I want to roll my own...

MudChucker

MudChucker

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as the subject says, i want to get into hand loading my own.

I've looked at the various kits and wondered to myself - what in that kit is just junk ?, what isnt junk ?, what do I need and what dont I need ? what would I upgrade ?

So, rather then buy a kit, to only upgrade some of the bits and not to use some of the bits... I thought I'd come here and ask you folks a simple question...

what do I need ?
what are the nice to have ?
and what are the icing on the cake - to have ?

Now, this isnt a "what do I need on a budget" sort of thing, but money is still an object that is hard to get back out of the bank once it goes in...

Together, I bet we can assemble the perfect starter "kit" with all the right bits and pieces. I'd really like to be able to draw on the experience of others such that my experience from the beginning is excellent

I plan to load 30-06, 243 maybe 22-250 and will likely load 45ACP when I buy a new handgun.

the only bias - I am leaning towards the lee press products, while I recognize there are better built presses out there - I believe they are all well built, some just considerably more over built then others.

So my list looks something like so, please add or remove, and I wouldn't mind some brand model names etc for the various bits.

books books books
safety equipment - safety glasses and ?
lee classic cast press or breech lock and appropriate dies etc
case trimmer of some sort
vernier
primer pocket tool (or tools ?)
hand priming tool
scale digital ? beam ?
some of those plastic trays for a holding the brass upright
a box or 2 to place loaded rounds in and carry to the back yard to shoot :)
a brass tumbler

I was thinking I might buy one of those cheap lee C frame presses specifically for popping out spent primers. (some days there may be a Mrs MC helping me reload so popping out primers might be job she can do in the shop)

 
An extra small press can be handy for lots of things, so that is a good idea.

My first press was a single stage. I used it for a few yeasr and then changed to a 6 hole turret.

the turret is not used as a progressive. It is used as a device to hold the powder thrower and all three dies at one time, so idon't have to install and then change dies for each step.

For loading rifle ammo, I load a tray of cases at one station and then click over to the next station to do all the cases.

The Lee kit is ok, but the thrower and balance beam scales are kinda cheezy. A digital scales is so much nicer to use, that would be a good upgrade. A better powder thrower is also called for. A RCBS Uniflow, or even an older one, like a Lyman 55.

One thing that Lee has is a little case of a dozen different shellholders for the press. These shellholders work in any brand press.

Lee also makes an excellent primer ptool, the Auto prime. I use two - one for large primers and one for small, so I don't have to change over. that is over-kill for a starter kit. The tool is great and they aslo sell a little kit of 12 shell holdes for the priming tool.
 
I don't know that most other presses are "over built" just the Lee ones are underbuilt, as usual, I recommend the Forster Co-ax, a inexpensive elec. scale, RCBS, Lyman, or Redding powder measure, Forster or Redding dies, esp. the Redding Deluxe die sets which include a neck die and a full length die, the Forster set includes a real nice in-line bullet seater. Or you can buy cheap, and in awhile you'll be wondering why you didn't listen to that fathead from Saskatchewan!!
 
What do you need.
Manuals, great reading for getting started. My fav. is the new Nosler #6, number 2 is the Sierra Edition 5, 3 is the new Hornady 7th. Others that are good are the Lyman 49th, ABC's of reloading, Speer and Barnes have manuals too.

A press, I too am a CO-Ax user, why because It is supposed to be the best and I could afford it. Hornady have one, Lyman has one, Redding, RCBS, Lee. Plenty of choices.

Electric powder measure and dispenser, RCBS, Lyman, new Hornady model coming. Seems a lot of fellows have these units and love them. I have the Lyman with an upgraded speed kit.

Die sets, RCBS and Lee sell a pile of them, yet many exp. reloaders prefer Redding. Forsters are nice but more money yet.

You need a chamfer and debur tool.
You need case lube for sizing, I prefer Imperial sizing wax cause some one told me it is the best.
You need loading blocks to organize your brass on your bench.
I like the hand held Lee primer, and have 2 as well.
You are going to need a case trimmer, Forster make a well regarded unit, so do Wilson, Lyman Hornady, Lee RCBS. Me I bought an electric one, the new Hornady case prep center.
Brass cleaner, sooner or later.
Well thats the starter kit and there are other tools you can buy that measure case and loaded ammo concentricity. Now the sky is the limit. FS
 
its been a while since I started this thread..

