Getting new ammo may be a convenient way of restocking your supplies of ammunition, however, it is not the most cost-effective way. That would be reloading your ammo and I'm not talking about swapping the magazine for a new one when you're out of rounds. Ammunition reloading is done by filling up those empty cartridge cases with powder and sealing them off with the projectile.
Reloading your own ammo doesn't have to be an expert-only task as it doesn't require too complex and it doesn't require a whole lot of extra tools. You control the quality of the cartridges you make and save some money while gaining more knowledge about your arms and ammunition – that is if you know how to reload them in the first place.
How to Reload Ammunition
What You Need
It's important that you have all the tools and supplies you need first in order to successfully reload your ammunition. This includes a shell holder, dies, a reloading press, an empty cartridge case or multiple of them, primers, bullets (projectiles), powder, a powder scale, calipers, a case cleaner and a case trimmer.
Case Prep
- The whole process starts off by prepping the cartridge cases which involves cleaning them first with the case tumbler and with a cleaning media such as corn cob or walnut shells.
- Next on the list is to inspect the cases which means to check the shouter, body and neck for wear or damage. No cracks, thinning or dents should be visible as damaged cases are a safety risk.
- Upon inspection you should then put a resizing die and a shell holder in the reloading press and then place a case into the shell holder. After that, push the case into the die by lowering the press handle of the press. This is known as resizing, after which you remove the spent primer.
- With the cases resized, you should then trim then which is not a necessary step but it ensures good performance. Trimming the cases is done by shaving off excess brass of the case's mouth with the case trimmer to the length according to your reloading manual.
- One last step before you actually start filling the cases is to prime them with the priming tool and system on your reloading press. The primer is gently seated into the primer pocket of the case so that it sits flush with the case head.
Powder
- With the cases prepped, the interesting part comes when you measure the powder on the scale according to your reloading manual so that the exact weight is in the case.
- Once the powder is measured or weighed, it's pored into the case. You shouldn't overfill the case or undercharge it, the exact amount needs to be in it to do its job properly.
Seating
- After the powder has been poured into the cartridge case, the bullet is then installed or seated. This is done by placing the bullet seating die into the press and then placing the bullet on top of the case.
- Next, press down the handle carefully so that the bullet is seated at the correct depth. You can use the caliper to measure the length of the case so that it meets the specifications in the manual.
Crimping
- Another optional step is to crimp the case which is mandatory with some types of cartridges. Crimping is done usually on cases for semi-automatic rifles and a crimping die is involved to crimp around the case mouth of the bullet.
- Make sure that in doing so you crimp only up to the necessary amount, not too much or too little. This is essential since if you get it wrong you risk sacrificing on accuracy and pressure.
Neck Tension
- Similar to crimping, neck sizing or tension is done so that you get a uniform neck-wall thickness on all of your cartridge cases. This ensures that your shot-to-shot velocity spread is low.
- Neck sizing is also quicker and much easier to do than full-length resizing and you can do it instead but keep in mind that it's not going to work on every case and bullet.
Flash Holes
- The final step you should take in reloading your ammunition is to deburr flash holes. This involves using deburring tools in order to cut a shallow bevel on the inside of the flash hole which can leave a small burr on the case.
- This looks unprofessional and it can constrict primer flame travel. Doing this extra step means you pay attention to detail and you mean business when it comes to keeping your ammo in good shape for a long time.
Final Words
No firearm or rifle is made the same and ammunition is either. This is why reloading your ammo can help make you a better shooter as you get to know your firearms better as well as the ammunition you use.
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