Posted: 10/19/2014 5:52:28 AM EDT
| What does everyone recommend ? I reloaded 30 plus years ago with my family.I am sure alot has changed since then . I thought this would be the best route ,before buying the press & all the tools. |
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berger is a good manual for modern bullet designs (tangent vs. secant ogive) seating depths. I find their powder charge maxes to be very conservative when compared to powder manufacturers most current data.
Lyman 49 manual is good for general reloading and cast pistol data. Powder manufacturer websites also have their current published data online. |
| Every manual will have different recipes or suggested min/max loads. The best thing to do is pick up a couple and use them as a guideline. You'll have to find what works best for each rifle you intend on shooting with. Ladder testing is the way to go once you have a general range. |
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Every manual will have different recipes or suggested min/max loads. The best thing to do is pick up a couple and use them as a guideline. You'll have to find what works best for each rifle you intend on shooting with. Ladder testing is the way to go once you have a general range. This is very true, none of the manufacturers tested the exact same combos. Different barrels, different lengths, different brass, different primers, different brands of similar bullet styles. Use them as a starting point. You may find some combos may give you pressure signs and your maximum loading earlier than the manuals. Also be very cautious cherry picking loads from guys on the net. Some are very high and their rifle is ok with it and or they know and accept they are trashing their brass for the extra speed. I would suggest buying the manual for the bullets you prefer. My method is to buy a replacement manual every few years but changing brands. After reloading for 20 years I had a good collection. Recently when I moved I gave some of my older manuals and a brand new Lee manual to a friend who wanted to get into reloading. I have Sierra, Nosler, Hornady, Lyman and Speer currently. If you wanted just one manual for now I'd say Sierra but I've learned things from all of them. Speer was my first and I thought their instructions were some of the best. The older Noslers also had a great tutorial and tips section. I have the newest Nosler and it's got more data but less of the tips and instruction than the old ones I thought. |
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What does everyone recommend ? I reloaded 30 plus years ago with my family.I am sure alot has changed since then . I thought this would be the best route ,before buying the press & all the tools. Your idea of getting a manual first is excellent. I would suggest the Speer and the Hornady, as both have excellent information on "how to". The Speer is my "go to" manual. |
| Thank you ! I picked up the hornady yesterday.I plan on picking up more also .Iw as going to buy the zedikers competition reloading book . Is it a good book for a new reloader? Ive been looking at presses & other tools . Ive read a lot of good stuff about the redding big boss. Open to suggestions for all tools. ive been reading alot on annealing also . What is everyones preferred method? |
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To suggest one book is kinda undoable unless we know what you are planning to reloading
if its .223, 9mm, 30-06 any book will do If its an odd ball many different books can be used. Lyman's has a lot of the old rimmed rounds that many books don't bother putting in. Lee has a good portion of everything but is very geared towards Lee (yes I know its their book but Lyman doesn't just promote their products) also its one of the few books that doesn't give a history of the round except for introduction date. Horandy has (IMO) the best presentation of data. Sadly from what Ive heard around its on a lot of lower end for max data (compared to other publications) ETA: I do suggest having all information printed, even if you get your data online. Internet can always fail, the book rarely fails. |
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Quoted: I've been reading a lot on annealing also . What is everyones preferred method? There are high $ dollar automatic machines for the high volume shooters. I use what I call the "budget system". See pic below to see needed equipment;  Propane torch, metal pan to catch hot cases, 750 degree Tempilaq and a method to rotate cases. A cordless screwdriver with adaptors for a 7/16 socket for 223/300 blk and 1/2 for 30-30/308 is what I use for rotation.  If you don't use Tempilaq, you will over heat your cases and get very poor results. 300 blk in this pic. Factory round on left, my annealed cases on right. A drop of tempilaq is painted in the inside of case mouth, Let dry, (takes about a minute). Case is rotated in cordless screwdriver/socket and case neck is placed in torch flame. Watch the dot of solid tempilaq as case turns, as soon as it melts (case neck has reached 750 degrees) drop case in metal pan. Takes 4 to 5 seconds. Done, go on to next case. The reason I anneal is when forming 223 to 300 blk and making 7-30 Waters from 30-30 cases. You can form cases without annealing, but better results and longer case life will result from annealing. Some will anneal for accuracy purposes. I don't anneal 223 or 308. I have so many cases, when they fail they get recycled. |
| I encourage people to buy the manual published by their bullet maker of choice. Sierra and Hornady are a must for me. Because of the internet, great online sources for data are available from most of the powder companies. Hodgdon and Accurate Arms/Western Powders have the most comprehensive online data that I've seen. |
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Quoted:Ive read a lot of good stuff about the redding big boss. Open to suggestions for all tools. ive been reading alot on annealing also . What is everyones preferred method? I would pony up the money for the Redding T-7, but if you take your time, good ammo can be made on any press. Annealing not necessary unless you are shooting a very rare or wildcat cartridge where you control your supply of brass. |
