Reloading
I just started reloading last night. I bought the lee anniversary kit and the problem i have is when i seat the round i seat it in too far. i dont know when to stop applying pressure to the lever. Can anyone help me out. BTW i'm reloading 45 acp
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Hey guy's, first off I would like to thank everyone for all the advice and comments you have made regarding my questions. I would like to get into reloading and recently saw an item on GB. The # is
14479963. Is this a good purchase or are there better deals with dies out there. I dont know a damn thing about it so give me everything you've got.
Thanks
Larry0 -
You can get a Lee anniversary kit for around $100. Dies will run $15-$50 per set. Primers, powder,bullets, and cases are variable prices. You should be able to set up with one powder each for the handgun and rifle at $16-18 each. Primers $15-20/m for each size. Bullets $8-10/100 for pistol and $15-18/100 for rifle. Cases $15/100 for pistol and $20-25/100 for rifle. You can save a lot by reloading your own cases or buying once-fired cases. My guess is you need to shoot 100 rounds per year per rifle caliber and 500 for pistol to come anywhere near breakeven especially the first couple of years. I get a lot from the satisfaction of making my own loads and seeing them hit the target or the game.
Mobuck0 -
I have the RCBS Rock Chucker Kit. I have seen it advertised recently for about $275.00. You would need to get dies for your calibers.
GEORGE L. WILD, JR.0 -
Buy yourself an inexpensive, light duty turret press like the Lyman or the Lee, and a set of dies (Lee are the least expensive) preferably carbide, for one of the pistol cartridges. You will also need a scale and probably a powder measure. In the event that you are willing to load to less-than-maximum (but good quality) power, a Lee dipper set (around $15) will do for the scale and powder measure. Most important, get yourself SEVERAL loading manuals. One thing, for most military cartridges like the 30/06 you mentioned, you can buy surplus ammo for less than it costs to reload! It would also be a good idea to find someone in your area that reloads and learn from him. Best of luck.
Have fun, be careful!!
Morty0 -
If your not sure you want to get into reloading but would like to give it a try, here's my 2 cents worth. 1. Buy yourself a good reloading handbook as others have stated. 2. Buy a Lee Loader the one's that sells for about $25.00 complete. 3. Don't use the powder measurer but buy a set of scales. 4. Buy your primers, bullets, and powder per loads that handbook recommends. There was a article a few years ago in the American Rifleman where they compared RCBS,LYMAN and some other dies and presses against the Cheap LEE LOADER using scaled powder, same bullets, primers, and same casings and gun and the LEE LOADER loaded carthages held tighter groups than the rest.My only other recommendation is to purchase a primer tool instead of using the hammer method. Scares the LITTLE WOMAN when you set on off once in a while. Just my 2 cents worth. Larry 0 -
If you are looking for reloading to reduce your costs of your other hobies, ie shooting, forget it! I started reloading for the same reason. But, after getting into reloading, I spend more now as I shoot more now and I get as much fun out of reloading as I do shooting. Good luck.
Without the NRA, the second ammendment would already be gone!0 -
My 2 cents you cant beat the lee anvsry. kit it comes with a very nice scale. Every thing but dies. And to start, after reading everything you can get your hands on, try a straight walled pistol cartrdge. Dean Grinnel puts out an exelent book that should be on every reloaders shelf it is for the bigginer and has advanced info also. Read-Read-Read. Good luck. 0 -
Anybody remember that guy, Grey or something, who set the 1000 yard grouping world record using Lee Collet (neck size only) dies? Pretty good endorsement for the poor man's reloading equipment.
Buy low, short high...0 -
Obviously, Lee has their partisans. I'm not one of them. I strongly recommend the RCBS Rockchucker for a single stage press, with the same company's auxiliary kit. The quality is top flight, the engineering excellent and the customer service is too good to describe.
Regardless of what equipment you purchase, do get a good scale, a set of quality calipers (vernier or digital - you can often find good used ones as machinists upgrade their personal tools), and the Lyman reloading manual. The scale speaks for itself. The calipers have all sorts of uses and are far more versatile than the caliber-specific gauges offered by various makers. The Lyman manual is hands-down (IMHO) the best, most objective general reloading manual there is. It covers a wide spectrum of cartridges with a variety of bullets and powders, while those proprietary manuals list only loads for "DEF" bullets and "XYZ" powders, depending on the source - and only in the calibers for which they make components. That's not to say you may not wish or need a more specific manual some day in the future, but the Lyman manual will always be there for you. The NRA Guide to Handloading runs a close, but definite, second.
