Handloading
Handloading or Reloading is the process of loading firearm cartridges by assembling the individual components (case, primer, powder, and bullet), rather than purchasing completely assembled, factory-loaded ammunition. Financial savings, increased accuracy, improved performance, commercial ammunition shortages, and hobby interests are all common motivations for reloading cartridges. Handloading may not always be cost effective for occasional shooters, as it takes time to recoup the cost of the required equipment, but those who shoot on a regular basis will soon see the benefits of reloading ammunition, as the brass cartridge case which is often the most expensive component, can be reused many times with proper care. Besides economy, the ability to customise the performance of ammunition is a common goal. Hunters may desire cartridges with specialised bullets or specific performance, whilst target shooters seek the best achievable accuracy and best shot-to-shot consistency, or precision.
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Equipment
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In order to successfully reload rifle ammunition, you will need to invest in the reloading equipment listed below. This equipment does not include your bullets, primers, powders, and casings. Reloading pistol ammunition does not require the cutter & lock stud, case length gauge, chamfer tool, or primer pocket cleaner. It is important to note that some items on this equipment list only need to be purchased once, whilst others will require additional variants if you wish you reload cartridges of different calibers. For example, the press shell holder, die set, priming tool shell holder, and case length gauge & shell holder are all caliber specific.
 Reloading Press |  Press Shell Holder |  2 or 3 Die Set |
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 Powder Measure |  Powder Funnel |  Powder Scale |
 Priming Tool |  Priming Tool Shell Holder |  Calipers |
 Resizing Lube |  Cutter & Lock Stud |  Case Length Guage |
 Chamfer Tool |  Primer Pocket Cleaner |
Phase 1: Case Prep
1. Case Cleaning - once your cartridges have been fired, the ejected casings require cleaning. A good quality case tumbler will clean and polish your brass to a good factory standard, both inside and out. We use a Lyman Turbo 1200 Pro, which tumbles around 300 cases in 3-hours. Alternatively, rub both the inside and outside of the case with a soft cloth to remove powder residue and dirt. Reach into the case with a case neck brush and give it a good clean.
Lyman Turbo 1200 Pro
2. Insert a barrel rod or similar tool into the brass casing to work lose any polishing media (image 1 below). Give the casing a few light taps to confirm that no polishing media remains behind (image 2 below), and then shine a torch into the casing and observe the primer flash hole (image 3 below). This step confirms that the case is in fact a Boxer-primed case, and allows you to visually inspect the case for remaining polishing media. You should be looking for a single large flash hole. Remember that Berdan-primed cases require special Berdan decappers and equipment. Without these a Berdan-primed case will snap off your depriming pin.
3. Rub some resizing lubricant onto the case with your fingers as you inspect it for defects. Discard any cases that have deformed primers, cracks, or excessive dents or bulges. If you are unhappy with it, bin it.
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4. Insert the Decapping & Resizing Die, and Shell Holder into your press. Make sure the set matches the caliber that you are reloading. Follow the manufacturers instructions to correctly set your die.
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5. Making sure that the case has enough lubricant to prevent it from getting stuck, continue to deprime and resize the case by raising the ram. The Shell Holder should make contact with the die when the case is fully inserted.
Lee Case Lube
Lubed cartridge case ready to be deprimed and resized
Case inside resizing die
6. Remove the newly decapped and resized case from the press, and use the shell holder & lock stud in combination with the case length gauge & cutter to ensure the correct case length. If the case mouth needs to be trimmed, you will feel friction when turning the case once it has been placed in the shell holder. A small amount of brass may be trimmed from the case. Once it moves freely, the case length is set. This can be done either by hand or by electric drill as seen in the images to the left.
7. The next step is to use the Chamfer tool to smooth the edges of the case mouth. The tool must be use to smooth both the inner and outer edges of the case mouth as seen in the images to the right. The brass only requires a couple of full turns from either side of the Chamfer tool to sufficiently smooth the edges.
8. Clean the primer pocket with with a Primer Pocket Cleaner. If you do not have one, a cotton bud will suffice.
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9. The last stage of case prep is to give the case a wipe down with a clean cloth to remove any excess lubricant and tiny flakes of shaved brass.
Cleaning the Primer Pocket
One Final Wipe Down
LEE PaceSetter 3-Die Set
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A good quality die set will produce ammunition that fits and functions like factory new.
