On the Road Again with Merle

el gigantor said:
I live in Canada and I haven't spent a lot of time around firearms. Is making your own ammunition a common thing? I've never seen it before, but I respect the DIY ethos of it greatly.

Also, I'm enjoying following along with Merle's adventures!
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It’s pretty common. Reloading is more common than casting your own bullets. Here, there is no restriction as to how much ammos you can have, and only the fire code restricts powder and primer.

It’s actually quite simple. With major parts being basically,

resize the case back to standard dimensions, normally at the same time as removing the spent primer.

Flare the mouth so it doesn’t shave the edge of a new bullet, and expand the inside to a desired diameter.

Install new primer, add powder in correct amount.

Put bullet on top and seat and crimp it. And you have a fresh carrridge.


I’ll try to get a whole process sequence for you and all.

The casting your own bullets is simple too, with a bit more finesse. Melt lead in a special lead pot and pour it into the mould. Bullet drops out, size it and lube it one of several methods. Ready to load. The trick is to not have any imperfections when casting. That takes time to master. Sorta like hand sharpening a knife.

The advantage is low cost of ammo. 44 special is about $50 a box of 50. But my cast reloads are about $5. If I bought bullets it would be between $15-$25.

The other advantage is that during times of shortage, I have powder and primers to make what I need or want. Primers for 44 special also for 41 mag, 45 auto, 45 colt, 44 mag and other large bores. So if I have enough primers for say 1000 rounds, I can make whatever I need at the time, instead of having 1000 45 auto loaded but no 44 specials.

Then the hobby aspect is great. It’s fun as heck and very satisfying. Easy enough anyone can do it, but can be as complicated as you want it to be.

I know it’s legal up in Canada but not sure of the restrictions. I am Bazoo over to castboolits.gunloads and on thehighroad forums. I talk occasionally there depending on my notions. There are members there from Canada as well. If you decided you want to try it, you might find a mentor that will help you get your feet wet. That’s very common in our world; guns and reloading; mentorship. I offer the same to local people anytime I can.

Here is a free manual http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Man...ding Handbook - 48th Edition - 2002 - ocr.pdf

It offers many details as to the what and why. But don’t take that to mean I prefer you to read that as opposed to asking me. I’m glad to answer any questions you have on the matter.
 
JM2 said:
It’s pretty common. Reloading is more common than casting your own bullets. Here, there is no restriction as to how much ammos you can have, and only the fire code restricts powder and primer.

It’s actually quite simple. With major parts being basically,

resize the case back to standard dimensions, normally at the same time as removing the spent primer.

Flare the mouth so it doesn’t shave the edge of a new bullet, and expand the inside to a desired diameter.

Install new primer, add powder in correct amount.

Put bullet on top and seat and crimp it. And you have a fresh carrridge.


I’ll try to get a whole process sequence for you and all.

The casting your own bullets is simple too, with a bit more finesse. Melt lead in a special lead pot and pour it into the mould. Bullet drops out, size it and lube it one of several methods. Ready to load. The trick is to not have any imperfections when casting. That takes time to master. Sorta like hand sharpening a knife.

The advantage is low cost of ammo. 44 special is about $50 a box of 50. But my cast reloads are about $5. If I bought bullets it would be between $15-$25.

The other advantage is that during times of shortage, I have powder and primers to make what I need or want. Primers for 44 special also for 41 mag, 45 auto, 45 colt, 44 mag and other large bores. So if I have enough primers for say 1000 rounds, I can make whatever I need at the time, instead of having 1000 45 auto loaded but no 44 specials.

Then the hobby aspect is great. It’s fun as heck and very satisfying. Easy enough anyone can do it, but can be as complicated as you want it to be.

I know it’s legal up in Canada but not sure of the restrictions. I am Bazoo over to castboolits.gunloads and on thehighroad forums. I talk occasionally there depending on my notions. There are members there from Canada as well. If you decided you want to try it, you might find a mentor that will help you get your feet wet. That’s very common in our world; guns and reloading; mentorship. I offer the same to local people anytime I can.

Here is a free manual http://marvinstuart.com/firearm/Manuals/Reloading/Reloading Manuals/Lyman Reloading Handbook - 48th Edition - 2002 - ocr.pdf

It offers many details as to the what and why. But don’t take that to mean I prefer you to read that as opposed to asking me. I’m glad to answer any questions you have on the matter.
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I used to cast and reload .38 Special and .357 Magnum 🙂 Anything bigger, and the range officer started complaining about damage to the back-stop at the range I used to attend several times a week (did my re-loading there too) 😁 That's all changed here now unfortunately ☹️
 
RLB0414 said:
432? Oversize for 44mag?
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A little. It’s actually a 444 marlin bullet. But it can be used for heavy 44 mag or special. Rifles chambered for 44 mag often have .432 groove diameter. So leading and inaccuracy will be the case if using too small a cast bullet. Whereas, a jacketed bullet can get by with that somehow. I size .430 for my Ruger 44 special.
 
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JM2 said:
A little. It’s actually a 444 marlin bullet. But it can be used for heavy 44 mag or special. Rifles chambered for 44 mag often have .432 groove diameter. So leading and inaccuracy will be the case if using too small a cast bullet. Whereas, a jacketed bullet can get by with that somehow. I size .430 for my Ruger 44 special.
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Thanks.
 
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I loaded a single cartridge last night to get pics for the sequence. Merle helped about as much as a nosy cat.

