Selecting
Components
After you have primed your cases the next step
is selecting the correct powder and bullet. There are about 150 types of
powders available to the reloader but for most applications you have about a
dozen to select from. There are powders made for rifles, then there are some
for handguns and shotguns. In order to select the correct powder a reloading
manual is necessary. Using the wrong powder will create nothing but bad
situations. You can either blow up your gun or create duds depending on the
type of mistake you make.
The manual will give you several good powders
for the cartridge that you are loading. These loads have been developed in a ballistics lad by
trained ballisticians so the data is reliable. I have been to a couple of
bullet manufactures and I have seen the painstaking work that they go through
to insure that the data is safe to use. Do not go above max listed loads or use
powders that are not listed for that application. There are reasons for those
listings. Also some information indicates that you should not use less then
listed as that can cause a gun to blow up.
Reloading ammo is a very safe hobby but you
need to follow some rules and use common sense. Attention to detail is vital as
well as having enough time to perform these tasks. As in any aspect of shooting
safety is always first. One of the things that new reloaders tend to do is to
try and squeeze the last foot second of velocity out of your loads. That practice
isn’t always safe because if you change a component such as bullet brands
pressure can go up. Also max loads are seldom more accurate or reliable.
Remember your goal is to produce safe loads that function and are accurate. You
will make some mistakes along the way but that is part of the process of
learning.
Once you get the powder and amount established
then you need to select a bullet. The loading manuals have all of the standard
types listed for the powder charge. Be sure that you use the bullet meant for
the powder charge that you are using. For instance if you are loading 9 mm’s
with a 115 grain bullet don’t switch to a 124 with the same powder charge. You
should make a slight adjustment to compensate for the extra bullet weight.
Never use a 147 grain bullet with a charge meant for a 115 grain slug. That
will almost certainly create a dangerous high pressure situation. You will have
to either reduce the powder amount or use a different powder altogether. Don’t be cute and attempt to exceed the max
loads. Even if you don’t blow up the gun case life will be shortened as high
pressure will expand the primer pocket, rendering it useless for reloading. Modern
guns are strongly built to withstand some abuse but that doesn’t give you a
license to be foolish. The goal is to have safe loads that function in the gun.
One of the good manuals is the Hornady 8th
edition manual. Because there are so many new products coming on the market
which includes powders, bullets and new calibers. The 8th edition
covers many of the new developments plus has a lot of good reloading tips for
reloaders of all levels. There are 1066 pages chock full of good info and I
strongly recommend that you have a copy in your library. It is well worth the
investment. For more info go to http://www.hornady.com/
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To the Board of Directors,
Gentlemen I`am writing to present you with an idea that i think you may possibly find advantageous to your company. As i`am sure you are aware there is a great interest in whats called "Cowboy Action" shooting in this country and more and more guns of yesteryear are being resurected by the companies that make reproduction firearms.
The sport is growing constantly and the gun makers are constantly looking for ways to take even more advantage of this ever growing market. Guns like the Henry rifle,Spencer carbine, Colt and Remington conversion revolvers and the Colt 1872 Open Top and others are on the market and doudtless other guns of history will be made in the future.
The arms makers try to be as authenic as possible in their copies but one thing keeps them from being "true" copies.The majority of these guns are being made in calibers that the original guns were never made in.The Henry, Spencer,the majority of early Colts were made in rimfire calibers. Ammunition that has`nt been made by American companies since the 1920`s and early 30`s.But with the resurgence in interest in the old guns of our history and boost in ammo sales that go along with it i think it is time to resurect the original ammo these guns used as well. I ask you to think about it and concider this.
The new guns are generally offered in 2 and sometimes 3 caliber options, none of which were ever used in the originals to begin with. If the original rimfire calibers were offered as an addtional caliber option and the ammo for those calibers were available i believe both the guns and ammo sales would skyrocket.
Authenticity is what it is all about with the cowboy action crowd and the collectors and other shooters of these guns.What could be more "authenic" that having a repro in it`s original
chambering rather than a caliber that never was used in the original? Not to mention the fact that if ammo were available once again people that own originals like myself would love to be able to shoot them as well.
i believe that if arrangements could be reached between the gun makers and your company in that they would make the guns with their original calibers as options and you in turn make the ammo available i think it would be a boost in sales for both. I ask both of you to do this.
The gun makers offer the guns in their original calibers as a limited trial. You in turn make a limited run of the ammo. you both market the availablity of guns and ammo and see how it works. I believe you will find a gold mine has been discovered.
About 20 yrs ago i wrote a letter to your company asking that you concider making various rimfire ammo available again for people like myself who own antiques and would love to shoot them if ammo were available.My letter made it into the hands of someone { can`t recall who}
but he was a higher up in the company at the time.
He wrote me back saying he personally thought i had a good idea and he had presented my idea before the board and they turned it down saying they did`nt believe there was enouht of a market out there
Well things have changed quite a lot since then and i think that my idea might be worth concideration once again. I hope you agree as well.
Sincerely,
Robert Heins