7 Easy Steps For How to Reload Your Own Ammo! [Safely and Efficiently]

Reloading your own ammunition is all the rage these days! There used to be a time when people had to buy new sets of ammunition any time they ran out. Needless to say, the cost of buying new rounds quickly adds up, and before you know it, you burn a big hole clean through your wallet.

Well, information these days are a lot easier to gather. And if you want to learn how to reload your own ammo, now is a great time to start. Handload ammo is an age-old art perfected by seasoned hunters and gun nuts. And with some practice, you too can learn how to do it the right way.

But where do you start? Of course, things can seem pretty complicated at first. There are a lot of bases to cover here, after all. But that’s what I am here for!

In this article, I will give you a thorough guideline on how to reload your own ammo so that you won’t have to overspend on new rounds of ammunition every few weeks. So let’s get started.

How to Reload Your Own Ammo : The Complete Reloading Guide!

As many reloaders might already know, reloading a brass casing for a pistol or rifle is slightly different from reloading a shotgun shell. Don’t worry; I will cover both processes to give you a clear and concise idea about the intricacies of reloading.

However, I will not go over every single detail, like what a primer is and whatnot. For that, you have to do your own research. You can, of course, check out my blog, which is teeming with enough information on all these elements.

With that said, let’s tackle the reloading process for both brass casings and shotgun shells.

How to Reload Brass Casings

For the first part, I want to talk about brass casings that you can use in most pistols and handguns.

01. Cleaning the Casings

Start with a thorough checkup of your brass cases. You need to look for defects and need to eliminate any case that has excessive cracks or dents. In addition, if the cases have deformed primers, toss them out. Once you have filtered out the unusable cases, you need to clean them.

You can clean them by rubbing the inside of each case with a soft, moist rag. This will get rid of any leftover powder or dirt. Then use a case neck brush to clean the insides more thoroughly. You can also use a tumbler if you have one. After cleaning the cases, lubricate them using a case lubricant.

02. Assembling Reloading Supplies

Once your cases are cleaned, take a second look at your reloading supplies. In my experience, it is best to double-check if you have everything before you get started than having to stop midway looking for something that you forgot to bring to the workbench. Here is a quick checklist of the things you need–

The rest of the gears, such as your reloading press and dies should already be on your workbench.

03. Decapping and Resizing

The next order of business is to remove the spent primers from the brass. To do that:

• Insert a case into the loading press.
• Lower the handle of the press, which should resize the case and push the old primer out.
• Raise the handle back to its original position and remove the case.
• Place it in the loading tray.

You need to repeat this step for each case you want to reload. Some presses can decap multiple cases at once, but if you are using a single-stage reloader, this step can take a while. But it is an essential step nonetheless, and you need to resize each case before you can move on to the next step.

04. Inserting New Primer

Raise the handle in your reloading press to its highest position and set the new primer into the cup of the arm. Then place a decapped case into the shell holder and push the primer into the ram slot. After that, lower the case onto the primer.

At this point, you should remove the casing and inspect the primer. If everything goes perfectly, the primer should be flush with the base of the case.

05. Using the Correct Powder Amount

With the casing primed, now comes the time to add the powder charge. Now, the trouble is the weight and amount of powder can vary wildly depending on the size of the shell. So I would advise using a reloading handbook to help you out here. Make sure the manual is up-to-date on all the current load data.

After consulting the reloading manual and getting all the information you need, weigh out the current powder amount. Personally, I use a volumetric powder measure for the job, but you can use a regular powder scale. Then pour the powder into the case using a funnel.

06. Seating the Bullet

Next, you want to crimp and seat the bullet. Here again, a reloading manual will come in handy as the process can vary depending on bullet type and caliber. Generally speaking, you need to put a case in the shell holder and lower the press handle to crimp the casing while securing it along the lock ring.

Now, hold a bullet over the case opening with one hand. With your other hand, lower the press handle. You might also need to adjust the seater if the bullet needs deeper seating.

07. Post-Reload Task

At this point, your job is almost complete. However, I would recommend cleaning up the reloading press and your workbench properly before calling it a day. Residual powder and oil can damage your equipment and if you want them to last, make sure you keep your workspace clean.

