Reloading Basics (Decisions To Make) 

Feb 2021 and it’s my first time watching this. Groper Biden is the president and ammunition is getting scarce these days. Living through 2 terms with President Obummer, I’ve learned to “buy it cheap and stack it deep”. With the Democrats in the White House it’s, “Marty, We’re going BACK to the Future!!” LOL Be strong, be safe my “Merican” cousins. Peace Be To Journey!

Actually, I just "discovered" Hickok45, and he answered all of the important questions for someone thinking about getting started in reloading, and he did sort of leave out one important thing. Something that reloading gives you is the ultimate control over the ammunition you shoot, so you can tailor the ammunition for the sort of shooting you do. For instance, when I was loading .45acp for USPSA competition, I'd make sure that the load made major-power factor, while loading for bowling pin shooting, I'd use a heavier bullet but a lighter load, for less recoil, even though the round wouldn't make major power factor for USPSA. And I'd load light, plinking loads for my .44Mag, or monstrous, big-game hunting loads to only be shot in my Ruger Redhark. The variety of loads and components were great.

Mr. Rodgers of Revolvers!

Bob Ross of gunpowder....lol It's September 2021, I still watch this video

Me

HELL YEAH

Back here again, considering reloading again

​@@joshuaalveygo for it. I'm going to for sure

Yuppp

14 years ago I was 12 years old 😂😂😂

Lol me too

10yrs later!

10 yrs laters 😂

3/6/20 just now finding his videos

10 for me..

I was thinking the same thing.

I could not agree more with you.

cant imagine him being angry

tantivymuckermaffikk need more teachers like him.

Watch his outtakes videos. You'll see him lose his temper a couple of times...

if you don't smoke how are you going to figure if your powder is good or not ?

Smoke some pot later.

Also maybe have a quick escape route and don't mishandle the primers.

@@rayfaulkner8458 woah pot bro

Agreed, had me laughing too!

FML lol

The F-ing RONA!

@@brenttesterman1198 The political virus

I am here in 2021

Eric Effert He definitely got a laugh out of me there.

Lol for sure, hickok45's dry humor cracks me up

Many eyebrows have been lost to people smoking while reloading...maybe a house.

That's right, It's possible they blow up their house. But in all likelihood they will probably just loose an arm or something. "Smoke on smoker!" That's what I say. But then again, I'm not reloading. I'm just smoking cigarettes. And that's bad enough on its own for my body. I'll pass on having my face detonated thank you very much. :)

Patrick Johnson same

@@jacobfreeman5054 Same

@@jacobfreeman5054 I'm just starting to reload and who would give good advice and it's Jan 2020

2020 Still people benefitting from this.

2020 I just watched this. Great video!

I'm 8 years +. Lol

8-1/2 here... :)

8-1/2 here... and happy to see the same blue machine I use!

8 years and 9 months

8 years and 10 months here.

ABSOLUTELY...!...coming from the coast of Maine OH AYUH !

Single most important step right there! Check for doubles!

I have a tray on each side...put from one into the other

DEFINITELY a hobby...you must enjoy a past-time for it to gain the status of 'hobby'...otherwise it's simply drudgery and work...

Yeah, considering your initial investment, you've got to load a helluva lot of ammo to make it pay. I'm looking at circumventing the insane laws here in Commiefornia. 😡

@@davidwilliams5292 Well you know, most of the founding fathers of this country at one time or another were all smugglers.

Just keep an eye on what's going on in the world; lots of "freeloaders" out there demanding to live the "good life" without lifting a finger. :-)

The world is LOUSY with freeloaders...just pick any major metropolitan area, move there, look around and follow along...

@1/7th -Cav. 1972C.I.B 'That's demon-rats... that's right, you heard me, demon-rats' :p

@This is the best name I could come up with now dats cawntree i reckon

@@hickok45 please do more reloading videos. Also please review a s&w model 586 classic. Also try to get a new alchemy custom 1911 for review. Love your videos and have been watching religiously since you started.

