Editing Handloading (section)

{{Short description|Manual assembly of ammunition}}
{{About|metallic cartridge and shotshell handloading|construction of paper cartridges|Paper cartridge}}
{{Essay-like|date=January 2022}}
[[File:Reload Cartridge Example 3 new.jpg|thumb|Components of a modern bottleneck [[rifle]] [[cartridge.]]  Top-to-bottom:  Copper-jacketed [[bullet]], smokeless powder [[:wikt:granule|granule]]s, rimless brass case, [[Boxer primer]].]]

'''Handloading''', or '''reloading''', is the practice of making [[firearm cartridge]]s by manually assembling the individual components ([[metallic cartridge|metallic]]/[[polymer-cased ammunition|polymer case]], [[primer (firearms)|primer]], [[propellant]] and [[projectile]]), rather than purchasing [[mass production|mass-assembled]], [[production line|factory-loaded]] commercial ammunition.<ref name="Massaro2014">{{cite book|last=Massaro|first=Philip P.|title=Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Reloading|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EVGYCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA13|date=9 October 2014|work=F+W Media, Inc.|location=Iola, Wisconsin|isbn=978-1-4402-3988-5|pages=13–14}}</ref> (It should not be confused with the reloading of a [[firearm]] ''with'' cartridges, such as by swapping [[detachable magazine]]s, or using a [[stripper clip]] or [[speedloader]] to quickly insert new cartridges into a magazine.)

The term ''handloading'' is the more general term, and refers generically to the manual assembly of ammunition cartridges. ''Reloading'' refers more specifically to handloading using previously fired cases and [[shotshell]]s.  The terms are often used interchangeably however, as the techniques are largely the same, whether the handloader is using new or recycled components. The differences lie in the initial preparation of cases or shells — new components are generally ready to load straight out of the box, while previously fired components often need additional preparation procedures, such as removal of expended primers ("depriming"), case cleaning (to remove any [[fouling]] or [[rust]]) and the reshaping (to correct any pre-existing deformations) and resizing of cases to bring them back into specification after firing (or to experiment with [[wildcat cartridge|custom modifications]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/@BigfootGunBelts/difference-between-handloading-vs-reloading-e1798abf81ae|title=Difference Between Handloading vs Reloading|author=Bigfoot Gun Belts|date=25 March 2016}}</ref>