And if they succeed, it will provide evidence that government run business is the way to go.

Are you defining success in terms of future business profitability, or future electoral tallies?

You’ll also need a powder scale and either an adjustable powder measure or a set of powder scoops/measures. Also, some place to mount the press - usually, a small-to-medium sized workbench is best - and dry, cool storage for the powder, primers, etc. Cabela’s is a good source for a reloading manual, or you can use the online version, and maybe print your own copy if you like. On page 71 of that online one, there are some websites to look at for additional data, as well.

This online site might be helpful in getting started, as well. They have product reviews (some go back aways, though, based on the prices of stuff shown) covering all kinds of equipment, load information - even a forum where you can ask questions.

Speaking of questions: Please feel free to ask about any aspect of handloading/reloading, either here on DP or by e-mail. Always interesting in getting more folks involved in “making their own” - it’s not as much fun as shooting, of course, but it’s still pretty cool just to know you’re not so dependent on factory-made stuff.

Update: I noted that, on the Lee Precision, Inc. site that genes linked to, when you go to the Home page, they’re still offering their 50th Anniversary Kit, which gets you literally everything you need - aside from a set of loading dies and the cases, bullets, primers and powder - to get started reloading, in one package, for only a little more than one of their turret presses alone would cost. The press included is the more-basic O-frame press (which mounts only one die from each set at a time) - but it also includes one set of quick-change sleeves that makes changing dies (to shift from sizing/depriming, to priming, to bullet seating/crimping) quick and easy, along with a powder scale and an adjustable powder measure, a powder funnel, manuals, etc. Might be a good way to go…

The reason why “standard” 9 mm. is loaded on the low side? Simple enough: There are a lot of old, simple (and often simply fairly weak) straight blow-back action pistols out there - and no manufacturer wants to take a chance on loading ammo that just might cause some “product liability issues” with those old guns, even if they’re in really good condition. Outfits like Federals already have enough problems to deal with as it is - why create any additional worries?

Which is precisely why, unless you carry a more modern, locked-breech or semi-locked-breech (aka: delayed blowback) handgun and do some handloading (or use the “pepped-up” military 9 mm. stuff intended mostly for submachine gun use), you will not be able to take full advantage of the performance possible with a 9 mm. in handgun form. Even if you can use some fairly “warmed-up” handloads, using some nice semi-jacketed bullets (so they’ll mushroom, thus hitting harder), in that modern pistol, you’re still only going to get to about where a fairly ordinary .45 ACP load - or a bottom-end .357 Magnum load - gets to with ease. Plus, the .45 or the .357 will have more hitting power left at greater range.

The 9 mm. is a nice enough round for defensive use at close range - and better than doing without, by far. Heavier is better, though. If you can only have one self-defense gun available - and, mostly, you can only use one at a time anyway - why not make it as heavy as you can handle properly?

There’s not a lot of point to using the 5.7X28 mm., BTW, unless you figure to go up against body armor or need to shoot through a heavy door or a couple of walls - used against “soft” targets (such as humans, mostly), even with the lighter-loaded ammo available on the open market, it’s all about penetration. If Hasan the terrorist had used that .357 Magnum more and the FN less, he’d have likely killed even more of his victims - most of the 5.7 mm. hits he made on human targets undoubtedly went right through, wounding but not creating huge, death-dealing damage; I’d bet that most of the deaths were due to vital-spot hits or many wounds to a single body or both. Apparently, he fired around 100 shots.

You get a lot more info with membership, but this should give you some idea - do note barrel lengths.

Ballistic Data:
32 gr = 2350 fps, 390 ft-lb
28 gr Spitzer = 2350 fps, 290 ft-lb
40 gr Hornady V-Max = 1950 fps, 340 ft-lb

I used Clusty, searching on “ballistics 5.7×28″ and “ballistics 5.7×28 muzzle energy”. If you can’t find something with one search engine, try another. The most optimistic realistic estimates suggest that even Google indexes maybe a quarter of the English-language internet. (I’d guess it’s less than that.) There’s lots of content out there that Google won’t tell you about.

Obamarx fails the one fork for sure, and probably the other as well.

I doubt many of the respondents to that Gallup poll could specify exactly what the “qualifications” for the President are…

Maybe we could start a list - beginning with:

1) Making speeches without lying, especially purely to get votes.

2) Having actual, real-world experience in an executive capacity.

3) Demonstrating an understanding that the U.S. Constitution is a set of binding requirements, not just nice but antiquated suggestions.

Seems like that would be a good start…especially since any one of those would have disqualified Fearless Leader from possible consideration.

Between that, Mom and the kids, it’s got to make it almost worthwhile having been away, just so you can come back.

I meant to imply that my cat was a victim of violent crime, with possible Islamic connections.

That’s how I read it. Muslim fundies are obviously intimidated by pussy.

“…to an outspoken commentator who rails against illegal immigration and…”

This comes late in the article. At the beginning one will see:

“Lou Dobbs, the longtime CNN anchor whose anti-immigration views have made him a TV lightning rod,…”

Incredibly enough, almost the exact same sentence appears below Dobbs’ picture on the Yahoo front page at this very moment.

And in order to shoot well you need to shot a LOT.

Well, yeah, but I seem to be something of a natural. When I was a kid, I never had any trouble popping squirrels, birds, and rabbits - moving, by the way, and the first time I ever fired a handgun, I put the first five shots within the seven ring from 10 yards. I can do better than that now, but I’ve always been a pretty decent shot.

It’s one of the few “sporting” things I’ve ever done that I didn’t have to really work at to reach a modicum of proficiency.

Yeah, I know they’re guys.

How can you tell for sure?

He’s serving a higher power, don’t you know?

A bunch of those made me cry

And laugh at the same time.

Sweetest Veterans’ Day link ever. Doggies greeting their soldiers who’ve come home:

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/40324