Ol' Buffalo Metallic Cartridge Handloading Guide

Contrary to what one hears in the news media and the claims made by certain politicians and radical groups, shooting is one of the safest sports -- when practiced by persons of sound judgment in accordance with basic rules of safety. Handloading is a safe and natural extension of that sport.

If any information in this document conflicts with information given in your handloading manual or the instructions your received with your handloading equipment, always follow those instructions -- not mine.

The wisest approach to getting started in handloading is to learn from an experienced handloader who has no bad habits. The best mentor is an NRA Certified Reloading Instructor. If there isn't an NRA instructor in your area, talk to your local gun club or a good sporting goods store for a referral to an experienced handloader.

Handloading should be approached with the same degree of caution as an experimental science. Each handloader assumes the responsibility of safe reloading practices and accepts the risk for failure to apply good judgment and knowledge. Failure to apply proper safety precautions in this endeavor could result in injury, death, or damage to the shooter, handloader, bystanders, facilities, or equipment. The author of this webpage is not responsible for negative consequences of using or misusing information posted here. I recommend that handloaders always begin load development only by reference to a reputable reloading manual.

General safety:

• Read the instruction manual for each piece of equipment you use. Keep it handy for later reference.

• Understand what you are doing and why it must be done in a specific way.

• Stay alert when handloading. Don't handload when distracted, disturbed or tired.

• Never handload when under the influence of alcohol or drugs (legal or illegal).

• Never smoke while handloading or near combustibles and explosives.

• Always wear safety glasses while handloading.

• Set up a well-organized, clean, well-lit work area.

• Set up a loading procedure and follow it. Don't vary your sequence of operations.

• Set up your handloading bench where powder and primers will not be exposed to heat, sparks or flame.

• Keep everything locked up and out of the reach of small children.

• Keep your handloading bench clean and uncluttered. Label components and handloads for easy identification.

• Do not eat while handling lead.

• Never try to dislodge a loaded cartridge that has become stuck in the chamber by impacting it with a cleaning rod. Have a competent gunsmith remove the round.

• Follow loading recommendations exactly.

• Don't substitute components for those listed in your manual.

• Start loading with the minimum powder charge given for your cartridge.

• Never exceed manufacturers' handloading data. Excess pressures caused by excessive loads could severely damage a firearm and cause serious injury or death.

• When using an inertial bullet puller, use short, light taps instead of a single heavy blow.

• Never attempt to disassemble a cartridge unless you are absolutely sure the bullet non-explosive or non-incendiary.

Gunpowder Safety:

• Modern ammunition uses smokeless powder to propel the bullet down the barrel. It burns with much greater energy and pressure than blackpowder. Therefore, never use smokeless powder in a firearm designed for blackpowder.

• Specific powders are designed for specific uses. Don't use them for other purposes.

• Never mix smokeless powder and blackpowder.

• Never mix blackpowder and blackpowder substitute such as Pyrodex®.

• Never mix different brands or types of powder.

• Never use an unknown gunpowder.

• Pour out only enough powder for the immediate work.

• Start new loads at 10% under maximum and increase slowly.

• If you throw or measure powder charges by volume, check-weigh the charges every time you begin loading, occasionally during loading and when you finish. Weigh the powder charge in at least 10% of your loads to make sure you are dropping the proper amount of powder.

• After charging cases with powder, check each and every case before seating a bullet. Look for the proper amount of powder and also ensure that there actually is powder in every case. The best method to do this is to use a loading block so that all cases are together and all can be visually compared to ensure that they contain the same amount of powder. A double charge of a fast burning pistol powder may not fully fill the case, so look carefully!

• Have only one kind of powder on the loading bench at a time.

• Empty the powder measure back into the original powder container when through with a handloading session.

• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling powder.

• Store powders only in original package. Don't repackage.

• Keep powder containers tightly closed when not in use.

• Clean up spilled powder with brush and dust pan; do not use a vacuum cleaner because fire or explosion may result.

• Store powder in cool, dry place.

• Store and keep primers and powder separately.

• Smokeless powder is extremely flammable. Dispose of deteriorated powders according to recommendations in The Properties and Storage of Smokeless Powder ­ SAAMI Reprint #376-2500, which is published in some handloading guides or available from NRMA.

Primer safety:

• Priming materials differ in brisance (initial explosive force) and in the amount of hot gas produced. Don't mix primers of different makes.

• Don't decap live primers. Fire them in the appropriate gun ­ then decap.

