First Reloading Bench Setup - Help

A single stage kit is a fantastic way to start. I've been reloading for a few years now, doing an average of about 200 rifle rounds per month. As you continue with it over time you'll find tools that you want to replace or add to increase your precision and/or speed. Eventually you may end up with not much left from the original kit except the press. But don't let that deter you; you have to get into it somewhere and $10k in the latest greatest gear is not a good starting point. That said, someone in the know should be able to tell you which small tools in a specific kit you should replace before day 1.

Ask Jerry at Mystic Precision for his recommendation on a starter reloading setup. I asked for a quote on a fancy boxed kit for my first reloading setup and he said "I'd be happy to sell you that, but here are some other recommendations..." and I ended up spending way less and getting a setup I'm quite happy with. I ended up with a much cheaper boxed kit, but supplementing it with some other tools to address the kit's shortcomings. I'd rattle off a list, but it's been a few years and I'm sure product availability and price changes have impacted his recommendations.
 
The Cabela's RCBS package is an outstanding value and will serve most rifle reloaders (beginners through intermediate & advanced) quite well.

The only things that you'll for sure have to get are the dies....... but realistically, your should also get calipers and a brass cleaner/polisher because they don't come with the package.

If you get hooked on precision shooting sports such as F Class or PRS, you may find that you will grow out of the RCBS gear and start upgrading things like the press and the scale. If so, you'll find that the Chargemaster scale has decent resale value, whereas everything else in the package does not.
 
Last edited:
Potashminer said:
I will echo bc308 regarding scales. I have a Lyman DPS 3 - I thought it was great, at first. Then became frustrated with it as it started doing "odd" beeps and flashing things. I no longer trust it - calling for another calibration after 10 or 12 throws is nuts!! - so I basically use it like a powder measure - verify and trickle all my loads on a beam scale now - have never known gravity to quit or be influenced by a cell phone ringing. So for your scale - get a few things - bullets, cases, whatever. Weigh them. Do some loading - now weigh them again - exactly the same numbers? Then your system is working like you hoped. And that seems what it is all about - same, same, same - every time. Learning to use a calliper - measure something for length or ID or whatever - now do it again two more times - did you get three identical numbers??? Any measurement - if you can not get dead nuts identical a second or third time, something is not working - you, the tool or something - goes for callipers, scales, etc.
Click to expand...

Regarding the Lyman digital powder distributor, I have one that started as a DPS 1 in 04' but has had the "upgrades" to a lll. It will act up a bit with the beeps & flash's you describe but I have never had it go "inaccurate". Some powders that meter different than others will bring on the beep more often. Course stick powder of the IMR brand will be the worst, they just always over-pour by a couple or more tenths and that will bring on the beep...Actually the machine is doing its job & informing you that "all is not right". I can throw a few hundred charges of a smaller kernel (SR 4759 or AA5744 as an example) size bang on to a tenth without a hiccup.

I have used this scale under fluorescent lights since it was new and have checked it numerous times against a couple of old balance beam scales that I have and cannot fault it in any way other than to say that when it does beep from a heavy throw, I just hit the "0" button and I have a 50.2 grain .224 bullet that sits beside the scale all the time, I know what it weights and just place it on the pan to verify it is still accurate from a "0" setting....I couldn't be without the damn thing after this long a time using it.
 
rookiehunter said:
Some fair questions: so I have read a number of books including “the Nosler” and also have shadowed a friend a number of times. I have a solid and safe location I can set up.
Looking at rifle only, for now 100 rounds a week.
Click to expand...
A 100 rounds a week - that's over 5,000 rounds a year if your estimate is correct. So I'm going to assume that you would quickly tire of doing all of that in a single stage press. Let's say with all the handling between depriming and resizing, trimming, priming, measuring out the charge, seating the bullet, etc. that it takes you two minutes per round. What's that - about 173 hours of reloading a year? Over four 40 hour work weeks equivalent?

I think for 100 rounds a week you're thinking either a turret press or a progressive press. If you're fairly certain of loading/shooting in those quantities, I'd suggest you consider a Dillon - especially if you're thinking of expanding your reloading in the future to other calibers, handgun, etc. There's world class F Class/Precision Rifle competitors that do their reloading on Dillons.

I would decide how much my time is worth: would I rather be reloading, or shooting at the range (or doing something else)? For many people who have overtime as an opportunity at work, time spent working overtime can quickly pay for a faster reloading setup that will give them some of their time back.

There is no right answer. After 50+ years of reloading, and an initial period of upgrading my single stage press to finally being a Bonanza Co-Ax, I am now in the school of "Buy once, cry once". Now, it's only the rounds intended for hunting (and load development) that go through the Co-Ax. Everything else: that's what the Dillon 650 is for. At my age, I don't have enough time left to spend more of it in the basement reloading than is necessary. Should be out shooting, hunting, flyfishing, or anything else instead.

At worst, if you decide it isn't for you, it's a lot easier selling high end equipment and at a better percentage of what you initially paid for it, than entry level equipment.
 
Simple sage advice -

Precision loading - get a single stage - it just feels good to work each case and powder throw and then hand seat each bullet head.
Volume loading - get a multi stage, where volume production matter. 223 for AR, pistol rounds.

I only have a 40 yr old single stage RCBS Rock chucker as my main reloading press (paid $150 used 20 yrs ago) . But I also have a Lee and Hornaday single stage as well, one is used for depriming, and the other is used for resizing operations.

I load about 5K per year (winter hobby), mostly .223, 9mm and 45. I also cast rifle and shotgun heads, and have 3 reloading presses for shotgun. I have time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom