Reloading Ammunition: Equipment: Reloading Kits

In the last few posts in this series, we looked at various individual tools and materials needed to reload cartridges. For many of these tools and materials, we looked at the prices at which they could be purchased. However, it must be noted that if a beginner were to start reloading and purchase these items individually, they would cost a considerable sum of money. Not to worry though: many manufacturers also sell reloading kits, which contain the basic tools that a beginner would need to do some reloading.  Buying one of these is a lot cheaper than purchasing the individual parts.

At  the low-end, we have hand-reloading kits for specific pistol and rifle calibers:

A basic 9 mm. reloading kit from Lee Precision Inc.

This is a cheap loading kit designed for reloading 9 mm. Luger ammunition only, that sells for about $38.00. Note that it doesn't come with any reloading press, the powder measure is a simple scoop and it comes with a couple of tools that look like long screwdrivers to perform decapping and capping operations. A couple of dies are included to size the case and load the bullet. The user is expected to purchase a rubber mallet to use with this kit, as there is no press. There is also an included instruction manual that gives step-by-step instructions on how to use this kit, along with information about powder types and loads that should be used with it. Lee Precision claims that a user can load about 50 cartridges an hour with this kit, which is probably a little on the high side.

Lee sells a number of these kits at the same price (about $38.00), each one designed for a specific pistol or rifle cartridge caliber, e.g. 9 mm. Luger, .44 magnum, .357 magnum, .45 ACP, 30/30 Winchester, 303 British etc. In many of these kits, Lee Precision does state that some considerable force will need to be applied for reloading larger cartridges, which means that these kits are not easy for everyone to use. Still, these are the cheapest type of reloading kit available.

The next step up is a reloading kit that can be used to reload various types of ammunition. Such a kit comes with a single-stage press:

Lee Precision Breech Lock Challenge Kit. Click on image to enlarge.

This kit comes with a single-stage "O" press, an automatic powder measure, a set of powder scales, a powder funnel, a hand operated spring-loaded priming tool, a set of shell holders that will fit 115 popular cartridge types, case cutter and deburring tool (case-length gauges for specific calibers can be ordered with this kit for an additional $6 per gauge). Included also are a case lubrication kit and a couple of primer pocket cleaning tools.

If the above parts are purchased separately, they would cost around $215 in total. However, buying this kit costs only $172. Of course, the user will also need to purchase sets of dies corresponding to the cartridge calibers that they need to reload, which cost an additional $40 per set. Additional tools would include calipers, some cleaning brushes, a reloading data book etc.

A single stage reloading kit from RCBS

The above image is another single-stage loading kit from RCBS Inc. This one also has a single stage "O" Press, a set of powder scales, a powder funnel, case lubrication kit, a loading block, primer tray, case cleaning brushes, deburring tool and a reloading manual written by Speer (for non-American readers, Speer is a well-known ammunition manufacturing company in America). A kit like this costs about $180. As with the above Lee kit, this one also needs the user to purchase sets of dies corresponding to the cartridge calibers that need to be reloaded, which cost about $40 per set. In addition, the user will also need to purchase some shell holders corresponding to the cartridge calibers being reloaded, calipers etc.

Single stage kits like these allow the user to reload about 250 rounds per hour.

Next up, we have turret press kits, such as the one below:

This value turret press kit costs about $115 and just requires 4 pulls of the lever to complete a cartridge. It comes with a turret press, auto powder measure, scale, case cutting tools, primer pocket cleaner and deburring tool. All that is needed is a set of dies for that caliber and optionally, calipers and loading blocks. This particular kit is only suitable for handgun cartridges though.

Turret Press reloading kits by Lee Precision and RCBS. Click on images to enlarge

The next two images are turret press reloading kits geared towards reloading both pistol and rifle ammunition. These kits are in the $300 - $400 range and contain all the common tools needed for reloading. The manuals that are supplied with these kits contain instructions to load a very wide variety of cartridges. The user only needs to additionally purchase die sets and shell holders for the cartridge calibers to be reloaded + calipers if needed.

These kits are easily capable of loading about 250 cartridges an hour

Finally, we have kits that contain progressive presses.