• Don't ream out or enlarge the flash hole in primer pockets. This can increase chamber pressure.

• Over-ignition creates higher gun pressures. The best results are obtained by using the mildest primer consistent with good ignition.

• Never use magnum primers unless called for.

• Never use pistol primers in rifle cartridges. The pistol primer cup is thinner and can't take the pressures of rifle loads.

• Don't use primers you can't identify. Ask your local police or fire department to dispose of unidentifiable or unserviceable primers.

• Keep primers in the original packaging until used. Don't store in your primer feed tube or primer tray. Return unused primers to the factory package. Don't dump together and store in bulk. There is a risk of mass detonation if one is ignited.

• Open only one package of primers at a time.

• Never attempt to seat, or reseat, a primer in a loaded round.

• If you accidentally seat a primer upside down, spray the exposed primer with WD-40 or other light oil then discard the case. If you need to save the case, let the oil soak into the primer for at least an hour, then inset the case in a neck sizing die with the sizing button removed. Wrap several towels around the die in case it detonates, then slowly ease it out with your reloading press.

• Do not force primers. If you feel resistance to seating or feeding of primers, stop and investigate.

• Store primers in a cool, dry place. High temperature, such as in a summer attic, causes them to deteriorate.

• Store and keep primers and powder separately.

• Don't handle primers with oily or greasy hands. Oil contamination can affect ignitability.

• Clean the machines after each use. There have been instances of "primer dusting" in the tubes of loading tools because of vibration.

Lead safety:

• Lead is known to cause birth defects, reproductive harm and other serious physical injury. It must be handled with extreme care.

• Never eat, drink, or smoke when handling lead.

• Handle lead bullets or lead shot only in a well ventilated area.

• Always wash hands after handling lead and before eating.

• Molten lead is hot -- 650-750 degrees Fahrenheit. This is no activity for children -- not even to watch!

• Hot lead on skin takes a long time to cool -- severe burns will invariably result.

• Wear eye protection and heavy clothing including leather gloves, a heavy apron, heavy jeans, and high-top leather boots. Welding supply stores sell clothing that will provide good protection at affordable prices.

• Never drop ingots or culled bullets into molten lead. The splash is extremely dangerous. Instead, slip that ingot into the molten lead with tongs.

• Molten lead gives off dangerous lead fumes. The smoke and fumes from fluxing also caries dangerous lead fumes. Always melt lead in a very well ventilated area.

• Never heat lead to more than 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Doing so is completely unnecessary and will create significantly more dangerous fumes.

• The melting pot must have a steady base -- a lap full of hot lead would surely take all the fun out of casting and handloading.

• Never discharge firearms in poorly ventilated areas.

Handloading rifle & pistol cartridges

• Never start with a maximum load. Start with the minimum powder charge and work up in small increments to no more than the maximum listed in your reloading manual watching for indications of excessive pressure.

• If you are using a single stage press, do each step to the lot you are reloading before moving on to the next step.

• Examine cases before loading. Discard any that are not in good condition.

• Label boxes of loaded cartridges. Identify caliber, primer, powder and charge, bullet and weight, and date of handloading.

• Seating depth of the bullet is extremely important in handgun loads. Handgun powders must burn very quickly because of the short barrel. They are sensitive to small changes in crimp, bullet hardness, bullet diameter, primer brisance and especially to bullet seating depth.

• Check the overall length of the cartridge to be sure the bullet is seated properly.

• Accumulation of lead or grease in the bullet seating tool may force the bullet in too far.

• If the bullet isn't seated deeply enough, it may engage the lands of the barrel when loaded. This will increase the chamber pressure.

• If you cast your own bullets, remember their hardness, diameter and lubrication affect the ballistics.

• Plastic cases designed for practice loads (where the bullet is propelled by primer gas only) can't be used for full powder loads.

Prevent missing & double charges

• It is easy to double charge if you are momentarily distracted. Use a depth gauge to check powder height in a shell. A piece of doweling rod can be used as a depth gauge.

• Observe the powder level of cases placed in the loading tray. This is a way to discover any cases with missing or double powder charges.

• Take care to operate progressive loaders as the manufacturer recommends. Don't back up the turret or jiggle the handle. Don't use a shell to catch the residue when cleaning out the powder train.

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Glossary

Like most other hobbies, handloading has its own "language". Here are some terms you need to be familiar with. See your handloading manual for more handloading information.

