2. You Need Components That Make Up Ammunition
The components (or parts) of a round of ammunition
consist of a primer, case, smokeless powder and bullet.
The only re-usable item is the brass case which must be
cleaned, de-primed and resized for each use.
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Hover & Click Items Of
Interest
3. You Need To Clean Your Brass
Cleaning & Polishing Your
Brass. Reloading involves using new or pre-fired
brass cases which become dirty and stretched to
"out-of-spec" conditions. The brass case is the most
expensive component and it can typically be reused many
times. The first step in reuse is cleaning (polishing)
the brass. Polishing brass typically involves use of a
tumbler, polish and cleaning media.
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Items Of Interest
4. You Need To Learn How To Reload
Reloading is a science. You don't need to be a
genius, but you do need to have discipline and concentration
and know what you are doing. It can be dangerous. At a
minimum, you should buy a few
reloading manuals
and study up
on how it's done. You will also need the books for
determining reloading recipes.
In general, the reloading process
consists of:
-
Inspecting and cleaning your brass cases
(if previously used).
-
Removing the old primer from the case and
resizing the case to factory specs.
-
Measuring, de-burring & chamfering the
case (for rifle brass).
-
Adding gun powder to the case.
-
Placing a bullet on the mouth of the case
and pushing it down to the correct depth (seating the bullet).
-
Crimping the case against the bullet to
hold the bullet in place and to smooth out case ridge.
-
Inspecting the newly assembled round for
defects.
To reload one round of 9mm Luger ammo on my turret press
I have to place one brass case in the shell holder and pull
the press handle down and up 4 times. Each time I pull the handle,
the turret (holding the brass case) rotates and performs one (or two)
functions on the case.
For each pull of the handle:
-
The case is resized, the spent primer is
removed and a new primer installed.
-
Powder is added to the case, after which I
manually place a bullet on top.
-
The bullet is pushed down into the case to the
correct depth.
-
The case mouth is crimped (or in the case of
9mm Luger) flattened against the bullet.
Overview Of The Reloading Process
Place case into shell holder. |
Resize and de-prime the case. |
Load a primer. |
Add gunpowder |
Add the bullet. |
Set the bullet depth. |
Crimp the case. |
Completed reload. |
-
Click here for all reloading
steps -
5. You Need A Quality Control Program
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Image Hover & Click Items Of
Interest |
Ensuring Quality Of Reloads
Reloading and shooting reloads is
not without it's dangers. Primers have been known to go
off during the seating process (though it has never
happened to me) and handling of gunpowder is inherently
dangerous. Shooting reloads that have insufficient
powder may result in dangerous squibs. Reloads with too
much powder may damage the firearm or cause injury.
That's why it is critical to follow exacting quality
control procedures. You have to know what you are doing
when you reload.
Ref:
Quality Control & Inspection Procedures For
Reloading Ammunition
|
These are some reviews, instructions and information that
I put together regarding reloading 9mm Luger cases.
Deciding To Reload Ammunition
Why Reload? For most people the answer is to save
money, but how much money are you really saving and
how much work are you willing to do to save it.
Cost Of Reloading Ammo
Is it cheaper to reload and shoot your own ammo? How
much does it save? Is the cost or reloading ammo
worth the effort and expense of the equipment and
supplies?
What Reloading Equipment Do I Need?
Basic reloading equipment. See also
Reloading Equipment Pictures.
Reloading Components
Primer, case, smokeless powder and bullet.
Making Reloads With A Lee Classic Turret Press
Pictorial operation of the Lee Classic Turret Press
for reloading 9mm Luger cases.
Brass For Reloading
Brass refers to the brass case that holds the
primer, powder and bullet that make up a round of
ammunition.
RCBS Rangemaster 750 Scale Review
The RCBS Rangemaster 750 Scale is a digital powder
measure scale that is reliable, accurate and easy to
read.
Bullet Puller Review
Review of the Franklin Impact Bullet Pullers
(Inertia/Collet). See also..
Pulling The Bullet From A
22LR Round Of Ammunition.
Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler Review
See also
Frankford Arsenal Case Tumber Manual.
See also
Brass Tumbler Polish.
General Digital Fractional Caliper Review
I purchased my General Digital Fractional Caliper
#147 to measure bullets, casings and cartridges for
reloading ammunition. Exact measurements and
accuracy is essential for safe reloading.
Selecting a Reloading Press
Selecting the correct press to reload your used
ammunition cases can be a confusing task. There are
many factors to consider.
Lee Classic Turret Press Review
A review of the Lee Classic Turret Press used for
reloading ammunition.
Lee Classic Turret Press
- Turret Won't Rotate
When the turret will not rotate on your Lee Classic
Turret Press the first thing to try is to tighten
the Auto Index Clamp Screw (see pictures). The screw
is located on the side of the auto index clamp..
