OT-Reloading Equipment Newbie

[Rdm_01]

This is a question for all the reloaders on here, I have finally saved enough money to buy a press and other reloading equip. I don't know much about reloading, hence not sure where to start. Do not know if I should get a standard press or progressive press or pretty much anything.

Here's what I do know: I will be reloading more handgun calibers than rifles, but I want the option of loading rifles. Handgun calibers range from 9mm, .38 special, .357 mag, .40, .45 ACP, and .45 LC. Rifles would be 22-250, 30-30, 308, and 30-06.

Only know a couple of people that reload, 1 does handgun, the other rifles. They disagreed on the presses. I have looked at the Dillon's, Hornady, Lee, and RCBS. Any info will help point me in a direction.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

RDM

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

I recently went with the Lee Turret press and have no complaints. I load at the moment for .308w, 444m, and 45/70 and plan to load for other rifle and handgun cartridges soon. Most of my equipment is mixed brands overall, any 'color' you choose will do you right.

[jhrosier]

RDM,

The best place to start would be to buy a good loading manual and read up on the reloading process.
I recommend the latest Lyman manual as being the most comprehensive.

Aside from that, the Lee classic cast turret press is a good compromise between speed and simplicity.

Remember when buying your equipment that you will have it for a lifetime and buy the best quality that you can reasonably afford.

Jack

[AJMD429]

I've used a RCBS Rockchucker, Dillon RL550, Lee 'hand' press, Lee 'mallet' kit, and Lee Classic Turret, and like the Classic Turret the best.

Use the "search" function on this forum for "reloading" with maybe other terms like "starting" or something, and you'll find lots of info.

[RIHMFIRE]

RCBS Rockchucker gets my vote, for all the different caliber you plan to reload...
as far as dies go....I use lee...but they are all pretty darn good!

Dillon gets my vote if you plan to load a ton of ammo in one sitting..like the 550

[Ysabel Kid]

I have used Lee Precision equipment for 30 years with no compliants. In fact, I still have my original turret press and still works. I lost count of the thousands of rounds I have loaded on it.

Lee is probably the best value for the money, but it is not the best equipment money can buy. Dillon probably gets that nod.

I'd start with a single-stage press. You'll be amazed how much you can load on one. Progressive presses are for guys who shoot lots of the same round and same loading.

Reloading is as addictive as shooting and gun collecting. You'll find yourself adding to your pile of equipment (just ask Joe Miller ), but the single stage will always be handy so its not a waste to start there even if you do end up moving up.

After the press and dies, actually before, you will need a good load book, though a lot of information is now available on the internet. You'll need a means to weigh your charges. Then components and you have the basics and are ready to start reloading! DO read up on it a bit before jumping in - education, especially with something so dependent on safety, is never wasted!

Good luck!

[damienph]

Just about any press will work. I agree about starting with a single stage, it will help prevent a new handloader from skipping any steps.

I really like the strength and ease of use of my Rockchucker, it has loaded thousands of rifle and pistol rounds. The only problem that I had with it was the shell holder retaining spring (on the ram) broke after about 10 years. I tried to order a new one from RCBS, and they sent me a pack of 5, no charge.

I also have an RCBS Partner, a little too light in my opinion. It has a Lee Universal Decapping Die in it all of the time, and it works great for that.

The press that I use the most though is a Lyman T-Mag turret press , I really like having all of my dies mounted at the same time. The rotating shell plate will allow me to have two different calibers set up at one time, which I frequently have.

I also still have my old Texan C bolted to my bench, as a reminder of how I started. It can still load good ammo too.

As I said though, they all work. I sent my son a Lee Turret "starter" kit (what ever they call it) to get him started. He loves it and loads some good ammo with it.

As for dies, My personal preference, in order, is RCBS, Pacific (old style Hornady), Texan, Hornady (New Dimension), Lyman, then Lee. I haven't used any others.

The Pacific and the the Texan Dies, you can only buy used, but I really like them, and pick them up when I find them in good shape and priced right.

I have, and use, several manuals. I really don't think that one can have too many.

My nephew swears by his Dillon 550 and cannot understand why I use my old "stuff". I think he finds handloading to be a necessary chore so that he can shoot (a lot).

I get as much pleasure out of handloading as I do shooting and handling (fondling) my guns.

[damienph]

I want to add that I LOVE the Lee hand primers. I have two, one set up for small and one for large primers.

[2571]

I started 30 years ago with a RockChucker. Unfortunately, they are now made in china and reports of failure are not uncommon. I've had Lee in single & progressive and didn't care for them. I now reload on two Pacific singles and one Lyman progressive, all 3 of which are ancient.

I've got 5 of those Lee pound-a-caliber classics. I like 'em, especially for small runs. I've got
310 setups in 2 calibers.

Start with cast iron, single-stage

[fordwannabe]

I'm gonna vote for the lee turret even though I don't have one right now. I have used one for many thousand s of rounds and it worked great. The big advantange is once you get the dies set up you leave them in the turret and just get a new turret(which is really inexpensive). The biggest problem with the single stage presses is constantly having to rmove and reinstall dies. I have moved on to progressives and a lYman turret and will be trading trading that in on a Lee turret as soon as I get around to it. Good luck if we can help(or confuse you) give a shout, the only problem with asking questions on this site is your gonna get several different ways to do something and then have to decide on your own which is best FOR YOU. Tom

[mikld]

I would suggest you start with The ABCs of Reloading. This book covers all the steps in reloading for handgun, rifle, and shotgun in depth (also powder, primers, bullets and shot). Read it and you will get answers to most of your reloading questions and be able to determine what equipment suits your reloading needs. Check out the reloading suppliers catalogs (Midsouth, Midway, Natchez, Graff & Sons, etc) to get an idea of what equipment is out there.

I too suggest a single stage press as only one operation happens each time you pull the handle and you'll need to learn the theories behind each step, and the "feel" of each operation.(And how to adjust dies!)

Reloading is a very satisfying addition to shooting and I enjoy it 'cause I don't have to go to the range to "play with my gun stuff". But, the first step is learning reloading safety; errors can ruin guns, fingers, eyes and even end lives. Go slow, use only published loads (none from any on line source, forum "expert", or "gun shop guru"), double check everything, and you'll have a great time custom crafting ammo for your particular guns.

[piller]

Start with a single stage cast iron press which is the O type as they are the strongest. This is simply the press which the frame is in a square or O shape which all sides are connected. Any of the brands listed above should last your lifetime and beyond. The single stage is the one which you do one operation to however many cases you have, then change the dies and go to the next step. It is the most certain way to avoid errors for anyone new to reloading, and for those of us who sometimes skate on the edge of maximum loads, it is a good way to take the time to carefully measure each charge. I am planning on getting a turret press in the future as I have 2 kids interested in shooting, and if I stay in the range of below maximum, it would save a lot of time. I like the Lee dies with the change of using Hornady locking rings. I have also used RCBS and Hornady dies. All 3 that I have used are good. but I have broken decapping pins on the RCBS and Hornady dies, and never broken a Lee die. RCBS sells decapping pins and they are easy to change. Hornady must be sent back to the factory for replacement. I actually like the Hornady floating bullet seater in the die as it keeps the bullet straight each and every time. I like the Lee pour through expander dies for their ease of opening the mouth of the case and adding the powder in one step.
End result, get a single stage press, buy a die set, get at least 3 reloading manuals to compare loads, choose your powder and bullet, and--using plenty of appropriate caution--HAVE FUN!!!

[Rdm_01]

Thanks to everyone for all the info.

RDM

[Mac in Mo]

I am by no means an authority on reloading. I bought a Lee turret press when I started reloading back in the 80's. It has been trouble free so far. I like the plate system. I also have an auto disc powder measure that I added the micrometer type adjustment to. It would sometimes stick. I smoothed off a few rough edges and it works fine. I still check each case for powder by eyeball before seating though.
I bought a used Rockchucker a few years ago and use it for rifle calibers. Also bought the Lee load book several years ago that came in a combo with their cheap little single stage. I use that one mostly for crimping with the Factory Crimp Die.
I get along fine with these presses. I don't have the time or finances to shoot high volume. Maybe in the future.Then I would check into a Dillon.


