reloading kits

[Elk whack master]

Just starting. Any Suggestons on which brand kit and extra things i would need. I have nothing now. I want to be able to load quality rounds, not looking for mass production yet. Hornady,rcbs,lyman?     

[carpsniperg2]

You can build your own setup and get just what you want. I have a lot of mixed stuff. I use a lot of rcbs and redding stuff. I also have hornady,lyman,lee etc.

[rebal69972]

tagged 

[Mark Brenckle]

tagged 

  Me too!

[Fl0und3rz]

You can build your own setup and get just what you want. I have a lot of mixed stuff. I use a lot of rcbs and redding stuff. I also have hornady,lyman,lee etc.

Good suggestion.  For kits, the RCBS kits seem to be the standard.

But for putting together a reloading setup, check craigslist for deals on used presses (and other equipment).  My best craigslist score is an MEC sizemaster (shotshell reloading) with adjustable charge bar and tons of components for $80 (about a $400 value, new).

Presses don't wear out.  For new presses, Lee Classic Cast is a good deal.  RCBS makes some nice kits.  I'd stay away from the Lee kits, however, because of the included powder measures and scales (see below).  I started with a Lee hand press, with which I loaded thousands of rounds. Now I have a Lee Classic cast and Hornady LNL Progressive.  I have no regrets about any of these (Hand or Classic).  If you are space-limited, check out the hand press from Lee.  It takes standard dies, it works easily with most rifle as well as pistol brass, and you can perform many operations practically anywhere. Be cautioned that resizing milsurp or other difficult brass is not recommended with the hand press.  These are best done on a full press with the compound linkage.

For cheap trimming, check out the Lee cartridge specific trimmer set up. You can get a more expensive setup later if you continue to pursue the hobby. I prefer the Redding in the lathe-type trimmers, but other brands seem equivalent at the respective price points.

For powder measures and scales, I prefer Redding. But RCBS seems equivalent at the respective price points. Stay away from the Lee powder measures (poor performance,  complicated, frustration) and scales, but the Lee dipper set (set of sized scoops) is pretty useful, cheap, and can stand in for a powder measure, until you're ready to spend more.  You can get a powder trickler from any manufacturer, but you can also trickle from the dippers or from a spent case.

For priming, most press companies provide or make available parts to prime on the press.  I hand prime, and I am satisfied with my RCBS universal hand primer (no special priming shell holders needed).

Calipers at the quality a reloader needs are fungible; get a set.  In the same context, case-specific case length gages are invaluable to check length of sized cases and proper headspacing of loaded rounds. L.E. Wilson is a local company out of Cashmere, and they are your best bet.

For dies, Lee is a good value, and Lee provides some unique features not found in other die sets (Factory Crimp Die, full-length sizer priming pin collet, collet neck sizing die, and shell holder, dipper, and load data included).  Get the Lee deluxe sets that come with the Factory Crimp dies, if possible.  Otherwise, I prefer Hornady for their features, finish, and lock rings, but RCBS is also good, and local parts support for RCBS is often much better than for other brands.  All three have great customer service.

Many people like Dillon, but I find their gear to be priced beyond my ability to justify based on my needs.  The same goes for some of the other brands in terms of the cost of their dies and presses.

For case cleaning (tumblers, vibratory cleaners, etc.), I started with a liquid cleaning recipe in a rubbermaid sealable beverage container. That worked well for thousands of rounds, until I found a used Thumler's Tumbler for cheap (quiet, holds quite a few rounds, older model equivalent to their Model B, but much beefier, and $20 for a $200 value, new).  You can find the liquid cleaning recipe on the internet (salt, water, vinegar, and dishwasher detergent).  It works well, but it won't turn your cases into shiny trinkets that you gaze at longingly. It will also clean the primer pockets pretty well, but you will want a Lee Universal Decapping die to decap prior to liquid cleaning. Otherwise, I have no comment on the vibratory style or brands, other than the fact that they seem very loud.

Otherwise, you will need an assortment of hand case prep tools such as primer pocket tools, case mouth chamfer, etc.  Lyman and RCBS are good, but it comes down to preference. I like RCBS, and you can get them locally in retail stores. Often, some of these items come in kits.

Get at least one manual, and preferably the one from the manufacturer that you think you will be your primary brand of equipment, if possible. Lee and Lyman manuals are both good additionally for their extensive data. Otherwise, get the manual of the bullet manufacturer you will be using (but often, their load data is available online).

Have fun, and be safe.

[Elk whack master]

Nice info flound4rz. That will get me, and the others started. Whats some of your favorite gadgets you have gotten for reloading? The kind of stuff you don't need but you are glad you did.

[Jamieb]

I've been loading on a RCBS for years, most of the other gear on my bench in RCBS. Their customer service cant be beat. A great company that makes great equipment. I load 1000's of cartrides a year on my single stage rockchucker supreme.

