New to reloading

[marksman79]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking to start reloading as a hobby, .223 to start with. I'm mostly shooting fox on my quarry and would just like some advice from the pro's on here. Maybe there is some one on here that is looking to sell the setup as i'm looking at the second hand side of thngs. I'm going to crack some research first by reading a good book, any suggestions? I was going to buy one of the Speer books. Does anyone have a book for sale? Do i need to inform the police when making my own ammo at home, i'm not sure about the powder rights etc?

 

I hope some one can share their usefull information to get me started.

 

Regards.

[Andy H]

You do not need to tell the police you are reloading and you can keep 5kg of nitro powders at home before you have to register the premises for explosives storage.

Edited September 15, 2010 by Andy H

[al4x]

find someone local to give you a lesson or two. Its not rocket science but obviously do it wrong and it can kill you. You buy the Bullet heads in the same way as loaded ammo and they get written on your ticket. Powder you also often have to show your ticket for, after that just enjoy its quite theraputic knowing you're saving lots, just makes you shoot more

[Redgum]

Hi Marksman, I have just entered in to this very interesting hobby and firstly I must say your in the right place for advice.

I bought the Lee deluxe 4 turret with auto index kit for reloading 243 and am extremely pleased with it at the price.

Firstly a good book, well Opticswarehouse ( you will find it on a search) are selling Lees Modern reloading 2nd edition for a tenner plus postage,its a good book with loads of data. The lee deluxe kit cost me £118 from Henry Kranks but opticswarehouse will give you a better price, its not on their website yet but use their live email enquirey service and speak to Lisa. Apart from the press kit you will need a set of dies, go for the lee deluxe at around £30, its has the collet die for neck resizeing, useful if your using your own fired brass, it has a fullsize resizer for brass fired by someone else as well.

A few extra bits and pieces you will need, a digital verniers, flea bay for that for around a tenner, powder trickler( opticswarehouse). Case cutter depth gauge for the calibre you require(Henry Kranks) {the cutter comes in the kit})

Case lube( Henry Kranks) It you want to use the auto powder feed in the Lee kit you will need a rifle powder die for rifle rounds and a double disk kit. It you go on Henry kranks website you will find a list of lee items plus lee instruction videos how to set up dies etc.

I think my set up including book etc came to under £200 and its a great hobby. The lee book is very informative with all sorts of advice. Opticswarehouse could probably get you all that you need but its not on their website yet so you will have to talk to them on live chat and get their phone number. Oh one more thing I have bought and that was a second hand lee autoprimer, great bit of kit.

If you need help just get on here.

As for secondhand stuff, it doesnt come up often and does not devalue much so really its not so expensive buying new if you can afford it. And if you don't enjoy the hobby, well you will get good money back on reselling your kit.

 

Happy reloading.

[the running man]

Yes everyones getting into reloading,so You are not alone.secondhand stuff comes up,but for everyone giving up,someones just starting,so snap up anything you can. Their are numerous reloading websites,its a shame the sportsman down exeter is so expensive,just the powders seem to be the going rate everything else is dear. Spear book is a goon un,lee is ok but not exactly comprehensive. Don't be afraid to ask if uve any questions

[jamie g]

i love reloading but dont reload to the amounts as some people on he do and for all different calibers but im pretty clued up on it now and gett good results for 222 and 22/250

 

powder primers and bullets are going up in price all the time now. so its not going to be that much cheaper in the future. you dont have to inform the police but make a log on your pc when you buy bullets heads to reload. you can then show your flo this when you come to renew

this will then show them that you have been using your rifle. the reason to do this is bullet heads dont go down on your ticket even if there expanding or match bullet heads.

 

you can have them wrote on your ticket but most firearms dealers dont iBUT WILL IF THERE FULL ROUNDS as there is no law to say they have to. thats why its best to keep a log.

so you can show him this. the gunshop will want to see your ticket for powder and primers also

 

look up the video's on youtube there are some good info on there and makes things abity easyier for you to understand as it seams a mind field at the start.

if you can find someone local who does it to show you its even easier.

Edited September 15, 2010 by jamie g

[Redgum]

I had my bullets put down on my license, I thought it was law, but you cannot have anymore than whats stated on your ticket, is that correct. As for the price of reloading, I get the brass for nowt and I reckon on 40p a round for 243 unless I'm making an error in my calculations. Compare that with £34 per 20 for ammo of the same quality.

[marksman79]

Great advice so far guys, many thanks. Does any one come from around Exeter, would like to sit in on some sessions? Has anyone ever used military 5.56 (.223) brass, i'm in the military and can get my hands loads of empty cylinders. Can some one educate me on using military 5.56 rounds through my civilian weapon, do the rounds damage the bore?

 

I was speaking to one of the lads in the SportsMan today in Exeter regarding reloading, i told him i was looking for a good book to do some research and he said i need to decide on the heads, does he mean the make of round i.e Hornady? I was originally looking at purchasing the Speer book version 14.

