Manuals and Supplies

[unit44justin]

Hey guys, my girlfriend is buying me reloading equipment for a very belated bday present. I have decided to start out with the lee classic turret kit from titan reloading. I will be starting out with 9mm, 357, and .38special. What do you folks suggest for reloading manuals? The kit comes with Modern Reloading second edition, but I have been reading that it is a good idea to have another manual or 2. I plan on taking OldmanFCSA on his offer for training if he has openings still. What powder and bullets you folks like to use? I understand that as I experiment with loads that I will eventually find combos that I like, but I would like t start off with something that is relatively decent. I have heard unique being thrown around a lot, I also plan on making a trip up to gunstop in the next week.

[Kosh]

Hornady 9th is the most recently updated. Lyman 49th seems to be the gold standard.

I just started reading also and chose power pistol from Alliant because it metered well and tends to fill the case more than halfway so it is obvious if you double charge.

I went with precision delta bullets and Winchester primers for 9mm.

[OldmanFCSA]

I'm open weekdays except for Jan 2nd. and this friday.

I use Hornady 8th edition, but any newer manual is good along as covers products other thasn its own.
I also use Nosler, Speer, Lyman, and a few others.

I teach BASICS using single stage presses.

When done, you will have the ability to start on your own and understand WHY's.

Let me know ................

[unit44justin]

I'm open weekdays except for Jan 2nd. and this friday.

I use Hornady 8th edition, but any newer manual is good along as covers products other thasn its own.
I also use Nosler, Speer, Lyman, and a few others.

I teach BASICS using single stage presses.

When done, you will have the ability to start on your own and understand WHY's.

Let me know ................

Great! Weekdays will work best for me to, I'll pick a day and let you know.

[DitchDR]

If your kit came with the auto disk charge, you will need the Richard Lee manual. There is a table in the back that gives charge weights for the auto disk.

[JJ]

Make sure you have current load books! Powders formulations do change occasionally, and your manuals should reflect that. ABC's of reloading is a good starter, and the newest edition of the Lyman manual are must haves IMO.

That said, I constantly pick up old manuals when I do find them. Check pawn and gun shops for older manuals because they can be great reference materials. Remember that some bullet makers you almost have to buy their manual (Barnes comes to mind) to get info. Hodgdon's online data center is a must bookmark site for free easy to access data.

[rugersol]

I plan on taking OldmanFCSA on his offer for training ... What powder and bullets you folks like to use?

I don't think it matters what anyone thinks about powders 'er bullets ... when ya take Oldman's class, he's gonna have bullets 'n powder to use ... and by the time yer done, whatever they are, they'll be what ya wanna use! ... jest remember to write down the info, so ya can order/buy more, fer yerself!

Lee Turret press is a great little starter press! ... started on one, myself!

When ya get to his place, slip him 'nother $20, and a big bear hug ... give him the puppy-dog eyes ... and ask if he'll let ya try out the T-7!

[ex-LT]

If your kit came with the auto disk charge, you will need the Richard Lee manual. There is a table in the back that gives charge weights for the auto disk.

The kit comes with Modern Reloading second edition...

Looks like he's already got the Lee manual covered.

[OldmanFCSA]

I take donations of manuals, powder, primers, bullets, cases, guns, gun parts, presses, accessories, ...... anything that can be of use to others somewhere down the road - legally, of course.

I've made no money on this training offer - the donations I have received have not even come close to 1% of total cost involved in setting up this operation.

If I were in it for the Money - I would have set costs and operate just like any other legal business.

[Seismic Sam]

Hey guys, my girlfriend is buying me reloading equipment for a very belated bday present. I have decided to start out with the lee classic turret kit from titan reloading. I will be starting out with 9mm, 357, and .38special. What do you folks suggest for reloading manuals? The kit comes with Modern Reloading second edition, but I have been reading that it is a good idea to have another manual or 2. I plan on taking OldmanFCSA on his offer for training if he has openings still. What powder and bullets you folks like to use? I understand that as I experiment with loads that I will eventually find combos that I like, but I would like t start off with something that is relatively decent. I have heard unique being thrown around a lot, I also plan on making a trip up to gunstop in the next week.

