Getting into reloading?

[BigGoonTuna]

I've got a little big of Christmas money and gift cards left over this year, and am thinking about trying my hand at handloading.  I've actually been interested in it for several years, but about every time i've considered taking the plunge, we have one of those gun grabber panics and all the components disappear.

Lately it seems like things have become more or less available again so I'd like to take a crack at it.  Primary motivation is to be able to be able to shoot a bit more for less(who wouldn't?) because some of my rifle calibers are horrendously expensive to buy loaded ammo for(like $40 a box for .45-70, or $50+ for .264 mag).

I've looked at some kits at Midway and Brownells, which seem to have a pretty wide range of prices, and what you get in them.  I see a lot of preference toward RCBS but would something like a Lee press be fine for someone like me?  I don't mind spending some money if it means I'm getting something that's going to last, but doubt I'd be interested in an expensive progressive setup.  Anyone a fan of turret presses?

Is a chronograph absolutely necessary for someone like me starting out?  It seems like a lot of articles I've read on reloading end up "heading down the rabbit hole" so to speak and suddenly we're going into the smallest detail(akay loony territory).  It definitely seems like something you can be as anal about as you possibly want, but I'm not there yet...should I be?

Any advice for the beginner here?

[Mark Brenckle]

Tagging along.

[bobcat]

No, you really don't need a chronograph, and you don't want a turret press for just starting out. I've only had one press my entire life, an RCBS Rockchucker. I've had it for over 30 years. I think other brands are just fine but I don't know much about them. What is your budget?

[BigGoonTuna]

I was sort of budgeting around the $300 +/- for a press and basic set of tools/manuals.  Could go higher or lower depending on if it'll get the job done?

[opdinkslayer]

 Do lots of reading and watching videos of basic reloading before buying. Like everything else you get what you pay for. Imo I would look for a good sale on the rcbs rockchucker kit and they offer rebates as well usually. Everything you need to get started is there and you can upgrade your setup overtime using that press. Don't know about money savings but it is an enjoyable hobby if you like to shoot and are interested in getting the most from your rifles when it comes to accuracy.   Good luck!

[RadSav]

I use a cheaper RCBS press and it's been great.  I run standard RCBS sizing dies as well.  The seating dies however I spend top dollar for.  I'm no expert loader by any means, but in my experience bullet seating has been where I've seen the biggest results.

We do not use a chrony.  Would like to have one, but haven't put it on the priority list.  I keep pallet sheets (large cardboard sheets).  When I'm setting up my scope for hunting season and have found a sub MOA load the rifle likes I set a 100 yard zero and then try my best to group well at 500 yards.  Then simply measure the bullet drop and type that into one of the free calculators online.  Seems to work pretty darn good. I'm much more concerned with how well my bullets group than the digital readout on a chrony.  Velocity is what it is when I get the load where I want on paper.  I'm not about to shoot larger groups just to win a wiener measuring contest.

[300rum]

You won't save any money for a long time, probably ever.  Likely you will just shoot more and buy more stuff but that isn't bad.

The bare minimum that you will need (using new brass) is a press, a scale and a set of dies.  That is the minimum, it only goes up from there.

If you do not plan on shooting any farther then typical hunting distance then a chrono is not needed.  A Chrono helps you tell if you are on the upper end of pressure, allows you to enter velocity into a table and getting an idea on trajectory and also will tell you what the powder/bullet combo is doing, if you are getting spikes in pressure for instance.

If you are loading rifle cartridges, you need to know about headspace, what it is and how to bump your shoulder on fired brass.  I swear most of the people on here are not trimming their brass and do not know what headspace is.  Eventually they will find out.....

I stay with RCBS, I use a few Lee dies that are particular to a situation.  Other then the couple of dies I use that are Lee, I think their stuff is pretty much junk.  Even the particular dies that I use, the metal in the Lee dies is not the same quality as other's.  RCBS has a great warranty and you can find lot's of used stuff.  When you decide to upgrade RCBS will hold its value much better and will sell quicker too.       

[theleo]

As far as how anal you should be, that depends on what your accuracy goals are. If you're happy with 1 inch groups, get a kit, some calipers, a case trimmer (you'll need one eventually), a reloading manual or two, some powders (a number of powders for 223's work well in 45-70's), primers, bullets, and get to it.

Each gun, each cartridge, will have their own intracacies that you'll learn as you go along. You'll end up spending a lot on primers, bullets, and powders. Not because you have to but because you'll want to tinker with loads. You can definitely get savings reloading for, old "obsolete", hard to find, and just about anything that takes a point .264 bullet.

Keep it simple, follow the reloading manuals to start with. Worry about seating depths, distance off the lands, and all that stuff later after you've got comfortable getting to where the factory standards are.

