It is nice having you home Jerry, just because it means more videos. Reloading is one of my favorite subjects and we all know that when it comes down to gunsmith, shooting and reload you are one of the most knowledgeable persons there are. If this turns into a reloading series then IT IS GREAT!!
@Cozmo Doesn't matter WHICH machine you get, as long as you are willing to make it work, they ALL have issues, people will tell you to buy Dillon or Hornady or Lee or MEC or something else, and they are ALL ok machines. I personally have had Lee turret presses, Lee and RCBS single stage presses, a Dillon 650, and I've used the Hornady LNL and Lee progressives. They all get the job done, I LIKE my Dillon progressive, but I spent extra money on upgrades (low mass detent ball, roller bearing cams, spent and live primer upgrades...), if you get a LNL or Lee 1000, you'll find "fixes" to make them all better. So, look at the options, price them out, and MOST IMPORTANT, see what people you know are running, if you have a Dillon using buddy in your town, I highly suggest going with a Dillon... if your buddy uses Lee, then consider Lee, because they know the machine and can help you. If you're just starting, get a single stage, even if you intend to load 1000 pistol rounds at a time eventually, starting on a single stage lets you get used to the process and precision, and when you upgrade to a progressive eventually, you'll still have a use for the single stage (I have a Rockchucker from RCBS that I love, but any similar press will work just as well).
3020 AD: Geologists discover the largest lead and zinc and copper deposits deep within the crust of the earth just east of Shreveport. It is beleived that centuries of pressure and heat caused adjacent veins of copper and zinc to alloy into cylindrical veins of brass. This will be known as the Louisiana mineral belt, the largest deposit of metals in the world.
I love when he said "I've reloaded about a million, million and a half rounds." I'm still trying to figure out how to budget buying enough ammo to go shot at the range for an hour.
Kevin Tiemann it’s a dame shame for the average man shooting over 1 million rounds would be out of his reach. Don’t mean is desire isn’t on the same level is Jerry’s but Jerry has BIG corporate sponsorships behind him. Let’s not forget that..
This is how I see it. Especially with cast bullets. I can't understand why people buy factory ammunition for handguns when a cast bullet can be driven to full power at 1/4 the price of a factory round.
@@DaveSmith-cp5kj the answer is time. I personally only reload certain calibers (.454 casull, and .300WM mostly) that are either expensive, or for a specific gun. I built a .300wm gun for long range shooting, and I have one hand load that is tailored to that rifle. Stuff like 9mm I can’t justify the time spent to load 1,000 rounds instead of just spending the $200 (obviously during the ammo crisis right now it’s a different story)
@@Johnny2Gats It takes a maximum of 2 hours to load 1,000 rounds (typically only 1 hour when your progressive press is dialed in). Unless you are paid $100 per hour, it is absolutely worth it. Plus even if you do make more money, it is worth your money to buy components rather than factory ammo. You can store more ammunition in component form than loaded for the same amount of money, and this means that during an ammo shortage like right now, you can still afford to shoot cheaply because all you have to do is tap into your stockpile and assemble the ammunition
@@Johnny2Gats I reload 9mm on a progressive press but not mainly for price but for accuracy and quality, the group size is reduced by half with my reloads compared to decent quality 9mm fmj like Magtech, Geco or Sellier Bellot. Where it really is worth it is the .45, there is no major manufacturer offering SWC bullets (except Magtech but those are 230grs and have to much pressure and velocity). On a dillon press I can make 500 cartridges of mild 200grs SWC .45 ACP, I cannot see myself shooting factory 45 anymore, they are all subpar in comparison to what I can make myself.
I'm in the middle of loading 2000 rounds of 223 on a single stage press... this video is going to be nice to listen to in the middle of a 30+hour adventure
@@ironmonkey1512 I bought a dillion super swage 600, worth it's weight in gold. RCBS makes a swager that goes on your press as well. Good thing we only have to do it once!
@@ironmonkey1512 honestly, the crimped primer pockets are the most frustrating, I have a primer pocket reamer chucked up to a drill cause I have bought a swager yet... might be purchasing one soon, taking a break for now, 500 to go, should be done by tonight
@@jeffwelty980 what do you do about reloading data? I've noticed every reloading book I have will have data for one brand of powder (as they're usually published by the powder manufacture), with a couple brands of bullets, and a couple weight/bullet type/bullet profiles. I can never find the combination of primer, case, powder, and bullet that I have. More importantly, I can't ever find the right bullet and powder combination. Each bullet manufacturer makes a few different weights, a dozen different bullet profiles, and a dozen different bullet types, for a particular caliber. That makes for dozens of different individual projectiles. All with different length projectiles, that affects the OAL of the cartridge, that affects the internal volume, that affects the amount of powder that goes in the case.
Yeah... Thought I was "on it" with: 1 1/2 buckets of .40 S&W 1 bucket of 300 BLK. 1 Bucket of .308 3/4 bucket of .223 3/4 bucket of .45acp 2/3 bucket of 9mm All while trying to keep between 500-1000 rounds of each loaded for personal training use... But Jerry has me feeling like a rookie.
@@bluefalconssuck5881 The way to get a lot of brass is to get it from a local range or ideally your local LE range. Most departments will not allow their officers to handload practice ammo as they need to follow the warranty to get necessary armoring services. Many will either give you the brass or sell it quite cheaply. You can get an entire trash can of brass each month. Many of the companies selling brass get their brass this way. If you can get military brass that is the jackpot, but often military ranges won't sell to you unless national guard uses public ranges, or you are registered business.
@@HillCityHydro used rockchucker is great start and can be used in the future. I'm up to my Dillon 550 but my rockchucker is still sizing the bullets I cast.
@@HillCityHydro maybe look into a single stage Lee Challenger Kit (around $125 ?) ... u can be up and reloading with a few other purchases such as calipers, tumbler, dies
Had a friend much older than me introduced me to reloading when I was a young boy. It's been a great addition to shooting and has saved a lot of money over the years. Just made wet tumbler and they are amazing like you said much less dust and mess. Thanks Mr. Jerry for all the great videos and years of wisdom. Stay safe bud.
It never even occurred to me that you've been doing your own reloading. You're moving more brass in a year than many small manufacturers! I enjoy the content - thanks for all the work in putting it together for us.
Anyone else get that memory of Olivanders from Harry Potter (the store with the wands) when looking at that shelf of ammo behind jerry. Harry potter gets his first ar-15 lol.
LOVE IT!! This is my 1st time watching Jerry’s UA-cam channel. I laughed the first few seconds looking at the shelves in the background. This is EXACTLY how I pictured his reloading shop (in a good way!) The man luvvvvs to shoot! Reminds me of my dad! Thanks for these videos, Jerry!
I've been advocating for reloading for years. Especially the last few as ammo has been hard to get off and on. Next step is casting. You can shoot 9mm/45 as cheap or cheaper than 22 LR if you cast. You clean the brass so as not to scratch your reloading dies. A teaspoon or two of Mineral Spirits in walnut media keeps the dust down and helps clean the cases rather than buying case cleaner. By the way....I started reloading in 1963 with a $10 Lee Handloader.
@@alexanderluster402 The powder costs about one or two cents.The primer costs a little over three. The bullet costs a little less than ten cents. If you cast and eliminate the less than ten cents, you save quite a bit. I don't cast and as far as I am concerned I have never had more money thought about my savings. I don't really save when I reload. I just shoot more.
