I would like to try my hand at re-loading and have no idea where to start. First off, what would be some good books/websites to check out. Second, what do I need to get for equipment? Does somebody make a starters kit? Don't want to break the bank, but don't want to buy junk either. Got my gun room set up tonite, so now I will have a place to set everything up. I am sure these questions have been asked lots before, but I couldn't track them down using the search function. Thanks in advance for your help,
Help out a newbi
- Thread starter WCTHEMI
- Start date
Try lee products
Lee makes a wide variety of inexpensive but reasonbly good equiptment. Check out wholesalesports.com or sirmailorder.com for prices and purchases. Also, sometimes you can find some deals on ebay. As for books I reccomend the Lyman 48th ( or newer) edition Reloading handbook. I explains everthing as well as having a very good data base on loads for various calibers.
This is a great hobby. I've been loading for 25 years and am still learning. Good luck and feel free to ask as many questions as you like. I'm always up for a chat with a fellow reloader.
Lee makes a wide variety of inexpensive but reasonbly good equiptment. Check out wholesalesports.com or sirmailorder.com for prices and purchases. Also, sometimes you can find some deals on ebay. As for books I reccomend the Lyman 48th ( or newer) edition Reloading handbook. I explains everthing as well as having a very good data base on loads for various calibers.
This is a great hobby. I've been loading for 25 years and am still learning. Good luck and feel free to ask as many questions as you like. I'm always up for a chat with a fellow reloader.
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Skip the Lee Anniversary Kit, its pretty cheap and get an RCBS RockChucker kit. I went the Lee route and found it to be work OK but felt real cheap. Ive since sold my Lee stuff, lost money and went with RCBS.
The new Lee Classic cast is a nice press from what I heard saw of it at Wholesale Sports. You could buy one of them for around $100 and a decent RCBS powder thrower, scale, lube pad ect....
Ive found RCBS to be priced fair and their customer service is awsome. Ive lost screws to my dies and had a bullet puller break on me and they airmailed all parts with extra's in case it happened again. Good stuff in my books
Cheers!!
The new Lee Classic cast is a nice press from what I heard saw of it at Wholesale Sports. You could buy one of them for around $100 and a decent RCBS powder thrower, scale, lube pad ect....
Ive found RCBS to be priced fair and their customer service is awsome. Ive lost screws to my dies and had a bullet puller break on me and they airmailed all parts with extra's in case it happened again. Good stuff in my books
Cheers!!
Welcome from another Newbie!
You have definately started out on a good path... asking questions! The members here have been great for asking questions of, a lot of knowledgeable guys for sure. When I started out, I even had a couple of guys send me extra manuals they had.
The best advice I could give you is:
1) Find a friend or a member at your local gun club or even a local CGNer that has reloading experience and ask him to show you the ropes. Nothing better than hands on experience with someone who knows what they are doing!
2) Read the reloading manuals. They all generally have the same thing to say, but I have found that I find the odd tidbit in one that is not in another.
3) Google the major reloading companies, RCBS, Lee, Redding, Dillon and go to their websites. Not all of it is just about their products, there is some valuable information. That being said, also check out the websites of bullet, powder and ammo manufacturers. (If you like Nosler try out http:// noslerreloading.com this is a reloading forum much like this one but CGNs is better **take the space out for the link to work**)
4) Don't use anyone's pet load for THEIR firearm. Everyone will agree that reloads will behave different in guns that are not only the same caliber, but the same make and model. Find the minimum and maximum load data for your cartridge. Start at the minimum and work your way up! Take your time, that's half the fun.
I also bought the RCBS Rockchucker kit. I had checked out the other products and thought that this was the best buy for great stuff for rifle cartridges. If price is a factor, the Lee stuff will do very nicely. The point is that you want to get involved. Most kits will also come with a reloading manual.
Good Luck!
You have definately started out on a good path... asking questions! The members here have been great for asking questions of, a lot of knowledgeable guys for sure. When I started out, I even had a couple of guys send me extra manuals they had.
The best advice I could give you is:
1) Find a friend or a member at your local gun club or even a local CGNer that has reloading experience and ask him to show you the ropes. Nothing better than hands on experience with someone who knows what they are doing!
2) Read the reloading manuals. They all generally have the same thing to say, but I have found that I find the odd tidbit in one that is not in another.
3) Google the major reloading companies, RCBS, Lee, Redding, Dillon and go to their websites. Not all of it is just about their products, there is some valuable information. That being said, also check out the websites of bullet, powder and ammo manufacturers. (If you like Nosler try out http:// noslerreloading.com this is a reloading forum much like this one but CGNs is better **take the space out for the link to work**)
4) Don't use anyone's pet load for THEIR firearm. Everyone will agree that reloads will behave different in guns that are not only the same caliber, but the same make and model. Find the minimum and maximum load data for your cartridge. Start at the minimum and work your way up! Take your time, that's half the fun.
I also bought the RCBS Rockchucker kit. I had checked out the other products and thought that this was the best buy for great stuff for rifle cartridges. If price is a factor, the Lee stuff will do very nicely. The point is that you want to get involved. Most kits will also come with a reloading manual.
Good Luck!
Thanks for the input guys, I will be getting in touch with Demonical for some tutoring. As far as the price factor goes, I don't want to spend a pile of cash, then discover I really don't care for it and take a big hit on pricey equipment. Not sure if this is reasonable, but I wouldn't have a problem with a $300.00 or so initial investment for the basics (excluding dies). Not sure if this is a realistic expectation or not. I have no problem waiting longer if it means better quality, as cheap stuff most often ends up being just that.
I'd also say go with RCBS, their stuff is top notch and their customer service is hard to beat (if you ever need it). It might be a bit more than $300, but not much. Wholesale Sports lists the Rochchucker Kit for $429. If you think that you will enjoy reloading, you won't regret buying RCBS.
Cheaper loading equipment has a small resale value if you decide to upgrade after you discover that reloading is a hobby within a hobby.
It is a myth that reloading will save you money. You will spend whatever your budget allows and shoot at least twice as much.
I started reloading 41 years ago on a RCBS press which I am still using. I often load and shoot 8000 rounds a year, and some years more than that. I doubt if anyone can say that with their Lee equipment.
Good equipment is worth every penny!
Carry on!
It is a myth that reloading will save you money. You will spend whatever your budget allows and shoot at least twice as much.
I started reloading 41 years ago on a RCBS press which I am still using. I often load and shoot 8000 rounds a year, and some years more than that. I doubt if anyone can say that with their Lee equipment.
Good equipment is worth every penny!
Carry on!
Lee is just fine, and will serve you well. You'll still turn out accurate ammunition with a similar level of effort. However, better equipment is a lot nicer to work with, and I guarantee you that you'll wnat to upgrade if you find yourself loading a lot. RCBS is pretty much the industry benchmark standard. I've recently discovered Hornady reloading gear, and am extremely impressed. Slight price premium over RCBS, but it's just downright amazing IMHO. If I had to start over, I'd have a Lee hand press (unbelievably useful,) Lee collet neck dies for each caliber I'm loading, Lee Factory crimp dies for each caliber I intend to crimp, and a Lee Auto-prime hand priming tool. I'd have an RCBS Rock Chucker single-stage press, and a Hornady Lock 'n load progressive, and Hornady dies for each caliber I load. The RCBS ChargeMaster would take care of precision metering needs. Forster would take care of my case prep needs, and my ultrasonic cleaner would clean the brass. A tumbler is also nice-to-have for polishing brass on occasion.
the great thing about CGN,s is if you buy all the reloading stuff..then you find you do not want to reload... you can sell it all in the EE sectionWCTHEMI said:
but im sure once you start
you will be using the EE,to buy more stuff you think you need..take yor time in learning it...if you run into any probs..dont be shy to ask here for help..there is a ton of wisdom here..
it was only about two years ago i made my first reload..so im a green horn also..
ruger22 said:
Pretty much every reloading manual on the market has several chapters at the front that explain reloading basics. When you are talking manuals I think the idea is to acquire several so you get more perspective. Also most companies that publish reloading data tend to tailor it to the particular bullets they manufacture.
For instance Hornady only publishes data up to the 350gr bullet in .45-70, since that is the bullet Hornady has meant for the caliber, they ignore data on 400gr or larger bullets made by other companies.
Speer, Sierra, Hornady, Hodgdons, Nosler, Barnes... in my opinion you should get them all. The Barnes manual is about the only one I do no own.
When loading for any caliber the idea is to compare the data between various manuals and kinda pick the most likely combination of bullet weight and powder.
Pay attention to starting at the minimum loads and working up from there. I like to load 5 each of several starting loads, fire them and Chrony them. I always have a good idea where to go from there.
Republic of Alberta
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ,location, location
WCTHEMI, I live in Whitecourt too, Demonical taught me a little bit about reloading a few years ago, now the student has bested his teacher
I am sure one of us can teach you a thing or two.
Pm me if you want to.
Also I see you are an operator, so am I
I am sure one of us can teach you a thing or two.
Pm me if you want to.
Also I see you are an operator, so am I
- Location
- Daysland AB
RCBS, spend the money once, you will never sell it
