N00b reloading question

cereal83

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So since I saw that poll on who reloads, and 90% of people here do, I would like to get more info. I have a 30-06 I would like to reload. I checked Lebarons and saw nothing really cheap. Cheapest kit I saw was like $399 or something. So then I went to SIR. I found this kit It basically says "everything you need to start reloading" Is that true? If I buy that kit, I don't need anything else? I can just go get some powder, casings, primers and bullets and then start reloading?

If this is untrue, could somebody accually show me a link from a store for a 30-06 for a kit I could use to start reloading?

What about something like this or what about the Lee's Anniversery Kit. It says It has everything you need.

I just need a little push in the right direction, and links would help

Thanks all
 
I'd get the anniversary kit - you'll still need dies & a reloading manual, but you probably do for any kit. Higginson Powders sells Lee stuff, also some spare parts if needed.
 
Well, to get started you MUST HAVE:

-press
-dies
-shellholders
-priming unit
-scale
-calipers
-funnel
-lube

depending on what you get, you could source all of the above for <$100 and all the way up past $1k. Don't let anyone tell you that you need anything better than the plain basic cheapest kit for basic reloading of relatively few shells per yer. If you load a lot more than that, then the more expensive stuff starts looking a LOT more attractive

after that, the 'really nice to have' but not absolutely necessary
-dispenser
-trimmer
-deburr tool


then all the other stuff as desired
 
I don't shoot alot right now because I moved to the city and still haven't joined a range. Before I moved, I went through about 120 bullets in 2 months. If I did join a range, I would probably go once a month and shoot about 10 bullets.

The 30-06 is a bolt action.

I would do it right the first time but I looked at some of their stuff and it is expensive. I just can't afford it right now.

So basically if I got the Lee's kit, I would have everything I need except for little things?

Also, do I need a bench to do this stuff or what else could I use as I am in a apartment?
 
Please don't laugh at this suggestion; I have over $1500 of reloading stuff but the most fun I have is with a $20 Lee Loader Hand tool kit for rifles.

For $20., ( that's right not a typo error ) and a medium weight mallet you are good to go. Nothing else to buy but powder, primers and bullets.

You can load right there on you shooting bench, slow procces but you can make match quality ammo. Bench rest shooters do use kits like this.

S.I.R sells the kit for $19.99 and the part no. is 742258 for the 30-06.

If you want to get fancy and splurge and do case prep, you can get the following;

Lee case trimmer, cutter and lock stud. cat no. 742213 @ $5.79
Pilot and shell holder for the lee case trimmer. cat no. 748096 @ $4.89
Lee chamfer tool. cat no. 742207 @ $2.69
Lee primer pocket cleaner cat no. 742376 @$1.99

So for about $40, you too can load like the pros. Just a thought on the cheap side.
 
^ Grizz and I just whacked together 200 22-250 rounds this evening with nothing more than the Lee hand press & dies (and a scale, of course)
 
2katz said:
Please don't laugh at this suggestion; I have over $1500 of reloading stuff but the most fun I have is with a $20 Lee Loader Hand tool kit for rifles.

For $20., ( that's right not a typo error ) and a medium weight mallet you are good to go. Nothing else to buy but powder, primers and bullets.

You can load right there on you shooting bench, slow procces but you can make match quality ammo. Bench rest shooters do use kits like this.

S.I.R sells the kit for $19.99 and the part no. is 742258 for the 30-06.

If you want to get fancy and splurge and do case prep, you can get the following;

Lee case trimmer, cutter and lock stud. cat no. 742213 @ $5.79
Pilot and shell holder for the lee case trimmer. cat no. 748096 @ $4.89
Lee chamfer tool. cat no. 742207 @ $2.69
Lee primer pocket cleaner cat no. 742376 @$1.99

So for about $40, you too can load like the pros. Just a thought on the cheap side.


This is the type of reply I love. He probably spent $50 and has a full reloading kit, it might not be the best but atleast he makes his own bullets.

Now I have no idea about reloading, all those extra accesories, well what do they do? I think 1 item is a clean but I have no idea what the rest it. I think I might buy that reloading kit for $19.99 and see what I can do with it. Does that kit come with a scale? If no, what does the scale need to measure? Oz's grams, pounds?

Well hopefully somebody can supply a little mre info and tomorrow I will order some stuff :) Soon, I will be reloading
 
The lee anniversary kit will give you a powder measure, scale, lube, funnel, primer, press etc, etc etc etc. If you buy an anniversary kit you will never need to buy anything else and will recoupe the cost in the first couple hundred rounds.
If you shoot 20 rounds a year buy a 20 dollar tool if you want to shoot more then that do it right.
To gear up properly to reload is like the cost of 2-3 months of cable TV and a few tim hortons coffees. If money is a problem cancel the cable TV!
Call Higginson powder and get a quote for the kit, couple pounds of appropriate surplus powder, 500 primers and 500 bullets. Then compare that to the cost of 500 factory rounds!

I am going on 7 years with my anniversary kit the one piece that broke after 5 years was replaced by LEE no questiopns asked. Have loaded over 10000 rounds of rifle and pistol ammo at least.
Sure RCBS stuff might be nicer but a BMW is nicer then a Toyota too. Buying one piece of RCBS equipment at a time is a great idea if you want to look at an unused press and dies for 2 years while you save up for a scale and powder measure LOL
 
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Interestingly, I was in LeStore the other day and they were selling 30-'06 Winchester Silvertips in various weights for $17.00 a box.

