New reloader questions

[Harley1953]

H&H doesn't give a $h!t if you are loading with a claw hammer and a piece of gas pipe. They want your money, and have, probably, what you need. They have the dominant place in OKC reloading supplies due to heavy capital investment, and look to corner the market in the future. Bring money, and expect to leave without it. As others have said, read your manuals carefully. Start with one caliber. Forget the others until you are real comfortable with the first one. Do not do Bullseye. It's dangerous for any loader, and deadly for new ones. Unique is dirty and safer. CB

CB,

I am pretty new to reloading but have used Bullseye for my wife's .38 special loads. Are your comments based on the possibilities as mentioned by others of a double charge,etc? Just curious, not disagreeing per se, but obviously when folks talk about a powder that I use being dangerous and/or deadly it gets my attention.....

 

[flatwins]

My thoughts are that one has to be safe when using ANY powder but Bullseye needs even a little extra caution. If you're loading it already and have had good success with it then keep going with it. I have some onhand but really don't use it too much. I tend to mess around with the other powders more. Bullseye is ~generally~ intended for smaller cases with not a bunch of air gap in them.

 

[gmar]

For 7.62x54R, cheap surplus ammo is available for plinking. But the majority of surplus has steel core, and the commercial often has steel jackets that isn't suitable for use at H&H where I shoot most often. Commercial rounds with no steel are usually a relative premium. So reduced charge rounds with cast bullets sounds appealing. I also want to prepare for when cheap surplus ammo is not readily available

If you're out in Choctaw, you need to start going to Thunderbird Range. Its closer to you and cheaper than H&H...just don't shoot his metal targets with your steel core ammo. You basically go south 8 miles of I-40 on Harrah-Newalla road and then two miles east on Franklin and about 1/2 miles south on Fish Market Road and you're there. You can shoot past 400 yards and the owner, Ken is a great guy.

 

[Slack]

If you're out in Choctaw, you need to start going to Thunderbird Range. Its closer to you and cheaper than H&H...just don't shoot his metal targets with your steel core ammo. You basically go south 8 miles of I-40 on Harrah-Newalla road and then two miles east on Franklin and about 1/2 miles south on Fish Market Road and you're there. You can shoot past 400 yards and the owner, Ken is a great guy.

Excellent suggestion. Though during the week it isn't closer than H&H as I drive a few hundred yards of H&H every day. Thunderbird sounds like a great suggestion for the weekends. Definitely much better for me than Canadian Valley in El Reno.

Thanks!

 

[WhiteyMacD]

You should start with a reloading manual and reading it.
It'll answer most of your questions and that's where all the secrets are.

As for lead bullets it depends on what you're shooting them out of to answer your concern question, but yes you can shoot lead bullets. The ammo manufacturers sell rounds with lead bullets. For any auto's I'd suggest getting a good hardcast lead bullet like J&K bullets make.

Until you have a little more experieince reloading I'd say hold off on lead bullets in your rifles.

As for a single powder do a search here, that question has been asked many times.

It's an enjoyable hobby. But it's full of opportunities to screw up big time.

As I said first get a reloading manual and read it. Then you can always take a reloading class like they have at H&H.

This is exactly what I did. Although, some manuals can be pretty vague. But they *will* give you a firm grasp in what I would call good practices.

As for the classes, I took one at H&H just to reaffirm or correct what I had been shown from buddies who walked me through the process.

My component sources vary. 100% of my lead comes from J&K. About 50% of my jacketed ammo comes from J&K. The other 50% comes from group buys or ordering bulk when I find a good deal. Powder comes from a plethora of placed, Big Boys in Mustang/Wheatland, H&H, and the firing pin. I get primers wherever I can find them. Brass comes from J&K, online if I find a good deal, or range pickup (selective).

 

[Old Fart]

The main reason people say get a reloading manual first is without reading one and getting a good foundation it's easy to overlook something. Everyone needs to be responsible for themselves when it comes to reloading. To do that you better have more knowledge than what you can glean from the internet.

 

[Old Fart]

Old Fart, thanks for the followup. The information about Bullseye is great. I see Bullseye come up enough that it would be on my short list, but I wouldn't have figured out the downside you spoke of until it was in my hand.

Once again do not start with bullseye.
You really should start with a slower powder.
Only move into it after you have completely mastered the reloading process and have sound safety skills. Check, recheck, & check again.

 

[Slack]

I gotta take back my poking at H&H. I was there on Friday and I see they even carry a few Lee Precision items. I didn't ask what else they might have had that I didn't see, but the did have the universal expanding dies, shell holders and universal shell holders.

I am still reading through Modern Reloading. Still haven't mounted my press. So I am not dangerous yet.