collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: New to reloading. Please advise.  (Read 3154 times)

Offline Snakeriver

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: May 2016
  • Posts: 118
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #15 on: November 29, 2021, 06:37:29 PM »
Hornady head space gauge and bullet comparator are must have tools.

Offline cooltimber

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 584
  • Location: Ellensburg,Maui
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #16 on: November 29, 2021, 06:44:31 PM »
Dial micrometer is a must,if it has not been mentioned! Brass trimmer also!
rvn 69-70 11 b 2p 173rd
rmef
  2 ways to conquer and enslave a nation
      one's by sword,the other is by debt.
               John Adams

Offline JJB11B

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 4488
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #17 on: November 29, 2021, 07:04:44 PM »
:hello:

You need a press, scales, dies, for starters.  Tons of books or computer,  most reloading books are on line now.  Of course the bullets,primers and powder to go with your brass.

Lee, RCBS, Lyman are a good start up brands.

If I were to do it all over again(50+ years of stuff),  I'd go L.E. Wilson and a abhor press set up.   You can reload anywhere then, not tied down to a bench!  A bit more money BUT in the long run, well worth it!

Good luck!
I agree, not 50 years worth of reloading but lots of thousands of Dollars could have been better spent. I wish I could swap my dies for all my more accurate rifles out for Redding or L.E. Wilson dies.
"Pain heals, chicks dig scars, glory lasts forever."
Shane Falco

Offline Wolfdog2314

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 1085
  • Location: Washington
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #18 on: November 29, 2021, 08:11:18 PM »

Offline jrebel

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+20)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2008
  • Posts: 10604
  • Location: East Wenatchee
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #19 on: November 29, 2021, 09:02:38 PM »
The thought of reloading pistol and 556/.223 on a single stage press makes me want to vomit.  If you only shoot a couple hundred rounds a year, I guess you could make it work…..but time is money. 

Dillon 550b for the win.  I use a single stage for my hunting rifles, everything else is done on a Dillon 550. 

The cost difference is not that much more in the whole scheme of things.   

Offline Jason

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2008
  • Posts: 3526
  • Location: Camas
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #20 on: November 29, 2021, 09:18:03 PM »
The thought of reloading pistol and 556/.223 on a single stage press makes me want to vomit.  If you only shoot a couple hundred rounds a year, I guess you could make it work…..but time is money. 

Dillon 550b for the win.  I use a single stage for my hunting rifles, everything else is done on a Dillon 550. 

The cost difference is not that much more in the whole scheme of things.
:yeah: spent many of hours reloading pistol ammo on a single stage and I get light headed every time I remember them days. It worked and worked well if you have nothing else to do but burn time. Rock Chucker for the large rifle stuff and a progressive press for everything else. I have the Hornady AP press for pistol rounds and 223.

Offline NRA4LIFE

  • Site Sponsor
  • Past Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (+10)
  • Old Salt
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 6057
  • Location: Maple Valley
  • Groups: NRA
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #21 on: November 29, 2021, 09:18:15 PM »
Johnny, you'd be doing a lot of barfing in my reloading room.  Took 200 raw 223 once fired military cases and prepped them from start to finish this summer, loaded them and took them with the new AR-15 to WI.  Rattled off the whole lot with my dad in a half hour.

Back on topic, I started with an RCBS Rockchucker kit and and some extras and have never looked back, 35 years now I think.  I still use the same setup.  Yes, slower than some, but it is somewhat therapeutic to me. I also may have some spare stuff to sell cheap or give to you.  PM me a reminder if interested, I'll let you know what I got.
Look man, some times you just gotta roll the dice

Offline jrebel

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+20)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2008
  • Posts: 10604
  • Location: East Wenatchee
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #22 on: November 29, 2021, 09:29:07 PM »
Johnny, you'd be doing a lot of barfing in my reloading room.  Took 200 raw 223 once fired military cases and prepped them from start to finish this summer, loaded them and took them with the new AR-15 to WI.  Rattled off the whole lot with my dad in a half hour.

Back on topic, I started with an RCBS Rockchucker kit and and some extras and have never looked back, 35 years now I think.  I still use the same setup.  Yes, slower than some, but it is somewhat therapeutic to me. I also may have some spare stuff to sell cheap or give to you.  PM me a reminder if interested, I'll let you know what I got.


