Mr. GunBlue, I don't normally comment of youtube videos, but a this point, I can't help but acknowledge that you've given more every-man knowledge regarding reloading for the American or international hunter regarding practical reloading than anyone else I've seen on youtube, or on the internet as a whole. I've loaded/reloaded approx. 500 rounds in the pursuit of finding the most accurate loads with specific bullet types/weights for 4 different rifles. Though nostalgia is the primary culprit, your videos have made my grandfather's ww2/korea era hunting rifles with low power scopes firmly replace (with similar accuracy) my modern high-end rifles mounted with high-quality optics. Being able to respect the rifles that came before me and to develop loads to make them just as effective in the modern era has been the most enriching thing in my adult hobby-life. Only in my late 30's, I can't wait to share this knowledge with the future generations. You are truly an asset to the shooting community. Thank you. Next Molson is on me!
Your knowledge and presentation are superior to all others. I started reloading back in the late 70s and I’ve learned and understand much from your series.
Im blown away at your knowledge and way of delivering it to the loading community. A+ for you and thanks for clearing up so many little things that matter or dont matter. Rod
Boris Perez; Hello. You do not need a workshop or a basement to reload. Reloading can be done on a small table in the kitchen or any room or on the taligate of a pick-up truck {but not on a windy day 😉}. There are portable reloading presses/tools such as the "Pak-Tol". The "Lyman Acculine Press", which can be mounted to a table / bench or can be handheld. The "Lee Handheld Press". The old (but still made) Lyman/Ideal "Tong-Tool" (aka: "The Nutcracker") hand press. Both Lyman and Lee make a wide assortment of other reloading accessories. Make sure you buy a printed reloading manual from Lyman or Lee (or both) and read it first before doing anything! Also, a book titled: "The A.B.C's of Reloading" would be helpful. A set of the Lee Powder dippers ( which comes with a slide chart for many powders showing which dipper to use for each powder/cartridge), some gunpowder that is correct for your caliber and bullet weight, primers (such as Small Pistol/Large Pistol/Small Rifle/Large Rifle/209 Shotshell primers), a cereal bowl (for the powder to go into so you can dip the powder dippers. {Do not scoop as an ice cream scoop, but instead dip the dipper into the middle of the bowl of powder and let it fill without compacting it down, use a playing card or a business card to level off the powder dipper from any excess powder. Pour the unused gunpowder back into the powder can via funnel and cap the powder container! Only have ONE kind of gunpowder on the bench/table at a time.} Get a set of Dies for the caliber you want to reload, and you can get started. You do not need to spend mega-money to begin. Both Lyman and Lee have beginner's "Kits" that contain the basic tools. Keep things simple. Store your powder in a cool, dry place, away from the primers! There is also the original "Lee Loader" which is operated by mallet/hammer and your arm/hand. Since you live in a Condo, I do not recommend the original Lee Loader (the one operated by mallet/hammer) because it makes noise/sound and if you are on the second floor, the people below you on the first floor will complain because the hammering on the table/bench and vibrations will probably carry down to them. BTW - If you want to buy the Original Lee Loader tool, there is a video on You Tube by a man in Australia who made a "Press" to use the original Lee Loader to load his .303 Brit ammo, instead of using a mallet/hammer. He modified an old wine bottle capper machine so instead of using a hammer or mallet, it is done by a lever instead. Very smart! P.S. The Original Lee Loader (powered by Arm & mallet) is caliber specific, --- in other words: you have to buy one tool for each cartridge you want to reload. One size does NOT fit all. On the other hand, if you get a Lyman Acculine Press or Lee Handpress, you can load anything because they accept various die sets. One Press can be used to load from a .22 Hornet to a .38 Special to a .45-70 Govt. cartridge.
I thank you for your reply. I think am in need of learning more first than stealing a small space away from the old lady. Still I’d prefer an environmentalist such as a garage all things being equal the kitchen is not on my top list.
I thank you for your reply. I think am in need of learning more first than stealing a small space away from the old lady. Still I’d prefer an environmentalist such as a garage all things being equal the kitchen is not on my top list.
@@borisperez3129 Understood. Keep the women folk happy is good idea. 😉 [ BTW - Women can reload, but since normally most shooting is done by males, the most reloading of ammo is of course done by males. There is a female reloader on You Tube --- maybe she was with her husband in the reloading video? Maybe your wife might be interested in shooting?] Learning first is a wonderful thing, especially with automobile driving and ammo reloading! A person can learn much stuff from Gunblue490 and some other folks who have experience. I would suggest that you go ahead and buy a copy of the Lyman or the Lee reloading manuals and start at page one and read them. No hurried rush, but a steady meal of information to the brain is a great thing. Both of those manuals have photos, diagrams and lots of instructions. Note: both Lyman and Lee make their own reloading equipment so the photos / pictures will be of their dies, presses, powder measures, scales etc. --- not a problem. The A, B, C, D, E steps of reloading are the same regardless of the brands. If you can change the spark plugs on the car engine or change a flat tire, then you can reload ammo.
Lee makes a hand held loading press (It's my favorite press) You can reload in your recliner if you like. Purchase that and the manual mentioned in this video, you will be set. OR just purchase the Lee manual, The first half is a very enjoyable read(the rest is the actual reloading data) . It is extremely well written and down to earth. You'd swear a man such as Mr. GunBlue was just talking. I can't recommend it enough. Its $20-30 depending were you buy it. If you find this sort of thing interesting you won't be disappointed.
What an excellent series full of great information sir! I've been reloading for a long time but I still got a LOT of new info from your videos. Thank you!
