My Embarrassing Reloading Journey

[Dancing Heretik]

This is going to be embarrassing. I finally started on my path to reloading, kind of.

I had bought all my supplies before we moved into a house a few months ago, then got all of it mixed up with all my other stuff during the move. Now I've found and sorted through all my reloading stuff and started with decapping.

I decapped a whole 3 9mm cartridges before my decapping pin disappeared up into the die. I found 2 wrenches to try to re-adjust it. But, one of my wrenches is too slick to do the job. I'm waiting to borrow another wrench from my daughter when she gets home eventually.

I figured I'ld go ahead and post a picture in case there's something I need to watch out for before I get the other wrench.

My ineptitude with tools is embarrassing. But, I really want to learn to do this.

 

[rotor]

Is that the Lee universal decapper? You really need 2 crescent wrenches. Don't use pliers. I could go minimal single stage press but not a hand press. Even Harbor Freight wrenches will do. With the price of ammo now you will enjoy those new reloads. But you sure will work hard on making them.

 

[jrbfishn]

The hand press is fine. I have one. Duct tape some foam to the top of the handles and it will be more comfortable to use. I am not a big person, 125 pounds, and I use it for rifle brass too. It gets much easier if you deprime and size in different steps.
Get enough bushings for each die. Set it and leave it.
Get 2 6 inch crescent wrenches and leave them with your press. Much better than pliers.
Once you get to rifle cartridges, you can do some very accurate rounds with that press.
And don't forget calipers to measure overall length. I prefer dial type. Then your reloading tools are all portable. Use them where and when you want to. You can do all your prep work watching TV if you want to.

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[Dancing Heretik]

Is that the Lee universal decapper? I could go minimal single stage press but not a hand press.

Yes, it is. I did also end up buying a Lee turret press which I haven't set up yet. So, that should help.

You really need 2 crescent wrenches. Don't use pliers. . Even Harbor Freight wrenches will do.

I guess I should have already planned for that. But, I will now.

With the price of ammo now you will enjoy those new reloads. But you sure will work hard on making them.

I'm very much looking forward to have more ammo available. I'm hoping to even enjoy making it myself. The turret press should make it a little easier once I get it set up.

 

[jrbfishn]

My process with the hand press.

Decap
Resize and flare if needed.
(Trim and deburr if rifle brass)
Clean
Reprime with a hand primer.
Empty brass goes on the left of the table. Powder and scale to check loads in the middle. Empty holder on the right side.
Get the powder measure set. I do one at a time. Check every 5th to 8th one. Trickle as needed.
As it gets powder it goes on the right. Once 50-150 are ready I take a flashlight and visually check to see that each brass got powder. If one looks off, I weigh it. Too far off and the five on each side get checked also.
Then I seat bullets and factory crimp them. Lightly.
Same process on rifle rounds.
I have yet to have any ammo not work and have gotten .5 MOA on rifle rounds. And once the prep is done, I can crank out about 100-150 rounds an hour. Just about anywhere. Home, hotel, campsite,,,,,just about anywhere.
Get a lyman case gauge for rifle. It will tell you if you need to trim rifle brass.
It takes no more to resize .223/5.56 or .224 Valyrie brass than 9mm or 45acp with a hand press.
If my skinney ass with bad joints can process 500 rounds a night while watching TV, it can't be that bad.

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[DoubleDuty]

The hand press works great.

 

[jrbfishn]

Using my setup, I did 50 .223 hunting rounds in about 35 minutes. I measured each charge exact as it is for a specific rifle. Charge, seat and crimp.

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[skfullgun]

I've had various presses and like to use the Lee hand press to remove primers and resize brass while sitting in front of the TV. I then finish the reloading process on a bench mounted press.

 

[SQLGeek]

I'd recommend instead of adjustable wrenches, use fixed sized wrenches with an open and a closed side.

You'll need 1/2" for the decapping stem and 3/4" for the die body. Use the closed end of the 1/2" on the decapping stem and hold in place with the open end of the 3/4" on the die body.

I recommend using fixed wrenches because you need to put a "considerable" (per Lee's own manual) of torque on the decapping stem. Having fixed wrenches helps prevent them from slipping on you.

Don't be embarrassed. We all start somewhere and have different levels of knowledge. I have an Akro bin on my bench I affectionately call the F-It Bucket that I throw my mistakes in. There have been some doozies including a .357 magnum case that got squished when I tried to figure out how the Lee expander die worked.

Ask any time. We will be glad to help.

 

[Dancing Heretik]

The hand press is fine. I have one. Duct tape some foam to the top of the handles and it will be more comfortable to use. I am not a big person, 125 pounds, and I use it for rifle brass too.

Good idea.

It gets much easier if you deprime and size in different steps.
Get enough bushings for each die. Set it and leave it.
Get 2 6 inch crescent wrenches and leave them with your press. Much better than pliers.
Once you get to rifle cartridges, you can do some very accurate rounds with that press.
And don't forget calipers to measure overall length. I prefer dial type. Then your reloading tools are all portable. Use them where and when you want to. You can do all your prep work watching TV if you want to.

Sent by an idjit coffeeholic from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

I do like the idea of keeping it simple. Especially at first.