Im into reloading so far for $225.00 not that money is tight, my wife is Mennonite and apparently not spending money is a genetic thing with the culture ;) So its starting to rub off...

Bought from the EE,

RCBS 30-06 and 45 ACP dies (still looking for 243) $50

RCBS Starter kit - this kit sells here for $369.00 the seller gave me the kit near new in the box, along with the Hornady loading book and a few hand tools and lee hand priming tool... cost, $175.00

I'll only be loading the 30-06 shells for now as I dont have a pistol yet...

Where do folks buy primers ? what is a good price ? and what type should I avoid ?

powder... seems like piles of options for powder...where should I start my powder collection ? I dont mind buying a few different types... but I dont know where to begin...

forgive me for the noob question I am about to ask... but...
what is the "go to" powder for 30-06 155-165 gr bullet punching paper and maybe knocking down some food at 100 to 500 yards ?
 
It looks like you did well on your purchase. I assume you have case trimmer with the kit, if not a Forster trimmer is a good one. For the '06 a good starting powder would be a 4350 powder ( either IMR or Hodgdon)or H4831, as well as many other powders as you will soon see from the responses :). Work up the loads carefully and you will find one or more loads that will do what you want. Have fun and tell the wife your actually saving money , it worked with my wife foe a little while.
 
The Lee Loader is the simplest and cheapest. It makes up for that in sweat and by not doing a full-length resize. All the same, it works.

I would suggest that you start off with a basic kit. I bought RCBS years ago and have never regretted it. Don't rush into the expensive, high-speed rigs unless and until you're confident with your abilities.

books - Most ammo manufacturers make them and they all are good. Personal choice. Read the book first and then go shopping for the rest.

safety equipment - safety glasses and ? a fire extinguisher somewhere is a good idea

lee classic cast press or breech lock and appropriate dies etc You'll need a press of some kind and dies are mandatory. Like I said, I bought RCBS and am happy but others like other brands. Look around. You'll also need a shell holder for your press in the right size for your chosen calibre.

case trimmer of some sort If you shoot a lot of high-pressure rounds, absolutely

vernier Unless you're really into precision, that's on the 'eventually' list, I think. Others will disagree.

primer pocket tool (or tools ?) You can get by without, but they're cheap

hand priming tool Your press will do this for you, but it's a bit awkward and an auto primer feeder for your press is a good idea. Hand priming is a precision accuracy thing, mainly.

scale digital ? beam ? Go with what the kit offers you, initially. They're both accurate.

some of those plastic trays for a holding the brass upright Yes

a box or 2 to place loaded rounds in and carry to the back yard to shoot Unless you're cheap like me and use original ammo boxes with masking tape labels.

a brass tumbler Just bought my first one after 30+ years of reloading. You can also use a torn-off sleeve from a heavy shirt. Soak it in solvent such as lighter fluid, dump the cases in, hold both ends and shake for five minutes. That'll get the worst of the gunk off.

I personally like powder tricklers. I'd also get a deburring tool. And your kit (if such you buy) should have a powder thrower, which dispenses powder by volume. It's a time-saver.

You'll need some case lube if your kit doesn't have such. I like Imperial, but they all work.

A solid workbench with good - good - lighting. (Being able to look inside every case is a solid safety check.)

And two lockable wooden boxes to hold your primers and powder so your wife won't sneak downstairs in the middle of the night and set the house on fire throwing matches at your reloading bench...
 
Reloading books are nice but free data is available all over the net until you can afford book collecting.Get a mentor that knows what he/she is doing and learn.Photo-copy his books for the calibers you will load. reloadersnest.com is free........Harold
 
I forgot to mention, I have the Hornady 7th Edition.

Im a big fan of the info on the web, but I like to have a book to sit and read as well...

Cheers guys, thanx for the responses...

I'll check in as I move along getting things up and going... my house is still under construction, and I haven't decided on a "man room" inside the house, or if I should mount the press on the bench out in the shop...Im thinking a woodstove, fridge and TV out in the shop would make the perfect cave :)
 
MudChucker said:
forgive me for the noob question I am about to ask... but...
what is the "go to" powder for 30-06 155-165 gr bullet punching paper and maybe knocking down some food at 100 to 500 yards ?
Click to expand...

