Best Caliber to Start Reloading?

[meddin]

This thread (viewtopic.php?f=12&t=24978) has gotten me considering reloading. I want to do it the right way, and have taken to heart the sage advice of the experienced members of the forum (start slow, read the reloading manual 2-3 times before doing anything else, etc). I do have one question that I didn't really see covered.

Are certain calibers easier or 'safer' for the beginner to reload? I shoot 9mm, .45, .380, .38/.357 and some rifles (but probably not enough to reload for). Is one or two of those calibers 'better' to begin with? If yes, then why? What do you recommend (caliber-wise) for the beginner to start with - if it even makes any difference? Also, bang for the buck leads me to think that of those on my list that .45 gets me the most for my money initially?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[timwarner]

I would say 9mm is safest.
Using a mid-speed powder, over/double charges are easy to see.

.45, 38/357, the same over/double charge could be overlooked. But in the end, as long as you pay attention, they're all the same.

[EJSG19]

I would say 9mm is safest.
Using a mid-speed powder, over/double charges are easy to see.

.45, 38/357, the same over/double charge could be overlooked. But in the end, as long as you pay attention, they're all the same.

Yup.

I started out on .45 acp. Its an awfully low pressure and forgiving round as long as you keep an eye out for obvious **** ups like double charges or no powder in the case.

I wouldn't be afraid of any of the ones you listed OP. There for a while though .380 was so darn
Expensive you could almost interchange it with .45 for cost. Not sure lately. I don't buy factory practice ammo.

[DanM]

'Easier' is subjective. What do you mean? In terms of the basics, reloading most common cartirdges is about the same. Component size may come into the picture if you have big or small hands. Straight-walled pistol cartridges are easier than bottle-necked rifle cartridges because they don't tend to need as much attention in terms of sizing or trimming to length.

'Safer' is a little easier to qualify. Lower pressure cartridges (.45 APC and .38 Special) have more margin before reaching limits. So in some regards they could be considered 'safer'. But every cartridge that can be reloaded can be mis-loaded so that it becomes dangerous. RTFM.

If cost savings is the primary factor, you might consider starting with larger calibers. They're generally more expensive off the dealer's shelf, so that may be your starting point for cost-effective reloading.

Finally, fancy/exotic/high-pressure/magnum cartridges are not the best starting point. Less margin for error, higher operating pressures, more expensive components, drastic failure modes.....

Of the cartridges you mentioned, .45 ACP could be a good one to start with for a few reasons: low pressure, big components, straight-wall brass, significant cost savings, been around for for 100 years - lots of knowledge about it. You can load it up for IDPA power factor, or down for steel shoots. Flexible.


Dan

[rugersol]

I would say 9mm is safest.
Using a mid-speed powder, over/double charges are easy to see.

.45, 38/357, the same over/double charge could be overlooked. But in the end, as long as you pay attention, they're all the same.

Ya ... the powder's the thing ... faster = higher-pressure ... with small/no margin fer error!

I'd consider .45acp and .38spl the more risky cartridges, simply 'cause them are the ones I use the fastest powders, in.

It's not jest a double ya gotta watch out fer ... a loose powder-measure adjustment, and a fast powder, and yer probly gonna have a bad day ... 'er a good scare, anyhow. With the heavier powder, it's a lot easier to notice ya got a problem.

[Dick Unger]

Easiest is rifle. You won't throw a double charge with 308, say, and I don't think you are likely to blow up a Rem 700 and hurt yourself, and the crimp is not as critical as with a pistol. You do have to have the correct powder and bullet, I'd get that from Jon instead of the clerk at a box store.

A pistol will blow up if you do it wrong, and may not feed if it's wrong either. Lower pressure calibers are great, but then you usually have a very large case that is easy to overfill.

Also I've always gotten much better better accuracy with my rifle reloads. I can't shoot a pistol well enought ot tell the difference. With pistols it's just economics for me.

[Dutch]

I'd start with a revolver caliber:
No headspacing on the case mouth, no problems because case length/trimming/crimping.
No worries if the round fits the magazine, feeds, cycles and ejects; if it fits the cylinder, it's good to go.

[Shipyard]

i would actually recommend 9mm or 45 ACP over the rifles to start. rifles has lubing/cleaning, more measuring and the dies are trickier with the neck.

9mm with unique - cheap, there is NO way you will double charge a case with this powder, measuring is easy and you don't need much of a crimp. higher pressure round though, so if you miss your crimp entirely it's more dangerous. but you've read the manual and know enough to check the rounds before you put them into the magazine

45 ACP - a bit of a trade off, since you CAN double charge a 45 with most powders. however, it's a lower pressure round so if you do get a small amount of set back chances of you blowing anything up are smaller.

do NOT start with 40/10mm/38 super or the more exotics. bad news when gettin the feet wet.

also - even tough you can buy a good turret or go balls out on a progressive i recommended you START WITH A SINGLE STAGE PRESS!!! even if you move quickly to a progressive, the single stage gives you a firm appreciation for all that goes into reloading. it will help teach you the extra patience you will need to discipline yourself to have doing this. plus, you WONT get rid og the single stage - it has a million uses. loading short runs to try new loads, using it when hand measuring power for working up loads, for pulling LOTS of bullets when you mess up (not that i know this for experience of anything ) or for pulling someone ELSES reloads you got in that sweet trade deal - which you are NOT going to shoot because it's dangerous and you want to use the components.

i started with the 9mm/unique combination. i didn't have any issues and you will learn SO MUCH the first couple hundred rounds you load.

it didn't take me long to get into 45 ACP and a progressive press and have THOUSANDS of reloads under my belt within 6 months. i pulled a lot of triggers working up my loads - slowly and methodically - it took me less time because i was really excited and was at the range once every three days

good luck, i hope this helps - ask a LOT of questions, don't get dicouraged and if you need help ASK!!!!

good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Shipyard]

I'd start with a revolver caliber:
No headspacing on the case mouth, no problems because case length/trimming/crimping.
No worries if the round fits the magazine, feeds, cycles and ejects; if it fits the cylinder, it's good to go.

good thought on the headspacing point, this might be a trade off though on the case capacity allowing you to double charge most stuffs. 38 would be easiest i suppose - however, do NOT try to learn with 357/44 mag. you're askin for the nickname "digits" with that one...

[Shipyard]

I'd start with a revolver caliber:
No headspacing on the case mouth, no problems because case length/trimming/crimping.
No worries if the round fits the magazine, feeds, cycles and ejects; if it fits the cylinder, it's good to go.

good thought on the headspacing point, this might be a trade off though on the case capacity allowing you to double charge most stuffs. 38 would be easiest i suppose - however, do NOT try to learn with 357/44 mag. you're askin for the nickname "digits" with that one...

GAH!! brain isn't working 100% today. i just thought of something - you could start reloading 38 specials to learn the ropes but SHOOT them out of a .357 mag revo to add the extra safety factor. i'm sure Sam will come along and tell me why this is a terrible terrible idea because it will make you lazy or something but FWIW....


i'm not a lawyer and i did not stay in a holiday in last night. for what it's worth, remember what you paid for this information.

[Seismic Sam]

STAY AWAY from the 40 S&W, particularly if you shoot Tupperware. You screw up the case neck tension or crimp strength, and the bullet can push back into the case and blow the the gun and you all the way to the E.R.

And yes, read the manual MULTIPLE TIMES, and buy at least two manuals. Three or four would be better.

[timwarner]

STAY AWAY from the 40 S&W, particularly if you shoot Tupperware. You screw up the case neck tension or crimp strength, and the bullet can push back into the case and blow the the gun and you all the way to the E.R.

And yes, read the manual MULTIPLE TIMES, and buy at least two manuals. Three or four would be better.

Back under your bridge.

I never tested any loads with .40 out of my glocks. Just threw some powder in a case and went to the range.
Used the same charge from my .45 230gr and 115gr 9mm loads, figured if it worked for them, it would work for .40.

[Shipyard]

STAY AWAY from the 40 S&W, particularly if you shoot Tupperware. You screw up the case neck tension or crimp strength, and the bullet can push back into the case and blow the the gun and you all the way to the E.R.

And yes, read the manual MULTIPLE TIMES, and buy at least two manuals. Three or four would be better.

Back under your bridge.

I never tested any loads with .40 out of my glocks. Just threw some powder in a case and went to the range.
Used the same charge from my .45 230gr and 115gr 9mm loads, figured if it worked for them, it would work for .40.

oh boy...

[timwarner]

Did you know you can double compress 18gr of unique into a 9mm case with an arbor press, and still fit a 147gr bullet on top? helloooo 1800fps.
Better weld up the feed ramp though, to keep the case head from blowing out down the ramp.

[crbutler]

Back to the original question.

If you want to learn how to reload, start with something like the .223 Rifle. The reasoning behind this is that all of the components are reasonably cheap, and if you are playing with a rifle, absent some really poor decisions (like using a pistol powder to make super cheap reloads- read Blue Dot) the safety margin is fairly large. Also, rifles tent to have more strength in the action then handguns, along with more safety features.

There are more steps to rifle reloading, and the small things that make a so-so rifle reload into a good one (minimal differences in seating depth, minimal powder charge differences, differences between bullets, etc.) are much more easy to measure and more importantly, see the results of with a rifle.

Once you learn how to reload with a rifle, the handgun ammo is easy to catch on to. You will also see the warning signs of trouble more clearly on a rifle cartridge than a handgun one (mainly due to the magnified effects of working at a higher pressure.)

With the rifle, with some special exceptions, a single stage press, which is the cheapest to get, is all you will ever desire, while with handgun, the main point is making lots of ammo and you will likely desire to get some sort of progressive press. Loading on a single stage is the easiest way to maintain concentration on each step of the process until you know what you are doing well. I have multiple high end progressive reloaders, but I do all my rifle development work on a RCBS single stage press. Personally I would consider a chronograph a more important tool for getting started in reloading than a progressive press. (ie you really don't need either to do good work but a chrono is needed if you want to do your best work.)

Handgun reloading is "easier" to accomplish, because of less steps and increased difficulty of seeing minimal change's results means that there is a lot of "good enough" that happens there (meaning you don't see the results of large amounts of deviation.) Typically, a handgun reload is "good enough" if its reliable functioning in your gun and meets whatever accuracy and velocity goals you wanted.

Contrary to what some seem to imply, reloading is not rocket science or require a university degree to do safely and well. Also, I usually recommend that new reloaders work with a mentor for a while. Sometimes, despite what Sam says, reading a manual does not make clear what a simple hands on description will do for you.