I'll repeat my opinion of the Lee manual that it has TOO MUCH data, and in an effort from keeping it from becoming an encyclopedia, the data gets squashed together into a very dense format. Take, for example, the data for something common like 9mm 124 grain jacketed bullet loads. Going from left to right, you have minimum or starting grain weight, the powder volume in cc (for the Lee Perfect Powder measure), the Auto disk number, the dipper number, and then you get to the maximum grain weight, followed by the velocity, the pressure, whether the pressure is PSI of CUP, and finally the OAL. The only vertical lines are between the min and max category. And last, you have no less than EIGHTEEN powders listed for 9mm 124 grain jacketed bullet. For a veteran pack rat who is looking for a load to use up some uncommon powder this is great info, but for a n00b trying to just start out and pick one of the best two or three powders for a certain combination, this manual gives you 18 choices and no clue as to the best powder or most accurate load with a certain powder. Other manuals provide best 2 or 3 powders and/or most accurate load for EACH powder, and those are the ones you should be getting your data out of. Speer #14, Hornady #9, Nosler #6, or Lyman #49. Buy at least TWO of these. The other thing totally lacking in the Lee manual is any description of the cartridge itself, where it came from, how long it's been around, and any things to watch out for. (Examples: The .220 Swift is a notorious barrel burner, .223 rifle loads are different from 5.56 military loads, and you want to use 150 grain bullets if you have a 30-06 M1 Garand, and there are no less than THREE different SETS of 45-70 loading data, depending on how strong your gun is!) Luckily for you Oldman will set you straight, so I don't have to crawl out from under my bridge in this cold weather....

[OldmanFCSA]

NO NAMES MENTIONED ........................................

I have had some very specific requests for loading of rounds to duplicate factory rounds and performance in guns of which I have no knowledge.

I will NOT TEACH these loadings in my free training classes.

This requires specialized equipment which is very costly, and would require signing all kinds of legal documents.

I train for the basics, loads that should be safe in any gun out there. I do require trainees to bring their guns. If I determine their guns are un-safe, training is terminated immediately.

As an example:
Loadings worked up for my Ruger GP100 6"heavy should never be fired in a 2" snubbie aluminum framed gun.

38 Spcl loadings should never try to duplicate 357Mag loadings.

and others ....................

[Saunassa]

I started out on a small single stage RCBS press to see if I liked reloading. Now have the Lee classic turret press and have loaded more then 10,000 rounds using it. I use the lee safety prime and once you get the hang of it you can reload quickly. Make sure you have a scale and weigh the loads, the autodisk aperture number is a good starting point but for some powder lots you may need to use a larger or smaller hole to get the desired charge.
Have used Unique, Hp-38, Power Pistol and 2400. It all depends on the caliber I am loading for. I have found that the less empty space in the case the more consistent the speeds and accuracy. For me I settled into using HP-38 for 9mm, 38/357 and 45acp. It is a ball powder so it measures reliably in the auto disk versus flake powders when loading small charge weight loads. Fairly clean burning to shoot and priced well and not too much muzzle flash.
Power pistol is great but I have noticed lots of muzzle flash.
Precision delta bullets and Power Bond bullets have been my go to for most of my loading. Good price and accurate for me.

It is addictive, some friends call me a mad scientist as I try different powders and loads. Ended up getting a chrono just so I could check speeds and consistency in my loads.

[Seismic Sam]

Damn!! A 2 post nwebie who figured it out on his own, has even drawn some valid conclusions about accuracy and the % loading density (not to mention that with a case nearly full, you automatically avoid the possibility of a double charge!!!), and to top it off, went out and bought a chrono to make sure his stuff is working like he thinks it should and is consistent.

Congratulations!! Welcome to the board!!

[Seismic Sam]

NO NAMES MENTIONED ........................................

I have had some very specific requests for loading of rounds to duplicate factory rounds and performance in guns of which I have no knowledge.

I will NOT TEACH these loadings in my free training classes.

This requires specialized equipment which is very costly, and would require signing all kinds of legal documents.

Like I said, you have the patience of a Saint, and how you can put up with some of these requests is more than I could understand or ever do. You're a better man than I, Gunga-Din...

[OldmanFCSA]

Damn!! A 2 post nwebie who figured it out on his own, has even drawn some valid conclusions about accuracy and the % loading density (not to mention that with a case nearly full, you automatically avoid the possibility of a double charge!!!), and to top it off, went out and bought a chrono to make sure his stuff is working like he thinks it should and is consistent.

Congratulations!! Welcome to the board!!

Thanks for your next posting ( the one after this quoted one). Somedays are difficult, but then I remember back when I was a newbie and asked those questions.

The person you responded to here definitely has potential, and the ability to learn the WHY's.
I too applaud his abilities and hope to meet him someday, before I become "Dust in the Wind" somewhere over Kansas.