Gunsmith Handloading

There are several good reasons why a gunsmith should consider adding ammunition reloading, not so much as a revenue generating activity but as a customer service. I have had several occasions where tailoring a load to a customer’s specific needs created a lasting relationship with that customer. One example was assembling a special order of 9mm. If you decide to enter this service arena, it is not advisable to just clamp a reloading press to your workbench and start cranking out shells.

That is what this article is about—experiencebased considerations for how and where to set up a reloading space in your current shop. I think you will be surprised at how little the cost can be to add this activity to your business. There are three factors to consider when committing to the activity in your shop: legality, practicality, and safety. The three are tightly interwoven, as you will see in this article. Many matches were shot using loads from this workstation.

The red coated bullets area new polymer coated lead bullet. Inexpensive and less prone to leading the bore. Legal Stuff This safety discussion is a summary to the article. While there are basically no restrictions on reloading for yourself, reloading for others requires an FFL license for ammunition manufacturing, non-destructive. It is a Type 6 license and costs $30 for three years.

The application procedure is essentially the same as the process for your Type 1 license, the difference being a Fire Marshal is part of the process. The Fire Marshal will want to know how much powder you have on hand, how it is stored, and how it is secured. This is a major concern when you work from home in a residential area. It is still a factor in an urban or rural area. More on that later. Workspace The inspiration for this article comes from building a reloading station in my new shop.

At my old residence, I did not really have a shop and all spaces were shared with other garage-type activities. In that environment, my reloading station was a metal cart with tiny wheels that usually jammed up when I tried to move it. I was constantly banging my knees on the doors and had to move back from the work surface to have room to reach into the storage underneath. Naturally, I had to move the press to open the right-hand cart door.

Still, a single-stage O-press mounted to the cart enabled me to load thousands of rounds over 42 years. I finally wore out the bearing on the ram of the press. I could store everything except powder in the cart and set up wherever convenient. My initial investment for a Lee Challenger starter kit was less than $200 dollars in 1981, and surprisingly, you can buy almost the same starter kit for about the

same amount of money today. Like any good set of tools, purchased wisely, sometimes even purchased used, you can expand your service capacity to your customers with a respectable return on investment. I find reloading to be a relaxing change of pace and it is hard to put a price on that. Do not bolt a press to your main workbench. The last thing you want is random primers or flakes of powder to hide on the bench where they can get into trouble.

It is my experience that you do not need a huge amount of space for reloading so it makes sense to set up a limited but dedicated space. For the new shop, I wanted a more permanent and comfortable station than my original cart. Another consideration for a dedicated space had to do with work style. While I do a lot of my gunsmithing standing up and You can pack a lot of activity in a well-lit and ventilated 3’x3’ space. Note the covered scale on the left side of the bench.

Take good care of your scale to keep it accurate. many shop work surfaces are set accordingly, I reload sitting down. So, I wanted my bench height set lower than normal. In this case, I glued and screwed two sections of 3/4" plywood together to form the benchtop and mounted them on top of two wooden two-drawer file cabinets purchased for $25 at a garage sale. The bench top has sufficient overhang in the front to allow the press to move freely and for me to have room to slide my knees under while working.

I added a shelf to the back to assist in organizing materials. Since the drawers of the file cabinets were largely sprung, I pulled all but one out and replaced with shelves for various reloading related tools and reference books. The remaining drawer keeps my collected articles on reloading and shooting in general. You will not find carpet or fabric surfaces anywhere around my reloading bench. The floor is easily-swept epoxy-coated concrete and all surfaces are easily cleaned.

Flakes of powder and light machine oil trapped in carpet is a recipe for disaster. Since my old O-press was worn out, I upgraded to an RCBS turret press. I could have gone to a progressive press, in fact I used to have one, but I never do more than 200 rounds at a time for a customer.

There is no magic in Not only is it environmentally good to repurpose them, they stack well in tight spaces for more efficient use of room. the 200 number, it was just what I could comfortably turn out using a simple single stage O-press. Progressive presses are designed for high volume production. Small job lots and frequently changing calibers on a progressive press is both expensive and time consuming. To change calibers, you have to swap out tool heads and bases.

If you just load for yourself, the cost is less than if you load for a variety of cartridges with differing loads for different customers. I unloaded the progressive press (excuse the pun) and reconsidered my alternatives. Whatever press is chosen, the rest of the reloading equipment still serves. The turret press design turned out to better fit my needs and costs a lot less to own and operate. Being able to mount all the dies at one time saved considerable time on reloading projects.

One major plus is that reloading dies are standardized and any manufacturer’s dies, used or new, fit most modern presses. I have Pacific Tool dies my father had 70 years ago that fit my new turret press along with my Lee, RCBS, and Lyman dies. You can acquire different caliber dies for reloading as you need them or if you see some at a sale. I’ve picked up dies for as little as fifteen dollars. Three points about my setup.

