[ex95B10]

I love my 300 Blackout SBR but the price per round is over a dollar per round. : censored
So I've decided that I should learn how to reload my own ammo for many reasons other than just the expense per round.
The problem I'm having is that there doesn't seem to be anyone that does reloading that wants to show anyone else how to do it.

Is there anyone around the Jacksonville area that teaches the finer points of reloading for a beginner?
I'm mostly interested in learning how to do 300 Blackout and/or 5.56.

 

[birdman]

HAve you looked at the NRA site? I'm not seeing anything in Jacksonville, but there are plenty of classes available within a couple hours drive...

I just finished a reloading class here in Murphy, NC a couple days ago & expect to do another one later this summer... if you need an excuse to visit the Blue Ridge.

Allan

 

[Vision Remodeling]

I had the same problem when I started and found I had to just figure it out for myself. Did a bunch of reading and internet surfing. I found more info than I needed and couldn't tell which was relevant and which was not. Finally got started and realized it was less complicated than I was making it. I'm no expert but I can make .223 and .308 that is more accurate in my rifles than any factory ammo I could buy. 300 Blackout will be my next task, was just looking at some brass last night, figured I could make 1000 rounds for 5-600$ depending on which bullets I use and that's with buying brass the next batch would be 2-300$ less. I'd be happy to let you come by and work through a couple hundred rounds but I'm in Tampa. Another option is to talk you through some of it, PM me if you are interested.

The hardest part is deciding what load to use, putting ammo together is easy. The load development is half the fun and it forces you to the range.

 

[Earl 007]

I could show you how the dillon RL550B works but I'm a long way from you .

 

[BrianB]

HAve you looked at the NRA site? I'm not seeing anything in Jacksonville, but there are plenty of classes available within a couple hours drive...

I just finished a reloading class here in Murphy, NC a couple days ago & expect to do another one later this summer... if you need an excuse to visit the Blue Ridge.

Allan

Ditto the above. It looks like there are some classes in Port Orange which isn't terribly far away. I searched Georgia too (since you're so far North) but the only ones I find in Georgia are very far North in Georgia.

Good luck.

 

[ex95B10]

HAve you looked at the NRA site? I'm not seeing anything in Jacksonville, but there are plenty of classes available within a couple hours drive...

I just finished a reloading class here in Murphy, NC a couple days ago & expect to do another one later this summer... if you need an excuse to visit the Blue Ridge.

Allan

The closest I could find on the NRA website is 178 miles away in Orlando, I guess I could make a weekend of it and visit Orlando's newest attraction "Machine Gun America". :dancingbanana

As for an excuse to visit your beautiful neck of the woods, I am always looking for any reason that will take me anywhere near the Tail of the Dragon up near Robbinsville, NC.

I'd be happy to let you come by and work through a couple hundred rounds but I'm in Tampa. Another option is to talk you through some of it, PM me if you are interested.

The hardest part is deciding what load to use, putting ammo together is easy. The load development is half the fun and it forces you to the range.

You guys in Tampa have it made, it seems that every time there's something interesting happening that's firearms related it's always in or around Tampa.
I'll definitely keep you on my PM list if I take the road of self-instructed versus instructor trained.
Thanks for the offer.:thumsup

I could show you how the dillon RL550B works but I'm a long way from you .

I find myself in your area of town at least once a year during Sun-N-Fun but at this point that would be a year away.

I guess I'll wait for the next gun show here in Jacksonville and see if I can find the guy that sells the gun powder, he has offered to do a one on one reloading class in the past.

 

[shooter4]

I would say check the YouTube vids for forming 300 brass out of 223 /556 brass. That is a process. From there it's pretty basic reloading procedure and not complex. Buy your bullets mostly used for 300 like Sierra 220g for suppressed, good luck finding powder right now. Follow the guide for OAL and use your case gauge. There is a pretty large large amount of resource material on the www for all of it. We are here to guide u through the glitches.

 

[deadeyedick]

Other than forming brass, I learned how to reload by reading the instruction manual; it's not rocket science. :grin

 

[BrianB]

If there is no NRA course offered in your area you could always just order the student text for the course from the NRA - it may be sufficient. It is not a restricted product (you don't need to be an instructor to order). Here is the link.

 

[Tominator]

Other than forming brass, I learned how to reload by reading the instruction manual; it's not rocket science. :grin

True, as long as one understands the basics that include the hows and whys, reloading is safe and economical. In fact, it becomes another hobby! Reloading becomes that enjoyable!

 

[BeerHunter]

Other than forming brass, I learned how to reload by reading the instruction manual; it's not rocket science. :grin

True, as long as one understands the basics that include the hows and whys, reloading is safe and economical. In fact, it becomes another hobby! Reloading becomes that enjoyable!

^^^^
What they said! My experience was gained through observing/helping a friend reload some 9mm back in college and then just reading the Lee reloading manual and few others, reading a few online sources, and watching several YouTube videos. It's not rocket science and quite fun/relaxing but make sure you heed all the cautions; ALWAYS wear safety goggles while reloading, and wear nitrile or vinyl gloves, store powder properly, and don't reload when you're tired or you'll make a mistake that could prove costly or worse. You'll be amazed at the satisfaction you'll get from shooting ammunition you loaded. Might not save you any money in the end unless you shoot and reload a great deal but even a break even proposition was worth it to me. In the end, you'll likely spend as much as before you reloaded but get a lot more rounds downrange! :grin

 

[ex95B10]

My first question for the experts: Is the Lee die set a good investment or is there better quality?

 

[Tominator]

I've sold a boat load of Lee dies....literally! Ain't no junk out there regardless of brand!

Though I use a Lee Progressive 1000, I'm anal about my reloads....it serves as a single station press. I inspect every round by eye. I trust nothing to any thing called 'progressive!'

 

[7.62Kolectr]

Interesting. I never knew there were such things as reloading classes?
It really isn't that difficult at all. And you can buy .300blk cases with that head stamp ready to be sized and loaded.
No need to cut down any 5.56.

Between the amount of hours I work and the lack of anywhere in my home for a proper station I cannot do it.
But between YouTube and things like a Hornady reloading manual you should find it fairly simple to do.
Just check check and recheck powder charge. And make sure you get a good proper crimp on the bullet in the case.
Some folks who shoot bolt guns for accuracy don't worry as much about the crimp. But for semi autos it is critical.
If a bullet gets pushed back into the case during feeding and you fire it the results can be catastrophic.

 

[birdman]

Making .300BLK brass from .223 involves removing the decapper pin from your .300BLK resizing die, running a lubed .223 casing into the resizer and then cutting and trimming the brass to length. Now put the depriming pin back into the resizer die & load the case just like any other bottlenecked cartridge. It ain't rocket science once you have the reloading safety worked out.

FWIW I'm about 40 miles from the Robbinsville end of the Dragon and not much farther from the Tellico end...

Allan

 

[7.62Kolectr]

You can buy 1000 .300blk cases for $199.

http://www.carolinabrass.net/apps/webstore/products/show/4952356

 

[Old Guy]

When I first started reloading, I didn't know anyone else that reloaded. I purchased (and read), the ABC's of Reloading and Lee's Modern Reloading. After that I watched several youtube videos on reloading. After reading about the process in the books, watching the video's helped put it together. There is a lot of information and mis-information out there. Reading those two books will help to discern what's safe and what will get you hurt.

One good website is The Handloaders Bench, but they're not the only one.

You can teach yourself, it's not rocket surgery, but you have to be focused and pay attention to the details. Good luck!

 

[AFJuvat]

I'm just south of Yulee on US17, I'd be happy to show you.

I like Lee Dies and their turret presses a lot.

 

[Steve48]

Some folks who shoot bolt guns for accuracy don't worry as much about the crimp. But for semi autos it is critical.
If a bullet gets pushed back into the case during feeding and you fire it the results can be catastrophic.

Over crimping can also be catastrophic with semi-autos.

 

[ex95B10]

I'm just south of Yulee on US17, I'd be happy to show you.

I like Lee Dies and their turret presses a lot.

Thank you so much for all your help and lessons today.
I learned a lot and I now feel more confident about getting into reloading my own ammo.