[carpsniperg2]

One of my newer toys is a Lyman case prep tool!!! I have been doing all my case prep by hand. Let me tell you what this little 50.00 tool saves me a lot of work and time. Not to mention arthritis later down the road!!!

[Feanix]

If your going to be doing long range shooting get an OAL guage and comparator set. The difference in my groups was pretty amazing after i started loading for a specific "jump" rather than going by COAL from the manual.

[wraithen]

I bought the lyman tmag deluxe kit. I love the turret press. Went hunting and realized I didn't have ammo so I loaded 5 rounds in under a minute. The scale is decent. Ppl don't trust electronic scales but I learned mines querks. If it seems to be acting funny I double check it. Sometimes it does freak out though and then I wonder why I haven't bought a balance scale yet. I broke the lyman die ( bent into a funny shape the decapping rod.) The lee dies don't adjust enough for me. The lyman prime system broke after 1k rounds so that sucked. All in all I wish rcbs had a similar kit for one reason and one only. Those parts are everywhere! No shipping needed. Go to sportsmans or wha5ever and get what you broke. I don't use the lube pad. The spray is way too easy. I clean in the harbor freight ultrasonic. It is the lyman one only no badging and costs half as much. I believe it was 75ish. Reloading is easy. Just do it!

[Huntbear]

I started with an old Rockchucker press I found in a basement..  cleaned it up, then bought a balance beam scale, powder trickler, bullet puller, hand held case primer thing, and a tumbler...   Since I have added a trimmer, and a few other accessories... 

My next purchase will be a progressive, for handgun loads in bulk.. 

You do not need the "Master kit"  just start small, add pieces as you go.  You will have many hours of enjoyment from this..  Oh, and build a bench you can stand on and dance around.  So you are sure it will not bounce around when using the press..

[Fl0und3rz]

Nice info flound4rz. That will get me, and the others started. Whats some of your favorite gadgets you have gotten for reloading? The kind of stuff you don't need but you are glad you did.

Favorites include going from the liquid cleaner to the tumbler and from the Lee trimmers to a Redding 2400 trimmer.

A bullet puller is nice, and you can get by with the hammer-style kinetic puller.  But the RCBS collet puller is nice to have also.

Otherwise, all my case prep is by hand, and I look forward to the day when I can add an automated prep tool, and a Hornady LNL case feeder, and a bullet feeder, and . . . .

[AWS]

I've been at this for about 50yrs and have gone through a bunch of presses, Herter, Lee Lyman, RCBS, C&H, Pacifec, Hornady and even a couple that had no names on them.  The upper end models of each company are about the same in quality, I'm running a Lyman Crusher II and a Lee Cast Classic Turret.

Powder measures, again the better ones from most of the companies work well, I have ones by Hornady, Pacific, Midway, Redding, Lyman and Saeco on the bench right now.  All are micrometer adjustable, which is so much nicer than the sliding sleeve adjustment.  I really like the Lyman 55 for small cases cartridges like the 223 and 204.  None work well with long sick powders but will dump light and finish with a trickler.

Case trimmers, my favorites are the Wilson/C&H and the Lee, they are always spot on and hard to screw up.  I  dislike any that hold the case by the rim in a collet as variations of rim diameter or how hard you tighten them will change trim length.

Scales,  I like a balance beam scale, I tried am electronic but was not for me(old fart syndrome) even my old oil dampend scales seem better to me.  I have a RCBS 510, Lyman M-5 and a Redding oil dampenned on the bench.

Priming tools, I don't think you can beat the Lee hand tool, they are a third of the price of an RCBS and work very good I have two on the bench one set for LG primers and one for SM primers and will be getting another to dedicate for SM Magnum primes . 

This may sound  out of line to most but I've never had a case cleaner, I just wipe them off with a cloth if they've hit the dirt, otherwise just lube and size, never wrecked a die or stuck a case that was lubed correctly.

Good luck in your new pastime.  And remember a loading manual is your bible and loads off the internet that you can't verify in a manual are your enemy.

AWS

[wraithen]

I only clean my cases in the ultrasonic to ensure there's no case lube left and because I like shiny primer pockets. 

A gadget I won't do without anymore is the universal decapping die. Don't need clean cases at all. Just load the case and pop the primer out. I also have to have my primer pocket tools but only because my 30-30 brass hates to get primed.

Pay close attention when you're using a automatic prime on your press. Mine likes to flip small primers if it catches on anything on the way up.

[Jekemi]

Reloading is a great hobby. The amount of information you can gather from guys on this site is amazing. Let me also suggest you look at www.ultimatereloader.com. Tons of great information and video's on his site. Also spend some time reading a good reloading manual and watching YouTube video's of people reloading ammo. The best advice I have is find a fellow reloader and spend some time by his side watching the process. I put together a brief reloading guide that I'll attach. Good luck