| Posted: Tue Aug 26th, 2008 01:12 AM |
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t_bonez
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Hello all! I just picked up a new .40, and want to do some reloading. I have no experience with metallic cartridge loading, but I have done some shotshell. I don't have any equipment of my own, so what do I need?
Here's what I would like to accomplish:
Cheaper 'per round' shooting, and consistant quality rounds. I currently shoot about 150 rounds per week, so I don't need a high-volume system. Thus, I want to get into this for as little as possible! I'm sure I'll end up buying all the toys, but I would like a simple bare bones setup until I can really understand and 'master' the process.
Thanks!
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26th, 2008 01:36 AM |
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Sprue
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Welcome T-bone.
Go here for starters
Lee Aniversery Kit
This is a starter kit (above link) that will get you on your way. Course you will still need dies and a shell holder. Just as important you need to buy a reloading manual, infact, one is not enough.
Read all that you can find online. There is just so much information on the web. Regardless, you still need to purchase that first Load manual.
Although I don't have one, the Lee Classic Turret press gets very good reviews so consider that one too. You will actually be better off by buying a Lee Clasic Turret press IMO but its good also to start out with a Single Sage Press as shown in the link.
The Aniversary kit should load most any pistol but I think not for rifle.
As for the 40 cal, its a straight wall cartridge and easy to load for.
Good luck and feel free to ask away, thats what this place is all about. Remember, there are no stupid questions!
Enjoy
Last edited on Tue Aug 26th, 2008 01:39 AM by Sprue
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Sprue
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26th, 2008 01:46 AM |
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t_bonez
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I've heard a lot of great stuff about the Lee classic. So when buying powder, brass, bullets, primers, etc. in bulk, what is a typical "per round" cost?
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26th, 2008 02:31 AM |
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Sprue
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Try This
I only shoot my cast bullets and range pickup brass. So all that I have to buy is powder and primers.
1lb Unique= $22
1K primmers=$27
1K brass=zilch
Bullets=zilch
For example, I use 3.8 grains of powder per load. So for me about .04 cents a round to shoot in 38spl . Less than 5 cents per round for 45 ACP
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26th, 2008 03:04 AM |
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Charley
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Remember, the Challenger is an aluminum press, and will wear faster than cast iron. Still good for thousands of cartridges, though. Might last only 15 years instead of a lifetime. If you can swing the price differential, the Classic Cast is the way to go.
What kind of .40 did you pick up? Makes a difference in what you can load. Cast bullets will always be less expensive than jacketed, but some guns (Glock, for instance!) do not handle lead well because of the rifleing design. Glock actually says nothing but jacketed thru their guns, and some kabooms have been traced to the buildup of leading in their barrels.
Bulk jacketed are a bit cheaper, but not as cheap as bulk lead.
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26th, 2008 03:47 AM |
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t_bonez
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Charley wrote: Remember, the Challenger is an aluminum press, and will wear faster than cast iron. Still good for thousands of cartridges, though. Might last only 15 years instead of a lifetime. If you can swing the price differential, the Classic Cast is the way to go.
What kind of .40 did you pick up? Makes a difference in what you can load. Cast bullets will always be less expensive than jacketed, but some guns (Glock, for instance!) do not handle lead well because of the rifleing design. Glock actually says nothing but jacketed thru their guns, and some kabooms have been traced to the buildup of leading in their barrels.
Bulk jacketed are a bit cheaper, but not as cheap as bulk lead.
An xd-40 sub. I'll check with Springfield to see what their 'official' response is to cast bullets. But I'm sure a little rooting around here will tell me when the regulars think about cast bullets out of an XD.
At a nickle a round, that sure is a lot cheaper than buying buying the box!
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26th, 2008 04:27 PM |
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Sprue
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T-bonez
Here is another idea.
If you happen to be a member of your local gun club you might find someone that has an excess straight press.
If not,
Go around the various forums and place a WTB ad. I'm sure you will find some items that you can use for a decent price. My first press, an old Lyman Spartan was given to me by a friend. Reloading items ar easy to find on these forums (at a great value).
The best of the best of the powder measures is (IMO) Lyman #55. A decent working powder mesaure on the cheap is Lee Saftey Measure. Its around 20 bucks , they leak a little but throw consistance charges. Most any of the scales are okay.
Then there is that evilbay (ebay).
I think that the xd40 has the same rifling as the glock - polywhatever. I'm sure that ifyou contact any gun vender, that they will instruct you to NOT shoot reloads much less lead. Its a legality thing....disclaimer.
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| Posted: Fri Aug 29th, 2008 11:44 AM |
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Charley
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Glock's polygonal rifleing isn't lead friendly at all, much more than a "legality issue". If you do want to shoot lead thru a Glock, there are aftermarket barrels available with cut rifleing. Lead isn't a problem in these.
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30th, 2008 04:30 AM |
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nksmfamjp
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As far as equipment goes, I would get either a Hornady LNL AP, or the RCBS/Lyman turret kit. I would avoid electronic scales and most precision measuring equipment. I would buy Mitsutoyo or better calipers. Ebay usually has these.
The RCBS 5-10 scale, no longer made, is the finest powder scale short of the 10-10 I have ever seen or used. They say +/- .1gr accurate, but I would guess it runs closer to +/- .03 gr in practice. They are avail on Ebay everyday.
Hornady dies work the best for setting up IMO. They are finger adjustable, so you don't need wrenches. They also break down easily for cleaning. For crimping, I use the LEE Factory Crimp die. I take the bell out with the seat/crimp die and add a final crimp with the LEE FC Die. I use about touch + 1 turn of crimp.
Magic marker is key for knowing how far you've turned an adjustment. All my dies have some on them.
A tumbler makes cleaning much less bothersome.
AA #5 gives great performance from 38 spcl to 45 ACP.
Cast bullets from reloadersauction.com are cheap. Check out illinois_bullet.
Always bring grocery bags to the range to pick up other's brass.
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30th, 2008 03:35 PM |
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10th Post |
Timberghozt
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I load for THE .40 S&W in my Sig P229.I use Power Pistol powder and Win Primers with Win Brass and Hornady 155 gr XTP`s..It is a rather good load in my pistol.Accuracy is excellent but I havent done any penetration tests with it yet,,
Welcome to the site T_BONEZ
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