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Full Length Sizing Die (left) - responsible for depriming, resizing, and expanding the case mouth of your used brass casing.
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Bullet Seating Die (center) - responsible for seating the bullet into the correct (set) depth of the casing.
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Crimping Die (right) - an optional step often recommended which crimps the case mouth to provide a tighter and more consistent fit of the bullet.
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The information provided is specific to this Lee 3-Die Set and will vary amongst different manufacturers.
Phase 2: Reloading
1. Priming - now that your cases have all been prepped to factory standard, they need to be primed. Use a Priming Tool and the correct size primers to prime your cases. You will also need the relevant Priming Shell Holder (caliber specific), which varies in shape from that of the reloading press. The Priming Tool may contain circular grooves on its base. When you insert a box of primers into the holding area, shake the tool and these grooves will set the primers correctly, turning them right side up. Attach the lid, and begin priming your brass cases. Inspect each primed case before moving onto the next, making sure that the primers are flush with the rim.
Lee Off Press Priming Tool
2. Calibrate your Powder Scale - each time you reload ammunition you must calibrate your powder scale, they are extremely sensitive and any bumps or knocks can set them off. If your scale is moved onto a different surface area, it must be re-calibrated once again. When using your scale, close all nearby windows and doors and ensure that all ceiling fans are turned off. If you are using a mechanical scale as seen in the image on the left, make sure there is no movement in the scale pan.
RCBS Mechanical Powder Mesure Scale
3. Now it is time to setup your Automated Powder Measure. If you do not have one, you may use a Manual Powder Dipper. Automated Powder Measuring Tools usually work well with charges anywhere from 2 grains to 100 grains plus. Setting your device to your exact load is a matter of trial and error. Keep placing a measure of powder into your scale pan and continue making adjustments until your powder measure is distributing the exact amount of grains that you require for your loads.
Note: some powder grains (tubular) are too large and distribute inconsistent measures. In this case, each load must be placed onto the powder scale to ensure consistency.
4. Charging the Case - you are ready to fill your brass cases with the exact amount of propellant required to give you that perfect load (note: an overcharge can blow up the gun & cause serious injury). It is best practice to find the minimum and maximum loads for your specific bullet weight from the manufacturer of your propellant. These details should be displayed on their website. Load development may then be necessary to identify which load performs best when fired from your rifle as each barrel length, twist rate, and bullet will produce different results. Once you have determined how many grains your case requires, setup your powder measure to distribute exactly this amount. Test a few measures to make sure that it is consistent and if you are happy, you can start filling your cartridge cases directly from the powder distributer. Make sure to check every 5th powder distribution on the powder scale just to make sure nothing has changed. You may fill directly from the scale using your funnel. It is also good practice to inspect each load visually. You will often notice if a load looks off.
5. Bullet Seating - once you have filled your cartridge case with the correct powder load, it is time to seat the bullet. First make sure you have attached the Bullet Seating Die to your Press and follow the manufacturers instructions on correctly setting the die. This process will produce your COL (Cartridge Overall Length), in other words your seating depth. Remember that bullet seating depth plays an important role in accuracy. Many shooters prefer to seat the bullet .020 to .030 inches away from the rifling, while others prefer that it just touches the rifling. Only you can determine which produces the best accuracy. If you have an existing cartridge with the exact COL that you require, you can place it into your press and tighten the Bullet Seating Die until it cannot go any further. This will seat your new bullet to the same depth as your existing cartridge. Once your die is correctly set, place your loaded case into the press and insert your bullet into the case mouth (image 1 below). Raise the ram and watch while your bullet seats. As you lower the ram, you will see a complete cartridge in front of you (image 2 below). Use your Calipers to measure the COL and make sure it is exactly the length that you require (image 3 below). Remember that you can always seat the bullet further, but you cannot undo the process if you seat the bullet too deep.
Caution: Never seat bullets deeper than the minimum overall length listed by reliable load data sources.
Image 1: inserting the bullet
Image 2: complete cartridge
Image 3: measuring the COL
6. Factory Crimp - this process crimps your bullet in place the same as factory ammo. A firm crimp improves accuracy and consistency because pressure must build to a higher level before the bullet will move. This also allows the cartridge to withstand rough handling as the bullet is firmly crimped in place. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to correctly set your Factory Crimp Die. It is usually best to start with too little crimp, as you can readjust and crimp again to suit your needs. Too much crimp may damage the die. Once you have setup the Die, insert your cartrdige into the press and raise the ram. After crimping, insepct the cartridge case closely. Where the case and bullet meet you should notice and faint ring running around the circumference. This means that your crimp was successful.