The yellow butter tubs are cheap, we have a lot of them around the house, they are sturdy, stackable, and I can sort brass in them by caliber, polished, unpolished, primed, and unprimed. The Nestle’s Quick containers are great for storing bullets by caliber, weight, cast, and jacketed. My primer tubes are in a gimme cup at the back of the bench and they stay there—I do not ever use them. I prime cases either one at a time on the press or by using a

Lee priming tool. I have had a couple of service warnings in the last year or so that the new primers are so sensitive that there have been multiple instances where primers have ignited in the primer tube and set off chain reactions resulting in injuries. You purchase primers in packages that are designed to keep them separate and less prone to set each other off. Stacking them top to bottom in reloading tubes is just a bad idea.

You can buy primer trays that allow you to open packages and place primers in the trays when actually engaged in loading. According to recent safety bulletins, they area hazard given the sensitivity of today’s primers. It is best to use approved primer storage packages and load one at a time in your press use or a specially designed Lee Priming Tool. I repurposed old file cabinets to support my benchtop. You could achieve the same result with old kitchen or bathroom cabinets.

You could also use a solid piece of countertop for the benchtop. I did the doubled plywood for the extra weight and solidity, and for the ability to provide a little extra depth to the worktop for the storage in the back. At the same time, this setup could be torn down and moved very easily. Placement should depend on the availability of plenty of light, excellent ventilation, and absence of breezes from ceiling fans or air handlers.

Powder Storage I found an old set of school lockers with particle board sides and solid doors. Sides and tops are stapled together. This is compliant with the Fire Marshal requirements for storing powder if you have more than 50 pounds. You are to store primers and powder separately. If you have more than 50 pounds of powder on hand, you must store it in a wooden box that is lockable, and is either nailed or stapled together.

The box cannot be assembled using glue or screws and the powder must be stored in its original containers. With two stacked lockers, I keep powder in one and primers in the other. Since I never have as much as 100 pounds, I do not have to install a sprinkler system. Gunpowder burns, not explodes. Its power is derived from compressing the burning powder and the resulting gasses to a specific pressure point and then providing a release behind the bullet.

Gunpowder containers are designed to burst apart before any pressure can build, and a stapled together wooden container will burst apart rather than contain the pressure. If you have more than 100 pounds of powder, you need to install a sprinkler system. Since my shop is not geared for high volume production, I never have that much powder on hand. While I continued my low-buck approach you could achieve the same purpose with a set of kitchen cabinets from a builder’s salvage store.

My focus is functional while maintaining Fire Marshal compliance. The lockers shown here take very little space next to my reloading bench. It may seem silly to place a lock on a container that will fall apart with very little effort, but the main purpose is to deter casual handling and provide proof of securing the powder in case of a break in. Never store powder in a safe. In afire, the powder will eventually cook off in the heat and then you have a bomb.

By the way, for the same reason, never store ammunition with your firearms in the safe. It is better to store ammunition in a locked cabinet. Reloading can be complicated but for 99% of your customers, it won’t be. The exceptions will be for exotic or antique firearms and for precision shooters. For the average shooter, either plinking or hunting, reloading is like following a recipe and there are cookbooks galore. Virtually every bullet and powder maker publishes a reloading manual.

I have had very good luck with the Hodgdon and Speer reloading manuals, however, they are limited to products allied to their companies. Generally, neither covers cast bullets. Given the recent shortages, I have had to be more flexible and now rely on the Lyman

Reloading Annual and the Lee Reloading Manuals. Get them both and read them before you start loading. They publish the most comprehensive load data for each caliber. I keep a couple of golden oldies around for the times when a customer wants me to repair an older firearm and replicate a load from when it was new. The older manuals give me an idea about the intended purposes for loads in a specific firearm. As an example, I have a Ruger Super Blackhawk I use for Large Bore Silhouette.

Back when the pistol was new, Sierra Bullets used that pistol to test loads for the 44 Magnum and the folks at Sierra were delighted to share their experiences with me. On another occasion I was looking for a light bullet load for my Gold Cup National Match. Sierra shared the load data for their match bullet and shared the interesting fact that the 185 grain Jacketed Hollow Point shot just as well and was less expensive.

I still shoot that load in matches and load it for my customers who want an accurate, easy shooting load. Although this is not a tutorial on reloading, I want to mention the most commonly repeated safety tip across all reloading manuals: Never The Hodgdon/IMR/Winchester Basic Reloading Manual and others like it are free and contain extensive load data supported by their products.

Lyman and Lee manuals contain valuable reloading tutorials for the equipment they make and provide more comprehensive load data for a large assortment of powders, primers, cases, and bullets. exceed the powder charge listed in any maximum load regardless of the customer’s desires. My Lyman scale has been an invaluable tool in measuring safe loads. Keep it in a level space free of vibration or air currents that can impact its accuracy.

