of the way and store the "ready-to-load" brass away for a future loading session. I resize and clean cases shortly after shooting. Small batches go quickly.

I enjoy reloading this way but it is not the only process that works. The basic reloading steps are the same, but everyone adjusts their process to their liking.

 

[gamestalker]

Slow Fuse, using a punch to deprime is certainly innovative, it's probably not the best method for depriming, and even more so for a green horn. If that punch travels to far, which is very likely since there is no way to incorporate a stop into the process, it could easily over size the flash hole, or deform it.

 

[PCCUSNRET]

Lee makes a decapper and base set for 22 and 30 caliber brass. I used these when I first started reloading to prep brass. Just be careful not to use them on Berdan primed brass . They are supposed to be unbreakable, but just me they will break if you try to decap Berdan primed brass with one. I now use the Lee Universal Decapper and it is great. Same goes for not using it for decapping Berdan brass. :banghead:

 

[mdi]

Lee Loaders are great. I started with one in '69 and still use them occationally when I feel "retro". You could deprime, size, and clean your brass and wait for the rest of yer supplies. Get the primers first and prime the cases. (I like to keep a couple hundred "primed and ready" cases handy so when I get a load idea, or run low I can put together some ammo quickly). When you get yer powder and bullets you're ready to load (I'd suggest you start with a tried and true bullet/load and get used to reloading).

 

[rcmodel]

say I have my once shot brass and I want to start the basic parts of reloading,

What caliber?
If it's any handgun you can resize & deprime, expand & flair, clean pockets, and tumble polish.

If its bottle-neck rifle, best wait for the dies so you can adjust the sizing die for proper headspace in your rifle.

but due to powder/primer storage issues

What issues?
Buy a GI surplus .50 cal ammo can to put it in and store away.

Storing powder & primers inside your home is by far more risk free & safer then storing a can of lawn-mower gas or a propane grill tank in the garage.

rc

 

[gfanikf]

What issues?
Buy a GI surplus .50 cal ammo can to put it in and store away.

Storing powder & primers inside your home is by far more risk free & safer then storing a can of lawn-mower gas or a propane grill tank in the garage.

I live in a one floor rented condo with my wife, but also my young child and (perhaps more importantly) very agile cat. I do have an attached storage closet outside (though the door lock needs to be fixed), but it is not climate controlled or insulated (though no rain issues), but weather in PA ranges from the 10s to 90s, so I'm not sure if there is a danger presented to storing them there. I know primers and powders need to be stored separately, so even if it works for one, I still need to put it somewhere else.

Heck, I still need to find an area to work. Though personally a small small table in the storage unit and a chair might be enough, but then there are ventilation issues, I can't shut the door so random people walking by and ,possibly see my reloading, being able to focus. Though in the living room there is an area for a small table (but no way my wife lets me do it when she's in the room, baby, or the cat...which I can't disagree with). I guess I could always ask someone else to store it (let them use some of it). I'll try and take some pics of the outdoor closet when I get home to give people a better idea.

This would all be a non-issue if we had a house with a basement or garage!

 

[ARIZONA ROSE]

Hi All, I am new to reloading and am wondering about discoloration marks on the casings. Does this constitute a weakness in the casing or does brass sometimes get discolored or won't clean completely in the tumbler? We have used walnut mix for cleaning plus a polishing compound recommended by one of our local dealers that carries many reload products. Thank you for the input.

 

[loose noose]

Arizona Rose, absolutely not! You can sometimes get the discoloration to disappear by using Brasso or other brass polish to clean the case. The main thing you want to be aware of, is if the mouth of the case is split. I wouldn't be overly concerned with stains on the brass.

 

[gfanikf]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm only planning to do 223/556 now. By and large the brass is all PPU M193.

One thing that has me concerned is I read in another thread that with Lee Classic loader than primers detonating is a normal experience. I know if one went off in my house that would be the end of reloading for me, even if it's only a noise.

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[FROGO207]

Buy one of those inexpensive Lee hand primers and shell holders for it. Then you will not need to hammer the primers in. Better yet get the Lee kit and it comes with those, a press, dies, and all the other trimmings you need. The best part is a scale and powder measure so you can get an exact load not a "safe close load" with some propellants only, that you will get with the provided dipper in the Lee Loader. Then to change calibers with the press kit all you need to do is get a die set.

 

[rcmodel]

Lee Classic loader than primers detonating is a normal experience

Yes, it is.
You pound primers in with a hmmmer and they go off sometimes.
That's what primers are supposed to do!

