Finally bit the bullet

[Royal27]

Well, I've finally done it after all these years. I'm beginning to reload. I bought a good ole one stage press and I'm going to town!

The below is my first bullet ever, so if y'all never see another post from me you know what happened.

I've learned several things already:

1. GO SLOW!
2. Pay close attention to the primer seating and make sure it is all the way in (I'm using the lee hand primer)
3. Measure and remeasure everything for now
4. Weighing out different charges is good practice
5. I already know that the lee hand case trimmer isn't for mass production! Great for seeing the process though
6. I see why people have as big of a bench as space allows - I got more spread out than I thought I would

Hopefully I will at least make it to the indoor range this week to see what happens, but won't be able to get outdoors for a bit.

Either way, I'm excited! And thanks to @tarbe for all of the guidance so far!

The bench:

 

[buchnerl]

Royal, there you go man! Just get that mess out on the left of the bottom picture! Start re-loading and I will see you in May to experience your reloading accuracy in person!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

.30-06 with a 165gr Nosler Partition, maybe 180gr?

 

[Royal27]

.30-06 with a 165gr Nosler Partition, maybe 180gr?

Very close Phil !

200 gr partitions. I got a deal on them... I've been told that part of being a reloader is being a scrounger.

 

[BRICKBURN]

...........

1. GO SLOW!
2. Pay close attention .....
3. Measure and remeasure everything for now ...............

None of this should ever change in your reloading process.

Congratulations and Good luck.

by the way, never bite the bullets.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Very close Phil !

200 gr partitions. I got a deal on them... I've been told that part of being a reloader is being a scrounger.

Pretty hard to guess the bullet weight once seated. Accuracy with those in a .30-06 may be touch and go due to twist rate and powder charge limitations. If you get an accurate load and your shot distances aren't terribly long on a Tx whitetail hunt, it would be a great load for them.

You might have to back down to the 180gr version for accuracy, but they'll stick knock an anything up to an elk down.

 

[Royal27]

None of this should ever change in your reloading process.

Congratulations and Good luck.

by the way, never bite the bullets.

Great point....

And those jacketed bullets can be hard on the teeth...

 

[Odinsraven]

Good luck start low and work up towards max. Perhap's some of you guys can post photos of when pressures get a little high.
to help Royal 27 out ..
.

 

[Royal27]

Pretty hard to guess the bullet weight once seated. Accuracy with those in a .30-06 may be touch and go due to twist rate and powder charge limitations. If you get an accurate load and your shot distances aren't terribly long on a Tx whitetail hunt, it would be a great load for them.

You might have to back down to the 180gr version for accuracy, but they'll stick knock an anything up to an elk down.

I hate to even say this, but with what I paid for them I can use them for drills and practice if they don't shoot well out of my gun.

For hunting I plan to eventually work up a load with TTSX. I know my rifle shoots lights out with that bullet in 180gr factory loads.

 

[Nicholas Barcomb]

Welcome to the dark side! If you wish to upgrade on the scale, you may wish to consider the RCBS 1500 Chargemaster scale and trickler combination. They usually have them on sale at Natchez Shooter Supply or Mid-South Shooter Supply for under $300 USD. Also may wish to look at stainless steel tumblers, your brass comes out looking new!http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/products/package-kits.html
Good luck and stay safe!

 

[Velo Dog]

Royal27,

As Nicholas Barcomb said, welcome to the dark side.

Even if I did not care for guns and hunting, I would reload, just to annoy our corrupt Government.

Regarding the 200 gr Nosler Partition, a fellow I know here in Alaska has used that bullet in his Pre-64 Model 70 in .30-06 forever on all local species, including a good barren ground grizzly (not a coastal/salmon-fed land whale, AKA "brown bear").

He was on a river bluff as the boar walked below and the bullet hit this bear between the shoulders, broke the spine and was found in the brisket.

The bear expired so fast that he did not shoot it a 2nd time.

I feel that as spitzer and semi-spitzer bullets go, the Nosler Partitions are very good.

Where they fall down is when people load them beyond their velocity threshold, then they can actually shatter against heavy bone.

The 180, 200 and 220 gr partitions cannot be driven fast enough in the excellent old .30-06 to worry about it.

Even though I prefer 220 gr round nose bullets in the .30-06, for most African conditions (thorn bush and riverine forest), I would not hesitate to hunt any PG species with the 200 gr NP / .30-06 that, I would also hunt/have hunted with my favorite 220 gr RNSP in that cartridge.

Merry Christmas,
Velo Dog.

