Reload
The reloading describes the process when a blank after the shot the cartridge case with a new primer cap , powder and a projectile at a handgun , in particular by a marksman , gunsmith or hunter is provided. In the past, the focus was more on economic motives, today reloading is seen as an opportunity to produce a cartridge that is optimally adapted to the purpose and weapon.
history
Reloading of ammunition was already common practice in the imperial army. A brass cartridge was developed for the first time in the German Reich for the Gewehr 71 , but the costs were immensely high, and cold drawing was still a new technology. Therefore, the soldiers had to collect the cartridge cases after the practice shooting and clean them according to a sophisticated service regulation so that the cases could then be sent back to the ammunition factories for refilling. Cases that were unusable for live ammunition could often still be used for training purposes. In the United States , the reloading of shotgun ammunition, which is little practiced in Europe, is common. Reloaders have also advanced the development of new calibers. In the specialist literature there are many calibres for which no factory charge is made, so-called wildcats , which are developed by private individuals from commercially available cartridges. In Germany, reloading has been practiced by hunters and sport shooters for many years, as the extensive range of components proves. In addition to economic advantages, the artisanal ammunition is particularly impressive due to its precision and optimization for your own weapon and intended use.
Reasons for reloading
- Adjustment and setting of the performance of the cartridge.
- Use of a special bullet adapted to the purpose.
- Optimization of the precision taking into account the fact that the weapon and ammunition represent an overall system whose performance, especially precision , depends on these two components.
- Cost savings - the most expensive component of cartridge ammunition is often the cartridge case, which can usually be used several times.
- Production of uncommon and therefore mostly expensive ammunition or ammunition that is no longer available. This assumes that appropriate cartridge cases are available or can be procured or that the desired case can be produced by reshaping other cases.
Important conditions for loading precision ammunition
Since there are no two weapons that are the same in their properties and in their behavior when firing a shot, there cannot be any (factory) ammunition made for a certain type of weapon that “works together” optimally with a certain weapon. Factory ammunition represents a compromise (albeit a very good one): Such ammunition can be fired with average precision from any weapon for which it is intended.
For the ultimate precision that can be achieved, the cartridge must be precisely matched to the weapon. In addition to the defined amount and type of propellant powder, type, mass and construction of the projectile and the type of detonator, the setting depth of the projectile and the properties of the case are of decisive importance: the cases must all come from the same production lot in order to have the same dimensions feature. The cases may only have been fired from the weapon for which they are to continue to be used. This ensures that the cases have adapted to the cartridge chamber of the weapon by leaning . The cases must all have "experienced" the same number of shots. During further processing, the cases are only calibrated at the neck in order to hold the bullet to be used safely. It makes sense to heat treat the cases (200–250 ° C, e.g. in the oven) before reloading in order to obtain identical material properties.
In order to produce precision ammunition for a specific weapon, a lot of experiments and careful documentation are required. With a correct and precise working method it is possible to produce ammunition that shoots more than 300 m "hole in hole" from a certain weapon, provided that the weapon used is precise. This cannot be achieved with factory ammunition.
Components and process of reloading
You need a reloading press, powder balance, caliper and a set of dies for each caliber. In addition, cases, projectiles, suitable percussion caps and propellant powder.
After cleaning the case, if necessary, it is processed further in the loading press.
With Berdan sleeves, the process is largely the same as with boxer sleeves. It only needs to be noted that the primer must be removed in a separate operation. When calibrating later, it is also important to remove the ejector pin for the primer from the internal calibrator beforehand, so as not to damage the sleeve or the die.
There are different versions that are used according to different criteria.
- criteria
- Ammunition type and caliber
- Amount of cartridges to be loaded per hour
- Desired precision (e.g. for bench rest mostly only 1-station presses are used)
1-station press
- Station: here all steps (recalibrating & ejecting old percussion cap; setting new percussion cap; filling powder; setting bullet; retracting case mouth) are carried out separately.
Ie if you z. For example, if you want to reload 100 cases .300 Winchester Magnum, first every 100 cases are recalibrated and the old percussion cap is ejected. Then the new percussion cap is used on everyone. Etc.
4-station press
- Station: when pressing down, the case is calibrated outside and the old percussion cap is ejected; when pushing up, the internal calibration of the case and the putting on of a new percussion cap
- Station: the powder is poured in and at the same time the case mouth widened into a bell shape (only for lead bullets)
- Station: the bullet is pressed in
- Station: the case mouth is drawn in so that the bullet is firmly in place
5-station press
- Station: here the case wall is recalibrated using the calibration die and the old primer cap is ejected using a mandrel
- Station: a new percussion cap is inserted, then the previously set amount of powder is poured in and at the same time the case mouth is widened in a bell-shaped manner (for lead bullets)
- Station: here z. For example, a powder testing system can be used that uses a level control to check whether the correct amount of powder has been filled - preventing any double or empty fillings
- Station: a floor is pressed in to the previously set depth using a setting die
- Station: the case mouth is drawn in with a crimp die so that the bullet is firmly in place
Legal requirements
- Germany
All tools and components for reloading cartridge cases are freely available, but in Germany the purchase of propellants is subject to the Explosives Act (Germany) and its strict control. A license is required to purchase the propellant powder (mostly nitrocellulose or black powder); for the non-commercial sector, a license according to Section 27 of the Explosives Act, which is limited to 5 years and then has to be extended. Expertise and general reliability are not enough.
In order to receive this, proof of having attended a recognized course (stipulated duration of at least two days) with a subsequent proficiency test must be provided. Such a course can only be attended by those who have a clearance certificate in accordance with the Explosives Act. This certificate is issued when the competent authority has checked the reliability of the applicant. To this end, the federal central register and the trade register are usually inspected and information is obtained from the police and public prosecutor's office. Pending investigative or criminal proceedings as well as corresponding entries in the certificate of good conduct are considered reasons to doubt the harmlessness and to fail the certificate.
The ammunition produced is subject to gun law .
See also
literature
- German experimental and testing institute for hunting and sporting weapons. Office (Altenbeken): reloading. Preparation and practice. (Cartridges for long and short weapons, basic technical knowledge, legal knowledge, information for advanced users. Over 1000 checked loading data for 83 calibers) . 2nd Edition. Nimrod-Verlag, Bothel 1994, ISBN 3-927848-04-2 .
- Werner Reb: Reloading for hunters and shooters. Devices, application technology, components. 150 cartridge descriptions with loading data . BLV-Verlagsgesellschaft, Munich 1984, ISBN 3-405-12757-2 .
- Robert Riegel, Peter Schmidt: H & N high-speed projectile reloading for professionals and beginners . Haendler-und-Natermann-Sport, Münden 2004, ISBN 3-00-013161-2 .
- Roland Zeitler: Reloading for hunting and sport. 4 overview tables . Österreichischer Agrarverlag, Leopoldsdorf near Vienna 2001, ISBN 3-7040-1845-7 , ( Edition Hubertus ).
