Guys,

I'm brand new to reloading so please bare with me on this long email. I bought a Hornady LNL AP to reload for my handguns. The primary use will be for .40 S&W in an M&P pistol. I will also use it for .38 special and .357 in a revolver.

For equipment here's what I have coming; Nitride die sets, taper crimp die for the .40, shell plates, through the powder drop expander, powder cop, RCBS 505 scale, bullet puller, Hornady tumbler, RCBS media separator, and some misc. items. I have 3 reloading manuals, Hornady, Lyman and Lee for cross reference.

Here's some of my questions. How do you handle the primers on a progressive press? I figure I will tumble the cases with the spent primers in since they don't get removed until the sizing operation. Since it's a progressive, what about cleaning the primer pockets? I would have to pull out each case after the sizing/de-prime station and before the primer gets seated to clean, which defeats the purpose of the progressive press. I guess I could de-prime as a separate operation first and then tumble, but that seems cumbersome as well. What's the best way to handle cleaning primer pockets?

I'm also confused about case trimming. It isn't really addressed for handguns like it is for rifles. Do the handgun cases need to be trimmed? I bought the extra taper crimp die for the .40 since I understand it seats on the mouth and you don't want to use a roll crimp like what comes with the bullet seating die. As a side, why do they even set up the .40 bullet seating die with a roll instead of taper anyway? I guess to sell a separate taper crimp die.....Anyway, does the sizing die take care of the overall length or do you need to trim? I assume if the cases are different lengths you would get variation in the crimp. Not good I assume. I bought the through the powder drop expander to have a station available for both the powder cop and the taper die.

Any help on these questions will be much appreciated. Since I've been waiting for weeks to get all my stuff I figured I would do as much homework while I was waiting to get off to a good start. Are there any other necessities I should be looking at as well?

Thanks!
Rick

Rick,

I also load the 40 S&W on a Hornady LNL progressive press. To answer your questions, from my experience:

1: I clean the brass with the primer intact and do not clean the primer pocket. After about the 10th reload I deprime, more out of curiosity than necessity, and clean the primer pocket.

2: I have never had any significant case lengthening on 40 S&W brass and therefore never trim.

3: Buy a case gauge. The most probable sign of brass deformation I have encountered is case head expansion. When resized cases get to the point that they won't drop all the way into the case gauge because they catch on the expanded rim, then they're too big to assume good feeding reliability.

Have fun.

Thanks Wink!

Just what I was hoping were the answers. I'll order a case gauge. I have a set of calipers but I figure the case gauge must be quicker.

Rick

The case gauge is a very quick way to ensure that a loaded round meets all dimensional specs. Get one for all the cartridges you reload.

Most of the problems I've seen at our range are from incorrectly reloaded cartridges. Thankfully I have not yet been next to a "kaboom". But I have watched people: stretch a Python frame with "hot" loads, bend a CZ75 slide stop pin with "hot" loads, jam a revolver with a cartridge that was too long, lodge a bullet in the barrel from a cartridge with no powder (only a primer) and then fire a second round into the same barrel which also had no powder, etc. etc.

Start with some nice moderate loads with a powder that won't allow a double load. I like the VihtaVuori N340 powder for the 40 S&W which measures very well in the Hornady powder dispenser.

You'll eventually want to know what velocity you're getting with your reloads. If you don't have a friend with a chronograph, you'll be wanting one of those soon too.

Recommendations on which chronograph?

Rick

I use a ProChrono Digital Chronograph which I believe sells for around $120 in the USA. I haven't compared it to any others but mine has worked just fine for everything I need a chronograph for, and for over ten years now. I like the fact that it has a big shooting area. There are alot of accessories available as well if you want to do sophisticated stuff. I mount mine on my camera tripod at the range.

I have a Shooting Chrony and really like it. I attach it to a camera style tripod and place it out in front of me.

I set the remote LCD display on the shooting bench with me. ON a steno pad, I write down the velocities as I fire.

Every time I shoot, the new velocity simply replaces the old one.

Here's the one I got:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewp...productnumber=688064

Hack

Thanks for the recommendations Guys.