trying to build a budget reloading bench and don't know where to start

neoconfection

neoconfection

Regular
Rating - 100%
100   0   0
Location
Ottawa, ON
I'm spending an outrageous amount of money buying factory ammo for my .308 and I'm hoping to build a reloading bench for around $200-250 max. It doesn't have to be fancy at all, but I don't really know what to get.

I know that I need a press and a die set, but other than that, I can't tell what are bare essentials and what I can do without. I also don't know where to order things from, either.

I appreciate all of your help, gents.
 
Well, you don't need a tumbler (use hot water and phosphoric acid, rinse and dry) and you don't need a powder trickler (use your thumb and forefinger). A single stage press is all you need for rifle, and you can load pistol as well on it, provided you've got time and patience. There's also a thread somewhere here: "show us your reloading benches" or something like that.
In my case, I use large C clamps to fasten my press to my desk, and store it away in the drawer when not in use.
 
I think you need to start with the book. You will get lots of responses but this might confuse you.

Start with the book for basics. The books are more than reloading data.
 
Last edited:
stevebc said:
Well, you don't need a tumbler (use hot water and phosphoric acid, rinse and dry) and you don't need a powder trickler (use your thumb and forefinger). A single stage press is all you need for rifle, and you can load pistol as well on it, provided you've got time and patience. There's also a thread somewhere here: "show us your reloading benches" or something like that.
In my case, I use large C clamps to fasten my press to my desk, and store it away in the drawer when not in use.
Click to expand...

That's good to know. Where would I get phosphoric acid?

Can I just use a normal powder scale, then? Pinching the powder seems a little imprecise.
 
I found a free little table on Craigslist and that was the working surface for the bench. It had one bank of drawers on the right side and I beefed up the top to take the torque of the press. I made a storage unit on the top and now all my tools, components, and books are consolidated in one place. Get a good reloading manual, read it, and start planning your purchases. Lots of luck
 
I agree that you don't need a powder trickler, I did without for years, but it is a lot handier than the thumb and forefinger, and it's not like they're expensive.
The trickler is for when your measure has thrown a light load ect. It's a backup of sorts, not to be used as an actual measure, it 'trickles' powder into the pan on your scale to bring up the weight you want. As was said above, get a manual, it's all there. (and it'll explain things better than I can:redface:)
 
I wouldn't be buying a kit if I was to buy again... This is what I'd buy... I personally like the lymann press...
turret press ( I use the press attachment for priming but find the attachments for that annoying, so feed the primers individually)
a digital scale in 0.1 grain incriments
Powder tray for the scale (Might come with the scale)
pilot type case trimmer and trimmer head
Case deburring tool
case prep brushes, (can use bore cleaning brushes a size larger) I prefer brass or copper to steel, and a flat brass toothbrush sized brush for doing the outside
powder funnel
loading block
bullet puller (you will have a loaded bullet and go, "Oops!!! No primer!!!!" DO NOT try to prime an otherwise loaded casing!!!!!!)
primer flip tray (Or several if you're using different types of primers)
replaceable screwdriver bits, flat type, to clean out primer pockets
digital caliper
stuck case removal kit
plastic mallet
crescent wrench or 2
powder trickler
3 or more reloading books
Shellholders if you don't get them with your dies

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. A few other things:
Plastic spoons
a single serving yogart container
notebook
masking tape
plastic type bullet carrying boxes
sharpie fine tip
small cardboard boxes for sorting brass into
pens

Or, there's this: http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=LEE90245&src=exrbSrch
Video of the kit in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeEl9wZyabc

You can use this loader kit with a scale as well... I'm starting to like the balance beam scales more than the digital...


Hope this helps.
 
I'd buy a Lee cast press, dies of your choice, perhaps lee, and an RCBS powder scale. Get a lee hand trimmer and chamfer tool.

Press $150, dies $30-40, scale $90.00, lee trimmer and chamfer maybe $25.00 or less. and you need a reasonably accurate caliper, could be vernier, digital or dial to check length of the finished cartridge. I started with no scale, and a set of lee dippers.
 
Grizzlypeg said:
I'd buy a Lee cast press, dies of your choice, perhaps lee, and an RCBS powder scale. Get a lee hand trimmer and chamfer tool.