Lee Safety Primer Feeder Model 90997 Review
After three years and over 15,000 reloads made with
the Lee Safety Primer Feeder, my feeder started to
jam.
Lee Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure #90429 Review
Dispenses the correct amount of smokeless powder
into the brass case.
Lee Micrometer Adjustable Charge Bar
I reload with
the Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press and the
Lee Pro
Auto-Disk Powder Measure for measuring the powder. I
tested and evaluated the Lee
Micrometer Adjustable Charge Bar and found..
What is a Reloading Kit?
A kit contains everything you need (except
components such as powder, bullets, primers and
specific dies) to reload spent ammunition
casings.
Reloading Equipment For Beginners
Equipment and accessories that I you will need to
reload 9mm Luger ammunition.
Lee Auto-Disk Riser #90041; Installation Tips
Pictures and instructions showing how to install the Lee Auto-Disk
Riser #90041.
Safe Rooms for Reloading Ammunition
Everybody knows
that reloading ammunition can be dangerous. You can
minimize these dangers by having a dedicated safe
room for reloading.
Shell Holder; 9mm Luger
An extra shell
holder isn't really needed for reloading ammunition
with a turret press. The one that came you’re your
set of dies is probably sufficient and will never
wear out or break.
Storage & Handling of Smokeless Powder for Reloading
Ammunition
If you reload ammunition you probably have a small quantity of bulk smokeless
powder (gun powder) in your home. It is essential that know and use safe
handling and storage procedures.
Quality Control & Inspection Procedures For
Reloading Ammunition
Ammunition reloading can be dangerous. The following
is a Quality Control Procedure for Reloading 9MM
Luger handgun ammunition.
Safe Reloading: Quality Control for 9MM Luger
Ammunition Reloading
Quality Control
for reloading ammunition is essential for safe
shooting. Reloading your own ammunition is a process
that involves many manufacturing steps which are
subject to mechanical and human error.
Dangers of Reloading Ammunition
What is so dangerous about it? If you are
considering reloading your ammunition to save money,
consider the dangers involved.
Dangerous Powder Measure Double Charge: 9mm Luger
Double charging you powder measure is one of the most dangerous mistakes you can
make when reloading your ammunition.
How Does A Primer Work?
What is an ammunition primer and how does it work?
Bullet primers, ammunition primers, pistol primers
and rifle primers. Their just different names for
the same thing. Here is a brief explanation of what
a primer is and how a primer works.
Wolf Primers Review
There has been a lot of talk about whether Wolf
Primers from Russia are any good and whether you
should by them. Here is a review of Wolf Small
Pistol Primers.
Winchester Primers Review
Here is a review of Winchester Small Pistol Primers.
Small Pistol Primer Testing & Review
I crushed some Winchester Small Pistol Primers in a
vise to see if they would fire (detonate) because I
reload ammunition and want to have a better
understanding of primers and how they work.
9mm Luger Primer Failure (Misfire/Dud)
Pictorial analysis of a reloaded 9mm Luger round of ammunition that misfired at
the shooting range. The misfired 9mm Luger round was photographed, weighed,
disassembled and examined.
Dog Ate My Primer (A Winchester Small Pistol
Primer)
The other day I found my dog chewing on
something in my reloading room. I made him spit it
out. I was a little horrified when it turned out to
be an unfired Winchester Small Pistol Primer.
Bad Primer (Small Pistol Primer)
This is not really a bad primer, just a bad primer
installation into a 9mm Luger casing. Reloading
mistakes do happen.
Plated or Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) Bullets for
Reloading?
If you are about
to reload your own 9mm Luger ammunition you need to
buy bullets for the reloading process.
Crimping 9MM Luger Cases for Reloading
Looking for a
definitive answer as to how much "crimp" you should
use when crimping 9mm Luger or 9mm Parabellum
ammunition?
How To Safely Remove A Live Primer From A Brass
Casing
There are two suggested methods for safely removing
a live primer from a case. The first it to use your
press and simply "de-prime" the case.
Shooting Unknown Ammunition
A few weeks back at the end of his shooting session
a friend of mine picked up a live 9mm Luger round
that he found on the range floor and gave it to me.
Removing a 9mm Bullet Using Pliers and a Vise
DON'T DO IT! I have this 9mm Luger round of ammunition
that was found on the shooting range floor that I would like to disassemble in
order to inspect it's component parts.
Headspace for 9mm Luger or 9mm Parabellum
People talk about headspace when they reload
ammunition for firearms. Headspace is a distance
measured from chamber cartridge stop..
Lee 3 Hole, 4 Hole Turret Press Primer Arm
#TP2122
I purchased this Lee Turret
Press Primer Arm after I dropped and chipped the
primer arm that came with my new Lee Classic Turret
Press.
LPS Primer Arm # BP 2889A Installation
How do you
install a primer arm into the ram of a Lee Classic
Turret press? The instruction
manual for the Lee Classic Turret Press is not user
friendly.
