New to reloading. What do I need to start

BigGameHunter

BigGameHunter

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I have come to the realization that I need to start reloading. I have a vast assortment of calibres and in order to shoot them it is getting too expensive just buying ammo every time. I was wondering what is the basic setup need to start reloading.

At first I just need a 38/357 die and maybe a 22 die for .223 and 22-250 but since I am going to try and do a lot of target shooting this winter I would prefer to start out with 38/357 and if it is the same size I would like to develope a good 9mm load as I have a few thousand brass for it. Anyways your input is greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Not to be a ####, but by reading your post, first thing you need to do is read up on reloading!:) You can use the same die set for 38/357, but the rest are separate dies (ie-a set of 22-250 dies, and a set of .223 dies)
First thing, get a manual, I like the Lee Modern Reloading, but there's Lyman, Hornady, Speer ect. Read the how-to at the beginning.
Then you'll need the following-
-a press, your call on which, but to start the Lee Turet press is good.
-dies (decide which type you want to use)
-powder measure
-scale
-powder trickler (optional, but handy)
-case trimmer (eventually)
-caliper
-case lube
-ingredients-bullets, powder, primers ect.

If I've overlooked anything, some one will catch it and let you know. Enjoy:)
 
Your very first purchase should be a manual. Your second purchase should be anouther manual ;). Seriously, get one, It will tell you everthing you need to know.
When I bought my press I went in and looked at every option. I don't know anybody who reloads so I spent about 3 hours with the guy at the store. He earned his pay that day.
I ended up with the RockChucker and it serves me well.

good luck
 
Your not being a ####, that is exactly what I needed in a post. I will purchase a manual and start reading up on reloading. I honestly just started thinking about it this weekend and have no experience with it what so ever so that is the route I need to go. But once I am familiar with it I plan on getting the items that you listed.

Any idea on what to expect for a ballpark with regards to an initial investment for me to be able to reload one calibre for now say 38/357?

Just for the press, one set of dies, powder, primers, lead, assuming I already have brass. Are there any read to go kits that you can buy that include everything to get you started? It is definitely something I plan on learning as I do understand it is a science and obviously I am not going to start pumping out rounds before I have a better understanding of it but when I do get into something I do take it to the limit so I will try and learn everything I need to know and hopefully soon I will be able to help others out with reloading questions :)

Eventually I would like to reload for all of my calibers but I will start out small and like I said since I plan of shooting a lot of pistol rounds this year I will start there but I also have many calibres that I would benefit from reloading.

Does anyone have an idea of approximately how many rounds you must reload before you start realizing a savings? I know these are newbie questions but you don't get anywhere without asking questions and you guys appear to be knowledgeable on the subject however I will get a reloading manual within the next couple of days and start reading up on it and then hopefully by new years I will have an understanding and can try and do a bit of reloading myself. Thanks again for the prompt response.

lister said:
Not to be a ####, but by reading your post, first thing you need to do is read up on reloading!:) You can use the same die set for 38/357, but the rest are separate dies (ie-a set of 22-250 dies, and a set of .223 dies)
First thing, get a manual, I like the Lee Modern Reloading, but there's Lyman, Hornady, Speer ect. Read the how-to at the beginning.
Then you'll need the following-
-a press, your call on which, but to start the Lee Turet press is good.
-dies (decide which type you want to use)
-powder measure
-scale
-powder trickler (optional, but handy)
-case trimmer (eventually)
-caliper
-case lube
-ingredients-bullets, powder, primers ect.

If I've overlooked anything, some one will catch it and let you know. Enjoy:)
Click to expand...
 
"Eventually I would like to reload for all of my calibers but I will start out small and like I said since I plan of shooting a lot of pistol rounds this year I will start there but I also have many calibres that I would benefit from reloading."

BGH, I would suggest looking at a turret or progressive press. You can start with a good turret for ~5-$600(every thing included). Do you have a Wholesale Sports near you? I know they have a good selection in stock. I walked out of the one in Langley B.C. with everything I needed to get started. If you go to their web site you can pick what you need and put it in your cart, that will give you a running total so you know what to expect.

edit..of course if I did it again I would go to a CGN sponsor but it was more of an impulse buy and a one stop shop
 
The two most important things you will need is lots of money and even more patience to learn how to do things correctly and safetly. Buy as many books as you can afford about it and read them from cover to cover. That will be a great start.

Graydog
 
BigGameHunter said:
Does anyone have an idea of approximately how many rounds you must reload before you start realizing a savings?
Click to expand...
Seriously, find out where you're going to start buying your supplies from and then you'll have to do the math. I have access to buying my supplies in fairly decent bulk (almost wholesale and no shipping $$$), thus the savings are higher.

Good luck.
 
