Help A New Guy Get Started?

[Rust]

Thank you RatRifle, cw308 and Rust! Very helpful information. I'm realy getting excited about this as I gradually purchase my equipment. Do you have any more recommendations about brand of pistol bullets or powder to use? I plan on starting with 147 grain 9mm and then probably will add 180 grain 40 S&W. These will be target practice rounds. I'd like to balance quality with price.

I load a fair amount of .40, 180 gr semi-wadcutters. I also load plated (Berry's) and coated (SNS) bullets which are a little more expensive but eliminate cleaning lead out of the barrel. I'll never run out of 180 gr semi wadcutters, the club did a bulk buy direct from a manufacturer and we ordered literally tons at a huge discount. Keep your eyes open for that sort of deal.

I do load 9mm bullets, but 124 gr jacketed in a .38 super at a velocity lead or plated bullets don't handle.

For practice loads I'd say use 165s in .40 and 124 in 9mm. Less recoil and the price may be slightly better. Unless you are loading to make a specific power factor for USPSA or other competition.