Edited September 15, 2010 by marksman79

[harv]

Great advice so far guys, many thanks. Does any one come from around Exeter, would like to sit in on some sessions? Has anyone ever used military 5.56 (.223) brass, i'm in the military and can get my hands loads of empty cylinders. Can some one educate me on using military 5.56 rounds through my civilian weapon, do the rounds damage the bore?

 

I was speaking to one of the lads in the SportsMan today in Exeter regarding reloading, i told him i was looking for a good book to do some research and he said i need to decide on the heads, does he mean the make of round i.e Hornady? I was originally looking at purchasing the Speer book version 14.

 

hi carl,

shame you are too far to sit in as it is probably the best way to learn the basics hopefully somebody nearer can help, i have a handloaders digest which

although a few years old has good descriptions of equipment needed, bullet choice etc etc. pm your address and its in the post with any other info i can find.

there is a pinned topic on 5.56 rounds thru .223 chambers in the bullets and reloading section which you must read, as far as loading 5.56 brass its a pain in the harris as the cases are not boxer primed so difficult to decap and again the use of military brass is not recomended due to wall thickness of the brass in relation to higher pressures.

the guy talking about heads was probably asking bullet type and make i.e. 55gn fmj which you will be familiar with, most hunting reloaders use expanding ,types and there is a large variety of shapes and weights so was probably going to recomend a manual by the maufacturer e.g. hornady.

i load .223 also and shoot a steyr so maybe able to recomend some safe starting loads once you have decided on gear.

good luck its a minefield

harv

edit: just dug out a lyman "starting reloading" manual which will get you going

Edited September 15, 2010 by harv

[marksman79]

hi carl,

shame you are too far to sit in as it is probably the best way to learn the basics hopefully somebody nearer can help, i have a handloaders digest which

although a few years old has good descriptions of equipment needed, bullet choice etc etc. pm your address and its in the post with any other info i can find.

there is a pinned topic on 5.56 rounds thru .223 chambers in the bullets and reloading section which you must read, as far as loading 5.56 brass its a pain in the harris as the cases are not boxer primed so difficult to decap and again the use of military brass is not recomended due to wall thickness of the brass in relation to higher pressures.

the guy talking about heads was probably asking bullet type and make i.e. 55gn fmj which you will be familiar with, most hunting reloaders use expanding ,types and there is a large variety of shapes and weights so was probably going to recomend a manual by the maufacturer e.g. hornady.

i load .223 also and shoot a steyr so maybe able to recomend some safe starting loads once you have decided on gear.

good luck its a minefield

harv

edit: just dug out a lyman "starting reloading" manual which will get you going

 

Will PM you now.

[jamie g]

I had my bullets put down on my license, I thought it was law, but you cannot have anymore than whats stated on your ticket, is that correct. As for the price of reloading, I get the brass for nowt and I reckon on 40p a round for 243 unless I'm making an error in my calculations. Compare that with £34 per 20 for ammo of the same quality.

 

 

its a weird law mate.

 

say you had buy 500 keep 600

 

then you could buy 500 expanding bullet heads that is your limit. but if you where buying target bullets say amax heads then you could buy as many as you like !

 

yet if you went and asked for factory target rounds fully made up then you couldnt buy more then 500. seams a weird law.

[activeviii]

yes! but dont knock it.hehe.

 

Im using A-max at the moment. if i shop around then i can get them posted to my house. V-max i have to pay the local silly price man.

 

Phil.

[Mr_Logic]

It's all down to the fact that bullets are not prohibited unless expanding, that's all.

 

Regarding having to show FAC for powder, I would politely decline to do so unless I was buying something else - there is no requirement in law for this, and I resent everyone cracking down on things that we don't have to - just gives folk more ammo to add this into law - "It's the norm anyway so we might as well legislate"...

 

Primers do need an FAC to be produced (with a centrefire calibre) since the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2002 (because of course having to show a ticket for rifle primers (don't have to for shotgun) makes all the difference!!)

[marksman79]

Very happy today!

 

Bought my first reloading component today, went for the RCBS Partner Press (single stage). I have decided on press as i'm not going to load a serious amount of rounds to start with. I did look at the turrent version but again thought little steps first, oh the price is a bit high as well! I would like to hear other user's comments if you own one? I also bought the RCBS dies. The box came with a resizing and primer die, do i require any others in my box of tricks?

 

I'm very interested in RCBS equipment on here if any one is selling second hand components. Where do RCBS users buy there kit in the UK, is there a shop or store that stands out anywhere?

[Redgum]

you will need a powder measuring system eg scales, funnel, powder trickler. You will need a case cutter and gauge to trim your cases, a deburring tool and primer seat cleaner. You will need to measure the length of your loaded ammuntion, I picked up a digital micrometer on ebay for 8 notes and it works fine.

If you want RCB's kit take a look at opticwarehouses online website, good prices on new stuff.

One essential item you will need is a good reloading manual, they are filled with very useful into and reloading data.

[snowz]

good videos by him on reloading 223 and a member on some of the forum

 

(cant embed it for some reason???)

 

 

Edited October 2, 2010 by snowz