Hornady Lock N' Load Ammo Plant reloading kit. Click on image to enlarge

A kit like this costs about $1200 - $1400 and comes with a progressive press, automatic bullet feeder, automatic case feeder, die bushings, cartridge catchers, primer pickup tubes, a monitor to ensure that it will warn when the hopper runs out of gunpowder etc.  The only things left to purchase are shell holders, dies and perhaps some additional die bushings (if the ones that are already supplied with the kit don't fit), a set of scales and calipers.

RCBS Progressive reloading kit. Click on image to enlarge

The above kit costs about $900 and comes with a progressive press, automated priming and powder dispensing systems, case trimmer and cutter, deburring tool, case lubrication kit, brushes and cleaning tools and a Speer reloading manual among others. Note that the scale is electronic and can be used to measure the powder as well as the completed cartridges. The kit also comes with a set of calipers, so the only thing that the user needs to purchase is a set of dies and shell holders.

One last thing to mention is that many of the prices mentioned in this article and the previous ones are new equipment prices, as of time of writing of the article. It is possible to buy many of these tools in used condition from gun shows, at much reduced prices. Some tools like presses or dies generally tend to last a very long time, so a used press may perform very similar to a new one, but only cost $20 - $30 whereas the same model in brand-new condition could cost $70 - $80. Similarly, dies tend to last a very long time, so used dies can be purchased for much cheaper than new ones and while the used set may have some minor scratches and blemishes, it could still perform as well as a brand-new set.

Pistols: Machine Pistols

In our previous post about semi-automatic pistols, we noted that while such a pistol is capable of shooting several times before reloading, the user needs to pull the trigger every time to take a shot. Now, we will study another class of pistols, where the weapon fires multiple times when the trigger is pulled and held down: the machine pistol. These weapons are capable of fully automatic or burst fire, unlike the semi-automatic pistols in our previous post. Some of these weapons are also capable of switching firing modes between single shot, three round burst mode and fully automatic modes.

In an earlier discussion about the differences between a rifle, SLR, submachine gun, carbine etc. we noted that submachine guns have similar features to assault rifles (i.e. capable of fully automatic fire, selectable firing modes, detachable magazine etc.), but use pistol ammunition. So then, what is the difference between a machine pistol and a submachine gun? The difference is indeed very hard to define, but it is now commonly accepted that if the automatic design was scaled down from an assault rifle to a weapon that fires pistol ammunition, then it is a submachine gun. If the original design was a semi-automatic pistol that was redesigned for full-automatic mode, then it is a machine pistol.

Some of the early semi-automatic pistols, such as the Luger P-08 and the Mauser C-96 were modified to produce automatic versions, so the concept isn't exactly new. After World War II, the Russians introduced an automatic pistol called the Stechkin VPS, intended to be used by artillery and tank crews. Due to its weight, it was gradually phased out of regular service. Another two examples of a machine pistol would be the Ingram MAC-10 and MAC-11, which we studied when researching straight blowback actions.

One of the main issues with any weapons firing multiple shots (not just machine pistols alone) is the tendency of the muzzle of the weapon to rise when shooting. We already studied the cause of this phenomenon earlier and some ways to counteract this. Most of the early automatic pistols like the Luger, Mauser and Stechkin came with a detachable wooden stock, which could help steady the weapon better to counteract the muzzle rise.

In the 1970s, Heckler and Koch produced the VP 70, which had a very interesting feature:

This weapon had an optional plastic stock that could be attached to the back of the pistol. The selective fire control was located on the optional stock and could select between single shot and 3-round burst modes, as can be seen in the top picture above. With the stock attached, the user could switch between the modes as desired, but if the stock was not attached, the pistol would only fire in single shot mode. The stock provided a higher degree of stability and accuracy and therefore made it easier to keep it pointed on target when firing multiple shots.

Yet another model is the Glock 18, which came out in the 1980s. The Glock 18 is a variant of the Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol, which is capable of selective fire in either single shot or fully automatic mode.

Note that this model has an extended magazine, capable of holding 33 cartridges. It also has a lightweight folding stock. It works around the problem of muzzle rise by having vents in the front of the barrel, which act as compensators and push the muzzle downwards. Glock 18 models are only intended for military use and are not normally available on the civilian market.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Stechkin VPS pistols made a comeback, mostly used by personal bodyguards and special forces units.