Let me state at the beginning that I have been reloading for 57 years and casting for 48 yrs. You get the savings from the start. This assumes you have reloading and casting equipment. I have all the expensive equipment but put together a cheap outfit for when I was working on the road so as not to worry about theft. Second hand reloader/scale/powder measure - $20, 9mm/45 molds $5 ea, hot plate, cast iron pot $5. Half the fun was seeing how cheap I could do it. On the other end, I have five figures worth of bullet swage equipment and 240 bullet molds. You don't need that if you just want to shoot a lot cheaply. As I stated earlier, if you cast and reload, the cost will be around the price of .22LR ammo or less. And, I know you can get real deals sometimes on 22, however, you can do the same with primers and powder. I won’t give specific recipes as you can look them up for the various powders that can be used for 9mm/380, 45ACP. Depending on what you have on hand or available in the store, loads will generally run 3.3 to 5 grs. I’m not going for maximum loads here, just shooting fodder. Do your research. Lead is free if you want to search. Wheel Weights are about perfect for handgun although the composition of the alloy has changed a little over the years. It lends itself to heat treating for a higher Brinell hardness and higher velocities. It’s just fine as is for the 9mm/380, 45ACP. Cases are free. Save what you shoot or pick up on the range. So, it boils down to powder and primers. Primers retail will be around $3.50 per box or .035 cents each. You can save on that at gun shows or buying in bulk. Powder will vary but run around $25 per pound. 1 lb. = 7000 gr @ $25 divided by 3.5grs = 2000 rds. = .0125 cents per round + .035 primer = .0475 divided by 4grs = 1750 rds. = .014 cents per round + .035 primer = .049 divided by 5grs = 1400 rds. = .018 cents per round + .035 primer = .053 You can get those down a lot cheaper per round if you work at it. 22LR ammo will run you about .04 - .05 cents per round.
@@jimv.661 It's a good argument, but you should use another round for comparison; if you bargain hunt it's literally impossible to match the price of 22LR. You can buy 36g HP for 2.5c/rnd per case of 5k, and that simply cannot be beat. Just bought 2 cases of 5k maybe 3-4 months ago for that price using AmmoSeek, and paid the same about a year before that. (Go through a lot of it using a 22LR conversion kit on my 5.56 for cover drills)
They say wisdom is learning from other's mistakes. As you're doing the series I (and I'm sure many others) would like to hear what some of your mistakes were so that we might be able to avoid them in our own experiences. A huge Thank You for all you do to educate and inspire us! Heyyyoo! Git sum!
Hey Jerry I just want to take the time to let you know I really appreciate you keeping us range guys entertained with all of the knowledge that you have shared over the years. Thank you so much
Appreciate the look into how you prep your brass and reload. I have been reloading for the past 3 years. I love your enginuity with your homemade dry tumbler, that is genius! I hope the person who handles your social media/ UA-cam will let you know how much i appreciate what you do for the shooting community as well as 2nd amendment advocation. You and Lena rock!
Yup Jerry!!: 'Git some'!!... I started this arcane & relaxing hobby since 1.980's with very old 'Ideal' press / gear & no tumbling, except for washing / degreasing cases w/ soapy water and rinse. Many thanks for another great video!; God Bless!! 🤗🙏🙏🙏
I too have reloaded since the '70s. After having primers that would not seat properly I always clean the primer pockets. A little more time but my primers are always perfect. To each his own.
My wife says that about the top of my dresser. But I know were everything is and if it's been moved. I have my meds in a certain order in the bathroom. She will clean and mix them up every time.
Thank you so much for this series on reloading. I am building out a reloading setup now and would love to see your bench, press/die choices, and ways you have learned over the years to set things up to be as efficient as possible with the process. If I could learn through your experiences it would be a great help as I build my first bench and make selections in hardware. Thanks again for what you do.
Jerry has a row of 5 or 6 high end Dillon progressives just to the viewer's left of his desk with the bullet shelves. I assume that each one is dedicated to one cartridge! The camera panned left in one of his videos and showed that blue goodness.
I haven't let hot lead fly in probably 10 years but I sure can enjoy watching a master perform his craft and especially with such humility. You are one in a billion Jerry. Get some!
Oh my goodness. My prayers have been answered. I hope you continue this type of content! I cant wait to see the other steps you take to reload. And the products you use.
I’ve been reloading since I was about 12 and helping/watching my dad and grandpa long before that. I’ve never used a tumbler, but I started using a sonic case cleaner when I really started reloading a lot for plinking. I use the hornidy magnums sonic cleaner. Powerful and holds a lot.
You've mentioned it before in prior videos, but thanks again for highlighting the ways you protect yourself from the variety of elements, namely lead and solvents, we all expose ourselves to doing this. I imagine it's magnitudes more important for someone who has the same "volume" as you. PPE is important in this game. Keep your brains and nerves safe and have fun reloading, people!
You are an icon, been watching and following you for many years. Thank you for all the information, and inspiration too. God bless you and your family!
That's the love of it, the constant learning, tweaking, experimenting, changing and improving. I'll most likely never shoot matches, but I thoroughly enjoy the quest for that perfect round for the exact firearm that far surpasses factory quality at a fraction of the cost. Best range days are spent with a chronograph and a sandbag gathering data.
Some thing to remember about pistol brass. DO NOT tumble mixed calibers (.45 plus 9mm for example). The smaller cases will fit inside the larger ones and won't get cleaned/polish correctly. If you shoot .380, 9mm, .38 and .357, those CAN be tumbled together (all are the same diameter). Do things in batches of 50 and use sandwich bags for "cleaned" and "primed" cases. Unless you are using a progressive reloader, every tray of 100 primers makes a good place to stop, rest and keep your focus. Sort cases by caliber AND brand. Cheap mil-surplus pistol cases (in 9mm) have thicker walls and will "feel" different. Reloading is a "see", "feel" and "hear" activity.
For drying, I use a sneaker rack with dog screen on it to hold the cases and put them in the clothes dryer. You can't do as many cases as a dedicated oven, but it works well. I like the idea about the southern shine media!
I’ve been reloading since 1973, I’ve used a vibrating cleaner until 2 years ago. Now I use a Hornady ultrasonic cleaner & the vibrating cleaner (Lyman with corn cobs and wallnut shells) depending how tarnished the brass is, both work well! Thanks Jerry for the tutorial and the way you process brass!
I bet you wish you did that years ago. I'm pretty much started out with an entry-level progressive and I can't imagine having done it the slow way this whole time.
@@AndreS_-df2nw Exactly. I do my hunting rifle cartridges 8mm Mauser and 9.3x64 on a single stage press, works just fine and gets excellent accuracy, however I just need 100-150 cartridges per year. For anything else i use a Dillon progressive press.
Thanks Jerry! I'm kicking around getting started, but man components are thru the roof. I've reloaded a few in the past, standard stuff like 3030 and 06 for hunting. At least i had some exposure to what you show here so the knowledge will stick with me more. Have a great day sir!
