Reddit Reddit reviews The ABCs of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert

We found 34 Reddit comments about The ABCs of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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The ABCs of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert
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34 Reddit comments about The ABCs of Reloading: The Definitive Guide for Novice to Expert:

u/deedude · 16 pointsr/reloading

The first thing you're going to need is a good reference on the reloading process in general. The ABCs of Reloading is a very nice one, and it'll walk you through the basic steps of reloading.

You're then going to need your equipment. The Lee Challenger Kit comes with 90% of the equipment you'll need. Add some dies, a brass length gauge to complement the cutter included in the challenger kit, some calipers to measure... everything and lastly a bullet puller for the inevitable mistakes.

That should do it for equipment. You'll also need a load data book to tell you which combination of bullet and powder you need. The one by Hornady has a specific section about 7.62x54r.

Before you pick out your loads you'll want to slug your barrel so you know how wide of a bullet to use. Depending on your model and the level of wear in the bore, it should slug somewhere around .310 for Russian/soviet stuff and around .308 for old Finns. Make sure you know what that magic number is! a .308 in a .310 or larger bore will result in terrible accuracy. The opposite will probably result in a catastrophic kaboom.

Do I still have you? Good! Lastly you'll need bullets, brass, powder and primers.

Brass comes first. you can not re-use the milsurp brass available on the market the cases are made of steel instead of brass and aren't compatible with a reloading press. Also, they're primed with berdan primers, which, for all intents and purposes, can not be removed. I suggest getting a few boxes of Privi-Partisan commercial ammo and shooting it, then saving the cases. You can buy just brass casings, but they're very difficult to find.

Bullets:

You're probably going to want to shoot full metal jacket bullets. Just use the ones listed in your load manual with the proper diameter and you should be fine.

Powder:

I use H4895 personally. Again, look in your loading manual and do not exceed the amounts listed there. Powders are not interchangeable.

Primers:

I use CCI's large rifle primers. I can't remember if primers are specified in the loading manual or not but if you use the right kind and the right power level (magnum vs non-magnum) you should be fine.

That about covers equipment. If you want a rundown of the basic procedure I can write that up later today.

u/I922sParkCir · 9 pointsr/guns

This is my first reloading press, and it’s setup for 9mm.

Here’s what I bought:

  • Hornady Lock-N-Load AP Progressive Press

  • Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension Nitride 3-Die Set 9mm Luger

  • Hornady Lock-N-Load AP Progressive Press Shellplate #8 (30 Luger, 38 Super, 9mm Luger)

  • RCBS Lock-Out Die

  • Frankford Arsenal Reloading Scale

  • Frankford Arsenal Electronic Caliper 6" Stainless Steel

  • Hornady Primer Turning Tray

  • Frankford Arsenal Impact Bullet Puller

  • Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-Ez Case Tumbler

  • Lee Primer Pocket Cleaner

  • Shell Sorter Brass Sorter 9mm Luger, 40 Smith & Wesson, 45 ACP 3 Bowl Set

    And this is what I’m loading:

    9mm Luger

  • Bullet: 124gr Montana Gold Bullet CMJ

  • Powder: 3.8gr Titegroup (working up to 4.0 grains)

  • Winchester Small Pistol Primers

  • Mixed Brass

  • OAL: 1.135-1.140"

    I fired my first 25 round last Saturday. They were soft recoiling, and from my novice reloader’s perspective, indistinguishable from 115 Grain Federal Champion I was comparing them to. I didn’t notice any smoke, and I had zero issues with my M&P9mm FS. Right after I got home from the range I loaded 300 more.

    All in all, I love the press and haven’t had any major issues with any of the equipment I purchased. The DVD that came with the press was excellent and made setup simple. The only issues I had came from using the large primer tube with small primers (inconsistent priming), using the rifle metering insert (gave me inconsistent powder throws), and static giving me sticky powder (grounding the press seems to have fixed that).

    Taking it slow, looking at every step, and confirming that I am moving in the right direction has made this pretty easy and so far successful.

    Edit: Here's my cost breakdown.

    Edit2: The reason I felt comfortable going this route is I did my homework, and I check my powder, and over all length constantly (every time for my first 100 cartridges or so, and now about every 10th round). Going the progressive route first take tons of concentration, and you need to be in a zero distraction environment. You need to triple check everything, makes some rounds, and then check everything again. You have to be aware that if you mess up, you will hurt yourself and destroy expensive equipment.