 

[lcq]

Nothing wrong with single stage Lee stuff it makes fine ammo. I see plenty of people using a progressive press for rifle and just shake my head, full length resizing stretches cases. I like the Lee trim tool, it can be chucked in a cordless drill to speed things up. The zip trim is what I use now and it really speeds up case prep. My sequence

1. brush the neck with an old bore brush
2. lube the case and inside neck (imperial wax is great stuff)
3. FL size the cases (hunting)
4. into the tumbler to clean
5. clean the primer pocket, Lee tool is quick and easy
6. trim the case, deburr the neck inside and outside and run some scotchbrite on the necks for smoothness
7. weigh charge
8. seat bullet (no crimp)
9 Lee factory crimp lightly

looks like many steps but it is quick and produces sub moa ammo

 

[lcq]

Royal27,

As Nicholas Barcomb said, welcome to the dark side.

Even if I did not care for guns and hunting, I would reload, just to annoy our corrupt Government.

Regarding the 200 gr Nosler Partition, a fellow I know here in Alaska has used that bullet in his Pre-64 Model 70 in .30-06 forever on all local species, including a good barren ground grizzly (not a coastal/salmon-fed land whale, AKA "brown bear").

He was on a river bluff as the boar walked below and the bullet hit this bear between the shoulders, broke the spine and was found in the brisket.

The bear expired so fast that he did not shoot it a 2nd time.

I feel that as spitzer and semi-spitzer bullets go, the Nosler Partitions are very good.

Where they fall down is when people load them beyond their velocity threshold, then they can actually shatter against heavy bone.

The 180, 200 and 220 gr partitions cannot be driven fast enough in the excellent old .30-06 to worry about it.

Even though I prefer 220 gr round nose bullets in the .30-06, for most African conditions (thorn bush and riverine forest), I would not hesitate to hunt any PG species with the 200 gr NP / .30-06 that, I would also hunt/have hunted with my favorite 220 gr RNSP in that cartridge.

Merry Christmas,
Velo Dog.

Corrupt Government? you mean the Manchurian Candidate AKA Barry?

 

[lcq]

Very close Phil !

200 gr partitions. I got a deal on them... I've been told that part of being a reloader is being a scrounger.

I have been accused of being a brass rat. The local range is a treasure trove for once fired brass. Bonus if the cops have been there, expect piles of 9mm 40 SW and 223 for the hovering

 

[Royal27]

Welcome to the dark side! If you wish to upgrade on the scale, you may wish to consider the RCBS 1500 Chargemaster scale and trickler combination. They usually have them on sale at Natchez Shooter Supply or Mid-South Shooter Supply for under $300 USD. Also may wish to look at stainless steel tumblers, your brass comes out looking new!http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/products/package-kits.html
Good luck and stay safe!

I know I want to upgrade my scale, but that one may be down the road a bit!!! Pretty cool though.... I honestly think that I may just get a nicer beam scale as opposed to digital, but haven't decided yet.

I feel that as spitzer and semi-spitzer bullets go, the Nosler Partitions are very good.

I like to tinker and get OCD trying to get things right. I think I'm going to enjoy making the load as much as doing the shooting.

 

[Royal27]

The zip trim is what I use now and it really speeds up case prep.

Since you mention it... I was debating between the zip trim and the Lyman universal trimmer. I was leaning towards the Lyman honestly. With multiple calibers it really isn't much more and I thought it would last longer?

Lee factory crimp lightly

I was wondering about this today when I crimped. By "light" I'm assuming the die doesn't close all the way? I tried pretty hard to push the bullet in and couldn't, so sure seemed enough.

 

[lcq]

Since you mention it... I was debating between the zip trim and the Lyman universal trimmer. I was leaning towards the Lyman honestly. With multiple calibers it really isn't much more and I thought it would last longer?



I was wondering about this today when I crimped. By "light" I'm assuming the die doesn't close all the way? I tried pretty hard to push the bullet in and couldn't, so sure seemed enough.

The factory crimp works on all bullets even those without cannelure. If you look at the crimp on a factory round it is almost identical to what the Lee factory crimp produces. Most people don't crimp and it usually isn't necessary but for hunting and autoloaders I crimp just to be safe. I like to see crimp marks on the neck but not bullet deformation. Regular seating dies will give you a crimp but I prefer the factory crimp die.

I have gone through thousands of rounds with the zip trim and it is still going strong, can't lose for $50

 

[sestoppelman]

Maybe someone else already said it but...a loaded round is a CARTRIDGE not a bullet. A bullet is merely the projectile. Talking heads on TV call it a bullet, we don't. Welcome to the loaders club, its a great hobby!

 

[lcq]

Maybe someone else already said it but...a loaded round is a CARTRIDGE not a bullet. A bullet is merely the projectile. Talking heads on TV call it a bullet, we don't. Welcome to the loaders club, its a great hobby!

Not just a great hobby but you can usually make more accurate ammo than factory for alot less. There is also the ability to tune loads for specific game. I have a reduced load for my 300wsm than I use for deer

 

[Royal27]

Maybe someone else already said it but...a loaded round is a CARTRIDGE not a bullet. A bullet is merely the projectile. Talking heads on TV call it a bullet, we don't. Welcome to the loaders club, its a great hobby!

Ugh... I can't believe I said that. I know better!!!