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ive been reading alot on annealing also . What is everyones preferred method? #1 piece of advise... use the tempilaq as others have said if you are going to anneal regardless of your reasons for doing it. In addition to making sure you don't over anneal (most important), it will help you get them consistently annealed the same ......and consistency matters throughout the reloading process....this includes annealing. Inconsistent dwell times amoungst a batch of brass can create inconsistent neck tension all else being equal imo. and can (read - not will) run the risk of making groups worse rather than unchanged or better. opinions will vary on annealing. I didn't go to annealing until I was confident with my other reloading processes first. Here is a decent video on one method ..... he uses 750/450 tempilaq combo. Or google Anneal Rite for another look/process I use 750 tempilaq inside neck and 400 on base ... I remove asap as the 750 melts and double check the 400 isn't turned near the base (rifle brass - can't speak to pistol) I happen to use an auto annealing Bench-Source because I feel once I get it set to a same-same brass batch and calibrated with the tempilaq, it's more consistent then I can be manually and doesn't get tired ...... Giraud also makes an auto machine, but I prefer the two torch ......but you don't have to spend that kind of money to get consistent anneal work done as others have suggested (along with the affordable anneal rite).....just be sure to take it as seriously as you take the other steps and trust the tempilaq if you choose to go there .... this is a classic job where more (heat) doesn't mean better. also....if you google " annealing ar15.com" ... the topic of annealing has been bantered about for a while |
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.Iw as going to buy the zedikers competition reloading book . Is it a good book for a new reloader? I think Zediker's reloading for competition is an excellent book....regardless if you end up believing all of his opinions....it made me think about things I might not have....and as importantly ..... made me reconsider things "I knew" to be true if you know what I mean (IE opened my stubborn eyes on things I was wrong about). Good for beginner? I don't know if I would have appreciated everything he was trying to say or not as a beginner (heck...maybe I still don't) .......... but I guess in that case it would show a beginner how much there is to learn beyond the basics...so yea...why not. Edit for this.... his book definitely doesn't replace manual(s) though ..... think of his book as an in depth opinion piece regarding reloading principals and equipment beyond just the basics from a qualified author....who will make you think .... imo. I need to find that thing and read it again 
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The Hornady manual is great. I also like the Speer manual. For starting out, I'd also pick up The ABCs of Reloading with your two manuals. That will get you going for a long time.
I have a small reloading library with all of the manuals and lots of books. I enjoy reading and trying out what I find. |
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How long has annealing been around ? I never heard of it until I started researching reloading. Annealing brass in general has been around as long as guys have been making stuff out of brass ...... this includes new rifle brass production in most instances. Don't know exactly (thank goodness) how long reloaders have been putting flames to brass.....but my guess is not to long after they started reloading and running into splitting necks. The older (I can say that) method of sitting in dark rooms looking for faint glows and/or waiting for glow and tipping into water and/or heating brass held by hand until you can't stand the heat any longer have been around a while.......the fancier bench source/giraud type of machines haven't been around all that long relatively........homemade "fixes" longer ...... again...I'd personally consider waiting to get into annealing until you get your other reloading processes re perfected and cranked up good (unless reforming brass - in which case think about it now).....and when you decide to try annealing ....go with the tempilaq (or whatever the best temp paint is at that time) and whatever newer repeatable method you prefer and don't look back. ymmv Regarding manuals and other just getting started again type questions.....this is also a good resource |
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Quoted: Annealing brass in general has been around as long as guys have been making stuff out of brass ...... this includes new rifle brass production in most instances. Don't know exactly (thank goodness) how long reloaders have been putting flames to brass.....but my guess is not to long after they started reloading and running into splitting necks. The older (I can say that) method of sitting in dark rooms looking for faint glows and/or waiting for glow and tipping into water and/or heating brass held by hand until you can't stand the heat any longer have been around a while.......the fancier bench source/giraud type of machines haven't been around all that long relatively........homemade "fixes" longer ...... again...I'd personally consider waiting to get into annealing until you get your other reloading processes re perfected and cranked up good (unless reforming brass - in which case think about it now).....and when you decide to try annealing ....go with the tempilaq (or whatever the best temp paint is at that time) and whatever newer repeatable method you prefer and don't look back. ymmv Regarding manuals and other just getting started again type questions.....this is also a good resource Quoted: Quoted: How long has annealing been around ? I never heard of it until I started researching reloading. Annealing brass in general has been around as long as guys have been making stuff out of brass ...... this includes new rifle brass production in most instances. Don't know exactly (thank goodness) how long reloaders have been putting flames to brass.....but my guess is not to long after they started reloading and running into splitting necks. The older (I can say that) method of sitting in dark rooms looking for faint glows and/or waiting for glow and tipping into water and/or heating brass held by hand until you can't stand the heat any longer have been around a while.......the fancier bench source/giraud type of machines haven't been around all that long relatively........homemade "fixes" longer ...... again...I'd personally consider waiting to get into annealing until you get your other reloading processes re perfected and cranked up good (unless reforming brass - in which case think about it now).....and when you decide to try annealing ....go with the tempilaq (or whatever the best temp paint is at that time) and whatever newer repeatable method you prefer and don't look back. ymmv Regarding manuals and other just getting started again type questions.....this is also a good resource OP, don't worry about annealing until you get into wildcats or case forming. Learn the basics first before concerning yourself on advanced methods. Good luck
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