Wow, I thought I have reloaded a lot over the years. I know how much work you put in. Reloading is tons of work not let alone your shooting skills! Hats off to you sir
I myself have been reloading since the early 70's when i got out of the army. I primarily precision reload for several rifles that i have brass catchers. That way i keep track of my cases. I have friends that wish to get into reloading to save $. Tried to explain the process is quite envolved. 223 brass layin on the ground and they are pickin up in buckets. I personally don't do that. All 3 of my 30 cal rifles are tack drivers. They really don't realize how important it is to keep records and a sterile reloading environment. Dirty cases make for foul shooting. I got them watching your vids because your a great instructor. Going to be a lot of videos to go through the whole process. I don't shoot much handgun today so i just buy new ammo. Like i tell these guys there's a lot more to it. I've never tried liquid. That's going to be somethin new for me.
Thanks for the tips! I've been reloading for 45 years and still pick up new things from guys like you. Just got a Dillon Precision XL750 and would definitely watch anything you post about progressives.
I'm glad to see you're taking lots of safety precautions to minimize lead exposure. A lot of people don't realize how easily lead can be absorbed through your skin for example.
Great fun. Sometimes I find it even more rewarding experimenting with gun powders, cartridge lengths, bullet resizing or what not than actually shooting :) There's always new things that you learn and get feedback from the shooting sessions on particular loads. No shortcuts to perfection.
I used uncooked rice in a tumbler to clean my cases. Lightest .38 special load. Modify the wadcutter mould so that the resulting projectile is something like 75 grain. For the case don't modify it, but load it with 1.5 grain of Bulls Eye or Winchester 231 to make sure your powder is not under the primer's flash-hole you have to seat your pullet half way the case. I used this load for Australian service pistol. For some reason some sore losers were protesting, but 40 years later my trophy is still here ;)
Where i used to work we had a sonic cleaner that we kept filled with a mix of Simple Green and water. Stainless and brass parts came out super clean. Your setup is great. Keep up the videos please !
Grew up reloading and going to the range with my grandpa, I miss him so much but I want to keep reloading and carry everything he taught me though I haven't been out to my local range since he passed it just seems so different..
Say a prayer, thanking God for the blessing of having all that time with your Grandpa and then go to the range "with him" and shoot a few rounds for him!! Have fun! It's what he wants you to continue doing.
I've been trying to find everything I need to reload. Its a chore right now. Got a lee single press and working on acquiring everything else right now and. Thank you for this knowledge. Its great to have your experience to help lead the way. Thank you for all your videos. I have truly enjoyed and gained from all these informational videos you put out. Thank you so much and I hope you never stop putting your content out
It's all about reloading as much as possible in a given amount of time, it's also all about shooting as much as possible in a given amount of time. Thanks for the tips Jerry!
I just got an ultrasonic cleaner for Christmas and a good friend is giving me a good size RCBS tumbler. Both of those should be a nice upgrade from what I've got now. ESPECIALLY the lack of dust!
Thanks Jerry, loving your videos, I started reloading in the early 1990's and bought my first tumbler a Dillon unit. I got a fair bit of stick from the older members on being a bit special for wanting my brass shiny. It took me quite a while to convince these older members of the benefits of tumbling brass. Now the newbies think it's quite normal to buy a tumbler as part of their reloading gear. I haven't got into wet tumbling but I will look into it soon, thanks again
Wet tumbling saves on time, money, and is over all safer because you're not breathing in the toxic particles like Jerry previously mentioned. I use 1/4 teaspoon of Lemme Shine (Citric Acid detergent), a 1/4 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing detergent along with the stainless steel media and hot water, and it gets my brass cleaner than new. Thanks Jerry for your wonderful videos! They're always a joy to watch!
A friend mentioned he noticed in November that things seemed to be doing quite well. When he realized that life was good, he started buying more ammunition and he added a couple of guns to his collection. I did the same with one gun and a lot of ammunition. I was in a sporting goods store and noticed a long line at the gun counter and I had to ask the last person in line what they were doing. She replied she was buying a gun. Why in the world would anyone need to buy a gun when things are bad, prices are high and selection is poor? I left just shaking my head in disbelief.
@@shooterqqqq Many of the people who bought guns in the last couple months had no guns, they bought while things were bad because they feared things becoming worse. There were also many panic buyers that rushed to buy more guns & ammo, kinda like the idiots who hoarded TP.
@@shooterqqqq There are a lot of buyers getting ammo then reselling it at huge mark up. Taking advantage of circumstances. The local flea market sellers were always the first in line at gun stores buying ammo. You could see them on the weekend selling it for 10x what they bought it for.
I also started hand loading in 1972....I still use my 1972 RCBS Rock Chucker for bolt action hunting rifles up here in Alaska. Also use it for 44 Magnum with my Ruger Redhawk.
Right now I am only loading 9mm with a Dillion 550c and using a Lyman dry media tumbler and it works great. I am going to be buying a .45 acp conversion kit soon and will be loading that cartridge. Thanks for sharing Jerry! Love your work!
Thanks Jerry. I’ve only been reloading for a year and have developed a similar production style. I’ll ultrasonic, but only about 1/2 hour. The citric acid if left in to long leaches out zinc from the brass and weakens it so in that case a little is good, more is bad. Then wet tumble. I found a mix of pins, chips and orbs with a ridge, almost a halo that is commonly used for tumbling silver and gold jewelry that is fantastic in only an hour. Dry it and then reload. If I want a nice shine, or storage I’ll dry tumble in walnut media and car polish only about an hour.
Love the fact that you got up close on some of these video shots your Jerry. I was looking for somebody to kind a give me an introduction to reloading and I think that I’ve gotten a lot of great information I want to say thank you for that
This ol’boy is THE encyclopedia of firearms. Thank for your time - knowledge and wisdom in this great industry. Imagine if Jarry and his entire network would form a firearms university. I’m aware there’s a place out west - can’t remember the name of it off the top of my head. But this would be a place in the south people can go to - sign me right up!
I got an ultrasonic cleaner a few years ago and love the way it cleans. I have been using my vibratory cleaner first then the ultrasonic. I’ll have to switch the order and see how that works. Don’t tell my wife but I have been using our Excalibur dehydrator to dry brass for several years. The highest heat setting is 145° and it has a timer so I can set it and forget it.
I’ve been enjoying Jerry’s videos for a while now but when I saw the 25-28 buckets of brass, I chuckled thinking, “only Jerry would have this much brass” He’s so full of good, practical knowledge.
I started with a cheap single stage which was ok then bought some Dillon stuff. First a 650 then a 1080. Both wonderful machines. Go with top quality and you will never look back. Even when you can't find ammo for sale you can still make your own. Just always stock up on primers, projectiles and powder.
Love the comment on primer pockets! This was very confusing to me. Some people try to tell you its a must, but if you haven't cleaned one since 74 after thousands of rounds I think the proof is in the pudding!
Oddly enough my first RCBS press my parents bought me was back in 1968 and had 30-06 dies in it along with a set of 45 acp. Since then I've added. 303 British, 9mm, 556 NATO and 300 Win Mag. I barely load 300 rounds per year due to work schedules but I admit it's fun.
I remember a man I worked with wanted me too tell him what he was going too need too get started loading his own ammo,when I told him he was going too spend most of his time on prep work on his cases he laughed at me. but it is true I spend most of my time just doing work on brass ,I told him I clean each primer pocket and I do have 2 case cleaners 1 is a old Thimblers Tumbler,the other is a vibratory cleaner.I clean and inspect each case by hand and trim and deburr each one ,it takes a bit of time,but I enjoy hand loading ,one day I will buy myself one of those sonic case cleaners .I just use corn cob media and I have some walnut hull for really dirty range brass I just put a cap full of polish in when I start a new batch ,the corncob really puts a shine on the case .you can't get in a hurry when you do this sort of work ,I like it.often my Wife comes back and checks on me ,she says she is making sure I'm not sitting at my loading bench sleeping .LOL
I'm a guy that never reloaded, but as I've gotten older I am more convinced it is at least a skill I need to have if nothing else. Especially as I have gotten interested in a few firearms that are less popular calibers. Thanks for the start.