In fact, it is a good, safe practice to start two grains lighter and slowly work up to the maximum load looking for signs of maximum pressure in that particular firearm. Whatever you do, do not mix old and new powders of the same kind. In the last few years, powder manufacturers have been changing the recipe for the powders.

Many extruded powders have been modified to meter more accurately in volume measuring tools, and binders have been changed to reduce possible exposure to carcinogenic elements in the powder design. I compared an old can of IMR3031 with anew can and the powder did not even look the same. The variation was greater than you would expect for different lot numbers. I set the old can back for some loads I wanted for my T/C chambered in 30-30 Winchester and used the new can Keep loads conservative for your customers.

Scales are precision instruments so take care to keep them clean, mounted in a level space free of vibration, and away from stray air currents. for a customer’s loads. I will not tell you to throw away old powder, but do not mix with new, even of the same type and manufacturer. I load and shoot a lot of cast bullets. I have several molds, sometimes more than one mold for a specific diameter bullet, such as three different bullet designs for .44 and .45 caliber bullets.

Sometimes when working on an old rifle or pistol with a worn bore, you can cast and slug a bullet to the specific bore and turn a firearm with the accuracy of a garden hose into a respectable shooter. Since mine is a rural business, I get a lot of old firearms to work on, so it makes sense for me. Like reloading starter kits, there are bullet casting starter kits for less than $200. Casting molds are not expensive either. Like reloading dies, you can pick up different caliber molds as you need them.

My Lyman Big Dipper furnace is from a starter kit. My reloading workbench is very supportive of bullet casting activities, the chief requirement being lots of ventilation. In the summertime, I have an old countertop that I can set on sawhorses just outside the shop door and cast there. When casting bullets, I recommend long sleeves, non-synthetic fibers in your clothing, a good set of gloves, and safety glasses. I keep an apron handy to wear when casting bullets.

If you want to learn about bullet casting from a master, Mike Venturino is the best published author on the topic that I know of. Also, Lyman is a strong supporter and supplier of bullet casting furnaces and casting tools. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition is my primary resource and you will find several Venturino articles reprinted therein. The 3rd edition of that Handbook is available online, but it does not cover newer powders, especially the new black powder alternatives.

On the other hand, it has some interesting reference material by other authors.

If your powder and primers are safely stored, casting can share the same well-ventilated workspace as reloading. I use lead alloy wheel weights for most of my casting. Most cast bullets are not pure lead. The Lyman handbook discusses lead sources and the appropriate alloys for bullet casting. I have about 200 pounds of wheel weight lead from a friendly garage and that is my primary resource for the time being.

Conclusion and Safety The purpose of this article was not to sell you on how great reloading and bullet casting can be as a marksman’s activity, how to reload, or to cover specific loads. The purpose was to present lessons learned arranging reloading activities in a busy gunsmith’s shop space, and introduce the service aspect for customers. Honestly, it has not been a great money-making activity as much as a relationship building activity.

I’ve learned that sometimes a firearm’s problem isn’t parts so much as it is ammunition. Building special loads extends the useful life of a firearm and scope of its use. For many shooters who maybe shoot twenty rounds a year hunting, some loads tailored to their favorite firearm’s needs would be much cheaper than anew barrel or anew rifle altogether.

I have covered the legal and paragraphs of practical aspects of reloading and will summarize the safety aspects to consider for setting up your workshop for turning empty cases to finished loads for your customer. Reloading activities should be conducted in a dedicated space as powder flakes and live primers do not play well near sparks, heat, or friction. Reloading spaces should be well lit, well ventilated, and free from fans and heating systems blowing directly on such tools as sensitive scales.

Reloading workspaces should be free of carpet or fabric surfaces that can trap powder flakes or primers. Powder and primers should be stored separate from The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is a handy resource for bullet casting, and reloading cast bullets from other suppliers. each other, and away from live ammunition. Powder should be stored in the original containers designed to burst if exposed to heat.

Fifty pounds or more of powder should be stored in a lockable wooden enclosure that is not screwed or glued together. Primers should be stored in their original containers. Do not use primer tubes on presses as there is no way to prevent a chain reaction if a sensitive primer detonates. Never exceed the powder charge listed in any maximum load regardless of the customer’s desires. Do not mix old and new powders, even of the same brand and number.

Keep your scale in a level space free of vibration or air currents that can impact its accuracy. If casting bullets, do so in a well-ventilated area and perhaps wear a mask. When casting bullets, wear long sleeves, non-synthetic fibers in your clothing, a good set of gloves, and safety glasses. Consider keeping an apron handy to wear when casting bullets. As a gunsmith, reloading is away to provide additional services to your customers, services that encourage them to shoot more and keep them coming back to you.

The shop space required is not large as you are not engaging in commercial volume production and the financial outlay is small, certainly less than the cost of anew upright drill press or lathe. Since you can add caliber capability as you need them, the cost is spread over time, and as with any quality tool, good for a lifetime. Perhaps more importantly, learning about reloading and ballistics will give you further insight into the design, function, and repair of firearms. AG