Best Ideas to Make Reloading Safer and Simpler?

[Lee Whitsel]

Being my first time on here and mid 70's of age I'd like to pass on a thing or two I've learned over the years. I kept loading in the winters and camping, hiking, fishing, etc. in the summer. Then when I got more and more into reloading over 52 years. I had one Lyman hand help primer seater for all my small rifle reloading and a Frankford Arsanol one for all my large rifle priming to keep it simple. Problem was I'd have many kinds of loads and many kinds of primers being used. So I would get backing into the reloading in the cold weather and have a tray of say small rifle primers with a few left in it all summer from my last time of using it and can't remember what kind I had in there from a few months ago. I got a safe and super simple answer to that. each time I load a new batch of primers into the tray I save the pack and cut out the name and number of that primer and lay it in the corner of the tray away from the primer flow and it has not been a problem all I got to do this fall is pick it up and look say 28 primers in there and the little tag says CCI 400 on that little piece of cardboard in the tray and I then know what I was last using many month's before. No more loading primers and just not sure what I left in there. It helps made things simpler and safer for me and costs nothing!!!!

 

[Rodney]

I put the powder jug on my bench that I’m using. Once I’m done with that powder, I put it back in the jug and then back on the shelf. Didn’t do that one time and wasn’t 100% sure what powder it was. Had to throw it out. Lesson learned.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Lots of Sharpie written notes on painters tape seems to keep me straight.

 

[Rocketvapor]

I've been sorting my primers so I take out just what I need.
If I'm loading 30 rounds, 30 cases, 30 primers, 30 bullets.
Crutches might work but every thing in it's place.
When you find something to makes you feel safer,
MAKE IT A RULE.
(like not smoking when reloading)
Sharpies, if you do it as a rule.

 

[nakneker]

I do the powder out on the bench when I’m using it, I empty the powder measure or charge masters when I’m done and put it back, It helps.

I use a lot of sharpies and pin notes a lot too.

I keep better records of loaded development than I use to.

When I load I double, triple check the manual, my load notes, the powder and the components.

I visually check every case before seating a bullet.

I don’t answer the phone, it’s easy to call someone back.

I don’t multi task.

I don’t shoot other’s reloads, I’d rather pull the ammo apart and load it myself. I can tell you some of the nightmares I’ve found pulling ammo apart But I won’t bore you.

I don’t ride the edge of pressure, I use to, I keep well within the limits now.

I examine every piece of brass, every time I reload it, look at it, feel it.

My ARs in 223/5.56 have green tape on the mags and a green charging handles, my ARs Chambered in 300 blackout have tan tape and tan charging handles.

I have four different rifles chambered in four different cartridges using the 6.5x47 case, it’s easy to make a mistake especially when the headstamp on the brass isn’t accurate. I have a 41 mag, 44 mag, 45 Colt in Ruger blackhawks, just two examples of you better pay attention. Double, triple check your load data and components and be present mentally.

I’m sure most of us do the above and more, no matter how long you’ve been doing this your not above making a mistake, it helps to bear that in mind when in enjoying this wonderful hobby of shooting and reloading.

Ok, ill shut up now….

 

[CaptJim]

Make a dummy round and insure that it will fit in your chamber(s) and magazines.

Visualize that each cartridge has powder before seating the bullet and try to utilize loads that fill the case enough so that a double charge will overflow.

Utilize a second scale to double check load accuracy.

 

[Lee Whitsel]

Looking at the CZ/600 Alpha rifle in 223 and it's a very nice gun with great new features. I shot almost all 40/55 gain in 222/223 for gopher. This rifle only comes in 1/7" twist I don't think it will ever shot those lighter bullets very well at all. Any one have any experience with the 1/7" in this CZ/600?????

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

If you have a B++ electronic scale I would consider doing a quick measurement of each round to make sure you dont have any exrtra hot loads by accident.

 

[SEM]

NO DISTRACTIONS, send them packing, phones tvs PEPOLE. If my head is not clear wait till tomorrow

 

[Homerange]

I put the powder jug on my bench that I’m using. Once I’m done with that powder, I put it back in the jug and then back on the shelf. Didn’t do that one time and wasn’t 100% sure what powder it was. Had to throw it out. Lesson learned.

+1
Further, only the brass and projectiles for any one load on the bench at one time.

Brass always primer up in the loading block and use/make one that holds more brass than your field case so to always have an empty separator row between operations. < this vastly reduces any chance of errors.
Keep a good and detailed loading diary.

Ramblings of lessons learnt from 50yrs of loading.......

