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The Basics, Starting Out
Reloading Safety
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<blockquote data-quote="fta0303" data-source="post: 2992205" data-attributes="member: 43503"><p>I apologize for the long windedness. I've tried to distill what I've learned in a lifetime of reloading, so it's bit lengthy. I haven't included anything that isn't in my view of some importance. I'd say good luck, but if you do it properly, there shouldn't be any room for luck. Do have some enjoyment out of it, and be proud that you can make high quality ammo.</p><p></p><p>CONSCIOUSLY DESIGN YOUR RELOADING PROCESS. This should include where each tool and component sits on your bench, to facilitate a safe process and an efficient one. Write down your process in your log, including each loading step and each inspection step. Criticize it for safety. If you've done this properly, you'll have high confidence that you will load safe ammunition. In performing your process, you should not find yourelf fumbling for something or confused about what you are doing. Map it out as though you are going to teach it to a small child.</p><p></p><p>TIPS:</p><p>Get a bound notebook and use it to log your reloading: date, bullets, brass, primers, case and cartridge measurements, comment and observations, the process you follow, and range records.</p><p>Keep your bench neat and orderly.</p><p>Wear safety glasses when priming.</p><p>Only 1 can of powder and 1 box of primers and one box of bullets on the bench.</p><p>Never force anything - if it sticks, stop and find out what's going on.</p><p>Don't be in a hurry - learn to enjoy executing each step in your process.</p><p>Don't admit distractions to your reloading area: no radio, no TV, no telephone, no other people. If interrupted, as you inevitably will be, deliberately recover your place in the process efore resuming.</p><p>Use loading blocks and perform one process step at a time* on all your cases.</p><p>Get some plastic boxes for your loaded ammo and label them with the powder and amount, primer, bullet, date. This info will tie back to your reloading log.</p><p>Avoid using fluorescent lighting; it can set up a variable magnetic field that precludes your balance from settling to a stable reading.</p><p>Pick a load having a power charge large enough to spill our of the case if you double-charge it. (May not be able to do this with a pistol cartridge).</p><p></p><p>THE CHARGING STEP IS WHERE DANGEROUS MISTAKES CAN OCCUR, BY OVERCHARGING OR UNDERCHARGING. I do it as follows:</p><p>Set up with a loading block left of your scale, for empty cases, and a loading block right of your scale for charged cases. Remove a case from the left charging block. Turn it upside down and tap it on the bench. Place it at left front of scale. Weigh your charge, LOOK INTO YOUR EMPTY CASE TO CONFIRM IT'S EMPTY, then load your charge into it. Transfer the charged case to the right loading block. Don't try to load more cartridges than your loading block will hold.</p><p></p><p>Use a flashlight and a magnifying glass to inspect the charge in each case in your loading block when it's full. I do it once by row, once by column. Be deliberate. You can then seat your bullets. It wouldn't be stupid to visually inspect each charged case before placing the bullet in it, to insure that there is a full charge in the case. UNDERLOADING OR MISSING A CHARGE CAN LEAD TO A DISASTER AT THE RANGE, may be as dangerous as double charging.</p><p></p><p>I weigh out my charge to slightly below desired weight on a balance, transfer it to my electronic scale and use a small pharmacist's spoon to trickle the charge to desired amount. I always zero both balance and scale using known reference weights prior to starting, then don't move either. I don't use a powder measure, as they typically are only marginally accurate. It's my thought that the extra time put into assuring an as accurate as possible charge weight is well worth it. Each piece of ammo that you produce is an example of your craftsmanship - do it justice. At the range, you are practising to achieve something, not just spraying bullets. Each shot should be a shot that counts: you really don't need a high volume production. </p><p></p><p>I'm 72, have been reloading since I was ten. I'm a safer reloader today than I was when i started, than I was 20 years ago. I'm not an expert, but I'm not afraid to shoot the ammo I've loaded. Reloading is potentially dangerous, but people work with dangerous materials and processes all the time by designing safe processes. </p><p></p><p>*I used to load one cartridge at a time. I found it was easy to miss charging a case. If you use blocks and charge 20 to 50 at a time, you can consciously include a separate inspection step, rather than trying to inspect each cartridge as you go.