Hello Mr. GunBlue, I hope this finds you well and I hope that you are still checking comments on your older videos. I am new to hand-loading and by new, I mean I have never assembled a cartridge in my life but after years of watching every video that you have made on the subject, I felt that I was finally ready to start. However, when I sat down to start developing my first load, I immediately ran into something that I don't believe you have covered (and maybe it is of no significant importance) but I would greatly appreciate your insight. I am loading for a .308 WIN (165 gr Bullets) on a Lee Press and purchased some Hornady and Nosler bullets (so I have Lee (2nd), Hornady (11th) and Nosler (9th) edition reloading manuals) as well as a small selection of powders (I like to experiment) to choose from. As I started cross referencing these various manuals, I noticed very (at least to my inexperienced eye) different load data being presented for the same powder across the 3 manuals. Taking Reloader 15 for example; Hornady (165gr-168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 35.2gr and a MAX of 44.3gr Nosler (165gr/168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 40.0gr and a MAX of 44.0gr Lee (165gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 41.4gr and a MAX of 47.0gr Another example is IMR 4064; Hornady (165gr-168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 35.1gr and a MAX of 42.8gr Nosler (165gr/168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 40.5gr and a MAX of 44.5gr Lee (165gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 42.0gr and a MAX of 46.3gr These seem like extreme differences to me; in the case of IMR 4064, Lee's starting load is only 0.8gr less than what Hornady is showing as a MAX load and Lee's MAX is more than 9% higher than Hornady's. My questions are: 1. Why is there such a difference in the provided load data between these sources? 2. Do you think it is safe (assuming new rifle of known quality) to load with these powders through the entire ranges (Hornady's starting loads through Lee's Max loads)? Hopefully I'm not just displaying my ignorance here but if I am, feel free to let me know. I look forward to hearing your response and thank you so much for putting your knowledge and expierence on this platform for us all to benefit from.
If you load for several different cartridges, it also helps to use the same powder for a couple different cartridges. Like 44 mag and 357 mag or 270 and 30-06 for instance. It gets a bit more difficult to do that when you get to magnum rifle cartridges though. Especially if you are trying to get optimal performance out of your load. But if you aren't looking for top speed and .25" groups, you can get away with using one powder for two or three different cartridges sometimes.
I have found your advice very sound and with no contradiction. Thank you sir. A quick story. I was testing a hot loading of US869 in my 28 Nosler. Things were ok when I chambered a round and a friendly guy came over to my bench for a chat that lasted a few minutes. Afterward, when I touched off that round, THWACK!!! "What the hell was that"? And then I knew. US 869 is a spherical powder and I had been warned about its temp instability. I had cooked that round in the chamber while speaking to that guy! Well, I had to beat that bolt handle upward to open the chamber. Just as you've said, captain. Beware of these powders. They are temp finicky and I wouldn't be even using it if stick powders were a little more available. God bless, sir.
Yes, that's very much an issue with hot chambers and spherical powders. One exceptionally accurate 22-250 load with Win 760 powder has stuck a bolt on me a couple of times, which is why I no longer use it. "Cook-offs" were warned of in the first M-16 manual that I was issued, and Ruger warns of it in their autoloading rifle manuals. That's where a very dangerous, spontaneous firing occurs without a hammer strike with an overheated barrel. Thank you, and God bless.
Very good info! I have found that calling the powder/ bullet mfgs are a huge help in saving time and components to find an accurate load. Start there and fine tune. Keep those chambers/ barrel clean to have a good starting point. God Bless you also, Brother!
This is a fantastic series. I have learned more from this channel than any other and corrected a few mistakes I've been making along the way. Last season some of the fellas I deer hunt with ended up with a magazine full of different bullets they scrounged from their sock drawers because there was no .30-30 ammunition on the shelf while I had the luxury of selecting different loads for various calibers. I even have a reduced 300 grain Barnes TSX load for my .450 Rigby in a Dakota African that performs very well on medium sized animals. I sure hope the supply chains catch up to the demand and components become more readily available in time- especially with primers.
When I look for data for a new cartridge to load, i do as you say and look for something that will span a good range, but also what gives the most velocity with the lowest pressures. And I'll also find as much data as I can, alot of the times tgey will be different, so I'll take and add all the minimums, and maximums and get an average for both and that's what I use for my min, and max.
You normally do such a phenomenal job I hate to be critical, But In the spirit of trusting published powder sources and not just listening to some random guy on the internet. All published load data will tell you to start your load development 10% under Max Load, and work your way up. The advice you gave works out to only 5% under max load.
Good video GunBlue490. I also have the Lee 2nd Edition manual, but always check it with my Lyman manual and also one of my Speer manuals because sometimes it seems Richard Lee went a tad on the "hot" side. Lee company really needs to revise and update that manual. It is copyrighted in 2003. It is now 2023 and several of the powders Lee used were recalled and some are no longer sold. I like the Lyman Manuals because they post a "Factory Equivalent Load" and also "Most Accurate Load" for each cartridge. I liked the Hercules and Du Pont powders. P.S. - Last night I tried to sign-up for "Patreon' and got to the site and kinda-sorta logged in, but I do not think that it went through. I checked my Pay-Pal but it did not show the "activity". I am not very slick with computer gizmos. Maybe I did something wrong.
Just want to say thank you…loving the series and really found this one to be so informative. Very practical advice and so much knowledge and life experiences packed into one short video. You sir are a blessing to us all, God bless.👍
Found that imr 3031 does super good in my 16” 5.56 ar…low velocity but very tight groups..I’ve got several for my 7.62 carbine that are under 1”…superformance,h4350, and ramshot tac…77gr 5.56 and 175smk 7.62…put 5rds n a 20oz lid at 100yrds with my 7.62 DD…your knowledge is far n wide and I’m so glad you share it…thanks a bunch…matt
Great video. Great series. I seen the same thing. I have not gotten great accuracy from CFE223. Was torn between doing more ladder tests or going back to Hodgen benchrest. I decided to go back to extruded.
Hello, I just wanted to add that I too have really enjoyed GunBlue490. I have been watching your channel for a year or so and really enjoy picking your brain, so to speak, and have been impressed with your latest set of videos. I was able to develop a real nice load for my 60 grain .223 Remington 700 and was curious if the same process can be done with pistol calibers? Mainly .40 and .357. Love what you do and thanks for your time.
Pistol calibers and straight walled rifle calibers really don't provide much in the way of accurizing in the way that bottleneck rifle calibers do. It's essentially a matter of using the correct powder, charge and bullet.
In my sporter-weight .308 Winchester, shooting 165 grain bullets, IMR4064 is my go-to. It isn't sexy,; it just gets the job done, to the tune of 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. No spherical powder has ever done as well in that particular rifle. Your results may vary.
@@wingman8447 For that rifle, I've settled on the Sierra 165 grain GameKing as my do-all bullet. It gives excellent accuracy and reliable performance on deer. I have tried other bullets, but none work as well.
A good short cut is see what a popular powder choice for your cartridge is with serious competitors. That can save you a lot of time and money. You will have to tweak the load a bit for your firearm but you should be in the right ballpark.
True, but they arrive at the same conclusions that any novice can by learning how to fish for a load. Competitors tend to follow the leader for the same reasons you mentioned; to short cut, but often ignore other great powders because they don't think for themselves. While everyone currently promotes IMR4064 as the best .308 powder, at least six others do equally well, and even better with autoloading guns. No powder has ever had a franchise on accuracy.
@@GunBlue490Very true, over on this side of the pond N150 is popular but I find in my 20" Tikka N140 is working very well. 100m tunnel testing was giving surprisingly small groups, well under 1/2 MOA until the barrel starts to warm up, approx a dozen shots.
The Richard Lee loading manual does not do pressure tests themselves, they only take test data from others that do, of which they lose the test barrel length, case brand, primer type and brand, as well as bullet brand. These are all important elements, as one should never take data made for one specific brand and type bullet and turn and use it with a different brand or type bullet. This is due to Brinell hardness and bearing surfaces can be different, of which can cause extremely high pressure issues. One should only use data straight from a reputable data source [see paragraph below] that does their own pressure testing which give the test barrel length, case brand, primer type and brand, and most of all the brand of the type bullet used in developing the data. Each one of these elements that are changed is a compromise of which if all are compromised at the same time could very well add up to a recipe for disaster. Lyman, Speer, Nosler, Sierra, Barnes, Swift, Berger, Norma, Lapua, VihtaVuori, Accurate, Western Powder, Hodgdon, or even Hornady reloading manuals are far better suited than Richard Lee's for gleaning load data from, as they all not only do their own testing but they all give the test barrel length, case brand, primer type and brand, as well as the bullets brand and type for each load recipe. Again Richard Lee's manual throws out one of the carnal safety rules of never use load data developed for one brand of bullet for another brand of the same style bullet. Keep in mind that it is always better to throw out Richard Lee's manual than any of the safety rules.
I'd like to have that manual. I've found questionable data in many publications. There are known certain powders for a cartridge that produce the best accuracy in most rifles, and generally speaking, heavier for caliber bullets also produce better accuracy. These are the powders and bullet combinations to try first. For example, 6.5x55 produces it's best accuracy with 140 grain projectiles and slow powders. Because temperature insensitive powders produce pressures that are more consistent than temperature sensitive powders, the rifle will shoot accurately with the same load at different time of the day, and in different seasons. A super accurate load may not be as accurate as the temperatures changes, and if the cartridge sits in a hot chamber or direct sun for too long. Therefore I will use only temperature insensitive powders such as H4350 and H4831sc with 140 grain bullets in 6.5x55 loads. For ranges under 300 yards, I would use a flat based bullet, and for ranges beyond 300, a boat tail. .30-06 will do well with H4350 with 165 to 190 grain bullets, and it will do well with H4831sc from 180 to 220 grain bullets. H4350 and H4381sc are very temperature insensitive, but there might be a particular powder that can produce a tad better accuracy, but only at certain temperatures.
In general, I prefer powder manufacturers data to bullet manufacturer data, whenever a data conflict exists. Lee's manual is a compilation of powder manufacturers data.
It's an interesting exercise to compare different sources load data for a cartridge for the same bullet and powder combination. It does vary. If in doubt I start lower and work up.
@@redrock425 Yes, always start at the bottom and work up. Check several sources and choose the most conservative and lower charge weight recommended and only use data that also lists pressures. I use .5 grain increments to locate an accuracy node and then .1 grain increments to dial it in and locate the middle of the range of powder weights that produce the tightest groups. The accounts for variations in powder weights during the reloading process, and for variations in temperature. Use American data. European and American data for cartridges such as 7x57 and 6.5x55 can have two sets of data, one for the older low pressure military rifles, and the newer high pressure modern rifles chambered in the same cartridges. The European data denotes the charges intended for modern rifles as 6.5x55SE, and data for low pressure rifles in 6.5x55 as '6.5x55' instead of '6.5x55SE'. Using such nomenclature , as in 'SE', is a dangerously subtle and vague way to make a distinction. Some 7x57 data makes no distinction in the reloading data and do not list pressures. And some manufactures of this ammunition will sell dangerously high pressure ammunition in their 7x57 (7mm Mauser) ammunition they sell. If you are reloading for an antique rifle, the information provided in my old article, Choosing a Practical Antique Rifle by Tunnel Rabbit, can be found on the internet. The most useful powder for these rifle is H4895, and it is also temperature stable. H4895 is also a good powder for most other rifles. If I could only have one powder, that might be it. Varget is also extremely temp stable. My favorite powders are H4895, Varget, H4350, and H4831sc. These will run good in a wide variety of small to medium bore rifles, including some magnums.
I got into reloading a year ago. Finding powder and primers difficult soo I was glad to find any power on the list. But here is the thing. Lee listed max charge and Hornady has it a starting charge ??? You bet I'm confused and worried.
Good to be concerned and cautious. I have the "Lee 2 Edition manual" as he showed in the video, but I also have a "Lyman" reloading manual. Why? Because neither of them makes powders, primers or bullets. Sometimes the Lee data is different that the Lyman manual or the 'Speer" manuals. Always start from the lowest charge and work up as GunBlue490 mentioned. Another good thing about the Lyman manuals is that they tell you what gun was used as the "Test" gun, and they have a "Factory Duplication Load" and a "Most Accurate Load" and sometimes they are the same.) A problem with the Lee 2nd Edition Manual is several of the powders that are listed were either recalled or are no longer available in 2023. It was first printed in 2003. My copy is from 2007. The Lee company needs to revise and print a new manual. Both Lyman and Lee also give data for loading Cast Lead bullets. They have less velocity, but the bullets cost less than copper/jacketed bullets. Several guys that shoot cast lead bullets say that they are more accurate than jacketed bullets. If you are on a budget, shop for reloading manuals on E-bay or Gun Shows or Used Book/Thrift Stores.