HAHAHA LMAO HANDS DOWN xD I love when he says "and thus is the circle of life" as the 9mm pops out lol

I agree lmao

Too good, I busted up laughing...

I would like to know if the INTRO was John's idea or Hickok's idea (just curious)

it's like white morgan freeman

That actually reminds me of the beginning scene of Lord of War.

@@GreatMercenary exactly

I feel the same way. And to add to what you say, I feel great about being self reliant. If ammo starts getting scarce, I don't have to worry. Guys like us though, have to worry about a ban on powder and primers....that's what scares me.

@@a226sig Reloading materials raise in price. How long does it take to recuperate the money spent on reloading tools? You're not self reliant unless you manufacture your own from primers to bullet. I buy blazer 45 auto for 10 a box. I wonder how much it costs to reload for 45 auto.

How do you feel in 2021, when those boxes are now $40 and $50? Glad you bought that loader now, aintcha?

@@abolishguncontrollaws5689 Not anymore you don't....

@@abolishguncontrollaws5689 .45 auto isn't worth reloading. First the firearm throws the brass away and it can be hard to locate all casings. Second it headspaces off the mouth of the case so it must be exactly the right length. Third different bullet shapes don't always feed well in them. load ramps are not always the same. Blazer ammo is what I try to get whenever I can. Just let it fly.

I bet your shoulder is tired as hell by now 😂

At least you had good memories with him

+Raymond Jokerst - More dads need to do these type of things with their sons and daughters. I have a million different stories like this with my Dad. Luckily I still have him, and can make even more memories with him. It made me tear up a little to hear about you missing him and think about losing my Dad. I recently got into reloading and have involved my son. He loves it so much that he will step away from his already limited time with his Xbox just to come sort brass or load some 45ACP or 300 blackout. Things like this are one of the most important that we can do for our kids (short of teaching them how to be a morally decent person). Thanks for sharing!

+Kettenhund75 I wish I could reload but I don't have the money to and I don't want to get in trouble with the law

+Kettenhund75 And I agree with you on these things

Luis, have no fear! Reloading ammo won't get you in trouble with the law unless you do something illegal with it (like knock over a 7-eleven or sell it for profit). Lee sells an anniversary reloading kit for just over $100 that has everything you need to reload except brass, primers, powder, and boolits. It's a great deal and you can upgrade as you go along if you choose.

people are jealous of his awesomeness!

I'm sure liberal anti-gunners come across him. I am not sure if they hate not only him but all of us that love guns or...somehow develop enough intelligence to realize we enjoy life and our guns so it makes them jealous. Then the liberal disease gains controls of them again....and they hate us again. Yeah there are people that claim to love and own guns but then claim to be liberal....honestly in my opinion they cant co-exist together. But very few videos dont have some dislikes...

Haters gotta hate.

Its probably a negligent dislike😉

The tacticool oper8ors gotta h8.

Hence the reason for flintlocks. Even trying to find flint and black powder is a bitch. Have to make your own powder soon. Already casting bullets from lead i got from a metal supply place

just goes to show its a cycle, we get new gun owners, we run out of ammo in stores, prices go up every couple years.

Better be quite

they'll tax it first.

'And you may only reload ten rounds per month!'

Yup I hear u there Ken, all these liberal scum do is think how they can hurt the good guy.

I hope you've moved interstate by now.....

@Medina Real Estate what's your point? It's 2020 if he is gay so what.

@Medina Real Estate what the hell are you talking about, being gay is not legal. Even if you are trolling you sound stupid for even saying that.

@American Gold Eagle You're

@@carsarecoo Technically he just stated a fact, said nothing else.

@@Suspect002 actually he deleted his previous comments trying to say gay marriage is illegal and other homophobic crap.

I need an upgrade too LOL. im on a lee single, but ive already made up my mind a xl750 is in the very near future.

@@Texas_Radical The Xl750 is a excellent machine, you're going to love it.

Should be required reading at college !

Photo314159 is his a joke?

Yes. You know, like the song from Lion King?

I know, right?

