Low Anxiety Handgun Reloading

[jds holler]

Does anyone else like to sit down and crank out a bunch of low cost, low pressure, and low anxiety pistol shells? -- the kind of stuff that knocks the price of plinking and steel banging in half, without the fastidious techniques and time associated with most of our rifle loading.
I'm not talking about being sloppy or unsafe, just reducing the "picky factor" that is required to achieve even sub MOA accuracy with our rifles.

The criteria that can't be compromised are safety, and functionality. After that, almost everything else is on the table, with "good enough is good enough" philosophy.

The ammo I'm talking about will be shot at short range, say five to twenty five yards. Basic self defense range, extending out to typical steel plate ranges. Pretty much any load will be accurate enough.

Power doesn't need to be much of a factor aside from achieving firearm function and fairly realistic recoil for valid practice. I like to keep my loads down to 70 or 80 percent of listed maximum listed load data.

Bullets -- this is probably the place where real money can be saved. My own cast bullets, or one of the plated brands, or coated commercial types come in at about half the price of what quality self defense ammo uses.

Beyond what has been mentioned, what kind of technique do y'all use to save time, money and anxiety to pump out safe and fun handgun fun? jd

 

[1911nut]

I shoot mostly light target loads. I’ve cast my own for a few years then found lazercast bullets, excellent bullets that shoot great with very little leading.

200g Lazercast 45 ACP SWC, 3.1g N310 with a Dillion 550; 148g 38 wadcutter, 2.7g Bulleye or 2.8g WST- these loads hold 10 ring at 50 yds.

Once I get the press setup it’s just about loading a hundred at a sitting. The Dillion makes very consistent ammo.

 

[Knotwild]

I do - 45acp mostly and because I have a good supply of components. I use Bullseye and either 230gr ball oy 200gr cast. The 45acp is extremely easy to work with and the light loads work well in a SIG 1911, full size and Officers Model Colt 1911’s, a Ruger Blackhawk, and a Kimber full size 1911. Accuracy is ordered by the quality of the gun. I don’t clean the brass, I use an RCBS hand primer, and I saved a lot of money by not buying a progressive press. I use the brass til it only requires a glance to tell it’s toast.

 

[powderbrake]

I have cranked out "easy" handgun loads for many years.
I started with a rockchucker, now I use a Dillon 550.
I tumble the empty cases, then reload on the dillon. I do not clean primer pockets.

I adapted the Lee Pro Auto Disk powder measure to my Dillon for the small loads that plinking (and accuracy) rounds have.

here are my loads.
38 sp 2.9 gr Bullseye, 148 g HBWC ( use in 38, and 357's)
45 ACP 3.8 g Bullseye 200g SWC Lead (or 230 FMJ or Plated, 5.0g Bullseye) Lee Taper crimp die in last spot
9mm 115 FMJ or plated, 4.9g Bullseye Lee Taper crimp die in last spot
44 Mag or 44special, 16g 2400
40 S&W 140 g SWC Lead, 4.5g Bullseye.

As you can see I have lots of Bullseye, but it works great, takes little powder, meters well in the Lee Pro, and I clean the gun after every shoot, about once a week when I was more active.

Nothing special done to the cases, just clean first, then run through the Dillon, then shoot.

 

[DShortt]

I don't have the opportunity to just walk outside and shoot any longer after a move a few years ago.

When I did, 10 grains of Unique in a .44Mag with a cast range lead bullet, Lyman 429421 was a favorite. Nothing crazy, no slouch, either.

Also liked 4 grains of Unique behind an RCBS cast range lead bullet, 150 grains for .38 Special.

Still have a bunch of loaded rounds sitting around. Maybe one day soon I'll start whittling away at the stockpile.

I loaded everything on a single-stage press. I wasn't worried about speed. Just something to keep my mind occupied with -0- stress.

And I prefer revolvers. Again, not in any hurry. Just appreciate the simplicity.

 

[PWPUU]

Cheapest load I have right now is 9mm with 94gr frangible bullets from RavenRocks Precision, 4 gr of Titegroup, and range brass. $0.05 projectile, $0.02 powder, $0.07 primer. $0.14 per round.

