Any Advice for a New Reloader?

natewood3

New member
I ordered everything I need to start reloading. All I need to get is powder and primers. Anyone have any thing I SHOULD NOT do or anything that I SHOULD do? I only have about 40 cases that I have shot (20 Rem. and 20 Fed.), so what is the best way to clean these cases, being I do not have a tumbler?

Also, I ordered some 70gr Blitkings. Does anyone have any advice on powder that would be good with these bullets?

Thanks for all the help so, and any other help is greatly appreciated...

Nate
 
Yeah buddy, get yourself a copy of the lee reloading manual, it explains reloading very easily, and its idiot proof, which is just as well, or i would have blown myself up by now!I havent been reloading long, and it got me going safely.
 
Welcome to the Forum----
Most good reloading manuals, Lee, Nosler, Sierra, Hodgdon etc will talk about all the stuff you might need for reloading. I always recommend that a reloader have at least 3 up-to-date manuals and try to spread them out between those written by the powder manufacturers and those written by the bullet guys.

Before I had a tumbler, I would use rags and brass cleaner.

You didn't indicate caliber but with a 70 gr slug your probably loading something like a 243 or 6mm. Again the reloading books will give you plenty of choices, Varget may be a good choice if that's your caliber, but there are always several options shown in the reloading books. Hodgdons offers something like a "Powder-Pak" that has 4 powders in smaller containers. This allows you to try several powders without having to buy a full powder can. With any powder start about 10% low and work up to higher velocities so that you can watch for signs of excessive pressure build-up.
If the manual pressure says 40gr of powder is maximum, work up several load groups of different weights of powder to check how your rifle reacts---36-37-38-39-40gr

Good luck, be careful, I think you'll find reloading interesting and addictive.
 
I would suggest not to mix different brands of brass, either stick with one or the other. Brass is fairly inexpensive, I use Winchester brass and a buddie of mine uses Remington brass...to each is own. Nosler is now making brass, I might look into their brass. Have fun!!!
 
Just my 2-cents but Never presume to have everything you need /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
You have started down a path that affords no end, but it won't break your bank either.
I don't have a tumbler either, uhm - yet. I would suggest if you don't have them, a few de-burring tools. And one of those primer pocket deals. Lee makes a case trimmer, you can use the shell end and some emery for dirty necks.
Like Bigdog2 sounds like .243 / 6mm, so I'll recomend some H-380. If your only reloading for one cal. spending 20-30 on a manual is hard to justify, but it's well worth the reference.
Good luck, `n good shootin'
 
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