Just placed my big order with Midway. Have a press and all the trimmings on the way.

I bought a Lee auto index turret. I'm only a handgun loader, so I don't want to hear the Dillon folks give me a hard time for buying a Lee.

I'm going to reload .38, .45, and .44 special/mag. I'm planning on using Bullseye powder for all my loads.

Can't wait to get started.

Bullseye is a very good powder, however you must be very careful about double charges because of the very low charge weights associated with it. I do use it from time to time, but mostly have gone to Unique. Bill T.

Ditto on the Unique.

Nothing wrong with your choice of Lee equipment. I've loaded thousands of accurate handgun ammo rounds with their stuff.

Yes, I'd be very, very careful when using Bullseye, a double charge could be very destructive on you and your handguns. It's hard to get a double charge of 296/H110. Unique would be my choice for "Plinking" loads, 9.0grs. with a 240grain bullet for your 44Mag.

Jay

I won't give you a "hard time" about using a Lee press, although if you looked on my bench it is decidedly blue and green

Anyway, I just wanted to say that you shouldn't limit yourself with only one powder. There's a reason they make so many different powders.

As well, I think you need to purchase a single press. There is always a need to experiment and it is so much easier with a single. If you are stuck on Lee their Classic Cast press seems nice.

Besides, you don't honestly think that this is the end of your reloading purchases do you? As a reloader for 20+ years I say HA HA HA HA HA!!

I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at all the times I have heard "Well, this is all I'm going to buy." The hobby is addictive. My wife quit keeping track of my reloading goodies a long time ago.

Welcome to the insanity.

quote:

Originally posted by reverenddan:

Anyway, I just wanted to say that you shouldn't limit yourself with only one powder. There's a reason they make so many different powders.

I know, but my reloading is going to be to facilitate NRA Bullseye shooting, both in .38 and .45. The loads worked up for Bullseye shooters are ancient and use Alliant Bullseye powder.

As for the .44, maybe I'll buy some Blue Dot, but that might be too hot for my special loads.

As for a double charge of Bullseye, at BE pressures, taking a .38 from 2.5 grains to 5 grains or a .45 from 3.7 grains to 7.4 grains just brings them up to service pressures.

Now a triple charge...

Talk to me about the .44. What's a good powder for special loads that can be hopped up for magnum and .44 rifle loads? Preferably a fine powder that the Lee can meter easily.

quote:

Talk to me about the .44. What's a good powder for special loads that can be hopped up for magnum and .44 rifle loads? Preferably a fine powder that the Lee can meter easily.

Blue dot works for me. I also use 800-X

10 grains of Unique with a 240 gr. cast gas check has always performed very well in any .44 Magnum I own, regardless of barrel length. Bill T.

Welcome to my nightmare! Unique will do double duty in the 44Spec/mag.

My bench is blue, orange, red and black and all everyone needs is more green ( ).

I can stare at your avvy for hours.

Try W-296, around 24gr. (240gr. bullet) for your .44 rifle. A real classic is H-110, but I have yet to use it for a rifle load. ReverendDan is spot on about you just beginning to purchase reloading supplies.

Good Luck.

I used to use a lot of Unique for a variety of loads in the .38 spec., 9mm, .357 Mag and .44 Mag. And while it is very versatile, I thought it burned a little on the dirty side. I switched to Accurate Arms No. 5 and it seemed cleaner and also worked well in a lot of loads, then I tried Hodgdon's Universal Clays and it was very similar to Unique, but seemed to burn cleaner. If you want to load light to mid-range loads in the .44 or .357 Mags, I recommend Universal. If you want to load light loads only, both Hodgdon's Tite Group and Clays work very well with very small charge weights, yet consistent performance. I used those for cowboy action shooting loads in the .44 Mag. 200 gr RNFP bullets at around 750 fps. Have fun!

Smoking357, you poor bastard. You have just crossed over to the dark side. There will always be more goodies for you to buy, you do understand that don't you? You will always need something else, and just gotta have this, and, and, and....well you get the point.
And yes, Fjold's avitar is ahhh, well, ummm, facinating. What a wonderfull young lady!

Welcome to reloading you have a good start. I got into it 31 years ago before I got married so the wife doesn’t have much to say.

I am a 2 Dillon 550; RCBS Rock Chucker, Lee Hand Press, and formally Lyman Turret press owner (should have kept the Lyman). I also own a Corbin Swaging press they all have there special use. Some are weights to help hold the bench down and others I use daily.

I use H110 and 231 the most for pistol ammo.

24gr H110
240gr XTP
1550 fps, 1.5" 5sht groups @ 50yds

Like all addictions, reloading starts small.

You know you are bad when we start wondering how you can justify another gizmo that costs a lot of money to use to load ammo to "provide meat".

So now I just save up my loose change and then buy it.

Smoking357,

I bought a lee turret thinking it would be quicker than a single stage.

While I use it extensively, I gave up on the auto advance. I think it did advance OK, but I had problems with the old primers getting in the way. I now run the cases through to
size and deprime the cases then clean up,
prime the cases with a lee hand primer,
drop powder with the expand and add powder die,
inspect the powder level in the cases in the tray,
seat and crimp the bullets.

Also note that the lee powder measure won't feed under 4 grains of bullseye consistantly. In fact I think the instructions suggest tapping the measure 3 times (that would be on the center of the base) on light loads. When you do this, you get 3.0 grains with the smallest hole in the disc (the thinner micro disk is about $10 for lower charge weights). W231 is usually recommended as it flows thru the measure better than bullseye (W231 gives about the same power as bullseye for the same volume).

If I am doing a large amount of cases, I usually squirt a lanolin resize lube (like midway or dillon) into a plastic bag a couple of times, then dump the cases in and roll them around. Ir reduces the resizeing effort and makes the operation feel better.

To use the lee powder thru the expanding die you must use lee pistol dies with the lee powder measure. I love this system and it's cheap besides!!

And it's nice to have the dies adjusted and left in the turret (turn the round box bottom upside down and the turret with dies fit inside). You did order a turret for each caliber, didn't you?

The pro1000 is also priced very well, and can be made to work real nice. It does have several quirks which can be tough to get thru (fix).

Oh, if you think you save money by useing lee instead of dillon, the saveings over your lifetime will be very small. But then I find lee stuff to do just what I want. And for the money, I can have a set of dies set up for both the turret and the pro1000, to suit my mood.

JerryO

Seafire,

Both Bullseye and Unique are great for the .38 and you can still use Unique for 44 Special. But if you want the best 44 Mag powder you have to go to Win 296 / H 110 (same damn powder).

Barstooler

Smoking357,

Don't forget your very best attention while reloading!

Safety first. Wear some eye protection while the priming cases and working with powder. Turn the TV off and hide from the rest of the household. Try not to reload when overly tired.

You'll find that your eye for detail will do you well when reloading as well. Reloading is not hard, but does take a little practice - there are some things you'll have to get the "feel" for. And if you can find a buddy who does it, you'll get off on an even better footing.

But again, above all else: safety first - pay attention - and you will be just fine.

And oh yeah, don't let anyone give you guff about Lee products. They've got reloading figured out...

Good luck and welcome to the hobby!

Don't forget about Graf and Sons. Almost same prices at Midway, but shipping is included like the way it used to be at Midway. Just a thought..... You will soon be getting to know the UPS guy on a first name basis......Good Luck!!!