7. You have now fully reloaded your own cartridge. Congratulations. As you can see, reloading is a lengthy process especially when using a single-stage reloading press. It is therefore best to do 30 - 50 cartridge components at a time before moving on to the next step of the reloading process, this will save you time and frustration. Trial and error will prove which method of reloading works best for you. Make sure to always follow safe reloading guidelines, and store your ammunition in a lockable safe away from heat, moisture, and children.
Phase 3: Load Development
Developing a load to match your rifle is one of the most fun and rewarding things you can do as a handloader. Experimenting with and tweaking different variables such as bullet, powder, and Cartridge Overall Length gives you the ability to find the very best performing load for your rifle. The keys to proper load development are working with reliable data and only changing one variable at a time. Starting with recommended data that has been proven to work by load developers, you can then begin adjusting the variables slightly to dial in your rifle’s perfect load.
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To develop a load, you will first have to start within a chosen set of parameters. A good reloading manual will include data for a variety of powders as well as recommendations on Cartridge Overall Length. The easiest way to pick a load to begin with is to first pick a bullet that you think you want to shoot. Depending on the intended use of your rifle, you will probably have a bullet in mind that you want to try. Once you have chosen a bullet, consult the bullet manufacturer’s load data for which powders work best with that bullet. It may be as simple as trying a powder you already have, or you may choose to try out a new powder as well. It doesn't really matter how you pick, just choose one listed in the manual to begin with. If you don't get the desired results, you can always try another powder later. Usually, load manuals will note which powder produced the most accurate results with a particular bullet during testing. While that powder may not be the best performer in your rifle, it is a good place to start. If high velocity and energy are what you are after, you may choose to load the powder that produced the highest velocities during testing. There is no way to guess what combination will work best, but trying one that worked well in testing may help speed up the process.
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Powder
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When experimenting with a powder, it will be necessary to find what weight powder charge performs best with a particular bullet. You can find this by loading a series of rounds with various weights of powder. Be sure to work within the safe minimum and maximum powder charges listed in your manual. Starting with the minimum load, load three rounds with each powder weight working upwards in half grain increments. When doing this, be sure to load all of the rounds exactly the same except for the charge weight. If you change more than one variable at a time, you won't be able to identify which variable changed your results. At this point, pick an arbitrary overall length, using the overall length listed with the load in your manual is a good place to start, or if you know your rifle’s seating depth, you can pick a length that has worked well in the past. Shoot a separate group with each load to find out what charge weight shoots the most accurately. As you progress through the weights, you should see your groups shrink down and then open back up again. As you work your way up, be on the lookout for signs of excess pressure. If you begin to experience heavier recoil, difficult bolt lift, sticky extraction, flattened primers, or other signs of excess pressure, discontinue firing these rounds immediately as you have reached your pressure limit. Note which charge weight produced the excess pressure, then back off any future loads accordingly. It is likely that accuracy will begin to diminish before you reach excessive pressures. Whichever charge weight gives the smallest groups is the one you should use for that bullet and powder combination in your rifle.
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It is important to realize that a powder charge that is safe with one bullet may not be safe with another. A bullet’s bearing surface and weight affect the amount of pressure a given load will generate. As bullet weight and/or bearing surface increase, pressure will increase as well. Look in a loading manual and notice that in a given cartridge, as the bullet weight increases, the maximum charge weights decrease. This is due to the fact that the bullet has a greater resistance to travelling down the barrel, and therefore generates more pressure. When testing out different bullets, only use data that was created for the specific bullet that you will be using. Just because two bullets are the same weight doesn't mean they have the same amount of bearing surface, so don’t use load data interchangeably.
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Cartridge Overall Length
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Once you have settled on a bullet and powder, you will need to choose an overall length to work with. If you know your rifle’s seating depth, you can use that to help you choose an overall length. Most bullets will have a performance “window” of how much distance from the lands they shoot best with. Either by consulting the bullet manufacturer’s data, or by researching on the internet, you should be able to find out what distance to the lands a certain bullet usually prefers. These guidelines are of course just recommendations, and what works best in your rifle may be completely different from what works in someone else’s. A big part of the fun of reloading is getting to experiment, so be prepared to test out a range of seating depths to discover which works best with a particular bullet in your rifle.
