TargetTalk

I'm going to start reloading in the next few months, mainly .45ACP for casual range shooting.

The equipment is all my dad's from when he reloaded in the 60s and 70s, so it should be a pretty comprehensive setup (he used to reload for every gun on the rack). I don't anticipate having to buy any more gear unless something has corroded in the years since it was used.

My questions are:

1. Outside of learning how to reload safely and consistently, is there anything in particular that I should be aware of that would be different for reloading for bullseye competition versus plinking? I'd like to avoid getting bad habits that need to be fixed later or replacing gear with something that just wouldn't be appropriate for stepping up to loading match quality ammo.

2. Is there a reloading textbook that you guys like that covers general reloading technique and loading for bullseye? What about online information?

3. My dad has a ton of brass, but I'm not sure what brand(s). In the meantime I'll be shooting factory ammo. Is there a particular brand that you recommend? I understand that people in general prefer Winchester.

Thanks for your help.

-J.

I'm sure that you'll get lots of advice.

what types of presses to you have?

Along with the reloading presses, dies, etc, your dad should have had one or more reloading manuals - Speer, Sierra, Hornady were the popular ones back then. Along with specific reloading info for various calibers, bullets, powders, they all had several chapters dealing with general reloading techniques which answer your first two concerns. Midway stocks them all, or you can go to Amazon or ebay and buy them used. Over the years I must have accumulated almost a dozen manuals from the various suppliers.

As to your question re loading for Bullseye target shooting vs plinking - there is no difference in technique and it makes no sense (to me) to buy cheaper/lower quality components for one rather than the other. The principles of load development are the same whether you want a 'soft' load that still functions in your old M1911, or one that delivers the best groups at 50 yd from your (to be purchased) wad gun.

Some presses lend themselves to producing quality ammo more easily/quickly than others. Almost all can produce quality ammo and at this point quality rather than quantity is the important point. Once you start shooting more than a few hundred rounds a week, faster production equipment becomes more important.

As for your Dad's old brass - first thing to do is sort it by brand.

He has a single stage press...I have no idea what brand.

He also has several dies, again no idea what brands. I'm concerned that these may have rusted over the years, but we'll see.

I'm sure he has a shelf full of books and manuals, which I'll be sure to pick up.

I'm also planning on having him help me get started once everything is set up in my workshop.

I'm looking forward to learning how to reload. Part of me thought, "Why bother?" when I first got back into shooting, but when I went to pick up a box of .45ACP and the price tag said $19.95 it changed my mind quickly.

Thanks for your advice.

-Jason.

I'm sure he has a shelf full of books and manuals, which I'll be sure to pick up.

If these are older you need to get new ones. The loads in in old manuals are often very hot with modern powders, even though he powder may go by the same name.

The loads in in old manuals are often very hot with modern powders, even though he powder may go by the same name.

The powder is as old as the manuals, fortunately.

I'd like to get some new manuals as well, though.

-J.

You might want to invest in some fresh powder... as powder ages, it burn rate changes... 30-40 year old left over are not exactly the best thing to use.

Just my 2 cents,

Mike.

I have had good luck in my 3 pistols with:
Nosler 185gr. HP's, Win lg pistol primer, & 4.1grs. N310
Semper Fi

Funny that this thread should bubble back up to the top.

We got everything set up this week and I reloaded my first batch of .45 ACP. I'll have to head to the range and see if they all go bang, since we used some 10-15 year old primers.

The only new stuff we needed to buy was a .45 die set (my brother swiped the old set a few years ago), primer tray, a pound of powder, some laser-cast bullets (all they had in SWC at Cabelas), and a Lyman Twin brass polisher.

There were less than 100 .45 cartridges, but there is a grab bag of other calibers that I'll need to shoot up. Not much .45 brass (that got swiped with the .45 dies), but I have plenty of my own for now.

Thanks for all the advice!

-J.

I like to buy the manuals called "loadbooks" that are caliber specific. If they are available they are great for ganeral reloading information.

For bullseye specific recipes just post to this list or Bullseye-l. You'll get more help than you want.

You've already got one good load, if VV N310 powder is availble easily where you live. I really like it, too.

I am looking for an alternative to the magic nosler 185JHP for wadgun loads. Is there a SierraSpeer/Hornady that is almost as good?

RES

am looking for an alternative to the magic nosler 185JHP for wadgun loads. Is there a SierraSpeer/Hornady that is almost as good?

Buy the Zeros. Neil Kravitz (NSK ammo) has done testing and says they are better than the current Noslers. Kate

The Remington 185 grain jacketed semi-wadcutter is a great bullet. You might find that it shoots as well as the Noslers in your pistol.

I've heard that the Hornady XTP bullets are also very accurate, but they're so expensive that I haven't bothered to try them.

Many years ago Nick Harvey (Aust) wrote an excellent book explaining the reloading processes. "Nick Harvey's Practical Reloading Guide" is now in it's 8th editition and seems to be much larger than the 140 odd page version I bought close to 30 years ago. I found his explanations of the processes were much better than the reloading books produced by the bullet manufacturers (I had two, Speer and Hornady and still have the ancient Hornady one) which concentrated on the ballistics of their product.

Check out the listings at Amazon.com. Aside from one Australian powder manufacturer virtually all of our reloading components are sourced from the US so the book is relevant and there is a US edition in any case.

I'd recommend this should be on every new reloader's bookshelf. For a review please see http://www.hawkbullets.com/harvey.htm

HI

Sierra's reloading book is the best one I've seen about how to reload. The others concentrate on loads themselves.

Mike
Wichita KS

I SWAGE MY OWN BULLETS , THEY ARE SWCHPBB, THEY WEIGH 189GR. I USE MY OWN FORMULA FOR LUBE,, BOB MARVEL HAS TESTED THEM FOR ME AND HE IS GETTING 10 SHOT GROUPS AT 50 YARDS THAT MEASURE 1.25 INCHES