The Lee manual is an agglomeration of data from various sources. It is a good place for selecting powders. Maximum Average Pressure published by the bullet manufacturers is determined by bullet construction, Brand of brass case you use, cartridge overall length, and bullet jump in the test barrel used. In pistols with fast burning powders you may have as little as 0.4 grain from min to max. I would defer to the powder and bullet maker, and if in doubt, contact the manufacture's ballisticians for clarification.
@@gusloader123 Lee revises their manual annually. My 2nd edition is the 2019 revision. Hodgdon (who owns Accurate, Western, IMR, and Winchester), Alliant, and Shooters World powders all have current on line load data information.
@@excelsior6365 I noticed that after someone else mentioned it to me recently. Lee kept the "2nd Edition" phrase on the front cover, but have added "Revised powder lists in 2019, or 202?" I think they should quit using the words "2nd Edition" and call it 3rd or 4th or 5th edition on the cover. Easier for buyers, booksellers, librarians.
Can someone run the pressure for a .38 Special load for me? Using Quick Load software. Load is 5.1gr IMR PB under a Lee TL153gr LSWC in a Win. .38 SP case Wolf SP primer 1.45" OAL. I know it's well into +P. Possibly +P+ or .38/44 range. Please
Superformance powder is a ball powder and temperature stabilized. I've been having very good accuracy with this powder using 165gr SST"S in my 30-06. I'm really enjoying this series. Can't wait for the actual load testing on the range.
What are your thoughts abt "hard to find" powders such as..hogdon superformance powder? Its a tough one when looking for load data..very limited application tests and very small batch of cartridges in which it "works". I have tried this powder in a 270 and 30-06, with good results (accuracy and velocity). I wish the manufacturers would give all the data and not just where they thought it worked. My opinion...
I haven't had a chance to reload in a long time. When I was doing some, I was going to work up a light load for a Ruger 357 Magnum revolver. I started out with the lowest load listed in the Speer Manual for whatever powder I had chosen.. Much to my dismay, after firing, most of the cases in the cylinder were split! A guy at the local gunshop said some powders created excess pressure with too little powder as badly as with too much powder. He said I was lucky to have a strong Ruger revolver, because some guns might have blown up. Kind of made me leery of reloading. Have you ever experienced that pressure phenomenom?
His guess was entirely unfounded. It's not a pressure phenomenon at all. Very simply, cases only split when they loose their elasticity from a number of reloading cycles and firings, OR if they were previously fired with corrosive primers, which crystalizes and hardens brass. Corrosive ammunition was common prior to the 1950s and is still used in other countries. Neither a light or heavy charge can split a normal case. Sooty cases result from very light charges that don't seal the brass to the chamber wall. Heavy charges can only expand the case to the dimension of the chamber wall, and if they exceed that dimension, it's because the gun has blown apart. Simply, the cases were no longer elastic.
@@GunBlue490 Very much my own experience. The only split cases I've seen were many times fired and hardened brass. That was only standard target loads so neither too low or high of a charge.
Thank you for the replies. It has been too long to remember what cases I was using, but I had purchased some brass and saved some other from factory loads. I had never reloaded them enough to have run thru very many cycles. Maybe the cases were made of inferior brass to begin with?
@@GunBlue490. I’ve been casually reloading mostly 44 magnum for over thirty years now. I absolutely appreciate your explanation of split cases. I’ve suspected your explanation but now I can stop guessing on the issue. Please give Benny a scratch behind his ears for me.
I would like to know why Blue Dot is suddenly impossible to find in stores locally, or even online (assuming I order enough to make the hazmat fees worth it.
Sure. Blue Dot is a specialty powder for magnum shotgun and heavy pistol loads that has many more popular equivalents, so I'm not surprised that Alliant is putting their production efforts in their higher selling powders until demand stabilizes. There are at least six other powders that approximate the performance of Blue Dot. Check out Herco, Super Field, Accurate #7, Longshot, Win 571, or HS 7. Do NOT use the same data though.
I both have in my supply and do like using Longshot and No. 7, but they don't quite get me the performance that blue dot does out of my G20 with KKM barrel. I will definitely have to try some of the other suggestions you gave - thank you for the tip! And of course, I will use appropriate loading data and "work my way up" to the higher end of the suggested charge weights they suggest.
The 270 is what is going to be my first loading experience and its because I was intrigued by the new burger 170 that's not factory loaded yet by anyone and probably won't be. I talked to a rep who was very nice and showed me there stability calculator on the website and with the 1 in 10 on my Remington 700 it is borderline but says it could stabilize it. Do you think you need a custom barrel with a shorter twost to really shoot that bullet accurately? I'm looking for big game performance not competition. Thanks!
Velocity combined with twist rate increases RPM, so at maximum velocity, it may stabilize. Remember that stability is a length issue, not a weight issue, so a short, blunt, round nose 170 grain bullet of the same length as a 150 grain bullet will stabilize easily, but of course will have meager BC.
@@it_is_what_it_is_brotha Another consideration is that your BC will be somewhat reduced by marginal stability. I believe Berger has a correction for that in their calculator. This likely won't have a huge impact, but is something you should be aware of if you are planning to use it at extended range. I've shot some marginally stable bullets and had pretty good success. Whenever possible, I would go with a slightly shorter bullet to avoid potential issues.
@@it_is_what_it_is_brotha That's a completely valid reason to try something different when reloading. That's how about 60-70% of my reloading projects start. Some work, some don't. As long as you stay within safe limits, the worst you'll have is a poor group.
Mr. GunBlue, I don't normally comment of youtube videos, but a this point, I can't help but acknowledge that you've given more every-man knowledge regarding reloading for the American or international hunter regarding practical reloading than anyone else I've seen on youtube, or on the internet as a whole. I've loaded/reloaded approx. 500 rounds in the pursuit of finding the most accurate loads with specific bullet types/weights for 4 different rifles. Though nostalgia is the primary culprit, your videos have made my grandfather's ww2/korea era hunting rifles with low power scopes firmly replace (with similar accuracy) my modern high-end rifles mounted with high-quality optics. Being able to respect the rifles that came before me and to develop loads to make them just as effective in the modern era has been the most enriching thing in my adult hobby-life. Only in my late 30's, I can't wait to share this knowledge with the future generations. You are truly an asset to the shooting community. Thank you. Next Molson is on me!
