How to Reload a Metallic Cartridge
Clean the area., Acquire a good reloading manual., Acquire all the supplies: Empty Casings., Setup your reloading press and adjust your dies according to the manufacturer's and caliber's specifications. , Clean your brass., Lubricate your empty...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clean the area.
Make sure that the area and especially the workbench are free from any material that might interfere into the reloading process. -
Step 2: Acquire a good reloading manual.
This is going to be your reloading bible, it will contain the information about which powders to use for a given caliber, which kind of primer to use, and all critical dimensions required for your newly manufactured ammunition. , You will most likely already have the brass in your possession from once-fired cartridges, or you can purchase newly manufactured brass casings.
Primers.
Make sure that you have the right primers for the caliber you are reloading for and the powder you are planning to use.
The following primers are available on the market :
Small Pistol (Standard or Magnum) Large Pistol (Standard or Magnum) Small Rifle (Standard or Magnum) Large Rifle (Standard or Magnum) Extra Large Rifle (Commonly known as the CCI #35, used mostly for 50BMG ammo) Shotgun Primer (Commonly known as #209 primer, also used in some muzzleloaders) Note that magnum primers are only to be used if the powder used requires it.
Usually, slower powders are harder to ignite and might require magnum priming.
Powder.
There are two type of gunpowder, the first is black powder & their substitutes, which are nowadays usually used in muzzleloading rifles or cap-n-ball revolvers, but a few metallic calibers still require black powder.
Black powder is mostly made of charcoal, sulphur and saltpeter.
The second type of powder is known as smokeless powder, which is usually made out of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin or a mix of both (the latter being called double based powder).
Smokeless powders come in two types, ball powder, which are usually small, shiny black granules, and extruded powder, which looks like little cylinders, of various colors, but usually is in the green-ish palette.
The selection of the powder will be made from the data provided in your reloading book.
Bullets.
Bullets come in many forms:
Lead bullets :
Usually used at low velocities in muzzleloading rifles, or pistols.
The hardness of the bullet varies depending of which alloy has been used.
Gas Checked :
Lead bullets, generally hard cast (harder alloy), with a small copper disk crimped at the base of the bullet.
Gas checked bullets can be pushed at higher velocities than lead bullets Jacketed bullets :
Those are the modern standard, these include Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ), Jacketed Soft Point (JSP), Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) and many other typed.
These bullets can be pushed at much higher velocities than lead & gas checked bullets.
Remember that the weight and the composition of a bullet must always be taken into consideration when selecting the type and the quantity of powder to use. ,, Cleaning the brass is not only for esthetic reasons, but also to get rid of all the particles and debris that might scratch the sizing die and/or the chamber of the firearm. , This step is only required if you are using steel dies, to reduce the friction between the brass casing and the sizing die.
If you are reloading pistol ammunition and purchased carbide sizing die, you may skip the lubrication step.
Tungsten carbide is a very hard metal which also provides a very smooth surface, preventing the brass from sticking to it.
Rifle casings must always be lubricated prior to sizing regardless of the sizing die's construction. , This step is usually combined with the sizing step as most sizing dies include an integral decapper.
Another option is to use a universal decapping die, which can be used on virtually all calibers. , When fired, the pressure generated by the burning powder will expand the casing so it contacts with the walls of the firearm's chamber, leaving the ejected casing bigger than it was before firing.
These casings need to be resized to their original specifications with the help of a sizing die.
There are two type of sizing :
Neck sizing, which is only to be used with rifle casings that are used in a bolt action rifle (or other slow-action manually operated rifles), and Full Sizing, which is to be used when reloading for straight-walled cartridges, pistol, or for semi-automatic or fully-automatic firearms. , This is especially important for bottlenecked rifle calibers, and can usually be skipped for straight-walled or pistol calibers.
As the casing is being resized, it will usually stretch and end up longer than it was before sizing.
You will need to reduce the length of the casing by trimming the case's mouth.