I’m a big fan of this projectile as it doesn’t foul the barrel and it pulverizes when it hits a metal plate, thus reducing dangers from ricochet. Very light recoil.

 

[Steel Mover]

I shoot plates, pins, IPSC, IDPA, Silhouttes, big and small bore. I usually load the 45 ACP with 200 H&G cast but for pins I load the 252grain revolver SWC 45 Auto rim bullet for my 7" long slide. I roll my own bullets and loads.

Para Ord LDA custom 45 ACP 8 round, stainless, like 200s in the LDA.

 

[jds holler]

My biggest time saver I suppose is simply basic case prep, or lack there-of.
I'll take a thousand nines for instance, and wet tumble in the FART, bake em in the oven for two hours, and bag em. I don't sort for brand, just cartridge designation.
I often take a few hundred, spray them with one shot, and size and deprime em with the Lee hand press. This is likely to be done in the recliner while watching the eye-hole to Hell. Low anxiety.
OR-- I'll set up at one of the smaller single stage presses, and size, deprime, and prime all in the same stoke with the press mounted auto-prime attachment.
These two steps set me up with bags of primed brass, ready to charge. And I always charge and seat bullets in the same session.
I NEVER leave charged brass sitting unfinished.

Any of these steps are completed at the rate of about 20 per minute, so an hour will provide a thousand shells with the particular step completed. -- at a pretty relaxed pace.

 

[K22]

With regards to CF pistol reloading, I shoot mostly 38+P reloads these days. Using 231 with 125 XTP Hornady bullets, I get about 1,200 reloads out 1 lbs. of powder.

In my experience, reloading for pistol is infinitely simpler and easier than reloading for precision rifle shooting. I never had any difficulty finding an accurate (serviceability wise) load with minimum load development. The key is finding a bullet your pistol likes and matching that with a suitable powder.

However, pistol reloading has one major safety issue that must be kept in focus depending on which powder one uses: the risk of a double charge. One must have a failsafe system to avoid a double charge.

 

[GetReal]

I load mostly 147 grain 9mm running 950 - 1000 fps on a 550C. 4.4 gr CFE pistol.

The biggest stressor is avoiding a double charge.

I intentionally load very slow , specifically watching for a double charge and making sure a primer is seated. I load about 250 - 300 rounds per hour.

 

[jds holler]

On the double charge issue -- I load straight from my powder measure, and set the charged case in a load block. When the block is full (50) I inspect with a flashlight. and then seat bullets.
With flashlight inspection, even a 2.5 gr charge of Bullseye is obvious in a 38 case if it were double charged. All the more in a 9mm.

If I didn't do that flashlight inspection, I'd have -- anxiety. jd

 

[hoz53]

On the double charge issue -- I load straight from my powder measure, and set the charged case in a load block. When the block is full (50) I inspect with a flashlight. and then seat bullets.
With flashlight inspection, even a 2.5 gr charge of Bullseye is obvious in a 38 case if it were double charged. All the more in a 9mm.

If I didn't do that flashlight inspection, I'd have -- anxiety. jd

I dont throw powder progressively anymore. wrong charge-no charge in a case is my only pistol loading anxiety . i now charge just how you describe for pistols. i dont do near the steps for pistol as for accurate rifle. I used to bea 1911 guy for many years but now I have gravitated to revolvers mostly. no more spending time looking for brass and causing old back to ache — i just dump my brass in a bucket. i will tumble brass if its dirty but if not very i use as is. since i have a 550 i try to use it. for example for 44 Mag i use 2 die heads.one to size,prime and bell— the second to seat and crimp. in between them i let the cases run out into a container and charge them with the powder measure. then run them through the seat/crimp. i guess this saves a little time over single stage but i am getting tired of having to mess with the dillon primer setup so mabie im going back to single stage the whole deal like the old days.
1 size/prime-2 bell-3 charge 4 seatcrimp= loaded round. did many thousand that way
i usually just load lite loads.

 

[steve210]

I load 9mm on a Dillon 550 with 124gr. Bluebullets with 5gr. Of power pistol.I always use a fairly bulky powder so it is impossible to double charge a case. No anxiety, I have 4 primer tubes loaded so I normally loaded 400 at a setting and then load the primer tubes back and call it good until next time. I load in the winter time usually have 10 to 12000 ready for warmer weather. My son helps get them shot!LOL

 

[jds holler]

I've got a progressive if ya want to call it that. "RCBS Piggyback Progressive Conversion". It is the Rube Goldberg of progressives, and it takes a patient and tolerant attitude to successfully operate it.

I've been thinking of setting it up for awhile and cranking out some 38's. It's been sitting unused for about ten years, and I may have forgiven it enough to have another date with it. jd

 

[Paddyd]

I don't have the opportunity to just walk outside and shoot any longer after a move a few years ago.

When I did, 10 grains of Unique in a .44Mag with a cast range lead bullet, Lyman 429421 was a favorite. Nothing crazy, no slouch, either.

Also liked 4 grains of Unique behind an RCBS cast range lead bullet, 150 grains for .38 Special.

Still have a bunch of loaded rounds sitting around. Maybe one day soon I'll start whittling away at the stockpile.

I loaded everything on a single-stage press. I wasn't worried about speed. Just something to keep my mind occupied with -0- stress.

And I prefer revolvers. Again, not in any hurry. Just appreciate the simplicity.

I like my revolvers cause I never have to pick up brass. I find them more accurate than auto loaders too

 

[Bob R]

With your Easy Load Criteria in mind, I will use up powder's that are not ideal for what I normally reload for. A good example would be powders like e3, Bullseye, Green Dot, Universal, Herco, AA#2, WW231, ets. Powders that I have rounded up over the years, and do not commonly use any more. Normally you can burn this powder up on Range Ammunition saving your preferred powder, while making some shelf space. Just looked, and I have used up two pounds of e3 doing this. It is good powder, just not the best powder for my current application's. Back when Unique was unobtainable I ended up being very happy with American Select for 9mm, 38 Special, 45GAP and 45acp. I have not tried it in 40 S&W so far, but I would guess for Range Ammunition it would work great in 40 S&W as well. Not a perfect powder for Full House Reloads. Just a very good Range Powder that like Unique will work in about every handgun cartridge that I reload for, excluding Hot Magnum Loads.
I have been using Missouri Bullet Company Coated Bullets for practice ammunition the last few years. Thanks to Bill Clinton I am still shooting primers that I bought for a Penny a piece or just slightly over that. Not needing to buy new primers has really kept my reloading cost down.

Bob R

 

[qldreloader]

I load 9mm on a Dillon 550 with 124gr. Bluebullets with 5gr. Of power pistol.I always use a fairly bulky powder so it is impossible to double charge a case. No anxiety, I have 4 primer tubes loaded so I normally loaded 400 at a setting and then load the primer tubes back and call it good until next time. I load in the winter time usually have 10 to 12000 ready for warmer weather. My son helps get them shot!LOL

I run Power Pistol in my 9mm CZ Shadow. I get great accuracy but wow is it LOUD and the muzzle flash is unlike other powders. If I fire it at night it lights up the targets at 25m. I wonder if it lacks flash suppressants on something like that.

 

[GetReal]

For ease of loading...

I use Hornady 147 gr rn or hp, with a boattail base, so I dont have to flare the case mouth, or worry about insufficient crimp.

The bullets arent cheap:

147 rn - 0.18 ea
147 hp - 0.29 ea

Pricey, but I will trade money for time and efficiency / ease of operation every time.

 

[GetReal]

I load 9mm on a Dillon 550 with 124gr. Bluebullets with 5gr. Of power pistol.I always use a fairly bulky powder so it is impossible to double charge a case. No anxiety....

Is Power Pistol a flake or stick powder?

CFE is a ball powder and doesnt fill half the case. It stresses me out ! Lol

 

[hoz53]

I've got a progressive if ya want to call it that. "RCBS Piggyback Progressive Conversion". It is the Rube Goldberg of progressives, and it takes a patient and tolerant attitude to successfully operate it.

I've been thinking of setting it up for awhile and cranking out some 38's. It's been sitting unused for about ten years, and I may have forgiven it enough to have another date with it. jd

ive got some components Id like to use up while i can— Getting the most i can out of my loading time will help. Lets see how many rounds we can put down range 2026