1. Buy a press & dies.
2. Buy a hand priming tool.
I prefer the RCBS tool.
3. Don't use Federal primers.

No more problems.

rc

 

[gfanikf]

I think I'll be skipping the classic loader!

 

[BYJO4]

Get a good, solid single stage press. It will cost a little more but if you decide reloading is not for you, you can sell it with only a small loss. Also use a powder measure with a scale to verify your charge as opposed to dippers. A case cleaner is a must in my opinion. A caliper is also necessary along with a case trimmer if doing rifle cases. There are numerous small items needed for reloading besides the press and dies. If it was me, I would not start until I was able to buy the basic equipment.

 

[medalguy]

Look on places like eBay for used equipment. I just checked there for "reloading press" and found several currently in the $30 - $40 range. Nothing wrong with a decent used single stage press unless you're wanting to load a thousand rounds a week or so. You can get a good used press and do everything up to priming the cases on that press, then just store them in plastic bags until ready to load them.

I'd suggest an RCBS bench mounted automatic priming tool rather then the press-mounted priming arm, but that's just my preference.

 

[dragon813gt]

With rifle I would tumble and trim and that's it. I deprime/size/prime all in one step on a Lee turret press. If you don't know what tools you will eventually have then you could be wasting a lot of time by doing unnecessary steps now. I know a lot of people deprime, clean and then prime by hand. But that wastes a lot of time.

I'm also assuming that the brass you have is military. That means you'll need a tool to swage the primer pocket to remove the primer crimp. So depriming would be a needed, not wasted, step.


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[CHALK22]

You can probably get a good LEE starter kit for less than you think. That is how I started out, when I wanted to "dabble" and now, I am a long way past that.......

You load more, then you shoot more, then you load more, then you shoot more, what a vicious circle......

 

[James2]

Buy a reloading manual. Read!

I would not try working brass until you get a press and dies. No point in it.

 

[cfullgraf]

gfanikf,

For condo living, you can assemble a portable reloading set up that can be stored in a closet when not in use.

There are a couple of free standing press stands on the market that allow the press to be stored away. The rest can be operated off the kitchen table or a card table.

Other roading stuff can be stored in a file cabinet or other kind of drawered storage.

I have been reloading using a press stand for about 30 years and it works fine for me. I did this originally when I was on TDY for my company and took reloading with me for evening entertainment. I liked the process so much that I continued to use it when I returned home.

I built my own press stands and move the "press du jour" up to the reloading table. The other presses are stored against the wall out of the way.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[kingmt]

I have driven in a lot of primers on the wood burner with a flat ended round punch. I have yet to have one go off. As long as you are sure to start it in the pocket I can't see one going off.

You may be to nervous to get into reloading at this point. You need to find a way to educate yourself before getting into this. My kids help me with loading. The 8 month old baby was playing with the SS the other day. Had to keep his hands away from the ram.

My 7 year old is a pretty good shot with the Glock 19. He can't hold it firm enough for it to rechamber tho.

 

[sig220mw]

Dont let unjustified fears stop you. These days primer packaging is designed in such a way that you would have to purposely make them ignite. Powder doesn't have the brisance (rapid burn rate) to do anything but burn without a primer. It is engineered for very small explosions in very small compartments ie brass. The primer injects enough fire into the brass so that the powder ignites quickly enough to cause this mini explosion.

I keep my powder containers in a cardboard box on a shelf in a hall closet.
I keep my primers in the same closet on a shelf a few feet from the powder.
It is indoors in a climate controlled environment.

If I remember correctly smokeless powder isn't even classified as explosive. Black powder however is classified as explosive. Smokeless is classifield as inflammable and therefore hazardous also.

Pour some powder out on the ground and light it and it will just burn and it will take a few seconds for a small pile to burn up.

What RC said is right. Buy a priming tool and don't bother with hitting primers. I have a priming tool that mounts on the press. It is an RCBS and is far from being worn out. As I said earlier don't let unjustified fears and hype keep you from starting. It is just not that complicated.

 

[mdi]

I reloaded for years in my dining room. I used a B&D Workmate. Bolted the press to a block 2x6x24, and clamped the block in the Workmate. No probs.

You could get a Lee handheld press with dies. I kept one handy with press, 1 lb. powder a scale (Lee), a couple Lee dippers, a few hunderd primers and bullets in a plastic shoebox. Bulk storage could be up on a bedroom shelf or under the bed or out in the shed. When baby goes to bed, and cat's asleep, get out the box and load up a hunnered or so...

(yer powder and primers won't start a fire, they just become problematic if a fire starts around them)