Question...

[rockchalk06]

Okay after doing a little investigative research I have discovered that the RCBS press is a Reloader Special (RS), the original version I believe, and not a Rock Chucker.

I don't think there is a lot of difference between the two except the RC is taller so there is more space for loading longer cartridges.

Like I've said before, I don't know what I don't know and although I am trying to read and watch just about anything that has been recommended for reloading, I haven't yet come across any specific suggestions for testing handgun loads.

I know I'll get to some of that eventually but I thought I would ask here what you all recommend given my circumstances.

I will be reloading 9mm. I have enough components to load 500 rounds. The only place I have to shoot outdoors right now, which I highly prefer, is 45 minutes away.

Once I am ready to start making ammo how would you proceed as far as doing some initial load testing?

I know, I know, I should proceed with caution. [emoji16]

The net is full of load data. Just make sure you look at more than one place for the same load. One may have max at 5.5 grains and other says 5.0. Never start at max. I like to split the high and low and start from there. There are a bunch of hand loaders around here, you can always start with us too. I keep notes of what worked, what didn't and what was hotter than donut grease and to not go near lol

When I'm testing a bullet/powder/primer, I always load for my FN509 with comp. I want the comp to run. I like to stay around 1200 FPS for 115 grain loads. It runs the comp reliability and if it runs this gun, it will run in anything. 124 grain and 147 grain stuff, I try and load to the same FPS as my carry ammo. I prefer to get the same snap/bang/report/recoil as what I carry.

You can start with a load in the middle, load 10 rounds, work up in .3 grain increments loading another 10 rounds. Now, I load and shoot off a chrono for everything. It's not needed, but it tells me what my load is doing and shows me how consistent my stuff is. Make yourself a 5 to 10 of each test load and run them. To put it bluntly, if it's a safe load and cycles the gun, run it. You really cant go wrong there. I load for accuracy and consistency. I put my 9mm brass through the same loading process as my 6.5 match stuff.

Check out Sears shooting sports range in El Reno. It's usually light enough people wise that you can take your time testing loads.

Last bit of info I feel is the most important. Take notes and log everything. You have no idear how many times I have gone back to notes 10 years old and answered my own questions.

 

[Shadowrider]

View attachment 200941


I meant to post this earlier. These will cause you some frustration. It is military contract/spec and will have crimped primers. You will also occasionally find some Winchester with the NATO stamp that is crimped.
They can cause many crushed primers of not properly prepared.

@O4L, This right here is one of several reasons why reloading now isn't like it was in the old days. Frankly there is a lot of crimped brass out there these days, even some non-NATO stamped brass is crimped and it makes it pretty frustrating and also adds a step between sizing and priming. IMO, you just about have to have a swaging tool of some sort or you are going to be throwing away perfectly usable brass and ruining primers at .10c apiece when they used to cost .01c. Just in the last few years have they jumped to .03-.035c each as being the "new normal". When I started they cost a penny apiece and it was that way for years. OK I'll stop ranting on this now.

As others have mentioned it just depends on how you value your time. Only a 1-1.5 years ago it was damned hard to justify loading even range fodder 9mm ammo unless you were loading at least 2-3 thousand or more of them at a time. Nobody does that on a single stage. At least no sane person that is. I loaded up a small run of .380 on a Redding turret press which is faster and a step between a single stage and a fully loaded Dillon progressive. I didn't have to deal with swaged primers and it was still mind numbingly monotonous and time consuming. A single stage press is great for learning the process and small lot loading and they are workhorses, but loading 20-100 rounds of precision rifle ammo is a completely different animal than loading 500 or more rounds of pistol ammo. If you don't need to put a dollar value on your time involved it could be worth it to load your own. And right now it still may be depending on the quantity you need to load. For 1000 rounds I'd not be starting into reloading right now, but that's just me. If 9mm ever gets back to $169 per 1k of decent FMJ like it was in the recent past you may never recoup your costs unless you start shooting a lot more.

 

[swampratt]

Once I am ready to start making ammo how would you proceed as far as doing some initial load testing?

I will not mention powder and bullet choices as that has been talked about.
I will mention OAL for your particular gun.

You should do what is called a Plunk test.
You should be able to take the first loaded round and drop it into the chamber and it should go all the way in and allow the action to fully close.

It should also eject easy manually racking the slide.
If you have difficulty racking the slide with the loaded round in the chamber you may have the bullet seated too long
No hang ups and when chambering from the magazine the round should go into the chamber without binding up or getting crooked.