Kevin

[willygene]

i have two rcbs rochchuckers one over 30 years old and two dillon square deal b for pistol ammo never had a problem yet and the dillon stuff is great and they stand behind it if something goes wrong. most anybodys dies are good as long as you set then up right. pick a good name brand company and go to work, just dont skimp on powder measures or scales.

[jeepnik]

Used to be you could buy a "kit" that had everything you needed to get started except cases, powder, primer and bullets. They generally had a single stage press and you'd get one set of dies. I'd look around and see if anyone still sells them. They usually aren't that expensive, and it might be better to give it a try before spending too much. You may not end up liking it.

Another advantage of a single stage press is that it makes you sloooow down. And slow is good, and not just for beginners. I saw what happened to a 1911 when someone double charged a case with Bullseye. Not a pretty sight.

[wilko]

i'll join the long list of people saying LEE will offer the best bang for the buck.. Most of all i would advice you to invest in a good powder scale.

Have fun!

[AJMD429]

I'm gonna vote for the lee turret even though I don't have one right now. I have used one for many thousands of rounds and it worked great. The big advantange is once you get the dies set up you leave them in the turret and just get a new turret (which is really inexpensive). The biggest problem with the single stage presses is constantly having to rmove and reinstall dies.

Yep - that's what got me hooked on the Lee Turret. I can essentially set up a 'turret' (about $8.00) for each cartridge's "main" load, and swap out in a minute, vs. all the setup-time it takes on single-stage presses. Less chance for mistakes, less wasted brass, and less pulled bullets.

I like the single-stage for depriming military brass, or other 'dedicated' tasks, and I like the progressive for when you have one load you'll want a few thousand of at a time, so they're all useful.

But if I just had ONE press, I'd make it the Lee 4-hole turret, with the "disk" powder measure (the fancier of the Lee ones is way better than the 'basic' one).

Like others have said, they ALL do the job well enough - it's your own meticulous habits and caution that will determine the safety and accuracy of the end result.

[shooter]

Used to be you could buy a "kit" that had everything you needed to get started except cases, powder, primer and bullets. They generally had a single stage press and you'd get one set of dies. I'd look around and see if anyone still sells them. They usually aren't that expensive, and it might be better to give it a try before spending too much. You may not end up liking it.

Another advantage of a single stage press is that it makes you sloooow down. And slow is good, and not just for beginners. I saw what happened to a 1911 when someone double charged a case with Bullseye. Not a pretty sight.

I bought one of the Lee kits, and it cost me around $100 if I remember right. Comes with a press, powder measure, etc. Basically everything but the dies and cartridge components, as previously stated. I would immediately replace the scale with a better one. I got a Hornady balance beam and haven't looked back. The Lee safety scale is the one thing I've tried that I don't care for.

If you get a Lee turret press, you can turn the auto indexing feature off and use it as a single stage at first to learn on, then move to using it as a turret when you get comfortable. You can also do your rifle calibers as a single stage, then switch to turret to crank out pistol rounds faster. I just bought one of these in addition to my Lee single stage and I don't have any complaints.

[Ray Newman]

"The best place to start would be to buy a good loading manual and read up on the reloading process.
"I recommend the latest Lyman manual as being the most comprehensive."
--jhrosier

Re-read what JHRosier and 1st. buy a re-loading manual. I also favour the Lyman and the Lyman #49 is the most recent.

[Hobie]

I started 30 years ago with a RockChucker. Unfortunately, they are now made in china

[J Miller]

I started out with an RCBS JR II press. Wore it out, not by use but by not knowing how to properly clean and maintain it. Put it away and bought a Rockchucker to replace it. After about 10 years it was showing wear in the ram too. Somewhere in there it dawned on my pea brain what I had been doing.

When you decap fired cases the crud falls out and accumulates around the base of the ram where it slides up and down in the press body. This crud combined with the lube you need on the ram creates an abrasive compound that rivals the best machine shop grinding or lapping compound and will in due time wear out the press.
So, you must keep the ram and the area around it sanitary clean and well oiled.

So I sent them both back to RCBS and the JR was replaced and the RC was rebuilt. Neither have been out of the box since they came back because before I sent them out I picked up two used Bonanza Co-Ax presses and have been using them ever since. I consider the Co-Ax to be far far superior to the RCBS presses for many reasons.

Eventually I'll have a set up that will have the presses in use, but for different dedicated purposes.

Joe

[stretch]

Wow - You've got all of the good advice you're ever going to need!
I'll throw my 2 cents in just because:

In order:

1. A good loading manual - maybe more than one if funds allow.
My first manual was a Lyman. It's fine. Lee's might be a better value.

2. A good single stage press. As Joe said above, the Bonanza (now
Forster) Co-Ax press is terrific. AND no shell holders are required.
Lee's iron O-section press is cheaper, and is a traditional design. It's
built like a T-34, and should last a lifetime. Either is fine to start with.

3. A set of dies for each caliber. Lee's come with a powder dipper, a shell holder,
a list of recipes (for the enclosed powder dipper), and cartridge dimensions.
My first choice for the beginner. You'll need a powder funnel, too.

4. A set of 6" dial calipers to check bullet diameter and cartridge overall
length (COAL). Accurate COAL will yield more consistent ammunition.
Not absolutely necessary to get started, but you'll get 'em soon enough.

5. A powder scale. REALLY accurate charge weights will give more consistent
ammunition, and allow you to safely load maximum charges. Not absolutely
necessary to get started, but you'll get one soon enough. The beam type are
fine, but the electronic ones are said to be faster.

6. A handheld priming tool is convenient, although most of the presses
come with priming attachments. I've always primed by hand - with the exception
of the Forster press mentioned above, and in progressive presses.

7. Case trimmer, deburring tool, then a tumbler, then a progressive press,
then a power case trimmer, then another single stage press, and so forth and
so on.

I like reloading, and seem to spend more time on that than shooting sometimes!

-Stretch

[Rdm_01]

Thanks to everyone for the advice! Looks like I have more time to decide and learn since the money is now going to the Doctors and hospital for both of my kids surgery in a couple of weeks. Nothing serious, just having tonsils removed.

Thanks again!

RDM

[El Chivo]

The big advantange is once you get the dies set up you leave them in the turret and just get a new turret(which is really inexpensive). The biggest problem with the single stage presses is constantly having to rmove and reinstall dies.

I also like the Lee Turret, I have the classic cast with the 4 hole discs. I started with their hand press which I still use, and I think of it like a single-stage press.

If you do large volumes at a time, and few calibers, it would not be inefficient to use single stage. But for small amounts, and switching calibers, you'd love the disc system.

[Charles]

I would agree that the purchase of a good reloading manual such as those published by Lyman is step 1.

I would also agree that a good single stage press is the one to start with.

I don't agree that Lee is good stuff..but I won't press (pardon the pun) that issue.

There are plenty of good quality cast iron single stage reloading presses on Ebay for very little money. RCBS, Redding, Herters and Pacific presses are common there. A year ago I bought an excellent 1950's Pacific Super C press for $20 which included shipping. The handle was missing, but I turned one on the lathe.

"Made in China" isn't a synonym for junk was it was a few years back. Some decent quality stuff comes out of there now days.

These good old cast iron pressed will last two or three lifetimes with just common sense maintainance.

[SFRanger7GP]

Sorry for the long post but I put this together for a Buddy last year. These are my opinions based on my experiences.

Reloading is like anything. Everyone has a widget to make reloading: faster, easier, more precise, etc. I have tried (and own/owned) pretty much everything on the market and I am giving you a list of what works best for me. I enjoy reloading. I reload to produce better quality ammunition that is tailor made for the task I want it to accomplish. I reload to produce the ammunition that my firearms will perform best with. Saying you save money reloading is like saying you save money on groceries by hunting. For the price of our equipment/licenses/etc, it would be much cheaper to eat filet mignon and lobster. What you can do is shoot more for the same/less money. If you shoot odd cartridges like I do, it’s your only option.

1. First buy as many reloading manuals as possible. You should get one for every brand of bullet and powder you plan on using. The information in the front of each manual is as valuable as the loading recipes. The ones I recommend are:
Lee Modern Reloading
Hornady Reloading Manual
Speer Reloading Manual
Sierra Reloading Manual
Hodgdon Reloading Manual
Lyman Reloading Manual
Nosler Reloading Manual
If you are going to load Barnes or Swift bullets you have to get their manual as the different construction of their bullets causes pressures to spike suddenly.

2. Press. Redding T7 Turret Press. I’ve owned them all; this is the best. If you want a progressive some day, buy a Dillon. There is a reason competition shooters that go through hundreds of thousands of rounds use them.

3. Dies. Get the dies that you like. They will all load very accurate ammunition if you take care of them. I prefer Lee, Hornady and Redding. My preference is based on how easy they are to adjust and price. I own dies of every make and model. Unless you are doing Benchrest competition, don’t waste your money on “competition dies”. For pistol calibers; buy carbide dies so you don’t have to lube the brass.

4. Priming Tool. The Lee Auto Prime Hand Priming Tool is the best one made for the money.

5. Shell Holders. You need shell holders for the Priming Tool and the Press. Get the Lee Shell holder sets for the Press and the Hand Priming Tool. That will cover most cartridges in the world.

6. Lube. You have to lube rifle cases or they will get stuck in the die. Buy whatever is cheapest but get an alcohol/water base SPRAY. Don’t waste your time with a lube pad.

7. Stuck Case remover. You will do it one day and you need this tool to keep from ruining your die. They all are basically the same.

8. Chamfer/Deburring Tool. The Lyman works great and is inexpensive. They are all about the same.

9. Loading Trays. Buy 2-4. It’s hard to load without them. It keeps everything in order and keeps you from spilling powder everywhere.

10. Powder Scale. Get whichever electronic scale you like. I like the AC/DC ones so I can move it around without being dependent on plugging it in. Getting one of the old balance beam scales is like buying typewriters today so don’t even mess with them.

11. Powder Measure. I use one a lot when reloading pistol cartridges but seldom do with rifle cartridges. I have never seen one accurate enough to suit me as I like my rifle charges exact. The exceptions are the Lyman 1200 DPS III, RCBS Charge Master and the PACT Digital Powder dispenser. I owned the Lyman 1200 and sold it in Bolivia. I would never buy another one but they are nice. However, I thought they were a pain in the butt to adjust and drain. I have a Redding Match 3BR Powder measure that I use at times. It is the best manual powder measure I have used. I have a RCBS Little Dandy Powder measure (pistol) that I use a lot.

12. For rifle, I normally use a powder dipper. The Lee Powder Measure Kit has 15 powder scoops (remember SOTIC?). I pour whatever powder I’m using in a glass bowl and use the scoop to throw the charge directly on my electronic powder scale. With practice I can throw fast, accurate charges. I sprinkle a little extra or take out a little until I have the exact charge. It’s fast and simple. That is what I use most of the time when loading rifle.

13. Powder Funnel. Get whichever you like. I prefer plastic. I’ve had the same RCBS funnel for over 30 years. You want the ones the reloading companies sell as they are static free and static and powder is a bad combination.

14. Case Trimmers. Trimming cases is a pain in the butt, but a necessary evil for rifles. I have owned all types. I currently have the Lyman Universal Trimmer because it doesn’t require shell holders and it comes with most of what you will ever need in one kit. What I use most of the time is the Lee Case Trimmer with Lee Cutter and Lock Stud. I throw one end in the cordless drill and go at it. The cartridge gauge that comes with the kit takes the guess work out of adjusting trim length.

15. Dial Caliper. I use mine a lot to measure case lengths and overall cartridge lengths.

16. Other stuff you may need.

Powder Tickler: I have one that I haven’t used in years. The Lee Powder Scoops sort of make this useless.

Brass Cleaner Kit: I use mine often. Dirty brass can screw up your dies and clean ammo loads and looks nicer.

Bullet Puller: You will need it someday when you load crappy ammo or make a mistake. I still use mine regularly.

Case Care Kit: This comes with some things you can use and a couple you need.

Ammo Boxes: Very handy. The factory ammunition box only lasts so long.

Overall Length (OAL) Gauge and Flash Hole Deburring Tool: When you start geeking on reloading; you will want to try these. Two things that seem to affect accuracy most are cartridge OAL and uneven flash holes. The flash holes are stamped and often have a burr that partially blocks the flash from the primer. Playing with the cartridge OAL can find that “sweet spot” where the bullet best enters/jumps to the barrel and rifling.

Hope this helps!