You won't regret it. Just don't let somebody talk you into the old lie that you need to start on single stage. You don't. If you have the basic skill for one you have it for the other and you will regret setting yourself up to be handicapped by a really slow machine that causes you many many many redundant hand motions. It's nice to have a single stage for odd jobs but get at least a turret press when you start. Also when I've priced out the kits for beginner kits that include everything in it they're usually not as good a deal is actually just picking the components and tools you want individually. I recommend many people wanted to seriously consider the lead loadmaster. If you look up my screen name on the reloader's network though you can see I did an economic comparison of each of the major progressive presses. It does not include the Dillon 750 because that wasn't out when I did it, but that would work out very similarly to the 650 XL.
Hi Jerry I shot with you years ago down in Lakeland Fl. And we spoke about your methods then and it was a cement mixer I still use that method. Was a bit surprised you didn't show that as you did a video on it some time back.
A buddy of mine works as a range officer at a indoor range near Cincinnati. The complex used to just sell their collected brass but now they started a reloading operation and began producing their own line of reloaded ammo which they know stock in the store for people to buy for range use. They use two of those monster grout mixers as tumblers and it’s pretty insane. They also have like ten of those automated presses.
LOL Now I know how he does it! I've been watching Jerry for the past year and I've been counting those boxes of ammo behind him trying to see what he actually uses outta that stash! Specifically I've been waiting to see if those PMC boxes would one day disappear.
Love how thrifty Jerry is. I've only reloaded shotgun shells for Dove season. When we first started in the 80's and were kids, we experimented* with just about anything that would fit in the shells. Rock salt, field corn, bastard buck was a mix of pellets (pellet gun) and shot with wax drizzled over it all, wooden beads, pretty much anything. Don't use ball bearings, totally butcher your bore, learned the hard way. We would play jokes and pack a shell with toilet paper and say, shoot this! What is it... Yeah, we were leery of each other. But when it came to Dove season, it was pure production mode. Cheapest MEC loader, took time, but we had a 3 kid operation. It was a lot of fun.
Great information. Thanks for sharing. You did some reloading videos years ago when you some brass in a wheel barrel. That’s when I I was starting to reload. Thanks for all you do for shooting.
i trust this guy based on: a) he's wearing a shirt with his image on it b) he has a literal wall of ammunition behind him c) his accent d) presentation e) has a rap/hip hop named after him f) he basically is the face of smith & wesson g) i figure anyone who holds a world record knows a thing or two about their hobby/profession that being said... every vid i've seen has been to the point, educational, entertaining, and un-biased. mr miculek is a tradesman not a teacher and this is what youtube is meant to be used for
Good info. I think turbo is the way to go for the weekend warrior's who want to reload during the week after work. The inside and out are like brand new and case thickness is less diminished then with traditional media tumblers. Thanks for the vid Jerry.
I started reloading about 2 years ago as a hobby but with the current times with everything being closed down it hasn't affected my ability to go shooting on the weekends
I would start each year of with 5k starline 38suprecomp brass, 40k zero 121jhp, 40k winchester small rifle primers, 48lbs IMR7625. I never picked up any one else's brass. I saw too many split cases in other's pistols. Fastest way to lose a match was to have an ammo failure. Major matches are always a "lost brass" match. I did dry tumbling. 6 hrs / 1k in a large Dillon tumbler, 1/2 walnut, 1/2 corncob. Dillon 650, casefeeder, EGW carbide U-die, Redding micrometer seat die, Lee carbide factory crimp die. 6 years, ZERO ammunition failures. TY43772 Open GM. Too bad IMR dropped that powder. Thanks TJ for the load!
I just bought my first reloading set up. I love your brain data for brass from different guns. Never would have considered that. I have 2 of your signature pieces and love shooting them so I want to be careful. Gonna go GIT SOME! 😎
Hey guys!! If you’re on Facebook let’s show Southern Shine some love! Check out this link - bit.ly/SouthernShine
I did a video on Wet Tumbling using Southern Shine Media vs the pins: ua-cam.com/video/5p0Q2ZndUDg/v-deo.html
It is nice having you home Jerry, just because it means more videos. Reloading is one of my favorite subjects and we all know that when it comes down to gunsmith, shooting and reload you are one of the most knowledgeable persons there are. If this turns into a reloading series then IT IS GREAT!!
Those are awesome stainless pins.. thanks southern shine..
@Cozmo Doesn't matter WHICH machine you get, as long as you are willing to make it work, they ALL have issues, people will tell you to buy Dillon or Hornady or Lee or MEC or something else, and they are ALL ok machines. I personally have had Lee turret presses, Lee and RCBS single stage presses, a Dillon 650, and I've used the Hornady LNL and Lee progressives. They all get the job done, I LIKE my Dillon progressive, but I spent extra money on upgrades (low mass detent ball, roller bearing cams, spent and live primer upgrades...), if you get a LNL or Lee 1000, you'll find "fixes" to make them all better. So, look at the options, price them out, and MOST IMPORTANT, see what people you know are running, if you have a Dillon using buddy in your town, I highly suggest going with a Dillon... if your buddy uses Lee, then consider Lee, because they know the machine and can help you. If you're just starting, get a single stage, even if you intend to load 1000 pistol rounds at a time eventually, starting on a single stage lets you get used to the process and precision, and when you upgrade to a progressive eventually, you'll still have a use for the single stage (I have a Rockchucker from RCBS that I love, but any similar press will work just as well).
LA's totally awesome household cleaner works great in a ultra sonic cleaner
3020 AD: Geologists discover the largest lead and zinc and copper deposits deep within the crust of the earth just east of Shreveport. It is beleived that centuries of pressure and heat caused adjacent veins of copper and zinc to alloy into cylindrical veins of brass. This will be known as the Louisiana mineral belt, the largest deposit of metals in the world.
"...pressure and heat caused..." INDEED!!
They call it the Miculek Vein.
@@orlandparkcounselors that would be Tennessee.
@@garyh1449 It is now, but things may change/shift in the future.
That's close to where I'm from
I love when he said "I've reloaded about a million, million and a half rounds." I'm still trying to figure out how to budget buying enough ammo to go shot at the range for an hour.
Especially due to the virus. I just paid 50¢ a round for TulAmmo .223 because that was literally the only ammo they had that wasn't above $2 a round
@@JEST3R_ damn. I just bought 100rds (5 boxes) of .223 tulammo for $25.
@@Steve_I that's honestly amazing compared to the deals around my area. It's horrible
@@JEST3R_ only problem around me, is finding it. That was the first time in probably a month they had it when I got there lol
Kevin Tiemann it’s a dame shame for the average man shooting over 1 million rounds would be out of his reach. Don’t mean is desire isn’t on the same level is Jerry’s but Jerry has BIG corporate sponsorships behind him. Let’s not forget that..
Like having your own money minting operation without the prison time.
This is how I see it. Especially with cast bullets. I can't understand why people buy factory ammunition for handguns when a cast bullet can be driven to full power at 1/4 the price of a factory round.