Thank you, Sir. God bless.
I was always partial to Molson from Gander lake to BC Canada is beautiful
Your knowledge and presentation are superior to all others. I started reloading back in the late 70s and I’ve learned and understand much from your series.
Im blown away at your knowledge and way of delivering it to the loading community. A+ for you and thanks for clearing up so many little things that matter or dont matter.
Rod
Am not a reloader I live in a condo. But I still follow the information. Thanks 🙏 and blessing be on your family.
Boris Perez; Hello. You do not need a workshop or a basement to reload. Reloading can be done on a small table in the kitchen or any room or on the taligate of a pick-up truck {but not on a windy day 😉}. There are portable reloading presses/tools such as the "Pak-Tol". The "Lyman Acculine Press", which can be mounted to a table / bench or can be handheld. The "Lee Handheld Press". The old (but still made) Lyman/Ideal "Tong-Tool" (aka: "The Nutcracker") hand press.
Both Lyman and Lee make a wide assortment of other reloading accessories. Make sure you buy a printed reloading manual from Lyman or Lee (or both) and read it first before doing anything! Also, a book titled: "The A.B.C's of Reloading" would be helpful.
A set of the Lee Powder dippers ( which comes with a slide chart for many powders showing which dipper to use for each powder/cartridge), some gunpowder that is correct for your caliber and bullet weight, primers (such as Small Pistol/Large Pistol/Small Rifle/Large Rifle/209 Shotshell primers), a cereal bowl (for the powder to go into so you can dip the powder dippers. {Do not scoop as an ice cream scoop, but instead dip the dipper into the middle of the bowl of powder and let it fill without compacting it down, use a playing card or a business card to level off the powder dipper from any excess powder. Pour the unused gunpowder back into the powder can via funnel and cap the powder container! Only have ONE kind of gunpowder on the bench/table at a time.}
Get a set of Dies for the caliber you want to reload, and you can get started. You do not need to spend mega-money to begin. Both Lyman and Lee have beginner's "Kits" that contain the basic tools. Keep things simple.
Store your powder in a cool, dry place, away from the primers!
There is also the original "Lee Loader" which is operated by mallet/hammer and your arm/hand. Since you live in a Condo, I do not recommend the original Lee Loader (the one operated by mallet/hammer) because it makes noise/sound and if you are on the second floor, the people below you on the first floor will complain because the hammering on the table/bench and vibrations will probably carry down to them.
BTW - If you want to buy the Original Lee Loader tool, there is a video on You Tube by a man in Australia who made a "Press" to use the original Lee Loader to load his .303 Brit ammo, instead of using a mallet/hammer. He modified an old wine bottle capper machine so instead of using a hammer or mallet, it is done by a lever instead. Very smart!
P.S. The Original Lee Loader (powered by Arm & mallet) is caliber specific, --- in other words: you have to buy one tool for each cartridge you want to reload. One size does NOT fit all. On the other hand, if you get a Lyman Acculine Press or Lee Handpress, you can load anything because they accept various die sets. One Press can be used to load from a .22 Hornet to a .38 Special to a .45-70 Govt. cartridge.
I thank you for your reply. I think am in need of learning more first than stealing a small space away from the old lady. Still I’d prefer an environmentalist such as a garage all things being equal the kitchen is not on my top list.
I thank you for your reply. I think am in need of learning more first than stealing a small space away from the old lady. Still I’d prefer an environmentalist such as a garage all things being equal the kitchen is not on my top list.
@@borisperez3129 Understood. Keep the women folk happy is good idea. 😉 [ BTW - Women can reload, but since normally most shooting is done by males, the most reloading of ammo is of course done by males. There is a female reloader on You Tube --- maybe she was with her husband in the reloading video? Maybe your wife might be interested in shooting?]
Learning first is a wonderful thing, especially with automobile driving and ammo reloading!
A person can learn much stuff from Gunblue490 and some other folks who have experience.
I would suggest that you go ahead and buy a copy of the Lyman or the Lee reloading manuals and start at page one and read them. No hurried rush, but a steady meal of information to the brain is a great thing. Both of those manuals have photos, diagrams and lots of instructions. Note: both Lyman and Lee make their own reloading equipment so the photos / pictures will be of their dies, presses, powder measures, scales etc. --- not a problem. The A, B, C, D, E steps of reloading are the same regardless of the brands.
If you can change the spark plugs on the car engine or change a flat tire, then you can reload ammo.
Lee makes a hand held loading press (It's my favorite press) You can reload in your recliner if you like. Purchase that and the manual mentioned in this video, you will be set. OR just purchase the Lee manual, The first half is a very enjoyable read(the rest is the actual reloading data) . It is extremely well written and down to earth. You'd swear a man such as Mr. GunBlue was just talking. I can't recommend it enough. Its $20-30 depending were you buy it. If you find this sort of thing interesting you won't be disappointed.
What an excellent series full of great information sir! I've been reloading for a long time but I still got a LOT of new info from your videos. Thank you!
My pleasure.
Sir, you have quickly become the best source of reloading knowledge for me!
Hello Mr. GunBlue, I hope this finds you well and I hope that you are still checking comments on your older videos. I am new to hand-loading and by new, I mean I have never assembled a cartridge in my life but after years of watching every video that you have made on the subject, I felt that I was finally ready to start. However, when I sat down to start developing my first load, I immediately ran into something that I don't believe you have covered (and maybe it is of no significant importance) but I would greatly appreciate your insight.
I am loading for a .308 WIN (165 gr Bullets) on a Lee Press and purchased some Hornady and Nosler bullets (so I have Lee (2nd), Hornady (11th) and Nosler (9th) edition reloading manuals) as well as a small selection of powders (I like to experiment) to choose from. As I started cross referencing these various manuals, I noticed very (at least to my inexperienced eye) different load data being presented for the same powder across the 3 manuals.
Taking Reloader 15 for example;
Hornady (165gr-168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 35.2gr and a MAX of 44.3gr
Nosler (165gr/168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 40.0gr and a MAX of 44.0gr
Lee (165gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 41.4gr and a MAX of 47.0gr
Another example is IMR 4064;
Hornady (165gr-168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 35.1gr and a MAX of 42.8gr
Nosler (165gr/168gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 40.5gr and a MAX of 44.5gr
Lee (165gr bullet) data shows a starting load of 42.0gr and a MAX of 46.3gr
These seem like extreme differences to me; in the case of IMR 4064, Lee's starting load is only 0.8gr less than what Hornady is showing as a MAX load and Lee's MAX is more than 9% higher than Hornady's.
My questions are:
1. Why is there such a difference in the provided load data between these sources?
2. Do you think it is safe (assuming new rifle of known quality) to load with these powders through the entire ranges (Hornady's starting loads through Lee's Max loads)?
Hopefully I'm not just displaying my ignorance here but if I am, feel free to let me know. I look forward to hearing your response and thank you so much for putting your knowledge and expierence on this platform for us all to benefit from.
If you load for several different cartridges, it also helps to use the same powder for a couple different cartridges. Like 44 mag and 357 mag or 270 and 30-06 for instance.
It gets a bit more difficult to do that when you get to magnum rifle cartridges though. Especially if you are trying to get optimal performance out of your load. But if you aren't looking for top speed and .25" groups, you can get away with using one powder for two or three different cartridges sometimes.
I have found your advice very sound and with no contradiction. Thank you sir. A quick story. I was testing a hot loading of US869 in my 28 Nosler. Things were ok when I chambered a round and a friendly guy came over to my bench for a chat that lasted a few minutes. Afterward, when I touched off that round, THWACK!!! "What the hell was that"? And then I knew. US 869 is a spherical powder and I had been warned about its temp instability. I had cooked that round in the chamber while speaking to that guy! Well, I had to beat that bolt handle upward to open the chamber. Just as you've said, captain. Beware of these powders. They are temp finicky and I wouldn't be even using it if stick powders were a little more available. God bless, sir.
Yes, that's very much an issue with hot chambers and spherical powders. One exceptionally accurate 22-250 load with Win 760 powder has stuck a bolt on me a couple of times, which is why I no longer use it. "Cook-offs" were warned of in the first M-16 manual that I was issued, and Ruger warns of it in their autoloading rifle manuals. That's where a very dangerous, spontaneous firing occurs without a hammer strike with an overheated barrel. Thank you, and God bless.
Very good info!
I have found that calling the powder/ bullet mfgs are a huge help in saving time and components to find an accurate load. Start there and fine tune. Keep those chambers/ barrel clean to have a good starting point.
God Bless you also, Brother!
This is a fantastic series. I have learned more from this channel than any other and corrected a few mistakes I've been making along the way. Last season some of the fellas I deer hunt with ended up with a magazine full of different bullets they scrounged from their sock drawers because there was no .30-30 ammunition on the shelf while I had the luxury of selecting different loads for various calibers. I even have a reduced 300 grain Barnes TSX load for my .450 Rigby in a Dakota African that performs very well on medium sized animals. I sure hope the supply chains catch up to the demand and components become more readily available in time- especially with primers.
When I look for data for a new cartridge to load, i do as you say and look for something that will span a good range, but also what gives the most velocity with the lowest pressures. And I'll also find as much data as I can, alot of the times tgey will be different, so I'll take and add all the minimums, and maximums and get an average for both and that's what I use for my min, and max.
Excellent! Well covered. Thank you.
You normally do such a phenomenal job I hate to be critical, But In the spirit of trusting published powder sources and not just listening to some random guy on the internet.
All published load data will tell you to start your load development 10% under Max Load, and work your way up. The advice you gave works out to only 5% under max load.
Good video GunBlue490. I also have the Lee 2nd Edition manual, but always check it with my Lyman manual and also one of my Speer manuals because sometimes it seems Richard Lee went a tad on the "hot" side. Lee company really needs to revise and update that manual. It is copyrighted in 2003. It is now 2023 and several of the powders Lee used were recalled and some are no longer sold. I like the Lyman Manuals because they post a "Factory Equivalent Load" and also "Most Accurate Load" for each cartridge. I liked the Hercules and Du Pont powders.
P.S. - Last night I tried to sign-up for "Patreon' and got to the site and kinda-sorta logged in, but I do not think that it went through. I checked my Pay-Pal but it did not show the "activity". I am not very slick with computer gizmos. Maybe I did something wrong.
Just want to say thank you…loving the series and really found this one to be so informative. Very practical advice and so much knowledge and life experiences packed into one short video. You sir are a blessing to us all, God bless.👍
Found that imr 3031 does super good in my 16” 5.56 ar…low velocity but very tight groups..I’ve got several for my 7.62 carbine that are under 1”…superformance,h4350, and ramshot tac…77gr 5.56 and 175smk 7.62…put 5rds n a 20oz lid at 100yrds with my 7.62 DD…your knowledge is far n wide and I’m so glad you share it…thanks a bunch…matt
Great video. Great series. I seen the same thing. I have not gotten great accuracy from CFE223. Was torn between doing more ladder tests or going back to Hodgen benchrest. I decided to go back to extruded.
Hello, I just wanted to add that I too have really enjoyed GunBlue490. I have been watching your channel for a year or so and really enjoy picking your brain, so to speak, and have been impressed with your latest set of videos. I was able to develop a real nice load for my 60 grain .223 Remington 700 and was curious if the same process can be done with pistol calibers? Mainly .40 and .357. Love what you do and thanks for your time.
Pistol calibers and straight walled rifle calibers really don't provide much in the way of accurizing in the way that bottleneck rifle calibers do. It's essentially a matter of using the correct powder, charge and bullet.
In my sporter-weight .308 Winchester, shooting 165 grain bullets, IMR4064 is my go-to. It isn't sexy,; it just gets the job done, to the tune of 3/4 inch groups at 100 yards. No spherical powder has ever done as well in that particular rifle. Your results may vary.
4064 is THE powder in 308. 1/2" @ 100 with Sierra 150 Game Kings in an old Remington 788.
Also I find that you can tweak the IMR4064 charge for different bullets and still retain excellent accuracy in the .308
@@wingman8447 For that rifle, I've settled on the Sierra 165 grain GameKing as my do-all bullet. It gives excellent accuracy and reliable performance on deer. I have tried other bullets, but none work as well.
