Getting into reloading

S

sbubrick

Inactive
I started collecting brass for a friend several years ago, and acquired several 5 gal. pails full of it. Turned out the friend moved out of area and didn't want it. I tripped over it several times recently. and decided I should get into reloading as a hobby now that I'm retired. I contacted the Pope and he sent me a letter of authorization and I managed to get a Hornady single stage press kit from Midway. along with a sonic case cleaner and a few other non essentials. Now I'm still short of Dies, primers, and powder. I think my referal from the Pope has expired, as I can't seem to find anybody in town or on line with the above things needed to get started. seems like this is deja vu. when I bought my boat the gas pumps went dry. Any suggestions on where I can get primers, powder and dies?
 
It's going to be a waiting game. You should find the dies you need or at least a few. Then you can size, trim and clean the brass.
 
I acquired a 44mag lever and it took about a month to source all the components. (I had primers/powder) ... the most expensive and most difficult to find were the dies.

Good luck in your quest and have at least two scales to double check your powder throw.
 
Graf is currently log-jammed with orders--I had to cancel one that I had been waiting on for 2 weeks to ship after I found a substitute from somebody else. Optics planet too, except Optics Planet won't respond to phone calls or e-mails, so there is no real way to cancel an order from them.
 
What dies do you need? I have more 223 dies than I need, if that’s your caliber. As for other calibers, I only have one FL each, but probably have neck dies (which I’m not using) for 220 and maybe 260 and 270. I’d have to dig around in the boxes to be sure. I also have a set of 243 dies that my neighbor used to use once a year, but since his divorce, and no longer having a stepdaughter that has a 243, I might sell them. I’d have to call him first though.

I have no extra powder, primers, or bullets, though I do have enough 40 gr Nosler BTs that I might let some go for a new reloader.

It’s probably a good time to clear out some stuff I never use anymore.
 
Snoop around the internet for other gun forums and register there. Most have WTS/WTB/WTT sections, and you may be able to source what you're needing from some local people. Powder & primers can't be shipped w/o the right licenses to comply with shipping regulations, so look for local sources that can do face to face meets in your area.
 
Any suggestions on where I can get primers, powder and dies?
Click to expand...
My local supplier said that he has been told we can expect things to become available this time next year(2022) as far as reloading supplies.
Die manufacturers are trying to catch up as well as the industry as a whole.
 
Been on all of the sites listed above + Brownells, Midway, Bass pro, Sportsmans ETC. Listed on most of them for there wish list..
 
For primers and powder, you might try going to each of the big chain sporting goods places in your area that carry reloading supplies. Be real nice to a gun counter clerk and see if they they are still getting shipments and if they know when to expect them to come in. I think most of these places limit purchase quantities, so the stuff they put on the shelves should last for a few hours anyhow.

For powder, the 9mm and 45 ACP will work pretty good with anything with a burn rate from close to the fastest up to say Power Pistol. However, you may find little or no load data for many powders in this range. You may want to print a chart or two and circle the powders that you can find data on. Be ready to buy what every they have that will work for your guns.

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/burn-rate-color.pdf

http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/burn_rates.pdf

https://shootersworldpowder.com/bulk-propellant/#burn
 
For items that are not available try online second hand sites. Craigslist and Offer Up are a couple that I frequently check. There are a few jerks that are selling reloading components for stupid high prices. But it is an option if you can't find it anywhere else. Occasionally I find someone who just wants to sell their stuff for what they have invested. Over the years when things aren't crazy I have made some very good purchase on equipment and components.
 
I just started out and it took me 2 months to collect all the necessary stuff. I just went to the big internet sites - Brownells, Midway, MidSouth Shooters, Graffs and backordered everything I could. What I couldn't backorder I clicked the Notify Me box. I mean I backordered RCBS, Lee and Lyman dies from all the above vendors. Same for all the other equipment. When I was notified that my press was being shipped by Midsouth Shooters I went and cancelled the other 6 presses I had backordered. I kept a spreadsheet of all the backorders so I could cancel the unneeded ones when appropriate. I figured that if I screwed up and ended up with two or three of something, I could always sell the extras on EBay or Craigslist. They're all backordered, right?

Eventually everything I needed came into stock, somewhere or other. It just took some time.

Except primers.... They are only available from a private seller for horrendous prices. BUT figure that if you have to pay $150 for 1,000 primers that comes out to only $.12 per round more than you should normally pay. At $.90 per round for 9mm factory ammo, it might be considered a bargain. Need ammo? Whatever it is worth to you.
 
Right now for the time being order from sites that are allowing you to order that state on backorder for the items you want and click on the notify me button. It is a waiting game and check your email frequently, have funds set aside and when you get notified you need to act quickly because there will be millions trying to place an order just as fast. You have an advantage in that you are retired and others are still working. In the mean time de-prime brass and clean in the sonic cleaner while you wait.
 
P Flados, on that first burn rate chart, unless I'm reading too fast aside from looking at it twice, I can't find H-414 - did Hodgdon stop making it? It used to be pretty close to H4350.
 
Still on their product website. No idea why it isn't included on their own burn rate chart. It is, however, canister grade St. Marks Western Cannon 760, the same powder as Winchester 760, so it belongs before or after position 118 on that chart. Indeed, H414 is is adjacent to 760 on two older, un-colored versions of the Hodgdon relative burn rate chart.
 
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