Gun Talk with Harold Harton
Saving some money is best reason to reload ammunition

Reloading of ammunition is done by a good number of shooters to save money and to custom load for better accuracy, although in some cases it is a futile attempt.

Most of our topquality ammunition, manufactured by leading companies, is so accurate that hand loads will not be any more accurate than the factory loads.

Savings in dollars is another angle. Since the cartridge case is the most expensive part of the cartridge, it should be reused. In most rifle calibers, the savings can be significant.

The same is true for the shotgun shooters who shoot .410s and 28s, since factory loads are so expensive due to limited sales.

To most of us, reloading is an enjoyable hobby and in some cases, with some rifles, will produce more accurate loads by customizing the load and bullet combination.

When reloading metallic rifle ammunition, it is very important to examine each cartridge case before proceeding with the loading process to be sure there are no split necks, separations, etc. Then clean and oil the cases on the outside with case lube and neck dry lubricant.

The first step is the sizing die, which resizes the case back to approximate factory dimensions, de-caps the fired primer, expands the cartridge neck to fit the bullet to be seated and reprimes the case. Then trim the cases to recommended length as indicated by the loading manual. You can then change to the seating die.

Now you are ready to charge the case with the proper type and amount of powder for the load desired, and seat the new bullet. You have a new cartridge.

Fired cases should be kept separate and identified as to what rifle they were fired in. The next loading should be sized to only partial sizing by backing the sizing die up a turn or two of the threads on the die to keep from overworking the cartridge case. Usually after the first firing and trimming of the caes, they will not need to be trimmed again unless they are re-loaded several times. Checking the length every time is a good idea, since overlength cases can create high pressures.

Always re-examine the cases for split necks and separations before proceeding to the loading process. If the loads are kept at moderate pressures, a case can be loaded several times unless the rifle has a sloppy chamber. Hot loads usually reduce case life significantly.

When reloading, never get in a hurry. And after charging the cases with the powder loads, always check each case to be sure a powder charge is there and a bullet is not about to be seated on an empty case. This can result in a bullet being pushed into the barrel by the force of the primer. If this happens, you are stuck with a big problem.

Harold Harton has contributed outdoors writing to the Dispatch Record for more than 50 years.