• Anneal - The process of altering the structure of metal so as to relieve it's working stresses, prevent brittleness, and increase it's ductility. Only the case neck is annealed.

• Antimony - A metal which increases the hardness of lead when combined as an alloy.

• Anvil - A metallic part of the primer. The blow from the firing pin crushes the priming mixture against the anvil causing ignition.

• Ball - In military nomenclature this term refers to the bullet.

• Ball Powder - This is a trade name for a double-base smokeless powder developed by Olin Industries. The grains have a spherical, or flattened spherical shape.

• Ballistics - The science of projectiles in motion.

• Ballistic coefficient - Ratio of the sectional density of a bullet to its coefficient of form. Represents the projectiles ability to overcome air resistance in flight.

• Battery cup - A type of primer used in shotshells which makes use of an outside cup to support it in the case.

• Bearing surface - That portion of the bullet surface which bears on, or touches, the bore.

• Bell - To open the mouth of a case slightly in order to seat a bullet more easily. Also called flare.

• Belted case - A case with a band formed into the head of some cases (magnum type) to strengthen the case and to control the headspace of the cartridge.

• Berdan primer - A common European priming system with no integral anvil. Instead, it makes use of an anvil formed in the case itself. It is fitted in the primer pocket in the head of centerfire cartridge cases.

• Black powder - A mixture of charcoal, potassium nitrate, and sulfur used as a propellant in muzzleloaders and early cartridge firearms.

• Boat tail - A bullet design having a tapered base.

• Bore - The inside diameter of a barrel before the rifling is cut.

• Boxer primer - A type of primer used in American rifle and pistol ammunition and featuring a self contained anvil. It is fitted in the primer pocket in the head of centerfire cartridge cases.

• Brass - An alloy usually of 70% copper and 30% zinc of which most metallic cases are formed. The term also allies to the empty cartridge case.

• Brisance - The detonation rate and intensity of an explosive such as a cartridge primer.

• Bullet - That portion of the cartridge which becomes a projectile when in flight. Sometimes also called ball.

• Bullet & powder scale - A device to weigh charges of powder. A beam scale is a scale where markers, called "poise", are moved along a weight graduated beam, as the pan is filled with powder, until the balance point is reached. An electronic device used to measure the weight of powder in grains or grams.

• Burning rate - A term used to describe the rapidity with which a given powder will burn. The term itself is a relative one based on a comparison with other powders.

• Caliber - The approximate diameter of a bullet or bore, expressed in hundredths of an inch or in millimeters. A bullet with a diameter of .308 inches is called 30 caliber (not .30 caliber).

• Cannelure - A groove (or grooves) cut around the circumference of a bullet or case. These grooves, usually one to a bullet, provide the best means of securely crimping the case mouth into the bullet. In a case, the cannelure is used as a stop for an inserted bullet.

• Canister powder - Powder which is manufactured to consistently meet a standardized specification and packaged so handloaders can get predictable results.

• Cap - Primer.

• Cartridge - A completely loaded, ready-to-fire round of ammunition.

• Case - A cylindrical container which holds the primer, powder and bullet. Also called hull, shell, or brass.

• Case forming - To alter the shape of a case to a different shape or caliber.

• Case neck brush - A metal or nylon brush and handle used to clean the inside of case necks.

• Case trimmer - A device used to remove excess material from a case mouth. Metallic cases stretch after extensive reloading and firing because the brass flows forward. These cases must be trimmed back.

• Case trimmer pilot - The pilot guides the cutting portion of the case trimmer by fitting inside the neck of the case to be trimmed.

• Cast bullet - Bullets for rifle or pistol which are cast from lead or lead alloy. Muzzleloading projectiles and shotgun slugs are cast in pure lead.

• Centerfire - Refers to a cartridge having a primer located in the center of its base. Most centerfire cases are reloadable.

• Chamber - The part of the bore at the breech which is formed to accept and support the loaded cartridge.

• Chambering - A designation given to cartridges with a specific caliber, case size and shape, case head configuration, design, and which should not be used in firearms designed for a different chambering. A chambering is given a name (ie 7mm Mauser, .357 Magnum) to distinguish it from other chambering. This name is usually indicated by a headstamp.

• Chamfer - To bevel the inside of a case mouth. The bevel allows bullets to start into the case mouth without crushing the case.

• Charge - The amount of powder used in the case at each loading. Also refers to the amount of shot used in a shotshell.

• Choke - A constriction at the muzzle of a shotgun barrel designed to control the spreading of shot.