 

[Rsadams]

There's all you need already listed right here... The truth is a few simple rules which are above make reloading a safe hobby you can actually save money and/or get a quality round.... My deal is even on a Dillon progressive you look into the case to visually see the powder level and try to use a powder that will over flow or fill the case in the event of a double charge.... Always and I mean always look and I mean take the time to read the powder container to make sure of what it is.... It's easy to look but not see... Remember your the safety officer when reloading and if you gut tells you something is up , STOP..

 

[Ned Ludd]

Looking at the CZ/600 Alpha rifle in 223 and it's a very nice gun with great new features. I shot almost all 40/55 gain in 222/223 for gopher. This rifle only comes in 1/7" twist I don't think it will ever shot those lighter bullets very well at all. Any one have any experience with the 1/7" in this CZ/600?????

Light bullets will work just fine in a 7-twist barrel, unless you're spinning them to the point the jackets fail and they come apart. Fortunately, you'd almost have to be trying to do that and with a little attention to detail that issue can be prevented. I've shot 40 - 50 gr .224" bullets without a single failure many times out of a 26" 7-twist barrel and they shot very well indeed. Grossly underspinning a bullet is usually far more detrimental to precision than over-spinning one by a modest amount, as long as you don't push them to the point the jackets fail.

 

[jpx2rk]

Looking at the CZ/600 Alpha rifle in 223 and it's a very nice gun with great new features. I shot almost all 40/55 gain in 222/223 for gopher. This rifle only comes in 1/7" twist I don't think it will ever shot those lighter bullets very well at all. Any one have any experience with the 1/7" in this CZ/600?????

I have a Savage 223 with a 7T barrel, and I tried 3 different 50 & 55g bullets in it that work well in a 9T 223. 1 out of 5 bullets did not make it to the target at 100 yds, the 4 that did make it shot good/decent groups but there was always that one that didn't.

The 7T loves the 68g BTHP and IMR4064 tho.

 

[MikeRu]

Make a dummy round and insure that it will fit in your chamber(s) and magazines.

Visualize that each cartridge has powder before seating the bullet and try to utilize loads that fill the case enough so that a double charge will overflow.

Utilize a second scale to double check load accuracy.

My seater has a “check case for powder” note on it. Glasses at the range.

 

[JFrank]

I prep cases in advance, if I stop for the day I sometimes forget where I left off, I thought to create a check list but keep forgetting to do it.

 

[Jetpilot]

Some friends gave me advise not to drink while reloading and I followed that 100%, my problem was I was texting while reloading and had 2 bullets with no primers in them in a match. Simply mixed up a couple of reloading trays and the bullets I was priming.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Typically it's pistol cartridges that you have to watch for double charges.
Progressive presses have to be watched for high/low charges.
We're shooting mostly 22N with about 98% fill.
My Lyman Gen 5 is not good enough so I have to dump onto a scale (EJ-54D2) to trickle up or down a tad.

As I progress through case prep I flip the case in the loading block ending up with primers up when ready to charge. Cull the upside down primers
Charge a case, insert bullet, seat, into the loading block.
The load for my 22N (Nosler/Dogtown cases) is about 1 grain more than the wife's 22N (heavier 6mm Hagar/Nosgar cases). Wouldn't be catastrophic to mix up the loads, but would show up on target @ 600 for sure. I separate loading the two different loads, with the wife getting more involved with her cartridges.
For match day, every single loaded round is fit checked in the respective rifle. Both are ARs but with different OAL due to round count.

This thread is a good reminder, even if you are already Super Safe.
Rethinking just in case.

A few years back I told the wife "you gonna shoot, you gonna reload"
Started her off really basic, with safety reinforced at every step.
She can now use the turret press.

Case prep and charging are separate operations.


Flashlight each block before seating.

 

[Bc'z]

Charge a case, seat a bullet.
Lots of notes and quitting smoking helps.
Agree with only 1 powder out at once.

 

[Dgd6mm]

It's simple for me....pay attention always

 

[divingin]

For powder, I keep a tape label on the jug cap. Powder goes into the hopper, the label goes on the outside of the hopper. When the powder goes back in the jug, the label goes back on the cap. No more forgetting what powder was left in there.

I generally load in lots of 50 or 100 so not too much of a primer issue for me (If the loading tray doesn't fill up or I have extra cases, something's wrong.)

For bullets, only the type I'm sticking in cases gets pulled off the shelf, and gets put back when I'm done with them.

Organization helps a lot (which is too bad, because I'm not a typically organized person.)