Reloading

The Shooter's Corner

Reloading

I believe that there is a differrence between Reloading and Handloading.

Reloading is the remanufactoring of an cartridge. Case prep, seat new primer, fill case with the correct charge of powder, seat a new projectile, and you're ready to fire. A worthwhile skill and one I do a lot.

It can be described as a simple science. IF, you do everything the same, time after time, the results will be the same.

Handloading on the other hand is more like an Art. An experience involving research, investigation and testing. The steps required to Handload are often lengthly and complex. Creating a usable cartridge for a firearm that uses one not readily available.

So, why Reload or Handload? Save money? Create a more accurate round? Gain more velocity? All are good reasons, but I Reload and Handload because I enjoy it.

How many times have you been at the range shooting and someone asked you if you reload? More times than you can remember. You can already hear the next question; "Can you reload these for me? I'll pay ya!"

I hear it quite often. I never, ever reload for other people. But, I will have them over to the house and I'll teach them how to reload.

When I was 11 or 12, I meet Earl J. Propheter, a walking , talking Hard Drive. Earl was the most knowelegable person I have ever meet. A true Renaissance Man.

From the day I meet Earl to the day he died I sat in awe as he spoke. I was a sponge, trying to soak up everything he said.

Earl wasn't one of those blow hards you run into, he was a learned man. If there was ever a question about a usable load, the twist of the rifling, the capacitity of a cartridge Earl either knew the answer or he would take me to his extensive library and together we would find the answer.

I can't remember how many evenings I spent over at his house forming 257 Roberts cases from surplus 30-06 brass. Only the good Lord knows how many cast bullets I molded with Earl. The skills I learned from Earl have stayed with me all of my life and like Earl I feel that I must share them.

It has been more than 15 years since Earl's passing and everytime I stand at my reloading bench I think of him. I miss him very much, but I will never miss the opprotunity to share what he taught me.

The more you teach, the more you learn.

Forming 221 Reminington Fireball Cases

Blank Case, Shoulder pushed back, Cut to length

This is how I get my 221 Remington Fireball cases. I start with a 5.56 NATO blank case. I run it into a 221 file and trim die. Cut to length, file it smooth. Run it through a Full Length Resizing die and knock out the old primer. Trim to proper length. Seat a new primer. Throw the correct charge of powder and seat a projectile.

I reload for a number of different rounds.

The list include:

22 K-Hornet

219 Zipper Improved

221 Rem Fireball

223 Rem

243 Win

243 Rockchucker

257 Roberts Ack Imp

6.5 X 55 Swede

270 Win

30/06 Springfield

308 Win

30/30 Win

300 Savage

358 Win

9mm Para

38 Special

357 Rem Mag

40 S&W

41 Rem Mag

44 Rem Mag

45 ACP

I won't tire your eyes with a lot of charts or graphs depicting different loads. There are many different websites that provide a great deal of reloading data. Some of these site list loads that go beyond those listed in the reloading manuals. Tread past the max at your own risk. About the worst thing that could happen could kill you. It's like what Jeff Cooper said, "Your first mistake, could be your last."

257 Roberts Ack Improve catridge (L) and a standard 257 Roberts cartridge (R)

257 Robert Ack Improve is a very impressive cartridge. Fully capable of blasting varmits with the 60-87 grain bullets to dropping that big buck with the 100-117 grain bullets.

It is an easy cartridge to make, just fire a standard 257 Roberts round in an improved chamber. That's why it is called an "Improved" cartridge, no additional forming is required.

It doesn't have to be pretty to work

This is my old Pacific 07 (Now Hornady) Reloading press. I don't know how many rounds I have loaded with this, but it has to be at least a 50,000.

This press has been the victim of abuse, it just keeps going and going.

I bought this press around 1982. It was first set up in my dinning room. Later it was set up out in a metal shed. It was exposed to the humidity of 15 hot Arkansas summers.

I did not use it for a couple of years and during that time the ram rusted in place and the mud dobbers moved in and called it home.

I had to soak it in diesel fuel for a month and I then had to pound on the ram until it became free.

My favorite loads:

219 Zipper Improved: 55 gr Sierra bullet, 29 grains of IMR 3031

221 Rem FB: 40 gr Sierra bullet, 16.4 gr of IMR 4227 or same bullet and 19.8 gr of Reloader 10X

223 Rem: 55 gr Sierra bullet, 27.0 gr of IMR 4320

243 Win: 100 gr Sierra Spitzer Bullet, 38 gr of IMR 4320

243 Rochchucker: Working

257 Roberts Ack Improved: 87 gr Sierra Bullet, 45 gr of IMR 4320

6.5 X 55 Swede: 120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip Bullet, 50 gr of Reloader 19 (Modern Rifles Only)

270 Win: 130 gr Sierra Bullet (Boat Tail), 53.0 gr of IMR 4350

30/30 Win: 150 gr Sierra Bullet (Flat Nose), 30.0 gr of IMR 4895

300 Savage: 173 gr cast lead (311413), 20.0 gr of IMR 4227

308 Win: 150 gr Sierra Bullet, 45 gr of IMR 4320

30/06 Springfield: 150 gr Sierra Bullet, 48 gr of IMR 4895

358 Rem: 200 gr Sierra Round Nose Bullet, 50.0 of IMR 4895

9mm Para: 125 gr. Cast Bullet, 5.0 gr of Unique

38 Special: 148 gr Cast lead bullet, 3.8 gr of 700X

357 Rem Mag: 158 gr Cast lead bullet, 7.0 gr of Unique

40 S&W: 175 gr cast Lead bullet, 5.6 gr of Clays

41 Rem Mag: 210 gr Cast Lead Bullet, 10.2 gr of Unique

44 Rem Mag: 240 gr Sierra bullet, 13.5 gr of Unique (Rifle Load Only)

45 A.C.P.: 230 gr Cast lead bullet, 6.3 Unique

My loads are safe in my firearms. I recommend following the reloading data as published in a printed Reloading Manual.