Preparing for Reloading

I am certain that many here are reloaders and plan on doing that if things "Go South" so I thought I would start a thread about specific things to consider for reloading preparedness.

The first thing I'll throw out is how many of you use electronic calipers when reloading? Which leads to the question what will you do when the batteries run out? My backup is a vernier caliper, yes I know how to read one.

Next everyone has their favorite powders but I always keep an eye on what powders are most versatile. I carry extra stock of Unique because you can find load data for the majority of calibers using Unique.

Finally does anyone have any experience making workable dies with common tools? There was an article in the American Rifleman June 1956 issue about Casting Case Dies by Martin E. Alger on using an unfired case as a pattern for casting a lead die for sizing using a Wack A Mole technique. Yes I know you should have all the dies you need but what if you get a gun of a different caliber after dies are no longer available.

I for one would be quite interested if someone had a link to that article!

I have a bag with a couple of Lee Loaders in it, hammer primers and such, i just picked up a used set of Lyman calipers to put in there as well, because i usually use battery powered ones. I also like my Super Blackhawk, because the big revolver rounds are easy to cast for with limited resources, pretty much any shotgun powder i scrounge, especially from light loads can be used to make some kind of load, and a SA has some margin for error if i am using unknown components. But i hope to heck i never have to reload on the run!

As far as reloading goes, I for one, have always had a good supply of reloading components on hand. In my younger days I would cast for most of my reloading needs and always had close to a ton of clean lead from wheel weights in 1# ingots ready for my 20# pot and H&G and Lyman molds, as I could get the lead free of charge – now, I just purchase everything at the right price when they come along, as I’ve given all my casting equipment away several years ago.

Right now, I have about a year’s supply of reloading component’s on hand for me and my grandkids shooting volume but I usually have close to a 2 year component supply on hand – only because I can, as it wasn’t always that way when raising a family.

Now, as far as reloading on the go – well, just go to a benchrest match and see how it’s done. I shot benchrest several years ago and still have all my equipment, except for the rifles, so I still reload on the go when shooting prairie dogs. I have all the Wilson hand dies for the majority of my rifles and they are the cat’s meow for loading on the go. All you need with the dies is a leather/rubber mallet, small arbor press, good powder measure adapted to take reloading powder bottles, powder, primers & bullets, hand primer, a vernier caliper and whatever else you consider necessary and have everything in a carrying case. My case is an ole time tool chest that seemed extremely light back in the day but is getting heavier by the day.

I just took some photos and noticed not everything is in the chest but I arranged it somewhat neater for the photos - just to give you an idea. I normally have the top cover open and just pile "stuff" up there until it falls over, then I rearrange things. The last picture is how it looks in the back of a pickup at the end of a day shooting prairie dogs.

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i think the Lee loaders are great, for the simple fact that they are so portable. it's easy to cast and reload by the campfire.

For the reloaders who like Lee loaders, I enjoyed this article by Junior.

http://www.castbullet.com/reload/campcast.htm

The idea of portability is moot... If you're planning on being mobile, taking loaded ammo is more economical.

True all mine in mechanical except for my digital scale which will run off a 9V battery.

If I was thinking portable It would be the Lyman 310 tools. The 300 Savage die set will load most non mag 308 dia cals, the 243win will do most 6mm cals. There is a great more versatility than with the lee loaders, but as was stated earlier loaded ammo is easier to pack than components.

best wishes,

Joe

Juniors articles are always good, down to earth, and common sense. I would go with 310 tool however like Borerancher. But I would also go with Junior on the 30-30.
1Shirt!

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Originally Posted by jdgabbard

The idea of portability is moot... If you're planning on being mobile, taking loaded ammo is more economical.

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You are absolutely correct! This is the way that all successful long term evaders have always done it.

Lt. Hiroo Onoda, an intelligence officer of the Imperial Japanese Army held out as an evader on Lubang Island in the Phillipines until February 20, 1974. His book "No Surrender My Thirty Year War" is still required reading for SERE candidates in the US armed forces. Onoda maintained his Type 99 7.7mm bolt-action rifle by wiping it with palm oil and hanging it out of each of rats on vines strung over the fire. Ammunition was stored in glass food jars hidden in caves, covered with stones. He fashioned ammunition pouches from a pair of villagers discarded rubber sneakers, placing cartridges in cloth sacks tied with string and pulling the top of the rubber pouch over the opening, fastening with a metal hook to keep the contents dry.

His everyday carry was normally five rounds in the rifle magazine, with the bolt closed on an empty chamber, 5 rounds carried in his shirt pocket, and 50 rounds in pouches in case he got into a firefight with armed civilians or constabulary. His usual tactic was to fire one shot at the closest armed person to scare the villagers and then to retreat deeply into the jungle and disappear.

He originally retreated into the jungle in 1945 with 300 regular rifle rounds and 600 rounds of machinegun ammunition. On the 7.7 machinegun rounds he filed the rims so that they could be loaded singly and fired in the Type 99 for hunting purposes. Misfired rounds were pulled down and the powder used to start fires using a magnifying glass. When he came out of the jungle in 1974 he still had about 400 rounds either cached nearby or on his person.

On average he fired only 16-20 rounds per year to shoot cows for meat, which he dried, or to scare away villagers who got too close. When he came out of the jungle in 1974 he estimated to authorities that he still had a 20-year supply of ammunition left. He received a full pardon from President Marcos for the pursuers he had killed over the years and retired to Brazil. Onoda was awarded the Merit medal of Santos-Dumont by the Brazilian Air Force on December 6, 2004. Attachment 72242Attachment 72243 On February 21, 2010, the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso do Sul awarded him the title of "Cidadão do (Citizen of) Mato Grosso do Sul."[11]

The lee loader is awesome if you want a couple caches stashed in different areas

Here is a cool article on survival reloading. It covers cartridge case dimensions and loading with Lee Loaders, Lyman 310 tools, and regular 7/8x14 thread dies. It covers how to neck size with whatever dies you have. Here it is:

http://www.endtimesreport.com/survival_reloading.html

I read American Guerilla in the Philippines as a child. I was impressed! But it all could have been done easier and faster with the tools in my Dad's reloading shack. Browse around this site and you will see why I snatch 310 tools and .444 brass so fast!

Took an old pair of pliers, welded flat plates to both jaws, and drilled an appropriate size hole on the parting line, you can use this to neck size. 2- quarter inch bolts, one with a small point ground in it, to decap, and the unmodified one to seat new primers. I made this 'kit' for a friend that wanted to be able to load cast bullets for a single rifle, and wanted to spend no money on any reloading tools. It actually works just fine, and is about as fast as the lee loader kits. A 45 acp case on a wire handle to dip red dot is the powder charge, its pretty close to 12 grains.