Finally did it

[FishInTx]

I don't see the price of boolits getting any cheaper. I scraped up enough money for the Lee 4 Hole Classic Turret Press with Auto Index Deluxe Kit. Also got all the fixens for 9mm, .45acp and .40S&w. Just about everything I need to get started except for powder. I was gonna buy some local Unique. Heard some good things about it for these pistols. Unless, you have other suggestions. I'll get a loading manual with the kit, the internet(youtube), 2 close friends and y'all to help me load my first rounds ever. Going to a guys house tomorrow. He has a single stage and we'll cover the basics. I just ordered my stuff from midway. Should be here in a week. Any volunteers to shoot the first 50? I'm pretty trust worthy around guns and powder. The cannon we built a while back only blew up once. The new one will be much better. Kidding!!

Thanks for reading. I might/will need to ask some questions at some point TIA.
Mrs. Fish, the big boss says, about my new toy.

[Don2]

Looks like you'll be set up and good to go soon..!!
Question, you said you have 2 good friends....Do they reload?
If so...you will get a jump on the process.

When I started reloading, I had a neighbor and a friend at a gun shop who reloaded. They helped me along and got me going the correct way. They both served in the military and had been around reloading for 30'ish years.
One had been a DI and kept me in line...!!!

YOUR GONNA BE HOOKED.....and get the loading fever

Its fun to build your own ammo...but your gonna have to shoot it, I'm not driving over to shoot it "fer-ya" !!!

Take it easy and slow and READ...READ...READ...and REREAD a few reloading manuals before you start.
Don't do like most of US do on other things..." Read the manual AFTER you have extra parts around when finished "

Don2

[Jumping Frog]

Congratulations for diving into the pool and getting started!

However, re-think your powder choice -- you can do a lot better than Unique.

Unique is a versatile powder that's been around over 100 years, but there are a lot of more modern powders that do a better job. My big complaint with Unique is unreliable metering. Think of Unique as a powder that only gets recommended by folks who learned to handload before 1980. Great powder in it's day, but it's a lousy choice today (and anyone who want to have a Unique fight can invite me to THAT thread, but we don't need to do it in this one.)

One of my key considerations for powder is whether it will meter reliably. There are too many good, modern powders out now for any application that meter quite well for me to even consider a poorly metering powder.

I'm a fan of buying powders that fit very specific roles even when it means that I end up with 20 different powders. To some folks, especially new folks, this is a ludicrous idea... but get a few years down the road and you may very well see it my way.

If you are starting with 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP, I would suggest that Universal is a fine place to start. Think of Universal as a modern equivalent of Unique

Other options if you don't want to buy Universal could be Ramshot Zip, Accurate #2, Titegroup, Bullseye or Win231. Universal is not only a flexible powder but it meters well and it's low in price (especially when you buy 4 or 8 pounders!) and it's got the backing of the Hodgdon Online Reloading Data Center (which also covers Winchester and IMR branded powders) and blows away everyone else in the industry... especially Alliant. I love Alliant powders but there online data source SUCKS.

Universal is like Unique in that it will cover a wide variety of pistol cartridges quite well. It will produce solid middle-of-the-road performance in many cartridges, but it will never give the absolute "best" performance as compared to a powder more narrowly suited. There are a dozen different powders that will also work, but I'd suggest Universal as a starting point for a new pistol handloader.

The package will actually say "Hodgdon Universal Clays" but the "clays" portion of the name introduces mass confusion because they also market a "clays" and an "international clays" and it's simply best to get used to saying "UNIVERSAL" and forget that "clays" is even on there.

[FishInTx]

Question, you said you have 2 good friends....Do they reload?

LOL, yes. They don't have lee turrets though. RCBS

[FishInTx]

Unique is a versatile powder that's been around over 100 years, but there are a lot of more modern powders that do a better job. My big complaint with Unique is unreliable metering. Think of Unique as a powder that only gets recommended by folks who learned to handload before 1980. Great powder in it's day, but it's a lousy choice today (and anyone who want to have a Unique fight can invite me to THAT thread, but we don't need to do it in this one.)

I'm buying my own Defensive rounds..for now. I'll just be reloading for range use. Universal sounds great.

[Jumping Frog]

I'm buying my own Defensive rounds..for now. I'll just be reloading for range use.

I've handloaded more rounds than I know, somewhere north of 20,000 for range or hunting use. But I still carry commercial defensive ammo.

Anyway, good luck with your new hobby. I hope you enjoy it. Seems to me that many people start handloading with the thought they will save money. But the ones that seem to stick with it are the ones who also enjoy it and turn it into a hobby in and of itself.

[Don2]

Funny...My older friends that have been reloading since way back when ALSO love Unique...And use it for most loads.
They do use other powders, but Unique is stuck in their memory....

I choose to use several powders...They each have their place.

Main thing to remember is to be safe whatever you use......

I don't think I have EVER saved any money handloading...I always find something I need/want to buy to help me in my hobby.
But thats the way it goes with most hobbies.


Don2

[FishInTx]

I don't think I have EVER saved any money handloading...I always find something I need/want to buy to help me in my hobby.
But thats the way it goes with most hobbies.


Don2

I was trying to add up how much I might save. Not a whole lot that I can figure, yet (Obama). A few bucks here and there is always a good thing though.

I'm a little OCD. When I decide to do something, I do it, and do it well and then go on to something else. When I finally got my CHL I committed myself to shoot better and faster. Buying ammo every week was a shock to the budget. I really enjoy shooting, as well as my son, so I thought reloading would be good for us.
Golf is my hobby. I spend alot of time and money on it. Doing a 2x2x2 on demand is the new "obssesion". My shooting may slow down a bit once I get proficient but I believe my son and I will always shoot and there will always be a need for reloading/reloading stuff.

[Don2]

I was trying to add up how much I might save. Not a whole lot that I can figure, yet (Obama). A few bucks here and there is always a good thing though.

I have not figured out lately how much per round or box I can load at this time, but a good way to save is to shoot lead bullets.
If you can get wheel weights that are still lead, you can cast your own and save a lot more money if you start with the basic supplies and equipment.

I just end up buying too many reloading "toys" bringing up the cost per bullet...But its fun and easier with good tools.
Like any other hobby or job.

Lee molds are not too bad and are cheap, I use several of them with good success.
Lyman, RCBS and other brand names molds are very good, but costs are way more.
There are many web sites and forums all about cast bullets. It all depends on what you want to use your loaded bullets for...I mostly use mine for plinking and targets....

Just have fun and be safe.
Don2

[FishInTx]

Ordered the kit, etc.. from Midwayusa late Sunday night. Got it in the mail today Thursday as ordered. Way way fast shipping. Sent them a thank you note. I used a promo code that covered shipping so it was free.
I was hoping to reinforce the old computer desk before the press got here. It's a wide deep desk. Putting some 3/4 plywood over the desk top.
Decided against unique, dirty and not metering well. The shop I went to had no Universal. Closed my eyes and grabbed.... titegroup. It showed 9, 40 and 45 on the bottle.The shop owner and I looked through a manual and it showed the same. I got a manual in the kit, I'll check it too. Shop owner was nicely, kinda pushing IMR. I had never heard of it so passed.

I love shooting my glock 22. But why oh why (pressure) do I get a warning in front of .40s&w in the load manuals? Great brass, primers, powder, lead, do I really have much to worry about, besides the normal stuff?

Thanks
Fish <---working on the desk

[Don2]

Hmmmm...I don't load or shoot a 40 cal.
I've always heard they are a high pressure round. I'm pretty sure you need to keep to the load data on this caliber and do not deviate any.

Thats why I have always liked 45acp's..They are low pressure,slow and very dangerous on the wrong end of the gun
But thats just me...I also love 38/357's, wish I had the money to buy a 357 mag auto pistol, bet they are awesome?????
But I understand they only shoot 357mags not 38 spl's??

Just go slow and be thorough and all should be good.
As with all other bullet loading...be safe..!

Don2

Ps...IMR has been around for a very long time and they have some very good powders. I use it in my 30-30 Win. bullets.
IMR and Hodgdon cost a little more than powders like the Allient brand. I use some of just about all of the brands, some powders just work very good with some bullets....

[Jumping Frog]

Man I wish I had that promo code. I ordered from MidwayUSA this morning.

[ddstuder]

I used the Promo code this morning also.
I order my powder when Midway sends the promo code. Ordered $300 in powder and saved $30. That covers the Haz-Mat fee.

BTW, the Haz-Mat fee has gone up to $27.50 from $25

[canvasbck]

I don't think I have EVER saved any money handloading...I always find something I need/want to buy to help me in my hobby.
But thats the way it goes with most hobbies.


Don2

I was trying to add up how much I might save. Not a whole lot that I can figure, yet (Obama). A few bucks here and there is always a good thing though.

I'm a little OCD. When I decide to do something, I do it, and do it well and then go on to something else. When I finally got my CHL I committed myself to shoot better and faster. Buying ammo every week was a shock to the budget. I really enjoy shooting, as well as my son, so I thought reloading would be good for us.
Golf is my hobby. I spend alot of time and money on it. Doing a 2x2x2 on demand is the new "obssesion". My shooting may slow down a bit once I get proficient but I believe my son and I will always shoot and there will always be a need for reloading/reloading stuff.

If your not figuring on saving much money, I'm assuming that you are purchasing brass. The real savings come into play when you pick up brass. I am spending just over $0.13 per round for 9mm, but I'm picking up brass. That's a signifigant savings over factory.

Golf?? I thought that was for people who couldn't get to the range on weekends.

[G.A. Heath]

The warning about reloading .40S&W (most commonly in Glocks) applies to 10mm and .357 Sig as well. These cartridges are all related and are all very high pressure cartridges. You must ensure that you have a barrel that supports as much of the case as possible when you are reloading them, unfortunately to increase reliability Glock does not support a significant portion of the case head which can lead to the case blowing out and causing a "Kaboom." Glock is not the only manufacturer that does this. I know that there are aftermarket barrels that support the case head better and they also use cut rifling so you can also load lead bullets (WARNING: EVEN GLOCK SAYS NOT TO SHOOT UNJACKETED LEAD BULLETS IN THEIR GUNS).