Ring On S&B 60 9x19 9mm Luger Casing
I was inspecting my reloads as a part of my quality control program and I came
across marks or rings on some cases. I don't know if they are machining marks
from the manufacturer or are from deformation. See also..
Burnt 9MM Luger Cases
With S&B Headstamp (Sellier & Bellot).
LVE 10 9mm Luger Casing
I picked up some brass the other day at the range.
Included was a copper colored 9mm Luger casing with
a head stamp of "LVE 10". It makes a different sound
than regular brass when dropped onto a table top.
Winchester
AutoComp Ball Powder with 115 Gr. 9MM Luger FMJ
Bullet
Looking for Winchester AutoComp Ball Powder
Reloading Data for 9mm Luger 115 gr. FMJ Bullets?
Trying to find it can be frustrating. The Hodgdon
Reloading Data Center only lists..
Hodgdon TiteGroup Smokeless Powder Review
Great smokeless powder for 9mm Luger ammo.
Chamfer Tool For Reloading Brass Cases
I purchased my Lee Chamfer Tool #90109 when I first
began to reload my own 9mm Luger ammunition. I was
new to reloading at the time, so I wasn't sure what
equipment I needed. Turns out I didn't need it.
MORE REVIEWS
-
Lee
Primer Pocket Cleaner Review
-
Tulammo Primers Review
-
Wolf
Verses Tula (Tulammo) Primers
-
Shipping Primers And Powder Together
-
Gun Reviews at TannersGuns.com
RELOADING RECIPES
-
380 ACP Recipe
-
9mm Luger Recipe
-
45 ACP Recipe
FORMS
-
Free Printable Reloading Work Sheet
-
Free Printable Reloading Log
-
Free Printable Reloading Labels
Common Reloading Questions
Reloading your own ammunition is a great
hobby, can save you money and make your shots more accurate.
You can also customize your ammunition to make reduced power
rounds to provide less kick (recoil), use specialized
bullets, achieve greater accuracy and consistency of shots,
or make ammunition that is hard to get or is no longer
commercially produced.
The amount you save depends upon the
caliber and type of ammunition that you are loading and the
current market value of factory ammunition. In general,
reloading your own brass cases can save you half the cost of
new factory ammo. The brass case is the most expensive
component of a round of ammunition and it can typically be
reused many times. Note - If you only shoot occasionally,
you may be better off buying new ammunition. Reloading
requires an initial outlay of several hundred dollars for equipment and supplies. It takes time to recoup
the cost of the equipment, so the more you shoot the more
you save.
Are Reloading And Hand Loading
the Same Thing?
Many people use the terms
interchangeably but in general, hand loading use all new
components, is made in lesser quantities and is considered
higher quality, while reloading provides mass produced,
functional and economic ammunition and is often used for
target practice.
What is involved with Reloading Ammunition?
The reloading process varies slightly with each type and
caliber of ammo being reloaded. In general the reloading process consists of
- Inspect and Clean Brass, De-prime & Resize Cases, Measure & Trim, De-burr
& Chamfer (for rifle brass), Prime The Cases, Charge the Cases, Seat the
Bullet, Crimp the Bullet
Do 9mm Cases Need to be Trimmed?
No. Straight wall pistol cases do not need to be
trimmed. Trimming cases is primarily done on rifle cases. Repeated shooting
and sizing of bottleneck cases will cause the brass to stretch. Straight
walled pistol cases don't stretch in length or if they do, isn't enough to
worry about trimming them. See Trimming 9mm Cases at bottom of page.
Are 9x19 Cases the Same as 9mm Luger Cases?
Yes. 9X19 = 9mm Luger = 9mm Parabellum = 9x19mm
Parabellum (abbreviated 9mm, 9x19mm or 9x19) cartridge. Cases identified
with the markings, 9x19, is also called the 9mm Luger or the 9mm Parabellum
and is the world's most popular pistol cartridge.
- 9X19 describes the cartridge by its diameter and length in millimeters
- 9mm Luger describes the cartridge by the name of it's inventor Georg Luger
- 9mm Parabellum describes the cartridge by its purpose 9mm for war (The
name Parabellum is derived from the Latin: Si vis pacem, para bellum ("If
you seek peace, prepare for war")
Can you safely "pop" a primer by shooting it
(primer and empty case) in a gun?
Yes, but use care and under supervision. I shot one in a
Glock 19 and it caused a jam because it did not have enough force to cycle
the slide.
Have you ever removed a live primer using the press? Any danger involved?
Using a press is the proper way to remove a live primer for reuse or
discard. When doing so, wear eye/face protection and try to keep your face
and body as far away as possible from the primer when operating the press.
Is it OK to stack primer boxes on one another?
It is not recommended. In theory if one box of primes
somehow ignited it may ignite the primers below it.
