Reloading your ammunition is an incredibly worthwhile endeavor, even under normal circumstances. It requires an initial equipment investment, but the cost savings for those who shoot often can be significant. Additionally, taking the time to develop your loads can improve your firearms’ accuracy. Finally, for those who like to tinker and experiment, reloading allows you to use wildcat and older cartridge designs for which you cannot buy factory ammo.
For the beginner, reloading ammunition can seem intimidating, difficult, and frustrating. But that doesn’t have to happen. Here’s a way to start producing your bullets. With the extra time on our hands, it’s a great opportunity to take up this exciting hobby.
Ready to Reload: The Basics
Creating your ammunition is possible with the right equipment. A reloading press, various tools, and a dedicated workspace are needed to craft fresh rounds from brass casings, whether new or previously fired. In addition to the necessary hardware, reliable data is also required to ensure the process is done safely and correctly.
Before you make a mad dash to Amazon and purchase all the reloading supplies, take a moment to learn more about this hobby. Do a little bit of research and stay safe by avoiding past mistakes others have made. Reloading has the potential to be dangerous, so it’s essential to get educated and make sure you’re doing it right.
- Books like The Beginners Guide to Reloading Ammunition by Steven Gregersen and Metallic Cartridge Handloading: Pursuit of the Perfect Cartridge by Mic McPherson are great for basic and intermediate knowledge, respectively.
- If you’re not a reader, check out the Ultimate Reloader YouTube channel by Gavin Gear.
- Lastly, you can only reload properly with a decent manual. Having a reliable reloading manual is an absolute must for any reloader. It will provide accurate and reliable load data for different calibers.
While there are many reloading recipes online, it’s best to get them from trusted sources like powder and bullet manufacturers. This is one activity where keeping the manual is an absolute must.
All Ready? Get Started with Your Reloading Bench
Reloading presses take removable dies to size brass cases and seat bullets, creating rounds that fit in the chamber of any gun. The dies change depending on the step in the reloading process, which consists of resizing, trimming, expanding the neck, inserting a primer, charging the case with powder, seating the bullet, and crimping the case if needed.
If you’re looking to get into reloading, it’s best to start with a single-stage reloading press. This type of press allows users to go through all the steps of the reloading process in one pull of the lever. It’s a great tool to help understand all the nuances of reloading a single round.
After understanding one round, one can use a turret press to rotate the dies and press rounds through each step. For those who want to reload multiple rounds at once, a progressive press is a way to go, as it automatically completes all the stages for each round.
In Conclusion
Getting into reloading can feel intimidating, with many components and equipment to choose from. Fortunately, many press makers have thought of this, offering starter kits enabling you to go from an empty workbench to outfitting your space with almost everything you need. Remember to research through good sources and find a bench that fits your needs.
Reload with RedEye
We carry the tools needed to start your reloading journey: brass, firearms, ammunition, presses, casting, etc.! Check out our sale items today and get up to 40 percent off selected goods!