I've already got a Zombie plastic ammo can to use for my portable kit. I just need to get the wrenches.

 

[Dancing Heretik]

My process with the hand press.

Decap
Resize and flare if needed.
(Trim and deburr if rifle brass)
Clean
Reprime with a hand primer.
Empty brass goes on the left of the table. Powder and scale to check loads in the middle. Empty holder on the right side.
Get the powder measure set. I do one at a time. Check every 5th to 8th one. Trickle as needed.
As it gets powder it goes on the right. Once 50-150 are ready I take a flashlight and visually check to see that each brass got powder. If one looks off, I weigh it. Too far off and the five on each side get checked also.
Then I seat bullets and factory crimp them. Lightly.
Same process on rifle rounds.
I have yet to have any ammo not work and have gotten .5 MOA on rifle rounds. And once the prep is done, I can crank out about 100-150 rounds an hour. Just about anywhere. Home, hotel, campsite,,,,,just about anywhere.
Get a lyman case gauge for rifle. It will tell you if you need to trim rifle brass.
It takes no more to resize .223/5.56 or .224 Valyrie brass than 9mm or 45acp with a hand press.
If my skinney ass with bad joints can process 500 rounds a night while watching TV, it can't be that bad.

Sent by an idjit coffeeholic from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Sounds great, once I get my rhythm.

I must have patience, learn how to do each step and do only a few at a time until I have my formulas just right. So far, I haven't even mastered de-priming!

 

[Dancing Heretik]

I'd recommend instead of adjustable wrenches, use fixed sized wrenches with an open and a closed side.

You'll need 1/2" for the decapping stem and 3/4" for the die body. Use the closed end of the 1/2" on the decapping stem and hold in place with the open end of the 3/4" on the die body.

I recommend using fixed wrenches because you need to put a "considerable" (per Lee's own manual) of torque on the decapping stem. Having fixed wrenches helps prevent them from slipping on you.

Don't be embarrassed. We all start somewhere and have different levels of knowledge. I have an Akro bin on my bench I affectionately call the F-It Bucket that I throw my mistakes in. There have been some doozies including a .357 magnum case that got squished when I tried to figure out how the Lee expander die worked.

Ask any time. We will be glad to help.

I wonder if there are other sizes I need. Should I buy a small set?

 

[jrbfishn]

A couple 4"-6" crescent wrenches, 4" pliers, 6" channel locks, a few allen wrenches that should come with the dies and bushings and a 4-way screwdriver should cover 99% of the tools you need. Maybe a small mallet.
I also have a couple of Lee decaping sets. The ones that come in the Lee Loaders sets. I use those for larger pistol brass like .45 colt and .357. Sometimes 9mm too. The tapping annoys my wife though. I use a Frankford Arsenal universal decapper for rifle brass.
Trust me on this. The breechlock bushings makes things much easier with your hand press. Especially with pistol calibers. Except for the seating die, once you have the depth set and locked, you never have to set them again. If you use the same bullet all the time, you can do the same with the seating die.
Once you get used to it and get you a routine, it gets much easier. And you will find that test loads and small batches can actually be faster on it than a progressive because of set up times.
Don't lose heart. Once you get it, you'll wonder why you thought it was hard. And keep it simple. Reloading is really not as complicated as people think it is. Especially pistol ammo. But it can be if you make it that way.

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[Byrd666]

Reference tag

 

[SQLGeek]

I wonder if there are other sizes I need. Should I buy a small set?

Yes, couldn't hurt and you can find decent ones cheap. Check if the set has a 3/4" wrench in them because many smaller ones don't seem to. You have to buy that separately but you can probably get by with an adjustable wrench for the die body if you don't want to buy a separate fixed wrench.

Definitely make sure you have a fixed 1/2" wrench though.

 

[Dancing Heretik]

OK. I managed to borrow a set of wrenches. I had to have him undo the collet because I couldn't. But, I did manage to get it set by myself barely. It takes a lot of hand strength.

Then I managed to de-cap two cartridges before the pin collapsed again.

I'm trying off and on to undo the collet again. But, it's looking like I may have to wait until he gets back to do it for me.

Problem is, how do I make sure to not keep doing this?

 

[SQLGeek]

The collet needs to be torqued down considerably. Much more than you think.

 

[deemus]

Good on you for getting setup. No matter what the press is, there is a learning curve. We have all been there. The depriming rod nut was likely just not tight enough. That's probably why it slid in. No biggie, you got this.

 

[Dancing Heretik]

The collet needs to be torqued down considerably. Much more than you think.

Good on you for getting setup. No matter what the press is, there is a learning curve. We have all been there. The depriming rod nut was likely just not tight enough. That's probably why it slid in. No biggie, you got this.

Yup. It took me several tries to get the rod to not slip. So, it was barely not slipping at the tightest I finally got it tightened.

Luckily, my SIL is stronger than me. So, I'll get him to do it for me tonight.

Wish me luck.

 

[jrbfishn]

If you need someone to help, by all means do so. No shame in it.
Or, get a Lee decapper and base. They are about $10 on Amazon. It just adds a step. But it also means a little less work to size too. If you get the decapper and base, just take the primer pin out of the die and save it in the box. Use a plastic mallet or a small hammer. They work great.

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