• Chronograph - An instrument used to measure the velocity of a projectile.

• Components - The parts that make up a cartridge. The case, primer, powder and bullet or other projectile.

• Compressed charge - A charge of powder which so nearly fills the case that it is compressed when the bullet is seated.

• Corrosion - The eating away of the bore or case by rust or chemical action.

• Crimp - The bending inward of the case mouth to grip the bullet. Used only with bullets having a cannelure or crimping groove. With shotshells the term applies to the closure at the case mouth.

• Crimped primer - A forcing inward of the brass around the top of the primer pocket. This is frequently found on military cartridges and is done to prevent set-back of primers. The crimp must be removed before repriming the case.

• Deburr - To remove the small metal burrs or roughness from a case mouth or primer flash hole.

• Deburring tool - The deburring tool removes burs from the inside and outside of any newly trimmed case mouths.

• Decap - Removal of the spent primer from a fired case, most often accomplished by the decapping pin in a die during the resizing operation of handloading. Also called deprime.

• Decapping pin - A needle-like rod in the sizer die which pushes out the spent primer.

• Die - A tool that reforms cartridge cases and seats bullets. In bullet manufacture, a tool that swages bullets or cores, extrudes lead wire or draws jackets.

• Dram equivalent - Term used to indicate that a charge of smokeless powder produces the same velocity of a given number of drams of black powder.

• Drift - Deviation of a projectile from the line of departure due to its rotational spin or the force of wind.

• Drop - The distance a projectile falls, calculated from the line of departure.

• Double base powder - Smokeless powder made with nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose base.

• Duplex load - The use of two different powders in loading the same cartridge. Not recommended for handloaders.

• Energy - A projectile's capacity for doing work at a given range, expressed in foot-pounds.

• Erosion - The wearing away of the bore due to friction and/or gas cutting.

• Expander - The part of a die that expands the case mouth to receive the bullet.

• Fireform - Reforming or changing the shape of a cartridge case by firing it in a chamber of a desired shape.

• Flash hole - A hole leading from the primer pocket to the inside of a case through which the primer ignites the powder charge in a case.

• Foot-pound - A unit of kinetic energy equal to the effort required to raise one pound of weight to a height of one foot, against the normal pull of gravity.

• Freebore - The distance in the barrel, if any, which the bullet travels before it contacts the rifling. Some barrels are purposely relieved to allow the bullet considerable free movement before it strikes the rifling.

• Gas checks - A copper or brass cup which is used to protect the base of a cast lead alloy bullet from the effects of burning powder gases.

• Gliding metal - A copper-zinc alloy used for bullet jackets and gas checks.

• Grain - A unit of weight measure. 437.5 grains equal one ounce; 7000 grains equal one pound.

• Handloading - Another term for reloading.

• Hangfire - Slang term for any detectable delay in cartridge ignition.

• Head - The base of a cartridge case that contains the primer, rim, extracting grove, and headstamp.

• Headspace - The distance from the breech face to the part of the chamber which acts as a stop and prevents the cartridge from moving forward.

• Headstamp - Markings stamped into the head of a case indicating (in most cases) the manufacturer, caliber and name of the cartridge. On military cases codes are used to indicate manufacturer and date of manufacture.

• Heel - The outer edge of the bullet base.

• Hollow point - A bullet design which features an axial hole at the point. The purpose of the hole is to aid expansion on impact.

• Ignition - The action of setting the powder charge on fire.

• IMR - Abbreviation for "Improved Military Rifle."

• Jacket - The covering or "skin" of a bullet.

• Keyhole - The imprint of a bullet which struck sideways on a target rather than point first.

• Lands - The raised portion of the rifling.

• Loading density - Ratio of the volume of the powder charge to the volume of the case. The higher the better in terms of accuracy.

• Lube dent - A dent in the cartridge case caused by using too much lubricant when resizing.

• Lube pad - A pad, impregnated with lubricant, on which cases are rolled before resizing.

• Lubricant - Case sizing lubricant is used to reduce friction between the case and die during the resizing operation in reloading. Bullet lubricant is used to help minimize bore fouling when firing lead or lead alloy bullets.

• Mercuric primer - An obsolete primer in which the priming material contains mercury.

• Mid-range trajectory - Refers to the distance the bullet rises above the line of sight. Mid-range trajectory is calculated halfway between the muzzle and the target.

• Minute-of-angle - A unit of angular deviation equal to 1/60th of a degree. For practical purposes, it is usually approximated as equal to one inch at 100 yards.

