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Dildobaggins

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 26, 2020
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I hope this question hasn't been beaten into the ground. I want to start reloading. I haven't bought anything yet. Hell I'm not even sure where to begin. I've watched about a dozen videos on YouTube regarding reloading. It seems a little complicated but something I would very much enjoy I think. Is there a reloading bible to get a foundation? How did you learn to reload? Where would be a good starting point?I would be reloading 223 rem, and 6.5 CM, and maybe some 9mm. Thanks!
 
This is a big question, but welcome! The approach I took was to buy and read Metallic Cartridge Handloading by M.L. McPherson, write down all the steps he describes, and then eliminate the ones I wasn't willing to do lol. That approach isn't for everyone, though.

The best place to start is always to define your objectives. Answer the following questions and we can steer you in a more targeted direction:

1.) What caliber are you reloading?
2.) Why are you reloading? (E.g., reduce ammo cost, improve accuracy, shoot a certain bullet that isn't available in factory ammo, etc.)
3.) How much are you wanting to spend on a reloading setup?
4.) If you're reloading to improve accuracy, what accuracy standard are you looking for (in MOA) at what distance?
5.) Are you focused on hunting or target ammo?
6.) Bolt gun or semi-auto?
7.) Competition (if so, which?), just groups, or some other activity such as hunting?

Those are the questions that come to mind, more will come up as we dig deeper.
 
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Another vote for those stickies in the Reloading Depot. They're over 10 years old now and I don't know if TresMon is still with us. They were extremely helpful to me years ago, making the leap from years of cranking out USPSA ammo on the Dillon to precision loading.
 
You can get load data from most powder manufactures online and it is always up to date.

But starting out, I did get a manual, and threw a dart at the board and got Lyman. Does have a good section on powder types, errors to avoid, best practices. You can probalby get an older used one for cheap on eBay, and the age doesn't really matter, as the basic principles are the same.


Start with pistol reloading. Lots of free range brass and cheaper components so you can learn and get some experience. Then .223.....
 
If at all possible, find someone that reloads to introduce you to the process or find a NRA class nearby. In lieu of that, you can purchase almost any of the bullet manufacturer’s loading manuals which will describe the entire process. There are other manuals such as Lyman that can also work well. I personally had a friend to show me the ropes, and I used Lyman’s manual to start. I can also recommend Hornady.

If I were to give one piece of advice it would be to not use too many sources at the beginning. There are many rabbit holes in the reloading world that a beginner needs to avoid. Your first and foremost goal is to learn to load safe ammunition. Your next is to load consistent ammunition. At that point you can then begin to work on precision.

When it comes to equipment, a good single stage or turret press is the way to go. Avoid the temptation to look at progressive presses. Also, stick to the more standard dies such as RCBS, Hornady, or Lee. There are numerous posts that you can find giving recommended tools, scales, etc that a beginner needs.

Probably the one thing that I personally didn’t fully understand when I started was headspace. I would recommend researching how your cartridge headspaces and how to determine the proper headspace.
 
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...find someone that reloads to introduce you to the process or find a NRA class nearby.
And in case it didn't come to mind Bass Pro and Cabela's offer free classes. Well, they did before Covid, maybe not anymore. Check their sites or on their cork activity boards in the stores or call their local service desk.