Newbie From Virginia

[s1mp13m4n]

Hello everyone. I found this forum from another gun forum. I am here because I just bought my first gun with tax refund money and I can not find 9mm ammo to shoot in it. Money is tight and my wife, 4 year old daughter, and myself live on about $32k a year.
The shooting at Sandy Hook made me realize that my daughter could have been killed in some stupid shooting. I have committed myself to read, learn, and not be a victim and protect my family. I joined the NRA and email the higher ups about our gun rights. Now that I bought the gun I feel like I own a $439 paperweight because I can not find ammo. The gun has never been shot.
I am interested in reloading to save money on ammo so I can become proficient with my Ruger SR 9c. I am reading Modern Reloading 2nd edition to help me learn. I do not mind taking the time to reload my own ammo. I will have to save up to get a reloading press kit and dies. I am here to learn and to do things correctly and safely.

[Tar Heel]

Welcome aboard! Your inclination to read and learn will serve you well. Please go and purchase a reloading manual from Hodgdon, Speer, Accurate Arms, Hornady, Lyman, Sierra or another manufacturer and follow the steps they specify for reloading. Better yet, get the manual, read it, and then partake of an NRA reloading course offered nearby. Nothing but nothing is better than reading one or three of those manuals and then getting some direct application from a professional. Be safe, follow the recipes and have a lot of fun!

[hiram1]

You are in the right place to find out about reloading.And casting.And WELCOME glad to have ya

[Phoenix]

Welcome aboard! Your inclination to read and learn will serve you well. Please go and purchase a reloading manual from Hodgdon, Speer, Accurate Arms, Hornady, Lyman, Sierra or another manufacturer and follow the steps they specify for reloading. Better yet, get the manual, read it, and then partake of an NRA reloading course offered nearby. Nothing but nothing is better than reading one or three of those manuals and then getting some direct application from a professional. Be safe, follow the recipes and have a lot of fun!

Modern reloading second edition (which is what he said he is reading) is the Lee Manual. Are you saying the Lee manual is no good? I have them all including the Berger, but I like the lee alot.


To the OP, Welcome aboard. You will be learning during your entire endeavor in reloading, casting, shooting. Enjoy

[TXGunNut]

Welcome to the affliction, s1mp13m4n! You've made some good choices and ammo for your paperweight will be available soon. I'm glad you're reading a good loading manual, good way to pass the time while the ammo & component factories are trying to get product to the shelves. I'd advise getting copy of another manual or two, I'm pretty fond of Lymans reloading and casting manuals. When I first read Lee's manual I felt (and still feel) he's a self-promoter and disagreed with him in several areas. I'm a big fan of most of his equipment and as time goes on I agree with him more and more. Lyman has some funny ideas about ideal boolit diameters but overall puts out a damn fine manual. I have a few (OK, several) other manuals on the shelf but you get the idea.
Again welcome, but don't come here if you have school assignments that need doing. Time flies when you're reading about lube grooves and such.

[Phoenix]

None of the manuals have even close to everything. That is why I have so many. I totally agree at least two manuals. They all have their good and bad points. I like the lee more for its data than anything. It has more powder choices than some of the others. Hornady is the one I find to have the lease powder options. I like the sierra, Lyman, Nosler. Don't care allot for the Speer. Berger isn't worth mentioning unless you buy their bullets.

Since you will be only needing 9mm Luger (for now at least) the Lee manual has all the choices for powders with lead and Jacketed bullets. I would buy another just for more info on the process. Lyman will give you more info on casting. The sierra has good procedure reference. The Lyman is always a good choice.

[phaessler]

Welcome Simpleman!! You have hit on a good source of info here, and no need to reitterate the postings above, read all you can.

Pete

[edler7]

Welcome to the forum. It's nice to see somebody who is willing to walk before they try to run.

You will find chow for that 9mm before long. Until then- read those reloading manuals. With money being tight, try looking at your local library. They often have manuals.

[Phoenix]

try looking at your local library. They often have manuals.

Wow that is surprising to me. I cant say I ever looked but I would have never guessed they would have them.

[MtGun44]

Welcome. I would suggest that whether reloading makes financial sense is largely
dependent on how many rounds per year you think you will shoot. If it is under
100-200, you should just buy some ammo and go on.

The rock bottom minimum equipment for reloading is the Lee hammer-powered
"Lee Loader", a very simple and slow tool. It will make ammo but you will take
some time per round, but at the lowest cost, just under $40 for the current new
kit. You can move up to a bench mounted press, conventional loading dies, and
a scale plus the misc stuff, for a few hundred $$.

If you are sure you are going to be reloading, the books referral is right
on for getting started. See if you can find some empty brass, maybe
scrounge some at a range. Save whatever brass you shoot.

If you want to get into boolit casting, the cheapest is a Lee mold,
using a gasoline camp stove to melt over, and using a small cast
iron pot to melt lead in (NO longer for food!) and a medium spoon
for a makeshift ladle. Pan lubing (search for that) and a Lee push
through sizer are your best bets for low cost. Wheelweight alloy is
the most commonly available, but getting more zinc wts which
ruin the mix.

I'd say get started with commercial jacketed bullets, get some reloading
experience with that then try to get the basics for casting if you want
to go that way.

Bill

[Charlie Two Tracks]

As has been said above, save any brass you can. Try and see if you can find any lead around your area. Talk to the plumbers and carpenters. Plumbers may have old lead pipe around and the carpenters may have old roof boots. Someone on this forum may be around your area and it helps if you can find someone who can show you the ropes. There is a sub forum on this section called Helping hands. Check that out.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?176-Helping-Hands

[Olevern]

Welcome aboard,mate.
While you are waiting for reloading supplies and equipment, keep checking your WalMart and local gun shops for ammo, eventually you will be in the right time at the right place. Once you have ammo in hand, find a local range where you can get some safety and opperational instruction; don't want any accidents, right?

Good luck and stick around, you'll learn much here.

[Wayne Smith]

Froggie is in Lynchburg! Connect with him and you have a mentor that can't be beat. By all reports he has an interesting basement, too.

I recommend that you PM Green Frog, I think is his handle.

[trooperdan]

Hey Simpleman, glad to see you made the trip! Like everyone said, read a lot! I like the Lyman manual and even the Lee has things to offer, even though he is self-promoter I think. You'll find a good bunch of guys here that are happy to help anyone willing to learn!

[Phoenix]

even though he is self-promoter I think

I don't have one manual that is not a self promoter. that is half the reason they make them. At least the lee does not promote only specific bullets. and gives lead boolit loading data. It also has ALLOT more powder selections than even lyman. Not saying it is the best. I do find myself looking at it more than the others though.

[Smitty's Retired]

Hello s1mp13m4n , and welcome to the forum and the addiction. There is lots of information in the stickies, read through them. Also, never be afraid to ask a question if there is something you are not clear on. There is also lots of good information here ---> http://www.reloadammo.com/reload.htm Also like has been said you might want to pick up a copy of Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4Th Edition, lots of good info there also.