Best use of effort while reloading

[svana]

Assuming nobody has infinite resources to spend on their reloading efforts, I was curious to hear what folks prioritized most in regards to time, money and energy spent.

For example:
When it comes to money, if I had to pick, I'd rather spend the money on good powder, followed by bullets, then brass, then primers (just an example).

When it comes to time, I prioritize neck sizing over primer swaging and case length measuring (also an example).

When it comes to effort, my most important focus is on seating depth then getting down to the exact grain of powder, then making sure my brass sorted by thickness (still examples).

 

[tkd4life]

For my reloading process I first started with a single stage press to reload ammo for a bolt gun. I was going for match grade ammo so I bought match grade bullets, primers, brass, and dies. I focused on precise powder charges, neck tension, and precise seating depth. For the most part the powders all cost about the same so there really isn't "match" grade powder. It's all about what your rifle likes.


Once I started reloading for my handguns and AR I decided that the single state was just stupid. I got a good deal on a Hornady Lock N Load on Gunbroker and haven't looked back since. For my handguns and AR calibers now I just do what works high volume. I tried to find a powder that would work best with the powder dispenser rather than what works best with the rifle. I used plated bullets in handgun vs jacketed and cheap 55 grain bulk bullets for the AR's. My effort and money has been all about reducing my time needed when it comes to my progressive. But I'm sure other's mileage will vary.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

I would move primer importance up a couple of notches.

Winchester primers saved my .243 loads when CCI primers didn't perform worth a damn.

Thanks again, EShell.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Case inspection.

To me, everything else follows it.

 

[svana]

I think my debate on what provides the most benefit comes in primarily in regards to brass prep. Neck sizing, tension, etc. to me strikes as the more important of the processes while I haven't gotten too involved with things like annealing and truing primer pockets yet.


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[BigDaddy]

I'm a primer pocket truer who has given up neck sizing. Swaging primer pockets is different and you have to do it on mil brass but not commercial. Case length doesn't matter until it does. Go look on the CMP forum for out of battery firings in the M1 carbine.

Powder, I assume all powder from the major manufacturers is good powder. During the powder shortage after Sandy Hook, there was a thread on some brand of powder I never heard of, but I always stick to the major brands. Primers, I've lost track of the number of primer shortages I've been through. So far I have not bought Ruskie primers.

Brass, well I've said here before I bought 2000 once fired "prepped" 223 cases. There were 40 head stamps and cases weighed between 85-103 grains. I did sort those by weight. I was never really happy with that. BTW I recently purchased some Gen Dynamics 223 from Midway and it seems to be excellent brass. No need to true the pockets and maybe no need to debur the primer flash hole, although I did it.

My biggest waste of time in reloading was when I started and decided I should try too many different powders and bullets. Unless you are writing a reloading manual, there are too many variables.

You mention neck tension and I bought some neck bushing dies. That worked OK until I needed a new batch of brass that had a different neck thickness. Then you need a new bushing or you have to neck turn the brass, a project invented by the devil.

If I was a bench rester, I might have a more disciplined approach to neck sizing and tension. If I had the equipment and the talent, I no longer have the eyesight to fiddle with my loads and shoot a group that is 0.1" smaller with load A than with load B

 

[BUFF7MM]

Dealing with stuff that can cause catastrophic failure in your firearms, and injury or death to you and those in close proximity. I treat every step as if my life depends on it.

 

[Broncolou]

IMO there is no part of the reloading process not to pay close attention to..... on a rifle you are making explosive devices that are less than 10' from your face, on a pistol you have both hands grasped around your firearm that is inches away(if that) from the chamber.......
The more you put into the process the better safety/quality you get out of it...... this goes for equipment/components/prep/final checks & measurements

 

[outrider58]

Dealing with stuff that can cause catastrophic failure in your firearms, and injury or death to you and those in close proximity. I treat every step as if my life depends on it.

^^^This. There is no room for shortcuts. Everything HAS to be right 100% of the time(of course nothing ever is, which is why we strive for it).

 

[jimbobborg]

Since I'm reloading in bulk now, I'm looking for the following when reloading.

Powder weight per charge. I looked through a few reloading manuals, and found that in reloading .223, I can get more rounds per pound of Benchmark than any of the other powders listed. In pistol powders, Titegroup uses less powder per cartridge than the others listed. Both of those powders give good accuracy with the bullets I'm using.

Bulk cost per bullet. Since I'm using most of my bulk ammunition for action pistol shooting competitions, I'm looking at the heavy for caliber bullets that give good accuracy. I've found that bulk hard cast lead bullets give me the best price per bullet ratio, and they shoot well in my pistols. Since I'm shooting outside matches, I don't care about the smoke. For most of my loads, I can get 1000 bullets for less than $100.

Primers selection. I pick the least expensive primers that I can depend on to go bang every time. While I love CCI, they're a little hard for my competition pistols to reliably fire, so I looked for others. Winchester is pricey, Federal SPP is now hens teeth. One of my local dealers has Magtechs in stock for $25 per 1000, so I got 3000 of them. So far they work great with my gear, so I'll be getting more. CCI for my competition ARs is fine, but I'd like something less than $32 per thousand. I will be trying the Magtechs again when I get some money up.

Brass? It's all range pick ups. I have yet to have one crack, as I lose them at matches.

 

[K31]

^^^This. There is no room for shortcuts. Everything HAS to be right 100% of the time(of course nothing ever is, which is why we strive for it).

This++

While there are some steps you may be able to do without, like say, truing flash holes, one item because as important as another in the process if you're sloppy because you want to shave some time.

That's time wise.

Component selection wise, in this state, for me, it's powder. Specifically, selecting a powder that covers the widest rage of different cartridges and loads.

 

[svana]

Note I wasn't talking about slacking off. But for example I'm not going to hand weigh every charge of 9mm as I would 308, or bother with picking up match grade bullets for .223 if I'm just going to use it at the range, etc. not so much cut corners on the basic process.


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[outrider58]

Note I wasn't talking about slacking off. But for example I'm not going to hand weigh every charge of 9mm as I would 308, or bother with picking up match grade bullets for .223 if I'm just going to use it at the range, etc. not so much cut corners on the basic process.


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I think we all realise that going in. We just had to set the standard for those who are just getting into reloading so as they don't get the wrong conception. I think your original post might have been a little too general for some of our liking. No harm, no foul.

 

[Traveler]

Either that, or we reloaders are a bit anal.

 

[outrider58]

One of the best labor saving tools you could buy for a modest sum would be a brass prep station. Most go for $100-$130. I highly recommend one. Something like these...

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/565099/rcbs-trim-mate-case-prep-center-110-volt

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/211733/lyman-case-prep-xpress-case-prep-center-115-volt

 

[travistheone]

best use of effort is to go to work and make money to buy ammo.

 

[Traveler]

best use of effort is to go to work and make money to buy ammo.

And when the latest panic buy has the store shelves empty?

And when you want ammo that is more accurate than what is on the shelves?

 

[noylj]

1) Accurate gun
2) Accurate bullet
3) Powder than gives me acceptable accuracy
4) NO tricks/games/extraneous activities that I haven't proven produce greater accuracy. If I can't see any difference in accuracy, it isn't something I'm going to do.

 

[sgt23preston]

Dealing with stuff that can cause catastrophic failure in your firearms, and injury or death to you and those in close proximity. I treat every step as if my life depends on it.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner...

Just one old Jarhead's observation:

When you are building little bombs that explode 18" in front of your eyes, every step of the entire process is important & 100% accuracy is required to get really "target grade" ammo...

Think about it in terms of "packing your parachute", which step is least important..?

 

[byf43]

Dealing with stuff that can cause catastrophic failure in your firearms, and injury or death to you and those in close proximity. I treat every step as if my life depends on it.

Quote of the month.