If you are going to load multiple calibers, you will need a die set for each and also parts for the press. It can run into quite a cash outlay. I find that pistol and small rifle rounds are best loaded on the Dillon 550B. For big rifle rounds I use a single stage press. The O press is very strong for the resizing of large rifle rounds. Usually you are only loading 20 to a 100 rounds. I get better rifle accuracy with a single stage press.

+JustifyJustin Yep, shoot all you want or can afford; you'll save some pennies per shot either way. You WILL shoot more, though; it's just a fact. :-)

+JustifyJustin That is a true statement, after you've saved enough to offset the cost of the reloading hardware and components.

still a money saving endeavor. whether you spend the savings on more supplies to make more ammo or spend the savings on something else is a non-issue

It's a cost-control issue... ;)

reloading is kinda like home brewing.. once you get over the initial investment, the cost-saving can swiftly become moot as you expand your hobby..

Yes.

have you ever been to a gun shop before?

WCGwkf Some people may facepalm at my response... But here it is; .... I wish...

vgman94 lol

LOL, funny, and also sad, that we have to wonder about this, with our ridiculous CA gun laws! (But yes, completely legal ... for now)

Did you read New World Order by Pat Robertson? 1991 by the famous broadcast journalist

don't pitch your tent on the hill....

"Cool"? Don't tell me that; I try hard NOT to be cool. The whole world seems to worry just a bit too much about being "cool." :-)

You replied! You just made my day sir! Thank you so much for helping me learn and make decisions. Could you do one on black powder/cap and ball for beginners?

Dad taught me on a rcbs jr. I graduated after 35 yrs to a turret press. I'm old schooled. lol.

+CplSki USMC I've been reloading for about 6 months, and my first press was a Hornady Progressive. I agree with you sentiment, but you should start off treating the progressive press as a single stage press. I did reload my first couple hundred 9MM and 38 Special rounds on my progressive, but I did them using only a single die a time. That said, I couple months ago, I did buy a Lee Classic single stage press as well. There is plenty of tasks where having a dedicated single stage makes sense. For instance, I use the single stage with an universal decapping die rather than running dirty brass in my sizer die and on my progressive. I think that if you buy a single stage press it won't be wasted money. It'll still be useful once you graduate to a progressive or turret press.

+sketchykg That's a good way to learn and still start with a progressive. Smart. I'm sure that you will be very successful with reloading. Keep 'em in the bullseye friend.

+CplSki USMC A progressive press is not some monster ... it's just multiple single presses sharing the same base and stroke of the operating lever. They are simple to operate: Set up the sizing / de-priming die, being very honest about what the case gage is telling you. Likely the sizing die will need considerable fiddling because of movement while being locked down. Once you get it FIRMLY locked down where it needs to be, it will likely stay there. Still, measure frequently (you would be well advised to do this with a single stage press, too -- you can't control what you don't measure.) When you've got that squared away, put a primer in a case (it should be recessed .002" - .003" when seated against the inside face of the primer pocket) and set up the powder drop. Drop. Weigh, Adjust until you get things "just so" at the powder drop station. When using spherical powders, a progressive powder drop should be able to hold an average of about 1 gn variance in powder weight. Weigh 5, noting the individual weights and the total weight. If the individual weights are in the right neighborhood (+ -), then the average weight should be very close to exact. You are NOT making hand-loaded match rifle fit only for virgins and unicorns and biblical heroes ... a prog press is for making very GOOD ammo, not very PERFECT ammo. Then set up the following dies using the same cartridge or two. You won't need any more than that if you "sneak up" on each stage and make certain that the preceding stage is properly set before moving to the next. Bullets vary, so your final overall length will also vary a small amount. The crimp (if any) is "by eye" ... I go for enough crimp to see with the naked eye, but not so much that the bullet can't get out of the case before the whole thing blows up in my face. The operating manual for my Dillon press describes the whole procedure and, if you read it closely enough, is actually quite detailed. I'd be very surprised if the other manufacturers don't include similarly detailed manuals. If each die is set up correctly in its individual station, then the whole assembly will work like what it is ... a well oiled machine. No magic needed. The thing only LOOKS daunting, but it's just the same number of simple steps you would use to set up the same number of single stage dies. So think of it as just 5 or 6 single stage presses. Set the dies up in the same order you would for 5 or 6 single stage presses and to the same level of precision. If you can't set up a progressive press, you can't set up a single stage press, either. If you CAN set up a single stage press, you can set up a progressive press, too. In my opinion (finally ... a summation!) The real "decider" is what your wallet can handle and how many rounds you expect to make over the course of any reasonable spread of time. There is no need to buy a progressive press if you only expect to reload a couple hundred rounds a few times a year. However, if you are planning to load several thousands in that span, definitely go as high-end as your means will allow. It's easier to learn on good tools than it is to learn on junk made of welded-together compromises.

+W Canaday I've been reloading for a long time... I know how to set up a progressive. I know how to set up each die, primer feed, powder drop, bullet feed... all the goodies. Someone brand new to reloading does not know these things and trying to figure out all these things at once AND make them work progressively to turn out a SAFE and successful load is a big challenge and potentially a dangerous one. I'm a firm believer in the KISS method... once you become proficient, THEN buy that progressive.

M

That's what I'm afraid of, getting addicted to it. I just started saving the majority of my empties, and looking at receipts for buying Winchester 9mm at Walmart (25.8 cents/round)... and now found a source for mixed brass 115gr FMJ for $190/1000 including shipping guaranteed to meet SAAMI standards. At .19/round is it worth ANY time to save 4-6 cents when as an instructor the cost of ammo is tax deductible. I suspect as he says, I'd just end-up shooting more. Assuming I setup a progressive press for just 9mm, what will the entire rig, scales, micrometer, etc run for top quality setup? Did I miss him mentioning/not mentioning cleaning his own used brass? Isn't that essential, particularly with some of the cheaper/dirtier burning rounds? I can tell there's a significant difference when running rapid fire drills how some (I won't slam the brand by name here) produce A LOT more smoke and ultimately are fouling the gun more in the process.

Never hurts to know how to make your own ammo

***** Comment was not made in reference to hand-loading.

***** Easy fella. That comment was left months ago. That comment was directed at only one individual. And it was not you. Sorry if that upsets you. You're late to the conversation. It appears you are adding emotion context to text, and assuming my attitude when I typed it. Perhaps, a little less of that in the future, princess.

Good lord guy. My comment was created back in May of 2014. Hickok responded to my comment. Conversation over. Seriously, move on. This is getting a tad creepy.

***** Well, that's sorted. No worries. Just blame Google, always works for me.

Mike Hale Thanks for the advice. Any particular reloaders you would recommend for beginners? Brand wise I should say.

I just bought a Hornady single stage starter kit. It seems to have just about everything required except the shell holder and the dies. I have not had a chance to use it yet though as I've spent all of my money on the press and have no money for components.

Just use a progressive AS a single stage while learning. That way you don't waste money, and get the experience.

yes large pistol and large rifle are the same size, small pistol and small rifle are the same size also

Perfectly answered, thank you sir!

They are the same size but no you do not want to interchange a rifle primer for a pistol primer being as they are made different for the different size cases which has to do with the rifle primer being more powerful than a pistol primer However I do have some large magnum pistol primers I'm thinking of trying in a magnum rifle load just to see what happens and I have a feeling they might work but I will try one at a time and chronograph the velocity compared to a regular magnum rifle primer and look at pressure signs on the primer after firing I have a feeling it will reduce velocity some what from not as big of a spark A rifle primer in a pistol case can over shoot the powder unseating the bullet before the powder ignites so I'm never going to try that knowing that could cause some problems there

Ray Blackburn I wonder if you could push light bullets. Like a. 22 with just a large magnum primer. Maybe for like indoor shooting or somehting. Interesting thought. Like a breech loaded primer fired black powder rifle without the powder

Large rifle and large pistol are not the same size! They have different dimensions. Small pistol and rifle are the same.