New Reloader Powder Question

I'll just concur with the Classic Turret Press. You don't have to run it in auto-index mode. It will function just fine in manual mode, and hence in Single stage mode for all practical purposes. Great to learn on and get comfortable with the feel of the stations.

I use Win231/HP38 for most of those loads, as well as .357 (powder puff load but better than 38 +P range). I was lucky and purchased 8lb keg of that stuff years ago, and it has lasted a really long time. My powder source let me in on a secret that he was getting some more HP38, and picked up some more. I'm set for quite a while with it.
 
I live in southern Ohio and there's probably five places that sell powder in my area. They all have a limited and frankly bad selection. I load for 38 Special and I use Trail Boss for plinking load only because that what I was able to find when I started reloading. When I run out of it, I'll have to switch to a different powder.

I've been reloading for 45-70 for several years. I have three or four different powders I've tried in it because I keep picking stuff up when I see it available. None of it has been the best pick for the loads I make.

I finally found my dream powder in Nashville. There's a reloading shop there that BLEW MY MIND. No one in Nashville should EVER complain about availability of components.

You guys that have good reloading shops in your towns just don't understand what it's like for folks that don't.

My advice echos what others have said, just get something that works. Shooting your own reloads, even if they're a little dirty or something, is still way better than shooting factory loads.
 
I don't have any personal load development experience yet, but I've purchased several pounds of Clays and Clay Dot as potential powders for .38spl.

Many CAS shooters use these powders. So you can add those to your list when you go shopping. I was lucky to find a few pounds and picked them up to try, though I continue to hear around the campfire that it's scarce as W231/HP38.

Red Dot, though faster, is another plinking round powder that shoots very clean in light loads. That's what I'm loading .44spl with.
 
Thanks for all the advice, I am going to read up on some of the powders mentioned, Bullseye and Accurate #5 are first on the research list and then the others.

Thanks again.
 
I'll just concur with the Classic Turret Press. You don't have to run it in auto-index mode. It will function just fine in manual mode, and hence in Single stage mode for all practical purposes. Great to learn on and get comfortable with the feel of the stations.
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I got my Lee turret about 13 years ago and when setting up my dies for the first time I was having a bit of trouble with the turret indexing every time, so I disabled the indexing thing-a-ma-bob and hand indexed. I still haven't replaced the do-hicky and I really l prefer to hand index. I'm not wanting a semi-progressive and I'm not into "speed reloading" so this works perfect for me. Advantages of both a turret and a single stage! :rolleyes:
 
The true genius of the Lee Classic Turret is most definitely -NOT- the indexing rod. I do not actually own one of these presses, however it is the one I recommend when starting new handloaders (and I have helped a handful of them!) and it is the one I would purchase tomorrow if someone ganked my Lee Classic Cast.

The genius in the Lee Classic Turret is the ultra-quick swap turrets. These turrets hold all your dies for one caliber and can be changed in less than two seconds. Your dies never need adjustment and your caliber change is instantaneous and the best part is that the turrets are extremely low in cost. Nobody else in the market makes a turret press with quick-swap, low cost turrets.

Don't think of the Lee Classic Turret as a "poor man's progressive", it simply is not, not in any way you may want to argue it. The heart of any progressive is the ability to use a shell plate and do multiple jobs with one single pull of the lever. No turret press using a single shell holder and one piece of brass is capable of that. The Lee Classic Turret press is the world's most user friendly, capable, fast and handy single stage press. It is an absolute dream for batch loading and that is 100% of the genius behind this press.

It's stout, the price is right and the value is unparalleled.
 
Actually on my Lee Classic Turret I like to use different bullet weights and brands so there is some adjustment required for the seating die.
 
But with the LCT, you could if you chose to do so set up a separate set of dies for each bullet and change the die sets out without need for adjustment. I am not saying it is efficient to do so, but it remains that it is an option that few presses can offer. Sevens points out a major positive in the LCT, one that I make use of.
 
IME, gun shows are THE best place anywhere to find single dies or half-sets. Rarely would I consider paying even a penny over ten bucks and I have added MANY extra seat/crimp dies this way.

Also, if you can find older sets that are before the introduction of carbide dies, offer low money for those -- only the size dies are carbide, you can use the other two dies as if they were new.
 
Just an Update

Thanks for the advice and other info here in the forums on reloading. I reloaded my first 50 rounds of .38 LRN using the 30cc die on the Lee Pro Powder meaure that came with the classic turrett press.

I started with just removing primers on the first 25, then resized and re-primed, had some issues lining up the primer dispenser, but got it after about 5 or 6. Then loaded powder and seated the bullet. The next 25 I used the turret as meant and had no issues.

One thing I did as the previous was done slowly and I actually did it in three different sittings because I wanted to pay attention was that i used a dryer softener sheet to remove the static in the powder dispenser. I read about it here on another post and it worked great when I returned the powder to the can. I didn't want to leave it sitting in the powder measurer.

I actually found Win231 powder in upstate NY when I went salmon fishing at a nice small shop off of 81 in Pulaski, still can't get it local here in NJ.

Went shooting a few days ao and all went well, so going to reload 100 for the next time and make sure that works well. Thanks for all the advise.
 
  • love my lee turret, I use a dillon for stuff I shoot a lot of (9 & 45)
  • use the lee a lot for runs of less than 200 of any given recipe
  • use the lee exclusively for .44 mag since I shoot less of that
  • my personal favorite powders that work well for me in 9 & 45 are: power pistol, be-86, hp-38 and titegroup but there are other fine choices
 
You can NOT just get stuck on using 231. There are probably a dozen powders that will work for what you are loading. Keep your eyes open for other powders everywhere you go.
 
Try TRAIL BOSS. Excellent powder. Very light recoil, Bulky and will fill the case with no signs of pressure. Fill the case, use 70 percent for your load and you are good to go.

Powder Valley.com is where you can get it.
 
Yes but how often does Powder Valley have Trail Boss? Whenever I check they are out of stock with no back order for five pounds. So I end up going to Reloading Unlimited and paying more. But PV does seem to stock a good variety of other powders.
 
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