wanting to get started....

fastcarsgofast

November 17, 2011 14:09

Was thinking of getting a single stage press and have some questions.


What will I need? I guess what I'm asking is what equipment should I get for my starter kit?

Are dies and presses from different makers interchangeable?

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  dcs shooters

  November 17, 2011 14:25

  All should have 7/8X14tpi. threads.

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  charliemeyer007

  November 17, 2011 15:39

  I really like steel presses in O frames, much stronger and less springy. If you want to load those long mag rifle cart get a large press, much easier to put case with bullet into them. A good loading book or two. A scales is necessary. Case trimmers are handy. I like to use a hand tool to seat primers, better feel. I like the Lee case lube doesn't kill primers and the Redding sizing die wax. A inside/outside champhering tool is good to have, I like the ones with a post in the center for the outside. A powder measure is handy, mine has a small and large drum. A dial caliper is really useful. Keep good notes and list your loading data with the ammo.

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  bpost

  November 17, 2011 16:30

  http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=498276 [:D]

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  guntech59

  November 17, 2011 17:21

  .....and this.....
  
  http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=540695

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  longspur rider

  November 18, 2011 06:21

  You will find that a good sturdy heavy work bench will serve you best. A lightweight wobbly will end up walking around your work area as you reload

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  Riomouse911

  November 18, 2011 13:33

  I started on a Lee challenger kit with the standard threaded dies, then added some other stuff to it. The threads were standard, so I bought RCBS, Hornady and Lyman dies in different calibers as I needed them. Lee is IMO not the worlds best stuff, but it was in my price range and I was able to craft some ammo pretty quickly. I bought and mounted other Lee single-stage presses so I didn't have to change dies much (I called it my poor-man's progressive system) and then I went up to progressives from there.
  
  I suggest adding an electronic reloading scale to whatever brand of starter kit you buy, along with a vibratory case cleaner, dial caliper, but first a kinetic bullet puller.
  
  The electronic scale makes beam scales obsolete because it's faster and much more accurate. The cleaner makes reloaded rounds look better and keeps the dies from getting scratched up from crud on the dirty cases. The caliper lets you check case or overall length (or figure out what a bullet's diameter really is). And you're going to screw up bullet seating depth sooner or later (most likely sooner) so a bullet puller allows you to pop it out so you do not waste cases, primers, bullets etc... I don't re-use the powder from the cases I pull bullets from in case there are bits of old powder(s) from different caliber(s) hidden in there. The risk of good powder contamination overshadows the few pennies of powder in a case, but that's just me.

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  62fuelie

  November 19, 2011 13:11

  +1 on the sturdy workbench. I had a 2X10 split lengthwise while sizing 300 Win Mag brass with an RCBS block "O" press, lot of torque generated by that long handle.

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