Why Bother Reloading?
The reason many people began reloading was because it was the low-cost option for those who shot often and went through quantities of ammunition. Relatively recently, online ammunition brokers have begun offering foreign loaded ammunition at very low rates. Is there a problem with this? No, but what quality is that ammunition? For most people, a firearm is a significant investment, and it doesn?t make sense to run ammo through it that may damage or hurt it.
Despite the offerings of cheaper ammunition, it still does make economic sense to load ones own rounds, especially when compared to some manufacturer?s so-called premium loads. The factory loads are produced by machine, so they are all produced within a certain tolerance. These variable tolerances can impact accuracy and function of the weapon, particularly if powder weights are different. The easy way to get consistency is to develop and use the same load for particular applications.
Another consideration to take into effect is the cleanliness of the round. Not all powders burn the same. Dirtier powders leave more residue and that can lead to fouling of the weapon and malfunction after a long day at the range. Minimizing down time due to weapon malfunction is always a goal.
Most ammunition manufacturers put out a reloading manual designed to be used with the rounds that they produce. These manuals have example loads that you can develop to suit your particular firearm. Examples are the Speer Reloading Manual: Rifle and Pistol and the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading. Always obtain the most recent edition that is as up to date as possible.
The equipment that you will need to purchase to begin reloading may seem expensive at first, but will pay for itself over a few years of shooting. The things you will need for reloading, at a minimum, are:
A manual or guide. Never guess at a powder charge or when you choose your bullets.
Press. Very few people have the physical prowess needed to manually press a bullet into a casing, and this is the device that makes this hobby efficient. Beginners who do not expect to be reloading a large amount of ammo should choose quality single stage presses; skilled and experienced reloading shooters should choose quality
Dies. Allow the press to be used with several different types and calibers of ammunition. Dies perform the actual mechanical steps that are required to prep and seat a round in the chamber of a casing.
Scale. The scale that you choose must be calibrated in grains, never ounces or grams. This device must be accurate to plus or minus 0.1 grain. Accurate powder weight is crucial to consistent safe handling of powder.
Finally, the most important step in reloading and shooting is safety. Reloading can create sometimes dangerous situations if the manuals and guides are not followed. Following component manufacture specifications is the most important thing you can do while reloading. Follow these guidelines and you can have a low cost exciting shooting career.