@@DaveSmith-cp5kj the answer is time. I personally only reload certain calibers (.454 casull, and .300WM mostly) that are either expensive, or for a specific gun. I built a .300wm gun for long range shooting, and I have one hand load that is tailored to that rifle. Stuff like 9mm I can’t justify the time spent to load 1,000 rounds instead of just spending the $200 (obviously during the ammo crisis right now it’s a different story)
@@Johnny2Gats It takes a maximum of 2 hours to load 1,000 rounds (typically only 1 hour when your progressive press is dialed in). Unless you are paid $100 per hour, it is absolutely worth it. Plus even if you do make more money, it is worth your money to buy components rather than factory ammo. You can store more ammunition in component form than loaded for the same amount of money, and this means that during an ammo shortage like right now, you can still afford to shoot cheaply because all you have to do is tap into your stockpile and assemble the ammunition
@@Johnny2Gats I reload 9mm on a progressive press but not mainly for price but for accuracy and quality, the group size is reduced by half with my reloads compared to decent quality 9mm fmj like Magtech, Geco or Sellier Bellot.
Where it really is worth it is the .45, there is no major manufacturer offering SWC bullets (except Magtech but those are 230grs and have to much pressure and velocity). On a dillon press I can make 500 cartridges of mild 200grs SWC .45 ACP, I cannot see myself shooting factory 45 anymore, they are all subpar in comparison to what I can make myself.
hydrogen Have you seen powder and primer prices lately? I mean on Gunbroker, because retailers NEVER have any.
I'm in the middle of loading 2000 rounds of 223 on a single stage press... this video is going to be nice to listen to in the middle of a 30+hour adventure
I just started this myself.... it's a pita compared to pistol, especially with crimped pockets.
@Caden Wikle Iowa... also hopelessness, 500 rounds to go
@@ironmonkey1512 I bought a dillion super swage 600, worth it's weight in gold. RCBS makes a swager that goes on your press as well. Good thing we only have to do it once!
@@ironmonkey1512 honestly, the crimped primer pockets are the most frustrating, I have a primer pocket reamer chucked up to a drill cause I have bought a swager yet... might be purchasing one soon, taking a break for now, 500 to go, should be done by tonight
@@jeffwelty980 what do you do about reloading data? I've noticed every reloading book I have will have data for one brand of powder (as they're usually published by the powder manufacture), with a couple brands of bullets, and a couple weight/bullet type/bullet profiles. I can never find the combination of primer, case, powder, and bullet that I have. More importantly, I can't ever find the right bullet and powder combination. Each bullet manufacturer makes a few different weights, a dozen different bullet profiles, and a dozen different bullet types, for a particular caliber. That makes for dozens of different individual projectiles. All with different length projectiles, that affects the OAL of the cartridge, that affects the internal volume, that affects the amount of powder that goes in the case.
*Jerry Miculek - Pro shooter* Thank-you sir for taking the time to show us. God Bless brother.
Thank you for watching!! Appreciate the support.
Me; "Hey Jerry how do I get as good as you at shooting."
Jerry; "Reload at least 50 000 rounds a year and shoot em.......... git some!"
Be the first in the garage and the last one to leave the garage that's how u get to be the best
Holy smoke at the buckets of brass! I have 2 ammo cans full of 9mm and it's about 5k rounds. I can't imagine how much brass is in 28 buckets!
Yeah... Thought I was "on it" with:
1 1/2 buckets of .40 S&W
1 bucket of 300 BLK.
1 Bucket of .308
3/4 bucket of .223
3/4 bucket of .45acp
2/3 bucket of 9mm
All while trying to keep between 500-1000 rounds of each loaded for personal training use...
But Jerry has me feeling like a rookie.
@@bluefalconssuck5881 The way to get a lot of brass is to get it from a local range or ideally your local LE range. Most departments will not allow their officers to handload practice ammo as they need to follow the warranty to get necessary armoring services. Many will either give you the brass or sell it quite cheaply.
You can get an entire trash can of brass each month. Many of the companies selling brass get their brass this way. If you can get military brass that is the jackpot, but often military ranges won't sell to you unless national guard uses public ranges, or you are registered business.
This is something I was JUST thinking about.
Great minds think alike!
@@MiculekDotCom do you have any recommendations for a budget level reloader?
It's the Matrix, don't worry
@@HillCityHydro used rockchucker is great start and can be used in the future. I'm up to my Dillon 550 but my rockchucker is still sizing the bullets I cast.
@@HillCityHydro maybe look into a single stage Lee Challenger Kit (around $125 ?) ... u can be up and reloading with a few other purchases such as calipers, tumbler, dies
Had a friend much older than me introduced me to reloading when I was a young boy. It's been a great addition to shooting and has saved a lot of money over the years. Just made wet tumbler and they are amazing like you said much less dust and mess. Thanks Mr. Jerry for all the great videos and years of wisdom. Stay safe bud.
It never even occurred to me that you've been doing your own reloading. You're moving more brass in a year than many small manufacturers! I enjoy the content - thanks for all the work in putting it together for us.
Anyone else get that memory of Olivanders from Harry Potter (the store with the wands) when looking at that shelf of ammo behind jerry. Harry potter gets his first ar-15 lol.
LOVE IT!! This is my 1st time watching Jerry’s UA-cam channel. I laughed the first few seconds looking at the shelves in the background. This is EXACTLY how I pictured his reloading shop (in a good way!) The man luvvvvs to shoot! Reminds me of my dad!
Thanks for these videos, Jerry!
I've been advocating for reloading for years. Especially the last few as ammo has been hard to get off and on. Next step is casting. You can shoot 9mm/45 as cheap or cheaper than 22 LR if you cast.
You clean the brass so as not to scratch your reloading dies.
A teaspoon or two of Mineral Spirits in walnut media keeps the dust down and helps clean the cases rather than buying case cleaner.
By the way....I started reloading in 1963 with a $10 Lee Handloader.
You can run a Bounty paper towel for a few minutes to collect the dust.
What recipe do you use to get 9mm/45 cheaper than .22? Also how many times do you have to use each case before you start to get that kind of savings?
@@alexanderluster402 The powder costs about one or two cents.The primer costs a little over three. The bullet costs a little less than ten cents. If you cast and eliminate the less than ten cents, you save quite a bit. I don't cast and as far as I am concerned I have never had more money thought about my savings. I don't really save when I reload. I just shoot more.
Let me state at the beginning that I have been reloading for 57 years and casting for 48 yrs.
You get the savings from the start. This assumes you have reloading and casting equipment. I have all the expensive equipment but put together a cheap outfit for when I was working on the road so as not to worry about theft. Second hand reloader/scale/powder measure - $20, 9mm/45 molds $5 ea, hot plate, cast iron pot $5. Half the fun was seeing how cheap I could do it. On the other end, I have five figures worth of bullet swage equipment and 240 bullet molds. You don't need that if you just want to shoot a lot cheaply.
As I stated earlier, if you cast and reload, the cost will be around the price of .22LR ammo or less. And, I know you can get real deals sometimes on 22, however, you can do the same with primers and powder.
I won’t give specific recipes as you can look them up for the various powders that can be used for 9mm/380, 45ACP. Depending on what you have on hand or available in the store, loads will generally run 3.3 to 5 grs. I’m not going for maximum loads here, just shooting fodder. Do your research.
