Posted: 12/31/2009 4:27:36 PM EDT
Life isn't challanging enough, so I want to reload. While I was visiting my parents over Christmas, my neighbor showed me his reloading equipment. First was the basic RCBS single stage press with the dies, etc. Then was the Hornady auto progressive deal. He walked me threw the basics of reloading a .45 shell. So now I have been sitting here thinking and looking around at equipment, bullets, primers, powders, and my f*cking head hurts from it. 
What would it take to get started? Bare minimum single stage deal, to maybe a progressive if cheap enough. Tumbler, scale, etc. I'm ready to start rolling my own 
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Life isn't challanging enough, so I want to reload. While I was visiting my parents over Christmas, my neighbor showed me his reloading equipment. First was the basic RCBS single stage press with the dies, etc. Then was the Hornady auto progressive deal. He walked me threw the basics of reloading a .45 shell. So now I have been sitting here thinking and looking around at equipment, bullets, primers, powders, and my f*cking head hurts from it.
What would it take to get started? Bare minimum single stage deal, to maybe a progressive if cheap enough. Tumbler, scale, etc. I'm ready to start rolling my own This is something I've been putting off forever. And getting started is confusing from what I've looked at. Try the tech forum though I'm sure we have plenty of avid reloaders around here. If you do the math it's absolutely retarded to not reload. And... I just called myself retarded. |
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I reloaded back when I was in high school. Early 70's! But I only reloaded pistol ammo. I've still got my old RCBS single stage. Even before the Rock Chucker came out. I'm beginning to buy new stuff and start again myself. I can say it has become quite daunting in the new world to know what to get and what not to get. Now with rifle ammo you've got to decode whether to full size die or not and that depends on whether you're gonna be shooting for a semi or bolt gun.
I'm clearing a room in my house to use for reloading. I'm gonna build a reloading bench soon. I decided to go with a Lee Turret Press. It's kinda in between a single stage and a progressive machine. Lee seems to have some of the cheapest stuff yet some of their stuff is highly recommended. Especially their crimp dies. I got the turret press a few weeks ago as well as some dies. I still need to get some other basic stuff. I also ordered some small rifle primers before Christmas so I have them. One thing about reloading now is you're gonna find some things are hard to come by especially primers. They're about as scarce as 380 ammo in some cases. Popular bullets can also be hard to procure. Also if you can't find powder locally you're likely to have to order it. That comes with a pretty hefty hazardous charge so you wanna be sure and buy a large enough quantity of powder and primers to not have to pay the extra charge often. Stupid to order $50.00 of powder/primers and then have to pay a $22.50 hazardous fee. I'm still deciding on what type of powder measure I'm gonna use. For speed you want one that will dump the powder automatically but they tend to not be quite so accurate. If you want tight accuracy you'll want to measure each charge individually otherwise the auto ones should be fine. Then there's trimming cases, depriming, removing mil crimp from crimped primer ammo, tumblers to keep the rounds clean, lube, etc, etc, etc! I think once you get some of the initial buy costs behind you it will get better with the exception of trying to find the hard to acquire items like primers. If you want to go the progressive route I think most will choose Dillon...550b! They seem to be all that these days. I can say that for accuracy you simply can't beat reloading. I reloaded some 30-06 many years ago to hunt in Colorado when I was stationed there. I was shooting about 1 inch groups at 200 yards with my old Remington 742 semi-auto. I wish I would have kept that target from back then. If you're just shooting occasionally with a bolt gun and not too concerned with accuracy you'll do ok with factory ammo. But with reloading you can tailor the ammo to you specific gun and get it pretty tight. Shooting a bunch of handgun ammo and AR type ammo reloading is definitely a way to shoot cheaper and more accurate. If you want to shoot IDPA a lot it'll be nice to load your own ammo with reduced loads. For me getting the 6.8 I almost have to reload although the better ammo is more available now. |
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I just started reloading, I went with a Dillon 550B, dies, scale, books, conversion kit and extra primer tubes. I can run 3-400 rounds of 45acp per hour.
I watched these while setting the press up, I found the vids helpful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRZrbv_8kx4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ox0jkxrbmo&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCiiRw3YYxg&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTBeoEOBlRI&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1KJ3hUAm28&feature=related |
| I've been running a Lee Classic Turret press for a few years. It's very straightforward, and you can keep a close eye on everything. It's not the quickest, but you can crank out rounds fast enough that it's not a pain in the ass. Doesn't cost an arm and a leg, either. |
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I've tried to get started 4 times in 3 years. The furthest I've got is buying a RCBS kit I saw on sale at the local Wally and reading the book that came with it. Big +1 on the retarded stuff. I could reload plinking stuff for damn near half of what I would pay for it. Well, I could have anyways. I havn't rechecked my numbers since the Post-Obama shortages. Match rifle ammo is still a bit of a wash I think. I seem to remember saving only pennies per round on a Mk262 or Tap75gr equivalent load. I'd rather give those companies the few extra pennies for that stuff. Same with most 308 loads. There are some great resources in the reloading forum, as well as some vids on youtube (including what decoy posted) I would definatly recommend buying a book or 3 from any of the bigger places. |
I started out with a Redding T7 turret press. It's basically a single stage press that holds 7 dies, so you don't have to keep changing the dies out. Look the T7 up on youtube, there's several videos. Search the internet, there is endless amounts of information out there about reloading. Check out Midsouth Shooters Supply for deals they are about the cheapest I've found, and located in Tennessee so shipping is pretty fast. You'll shoot more and load more accurate ammo, also be prepared to spend some money once you get hooked. Have Fun.