Once your bullets are made and ready, store them in an ammo cartridge box. Then securely place them in a safety box to keep them out of anyone’s reach.

How to Reload Shotgun Shells

While the basic principle is the same, reloading shotgun shells is quite different from a brass reload. Let me give you a quick rundown of the process.

01. Assemble Reloading Supplies

The first thing you have to do is gather the supplies for reloading shot shell ammo. Thankfully, the materials are a lot less complicated compared to brass cases. Here are the things that you need for the job:

• Empty, usable hulls
• Gauge-specific plastic wadding
• Appropriate shot
• Shotshell powder
• Primers

02. Gather Usable Hulls

When it comes to shotgun shells, typically, the plastic shell is the only reusable part. After firing a round, the plastic shell is ejected from the shotgun. By checking the mouth of the used shell, you have to figure out if the shell is usable for reloading. If the mouth is relatively rounded and uniform, you can use it.

I like to hold the hulls up against the light and inspect the mouth for any damage or wearing. If the condition is relatively good, you are good to go. However, if the shell is too worn out, you won’t be able to crimp it back, which will lead to faulty performance.

Don’t try to reuse shells that you stepped on accidentally or covered in mud. Typically, shells that are used in break-open shotguns are the best choice for reloading since you can remove the empty shells from the gun after firing a round.

03. Deprime the Shells

The next step is relatively easy and should go without any hiccups. Simply fit the empty shell into the proper slot of your reloading press. Then, by pulling the lever, the uncapping pin in the press will take the spent cap out of the empty shell. It will also resize the casings according to the case length set in the reloader.

Don’t worry if the shell got warped or bent during transport. This step should round up the shape of the shell.

04. Consult a Reloading Manual

Before you go further, I would recommend getting your reloading manual. And if you don’t have one, now is a good time to go out and buy one. Personally, I use the Alliant Guide, but there are plenty of other great options out there from different manufacturers.

With a reloading manual, you will get a clearer picture of powder weights, primers, shot types, etc., for different types of shells. For those who want to learn to reload the right way, a reloading manual is essential.

05. Load the Powder and Primer

The next step is to load the shell with proper powder charge and primer. Since each reloading press is slightly different, you should read through its instruction manual before you begin the next step.

I typically use Red Dot shotshell powder in reloading. The amount of powder, of course, varies depending on shell size. For example, when I am making 12 gauge shells, I usually go with 16 to 25 grains of powder.

Usually, reloading presses come with a rotating plate that is designed to queue each necessary component. The purpose of this design is to let you work quickly and smoothly. All you have to do is rotate the plate, pull the handle, rotate it again, and repeat. The faster you can do it, the faster the press will work.

06. Seat the Wadding and Shot

After loading the primer, rotate the plate. By using the lever, insert the plastic wadding and the proper amount of shot in your shotgun shell.

Now, there are a lot of options in this step. You need to think about how much you want to use and the shot size you need for your requirements. In most cases, 12 gauge shells are made with size 7.5, 8, or 8 shots. If you don’t know what that means – the smaller the shot size number, the larger the size of the lead balls in the shot.

In shooting sports, 8 or 9 size shot is considered better. However, for hunting or similar purposes, a size 7.5 shot would be the better choice.

07. Crimp the Shell

With that out of the way, rotate the press again. This should crimp the mouth of the shell closed, making it ready for use. Store your completed shells in proper shotshell trays. You can buy them easily from any gun store or sporting goods outlet.

If you decide to experiment with the shells and alter the shot size or powder charge in any way, make sure to write that down on the box. This will help you keep track of your inventory at all times.

Final Thoughts

That’s about all there is to it. And if you could follow along with my guide, you should have little trouble reloading your own ammo in the future. I know it may seem a bit too complicated for a beginner at first, but over time, it does get easier. A reloading manual can make things go much smoother if you are struggling.

I hope my complete guideline on how to reload your own ammo could help you take things one step at a time and learn the ropes without being too overwhelming for you. Good luck!