Reloading Tips and Tricks

[Skip]

Listen, I am a shooter. Since I shoot and have raised 5 kids, and mostly on one income, I had to find a way to feed my "addiction", pass that "addiction" on to those 5 kids, reloading was the only way that was going to happen.

Over the course of time, I have picked up a few "Tips and Tricks" myself, a few, friends have supplied via their experience.

Here is the first one I want to share. Adjusting from caliber to caliber on a Dillon Square Deal B can be time consuming at the least. The powder die, where the belling occurs, can be especially aggravating. So, using your calipers as a "depth mic" is an easy way to have a place to start. Makes it much simpler.

Take a look: (p.s. As a disclaimer, this press was bought used, the rust on the screws has since been taken care of. Just sayin')

Share your "Tips and Tricks" for reloading. Other's are struggling and may need your help!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

For the specific round you are reloading, 9mm, .40, etc. Once you get your seating die adjusted and have checked your OAL length to make sure it's in spec. Load a case with no primer or powder. After doing so, set up your crimp die. Once you have a completed round (no powder or primer). 1. Cycle it to make sure it properly fits the chamber and ejects properly. 2. Make sure the bullet is not setting back into the case. If the bullet sets back to far it can cause overpressure. So, you may have to adjust it slightly more and re-check it.

 

[Skip]

I do the same thing U. S.!

Got another one. Those pesky spent primers on a Dillon. Here is a fix that I have done:

Inside the "cup" I used silicone to make a "funnel" down to the hose barb opening. It sticks up a bit and there would have to be a mountain of primers in there to make them go down the hole. Use water on your finger as you smooth out the ramps. It works great!

 

[42769vette]

throw a dryier sheet in the tubler when cleaning cases. it keeps the dust down.

when loading precision ammo with a beam scale hook a web cam to your computer and focus it on the readout on the beam. then watch the computer while trickling. this does a few things

1 saves you from leaning over

2 it eliminates the variation caused by you looking at it a little diffrent every time. the cam is stationarry.

3 gives you a little zoom on the readout making for more precise measurement

 

[Skip]

Just to add to vette's comment, make sure the sheet is a used one!

FWIW

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I use dryer sheets but after each load of brass I tumble, I replace it with a new sheet. I do not have a problem with dust. However, the sheets help keep the media cleaner so it lasts longer.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

If you put away your beam scale after use, I do because of lack of room. Or you knock it over, bump it, etc. Make sure you calibrate it before you use it again.

 

[HDSilvrStreak]

OK, I'm confused.

First, should the dryer sheet be new, used, or it doesn't matter?

Second, do you cut it into smaller pieces or just throw in a whole sheet?

 

[billybob44]

Clean Sheets??

OK, I'm confused.

First, should the dryer sheet be new, used, or it doesn't matter?

Second, do you cut it into smaller pieces or just throw in a whole sheet?

If the Better 1/2 will let you, use new dryer sheets. I cut mine into 3-4 equal strips. BTW, the used sheets work just as well. Bill.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I do not cut my dryer sheets into pieces. I just throw it in after I add polish and let it mix ii for ten minutes.

 

[noylj]

Sorry, I don't have many tricks, but the following are my tips:
1) When setting up to load a new bullet, make one or two inert "dummy" rounds so you can lock each die down with a case/round in the die to align things and to permit cycling the gun with the dummies to be sure that COL in not too long to fit the magazine and a good length to feed and chamber completely in your gun.
2) Keep the barrel at the bench to check loads. It is your REAL case gage.
3) If your press uses tool heads, try to buy one for each cartridge you load. I found the bushings on the Hornady L-N-L AP worked great and really sped up what was already a very fast caliber conversion time.
4) If you find a charge weight you like, particularly if using the Hornady L-N-L powder measure, simply remove the metering assembly (for the Hornady, this is a $10 item), label it and keep it with you dies for that cartridge, and drop in a new one.
5) If you use walnut media, be aware that walnut generates a very find powder that will pack into the cases. At the very least, throw in a used dryer sheet or paper towel. You can also add a squirt of naphtha, mineral spirits (not the new "green" variety), or turpentine.
I prefer corn media.
Buy your media from Graingers--40# bag, as I remember, is about $25 with free shipping.
6) Don't spend a lot of time or money on shiny cases. It doesn't produce smaller groups and the brass is just going to get "dirty" again.
7) Always measure the case ID, over the length the bullet will be seated, to verify that the ID is no more than 0.002" smaller than bullet diameter. This is very important for cast bullets. Do not be afraid to order a custom expander plug to get the right amount of expansion. Do no confuse case expansion with case mouth flare/belling.
8) Keep thorough records. Be sure to record the group size and any notes from firing. Don't assume you will remember.
9) Remember--all manuals are simply guides that tell you what they got with their equipment. Your gun is not the same. Learn to always work up loads from starting and never assume your buddy's pet load will work in your gun.
10) If you still use a beam scale, keep the beam off the fulcrum and the whole beam covered when not in use. Do not use aerosols in the same room when the beam is exposed to the ambient air. Keep it clean and make sure the poises and notches are undamaged and clean.
11) If anything feels off, stop loading, clear the press, and determine the cause.
12) If using a Lyman "M" die, take out the expander plug, remove the plug from the stem, apply blue loktite, and re-assemble. My "M" dies seem to like to unscrew on me.
13) Read your manuals and determine what steps NEED to be done. Any other step that you "think" will improve things, should be tested (with and without that extra step) to prove that it is actually of value to you and your shooting. Just because your buddy deburrs the flash hole of his cases doesn't mean that step will either improve or harm your loads. Test it. Remember, the industry will sell you all the toys they can.
14) Don't pay a lot of attention to the reloading "experts" in the magazines. They get lots of toys to play with and sell to you. See #13. If your manuals doesn't list it as a required step, it probably is of little to no benefit to you, other than making you feel better.
15) The case mouth must be flared/belled enough that you can seat the bullet straight in the case and, if you turn the case upside down, the bullet stays in the case. Any more is not generally needed (i.e., I use a LOT of belling for .38 Special Wadcutter loads for my S&W M52 as any swaging down of the L-HBWC bullet will ruin accuracy. Better to remove the flare (using a Redding Profile Crimp Die or a Lee FCD than to have the case swage down the bullet).
16) You need to instill the habit of always inspecting the charge in the case. You can do this using loading blocks (I hate loading blocks); charging a case, inspecting, and immediately seating a bullet; being sure that you can easily see into the charged case on your progressive prior to putting a bullet on the case (see the Hornady AP for putting the charged case right under your nose where you have to work to NOT look into the case when placing a bullet); or use an RCBS Lock-Out die. Other powder check dies rely on you looking at the die (why not look in the case?) or a battery-powdered alarm to warn you.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

throw a dryier sheet in the tubler when cleaning cases. it keeps the dust down.

when loading precision ammo with a beam scale hook a web cam to your computer and focus it on the readout on the beam. then watch the computer while trickling. this does a few things

1 saves you from leaning over

2 it eliminates the variation caused by you looking at it a little diffrent every time. the cam is stationarry.

3 gives you a little zoom on the readout making for more precise measurement

I'll have to try that. I hate having to sit my scale on top of books just to read it without killing my back.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Sorry, I don't have many tricks, but the following are my tips:
1) When setting up to load a new bullet, make one or two inert "dummy" rounds so you can lock each die down with a case/round in the die to align things and to permit cycling the gun with the dummies to be sure that COL in not too long to fit the magazine and a good length to feed and chamber completely in your gun.
2) Keep the barrel at the bench to check loads. It is your REAL case gage.
3) If your press uses tool heads, try to buy one for each cartridge you load. I found the bushings on the Hornady L-N-L AP worked great and really sped up what was already a very fast caliber conversion time.
4) If you find a charge weight you like, particularly if using the Hornady L-N-L powder measure, simply remove the metering assembly (for the Hornady, this is a $10 item), label it and keep it with you dies for that cartridge, and drop in a new one.
5) If you use walnut media, be aware that walnut generates a very find powder that will pack into the cases. At the very least, throw in a used dryer sheet or paper towel. You can also add a squirt of naphtha, mineral spirits (not the new "green" variety), or turpentine.
I prefer corn media.
Buy your media from Graingers--40# bag, as I remember, is about $25 with free shipping.
6) Don't spend a lot of time or money on shiny cases. It doesn't produce smaller groups and the brass is just going to get "dirty" again.
7) Always measure the case ID, over the length the bullet will be seated, to verify that the ID is no more than 0.002" smaller than bullet diameter. This is very important for cast bullets. Do not be afraid to order a custom expander plug to get the right amount of expansion. Do no confuse case expansion with case mouth flare/belling.
8) Keep thorough records. Be sure to record the group size and any notes from firing. Don't assume you will remember.
9) Remember--all manuals are simply guides that tell you what they got with their equipment. Your gun is not the same. Learn to always work up loads from starting and never assume your buddy's pet load will work in your gun.
10) If you still use a beam scale, keep the beam off the fulcrum and the whole beam covered when not in use. Do not use aerosols in the same room when the beam is exposed to the ambient air. Keep it clean and make sure the poises and notches are undamaged and clean.
11) If anything feels off, stop loading, clear the press, and determine the cause.
12) If using a Lyman "M" die, take out the expander plug, remove the plug from the stem, apply blue loktite, and re-assemble. My "M" dies seem to like to unscrew on me.
13) Read your manuals and determine what steps NEED to be done. Any other step that you "think" will improve things, should be tested (with and without that extra step) to prove that it is actually of value to you and your shooting. Just because your buddy deburrs the flash hole of his cases doesn't mean that step will either improve or harm your loads. Test it. Remember, the industry will sell you all the toys they can.
14) Don't pay a lot of attention to the reloading "experts" in the magazines. They get lots of toys to play with and sell to you. See #13. If your manuals doesn't list it as a required step, it probably is of little to no benefit to you, other than making you feel better.
15) The case mouth must be flared/belled enough that you can seat the bullet straight in the case and, if you turn the case upside down, the bullet stays in the case. Any more is not generally needed (i.e., I use a LOT of belling for .38 Special Wadcutter loads for my S&W M52 as any swaging down of the L-HBWC bullet will ruin accuracy. Better to remove the flare (using a Redding Profile Crimp Die or a Lee FCD than to have the case swage down the bullet).
16) You need to instill the habit of always inspecting the charge in the case. You can do this using loading blocks (I hate loading blocks); charging a case, inspecting, and immediately seating a bullet; being sure that you can easily see into the charged case on your progressive prior to putting a bullet on the case (see the Hornady AP for putting the charged case right under your nose where you have to work to NOT look into the case when placing a bullet); or use an RCBS Lock-Out die. Other powder check dies rely on you looking at the die (why not look in the case?) or a battery-powdered alarm to warn you.

In response to keeping notes. I note all batches in a word document. I also lable all of my ammo boxes with batch number and such. Lastly, I keep all my targets that I shoot using my test batches and they are saved in a file folder. I like to keep my targets so I can compre one batch to another. If one groups really well, and another does not. Then I know something is not right.

 

[Aszerigan]

If the Better 1/2 will let you, use new dryer sheets. I cut mine into 3-4 equal strips. BTW, the used sheets work just as well. Bill.

My tumbler is so big, I have to throw a baby lamb in to collect the dust. Just saying.... not compensating or anything.

 

[Skip]

What about casters? Anyone out there do any of that? I do and really enjoy it.

Every shooter should be a reloader and every reloader should be a caster!

When the last component scare came about, I had about 30,000 primers, mixed variety and whatevery bullets I WANTED. I WANTED whatever I had moulds to produce! I have enough lead to have what I want, when I want, in the quantities I want.

As for the primers, I had them long before the election in 2008 when the scare made almost everything scarce! I just looked ahead, made some figurin' and thought: "Wonder what will happen if that one guy gets elected?"

I was ready. Others screamed, not me.

 

[hooky]

My tumbler is so big, I have to throw a baby lamb in to collect the dust. Just saying.... not compensating or anything.

That would be the cement mixer on the other side of the room?

 

[Aszerigan]

That would be the cement mixer on the other side of the room?

Yes, Sir.