165 SGK @42gr IMR 4064 on my M1 sub MOA
A good short cut is see what a popular powder choice for your cartridge is with serious competitors. That can save you a lot of time and money. You will have to tweak the load a bit for your firearm but you should be in the right ballpark.
True, but they arrive at the same conclusions that any novice can by learning how to fish for a load. Competitors tend to follow the leader for the same reasons you mentioned; to short cut, but often ignore other great powders because they don't think for themselves. While everyone currently promotes IMR4064 as the best .308 powder, at least six others do equally well, and even better with autoloading guns. No powder has ever had a franchise on accuracy.
@@GunBlue490Very true, over on this side of the pond N150 is popular but I find in my 20" Tikka N140 is working very well. 100m tunnel testing was giving surprisingly small groups, well under 1/2 MOA until the barrel starts to warm up, approx a dozen shots.
The Richard Lee loading manual does not do pressure tests themselves, they only take test data from others that do, of which they lose the test barrel length, case brand, primer type and brand, as well as bullet brand. These are all important elements, as one should never take data made for one specific brand and type bullet and turn and use it with a different brand or type bullet. This is due to Brinell hardness and bearing surfaces can be different, of which can cause extremely high pressure issues. One should only use data straight from a reputable data source [see paragraph below] that does their own pressure testing which give the test barrel length, case brand, primer type and brand, and most of all the brand of the type bullet used in developing the data. Each one of these elements that are changed is a compromise of which if all are compromised at the same time could very well add up to a recipe for disaster.
Lyman, Speer, Nosler, Sierra, Barnes, Swift, Berger, Norma, Lapua, VihtaVuori, Accurate, Western Powder, Hodgdon, or even Hornady reloading manuals are far better suited than Richard Lee's for gleaning load data from, as they all not only do their own testing but they all give the test barrel length, case brand, primer type and brand, as well as the bullets brand and type for each load recipe.
Again Richard Lee's manual throws out one of the carnal safety rules of never use load data developed for one brand of bullet for another brand of the same style bullet. Keep in mind that it is always better to throw out Richard Lee's manual than any of the safety rules.
Excellent discussion, thanks again.
Thank You
Thank you. Blessings from Australia.
I load 6 at a time and fire 3 to 5 shot groups.
Fantastic informative video sir thank you 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I'd like to have that manual. I've found questionable data in many publications. There are known certain powders for a cartridge that produce the best accuracy in most rifles, and generally speaking, heavier for caliber bullets also produce better accuracy. These are the powders and bullet combinations to try first. For example, 6.5x55 produces it's best accuracy with 140 grain projectiles and slow powders. Because temperature insensitive powders produce pressures that are more consistent than temperature sensitive powders, the rifle will shoot accurately with the same load at different time of the day, and in different seasons. A super accurate load may not be as accurate as the temperatures changes, and if the cartridge sits in a hot chamber or direct sun for too long. Therefore I will use only temperature insensitive powders such as H4350 and H4831sc with 140 grain bullets in 6.5x55 loads. For ranges under 300 yards, I would use a flat based bullet, and for ranges beyond 300, a boat tail. .30-06 will do well with H4350 with 165 to 190 grain bullets, and it will do well with H4831sc from 180 to 220 grain bullets. H4350 and H4381sc are very temperature insensitive, but there might be a particular powder that can produce a tad better accuracy, but only at certain temperatures.
In general, I prefer powder manufacturers data to bullet manufacturer data, whenever a data conflict exists. Lee's manual is a compilation of powder manufacturers data.
It's an interesting exercise to compare different sources load data for a cartridge for the same bullet and powder combination. It does vary. If in doubt I start lower and work up.
@@redrock425 Yes, always start at the bottom and work up. Check several sources and choose the most conservative and lower charge weight recommended and only use data that also lists pressures. I use .5 grain increments to locate an accuracy node and then .1 grain increments to dial it in and locate the middle of the range of powder weights that produce the tightest groups. The accounts for variations in powder weights during the reloading process, and for variations in temperature. Use American data. European and American data for cartridges such as 7x57 and 6.5x55 can have two sets of data, one for the older low pressure military rifles, and the newer high pressure modern rifles chambered in the same cartridges. The European data denotes the charges intended for modern rifles as 6.5x55SE, and data for low pressure rifles in 6.5x55 as '6.5x55' instead of '6.5x55SE'. Using such nomenclature , as in 'SE', is a dangerously subtle and vague way to make a distinction. Some 7x57 data makes no distinction in the reloading data and do not list pressures. And some manufactures of this ammunition will sell dangerously high pressure ammunition in their 7x57 (7mm Mauser) ammunition they sell. If you are reloading for an antique rifle, the information provided in my old article, Choosing a Practical Antique Rifle by Tunnel Rabbit, can be found on the internet. The most useful powder for these rifle is H4895, and it is also temperature stable. H4895 is also a good powder for most other rifles. If I could only have one powder, that might be it. Varget is also extremely temp stable. My favorite powders are H4895, Varget, H4350, and H4831sc. These will run good in a wide variety of small to medium bore rifles, including some magnums.
I got into reloading a year ago. Finding powder and primers difficult soo I was glad to find any power on the list. But here is the thing. Lee listed max charge and Hornady has it a starting charge ??? You bet I'm confused and worried.
Good to be concerned and cautious. I have the "Lee 2 Edition manual" as he showed in the video, but I also have a "Lyman" reloading manual. Why? Because neither of them makes powders, primers or bullets. Sometimes the Lee data is different that the Lyman manual or the 'Speer" manuals. Always start from the lowest charge and work up as GunBlue490 mentioned.
Another good thing about the Lyman manuals is that they tell you what gun was used as the "Test" gun, and they have a "Factory Duplication Load" and a "Most Accurate Load" and sometimes they are the same.) A problem with the Lee 2nd Edition Manual is several of the powders that are listed were either recalled or are no longer available in 2023. It was first printed in 2003. My copy is from 2007. The Lee company needs to revise and print a new manual.
Both Lyman and Lee also give data for loading Cast Lead bullets. They have less velocity, but the bullets cost less than copper/jacketed bullets. Several guys that shoot cast lead bullets say that they are more accurate than jacketed bullets.
If you are on a budget, shop for reloading manuals on E-bay or Gun Shows or Used Book/Thrift Stores.
