Re-loading factory ammo?

[Boyscout618]

I am brand new to reloading on my own, I've observed a family friend do it a few times so I understand the generalities, but on my own I have no experience. I've read through the tutorial stickies here and I am still a little overwhelmed, my next step will probably be to watch YouTube videos, I'm a pretty visual learner and I think that would help.

Does the community think there would be any value in taking cheap factory ammo (Core-Lokt, Super-X, etc) and breaking it into its components to remeasuring, practice brass work, and then reload it? Or is that a waste of time and money, and I should just start with all new brass, bullets, powder, primers?

On a similar vein, if anyone could recommend a kit that has all the basic components I would need, including brass work, sans-dies and shellholder, I would appreciate it. It seems like Lee, RCBS, Hornady all sell a kit, but it is lacking some tools. Can I buy a bare-bones basic kit + dies and go from there? I feel like there will always be MORE tools available, what is a good place to start, and/or should I assemble a kit myself?

Thanks for all the help, I'm looking forward to learning a lot this summer and fall!

 

[NukeMMC]

What caliber(s) are you looking to reload? If it is a military-equivalent (223, 308), get some once-fired military brass and start your brass prep practice with that.

If it were me, starting over, I would get the RCBS Rockchucker press as a starter. It will take you from beginner all the way to making 1000yd ammo. Any powder measure will suit, since you would throw a charge about .1-.2gr low then trickle up, but I found the Lee Perfect powder measure to be surprisingly consistent with extruded rifle powders. A simple hand-held priming tool is sufficient.

Next thing on your list should be a means of measuring your brass. A decent set of 6" dial calipers is step 1, then you should get either the RCBS Precision mic or Hornady Lock-n-Load headspace gauges. You cannot tell if you're oversizing your brass if you cannot measure it.

 

[spife7980]

I wouldn't bother pulling and then reloading factory ammo. The brass will still be all over the place dimension wise. Shoot it and you'll have nice uniform brass that will be fire formed to your chamber which is what makes it so convenient. Your reloads would also be at a premium price for inferior components. For the same price as a factory coreloct you could be shooting a match bullet in some once fired brass like ^^ said and be worlds better for an equivalent price and an equivalent amount of effort. Actually no, for more work as you have to pull everything. Start fresh if you're going to reload the first time or shoot the factory and collect the brass.

 

[samnev]

I'd also suggest the RCBS Rockchucker press and the RCBS powder measure. I formerly use only RCBS dies but over the last 10 years I've been using Lee Pacesetter dies. They come with a shell holder. Get a decent scale like the RCBS 10-10 or the 5-0-5.Either is a good place to start. I also highly suggest Wilson case length gauge for each caliber you reload . A good reloading manual would be the Lyman one. I believe the 50th edition just came out.
As for breaking down commercial ammo and reloading it its aware of time and money. Buy you brass, bullets and primers and reload those. Start at the lower end load range at first.

 

[Boyscout618]

Thanks for the wisdom gents. I'm going to be loading 7mm-08 and .223/5.56 to begin with, maybe 9mm if I ever think I'm cool enough to get away from factory ammo for competitions.

Based on what has been said so far, I'm thinking the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme kit would set me on the right path? Add calipers, puller, dies, components, and research time and I'm off to the races?

 

[diverdon]

I don't think there would be any benifit to breaking down factory ammo fo rthe purpose of reloading it.

I think (1) shoot the ammo (2) buy beer (3) invite serious reloader aquaintance over to drink beer (4) reload while he drinks beer and watches you.

 

[spife7980]

Based on what has been said so far, I'm thinking the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme kit would set me on the right path? Add calipers, puller, dies, components, and research time and I'm off to the races?

Deal #1 is a supreme kit on sale at brownells
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2017/05/bargain-finder-87-accurateshooters-deals-of-the-week/

all you would need need is a trimmer, worlds finest or a better yet a Giraud triway

 

[CharlieNC]

A few years ago I read a post by a shooter who unloaded factory rounds, noting considerable variability in powder weight. I don't recall the brass prep. After accurately weighing the same powder and using the same bullets, seating uniformly, the shooting performance was much improved. I believe it was cheap ammo and this was done as a low cost alternative for practice.

 

[Forward543]

Rcbs kit is sweet to start. Start with .223, its cheap, and alot of good data available. Get a good set of calipers. Go with basic loads 10% under listed max to start. If you know anyone who reloads and can watch for pressure its a bonus. Depending on how far you get into it, you search out where to go and how to work up loads. If you get a blown, extruded, or pierced primer, shut it down and check it out. Most every manual has a good description of how to start. Good luck.
​​​​​

 

[Milo 2.5]

I would pull, pitch powder and bullets, maybe even decap and use your primer of choice. Wasting barrel life on factory ammo with substandard bullets idiotic IMO.

 

[Niles Coyote]

I pulled down some 5.56 62 grain green tip once to attempt to find a better shooting load using the same components by reducing the charge and I was able to change a 3moa load into just under a 2moa load. For a beginner starting out, I'd just load new components either in the fired cases or buy new brass.

 

[NukeMMC]

As another adder, years ago us NM shooters used to get issued M118 Special Ball (old M118 173gr bullet, not current LR 175gr stuff). We would pull those loads apart and swap the 173gr bullets for 168gr SMKs (175s didn't exist then) and load 41gr of 4895 or just reload the powder charges back into them. Some would swap the M118 bullets (or even 168s in M852) for 180SMKs or 185 Bergers for 600 and beyond in their M14s.

Back then we called it Mexican Match.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

My approach is to use inexpensive PPU (Prvi-Partizan) 55gr FMJBT for short range (100yd) practice, where the disparity in accuracy between ball ammo and match ammo is least obvious; then use the PPU brass to reload as match ammo. It's very good stuff in this setting. I have a batch of PPU .308 brass that I will also be evaluating.

I use the Dillon RL550B press, RCBS F/L dies, RCBS Water Soluble Lube on my fingertips, and the Hornady Lock-N-Load automatic powder dispenser, with the powder pan replaced with the Lyman Powder Pal.

I find that in the time it takes to seat a bullet, advance the base plate, lube and insert the next case; the powder charge is waiting for me, I slip out the primed case from the base plate, tip in the powder, reinsert that case into the base plate, and I am back at my starting position in my modified progressive loading cycle.

No process is foolproof, but this one provides precise powder charges while speeding up the assembly process to being as fast as I would want it to be.

For most other chamberings, I simply start with new components or reuse clean fired brass; mainly because (A) I use those chamberings in much smaller volumes, and (B) those chamberings usually aren't marketed as basic Boxer ball ammunition.

CharlieNC: I may have been the author of that topic. My shooting needs and handloading methods have changed; primarily in the interest of keeping things simpler, quicker, and occasionally, as I age, no-brainier...

Greg

 

[ED_RN]

As another adder, years ago us NM shooters used to get issued M118 Special Ball (old M118 173gr bullet, not current LR 175gr stuff). We would pull those loads apart and swap the 173gr bullets for 168gr SMKs (175s didn't exist then) and load 41gr of 4895 or just reload the powder charges back into them. Some would swap the M118 bullets (or even 168s in M852) for 180SMKs or 185 Bergers for 600 and beyond in their M14s.

Back then we called it Mexican Match.

There were many variations of Mexican Match.

Some of the military 3 groove bbls were a match made in heaven with the 173.
So three presses set up one to seat the bullet deeper and break the sealant
Next press with collet bullet puller removes bullet and dumps powder.
The case necks were brushed out and then neck sized
Dumped Powder was then weighed out for consistent charge weights
Bullet reseated, loaded back into LC 20 rd boxes