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="fta0303, post: 2992205, member: 43503"] I apologize for the long windedness. I've tried to distill what I've learned in a lifetime of reloading, so it's bit lengthy. I haven't included anything that isn't in my view of some importance. I'd say good luck, but if you do it properly, there shouldn't be any room for luck. Do have some enjoyment out of it, and be proud that you can make high quality ammo. CONSCIOUSLY DESIGN YOUR RELOADING PROCESS. This should include where each tool and component sits on your bench, to facilitate a safe process and an efficient one. Write down your process in your log, including each loading step and each inspection step. Criticize it for safety. If you've done this properly, you'll have high confidence that you will load safe ammunition. In performing your process, you should not find yourelf fumbling for something or confused about what you are doing. Map it out as though you are going to teach it to a small child. TIPS: Get a bound notebook and use it to log your reloading: date, bullets, brass, primers, case and cartridge measurements, comment and observations, the process you follow, and range records. Keep your bench neat and orderly. Wear safety glasses when priming. Only 1 can of powder and 1 box of primers and one box of bullets on the bench. Never force anything - if it sticks, stop and find out what's going on. Don't be in a hurry - learn to enjoy executing each step in your process. Don't admit distractions to your reloading area: no radio, no TV, no telephone, no other people. If interrupted, as you inevitably will be, deliberately recover your place in the process efore resuming. Use loading blocks and perform one process step at a time* on all your cases. Get some plastic boxes for your loaded ammo and label them with the powder and amount, primer, bullet, date. This info will tie back to your reloading log. Avoid using fluorescent lighting; it can set up a variable magnetic field that precludes your balance from settling to a stable reading. Pick a load having a power charge large enough to spill our of the case if you double-charge it. (May not be able to do this with a pistol cartridge). THE CHARGING STEP IS WHERE DANGEROUS MISTAKES CAN OCCUR, BY OVERCHARGING OR UNDERCHARGING. I do it as follows: Set up with a loading block left of your scale, for empty cases, and a loading block right of your scale for charged cases. Remove a case from the left charging block. Turn it upside down and tap it on the bench. Place it at left front of scale. Weigh your charge, LOOK INTO YOUR EMPTY CASE TO CONFIRM IT'S EMPTY, then load your charge into it. Transfer the charged case to the right loading block. Don't try to load more cartridges than your loading block will hold. Use a flashlight and a magnifying glass to inspect the charge in each case in your loading block when it's full. I do it once by row, once by column. Be deliberate. You can then seat your bullets. It wouldn't be stupid to visually inspect each charged case before placing the bullet in it, to insure that there is a full charge in the case. UNDERLOADING OR MISSING A CHARGE CAN LEAD TO A DISASTER AT THE RANGE, may be as dangerous as double charging. I weigh out my charge to slightly below desired weight on a balance, transfer it to my electronic scale and use a small pharmacist's spoon to trickle the charge to desired amount. I always zero both balance and scale using known reference weights prior to starting, then don't move either. I don't use a powder measure, as they typically are only marginally accurate. It's my thought that the extra time put into assuring an as accurate as possible charge weight is well worth it. Each piece of ammo that you produce is an example of your craftsmanship - do it justice. At the range, you are practising to achieve something, not just spraying bullets. Each shot should be a shot that counts: you really don't need a high volume production. I'm 72, have been reloading since I was ten. I'm a safer reloader today than I was when i started, than I was 20 years ago. I'm not an expert, but I'm not afraid to shoot the ammo I've loaded. Reloading is potentially dangerous, but people work with dangerous materials and processes all the time by designing safe processes. *I used to load one cartridge at a time. I found it was easy to miss charging a case. If you use blocks and charge 20 to 50 at a time, you can consciously include a separate inspection step, rather than trying to inspect each cartridge as you go. [/QUOTE]
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