    I started /r/Reloading over a year ago to learn about reloading. I've read tons online, watched many video on the subject, and read a couple of books. Before you start reloading, make sure you know exactly what you are doing and make sure you are doing every step correctly.
u/Oberoni · 9 pointsr/reloading

I would start with the Lyman 49th Edition and The ABCs of Reloading manuals. They give you a detailed break down of the reloading process and talk about different types of equipment. After you've read the manuals I recommend really thinking about if you are a good fit for reloading. While reloading can be a very rewarding hobby, it is a very serious hobby. You can end up severely hurt or even killed if you make a mistake. Being able to concentrate for long periods and be very exacting in the details are important. Not trying to scare you off, just reminding you that bullets are little explosions going off in your hands/near your face. Mistakes can turn a little explosion into a big one.

I also made a post about equipment here, but it isn't a replacement for a good manual.

Why are you interested in reloading? Looking to save money? Increase accuracy? Just because it looks interesting? Either way I recommend you read this post on the economics of reloading.

What are you looking to reload? Rifle? Pistol? Shotgun? What are your time, space, and budget constraints? Knowing this we can help you pick equipment to fit your needs. Overall the basics are:

Manual
Scale
Calipers
Press
Dies(Sizing/Decap, Expanding, Seating)
Shell Plate
and probably a chamfer/deburr tool

There are different levels of each of these so knowing what your requirements are will help determine which level you should be looking at.

u/theguy56 · 8 pointsr/guns

/r/reloading is going to be your go to source for specific questions. Like you I've wanted to get into reloading, and before I make any purchases I will finish reading this:
http://amzn.com/1440213968

u/The_MadChemist · 8 pointsr/reloading

Grab yourself a copy of the ABC's of Reloading (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1440213968/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and a reloading manual. I like my Lyman 50th (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HH08L1A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Looking at two pages in Lyman shows that .308 needs large rifle primers while .223 needs small rifle primers.

I really can't recommend the ABCs book enough. The author lost his hands in an accident, so he's committed to safety, haha. Reading through that will, at the very least, let you know what you don't know.

u/OGIVE · 7 pointsr/reloading

/am I missing a step

Yes. You are missing the step of buying the ABC's of reloading and reading it twice.

Making wild guesses and fumbling your way through the reloading process is a good way to ruin your gun and important body parts.

u/AlwaysDeadAlwaysLive · 6 pointsr/reloading

I learned everything via youtube and reading The ABC's of Reloading.

https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968

Iraqveteran8888 had some good videos on reloading that helped me out a lot. https://www.youtube.com/user/Iraqveteran8888

u/rhadamanthos12 · 6 pointsr/guns

The ABCs of reloading is a good place to start, or you can buy a load book and it will usually cover the basics of reloading. I believe all the reloading books run about $20-30

Here is an link to a copy of the ABCs of reloading on amazon, it is $16.58

http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372064847&sr=8-1&keywords=ABCs+of+reloading

u/ironshoe · 4 pointsr/reloading

Start with a reloading manual.

Something like this

u/limited_vocabulary · 3 pointsr/reloading

The ABCs of Reloading is great. I happen to like the Lee manual and use it in conjunction with manufacturer websites when I am developing loads.

u/SDKMMC · 2 pointsr/longrange

I have that exact kit. I would recommend buying the stuff separately, though. The scale is finicky at best. I struggled with it for a year and finally replaced it in December. Head over to /r/reloading and read the FAQ. There's a ton of good information.

The ABCs of Reloading is regarded as THE beginner's guide. You'll also need a reloading manual. I'd recommend Lyman's 49th as a starter.

For dies, I'd get the Lee Ultimate Die set for 308. It'll come with everything you'll need to reload for semi auto and bolt guns. The Lee Factory Crimp die and Collet Neck Sizing die are second to only $150+ die sets.

If you'd like me to build you a reloading setup with links, let me know.

u/vvelox · 2 pointsr/guns

As some one already suggest The Art of the Rifle, I will suggest another Jeff Cooper book, To Ride, Shoot Straight, And Speak The Truth.

Also Shooting To Live by W. E. Fairbairn and E. A. Sykes is also a interesting read.

EDIT: Also if you are interested in reloading, start with The ABCs of Reloading.

u/solyanik · 2 pointsr/reloading

NO!

The 45 headspaces on the case mouth, so it hardly needs any crimping, just a bit to roll back the expanding that was done for the bullet.

These rounds no longer have a case mouth, so they will fall right through into the chamber. Which means that some of the case can get pinched in the throat, which may lead to overpressure.

Before doing anything else, get a good book on reloading, for example, this: http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968 - and read it before proceeding any further.

u/HeadspaceA10 · 2 pointsr/reloading

Ordinarily I wouldn't recommend a progressive as a first kit, since there's quite a bit of reloading that I prefer to do on a single stage: Fine-tuning rifle loads for accuracy being one of them. Starting out on a single stage gives you the opportunity to see in detail what each die is actually doing and how to adjust them. But I'm sure you can still learn on a LnL AP. I use a Dillon, but in the end it's the same general idea.

This is what I always recommend to people who start out reloading:

  1. Get this book and read it cover to cover.
  2. Interested in reloading for semiautomatic rifles? Understand that you will need to be extra careful about what kind of primers you buy, and about the headspace of your cartridges. Read On Reloading for Gas Guns. Still interested? Buy the RCBS precision mic or similar type of cartridge headspace gauge, a wilson gauge, and start slowly and deliberately. Most of what I reload is for semiautomatic rifle.
  3. Buy a reloading manual. If you ended up getting one with your press, buy another reloading manual from a different manufacturer. Reloading is an "engineering and science" activity. You don't want to trust data from just one source. You want different, corroborating sets of data that came out of different testing facilities.

    If you take the metallic reloading class, a lot of that stuff will be covered. But if you learn how to reload in the benchrest environment and then start reloading for some kind of autoloading rifle like an AR15, G3, M1A/M14, M1 etc then you are playing with fire unless you approach it from a different angle.

u/Wapiti-eater · 2 pointsr/reloading

Do yourself a favor and borrow/buy a copy of this book.

Or, if you feel you're enough up to speed to start, take a visit to this site and do some shopping. See what you're willing to spend or do without.

As a starter, this setup/kit is a popular and common setup for what you're describing. Except for the 12ga stuff - that'd take a shotshell press and unless you do a LOT of that, may not be worth the expense/hassle. Up to you.

As for your question about die-setting: dunno but nothing about a "pressroom", so can't say for sure - but it could be.

edit: added 3rd link

u/cjd3 · 2 pointsr/reloading

Buy Mr. Hookhands Book ABC's of Reloading. Best book out there for anyone who reloads. Your press will come with the 9th or 10th Hornady book too.

u/zod201 · 2 pointsr/reloading

you'll need a powder measure, scale, dies, shell holder, some callipers, a bullet puller, and consumables of course. Not necessary but reloading manuals and the The ABCs of reloading Personally I'd get the Lee 50th Anniversary Kit that comes with most everything you need, and upgrade as you see fit.

u/GeneUnit90 · 2 pointsr/M1Rifles

This book is good for getting all the info you'll need on how to not kill yourself and figure out what you'll need. No loading data really, get a lyman's manual for that. This is more of a beginner's guide. http://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418410032&sr=8-1&keywords=the+abc%27s+of+reloading&pebp=1418410025785

u/CMFETCU · 2 pointsr/reloading

First,

Read this book cover to cover:
https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968

Then read it again.

Once you have done that, you should understand the basics of working up loads and what to look for in much more detail than you will get in a post from here.

u/SamsquamtchHunter · 2 pointsr/reloading

Well then heres a great place to start on your own - ABC's of Reloading

u/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/guns

This is a good place to start.

u/8492_berkut · 1 pointr/reloading

I'd say it's a perfectly serviceable set if you're just getting into the handloading game. What it comes down to is what you're hoping to achieve by handloading, and buying equipment that supports that need.

Personal opinion time: I'd steer clear of using the factory crimp die. If you have your dies set up properly, you'll never need to use it. It can be used to coerce out of spec handloads back into shape if you've messed them up, but don't expect to see any repeatable results in accuracy after using it.

The Hornady and Sierra reloading handbooks are the two I go to most often, with the Lyman following close behind. I would highly recommend you get a copy of the The ABCs of Reloading by C. Rodney James and read that cover to cover just to see if there's any tidbits of info that you might not already know. It's a worthwhile read.