If you have the bullet seated too long you can have some issues.
If the flare on the case is too great that can hang up when going into the chamber.

Iron the flares out.

I like to make 3 rounds and load them into the magazine and cycle them manually (Not Firing them) they should all go in and out without any issues.

Buddy has a Kimber 45 ACP that the chamber had a dent in it and thicker case brass would not chamber all the way.
Not the ammo at fault.

 

[O4L]

Sorry guys I had to get ready to leave the house and cut my last post a little short.

A few more details, if necessary... The powder is Sport Pistol.

The bullets are Xtreme copper plated 115 gr round nose. I've been told these are supposed to be loaded like cast bullets as far as the powder charge goes.

The brass is range pick up that was given to me. I'm guessing private home range. I have it sorted by headstamp. I have more than enough Xtreme brass to load the 500 rounds that I have components for so it is my plan to use all the same headstamp for these 500 reloads.

Primers are Winchester WSP.

I will be loading primarily range/plinking ammo for a G48 and a Shield. I may get a G17.5 at some point if I ever find the right deal on one.

The info you all are giving about how many rounds to load for testing, and what to load for as far as performance, plus how much to go up each time, if at all, I guess are the main things I'm wondering about right now but all info offered is welcome. Thanks!

Since this is for range use, basically punching holes in paper inside 50 yards, I'm thinking as long as it functions well at or near the recommended "start here" powder charge, like stated above, that is good to go and for this initial start up I don't need to look for anything more.???

 

[dlbleak]

Don, what are you using for a scale? If you don’t have one, a little research on the net should come up with the correct Lee Dipper to load Power Pistol for 9mm.
As far as load testing, I tie my pistol to a tree and get a long piece of string...

 

[O4L]

Don, what are you using for a scale? If you don’t have one, a little research on the net should come up with the correct Lee Dipper to load Power Pistol for 9mm.
As far as load testing, I tie my pistol to a tree and get a long piece of string...

Lol! The dies come with a dipper but I am getting a small electronic scale or two also.

 

[dlbleak]

Lol! The dies come with a dipper but I am getting a small electronic scale or two also.

If cost is a factor, those dippers can make a very nice range load.

 

[ForsakenConservative]

Don’t be afraid to load some proving “dummies” to get the final dimensions right......no powder or primer. I do the drop test mentioned earlier in the barrel from the disassembled gun. The round should drop in clean with a nice thump when it seats. Remember you must get the case mouth “crimped” to proper diameter, since the case was “belled” to accept the new bullet. It is a taper crimping, not the heavy roll-type crimp as used for rimmed cases. You must also be careful to not get it too small such that the case mouth passes into the rifling. The round should then fall out freely if the bullet did not hit the rifling ramps. If you have a factory round with similar bullet that works well in one of your pistols, try to duplicate its dimensions (length and case mouth diameter). A cheap dial caliper will prove useful here. Next build 3-5 proof dummies to load in your magazine for cycling checks. Each round should strip, chamber and eject smooth when the slide is cycled, I’m sure you know what it should feel like.... Once you’re satisfied with the feed quality, then build the real loads. I usually keep a few of the dummies, they can be used to set up dies if you switch between bullet types in the future.
I try to concentrate on reliability in function over accuracy since all my guns shoot better than I do .
Get a good manual, they have great info on powder characteristics, internal/external/terminal ballistics, and the real rules you should observe. Take your time, work carefully and enjoy!

 

[ssgrock3]

I have my costs down to around .15-.16 a round. That was pre craziness prices. Cost really isn't the issue at the moment, it's availability.

If you're willing to pay 100 dollars for 1000 primers and have the brass on hand, you could get down to about .25 a round.

If a person pays attention and is patient, you can load premium 9 and .40 for .25 pretty easily with once fired brass. American reloading, gibrass, etc for components and powder, cases everywhere.

If anyone needs .40 cases, I have a plethora


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[ssgrock3]

So what I'm hearing makes me think that if I don't really need 9mm ammo right now it's not worth it.???

Will ammo prices come down in the next few years???

Will there ever be a better time than now going forward to add to my stash???

Things that make you go "Hmmm...". [emoji16]

Thanks everyone for the info!

You can start buying components as you find deals. I bought 7500 premium 9 and 40/10mm projectiles, and brass and powder during the panademic current times for cheap. Primers are forgetaboutit, I have not particularly tried to find them, I don’t have patience or time to run around searching