This is your die set. Each set is caliber specific. This is 44 special/mag. The only difference being the length of the case, so they work for both with simple adjustment.
https://imgur.com/9XVGFPG
Moving left to right,

First die is the sizing die that squeezes the outside of the case down to slightly smaller than needed diameter, it also decaps (remove old primer). Middle is the belling/expanding die. It flares the case mouth and expands the inside of the case so it has an exact diameter slightly smaller than bullet diameter. In this case, .002 smaller than the bullet. Any more and it will swage your lead bullet when seated, any less and it doesn’t hold the bullet sufficient under heavy recoil.

Third die is the seating and crimp die. It pushes the bullet in place and crimps the neck of the case to hold the bullet under recoil or rough handling, like through a tubular magazine on a lever action rifle. In the box, bottom, you can see spare seating plugs. You need a different shape for semi wadcutter, wadcutter, round nose and spire point bullets.

Outside the box is a separate priming die. This is part of the press and is used for all calibers, reinserting a fresh primer. Some presses have a repriming ststem made into them. Mine doesn’t but I like this type anyways.

Then the far right is the 44 shell holder. That is the interface between press and cartridge case. It holds the cases rim and allows it to be removed from the die. You need a specific shell holder for each caliber. That flat shell holder is part of the priming system. It pushes the primer ram.

That loose cartridge and those in the box are dummy rounds I made with different bullet profiles so I can quickly set the seat die between different bullets. No powder or primer.
 
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The priming die in the press with the primer in the “cup”. When you raise the handle, the ram of the primer moves down into that hole allowing the case to be inserted. The shell holder is installed in the top of the priming die for this operation.
https://imgur.com/q6yNY1p

Then the cup, which is spring loaded guides the primer and when you push it in, it slides right into the primer pocket.
https://imgur.com/oa8GwdS

The freshly installed primer. .003 below flush is just right.
https://imgur.com/4LFfEXZ
 
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Here’s the seat crimp die and a seating stem shown with our case we are reloading, a bullet, and a dummy. The bullet is an RCBS 44-250-K and weights 262 grains ready to load. Grains is a weight measurement and there are 7000 grains in a pound. That bullet is roughly 1/2 ounce!
https://imgur.com/7HcSYxJ

We have to add powder. My powder measure, or thrower / drop, is set for 4.8 grains of bullseye
https://imgur.com/cTp0LLl

You hold the case under the drop tube and turn the handle up and then down, and it dispenses a single charge of powder. When loading multiple cases you do each operation to a batch of cases before moving on. Then put the freshly “charged” cases in a block of wood with holes so no spills happen. I only use the block for that operation, using coffee cans or Tupperware for the others.
https://imgur.com/056JSqd
 
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Fodderwing said:
I'd not heard of a shingle oak. Glad to learn of it. 👍 Enjoyable visit JM2
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I hadn’t either. I actually was able to identify it with my book instead of the app we have. Very satisfying. It’s common name was given because the pioneers used it for split shingles.

The saplings are here and there but I have a larger one just behind the house. 8” maybe now.
 
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Nice reloading setup. Single stage or the Lee hand press is all I have ever used. Thought about a progressive setup but for me reloading is relaxation.
 
RLB0414 said:
Nice reloading setup. Single stage or the Lee hand press is all I have ever used. Thought about a progressive setup but for me reloading is relaxation.
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Thanks. I’ve tried various things. I like the lee hand press but I have a rotator cuff injury. I like the challenger press I have because of its angle, and overall it suits me. I have had a rock chucker IV, and a lyman spartan also.

I want to try a lee turret press. I think it’d be a good compromise, but I want to set it up so I can manually throw my powder. I seen a guy on YouTube that makes a mount that does just that.

I don’t shoot real high volume so I don’t need anything faster. I enjoy the process and the freedom. And I enjoy the history of reloading and trying new to me gear. I like the lee loaders aka whack-a-mole.

When I had a hand press, I would reload outside some and loved that. I’m thinking about making a small outside bench on a stump and using my removable mount and just take my press out to the woods sometimes. I ain’t done it yet.
 
JM2 said:
Thanks. I’ve tried various things. I like the lee hand press but I have a rotator cuff injury. I like the challenger press I have because of its angle, and overall it suits me. I have had a rock chucker IV, and a lyman spartan also.

I want to try a lee turret press. I think it’d be a good compromise, but I want to set it up so I can manually throw my powder. I seen a guy on YouTube that makes a mount that does just that.

I don’t shoot real high volume so I don’t need anything faster. I enjoy the process and the freedom. And I enjoy the history of reloading and trying new to me gear. I like the lee loaders aka whack-a-mole.

When I had a hand press, I would reload outside some and loved that. I’m thinking about making a small outside bench on a stump and using my removable mount and just take my press out to the woods sometimes. I ain’t done it yet.
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The turret works good. Actually have one that as use as a single stage. I prefer to do the same action until all cases are done. I use an RCBS hand primer. This is one thing that I am methodical about. Do one thing at a time so I do not make a costly mistake
 
RLB0414 said:
The turret works good. Actually have one that as use as a single stage. I prefer to do the same action until all cases are done. I use an RCBS hand primer. This is one thing that I am methodical about. Do one thing at a time so I do not make a costly mistake
Click to expand...

I’ve never used a turret or a progressive, but I don’t think I’d like a progressive. I’m not sure on a turret, so I want to try it. But I am pretty happy with what I have too.
 
JM2 said:
I’ve never used a turret or a progressive, but I don’t think I’d like a progressive. I’m not sure on a turret, so I want to try it. But I am pretty happy with what I have too.
Click to expand...
The advantage I found with turret over single stage is the ability to process a round from start to finish without changing anything out. I bought my press used in late 80's so it is manual indexing.
 
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