The Lee manual is an agglomeration of data from various sources. It is a good place for selecting powders. Maximum Average Pressure published by the bullet manufacturers is determined by bullet construction, Brand of brass case you use, cartridge overall length, and bullet jump in the test barrel used. In pistols with fast burning powders you may have as little as 0.4 grain from min to max. I would defer to the powder and bullet maker, and if in doubt, contact the manufacture's ballisticians for clarification.
@@gusloader123 Lee revises their manual annually. My 2nd edition is the 2019 revision. Hodgdon (who owns Accurate, Western, IMR, and Winchester), Alliant, and Shooters World powders all have current on line load data information.
@@excelsior6365 I noticed that after someone else mentioned it to me recently. Lee kept the "2nd Edition" phrase on the front cover, but have added "Revised powder lists in 2019, or 202?" I think they should quit using the words "2nd Edition" and call it 3rd or 4th or 5th edition on the cover. Easier for buyers, booksellers, librarians.
Can someone run the pressure for a .38 Special load for me? Using Quick Load software. Load is 5.1gr IMR PB under a Lee TL153gr LSWC in a Win. .38 SP case Wolf SP primer 1.45" OAL. I know it's well into +P. Possibly +P+ or .38/44 range. Please
Superformance powder is a ball powder and temperature stabilized. I've been having very good accuracy with this powder using 165gr SST"S in my 30-06. I'm really enjoying this series. Can't wait for the actual load testing on the range.
Me too in 16” DD ar…first round impact at 1000yrds with 178gr hornady…58moa
What are your thoughts abt "hard to find" powders such as..hogdon superformance powder? Its a tough one when looking for load data..very limited application tests and very small batch of cartridges in which it "works". I have tried this powder in a 270 and 30-06, with good results (accuracy and velocity). I wish the manufacturers would give all the data and not just where they thought it worked. My opinion...
I haven't had a chance to reload in a long time. When I was doing some, I was going to work up a light load for a Ruger 357 Magnum revolver. I started out with the lowest load listed in the Speer Manual for whatever powder I had chosen.. Much to my dismay, after firing, most of the cases in the cylinder were split! A guy at the local gunshop said some powders created excess pressure with too little powder as badly as with too much powder. He said I was lucky to have a strong Ruger revolver, because some guns might have blown up. Kind of made me leery of reloading. Have you ever experienced that pressure phenomenom?
His guess was entirely unfounded. It's not a pressure phenomenon at all. Very simply, cases only split when they loose their elasticity from a number of reloading cycles and firings, OR if they were previously fired with corrosive primers, which crystalizes and hardens brass. Corrosive ammunition was common prior to the 1950s and is still used in other countries.
Neither a light or heavy charge can split a normal case. Sooty cases result from very light charges that don't seal the brass to the chamber wall. Heavy charges can only expand the case to the dimension of the chamber wall, and if they exceed that dimension, it's because the gun has blown apart. Simply, the cases were no longer elastic.
@@GunBlue490 Very much my own experience. The only split cases I've seen were many times fired and hardened brass. That was only standard target loads so neither too low or high of a charge.
Thank you for the replies. It has been too long to remember what cases I was using, but I had purchased some brass and saved some other from factory loads. I had never reloaded them enough to have run thru very many cycles. Maybe the cases were made of inferior brass to begin with?
@@GunBlue490. I’ve been casually reloading mostly 44 magnum for over thirty years now. I absolutely appreciate your explanation of split cases. I’ve suspected your explanation but now I can stop guessing on the issue. Please give Benny a scratch behind his ears for me.
It's nice to know I can blame my mediocre marksmanship or reloading shortcomings on the ambient temperature. 🙂
I would like to know why Blue Dot is suddenly impossible to find in stores locally, or even online (assuming I order enough to make the hazmat fees worth it.
Sure. Blue Dot is a specialty powder for magnum shotgun and heavy pistol loads that has many more popular equivalents, so I'm not surprised that Alliant is putting their production efforts in their higher selling powders until demand stabilizes. There are at least six other powders that approximate the performance of Blue Dot. Check out Herco, Super Field, Accurate #7, Longshot, Win 571, or HS 7. Do NOT use the same data though.
I both have in my supply and do like using Longshot and No. 7, but they don't quite get me the performance that blue dot does out of my G20 with KKM barrel. I will definitely have to try some of the other suggestions you gave - thank you for the tip! And of course, I will use appropriate loading data and "work my way up" to the higher end of the suggested charge weights they suggest.
20 years ago, I got some Barnes bullets AND A BARNES BOOK. The data tables were WAY OFF, damn near killed me. I will Never trust Barnes again!
The 270 is what is going to be my first loading experience and its because I was intrigued by the new burger 170 that's not factory loaded yet by anyone and probably won't be. I talked to a rep who was very nice and showed me there stability calculator on the website and with the 1 in 10 on my Remington 700 it is borderline but says it could stabilize it. Do you think you need a custom barrel with a shorter twost to really shoot that bullet accurately? I'm looking for big game performance not competition. Thanks!
Velocity combined with twist rate increases RPM, so at maximum velocity, it may stabilize. Remember that stability is a length issue, not a weight issue, so a short, blunt, round nose 170 grain bullet of the same length as a 150 grain bullet will stabilize easily, but of course will have meager BC.
@@GunBlue490 thank you kind sir!
@@it_is_what_it_is_brotha
Another consideration is that your BC will be somewhat reduced by marginal stability. I believe Berger has a correction for that in their calculator.
This likely won't have a huge impact, but is something you should be aware of if you are planning to use it at extended range.
I've shot some marginally stable bullets and had pretty good success. Whenever possible, I would go with a slightly shorter bullet to avoid potential issues.
@@ExF1Guy thanks! Sticking with 145gr nosler ballistic tips or Hornady eldx's is just not novel enough I guess to intrigue me to do the work haha.
@@it_is_what_it_is_brotha
That's a completely valid reason to try something different when reloading. That's how about 60-70% of my reloading projects start. Some work, some don't. As long as you stay within safe limits, the worst you'll have is a poor group.
thanks you
Excellante
🙂👍
🙏
..... And I thought having to stamp my own percussion caps was an intolerable nucance...