Texasgrillchef
Active Member
I am new to reloading. I am doing as much research as i can and have dowloaded several reloading manuals.
I also got Hornady AP press and all the dies etc... I am going to be reloading 9mm, 45acp, 45colt, 454 casull, & 45-70.
I have two reasons for handloading.
1. Is to lower cost of ammunition so i can save money &/or fire more rounds in target practice.
2. To provide the best load possible when needing the ammo for self defense with humans &/or animals. Meaning i want to use the “hottest” load possible. I will use new starline brass for all actual ammo i use and store in reserve for personal defense. I wont use any used brass for this purpose.
I have a very good chemistry and physics background and understanding.
So i know the following.
The hotter the load... the less life I will have on my Brass. Also practicing with lighter loads will have less recoil and different accuracy, then the hotter loads. So when actually needing the hotter load for personal defense we might not be ready for the difference i. Aim needed or a higher then we are used to recoil. So i would prefer to “practice” my target shooting at the same or close to the same loads, including same weight of bullet.
My bullets i wish to use will be FMJRN and Lehigh Defense solid copper Xtreme penetrator/defense controlled fracturing and maximum expansion.
I also have several 9mm, 45acp, 45lc, 45-70 guns that i will use these rounds in. And in one example the 45lc. I have one gun that needs standard pressure 14k psi rounds and the other 45lc gun can handle 30k psi rounds. I also wish to load +p and non +p rounds for boyh 9mm and 45acp.
Also the 45-70 is a new gun and can handle the hotter 30k-40k psi rounds too
My goals:
1. I wish to keep all costs at as minimum as possible
2. To obtain the hottest loads possible,
For rounds for each gun.
3. To keep reloading and change over of powder as fee as possible and to keep the number of different powders i have to buy at a minimum too. Currently i have Power Pistol, Silouhete, and IMR4198
Like i said i have several handloading manuals.
So here is my question.
Each manual lists a minimum and maximum load. Not all the manuals have the pressure these loads generate. Even in test conditions.
So how is it I determine what the maximum load i should use for each of guns/caliber? I have read that i shouldnt start at maximum load, and should test first. How do I test? This is what i cant find a how to on, especially with using different guns.
Second... if i am in the middle of say loading 45lc and i want to change from one bullet to another. (FmJRN to the Lehigh defense Xtreme Defense) they list different powders. How can i use the same powder without switching?
Third how do i determine what the maximumm load each of my guns can handle?
I also got Hornady AP press and all the dies etc... I am going to be reloading 9mm, 45acp, 45colt, 454 casull, & 45-70.
I have two reasons for handloading.
1. Is to lower cost of ammunition so i can save money &/or fire more rounds in target practice.
2. To provide the best load possible when needing the ammo for self defense with humans &/or animals. Meaning i want to use the “hottest” load possible. I will use new starline brass for all actual ammo i use and store in reserve for personal defense. I wont use any used brass for this purpose.
I have a very good chemistry and physics background and understanding.
So i know the following.
The hotter the load... the less life I will have on my Brass. Also practicing with lighter loads will have less recoil and different accuracy, then the hotter loads. So when actually needing the hotter load for personal defense we might not be ready for the difference i. Aim needed or a higher then we are used to recoil. So i would prefer to “practice” my target shooting at the same or close to the same loads, including same weight of bullet.
My bullets i wish to use will be FMJRN and Lehigh Defense solid copper Xtreme penetrator/defense controlled fracturing and maximum expansion.
I also have several 9mm, 45acp, 45lc, 45-70 guns that i will use these rounds in. And in one example the 45lc. I have one gun that needs standard pressure 14k psi rounds and the other 45lc gun can handle 30k psi rounds. I also wish to load +p and non +p rounds for boyh 9mm and 45acp.
Also the 45-70 is a new gun and can handle the hotter 30k-40k psi rounds too
My goals:
1. I wish to keep all costs at as minimum as possible
2. To obtain the hottest loads possible,
For rounds for each gun.
3. To keep reloading and change over of powder as fee as possible and to keep the number of different powders i have to buy at a minimum too. Currently i have Power Pistol, Silouhete, and IMR4198
Like i said i have several handloading manuals.
So here is my question.
Each manual lists a minimum and maximum load. Not all the manuals have the pressure these loads generate. Even in test conditions.
So how is it I determine what the maximum load i should use for each of guns/caliber? I have read that i shouldnt start at maximum load, and should test first. How do I test? This is what i cant find a how to on, especially with using different guns.
Second... if i am in the middle of say loading 45lc and i want to change from one bullet to another. (FmJRN to the Lehigh defense Xtreme Defense) they list different powders. How can i use the same powder without switching?
Third how do i determine what the maximumm load each of my guns can handle?