[slm9s]

The Lee classic press is as good as any.  I have three lined up.  That said, even the $30 Lee cheapo press will be good enough to get you started.  There's nothing wrong with Lee products, many swear by them.
As far as whether reloading 'is for you', I'd say it depends on whether you plan to be shooting for a LONG time, or whether its just a temporary fixation and you might stop going to the range except right before hunting season.  I really enjoy reloading and wringing as much accuracy out of a rifle as I can.  If you hunt for deals you can get the price down a LOT from factory ammo - especially if you shoot rounds like the Weatherbys, STW, Lapua, etc..
If you really enjoy shooting and actually shoot pretty often, start buying stuff now - the sooner you start the sooner you'll break even.
Put WTB ads up for presses/scales/dies/etc.  I've got a couple presses that I could let go cheap.

[Emptyhanded]

If you go with one of the kits, as stated earlier, you'll need to pick up a set of calipers also. If it were me I would buy a powder trickler as well. Some of the longer powders don't meter well and seem to throw inconsistent charges, for me anyway. You can make due with out it but it makes throwing accurate charges a little easier.


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[CAMPMEAT]

Hornady Lock-N-Load kit.. They run $400ish. Plus, you get free bullets or a spindle if you bend one etc. That's what I have and added the rest of the things I needed along the way..

[Bill W]

I was in one of our bigger Walmarts the other day and saw a RCBS rockchucker kit for the low $300's.  I didn't take too hard of a look at it as I was checking for Remington Gun Club shotgun shells and the non-existent .22 lr.

I've used RCBS and Lee equipment and my preference is RCBS as it seems to be made sturdier.  I also prefer Redding dies as that's what I use for some BR shooting.

[splitshot]

  in the same boat.  good post mr goony guy.  let us know you progress.  mike w

[Smokeploe]

Morning BGT
I would start by buying a good reloading manual, Lyman.  Start reading. Then start getting good shells, rifle, pistol, sorting and cleaning. I started using the RCBS  press when I started out, had to buy cause my father moved out of state, lost the place to reload.  That press has served me for over 35 years.  I do a lot of reloading with wildcats and regular cases, rifle and pistol.  Read what you can find out about the cartridges you are going to reload.  A chrony will help in the future when you get into special loads, high vel..  Right now just starting out you will need to get loads figured out for your rifle, moa loads. You will get all kinds of info here and other web pages.  Just remember use plublished load data right now. The rcbs loading kit for somewhere between $250-350 is a good bet and will last you a lifetime, i know. 

[AWS]

I would suggest for your first purchase,  a Lyman reloading manual and read through the "How To" section, it will give you a good idea of what equipment you will need.

Presses. 
Any of the top end Cast steel "O" frame single stage presses will do anything you want, I use a Lyman Crusher, and have owned RCBS Rockchucker(sold mine 35 yrs ago and it wasn't any better than anything else in the same style), Pacific, Hornady, C&H Magnum and Lee Cast Classic.  My current "O" frame press is reserved for heavy case forming.  My main press is a Lee Cast Classic Turret that I use as a single stage,  I like the fact that the turret heads are interchangeable and I keep eight of them on the bench set up with one to two die sets in each, to change cartridges I just drop in a different head and al the dies are set to go no adjusting needed, I load about 12 different cartridges on a regular basis.

Scales
I like a beam scale as I can see whats happenning, I've tried to use an electronic scale and haven't had much faith in them and they can change and you don't know it, I do load in an un heated garage so that could be part of it.

Case prep
Lee trimmers work well, never go out of adjustment and are very accurate, I use them for many of my oddball cartridges.  My favorite timmer for volume is the the Wilson/ C&H/ old Herters they are just about the same and the case holders are interchangeable.  I have two set up on the bench one for my 204 Ruger based wildcats, I can trim all three without having to adjust, same with my 223/6x45mm.  Trimmers that collet clamp on the rim of the case can give different lengths do to variations in rim diameter.  Chamfer tools are a must, trimming leaves a sharp edge on the mouth of the case just about any tool will work I use a small one with the inside cutter on one end and the outside on the other. Prime pocket cleaner a basic little had held one works just great.

Priming tools
The priming arm on the press will do a great job, used one for years before hand helds came out.  I like the old Lee Hand Held priming tool, I have three and one new version.  I load a lot and keep one set up for each of the primers I uses SR, MSR, LR and SBR.

Case cleaners.
Never owned one , just wipe dirty cases down and brush the inside of the neck.

Case gauges
Other than a calipers and maybe a mic. I don't have any others, you have to be really anal to worry about run out and you can set the headspace on the case by smoking the shoulder or just by feel.

Chronograph
I never owned one until I started to load cartridges with no load data available, OLD foreign rounds and my own and uncommon wildcats.  Printed data is fairly accurate and accuracy is FAR MORE important than velocity,  there isn't a piece of paper or any game that a hundred FPS either way will make a difference.  You can get in a lot more trouble chasing FPS than accuracy.

Have fun and stay safe.