Press $150, dies $30-40, scale $90.00, lee trimmer and chamfer maybe $25.00 or less. and you need a reasonably accurate caliper, could be vernier, digital or dial to check length of the finished cartridge. I started with no scale, and a set of lee dippers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this post (and all of them, of course. It really seems like exactly just what I need.
 
I bought the Lee anniversary kit and then spent $45 to build myself a bench to work at. She ain't pretty but she makes good ammo.

69002_10152112428474979_1158259824_n.jpg
 
There are probably thousands of videos on youtube about reloading. Search the ones that are loading the ammo you need and watch them. There's a thread here somewhere that shows pics of peoples benches, look through it. You can make light lead cast plinking loads for .308 if you just want to pull the trigger lots.

Example, I reload .45 and offhand this is what I consider basic:

Lee Electric Melter
200 gr RNFP mold
.451 sizing die
lee hardness tester
Lee turret press kit (comes with a bunch of stuff)
Lee 4 set .45 dies
electronic scale
brass
powder
primers
bullet lube
tumbler with media
bullet puller
funnel
plastic hammer
~.40 wooden dowel
Youtube

There are other odds and ends.
 
Last edited:
Buy the lee anniversary kit, a small table from kijiji, dies, brass, bullets, primers, Modern reloading book, and powder. Start reloading. Buy much more stuff later.
 
plmnkoqaz said:
Buy the lee anniversary kit, a small table from kijiji, dies, brass, bullets, primers, Modern reloading book, and powder. Start reloading. Buy much more stuff later.
Click to expand...


I agree with this post!

Buy the lee reloading book as theres probably 200 pages of how to and theory about reloading. That's how I started, I bought the kit read the book 2 times and have been making accurate ammo ever since.

When I asked people I knew who reloaded about which products to buy most of them said RCBS or Dillon. I priced out those kits and was discouraged by the prices. Then another person said to try lee products. Well that's what I did, I bought a lee cast turret press kit and away I went. Most of my stuff is lee and I've reloaded thousands of rounds in 5 different calibers with my lee products. I've had zero problems and amazing accuracy.

As for a bench, just make sure it's built for your height and that the top is strong enough that it doesn't flex when you're reloading rifle rounds.
 
Wow, took a while, but finally there is some sense in this thread.
Reloading doesn't need to be an expensive undertaking.
You can get started for ~$100!
$35 for a Lee loader
$30 a pound of powder
$30 /100 bullets.
$4 /100 primers.
Now, don't get too excited, you're pretty limited in what you can do with that, but it gets you reloading.

A more flexible set-up is the Lee kit you can sometimes get on sale for $100. A set of dies and a dial caliper will get you started. It isn't the "best" stuff, but it is really very good. Most people don't like the scale, but that is because they don't understand how to read a vernier scale, not because the scale is junk.
Gunshows are a great place to get used equipment, but until you have done some reloading and are familiar with the process and tools, it would be daunting to try and piece together what you need.

Before any of this though, buy a reloading manual or two. Most of them have a how-to section at the front and reload data after.

ABCs of Reloading gives a great explanation of the process, but doesn't give any data.

Lee's Modern Reloading has great data, and great how-to, but he tries very hard to convince you every other makers' stuff is junk. It isn't, almost all reloading stuff is very, very good.

Lyman manual has a very good how-to, and very good data. A brief description of each chambering and they give a "most accurate" load. Doesn't always work, but it is a good standard to go by.

Hornady's book is very good, but their data only covers Hornady bullets (of course).

There is a good homework list ;)
Don't get too caught up in the minutiae though, reloading is really pretty simple.
Resize and push out old primer.
Put in new primer.
Add powder.
Put a bullet on top.

You can spend a whole bunch on nice tools, and they are really very nice, but you don't have to.
 
I was both on a budget and couldn't spare space for a bench when I started. The first thing I did was buy a book and I think that is good advice. To save space, I reload with a Lee hand press. It works great. It is perhaps a bit slow and time consuming but it has allowed me to develop good habits and turn out some really quality ammunition. I have done thousands of rounds now and use 2 of these for convenience. Dies, powder and primers you will need. Also some sort of a scale that is suitable for powder. I started with a Lee mechanical scale and it works well once you learn how to use it. A few months ago I purchased a jewelry scale off of Ebay for $16 shipped from China. It works very well. Be sure to get one that is capable of doing .001 grams and has a setting for grains. I already had an ultrasonic cleaner so I use that for my brass. You just need them clean. They don't have to be shiny.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom