Handloading
Handloading is the practice of making firearm cartridges by manually assembling the individual components, rather than purchasing mass-assembled, factory-loaded commercial ammunition. Handloading using previously fired cartridge cases or shotshells is called reloading. While the root "loading" refers to the filling of propellant, most of the actual handloading process involves the cartridge case and it's preparation, because unlike the propellant, primer and projectile, which are all single-use consumables, the case is the only reusable component and its shape, internal capacity and crimping tension are crucial factors influencing the internal ballistics of the cartridge.
The term handloading is the more technical term that refers generically to any manual assembly of ammunition cartridges, although reloading is often used interchangeably since handloading more often than not involves used cases, and the loading techniques are largely the same regardless whether the casing is brand new or reused. The only differences lie in the initial preparations — new cases are generally ready for loading straight out of the box, while previously fired ones often need additional preparation procedures such as removal of expended primers, case cleaning and/or burnishing/polishing, deburring, reshaping, and resizing. There are also other informal terms that describe specific situations of handloading, such as hot loading and underloading, the former often in "wildcat" experiments, and the latter often in the production of blanks and less-lethal cartridges with wax/rubber/plastic projectiles and can result in squib loads. Dummy rounds are also made via handloading techniques by completely skipping the propellant loading and primer installation.
Handloading is a popular practice among shooting sport enthusiasts, especially those involved in precision-focus benchrest or long-range shooting. It is an elite field of accurizing that involves tedious trial-and-error experiments with different combinations of specific projectile weight, propellant quantity, powder types/brands, and sometimes also seating depth. Each cartridge combination is then field-tested with a chosen firearm repeatedly to establish a reference database known as a data of previous engagement chart, and the load is further calibrated until a combination with the minimal variations in muzzle velocities and smallest shot groupings is determined. That cartridge load information is then kept in record to be readily reproduced in future handloading.
Advantages
Some consider handloading cartridges or shotshells a hobby, but reloading can save the shooter money, providing a greater quantity of higher quality ammunition within a given budget. However, hobbyists' enjoyment of the reloading process may be a significant benefit.Economy
Handloading ammunition avoids the labor costs of commercial production lines, reducing the expenditure to only the cost of purchasing components and equipment. Reloading may not be cost effective for occasional shooters, as it takes time to recoup the cost of needed equipment, but those who shoot more frequently will see cost-savings over time, as the brass cartridge cases and shotgun shell hulls, which are often the most expensive components, can be reused with proper maintenance.Improved ballistic performance
There are three aspects to ballistics: internal ballistics, external ballistics, and terminal ballistics. Internal ballistics refers to things that happen inside the firearm during and after firing, but before the bullet leaves the muzzle. The handloading process can realize increased accuracy and precision through improved consistency of manufacture, by selecting the optimal bullet weight and design, and tailoring bullet velocity to the purpose. Each cartridge reloaded can have each component carefully matched to the rest of the cartridges in the batch. Brass cases can be matched by volume, weight, and concentricity, bullets by weight and design, powder charges by weight, type, case filling, and packing scheme.Handloading is a fundamental prerequisite for success where the most extreme accuracy is demanded, such as in rifle benchrest shooting, but can only be done consistently accurately following load development to determine what cartridge components work best with a specific rifle.
Customized performance is a common goal of handloaders. Hunters may desire cartridges with specialized bullets with specific terminal performance. Target shooters often experiment extensively with component combinations in an effort to achieve the best and most consistent bullet trajectories, often using cartridge cases that have been fire formed in order to best fit the chamber of a specific firearm. Shotgun shooters can make specialty rounds unavailable through commercial inventories at any price. Some handloaders even customize cartridges and shotshells to reduce recoil for shooters who might otherwise avoid shooting sports because of the high recoil of certain firearms. Some handloaders make increased-power ammunition if higher muzzle velocities are desired.
More versatility over commercial ammunition
The equipment used to assemble the cartridge has an effect on its uniformity/consistency and optimal shape/size. Dies used to size the cartridges can be matched to the chamber of a given gun. Modern handloading equipment enables a firearm owner to tailor fresh ammunition to a specific firearm, and to precisely measured tolerances far improving the comparatively wide tolerances within which commercial ammunition manufacturers must operate.Recurring shortages of commercial ammunition are also reasons to reload cartridges and shotshells. Store-bought ammunition may be unavailable when commercial supplies are exhausted, but having the ability to reload one's own cartridges and shotshells allows continue shooting despite shortages.