Usually you will get your best prices on HazMat goods (powder & primers) at gun shows . . . but not by a lot. If your local shop doesn't overcharge - mine does not - I try to give them that support. Bullets . . . once you settle on loads you like, best deal is to buy in bulk lots. Watch for specials at Midway, Midsouth and other large distributers & stock up when the stuff goes on sale. Brass - unless it is something hard to obtain, you can pick up 1xF brass for very little cost. Watch for auction lots on the various sites. .40 S& W can be had on a regular basis for $0.02 or less each; .45 ACP typically brings around $0.06, but I've found bulk for under a penny in the last year; .30-30 brass is so common that you can often find it for $0.03 each and I sure would not pay more than a nickel; the '06 may run you up to a dime, but $0.05 is a reasonable target. Yes, I'm cheap. But I'm sure I have less than a dime in any of my brass except for metrics or unusual US calibers. If you get into it heavily, there are companies which sell re-processed brass in bulk (particularly handgun and US military rifle calibers) at very, very good prices.
As others have noted, unless you are very different than 99.9% of shooters, you will not really save money by reloading. You will shoot two to five times as much for the same cost. If you are serious, odds are the ammo you load will usually be better quality than that which you can buy, not least because it will be tailored to your particular firearms and your particular needs / tastes. You will have enormous satisfaction in seeing the results of your efforts at the range or in the field. And it is fun!
Two caveats: (1) read the manual carefully before starting and make sure you understand the process before even buying the equipment; (2) proceed carefully, double check yourself at every turn and take all the precautions put forth in the manuals - they are there for reasons beyond keeping trial lawyers at bay. I've loaded 100s of Ks of ammo in the past 30+ years and I've yet to create a KB or squib load. Doesn't mean it's not possible, just that if safety is foremost in your mind, it becomes very improbable.
Good luck!0 -
BUY A DILLON 550 IT WILL LOAD IT ALL,RIFLE & HANDGUN CART.10,000
ROUNDS LATER YOU CAN SELL IT FOR WHAT YOU PAID FOR IT,AND IF IT EVER BREAKS THEY WILL FIX IT FREE!!!!!!!
GOOD LUCK0 -
I've had a Lee for five years . it is the best for the money. If you look around you can find them for under a 100.00. 0 -
Hellcattx,
First of all welcome to the fray. You will find very knowledgable and honest people on this site.
I know a lot of reloaders don't like LEE up that's probably what I'm going to get. Midway has the Ann. kit for $67.49. I'm thinkin' about the 4 hole turrent kit for $87.18, both of these are without dies. An extra turrent for different calibers is $9.18. These prices are out of their catalog that I got on Thurs. Just my 2cents. What ever you choose...enjoy!
Chuck
Gun control means using both hands.0 -
My nickel (I talk too much...) on this is that you can make a decent reload with Lee stuff, but having started and used it and then stepping up a bit, you might live large and buy better stuff from the get go. I have a Hornady Lock N Load single stage press (you can convert the Rockchucker to the Lock N Load set up). I prefer a single stage press and the Lock N Load makes it pretty convenient. Overall RCBS, Hornady and Redding make the best dies and related stuff for my money.
Three Precious Metals: Gold, silver and lead0 -
My advice, after you've bought whatever kind of press, scales,(Dillon,RCBS,Ohaus, not LEE!!!) is to get a Hodgdon no.27 Loading Manual!! It is the most thorough, unbiased loading manual out there!! It has their powders + IMR +ALLIANT and the whole gammut of bullets for about anything you want to load! I have been doing this for more years than a lot of you reading this have been able to read and it is impressive! GHD 0 -
Yeah, the big savings is on the brass, but the ultimate for savings is to cast bullets yourself. Wheel weights can often be had for free. You have to swag to avoid leading, but a careful gun cleaner doesn't worry about lead anyway. All that said, for pistol rounds, you won't save much on .40S+W (it's so cheap now), but will on .45. Rifle rounds offer much greater savings, per round. 0
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