• Misfire - The failure of a cartridge to fire after the firing pin strikes the primer.

• Muzzle - The front end of the barrel.

• Muzzle energy - See "Energy."

• Neck - The upper portion of a cartridge case that grips the bullet. In a bottlenecked case, that portion of the case in front of the shoulder.

• Neck-size - To resize only the neck portion of a case.

• Neck sizer die - A die used to resize only the neck portion of the fired case back to approximately its original dimensions.

• Non-corrosive - Usually refers to primers having a priming mixture which is free of corrosive compounds. Modern primers are non-corrosive.

• Ogive - Refers to the nose shape of the bullet. The radius of the curve of a bullet nose.

• Powder - The propellant used in most firearms. It produces a large volume of gas when ignited. There are two basic types; smokeless and black powder.

• Powder charge - The amount of powder loaded into a case.

• Powder funnel - A helpful accessory that facilitates transfer of powder from a scale pan or measure to a cartridge case.

• Powder measure - An adjustable volumetric measure that meters out uniform charges of powder.

• Powder & bullet scale - A device to weigh charges of powder. A beam scale is a scale where markers, called "poise", are moved along a weight graduated beam, as the pan is filled with powder, until the balance point is reached. An electronic device used to measure the weight of powder in grains or grams.

• Press - The tool which performs the major tasks of handloading.

• Pressure - The force exerted by a burning charge of a powder in the chamber of a firearm. Expressed normally in pounds per square inch.

• Primer - A small metal cap containing a detonating mixture used to ignite the powder charge in the case.

• Primer pocket - The cavity in the base of a cartridge into which the primer is seated.

• Primer pocket swaging - The "smoothing out" of the crimped primer pocket found in military cases.

• Priming - Installing a new primer into a case.

• Ram - The steel shaft running through the center of the press that holds the shell holder and drives the case into the die.

• Reloading press - The tool which performs the major tasks of handloading.

• Resize - To restore a fired case to approximately its original size.

• Resizing die - The reloading die that restores fired cases to designed dimensions and removes spent primers by means of a decapping pin.

• Rim - A flange on the head of a case which is engaged by the extractor to pull the case from the chamber.

• Rimfire - A cartridge containing the priming mixture within the case rim. Rimless cases are not considered reloadable.

• Round - A military term meaning one single cartridge.

• Round Nose (RN) - A bullet design which features a rounded nose.

• Sabot - a light-weight disposable plastic cup in which a sub-caliber projectile is centered to permit firing in a larger caliber barrel.

• Seating depth - The depth to which the base of a bullet is seated below the case mouth.

• Seating die - The reloading die that presses the bullet into the neck of the cartridge case, crimping the case if so desired.

• Sectional density - A bullet's weight, in pounds, divided by the square of it's diameter in inches.

• Shell holder - A device attached to the top of the ram which holds the head of the cartridge case as it is moved up and down, into and out of the die.

• Shoulder - The angled portion of a bottlenecked cartridge case between the case neck and body.

• Sizing die - See resizing die.

• Spent primer - A primer that has been fired.

• Swage - The forming of an object such as a bullet or primer pocket using pressure in a die instead of casting molten lead in a mould.

• Throat - That area of the bore immediately ahead of the chamber tapering to the point where rifling starts.

• Trajectory - The path of a projectile in flight relative to the line of sight.

• Trim-to-length - The length a cartridge case should be trimmed to after it has stretched past it's maximum case length.

• Turret press - A reloading press with a rotatable multi-station turret top for positioning dies and powder measure in their appropriate sequence.

• Twist - The angle of the rifling in relation to the axis of the bore measured by the length of barrel required to rotate the bullet one complete turn.

• Velocity - The speed at which a projectile travels. Usually measured in feet per second at a given range.

• Vernier caliper - A slide-type graduated instrument used to measure overall cartridge and case lengths precisely.

• Wadcutter (WC) - A bullet design which features a sharp shoulder. Designed to cut a clean round hole in a paper target.

• Web - That portion of a cartridge case between the bottom of the primer pocket and the interior of the case.

• Wildcat - A cartridge formed by altering an existing commercial case to make a style that is not available from commercial ammunition manufacturers.

• Work-harden - The increase in metal hardness due to repeated flexing or stress. See "Anneal."

• Yaw - The action of a projectile spinning erratically around it's own axis.

• Zero - The ranges at which a firearm will hit the point of aim.

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