This can be done with various hand tools or some power tools.
The trip-to length of a cartridge is provided in the reloading manual. , Most reloading presses are equipped with a priming device of some sort, or you can also use a hand priming tool. , This is required if you are loading straight-walled cartridges, or loading non boat-tailed bullets.
This is to prevent the casing's mouth from shaving the copper/lead of the bullet being seated.
This step is usually integrated to the powder pouring on progressive reloading presses. , Once you have chosen the type and the quantity or powder to use, you need to measure the quantity.
You can weight each and every charge on a scale, or you might want to use a mechanical powder measure.
Remember that even if you are using a powder measure, you will still need a scale to calibrate the powder measure and ensure that the right amount of powder is being poured.
You should check the powder measure with the scale regularly to ensure that it is still accurate.
Powder charges are usually measured in grains (a grain being 1/7000th of a pound, or
0.0648gram) , This can be done directly from the powder measure, or with funnel. , Using the correct die (the seating die), you must seat the bullet into the casing.
The seating die must be adjusted to the correct level to reach the required Cartridge Overall Length (COAL, or OAL, which is provided in the reloading manual) , Crimping is only required if the ammunition is to be used in a tubular magazine (on which the cartridges are pushing on each other lengthwise) or if the ammunition is to be used in a firearm with a 'brutal' action, such as a semi-automatic or fully-automatic firearm.
There are 2 basic types of crimps: taper and roll.
Taper crimp is normally used for semi-automatic firearms that headspace off the case mouth.
Roll crimp is normally used for revolver or single shot firearms that head space off the case rim.
The reloading dies for the specific cartridge will be factory set for the type of crimp required. , Important step to prevent lubricant buildup in the firearm's chamber. ,, -
Step 3: Acquire all the supplies: Empty Casings.
-
Step 4: Setup your reloading press and adjust your dies according to the manufacturer's and caliber's specifications.
-
Step 5: Clean your brass.
-
Step 6: Lubricate your empty casings.
-
Step 7: Remove the old primer.
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Step 8: Resize your casing.
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Step 9: Trim the casing.
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Step 10: Insert the new primer.
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Step 11: Expand the case mouth.
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Step 12: Measure the powder.
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Step 13: Pour the powder into the primed casing.
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Step 14: Seat the bullet.
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Step 15: Crimp the cartridge.
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Step 16: Wipe the lubricant off the cartridge.
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Step 17: Store in a safe place out of the reach of children.
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Step 18: Clean the area again.
Detailed Guide
Make sure that the area and especially the workbench are free from any material that might interfere into the reloading process.
This is going to be your reloading bible, it will contain the information about which powders to use for a given caliber, which kind of primer to use, and all critical dimensions required for your newly manufactured ammunition. , You will most likely already have the brass in your possession from once-fired cartridges, or you can purchase newly manufactured brass casings.
Primers.
Make sure that you have the right primers for the caliber you are reloading for and the powder you are planning to use.
The following primers are available on the market :
Small Pistol (Standard or Magnum) Large Pistol (Standard or Magnum) Small Rifle (Standard or Magnum) Large Rifle (Standard or Magnum) Extra Large Rifle (Commonly known as the CCI #35, used mostly for 50BMG ammo) Shotgun Primer (Commonly known as #209 primer, also used in some muzzleloaders) Note that magnum primers are only to be used if the powder used requires it.
Usually, slower powders are harder to ignite and might require magnum priming.
Powder.
There are two type of gunpowder, the first is black powder & their substitutes, which are nowadays usually used in muzzleloading rifles or cap-n-ball revolvers, but a few metallic calibers still require black powder.
Black powder is mostly made of charcoal, sulphur and saltpeter.
The second type of powder is known as smokeless powder, which is usually made out of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin or a mix of both (the latter being called double based powder).
Smokeless powders come in two types, ball powder, which are usually small, shiny black granules, and extruded powder, which looks like little cylinders, of various colors, but usually is in the green-ish palette.