I know that this suggestion will not be popular with all - but I started with with the Lee anniversary kit. It is a single stage press but you have everything that you need (just supply the dies and the components) for under $200.00 to your door. As you get used to the process you can make your own decisions as to where to spend your money on upgrading etc. You might even find that you hate reloading - better to have $200.00 invested than $1000.00. Even if you do upgrade your press in the future you will always find a use for the single stage. Start small and build as your needs grow. My 2 cents worth anyway....
 
^^^gotta go the same route. I started even smaller. With a Lee Loader. It worked fine and kept me from making too many mistakes. Once I had more $$, I moved up. Now I could bankroll a small country just with stuff I no longer use, but may need someday.
 
Lee presses are OK. They are cheap and if you don't do a lot of reloading or are penny pinched they will do yeoman's service. If you are a little more well heeled, get one of the cast iron presses. If you have gun shows in your vicinity, there are uaually a couple of single stage presses kicking around for about what you would pay for an entry level Lee, with aluminum frame.

Go to the Lee site and take a look at what they have to offer. You can actually get into hand loading with a hand held press for under a hundred dollars. Those presses, are incredible. Especially for the fellow that only has one rifle/pistol in any given cartridge. With smaller cartridges, like the 223Rem, or pistol cases you can full length resize on it but for anything larger, neck resizing only is the way to go. They will accept all 7/8in NC threaded dies. Your call, but I would stay away from the bayonet mounts.

If you're planning on reloading in quantity, more than a hundred rounds at a time and on a frequent basis, say once a week, keep your eyes peeled for a turret press again, with cast iron body. If you are planning on getting into IPSC or something similar, like Cowboy Action Shooting, then you may want to get a progressive press like a Dillon.

Just remember, like firearms buy the best you can afford all the time. It will actually save you a lot of money and grief to do it right the first time. Trying to go up in quality in steps, leads to loss of interest and money.

As mentioned above, get as many different loading manuals as you can. DVDs and online stuff is available but not always practical unless you have a computer at your loading station.
If you have a hard time with nomenclature or word association, no big deal, the books are simple and written so that even slow learners, such as myself can muddle through.

Join a club, if possible, talk to some of the members. Most are pretty decent people an will help as much as possible. Ask one or more of them to be a mentor, so that you can get hands on and visual training. No shame there at all and shows a lot of common sense. DON'T PUSH THE LIMITS. Common sense is your friend. Pressures don't build up exponentialy or by volume comparisons. Things can get nasty and deadly in a real hurry when the envelope is pushed without proper knowledge. For every 10% of pressure increas, the rule of thumb dictates about 1/2% gain in velocity, once the sweet spot is reached. The sweet spot is quite often but not always at near maximum loads. Each firearm is an entity unto itself, what is safe in one may be a disaster in another.

I like your cautious first approach. Keep it up and all will be well. Reloading isn't rocket science. Follow the suggested guidelines in the manuals and all will be well. If you find a mentor, that wants push the envelope, shy away but at least learn the basics. Walk before you run
 
As others have said there are lots of options. I personally bough a rcbs rockchucker kit. The only thing it didn't come with was a case trimmer and a powder trickler. You can add pieces as you go but if you want to do alot of shooting a progressive reloader would be king, some models you can get up to 1000 rounds per hour. I can do about 50 an hour with my single stage press.

my 2 cents best of luck.
 
Check out this link: http://www.rcbs.com/guide/stepbystep.aspx

I would suggest you seriously consider buying the equipment you'll eventually end up with, rather than buying cheap first, and then having to replace almost everything in a year or two.

For rifle, a quality single stage press such as the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme is ideal. The Rock Chucker Supreme Kit is a great value. With the high Canadian dollar, seriously consider picking one up from Midsouth Shooters Supply in the US. They will happily ship to Canada.

Loading a lot of pistol rounds on a single-stage press can get tiresome. Perhaps a good compromise would be a turret press such as the RCBS or Redding T-7. The latter is probably the best turret press on the market.

For fast production, you might consider a progressive press such as the Dillon RL550B or XL650. They are fantastic presses and Dillon's customer service and lifetime warranty is almost as good as that enjoyed by RCBS.

The only problem here is that as a newbie, the learning curve on a progressive is going to be a lot steeper, meaning that just as your production rate increases, so does the likelihood of you making a boo-boo and either having to pull several hundred bullets, or seeing your gun go "boom" next time you hit the range. If you're careful, and triple-check things and follow basic safety practices, you should be okay; but ultimately, it is up to you to decide if you have the skills necessary to tackle a progressive right out of the gate.

I own a Rock Chucker, Redding Turret, a Lyman T-Mag and two Dillon's, the 550 and 650, and I still use 'em all regularly! Good luck!
 
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