Handloaders can also experiment with resizing and create newer-specification cartridges for which no commercial equivalent has ever existed — so-called wildcat cartridges, some of which can eventually acquire mainstream acceptance if the ballistic performance is proven to be good enough. Once the new cartridge has achieved widespread market adoption, handloading components can also be acquired at discounted prices when purchased in bulk. Examples of such cartridges include the.22-250, 6mm PPC, 7mm-08 and.260 Remington. Some cartridges initially purely designed for handloaded target shooting, such as the 6.5mm Creedmoor and the 6.5mm Grendel, have not only gained mainstream acceptance in the civilian market but also partial adoption by regular military.
Ammunition for special uses can also be loaded including; For new or recoil sensitive shooters, reduced pressure loads can be assembled. These loads allow for less flinch inducing recoil. Handoading also enables hunters to use the same rifle and caliber to hunt a greater diversity of game. For instance, in the same cartridge/rifle combination, using a light for caliber bullet for varmint and heavy for caliber for large game. Collectors of rare, antique and foreign-made firearms must often turn to handloading because the appropriate cartridges and shotshells are no longer commercially available.
Components
The following components are needed for handloading ammunition:- Cases or shotshells. Steel and aluminum cases do not have the correct qualities for reloading, so a brass case is essential. For shotshells, plastic or paper cases can be reloaded, though plastic is more durable.
- Propellant of an appropriate type. Generally, handgun cartridges and shotshells use faster-burning propellants, and rifle cartridges use slower-burning powder. The powder is generally the nitrocellulose-based smokeless powder in modern cartridges, although on occasion the older black powder or "gunpowder" may be used.
- Projectiles, such as bullets for handguns and rifles, or shots or slugs for shotguns.
- Primers, most commonly a Boxer-type centerfire primer.
Equipment
Inexpensive "tong" tools have been used for reloading since the mid-19th century. They resemble a large pair of pliers and can be caliber-specific or have interchangeable dies. However, modern handloading equipment can be sophisticated tools that emphasize precision and reliability. There are also a myriad of various measuring tools and accessory products on the market for use in conjunction with handloading.Presses
The quintessential handloading equipment is the press, which uses compound leverage to push the cases into a die that performs the loading operations. Presses vary from simple, inexpensive single-stage models, to complex "progressive" models that can perform multiple operations with each pull of the lever, like an assembly line, at rates exceeding 500 rounds per hour.Loading presses are often categorized by the letter of the English alphabet that they most resemble in shape: "O", "C", and "H". The sturdiest presses, suitable for bullet swaging functions as well as for normal reloading die usage, are of the "O" type, which has a frame that completely encloses the die mechanism. The "C" frame, usually a less sturdy press, is suitable for most handloading operations other than bullet swaging. Iron, steel and aluminum construction are seen with all presses. Some users prefer "C" style presses over "O" presses, as access to the operational area is much more open. Shotshell style presses, intended for non-batch use, for which each shotshell or cartridge is cycled through the dies before commencing onto the next shotshell or cartridge to be reloaded, commonly resemble the letter "H".
Single-stage press, generally of the "O" or "C" type, is the simplest of press designs. These presses can only hold one die and perform a single procedure on a single case at any time. Each operation, resize, deprime, bullet seating, bullet crimping, etc., requires the user to change the dies or setup. When using a single-stage press, cases are loaded in batches, one step for each cartridge per batch at a time. The batch sizes are usually kept small, usually 100 cases or less at a time. Single-stage presses are commonly used for high-precision rifle cartridge handloading, but may be used for almost any reloading operation. Single stage presses are also popular for load development prior to producing large numbers of cartridges on a progressive press.
Turret presses, most commonly of the "C" type, are similar to a single-stage press, but have a mounting disc that indexes at each die position. This allows multiple dies to be mounted to the machine and quickly rotated into position. Batch operations are performed similar to a single-stage press, different procedures can be performed by simply rotating the turret to place the appropriate die into position. Although turret presses operate much like single-stage presses, they eliminate much of the setup time required by removing and installing individual dies. There are also automatic indexing turret presses which rotate the turret one position with each pull of the handle. These presses allow the user to quickly change caliber by swapping die heads and produce one complete round with 3-6 pulls of the handle.
Progressive presses are far more complex in design and operation and initial setup usually takes longer. However, the benefit is increased output. Progressives can handle several cases at once. These presses have a rotating shell holder/plate that indexes at each individual station with each pull of the lever. Progressives can hold 3 or more dies in interchangeable toolhead assemblies. The toolhead assembly allows the user to quickly change calibers with minimal readjustment of the dies. The dies, and sometimes loading modules, are mounted to be in alignment with the corresponding index position on the shell holder/plate. Progressives can have 4 or more stations, extra stations allow for the addition of optional equipment such as a powder level checkers. Progressive presses can load hundreds of cartridges an hour with their streamlined efficiency. All the user has to do is pull the lever to produce one finished round per stroke.