October 13th 2021
7 SAFE: Seven Vital Safety Tips For Reloaders
Hand-loading your ammunition is a safe activity. This Brownells video provides seven fundamental safety tips for hand-loading ammunition. This is important information to novice hand-loaders, and a great refresher for those who have reloading experience.
Summary of the Seven Safety Tips
1. Your reloading supplies should be kept dry and away from children. It is also smart for primers and powder to be kept separate.
2. Use reputable reloading manuals, especially when you are changing cartridges. Start low and increase your speed slowly, while you watch for signs of pressure or case fatigue.
3. You must locate your reloading activity so that you are not distracted. If you get interrupted, stop. (Distractions can eventually lead to mistakes.
4. Do NOT mix powders. Keep your powders dated and clearly marked. Use masking tape to mark the date on the container.
5. 5.Ensure that you load the same cartridge type in different firearms.
6. You should check your cases often. You should look out for signs of fatigue, such as a split neck or a case head separation.
7. Reloading military brass requires that the case capacity be reduced. Therefore, initial loads should be at minimum 10-15% lower than published data.
These are just a few other tips to help you avoid costly mistakes (such a wrong powder or undercharging a case).
Powder Type — Double-check your powder containers’ labels. After you have placed the powder in the powder measure place a piece tape on it with the powder type written. Some men write the powder type on a piece of paper and place it in the hopper.
Scale drift — Electronic balances can drift. Use a digital powder scale to calibrate it.
Case Fill — Before you place a bullet, make sure to look inside each case. If you don’t see squib charges before firing the next round, they can be dangerous.
Progressive Presses — Consider using an RCBS Lock Out Die when using a progressive presses. This will detect low charges and stop the machine. These dies work with Dillon, Hornady and RCBS progressives.
Similar Posts
Tags: Brownells, Hand-loading, Progressive Press, Reloading, safety
