New to reloading
I am 99% convinced that I need to start reloading to support my .44 magnum habit. I would also like to reload small volumes of .45 ACP,.38/.357 mag and maybe a few 30-06's for hunting. The more I look at presses and parts the more confused I get. Would someone suggest a laundry list of what equipment I would need to get started? A good manual or reloading reference? From what I read, I am not qualified or do I need a progressive press, just the beginner basics. Of couse, I don't want to cut any corners on safety issues. Thanks for your help.
Worry is the interest humans pay on the debt of miscalculation.
Worry is the interest humans pay on the debt of miscalculation.
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When casting lead bullets there is a groove at the base. Is there something that fills the groove? The bullets have already been lubed. Is there anything else that needs to be done to the bullets before they are pressed? Thank you in advance for your time. 0 -
single stage press
dies for each caliber
lee auto prime tool and the shellholder kit with all sizes
deburring/chamforing tool
good scale (I prefer digital)
primer pocket uniformer
hand powered case trimmer
shell holders for the press (if diff than lee)
powder trickler
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0 -
The best and simplest answere I can give you is...buy the RCBS master reloading kit. You will have to buy a decent set of calipers (around$25 for a dial type), dies, cases, primers and bullets, but virtually EVERYTHING else you need is already there, including Speers latest loading manual. Not knowing what you need to get started can be the worst row to hoe, and getting the RCBS Master will alleviate most of this issue for you right out of the box! Lee also has a pretty nice little starter set-up as well and you would spend less money. RCBS is still my choice, and they stand behind their products pretty well in my experience. The MAster Rock Chucker Reloading Kit I bought was perfect for me out of the box 10 years ago when I started reloading again (after about a 15 year layoff!) and now that I am an advanced student of the "art", it still suits me fine!
As far as the progressive set-up goes? I'm not a big fan. If I reloaded shotshells I would havwe a Dillon or MEC in a heartbeat, but My metalic cartridge stuff is much too high an art form to go any other way than single stage. Again, perhaps if I were into SASS or CAS I would want to be churning out several thousand rounds a week, but at my 200 carefully prepped and loaded round rate...I feel confident that every round that I produce has been mic'ed and carefully QC'ed! I also fear the idea of not seeing/inspecting every single case after the powder drop; I have always checked every case after I complete the powder drop stage of the operation while still in the Case tray as stick stacking (in the drop tube)and static electricity can cause some seriously lamentable results! Nothing like a half charge folloowed by a 150% charge with the first squib still in the barrel.
"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"When I was 14 I used to marvel at how ignorant my old man was...by the time I was 21 I was truelly amazed at how much the old bugger had learned in the intervening 7 years!" Samuel Clemens
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)0 -
Put 10 reloaders in a room, & you'll get 10 different opinions.
My first press was a single stage, but I eventually ended up with mixed makes of dies & other parts. It worked, but nothing worked particularly well. I finally got a progressive Dillon 550, with all Dillon parts, & now have no complaints.
I'd recommend that, or similar progressive from another manufacturer. The 550 will load handgun & rifle cartridges, & you can also use it as a single stage press. Having all your dies on a single plate relieves you from eternal screwing in/out dies, & adjusting them, every time you make a change. If you want to increase volume, just go progressive.
Get tired of a Dillon? You will get close to what you paid on the resale market.
Neal0 -
You may also want to take a look in our "secret" reloading forum,
it is called the "PaintBall Sport Shooting(?)" forum. [;)]
The gene pool needs chlorine.0 -
Ditto on nmyers's advice; however, I use all RCBS dies and have had no problems. You can start with Dillon AT500 Machine and upgrade later to the RL550 and save $$ in startup costs. Carbide sizing dies are a must for straight wall pistol cartridges.
Get a tumbler to keep you brass clean and an electronic scale if you can afford one. [Electronic scales are much easier to use than beam scales]. Depending upon what reloading powder you select you can get free online loading data from the powder manufacturer and save the cost of reloading maunals that become outdated. [Alliant has an excellent site]
Case trimmers are a nice addition but I reloaded for many years without one and had no problems.0 -
Ok Robin....that was all good advice now I'll tell you the great lie about reloading.....you won't save a dime...you'll spend more....See....what happens is...you ammo gets cheap so you shoot more....and more....and more...and more....sounds great doesn't it?....well..it is. It's a fun hobby that you can go as far as you want to with. It will give you many hours of pleasure and you shooting ability will get better....it doesn't get any better than that. 0 -
JustC has put up a great list. If you go for a "kit" make sure that it covers that list of items. I personally prefer Redding dies to RCBS, but I own plenty of both. The Lee primer loading is great, the Lee dies I have bought I have thrown away as junk. If you ever start reloading rifle ammo then a RCBS case master may be in order. The case master lets you measure your empty brass and loaded ammo for "run out", which is a measurement on how out of round it is when rotated about it's center axis. But that's for when you get way into it. Have fun..... 0 -
Thanks to everyone for the info and tips, I will make a visit to a couple of local shops and discuss what you fellas have shared with me. As a beginner reloader, I like the idea of buying a kit and getting a manual and detailed instructions. I have learned over the years there is nothing like hands on experience so I am asking my buddies if they know anybody locally that would be willing to help get me set up.
I didn't know GB had a reloading forum. Why do they call it paint ball?
Worry is the interest humans pay on the debt of miscalculation.0 -
Robin -
I was in the same boat as you about 6 weeks ago. I ended up settling on the Dillon RL550 progressive because quite frankly I like the idea of being able to turn out a volume of ammo in a short time. I ended up spending more than I originally wanted. The RL550 press is 350.00, but the dies, powder, primers, case tumbler, scales, caliper, books, etc are extra. All-in-all my startup cost was about 650.00 (but I bought the digital scale). Within 2 days of receiving the dillon I had it up and going, and churned out about 200 rds after everything was adjusted properly in about an hour. The first 50 of those, I think I measured each powder charge, and measured each cartridge after the bullet was seated and crimped to make sure it was being consistent. My biggest fear, like everyone's, is a double powder charge. Well, the nice thing about the dillon is that the powder die actually bells the case too (for pistol), so at a quick glance you can see whether or not the case has been through the powder die stage or not. Also, I can see the top of the powder after it's been dropped into the case (not sure if you would be able to on a .44 mag). After 200 rds, the powder weight had not changed at all, and neither had any of the dimensions of the case. I highly recommend the dillon press, and especially the instructional video. Watch out because a few things have changed on the machine since the video, but it's still worth it. Also, make sure you get as many reloading books as you can. I've found that many books disagree on min/max loads, which makes it very frustrating to start, but the Lyman book and Speer book are generally trusted by all. Good luck, I hope you get the RL550 too...0 -
I concur on the Dillon 550.
Did that route about 15 years ago in all the calibers I was reloading at the time ,( maybe 15), and never regretted it. I prepare the cases by cleaning, sizing and priming first, by a single stage press and a Lee hand primer,and loading a batch by entering the cases in the powder charging station on the Dillon.
Love it.
Bill Jordan
" I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than to have a frontal lobotomy"0
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