EDIT: I was corrected by /u/flange2016 on how the Lee FCD works on rifles. Please see his reply to me below.

u/lyric911 · 1 pointr/reloading

This one. Not a reloading manual in the sense of being a bunch of load data, but is an entire book just about the process. It's fairly cheap on Amazon as well.

u/Merad · 1 pointr/guns

The FAQ on /r/reloading has good info. I'd also get The ABCs of Reloading and read it through before buying any equipment.

I just got started a few weeks ago loading for .38 Special and it's a surprising amount of fun. I'm already planning to expand to include 9mm and .223.

u/e4excellence · 1 pointr/guns

This will answer all of your questions:

  • You will not save money by reloading.

  • Please read the /r/reloading FAQ in it's entirety!

  • Read The ABCs of Reloading from cover to cover.

  • Return to /r/reloading with any questions.
u/EgglestonMunitions · 1 pointr/guns

Yep, depending on how hot you load them and the quality of the brass. Check for signs of case fatigue like cracking, splitting, worn out primer pockets, etc.

I'd recommend the book The ABC's of Reloading, there is a ton of information on how to find signs of failing brass with photos of each type of warning sign:
http://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Reloading-Definitive-Novice-Expert/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419913730&sr=8-1&keywords=abcs+of+reloading

u/BarkingLeopard · 1 pointr/guns

I wouldn't say that it is something to be taken lightly (you are making cartridges, after all, and if you make a mistake you could lose a body part or worse), but it's not rocket science, and I would argue that if you take it slowly, educate yourself, don't get distracted while reloading, and don't push the boundaries of the stated load data it is fairly safe, much like shooting and driving a car are fairly safe if you are smart about them.


As for reloading manuals... I am the wrong person to ask. I've done some shotgun reloading in my apartment and will be buying a turret press to load .357 Magnum and .38 Special rounds shortly. I've been reading the ABCs of Reloading and Reloading for Handgunners in preparation for my coming foray into handgun reloading, and they have been helpful. I'll also be getting manuals from the major powder manufacturers before I begin, as well as probably the Lyman and/or Hornady manuals as well. I'm sure others will chime in with their favorite books, and if not, check out /r/reloading.


I'll probably be getting a Lee Turret Press to start. Given that I already have a good scale for shotshell reloading (which I can do for $3/box, loading for low cost), which saves me $70, I figure I can get into handgun reloading for another $200 or less, plus the cost of consumables, and load light .357s for a ~$6-7 per 50 with plated bullets, vs ~$20 a box for commercially loaded .357 ammo and $14 or so for cheap commercially made .38 Special ammo.

u/TubesBestNoob · 1 pointr/reloading

I own one and it's great. I strongly advise you to reload only one bullet at a time for at least a good 500 rounds before you make use of the progressive reloading capability of the press. Normally I would tell people to go with a single stage first, but I think choosing to reload only one round at a time in a progressive is a safe enough practice.

For rifle rounds, I never use the LNL and prefer single stage since the shell holder disk is only going to get in the way if you are resizing / removing the shell / wiping off case lube / trimming / chamferring / deburring / knocking the brass filings out of the case / putting it back in the shell holder for priming / powdering / bullet loading.

Finally, if you haven't already read this book, go read it before reloading anything.

u/DustyAyres · 1 pointr/reloading

The ABCs of Reloading is the book I recommend for people who are new to reloading. No load data, but a lot of info on many different aspects of the process.

u/OMW · 1 pointr/reloading

9 mm isn't really cost effective to reload, but it is a lot more forgiving than 7.62x54r to learn on and you can basically get started reloading for 9mm with just a $30 hand press, a set of dies, and some basic components. Maybe start simple and then move on to rifle cartridges as skills and budget grow? I learned on .44 mag and branched out from there. I think straight wall revolver cartridges are the ideal "beginner" cartridge, but you already own a 9mm so that's probably the next best thing.

Highly recommend reading this book if nothing else. It'll help you figure out what you need to get started and covers most of the basic essentials.

u/tripleryder · 0 pointsr/guns
u/LocalAmazonBot · -3 pointsr/reloading

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-ABCs-Of-Reloading-Definitive/dp/1440213968/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394210797&sr=8-1&keywords=ABC%27s+of+Reloading