How to Reload Rifle Ammo

Load your own rifle ammo.

Knowing how to reload your own rifle ammunition will help reduce the cost of bought ammunition but most hand-loaders learn the technique to improve their accuracy. They also fine-tune loads according to their preferences and hunting style. With the right equipment, you can easily load a few rounds of various bullet and powder combos to decide which work best. There are several ways to master hand-loading techniques.

Things You'll Need

• Rifle
• Soft cloth
• Bullet cases
• Lubricant
• Primer
• Shell holder
• Case neck brush
• Gunpowder

Instructions

1. Use a soft cloth to clean your bullet cases by wiping any hint of dirt that may scratch your equipment. Check the case for split case mouths or case head separations and excessive bulges. Throw away any defective cases.

2. Spread lubricant on your lube pad and lubricate the entire body of your case with its neck brush. Insert the case with the press handle, maintaining its uppermost position. Slide the case into the shell holder all the way into its sizer die. This will resize your case to the right dimension and push its fired primer out. Raise the press handle to deprime the case.

3. Get a fresh primer and place it into the cup of your primer arm with its anvil side up. Insert your case in the shell holder and slowly lower the handle. Push the primer arm into the slot of the shell holder ram. Raise the press handle to lower the case out of the die and onto the fresh primer. Lower the press handle to finally release the primer arm and push it all the way back up. See that the primer remains seated.

4. Put the powder into the case with your powder funnel.

5. Place the case back into the shell holder and lower the rifle’s press handle. Unscrew the seater plug by turning it counter-clockwise with your fingers, enough to prevent the bullet from being too deeply seated. Insert a primed case into the rifle’s shell holder while maintaining its uppermost position. Take the bullet and use one hand to hold it over the mouth of the case.

6. Raise the press handle to check the depth of the bullet’s seating and make the necessary adjustments. Tighten the small seater lock rick to ready the rifle for firing.

References

• You Tube: Reloading Rifle Ammunition – Step by Step
• IMR Legendary Powers: Handloader’s Guide for Smokeless Powders