Bought my reloading gear

happydude

happydude

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So I picked up an RCBS Rockchucker kit today at Wholesale. It includes:
Rock Chucker Supreme press
5-0-5 scale
Hand Priming Tool
Uniflow Powder Measure
Speer #13 reloading manual
Case loading block
Case Lube Kit
Primer Tray
Powder Funnel
Deburring tool
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The only other things I can think of are a bullet puller, it was recommended I get the press type, some calipers, dies, and maybe a trickler. I'll be loading light plinking rounds in a .303, .308, or 7.62x54 so I'm assuming I won't be too worried about case trimming.
 
Puller

If you're shopping for a puller, just have a look at Hornady's collet puller; its design makes use of a cam lever that pushes on the collet, forcing it to close on the bullet. Down, it's on, up it's off; really fast and you don't have to screw and unscrew all the time.
It doesn't cost an arm and a leg and the collets sell for a lot less than RCBSes.
Finish is very nice, too.
PP.
 
I would get a case trimmer, just got a Lyman universal trimmer and it wasn't that expensive. I am amazed how out of square the necks are on the 7.62 X 54R brass. After three loads I found my brass to be over maximum length. The trimmer cleans all that up and helps uniform the cases.
 
reloading

Cam lock bullet pullers are simple and work great with out any bullet damage, kinetich pullers are a like hammering nails, noisy and slower, case timming is always needed sooner or later with any case you reloaded 3 times or more.
 
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Get a kinetic bullet puller. They are cheaper and work on any caliber up to 45.It also saves all off the powder.
 
A powder trickler is also usefull. It will take a few reloadings before you'll need to trim your brass, maybe buy a trickler first becuase eventually you'll want both.
 
happydude said:
So I picked up an RCBS Rockchucker kit today at Wholesale. It includes:


The only other things I can think of are a bullet puller, it was recommended I get the press type, some calipers, dies, and maybe a trickler. I'll be loading light plinking rounds in a .303, .308, or 7.62x54 so I'm assuming I won't be too worried about case trimming.
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When you buy dies, don't forget the shell holder.

I don't know how others feel but I prefer the RCBS hand priming tool over the press mounted one.
 
don't waste your time with the Lee or RCBS primer pocket cleaners, just get the nylon brush for a dremel tool (along with the Dremel tool) and use it. Faster and a better job.
Also get the micrometer metering screw for your Uniflow, you'll love it.
 
Get a case trimmer for sure - you will be surprised how the case length creeps with full sized reloading. Also a lot of factory brass is not square and you will want to correct that to obtain the best accuracy.

My suggestion is also to start a log book - you can buy a book (one from Lyman) or just make up your own, to include all your reloading data. Its important so that, after a year of mucking around, you can go back to "that load that worked so well in my 308".

And have fun!!! ;)
 
I'm gonna go against the grain, and say that you probably don't need a trimmer, at least not for quite some time. I have yet to have to trim ANY of my cases - neck-sizing only, the cases tend to split at the necks before growing long enough to require trimming. Even then, it's only after 10 or more loadings. And I load for a few cases notorious for stretching, like the 22 Hornet.

But you do need calipers to keep an eye on stretch, just in case.


Other bits and bobs I like to have around include a small reamer (from Princess Auto) for chamfering case necks, an ultrasonic cleaner to keep brass clean between loads (fageddabout a pocket cleaner if you've got ultrasonic :)), a tumbler to keep things shiny and to moly-coat bullets, a Lee hand primer tool, a Lee hand press (so you can seat bullets in the comfort of your couch) and an RCBS ChargeMaster dispenser (between this, the hand press, and the hand primer the only trip you need to make out to your bench-mounted press is for decapping/resizing)
 
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hoegaardenzo said:
Happy Dude, if you don't mind me asking how much does it cost to get into reloading? I have a .38 special handgun that I was told is dirt cheap to reload for. thanks .
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Nothing is dirt cheap anymore.
THe equipmant you need is a few hundred $$, depends on what you want. If you are going progressive, get a Dillon. Lee will drive you crazy (I'm using one so trust me on this).
You need dies, a tumbler, brass, bullets and powder.
All in all you will not be saving that much, but you'll get better accuracy and you'll get to take pride in the quality of your reloads.
Keep in mind though you need to read ALOT before starting out.
Read this forum, buy a few reloading manuals, etc.
BTW, it's not a very nice thing to hijack someone's thread. ;) Much better starting your own.
Cheers and good luck.
 
^ What? At MINIMUM, you need a press, and dies. A cheap Lee press is ~$30, and Lee dies (with shellholder and powder measure scoop) are another $30. Done. You don't NEED progressive. Reloading is NOT expensive to 'get into,' unless you find you really enjoy it and then want to get all the toys.
 
prosper said:
^ What? At MINIMUM, you need a press, and dies. A cheap Lee press is ~$30, and Lee dies (with shellholder and powder measure scoop) are another $30. Done. You don't NEED progressive. Reloading is NOT expensive to 'get into,' unless you find you really enjoy it and then want to get all the toys.
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If I would start with a single stage, no tumbler or anything else, I would go nuts and stop reloading.
If you buy a press, might as well be progressive or at the very least a quality press like Rockchucker.
 
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