I only just started reloading last year, and asked a similar question. One of the answers I got was IMR 4064. I use that with 165gr. bullet and it punches paper with groups under an inch and it dropped 2 deer this past season. Its a great satisfaction harvesting an animal with ammo you made yourself.(or at least it was for me :D)

Your going to get many different opinions on which powder to use. I tried to pick one that also was supposed to be good for other calibers I was going to reload for. The only way to really know is to try a couple different ones. I am going to try Varget next, which just gives me another reason to play at the range. :D
 
stevebc said:
You can do without the tumbler, and don't bother with a powder trickler, either.
Click to expand...

Dude! :eek:

How do you live without a trickler? :runaway: :D
I use my measure to get it close and then trickle up to weight....If you have a better way I'm all ears?

With production loads like on my 223 with 50 Amax, and spherical powders I only use the powder measure, but I find this crude with big stick powder.

I agree with you on the tumbler as I almost never use it on my hunting stuff.
 
X-fan said:
Dude! :eek:

How do you live without a trickler? :runaway: :D
I use my measure to get it close and then trickle up to weight....
Click to expand...

I do the same: I use a Lee dipper to get close to weight, then trickle up using a thumb and forefinger. Too easy, really. :D
Also I only use Varget for my rifles, and I find that around 4 granules= 1 grain. It varies a bit.
 
stevebc said:
I do the same: I use a Lee dipper to get close to weight, then trickle up using a thumb and forefinger. Too easy, really. :D
Also I only use Varget for my rifles, and I find that around 4 granules= 1 grain. It varies a bit.
Click to expand...

I've got a trickler, but more often than not, I leave it on the shelf and do the same as you. I do however use a powder measure rather than Lee dippers to get my initial charge.
 
Lee Breechlock Challenger kit. Should run you about $150 (plus gubernment theft...) most anywhere you go.

You can decide from there if you want to invest in rolling-your-own, or if it'll be a rare past-time like it is for me.
 
Xfan, you just use a powder measure (thrower) and dump 'em in the case. Especially today with shortcut, or none extruded type powders, there is no advantage to weighing every charge, except you save money by taking the time to weigh, instead of loading another couple of rounds!

If you insist on going beyond published data, then by all means trickle all charges onto a balance beam scale. After all, we want to have good documentation when the inevitable happens, and a gun goes boom.

Balance beam powder scales are used in conjuction with a quality powder measure to set the measure up, and to verify every tenth, twentieth, fiftieth or one hundreth round, when using a single stage press. Progressive loaders don't weigh one in a thousand loads, but take their product to the firing line in major matches. Oh, and the benchrest fanatics, who quibble over thousandths of an inch, typically use scoops.
 
X-fan said:
Dude! :eek:

How do you live without a trickler? :runaway: :D
I use my measure to get it close and then trickle up to weight....If you have a better way I'm all ears?

With production loads like on my 223 with 50 Amax, and spherical powders I only use the powder measure, but I find this crude with big stick powder.

I agree with you on the tumbler as I almost never use it on my hunting stuff.
Click to expand...


I used a trickler for the first time yesterday, and I have to say, its a keeper. I find it so much easier. I have the set of Lee measures, so I pick one that holds just a bit less than I need, and trickle in.

One thing I realized I had to be careful was when I took the scoop off the pan, that no powder trickled into the pan. Two times I guess I bumped my table and some powder that was in the trickle tube fell into the pan without me realizing it, and I ended up putting the scoop back on top of it.
 
ykkid said:
there is no advantage to weighing every charge, except you save money by taking the time to weigh, instead of loading another couple of rounds!
Click to expand...

Provided your measure is throwing consistent loads, this is true. But for competition purposes, if it varies by as much as a half a grain, it's not good enough.

Oh, and the benchrest fanatics, who quibble over thousandths of an inch, typically use scoops.
Click to expand...

Whether you use a balance beam or digital scale, if you're loading for competition, be it BR or F-class, you want absolutely consistent charges in each round. I weigh each and every load to precisely the weight I want, not a tenth of a grain more or less.
I cannot imagine using scoops for this.
 
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