Lead is free if you want to search. Wheel Weights are about perfect for handgun although the composition of the alloy has changed a little over the years. It lends itself to heat treating for a higher Brinell hardness and higher velocities. It’s just fine as is for the 9mm/380, 45ACP.
Cases are free. Save what you shoot or pick up on the range.
So, it boils down to powder and primers.
Primers retail will be around $3.50 per box or .035 cents each. You can save on that at gun shows or buying in bulk.
Powder will vary but run around $25 per pound.
1 lb. = 7000 gr @ $25
divided by 3.5grs = 2000 rds. = .0125 cents per round + .035 primer = .0475
divided by 4grs = 1750 rds. = .014 cents per round + .035 primer = .049
divided by 5grs = 1400 rds. = .018 cents per round + .035 primer = .053
You can get those down a lot cheaper per round if you work at it.
22LR ammo will run you about .04 - .05 cents per round.
@@jimv.661 It's a good argument, but you should use another round for comparison; if you bargain hunt it's literally impossible to match the price of 22LR. You can buy 36g HP for 2.5c/rnd per case of 5k, and that simply cannot be beat. Just bought 2 cases of 5k maybe 3-4 months ago for that price using AmmoSeek, and paid the same about a year before that. (Go through a lot of it using a 22LR conversion kit on my 5.56 for cover drills)
They say wisdom is learning from other's mistakes. As you're doing the series I (and I'm sure many others) would like to hear what some of your mistakes were so that we might be able to avoid them in our own experiences. A huge Thank You for all you do to educate and inspire us! Heyyyoo! Git sum!
From Southern Shine Media here , Thank you so much Jerry! We are honored and humbled that you use our media!
I just 'liked you on Facebook'
Going to Facebook. Since his highness King Jerry said it I am switching.
I just finished 400 rounds of .38spl 148 grain HBWC. My very favorite target load.
Hey Jerry I just want to take the time to let you know I really appreciate you keeping us range guys entertained with all of the knowledge that you have shared over the years. Thank you so much
Jerry is one of the coolest human beings on the planet. "do one thing, do it really, really, really well" !!!
Appreciate the look into how you prep your brass and reload. I have been reloading for the past 3 years. I love your enginuity with your homemade dry tumbler, that is genius! I hope the person who handles your social media/ UA-cam will let you know how much i appreciate what you do for the shooting community as well as 2nd amendment advocation. You and Lena rock!
Yup Jerry!!: 'Git some'!!...
I started this arcane & relaxing hobby since 1.980's with very old 'Ideal' press / gear & no tumbling, except for washing / degreasing cases w/ soapy water and rinse. Many thanks for another great video!; God Bless!!
🤗🙏🙏🙏
I too have reloaded since the '70s. After having primers that would not seat properly I always clean the primer pockets. A little more time but my primers are always perfect. To each his own.
I just started reloading, using a Lee Loader in .38. I’ve had problems with getting the primers seated, and this may be why.
His shelves are ridiculous.
They aren’t that bad.....kinda.
The thing is, you know he knows EXACTLY where everything is at.
I wanna see a vid of the ammobox shelf. Are They just empty boxes or full and if empty why keep them? Come on Jerry tell us lol
My wife says that about the top of my dresser.
But I know were everything is and if it's been moved.
I have my meds in a certain order in the bathroom. She will clean and mix them up every time.
Almost as much as i have .... Lol
Thank you so much for this series on reloading. I am building out a reloading setup now and would love to see your bench, press/die choices, and ways you have learned over the years to set things up to be as efficient as possible with the process. If I could learn through your experiences it would be a great help as I build my first bench and make selections in hardware. Thanks again for what you do.
Jerry has a row of 5 or 6 high end Dillon progressives just to the viewer's left of his desk with the bullet shelves. I assume that each one is dedicated to one cartridge! The camera panned left in one of his videos and showed that blue goodness.
I haven't let hot lead fly in probably 10 years but I sure can enjoy watching a master perform his craft and especially with such humility. You are one in a billion Jerry. Get some!
Oh my goodness.
My prayers have been answered.
I hope you continue this type of content!
I cant wait to see the other steps you take to reload. And the products you use.
Thanks Jerry and it's always good to hear you
I’ve been reloading since I was about 12 and helping/watching my dad and grandpa long before that. I’ve never used a tumbler, but I started using a sonic case cleaner when I really started reloading a lot for plinking. I use the hornidy magnums sonic cleaner. Powerful and holds a lot.
My mom was born in '72. Crazy u been reloading that long. I know I'm def watching the right man tell me about it.
You've mentioned it before in prior videos, but thanks again for highlighting the ways you protect yourself from the variety of elements, namely lead and solvents, we all expose ourselves to doing this. I imagine it's magnitudes more important for someone who has the same "volume" as you. PPE is important in this game. Keep your brains and nerves safe and have fun reloading, people!
You are an icon, been watching and following you for many years. Thank you for all the information, and inspiration too. God bless you and your family!
Yes yes yes, big reloader here so this is awesome thanks Jerry
Hey Jerry any chance that you would have any successful 9 mm recipes for the Smith & Wesson 9 L Pro Series
That's the love of it, the constant learning, tweaking, experimenting, changing and improving. I'll most likely never shoot matches, but I thoroughly enjoy the quest for that perfect round for the exact firearm that far surpasses factory quality at a fraction of the cost. Best range days are spent with a chronograph and a sandbag gathering data.
Some thing to remember about pistol brass. DO NOT tumble mixed calibers (.45 plus 9mm for example). The smaller cases will fit inside the larger ones and won't get cleaned/polish correctly. If you shoot .380, 9mm, .38 and .357, those CAN be tumbled together (all are the same diameter). Do things in batches of 50 and use sandwich bags for "cleaned" and "primed" cases. Unless you are using a progressive reloader, every tray of 100 primers makes a good place to stop, rest and keep your focus.
Sort cases by caliber AND brand. Cheap mil-surplus pistol cases (in 9mm) have thicker walls and will "feel" different. Reloading is a "see", "feel" and "hear" activity.
For drying, I use a sneaker rack with dog screen on it to hold the cases and put them in the clothes dryer. You can't do as many cases as a dedicated oven, but it works well. I like the idea about the southern shine media!
I put them outside in the sun
I missed seeing your concrete mixer/tumbler. Thank you for another informative video.
I’ve been reloading since 1973, I’ve used a vibrating cleaner until 2 years ago. Now I use a Hornady ultrasonic cleaner & the vibrating cleaner (Lyman with corn cobs and wallnut shells) depending how tarnished the brass is, both work well! Thanks Jerry for the tutorial and the way you process brass!
What timing! I just became obsessed with watching reloading videos 4 days ago.
I’ve been using Southern Shine Stainless Steel Chips for several years now. I’ll never use pins again. Love the Chips.
I have been reloading for years on a rcbs rock chucker I finally made the jump to progressive press
I bet you wish you did that years ago. I'm pretty much started out with an entry-level progressive and I can't imagine having done it the slow way this whole time.
Progressive is the way to do handgun cartridge loading, and sometimes rifle... Anything where you go through volumes.
@@AndreS_-df2nw Exactly. I do my hunting rifle cartridges 8mm Mauser and 9.3x64 on a single stage press, works just fine and gets excellent accuracy, however I just need 100-150 cartridges per year.
For anything else i use a Dillon progressive press.
Progressive can be a bit finicky to set up. That said, I think it's worth it after it's first 200 rounds! Falling in love with mine....
Be safe. Get some. I'm conflicted. Which do I do!? 😮😅😂
Thanks Jerry! I'm kicking around getting started, but man components are thru the roof. I've reloaded a few in the past, standard stuff like 3030 and 06 for hunting. At least i had some exposure to what you show here so the knowledge will stick with me more. Have a great day sir!
I always admired it, saved brass, Thanks for the inspiration jerry!
Wow, I thought I have reloaded a lot over the years. I know how much work you put in. Reloading is tons of work not let alone your shooting skills! Hats off to you sir
I myself have been reloading since the early 70's when i got out of the army. I primarily precision reload for several rifles that i have brass catchers. That way i keep track of my cases. I have friends that wish to get into reloading to save $. Tried to explain the process is quite envolved. 223 brass layin on the ground and they are pickin up in buckets. I personally don't do that. All 3 of my 30 cal rifles are tack drivers. They really don't realize how important it is to keep records and a sterile reloading environment. Dirty cases make for foul shooting. I got them watching your vids because your a great instructor. Going to be a lot of videos to go through the whole process. I don't shoot much handgun today so i just buy new ammo. Like i tell these guys there's a lot more to it. I've never tried liquid. That's going to be somethin new for me.
sonic cleaners also work great for gun parts like bolts on an AR.
That's where all the primers are going. Jerry Miculek is gettin' 'em all!
Thanks for the tips! I've been reloading for 45 years and still pick up new things from guys like you. Just got a Dillon Precision XL750 and would definitely watch anything you post about progressives.
I'm glad to see you're taking lots of safety precautions to minimize lead exposure. A lot of people don't realize how easily lead can be absorbed through your skin for example.
Thank you for the video a day! Awesome seeing you and your daughter giving so much knowledge!
Great fun. Sometimes I find it even more rewarding experimenting with gun powders, cartridge lengths, bullet resizing or what not than actually shooting :) There's always new things that you learn and get feedback from the shooting sessions on particular loads. No shortcuts to perfection.
I used uncooked rice in a tumbler to clean my cases. Lightest .38 special load. Modify the wadcutter mould so that the resulting projectile is something like 75 grain. For the case don't modify it, but load it with 1.5 grain of Bulls Eye or Winchester 231 to make sure your powder is not under the primer's flash-hole you have to seat your pullet half way the case. I used this load for Australian service pistol. For some reason some sore losers were protesting, but 40 years later my trophy is still here ;)
Also that homemade Tumbler is super cool. I'd love to make one like it but I think I prefer the wet tumbling because it won't get dusty in the garage.
Have the frankford platinum tumbler myself as well as two presses so far. Love reloading.
Where i used to work we had a sonic cleaner that we kept filled with a mix of Simple Green and water. Stainless and brass parts came out super clean. Your setup is great. Keep up the videos please !
Grew up reloading and going to the range with my grandpa, I miss him so much but I want to keep reloading and carry everything he taught me though I haven't been out to my local range since he passed it just seems so different..
You know he wouldn't want you to stop on his account. Get out there, son!
He gave you a lot of what he knew so you could carry on without him. Go and make him proud.
Say a prayer, thanking God for the blessing of having all that time with your Grandpa and then go to the range "with him" and shoot a few rounds for him!! Have fun! It's what he wants you to continue doing.
i use a glass coffee jar, lemishine and some dish soap. shake it around for a bit, dry with an old t-shirt.
I've been trying to find everything I need to reload. Its a chore right now. Got a lee single press and working on acquiring everything else right now and. Thank you for this knowledge. Its great to have your experience to help lead the way. Thank you for all your videos. I have truly enjoyed and gained from all these informational videos you put out. Thank you so much and I hope you never stop putting your content out
Federal Primers are back rn
It's all about reloading as much as possible in a given amount of time, it's also all about shooting as much as possible in a given amount of time.
Thanks for the tips Jerry!
I just got an ultrasonic cleaner for Christmas and a good friend is giving me a good size RCBS tumbler. Both of those should be a nice upgrade from what I've got now. ESPECIALLY the lack of dust!
Thanks Jerry, loving your videos, I started reloading in the early 1990's and bought my first tumbler a Dillon unit. I got a fair bit of stick from the older members on being a bit special for wanting my brass shiny. It took me quite a while to convince these older members of the benefits of tumbling brass. Now the newbies think it's quite normal to buy a tumbler as part of their reloading gear. I haven't got into wet tumbling but I will look into it soon, thanks again
Wet tumbling saves on time, money, and is over all safer because you're not breathing in the toxic particles like Jerry previously mentioned. I use 1/4 teaspoon of Lemme Shine (Citric Acid detergent), a 1/4 teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing detergent along with the stainless steel media and hot water, and it gets my brass cleaner than new. Thanks Jerry for your wonderful videos! They're always a joy to watch!
Good luck finding supplies!! Out of Stock or back ordered on just about everything that matters.
A friend mentioned he noticed in November that things seemed to be doing quite well. When he realized that life was good, he started buying more ammunition and he added a couple of guns to his collection. I did the same with one gun and a lot of ammunition. I was in a sporting goods store and noticed a long line at the gun counter and I had to ask the last person in line what they were doing. She replied she was buying a gun. Why in the world would anyone need to buy a gun when things are bad, prices are high and selection is poor? I left just shaking my head in disbelief.
@@shooterqqqq Many of the people who bought guns in the last couple months had no guns, they bought while things were bad because they feared things becoming worse. There were also many panic buyers that rushed to buy more guns & ammo, kinda like the idiots who hoarded TP.
@@shooterqqqq There are a lot of buyers getting ammo then reselling it at huge mark up. Taking advantage of circumstances. The local flea market sellers were always the first in line at gun stores buying ammo. You could see them on the weekend selling it for 10x what they bought it for.
I also started hand loading in 1972....I still use my 1972 RCBS Rock Chucker for bolt action hunting rifles up here in Alaska. Also use it for 44 Magnum with my Ruger Redhawk.
Just got a Frankford tumbler, bought the packets just to keep things simple starting out, they work great!
Right now I am only loading 9mm with a Dillion 550c and using a Lyman dry media tumbler and it works great. I am going to be buying a .45 acp conversion kit soon and will be loading that cartridge. Thanks for sharing Jerry! Love your work!
Thanks Jerry. I’ve only been reloading for a year and have developed a similar production style. I’ll ultrasonic, but only about 1/2 hour. The citric acid if left in to long leaches out zinc from the brass and weakens it so in that case a little is good, more is bad. Then wet tumble. I found a mix of pins, chips and orbs with a ridge, almost a halo that is commonly used for tumbling silver and gold jewelry that is fantastic in only an hour. Dry it and then reload. If I want a nice shine, or storage I’ll dry tumble in walnut media and car polish only about an hour.
I was surprised by the citric acid.
Love the fact that you got up close on some of these video shots your Jerry. I was looking for somebody to kind a give me an introduction to reloading and I think that I’ve gotten a lot of great information I want to say thank you for that
This ol’boy is THE encyclopedia of firearms. Thank for your time - knowledge and wisdom in this great industry. Imagine if Jarry and his entire network would form a firearms university. I’m aware there’s a place out west - can’t remember the name of it off the top of my head. But this would be a place in the south people can go to - sign me right up!
Gunsite?