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Quoted:
Life isn't challanging enough, so I want to reload. While I was visiting my parents over Christmas, my neighbor showed me his reloading equipment. First was the basic RCBS single stage press with the dies, etc. Then was the Hornady auto progressive deal. He walked me threw the basics of reloading a .45 shell. So now I have been sitting here thinking and looking around at equipment, bullets, primers, powders, and my f*cking head hurts from it.
What would it take to get started? Bare minimum single stage deal, to maybe a progressive if cheap enough. Tumbler, scale, etc. I'm ready to start rolling my own Hey Bro. Get with me after you get back to work or give me a call. If you need my number, let me know. I can show you my setup at my house and maybe steer you in the right direction. |
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I've got a ton of reloading gear here and have done it in vicious amounts every couple years, then get burned out and lay off for a little while.
Anyone near Morgan/Maumelle that want's to learn, see, use some equip, feel free to get w/me sometime and I'd be glad to run thru some of the basics and let you try out my press's. I've got a Lee auto that's for .45acp and a RCBS turret w/alot of "main" caliber dies to use, and a couple small single stage press's. I need somone local to help re-energize me into reloading again... 
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I have been reloading for lots of years. I only use single stage presses.
what you need to start #1 is the best set of scales you can afford to buy because you will use them alot and you need to be able to trust them. #2 is a basic 0 frame press big enough to do 30-06 to start out. a press like this is a basic necessity #3 dies. with these 3 items you can load ammo. yep its slow with out a powder measure but thats all you need to load #4 a powder measure for the type of powder you are using. I have 5 I did not put load book because there is lots of loading data on the web read and learn |
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For a lot of calibers, it's waaay cheaper to reload. Some stuff it's just cheaper to buy it, example is .303 Brit you can buy Privi stuff for what you can load it. You'll save tons though on magnum cals.
Cowboy, if you can get your hands on Sierras 77gr. cosmetic blems you can save a bunch on 262, and it shoots just as good as the first line stuff. |
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I have been reloading for lots of years. I only use single stage presses. what you need to start #1 is the best set of scales you can afford to buy because you will use them alot and you need to be able to trust them. #2 is a basic 0 frame press big enough to do 30-06 to start out. a press like this is a basic necessity #3 dies. with these 3 items you can load ammo. yep its slow with out a powder measure but thats all you need to load #4 a powder measure for the type of powder you are using. I have 5 I did not put load book because there is lots of loading data on the web read and learn Don't forget shell holders for the cal. your loading. 
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When it comes to reloading the only way you can get started is ti just do it! You can read about for years!
I started out with a RCBS Rock Chucker! It worked great but my only problem was I shoot more pistol than rifle so I was spending hours of time reloading (Still well worth it) and minutes shooting! I upgraded to a Lee 1000... It was a good intro to progressive loading but once you go blue (Dillion) nothing is quite the same after. Today I have a 550B and Sqare Deal B. For my 308 & 223 I use a forsters and for my 50 BMG I use a Lee. I can add only one thing to this must need list: Quoted:
I have been reloading for lots of years. I only use single stage presses. what you need to start #1 is the best set of scales you can afford to buy because you will use them alot and you need to be able to trust them. #2 is a basic 0 frame press big enough to do 30-06 to start out. a press like this is a basic necessity #3 dies. with these 3 items you can load ammo. yep its slow with out a powder measure but thats all you need to load #4 a powder measure for the type of powder you are using. I have 5 I did not put load book because there is lots of loading data on the web read and learn and that is a Chronograph! If you do not have one you have no way of knowing how your loads perform! I have seen many firearms ruined because the load seamed right! |
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Speaking of chronys... Whats a good one? I guess it depends on what you are wanting to use it for. I have not seen a bad one. I have used the shooting chrony's and they are great. I won a ProChrono Digital Chronograph at a match and it turned out to be a pretty good one. Before I won this all I had was a Oehler Research Chron... This is supposed to be one of the best. I now just use it for my rifle loads and the ProChrono for my pistol loads. |
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Speaking of chronys... Whats a good one? I guess it depends on what you are wanting to use it for. I have not seen a bad one. I have used the shooting chrony's and they are great. I won a ProChrono Digital Chronograph at a match and it turned out to be a pretty good one. Before I won this all I had was a Oehler Research Chron... This is supposed to be one of the best. I now just use it for my rifle loads and the ProChrono for my pistol loads. Does the ProChrono not work well on rifles? Or is the Oehler better? |
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Speaking of chronys... Whats a good one? I guess it depends on what you are wanting to use it for. I have not seen a bad one. I have used the shooting chrony's and they are great. I won a ProChrono Digital Chronograph at a match and it turned out to be a pretty good one. Before I won this all I had was a Oehler Research Chron... This is supposed to be one of the best. I now just use it for my rifle loads and the ProChrono for my pistol loads. Does the ProChrono not work well on rifles? Or is the Oehler better? The Oehler has a 3rd skycreen and infrared eye that gives you a more accurate reading. But the Pro Chrono does do fine on rifles, |
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Dillon 550b and a couple of single stages here. I would start with a single stage. Lee is good. I dont even look at factory ammo anymore, unless I want to laugh at the prices. reloading takes space and time. if you dont have either of those, I would hold off. So true. I could not believe the prices of hunting ammo I saw at WW a couple of months ago. Federal Premium was $40 per box for 30.06 and $45 per box for 7mm Mag. |