New to reloading

Smokin250

Smokin250

New member
As title says i am new to reloading and am looking for a little help. I have reloaded 9mms with friends but never rifles. I recently purchased 22-250 dies for my 700 sps varmint. I am trying to figure out what kinds of things i need and what types of loads i might be looking for, pretty much as much info as i can get.

First off i just ordered 100 Hornady 55gr v-max's. So i have bullets. What type of powder would be best, also i have saved all of my brass so its already fire formed...how much do i need to trim off cases, or what length should they be. Also, at gun shop i work at we have large rifle primers, we have two kinds 200 and 250's (magnum i think), which would be best. If there is anything else i forgot go ahead and add. Also, i will add that i don't know the terminology very well yet so bare with me if i make a fool of myself.

Basically my gun shoots decent now, i just think reloading would be interesting and would like to try it out. Below is a picture of a group i shot out of my rifle at 100 yds +/- with factory hornady 50grs.

3129xtg.jpg


Thanks for any help,
Brian
 
First thing I would do, go and get you a good reloading manual. I hear good things about the Hornady 7th edition. Maybe get a couple of them. They will answer a lot of the questions you asked.

If you work at a gun shop, maybe you can "barrow" one they have.
 
We don't have any manuals. We actually just started carrying reloading supplies. Bullets and primers now, waiting for powder i think. But i will have to look into a manual. I knew that i would have to find a reloading manual at some point, just thought i would ask a few questions now.
 
standard primers for 22-250 save money and get your self the Lee trimmer works well unless your bench rest shooter and saves alot of money. Powder and charge will be up to the gun it's likes and dislikes of barrel harmonics. Get the Hornady manual use the manual for the brand of bullets your shooting!!!!!!

Make sure you have a neck size die I see you have a bolt gun so No need to full length size each time as you wear brass quicker that way. Just neck size until they get cramped and then folow die manufactures specs to setup for a partial resizing to keep your head space in a safe zone! Hornady makes a head space gauge easy to use when you read the manual fits onto your dial caliper and will let you know your head space is in a resonable range. You don't want to have to size brass anymore than needed for smooth function in your chamber.

A hand primer is more precise than the one on your press for sure Hornady and others make good hand squeeze primers. Good brass is not exspensive it will save you in the long run, I use nosler in the calibers they make brass for great stuff and comes ready to prime and load, plus it is weight sorted which helps accuracy as well.

Each time I neck size or partial size I run each case through the Lee case trimmer you spin the cutter if there is brass to remove you will feel it, if not it means it is ready to load and fire again. Pretty simple and cheap but works well and I have the guide and cutter setup for each caliber look at them on the web for the little money tough to beat.

You can make reloading fairly simple or pain stakingly hard it is up to each person and what they feel best doing, but somethings some do isn't going to gain you the added accuracy so I say why do it all if I can't gain at least .1- .2 smaller groups for game hunting or varmints .1"-.2" doesn't make or break you but in BR shooting and group age size a.1" could mean going from first to 3rd place!
 
Smokin, do yourself a favor and go get yourself a loading manual. You won't be sorry. In addition to learning all the jargon and actually learning, step by step, how to load, most are full of cartridge and firearm history.

Alot of the manuals, like Sierra and Nosler, name the powder and load they found to be the most accurate in their test rifles and that's good information to know.

Instead of asking people on the internet, "Which powder..." You can see it in print with published velocities and work from there.

So, it's not just for safety sake that you need a good manual, it's paramount for good loads.

I don't have a copy, but I flipped through the pages of the Lyman 49th Edition manual at Cabela's a few weeks ago, and it looks like a pretty comprehensive guide covering most calibers and most bullets.

I did find some of the cartridge write ups to be "funny". I'll leave it at that.
 
Alright that works guys. Sounds like a manual is my first step. I was just curious if by chance there were some things that i might need to know for guys that reload already, but my thoughts were correct...manual first, then questions.
 
One thing; some of the numbers are used by more than onE powder manufactorer; THE DATA IS NOT INTERCHANGABLE. NO EXCEPTIONS.If it calls for H4895 you can't use IMR4895.

Get at least one good manual, better 2 or more. Read everything but the data section.

Have fun, it is a good hobby.

Chris112
 
Originally Posted By: HereticAnd here's Nosler's data:

linky

Thats pretty sweet. Well when ever i get some time ill get one of these books and start reading up.
 
...powder manuf manual and bullet manuf manual...preferably of the components ur using...later on get other manuals....hodgdon produces a magazine manual each year for $6 or$7...walmart sells'em...since you work in gun store order a dial caliper,primer pocket clean'n tool,mouth chamfer tool,case lube (i recommend redding/imperial sizing wax-a LITTLE goes a long way)....oh yeah-STUDY THE MANUALS.
 
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Smokin'-

You live in Amelia! Too bad Relo's in Fairfield closed, they carried everything. Which shop do you work for? I used to live in Milford, then Ross. Welcome to the addiction. Where do you shoot?
 
+1 on the manual. My first was the Lyman, It has a very nice intro to relaoding at the beginning, a good read even before you buy a press or die. I suggest you have manual from several different brands. I also suggest you buy a new full manual every year or two to keep up on newer powders.


Here is a link to a manual that is caliber specific and contains load data from several manuals for your caliber. Cheaper than buying ten or fifteen manuals to get started. You still need to get full manual, this is a supplemental guide in my opinion.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa...1233&hasJS=true

Also get a stuck case remover, rcbs makes a good one, they are only $16 or $17. You may never need it but when you get sat down to load 300 pieces of brass and stick the 11th case in, and don't have one you can get a little miffed. It is the best way to get a case out without messing up your die. Some people may not consider this must have, in my opinion there are two types of reloaders-- Those who have stuck a case in a die, and those who have not............................................YET!!
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Good Luck
Aaron
 
Took me 15 years to get my first stuck case. Then got another in less than a year. None since.
There are a couple of video's on Youtube that show how to remove a stuck case. The method used depends on the design of the decapping pin.
 
Originally Posted By: Chapped Lips...powder manuf manual and bullet manuf manual...preferably of the components ur using...later on get other manuals....hodgdon produces a magazine manual each year for $6 or$7...walmart sells'em...since you work in gun store order a dial caliper,primer pocket clean'n tool,mouth chamfer tool,case lube (i recommend redding/imperial sizing wax-a LITTLE goes a long way)....oh yeah-STUDY THE MANUALS.

I work at a shop called the hunters den, been open about 5 years on the east side of amelia, now we moved on the west side of amelia off 125. I shoot anywhere i can, but typically at my buddies farm in Chilo, past meldaw dam off 52.
 
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