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When working with Cartridge Overall Length, it is important to remember that every rifle is unique. A load that performs well in one rifle may be abysmal in another. Or, it may perform perfectly well in both. The only way to find out is to experiment. When reloaders talk about adjusting Cartridge Overall Length, they are really talking about controlling how far the bullet has to travel before it engages the lands of the rifling in the barrel. The way to adjust this distance through handloading is to adjust your bullet seating depth. Factory ammunition is loaded to a standard, SAAMI specified, Cartridge Overall Length so that the ammunition will reliably function in all firearms and action types. This specified O.A.L. has nothing to do with optimizing accuracy, and is typically much shorter than the O.A.L. used by handloaders for the same cartridge. For the last several decades, the general rule of thumb was the closer you seated the bullet to the lands, the better the accuracy. Currently, it is understood that this isn't always true. It is true that some bullets and some rifles perform best when bullets are seated out long enough to touch the lands, but other bullets perform best when they have a certain amount of “jump” to the lands. The only rule is: there is no rule.
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The best way to find which OAL works best with a particular bullet in your rifle is to load and shoot what is called a “ladder.” To load a ladder, first settle on a powder and bullet combination which already provides a high level of accuracy. Next, decide upon a series of different lengths that you want to experiment with. An easy way to start is to begin loading cartridges to your rifle’s seating depth and then load your cartridges progressively shorter in increments of a few thousandths. Load three cartridges at each length. Be sure to load each cartridge exactly the same except for length. When you are testing and developing loads, you must only change one variable at a time. Now, go to the range and shoot a three shot group with the cartridges of each different length. Whichever length produces the smallest group is the length to use for that bullet in your rifle.
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Seating Depth
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A rifle’s “seating depth” is the overall length of a cartridge that places the bullet in contact with the lands. It is unlikely that you will want to load your cartridges to this length, but you need to know it so that you can gauge how far off the lands you are loading your bullets. Often, you will hear reloaders talk about loading bullets a particular distance off of the lands expressed in thousandths of an inch. Knowing your rifle’s seating depth will allow you to experiment with various seating depths while looking for the most accurate-shooting overall cartridge length.
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There are several ways to measure the seating depth of your rifle. The most accurate way is through the use of a specialised seating depth tool. Another way to measure seating depth only requires a fired case, a bullet, a marker, and a set of calipers. The ogive or curved part of the bullet is the part that first makes contact with the lands, so measuring with a bullet and fired case will only give you a measurement that is useful for bullets of the same shape. Different bullets and bullets of different weights will have different ogive shapes, so keep this in mind when measuring and using your seating depth. If you change bullets, you will need to re-measure your seating depth with the new bullet.
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Starting with a fired case, insert a bullet into the neck with your fingers. The bullet should freely slide into the case with little to no resistance. Next, lightly press the neck of the case against a hard surface to slightly dent the case mouth enough that it will grasp the bullet. Now, colour the entire shank of the bullet with a black felt-tip marker. Insert the base of the bullet into the case just enough that it is held by neck tension. Now, carefully insert the round into the camber of your rifle and close the bolt, but do not pull the trigger. As you close the bolt, the bullet will contact the lands and be pushed back into the case. Open the bolt and carefully withdraw the case and bullet. The bullet may still be in the case, or it may be stuck in the barrel. If it is still in the barrel, remove it by either tapping the butt of the rifle against the bench or the ground, or push the bullet gently out with a cleaning rod. The ink on the bullet will be scraped off to the point at which the bullet wasn't pushed into the case any further. Re-insert the bullet in the case up to the point where the ink was scraped off and measure the cartridge overall length with your Calipers. This is your rifle’s seating depth with that particular bullet. Repeat the procedure several times to get a more accurate average. Now, when you want to load bullets a certain distance off of the lands, simply subtract the desired amount of “jump” from the seating depth to get the desired overall length. For example: Rifle’s Seating depth = 3.430 Desired “jump” to lands= .015 Load cartridges to an OAL of 3.415
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Once you have found one load that works really well in your rifle, you may wish to experiment with different bullets or powders. Reloaders are typically tinkerers by nature, so it is always fun to try out new or different components. As long as you work within safe limits, with published data, and only change one variable at a time, there is almost no end to the number of different load combinations you can come up with.
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Developing Your Own Loads; Nosler.com