That, IMO, is a very reasonable price for factory ammo if you don't anticiapte shooting a lot but want to be able to practice regularly.
 
Fall Guy said:
Interestingly, I was in LeStore the other day and they were selling 30-'06 Winchester Silvertips in various weights for $17.00 a box.

That, IMO, is a very reasonable price for factory ammo if you don't anticiapte shooting a lot but want to be able to practice regularly.


Yes, I have also seen those. I tested them and they hit what I was aimming at so I dunno.

I think I am just going to get a cheap kit. Then later in life I can get something better if need be. I want to thank you all for your hep. You have made the choice easier for me
 
cereal83 said:
This is the type of reply I love. He probably spent $50 and has a full reloading kit, it might not be the best but atleast he makes his own bullets.

Now I have no idea about reloading, all those extra accesories, well what do they do? I think 1 item is a clean but I have no idea what the rest it. I think I might buy that reloading kit for $19.99 and see what I can do with it. Does that kit come with a scale? If no, what does the scale need to measure? Oz's grams, pounds?

Well hopefully somebody can supply a little mre info and tomorrow I will order some stuff :) Soon, I will be reloading

You don't need a scale with this kit. It comes with a scooper that holds a measured amount of powder and that it. Lee gives you a chart with a bunch of different powders and bullets that the scooper works with and you select the combo you want. The volume of powder is just over the minimum.

The other bits and pieces is to trim your brass to lenght, chamfer the inside and out side of the case neck and to clean the primer pockets. Lee claims that you don't need to trim your brass if you use this die kit but I found that you do need to give the brass an initial trim. Since this die kit only neck sizes you would be good for quite some time before you need to trim again.

This type of kit is the very basic, easy to use and can make high quality match ammo. If you want to see it in use, we shoot out of Oriilia on the weekends and you are more then welcome to joins us
 
Thanks for another great reply.

Ok so from what I am gathering, it is good to spend the extra $15 and get those extra little peices, if I do that, will I figure out how to use the extra peices by myself or would I need to be shown it?

I also don't have a mallet so would this choice still be good for me or would the hand kit work better for me?

I would go up to Orillia but it is kind of far seeing as I live in Toronto
 
cereal83 said:
Thanks for another great reply.

Ok so from what I am gathering, it is good to spend the extra $15 and get those extra little peices, if I do that, will I figure out how to use the extra peices by myself or would I need to be shown it?

I also don't have a mallet so would this choice still be good for me or would the hand kit work better for me?

I would go up to Orillia but it is kind of far seeing as I live in Toronto


Don't have a mallet, a lead or brass dead blow hammer will work. Don't have either one of these, a piece of hard wood will do.

The other bits are easy to use, first use the kit to decap (remove the old primer) then thread the lock stud to the shell holder and then insert the shell in the shell holder and lock it in place. Thread the pilot to the cutter nice and tight,this you don't need to take apart. Now you slip the pilot/cutter thru the neck and out the flash hole of the shell, once this is done you turn the cutter until the brass is the correct lenght. You will know the shell is the correct lenght when the cutter stops cutting.

Now take the chamfer tool and chamfer lightly the inside and outside of the neck. Now take the primer pocket cleaner, the large side one and insert into the pocket and turn the tool until all the carbon is removed.

Now you carry on with the die kit. It's as simple as that.
 
Though I am in agreement with 2Katz's overview of the Lee Loader, and have loaded some 6.5x55mm with one, I've recently purchased a Lee Hand Press Kit, which can be had for 30.06 for $60.99. Add the $15 of extras like the Lee case trimmer, chamfer tool, and primer pocket cleaner, and you'll still come out with everything minus the components for under $100 dollars. The Lee dies would come with the powder measure as well. Add a pound of powder (about $30), 100 bullets for approx $20-25, and a few dollars for primers and you will be all set. You don't need a workbench to use this press and can take it with you to the field as well.

I personally find the Hand Press Kit a good deal faster than the Lee Loader, and like the additional option of the Lee Factory Crimp Die that comes with the die set, a handy thing to have if you plan to hunt with your ammo that you load. I just wanted you to be aware of another option between the Lee Loader and something like the Lee Anniversary Kit, and add in my initial observations of Lee products.

Whatever you decide upon, good luck with your reloads!

Frank
 
Beadwindow said:
Though I am in agreement with 2Katz's overview of the Lee Loader, and have loaded some 6.5x55mm with one, I've recently purchased a Lee Hand Press Kit, which can be had for 30.06 for $60.99. Add the $15 of extras like the Lee case trimmer, chamfer tool, and primer pocket cleaner, and you'll still come out with everything minus the components for under $100 dollars. The Lee dies would come with the powder measure as well. Add a pound of powder (about $30), 100 bullets for approx $20-25, and a few dollars for primers and you will be all set. You don't need a workbench to use this press and can take it with you to the field as well.

I personally find the Hand Press Kit a good deal faster than the Lee Loader, and like the additional option of the Lee Factory Crimp Die that comes with the die set, a handy thing to have if you plan to hunt with your ammo that you load. I just wanted you to be aware of another option between the Lee Loader and something like the Lee Anniversary Kit, and add in my initial observations of Lee products.

Whatever you decide upon, good luck with your reloads!

Frank


This is exactly the route I took. I just finished order it online and hopefully I have it by the end of the week. Cost me $92.22 for the kit and trimming stuff. I guess I just have to figure out how to use it and how to make differant loads
 
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