 :yike: :yike: :yike:

Yes, I think I just threw up in my mouth.    :chuckle:

Offline jasnt

  • ELR junkie
  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2010
  • Posts: 6445
  • Location: deer park
  • Out shooting
  • Groups: WSTA
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #23 on: November 30, 2021, 06:58:39 AM »
I offer my canned response regarding what a new reloader needs to get started (with my recommendations):

First, read lots of books and manuals:

The ABCs of Reloading
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1440213968
Also available on iTunes

The Beginner's Guide to Reloading Ammunition
http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Guide-Reloading-Ammunition-Apartment/dp/148207379X

Lyman 50th Edition Reloading Manual
http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-50th-Edition-Reloading-Manual/dp/B01N76GD2F

Lee Precision - Modern Reloading
http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Modern-Reloading-Format/dp/B000N8OKAU

And watch videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ammosmith/videos?flow=grid&view=0&sort=da
t=58s

And conduct other research:
http://rcbs.com/Resources/Introduction-to-Handloading/Step-by-Step-Reloading.aspx
http://ultimatereloader.com/

Equipment: Start out with a single-stage press. A single-stage press will force you to focus on each step. You should master each step before you attempt to combine them into a single-pull of the lever. Further, turret and progressive presses add complexity and points of failure that single-stage presses don’t have. You will always have a use for a single-stage press on your reloading bench, and you may find that you never need anything more than a single-stage, so get a good one.

The Bare Minimum:

□ Books & manuals (You can never have too many books and manuals)
□ Reloading press* (Single-stage - RCBS Rock Chucker)
□ Scale* (Balance beam scales; pref. Ohaus, RCBS, Lee, etc.)
□ Priming tool* (Rcbs hand primer)
□ Case lube* (Hornady one shot)
□ Funnel*
□ Calipers ($10 eBay Stainless .001")
□ Shell holders (rcbs)
□ Dies (for the specific cartridges you will be loading)
□good accurate chronograph is a must
□ powder trickler

Near Essentials:

□ Bullet puller (Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Impact Bullet Puller)
□ Primer crimp remover (Lyman)
□ Case trimmer (rcbs trim pro)
□ Chamfer/deburring tool*
□ Case headspace gauge (Hornady)
□ If loading .223/308 for AR platforms: Small base sizing die(s).
Note: If you need them, you need them; regardless, highly recommended, particularly if reloading for semi-autos.

Very Nice to Have:

□ Powder measure*
□ Loading block*
□ Plastic cases for your loaded rounds

Other stuff to make your job easier:

□ Hornady Lock-n-Load bushings (adaptable to many presses)
□ Digital powder measure (RCBS Chargemaster; 1500 or Lite)
□ Brass tumbler (Rotary/wet: Cheap - Harbor Freight Dual Drum; Best - Extreme Rebel 17. Once you go wet, you never go back)
- [ ] Hornady aol gage
- [ ] Hornady bto comparator set
* Included with most starter kits (RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Kit)

Note: The RCBS Rock Chucker is probably the best-selling single-stage press ever made. The other tools in the kit are also top quality and, no matter how far you “advance” in the reloading game, you will always be able to use every component in the kit and they will outlive you. It is a little more expensive than some of the other kits but remember that this is a lifetime investment; it is not money wasted but a solid foundation to build on. RCBS customer service is as good as any.
https://www.howlforwildlife.org/take_action  It takes 10 seconds and it’s free. To easy to make an excuse not to make your voice heard!!!!!!

The commission shall attempt to maximize the public recreational game fishing and hunting opportunities of all citizens, including juvenile, disabled, and senior citizens.
https://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.04.012

Offline Jingles

  • WA State Trappers Association
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 3868
  • Location: Methow Valley 98862
Re: New to reloading. Please advise.
« Reply #24 on: November 30, 2021, 07:12:25 AM »
Depending on high bright you want your polished brass one thing you might want is some Filtz metal polish for when you do your final polish after your resizing, deburring, pocket reaming and cleaning, just before the actual reloading. I use about 2 tablespoons full per load in my vibrating tumbler with 200 pieces of brass. Also going to want a media separator for once done cleaning can get the media out of the brass, most reloading equipment manufacturers have them or can make one using wife's spare plastic collander over a 3 gallon bucket, yea I'm a cheap skate and made my own.
HMC/USN/RET
1969 -1990
The comments of this poster do not reflect the opinions of HUNTWA Administrators or Moderators unless they so state.

The duty of a Patriot is to protect his country from it's government

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal