drogers302 Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I am new to reloading. Purchased a RL550B. Starting out with 9mm. Guess I am doing things backward. Thinking that components, powder & primers were hard to get, I purchased 3 lbs of Titegroup as one of the employees at Dillon suggested Titegroup would be a decent powder as I plan on relading .380 ACP, 9mm Luger & .40 S&W. I purchased some remington 115 gn fmj rn and some Hornady124 gn fmj rn. I purchased an old Hornady reloading manual, a Lyman Pamphlet for load data covering .380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W & .45 ACP. I purchased the Hornady 124 gn as I received some 124 gn projectiles that are no longer produced and was hoping they'd be similar. Ended up not being similar. Upon researching load data for these I am having a hard time finding data. I guess I should have bought more load books up front. Such as new Hornady 9th edition Lyman 49th edition and maybe a Speer or Nosler. Then researched all the load data and bullet combinations prior to purchasing powder and bullets to load. This is getting way more confusing where and how to start than I imagined. I am not looking for load data here. I am looking for advice concerning most common bullet weights, styles & powders that have supporting load data for them and which manuals have similar information so I can make good informed choices prior to pulling the trigger.... LOL. Any advice would be appreciated. I have never reloaded before and just want safe good reference data to learn how to use the equipment and make safe loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishsticks Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Great questions all. Couple of suggestions--go to the 9mm reloading forum on this site and search either bullet weight or powder. Most common combinations will have loads (no pun intended) of data. Start at the lower end and use a chrono. Second, you can go to the mfg website. For TG, that's hodgen, and they have lots of good info in their loading manual. IIRC, you can search it by powder and projectile weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttolliver Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 drogers, First off, you're on the right track with those 124gr 9mm bullets and Titegroup. That is an excellent combination with one minor caveat. In a perfect world it is a bit better for newbies to start with a powder that fills the case a little fuller (say PowerPistol) so that if you accidentally put a double charge of powder in the case it very obviously spills over. Titegroup charges are very small and you can easily fit two charges in a case without spilling any. So that's something to be aware of as you use it. But it is an excellent choice for 9mm and 40. I've never loaded 380, but I would expect it to work well there too. Second, you ran up against the same question all new loaders ask. "But my exact bullet isn't in the book...?!?" Just use the data for the bullet weight and profile you're using. Take standard round nose FMJ bullets. Most bullets follow a very similar curvature from the shoulder to the nose (that curve is called the ogive). Since bullets of the same weight only have so much material, they'll tend to work out to very similar lengths. So as long as you find the same weight and profile bullet in the book as you have in your hand, odds are you're in the right ballpark. The "start low in the powder range and work up to the full charge" approach gives you an added measure of safety as you do this. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I am not looking for load data. I am looking for advice concerning most common bullet weights, styles & powders that have supporting load data for them and which manuals have similar information Reloading 9mm at standard velocities is not dangerous. Almost no danger of accidents with reloads and appropriate powders/bullets. Most common bullet weights are 115, 124 and 147 grains - Styles are all over the lot (jacketed, lead, coated, etc). Powders include TG, Bullseye, WW231, N310, N320, N330, etc As fish and oliver have mentioned, start at the low end of a recommendation and work up slowly with a chrono. Two things to look for - 1. OAL is very important - 2. Bullet setback is very important (Not super important for low level 9mm loads). Your best bet is to click on "Forums" (top left of your screen), and scroll down to Reloading, and down to .38 / 9mm. Spend a half hour reading postings on the subject from the past year or two. This is MUCH more advice than you will pick up in any reloading book. BTW, welcome to the Forum - and to reloading - great hobby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmc90 Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Lee 2nd edition has some of the older and most the newer loads .. bUT you can't have too many load books Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noylj Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Reloading manuals: They all want you to think theirs is the BEST, but ALL reloading manuals do is report what they found with THEIR gun and their lot numbers and brands of components at some COL with some specific bullet. All are pressure tested to the SAME SAAMI standards. Thus, none of them used the exact same components, and you may only have the same bullet and powder, but not the same lot numbers of either—so, your results will vary. This is why they all try to give you a safe start load. Thus, for me, I look at several manuals and start at the lowest starting load and work my way up to the lowest max load. If there are no pressure signs, I may work the load up some more, depending on what my goal if for the load. I found twice that the starting load I used from a manual was max or over-max with my components in my gun, so I simply start at the lowest starting load I can find and I've never a problem since. Bullets: You have bought some premium bullets that will be great to learn reloading, but if you are going to shoot a lot, go to Powder Valley or Roze Dist. for Zero bullets or Precision Delta and get at least 2000 jacketed bullets and load them. I prefer JHPs as they are usually less than a cent more per bullet and almost always more accurate. Bullet weight: What do want? If you want max velocity, you go with the lightest weight bullet (in 9x19, the lowest common weight is 115gn). If you want a minor PF and you want recoil that is a bit more of a push than a snap, you load the heaviest common weight (in 9x19, this would be a 147gn bullet) to just make PF. If you want accuracy, that is usually somewhere between 115 and 124gn, but that is something you find with your gun. For me, one of the best bullets I have found is the Zero 121gn 38 Super JHP. Powder: Do you want best accuracy or just sufficient accuracy for some job? If you want to produce the most accurate 9x19 load, you need to get Power Pistol, BE86, Silhouette, AA7, or True Blue. TiteGroup is NOT going to be winning any NRA Precision Pistol competitions any time soon in 9x19, but it will make a very decent action pistol minor PF load. So, reloading manuals are just a guideline and the rest is based on what you are trying to do. Define your goal and use the manuals and on-line sources to help you meet those goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 All have given you very sage advice. I would advise to do as others have suggested and find a wee bit slower powder for your first bit of reloading. Power Pistol is an excellent choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Take a deep breath and relax. Keep reading and it will start coming together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StraightSh00ter Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I get my reloading data from Hodgdon.com. They have data for a few different brands of powders. http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/ I load 9mm 124gr and like Titegroup. It's inexpensive, meters well, and is relatively easy to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drogers302 Posted February 14, 2016 Author Share Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) All, thanks for the advice. I will hang on to the Titegroup for a while. I went out and purchased 2 lbs of Alliant Power Pistol. Contacted Alliant in search of load data for those particular bullets as I will be using them as practice rounds in my XD-S & XD Sub-Compact. I purchased both the Lee 2nd Edition and Lyman 49th Edition Reloading Manuals and am waiting on their arrival. Once I have tried my luck with these two projectiles I will purchase either Berry's or Montana Gold projectiles in bulk or I will go to Powder Valley or Roze Dist. for Zero bullets or Precision Deltato develop loads for those. Any other suggestions or comments are welcome. Thanks again. Edited February 14, 2016 by drogers302 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdyb Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Find someone in your area wiling to mentor you for the first couple of loading sessions. Having someone in person to ask questions or to show you stuff, right there, who is familiar with your machine and caliber you're loading is priceless. Or at least worth a large pizza or two. The guy I bought my first press from, used 1050, provided me this kind of "product support" and I am soo grateful for it as it made a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drogers302 Posted February 14, 2016 Author Share Posted February 14, 2016 Rowdyb. Sounds good. Just a shout out to see if anyone near Ahwatukee AZ is familiar with the Dillon RL550B and would be willing to show me the ropes the first few times around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tha1000 Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 (edited) I started with HP-38/Win231 due to the "fluffier" powder recommendations when I started reloading. I still haven't felt the need to try anything else. Can't double charge a 9, works well in .45, will eventually try to reload 40 with it as well whenever I get around to loading for my limited gun. Edited February 15, 2016 by tha1000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcgunner Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Rowdyb. Sounds good. Just a shout out to see if anyone near Ahwatukee AZ is familiar with the Dillon RL550B and would be willing to show me the ropes the first few times around? You sound like me when I first started LOL - I feel your pain... However, the pain really doesn't last long - you have some good advise above but what you might want to consider for mentoring these days is using the internet and do video conferencing - there are several free sites and very easy to set up! I have a 550b also, (since 1996) and I think it's the best machine for new reloaders. I know many suggest using a single stage press to get to know the various stages, but I think a progressive does just as good a job... As long as you pay attention, read the manuals and go slow. Do you have the video that came with the 550? It's really a good step by step tutorial - if not I'd be glad to video in with you - once you get the hang of it, it takes about 15mins - 1/2 hour to set up a new set of caliber dies. Once the caliber set is set up in the plate you need never take them out unless you want to "repress" lengths or widths. Best of luck to yoiu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Ryder Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 Put out an add for free beer in exchange for personalized one on one 9mm pistol reloading advice. Start drinking AFTER the learning session! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChemistShooter Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 drogers, man, you're doing right. I just went through the same experience, 550B for 9mm. Go slow, make sure, search the forums, and don't hesitate to ask questions. The people around here are more than ready to help.One bit from my own experience: That little primer catcher on a 550B basically doesn't work. It throws primers all over the place, particularly on the primer slide. If you're loading and hear "GRONK!" and the handle won't go all the way forward, there is a dead primer on the primer slide, and you have to stop and clear it off. I really like my 550B but that's its biggest fault.You can lube the pivot pin and the top of the primer catcher and it will help, but not much. I fought that primer catcher for a good long while, then gave up, did some Internet research and bought a Lee Breechlock Challenger press and a Lee Universal decapping die. The press comes with a tube to catch primers.. Which doesn't work perfect either, but it's better than the 550B. And now my reloading is really, really smooth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted February 20, 2016 Share Posted February 20, 2016 One of The Most Important things in reloading is to make sure that Every cartridge has powder in it before you seat the bullet. Best way to do that is to install a $20 In-Line Fabrication light above station 3, and LOOK into EVERY case before you place a bullet in the case ... Every Time. If you get one cartridge without powder, the bullet will probably stick in the barrel, and the next cartridge (you'll rack to clear the "jam") can cause all sorts of problems if you're shooting "at speed". Get a light ..... and use it .... all the time .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scffacenter1 Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 One other thing to keep in mind that I wish I would have been told to begin with, or found it in a manual is the plunk test. When working up your loads make sure they drop freely into the chamber of your barrel (out of the gun) and you are able to spin it with your fingers. Then turn the barrel up and make sure it falls out and does not have to be pulled or shaken out. This test will save you a lot of frustration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekmelton Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Echo chamber. Read the manual. Find a friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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