The selection of the powder will be made from the data provided in your reloading book.
Bullets.
Bullets come in many forms:
Lead bullets :
Usually used at low velocities in muzzleloading rifles, or pistols.
The hardness of the bullet varies depending of which alloy has been used.
Gas Checked :
Lead bullets, generally hard cast (harder alloy), with a small copper disk crimped at the base of the bullet.
Gas checked bullets can be pushed at higher velocities than lead bullets Jacketed bullets :
Those are the modern standard, these include Full Metal Jacketed (FMJ), Jacketed Soft Point (JSP), Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) and many other typed.
These bullets can be pushed at much higher velocities than lead & gas checked bullets.
Remember that the weight and the composition of a bullet must always be taken into consideration when selecting the type and the quantity of powder to use. ,, Cleaning the brass is not only for esthetic reasons, but also to get rid of all the particles and debris that might scratch the sizing die and/or the chamber of the firearm. , This step is only required if you are using steel dies, to reduce the friction between the brass casing and the sizing die.
If you are reloading pistol ammunition and purchased carbide sizing die, you may skip the lubrication step.
Tungsten carbide is a very hard metal which also provides a very smooth surface, preventing the brass from sticking to it.
Rifle casings must always be lubricated prior to sizing regardless of the sizing die's construction. , This step is usually combined with the sizing step as most sizing dies include an integral decapper.
Another option is to use a universal decapping die, which can be used on virtually all calibers. , When fired, the pressure generated by the burning powder will expand the casing so it contacts with the walls of the firearm's chamber, leaving the ejected casing bigger than it was before firing.
These casings need to be resized to their original specifications with the help of a sizing die.
There are two type of sizing :
Neck sizing, which is only to be used with rifle casings that are used in a bolt action rifle (or other slow-action manually operated rifles), and Full Sizing, which is to be used when reloading for straight-walled cartridges, pistol, or for semi-automatic or fully-automatic firearms. , This is especially important for bottlenecked rifle calibers, and can usually be skipped for straight-walled or pistol calibers.
As the casing is being resized, it will usually stretch and end up longer than it was before sizing.
You will need to reduce the length of the casing by trimming the case's mouth.
This can be done with various hand tools or some power tools.
The trip-to length of a cartridge is provided in the reloading manual. , Most reloading presses are equipped with a priming device of some sort, or you can also use a hand priming tool. , This is required if you are loading straight-walled cartridges, or loading non boat-tailed bullets.
This is to prevent the casing's mouth from shaving the copper/lead of the bullet being seated.
This step is usually integrated to the powder pouring on progressive reloading presses. , Once you have chosen the type and the quantity or powder to use, you need to measure the quantity.
You can weight each and every charge on a scale, or you might want to use a mechanical powder measure.
Remember that even if you are using a powder measure, you will still need a scale to calibrate the powder measure and ensure that the right amount of powder is being poured.
You should check the powder measure with the scale regularly to ensure that it is still accurate.
Powder charges are usually measured in grains (a grain being 1/7000th of a pound, or
0.0648gram) , This can be done directly from the powder measure, or with funnel. , Using the correct die (the seating die), you must seat the bullet into the casing.
The seating die must be adjusted to the correct level to reach the required Cartridge Overall Length (COAL, or OAL, which is provided in the reloading manual) , Crimping is only required if the ammunition is to be used in a tubular magazine (on which the cartridges are pushing on each other lengthwise) or if the ammunition is to be used in a firearm with a 'brutal' action, such as a semi-automatic or fully-automatic firearm.
There are 2 basic types of crimps: taper and roll.
Taper crimp is normally used for semi-automatic firearms that headspace off the case mouth.
Roll crimp is normally used for revolver or single shot firearms that head space off the case rim.
The reloading dies for the specific cartridge will be factory set for the type of crimp required. , Important step to prevent lubricant buildup in the firearm's chamber. ,,
About the Author
Larry Price
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow home improvement tutorials.
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