So I have finally started reloading

[gfercaks33]

With my bench in place I have finally started. I have gone to town depriming All of my 9mm brass. I want to do this in baby steps and learn as I go so bear with me if I ask dumb questions.

Just starting out is using the scale with my lee kit ok or should I just go ahead and get a digital scale?

I know I will need a set of calipers is there a preference over dial or digital and will the $20-30 Home Depot special suffice?

A reloading manual is in my near future I was thinking the hornady 9th edition or the Lyman 49th any one better or worse.

I think those three things are the last of the hardware I need to start, I bought a lee classic kit, some carbide dies, I have a vibratory tumbler with walnut shells any thing else that would benift me in having.

I want to do this in steps so far I am in the deprime/resize, I have ran about half my cases through the press. I just learned about crimped primers will those deprime any differently? Should I look through all my cases and pull those to the side for later ( I don't have the supplies for that yet).

My next step is clean them sounds pretty self explanatory through them in the tumbler with some of the walnut shells and call it good for a few hours right?

Should I focus on getting familiar with doing the pistols before I move on to rifles?


I'm going to stop right here for now and digest on this information I'll need to buy some mor stuff, get some power and bullets befor I can progress.

 

[swampratt]

as long as the calipers are repeatable and smooth operating they will be fine. I like the dial type.
I have used my son's calipers and they are hard to scroll with and are jerky, if the ones you get act like that take them back.

I used walnut media and tried different things in it to make it work better for me.. an old wash cloth or small sock tossed in will reduce dust.
Those cutie oranges i would peel them and lay the peeling out to dry a little over night and tear 2 oranges worth into 1" squares or so and toss that into the walnut.
My cases came out a bit nicer in shorter time.

I like the lyman 49th.

The crimped cases will deprime just the same but will take a little more pressure to do it.
You can clean the crimp up with a case chamfer tool or a knife.. just making a slight bevel.

I like the lee scale just fine..Your dies probably came with a Lee Scoop.
I have used the lee scoops to make some very accurate ammo.

I like the lee carbide crimp die ,, I use it for the final step in reloading my rounds.. It basically irons out the case to allow it to chamber in about every gun.

Go easy on the case mouth flaring.. I can flare my case mouth and barely see the flare, it is enough to start about .015"-.020" of the bullet base into the case.

If you put the funnel flare on the case mouth you are way overworking the case and will eventually get a split neck.

Make sure the cases are dust free before sticking them into your dies.. that dust will eventually leave scratches in the dies.
And that dust will wear rams on the presses.. keep all that stuff clean as you can and it will last many decades.

 

[magna19]

Tip #1 Get a reputable reloading book and read front to back before going any further.
Tip #2 If you cleaned the pistol cases first there is no need to run them in vibratory cleaner again.
Tip #3 After you run cleaned cases through the carbide resizing die you can use a primer pocket brush to clean primer pockets, Its a good time to inspect the cases, flash hole, etc.
Tip #4 Another tip is to store cleaned resized cases in sealable zip lock bags to keep any type of foreign stuff getting inside cases.
Tip #5 through Tip#101 get a reputable reloading book and read front to back before going any further.

 

[Cedar Creek]

All good advice - the more you are around experienced reloaders and listen to their tales of screwups the less you have to screw up yourself to learn the hard way. I like to keep things simple as possible; been doing it for 40+ years and still figure out something new nearly every day.

Cedar Creek

 

[gfercaks33]

I was going to clean the brass after I deprimed, I have done about half my brass and just saw swampratt advise on the dirt getting in the die so I will wash my brass in soapy water deprime and then tumble.

 

[swampratt]

I decap my cases with a lee universal decapper this way the die never touches the case.
Another way I remove primers is with a Lee field loader deprimer rod and a small "ping ping" hammer.

If you buy the universal deprimer die get 2 extra deprimer rods on the same order. You will thank me later.

 

[dennishoddy]

I don't deprime until ready to load unless they have crimped primer pockets.
Run them in the tumbler until polished, let the sizing die deprime them and move to flaring the case mouth. Pistol rounds don't need a lot of primer pocket prep IMHO.

 

[foghorn918]

If you deprime before tumbling, you may have media stuck in the hole too.

 

[gfercaks33]

I plan on checking every case for that fog horn.

Swamp- how to you check for how far you flair it is it trial and error?

 

[dennishoddy]

I plan on checking every case for that fog horn.

Swamp- how to you check for how far you flair it is it trial and error?

It's trial and error. Run the die to the bottom, and adjust the flaring ball to just touch the case. Raise the die, and give it 1/4 more turn and lock it down. Run a case through it and see if a bullet will stand up on its own with a tiny bit of the base in the case. The amount of flare will be almost invisible. If it doesn't appear to be enough, adjust the ball down 1/8 turn at a time.