Getting Started With Reloading Gear

Why You Should Start Reloading Your Own Ammo?

If you talk to anyone who reloads ammo, they will give you a few reasons why they do it. The number one reason is usually to save money. Why throw away valuable brass casings when you can reuse them? Depending on the caliber you are using, you can save upwards of $2 per case by reloading your own ammo. Another popular reason is, they do it as a hobby. There's a sense of pride you feel when firing off a shot you loaded yourself. The final reason for loading your own ammo is due to the ever-changing gun laws. A number of cities are prohibiting online ammo sales. So reloading your own ammo can give you the ability to load ammo you may not be able to go out and purchase.

What Kind Of Equipment Do I Need?

The first step to loading your own ammo is cleaning and inspecting your casings. For this process, you are going to need case lube, a case lube pad, and a case neck brush. 

This is an easy process of just applying the lube to the body of the casing and using the neck brush to clean out the inside of the casing. Next up, you want to size, trim and apply a new primer to your casings. With a dial caliper tool, measure the length of your casing ensuring it is the correct so it doesn't give you any problems later. 

Then using a trimming tool, trim off the cuttings of your casings. You want sharp edges so that you can then use your deburring and chamfer tool to smooth it out. 

Last step, applying a new primer is made easy with a priming tool by setting the end of the casing on the primer and squeezing the handle. Now that you've got your casing cleaned and primed you can move on to adding the gun powder. An important note here, ensure you have the correct amount of gunpowder you need to place inside the casings. 

When loading gunpowder, an electronic scale is your best friend. Measure the correct amount of gunpowder you need and with any kind of dispenser that suits your needs, fill the casing. In the final steps, we need to now seat the bullet. With our press and the correct die set, you will place the bullet in the casing and press the bullet into the casing until it reaches the correct length for your specific caliber. There you have it, you've now loaded your own ammo.

What To Buy First?

Now that you know what equipment you will need to load your own ammo, you may be thinking, that's a lot of individual products to purchase. You are correct to think this! That's why it is best to purchase a kit which allows you to save money and time finding everything you will need. Companies like RCBS, Lyman, Lee, and Hornady offer a variety of reloading kits. Bellm T/Cs is proud to provide our customers with options from each brand. For a step by step guide on how to load your own ammo, check out this video by RCBS.