I got an ultrasonic cleaner a few years ago and love the way it cleans. I have been using my vibratory cleaner first then the ultrasonic. I’ll have to switch the order and see how that works. Don’t tell my wife but I have been using our Excalibur dehydrator to dry brass for several years. The highest heat setting is 145° and it has a timer so I can set it and forget it.
I’ve been enjoying Jerry’s videos for a while now but when I saw the 25-28 buckets of brass, I chuckled thinking, “only Jerry would have this much brass”
He’s so full of good, practical knowledge.
I started with a cheap single stage which was ok then bought some Dillon stuff. First a 650 then a 1080. Both wonderful machines. Go with top quality and you will never look back. Even when you can't find ammo for sale you can still make your own. Just always stock up on primers, projectiles and powder.
You're the man Jerry thanks for sharing all the wisdom, i could never accumulate so much as i cant shoot as often but it is very helpful.
Great stuff as always Jerry! Looking forward to more on Reloading!
Love the comment on primer pockets! This was very confusing to me. Some people try to tell you its a must, but if you haven't cleaned one since 74 after thousands of rounds I think the proof is in the pudding!
Oddly enough my first RCBS press my parents bought me was back in 1968 and had 30-06 dies in it along with a set of 45 acp.
Since then I've added. 303 British, 9mm, 556 NATO and 300 Win Mag.
I barely load 300 rounds per year due to work schedules but I admit it's fun.
I remember a man I worked with wanted me too tell him what he was going too need too get started loading his own ammo,when I told him he was going too spend most of his time on prep work on his cases he laughed at me. but it is true I spend most of my time just doing work on brass ,I told him I clean each primer pocket and I do have 2 case cleaners 1 is a old Thimblers Tumbler,the other is a vibratory cleaner.I clean and inspect each case by hand and trim and deburr each one ,it takes a bit of time,but I enjoy hand loading ,one day I will buy myself one of those sonic case cleaners .I just use corn cob media and I have some walnut hull for really dirty range brass I just put a cap full of polish in when I start a new batch ,the corncob really puts a shine on the case .you can't get in a hurry when you do this sort of work ,I like it.often my Wife comes back and checks on me ,she says she is making sure I'm not sitting at my loading bench sleeping .LOL
I'm a guy that never reloaded, but as I've gotten older I am more convinced it is at least a skill I need to have if nothing else. Especially as I have gotten interested in a few firearms that are less popular calibers. Thanks for the start.
You won't regret it. Just don't let somebody talk you into the old lie that you need to start on single stage. You don't. If you have the basic skill for one you have it for the other and you will regret setting yourself up to be handicapped by a really slow machine that causes you many many many redundant hand motions. It's nice to have a single stage for odd jobs but get at least a turret press when you start. Also when I've priced out the kits for beginner kits that include everything in it they're usually not as good a deal is actually just picking the components and tools you want individually. I recommend many people wanted to seriously consider the lead loadmaster. If you look up my screen name on the reloader's network though you can see I did an economic comparison of each of the major progressive presses. It does not include the Dillon 750 because that wasn't out when I did it, but that would work out very similarly to the 650 XL.
Hi Jerry I shot with you years ago down in Lakeland Fl. And we spoke about your methods then and it was a cement mixer I still use that method. Was a bit surprised you didn't show that as you did a video on it some time back.
Hi, I know it's been 4 years, but I am curious about what is the method cement mixer if you don't mind.
Thank you
A buddy of mine works as a range officer at a indoor range near Cincinnati. The complex used to just sell their collected brass but now they started a reloading operation and began producing their own line of reloaded ammo which they know stock in the store for people to buy for range use. They use two of those monster grout mixers as tumblers and it’s pretty insane. They also have like ten of those automated presses.
LOL Now I know how he does it! I've been watching Jerry for the past year and I've been counting those boxes of ammo behind him trying to see what he actually uses outta that stash! Specifically I've been waiting to see if those PMC boxes would one day disappear.
Love how thrifty Jerry is.
I've only reloaded shotgun shells for Dove season. When we first started in the 80's and were kids, we experimented* with just about anything that would fit in the shells. Rock salt, field corn, bastard buck was a mix of pellets (pellet gun) and shot with wax drizzled over it all, wooden beads, pretty much anything. Don't use ball bearings, totally butcher your bore, learned the hard way.
We would play jokes and pack a shell with toilet paper and say, shoot this!
What is it... Yeah, we were leery of each other.
But when it came to Dove season, it was pure production mode. Cheapest MEC loader, took time, but we had a 3 kid operation.
It was a lot of fun.
I live your videos jerry , your an inspiration to anybody who loves guns
Really appreciate all the content lately!!
Leave the range cleaner than you found it. Leave no trace.
I hope there will be a sequel to this! A whole series in fact!
Great information. Thanks for sharing. You did some reloading videos years ago when you some brass in a wheel barrel. That’s when I I was starting to reload. Thanks for all you do for shooting.
Thanks for the support and appreciate you taking time out to watch!
Jerry Miculek - Pro Shooter You’re very welcome Thanks
Well thanks Jerry. I was trying to decide on what style cleaner to get. Thanks to your knowledge I know I will need a wet tumbler.
i trust this guy based on: a) he's wearing a shirt with his image on it b) he has a literal wall of ammunition behind him c) his accent d) presentation e) has a rap/hip hop named after him f) he basically is the face of smith & wesson g) i figure anyone who holds a world record knows a thing or two about their hobby/profession
that being said... every vid i've seen has been to the point, educational, entertaining, and un-biased. mr miculek is a tradesman not a teacher and this is what youtube is meant to be used for
Always a pleasure to watch your videos Sir!
Excellent video Jerry. Very encouraging. You have an "easy to listen to" style, and I got a lot out of it. Thank you.
Good info. I think turbo is the way to go for the weekend warrior's who want to reload during the week after work. The inside and out are like brand new and case thickness is less diminished then with traditional media tumblers.
Thanks for the vid Jerry.
By turbo, I mean sonic. Apologies.
I started reloading about 2 years ago as a hobby but with the current times with everything being closed down it hasn't affected my ability to go shooting on the weekends
I use the cob and dry media first, then sonic it for 20 minutes. No more dust through the rest of the reloading process. Squeaky clean.
Thanks for posting Jerry......you da best !
Thanks Jerry....We all know you would prefer to be competing, but we really do appreciate all you do for us in these videos.
Thanks, Jerry. One of your best and most informative videos.
Nice ingenuity on that homemade tumbler. 👍
I would start each year of with 5k starline 38suprecomp brass, 40k zero 121jhp, 40k winchester small rifle primers, 48lbs IMR7625. I never picked up any one else's brass. I saw too many split cases in other's pistols. Fastest way to lose a match was to have an ammo failure. Major matches are always a "lost brass" match. I did dry tumbling. 6 hrs / 1k in a large Dillon tumbler, 1/2 walnut, 1/2 corncob. Dillon 650, casefeeder, EGW carbide U-die, Redding micrometer seat die, Lee carbide factory crimp die. 6 years, ZERO ammunition failures. TY43772 Open GM. Too bad IMR dropped that powder. Thanks TJ for the load!
I just bought my first reloading set up. I love your brain data for brass from different guns. Never would have considered that.
I have 2 of your signature pieces and love shooting them so I want to be careful. Gonna go GIT SOME! 😎
Yup, getting into reloading myself , Looking forward to learning!