Actions: Recoil Action: Short Recoil Operation - II

In our last post, we studied the basics of a Short Recoil Operated Action, as well as some different weapons that use it. In this post, we will study one more variant of the short recoil operated action, the toggle lock recoil action. This variant of the short recoil operated action was originally used by the world's first machine gun, the Maxim. It was later used in some small arms, notably the Hugo Borchardt designed C93 pistol and later on by the Luger pistol.

The C93 pistol was one of the first successful commercial semi-automatic pistols. Hugo Borchardt was a German born inventor, who later emigrated to the United States, became an American citizen and worked for several well known American firearms manufacturers, including Colt, Winchester and Remington. He later emigrated back to Europe and was employed by the Ludwig Loewe company when he invented his pistol in 1893.

Source: http://www.adamsguns.com

The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use this image for any purpose, provided the copyright holder is properly attributed.

The pistol was fairly successful, despite the fact that it was mechanically complicated, expensive to produce and hard to handle. Note the almost vertical grip and the big, ugly, semi-circular mainspring hanging out of the back of the weapon. These two features make it harder to aim the pistol quickly and affect the overall balance.

Hugo Borchardt was an easily offended man by nature and he believed that his design was perfect and couldn't be improved. As a result, another employee of the Loewe company, Georg Luger, was tasked with improving the design, which he succeeded in doing in 1896. The Luger design started with the basic Borchardt designed mechanism, but had an angled grip that made it easier to point, added a new grip safety, removed the C93's mainspring and replaced with a leaf spring, improved the balance, redesigned the cartridges used etc. The new pistol was originally adopted by the Swiss army in 1900 and was later adopted by the Germans in 1908. Since the Germans adopted it in 1908, they named it as Pistole-08 or P-08 for short. The words for "zero eight" in German are "null acht", hence this pistol was also known in Germany as the "null acht". The pistols originally used 7.65x22 mm. cartridges, but Luger invented a different sized cartridge for the German army and redesigned the pistol to use this new cartridge: the famous 9x19 mm. parabellum cartridge, also popularly known as the "9 mm. Luger" cartridge. The 9x19 mm. cartridge is still with us today and is the most common military handgun cartridge in use currently.

The Luger was used heavily by the Germans in World War I, produced by both Erfurt Arsenal and DWM (the Loewe company had been renamed to Deutsche Waffen und Munitions Fabriken (DWM) by this time). After the war, the allies restricted production of most weapons for a while, until a German company called Simson was allowed to manufacture Lugers after 1925. Ironically, the Nazis later forced the Simson company to close before World War II, because the owners happened to be Jewish! The Mauser company continued to manufacture Lugers until the end of World War II. Lugers were later replaced in military service by more modern designs, but there are still some private manufacturers making Lugers to this day.

The most distinctive feature of a Luger (and its C93 predecessor) is its toggle lock mechanism. It works similar to the principle of a human knee. Note that a human leg can withstand a lot more pressure when the knee is straight and locked, but once the knee is bent, the leg suddenly becomes much easier to bend after that. The toggle lock mechanism works very similarly. When the weapon is initially fired, the toggle lock mechanism is straight. The recoil causes the barrel and toggle lock initially move back together on rails. Due to the toggle being straight, it doesn't move backwards easily initally. After a little bit of movement, the toggle part begins to ride over a pair of cams that bend the toggle at the joint. Once the toggle lock is no longer straight, it bends much more freely, allowing the bolt to accelerate backwards and recock the weapon. An extractor at the end of the toggle pulls out the old cartridge and ejects it. A recoil spring then pushes the bolt forwards again, whereupon it strips a new round from the magazine and pushes it in the chamber, ready to fire. The movies below show how this works:

This design had a few disadvantages though. For one, it was a fairly complicated mechanism and required precisely fitted parts to work properly. The tolerances required for this design are very tight and parts often had to be hand-fitted for it to work right. These tolerances contributed greatly to the accuracy of the weapon, but took away the reliability. In fact, small amounts of dirt on the exposed firing mechanism parts, especially on the left hand side, could cause the weapon to jam. The Luger was expensive to produce, even for its time, and it was competing in the civilian market with the Colt M1911, which was cheaper to produce and more reliable in operation.

This is why there are no other modern weapons that use this particular variant of the short recoil action mechanism.