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Posted: 8/26/2013 3:55:47 PM EDT
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So, I ordered the cheap Lee anniversary kit, a tumbler, and an electronic scale to start reloading. Working on finding a good reloading book now. I am going to start reloading 9mm, since I already have some brass saved up. Pretty soon, I will be reloading .380 Auto and .32 ACP. So, here is my question:
Once I decide on a load from my manual, should I start off at the minimum amount of powder, make 10 rounds of that, then step up by .1 grains until close to the max powder charge, then shoot all of the loads to see what works best? Since I am new to reloading, any advice would be great. Also, should I check each completed round on the scale to make sure they all weigh the same before firing to ensure there are no double charges? Thanks! |
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Quoted:
Once I decide on a load from my manual, should I start off at the minimum amount of powder, make 10 rounds of that, then step up by .1 grains until close to the max powder charge, then shoot all of the loads to see what works best? Yes, but also look for over pressure signs. Also, should I check each completed round on the scale to make sure they all weigh the same before firing to ensure there are no double charges? No, the variations in brass and bullet weight may look like an over charge of powder at the low end of powder charge for small pistol rounds. Thanks! Ask all the questions you want. |
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Quoted:
Ask all the questions you want. Quoted:
Quoted:
Once I decide on a load from my manual, should I start off at the minimum amount of powder, make 10 rounds of that, then step up by .1 grains until close to the max powder charge, then shoot all of the loads to see what works best? Yes, but also look for over pressure signs. Also, should I check each completed round on the scale to make sure they all weigh the same before firing to ensure there are no double charges? No, the variations in brass and bullet weight may look like an over charge of powder at the low end of powder charge for small pistol rounds. Thanks! Ask all the questions you want. Thanks for the help. I am sure I will be hanging around the reloading forum a lot more now...especially after my suppressors come in and I can pull myself away from the NFA forums. 
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| Sounds like a good plan. Since pistol charges are often only one grain or less from min to maximum then 1 tenth is a good step. Larger charges and larger differences in min and max you can increase the 1/10 increments. I often load only 2-3 of the minimum charges and when getting to mid-range loads I load more rounds for testing. If you load too many you'll be pulling a lot of rounds. Couple of manuals and on-line powder company and bullet company sites should help you decide on which powder and loads. Small charges of powder is often hard to detect by weighing loaded rounds to verify there is no double charge. Between bullet and case weight differences you can have as much as 2-4 or more grains difference with the exact same powder charge. Saying that I still weigh all loaded rounds on my electronic scale. Just another safety step for me. The critical thing is for a new reloader is to use techniques that will make it as near to impossible as you can to prevent a double charge. Get a routine going. Try to always take a peek into the case to check for powder levels before picking up the bullet. Use a case holder tray and use a flashlight to eyeball all the cases in the tray for the same powder levels. Whatever it takes to prevent a double charge is critical for your safety. Main thing for me is to use a powder that more than half fills the case so a double charge would spill out the top or you would definitely see it. Have fun, be safe! |
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Quoted:
Sounds like a good plan. Since pistol charges are often only one grain or less from min to maximum then 1 tenth is a good step. Larger charges and larger differences in min and max you can increase the 1/10 increments. I often load only 2-3 of the minimum charges and when getting to mid-range loads I load more rounds for testing. If you load too many you'll be pulling a lot of rounds. Couple of manuals and on-line powder company and bullet company sites should help you decide on which powder and loads. Small charges of powder is often hard to detect by weighing loaded rounds to verify there is no double charge. Between bullet and case weight differences you can have as much as 2-4 or more grains difference with the exact same powder charge. Saying that I still weigh all loaded rounds on my electronic scale. Just another safety step for me. The critical thing is for a new reloader is to use techniques that will make it as near to impossible as you can to prevent a double charge. Get a routine going. Try to always take a peek into the case to check for powder levels before picking up the bullet. Use a case holder tray and use a flashlight to eyeball all the cases in the tray for the same powder levels. Whatever it takes to prevent a double charge is critical for your safety. Main thing for me is to use a powder that more than half fills the case so a double charge would spill out the top or you would definitely see it. Have fun, be safe! I didn't think about using a powder that will fill the case more...that's a good idea. I will have to see what loads meet that criteria. |
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Quoted: So, I ordered the cheap Lee anniversary kit, a tumbler, and an electronic scale to start reloading. Working on finding a good reloading book now. I am going to start reloading 9mm, since I already have some brass saved up. Pretty soon, I will be reloading .380 Auto and .32 ACP. So, here is my question: Once I decide on a load from my manual, should I start off at the minimum amount of powder, make 10 rounds of that, then step up by .1 grains until close to the max powder charge, then shoot all of the loads to see what works best? Since I am new to reloading, any advice would be great. Also, should I check each completed round on the scale to make sure they all weigh the same before firing to ensure there are no double charges? Thanks!  I suggest Lyman 49 as a good starting manual. Has reloading instruction in the front. Then has cast and jacketed bullet data for pistols and rifles in the back. Beware of cheap (cost less than $100) digital scales. They drift and the same charge of powder will weight different each time you weigh it. That's drift, and can be unsafe. Use the beam scale that comes with the kit to start. Be sure to do some reading at the top of the page.
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Alliant Power Pistol is a good high volume powder for 9mm and had a wide range of grain weight from minimum to maximum.
Weigh the powder only for each round. Brass cases can vary in weight, so don't trust them to all be the same. the correct weight for the powder charge is what matters most. After powder weight (AKA "charge weight"), then over all length (OAL) is the second most important thing. Make sure you have a descent dial or digital calipers to check the OAL. Good to see that you are starting out with 1 caliber first. 9mm is a good one to start on. Lot's of people reload 9mm, so you will find lots of info about it. I usually load 5 test rounds of each charge weight. If it's good, I usually know with in 3-5 rounds. |
If you really are concerned about the amount of powder, your digital scale is a great tool. Simply tare (ie., ZERO) a primed brass case, drop powder, and reweigh the powder filled case. Add or remove powder with a small pharmaceutical spatula (if you want). Then, cover/seat with a bullet. The small spatula on the left is excellent for getting into .22 cal. so it will work with almost all cases we shoot.
You probably won't want to do this all the time, but when you are working up loads, this will eliminate some of the doubts in your mind. |
| Thanks for all the advice. I plan on going very slowly at first. I might produce one cartridge at a time, going through the entire process several times, for the first several rounds I make. At least that will get me used to changing dies and let me get to know my reloading machine. |
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First thing to do is, size a case and wipe off the lube. Then try chambering the sized case. Be sure it chambers and ejects easy before you go on. If you have a problem, the sizing die needs to be lowered a little. Once case chambers good, move on to a dummy round. Dummy round = no primer or powder, just a seated/crimped bullet. (if you crimp your load) Dummy round for getting OAL correct, check feeding and chambering. |
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