New to reloading some questions
- Thread starter dieseldawg
- Start date
I just started not that long ago. I went with the Rockchucker Supreme kit, and I'm pretty happy with it. I did go to a chargemaster scale right off the bat though. The beam scale that comes with the kit is good for double checking the electronic scale, but I couldn't imagine cranking out any kind of volume with it.
Depends on what you're thinking of reloading.
First step is a book called ABCs of Reloading, any edition. It gives an excellent intro.
As to kit, despite what some fans claim, all of the major manufacturers turn out serviceable kit. The key thing is what design. If you are reloading 50-100 rounds a week,a single-stage press will be just fine. If it's 1,000 rounds a week, you need a progressive, in effect a small factory on a desk. Far more expensive, but far faster. In between is a turret press, which is no faster to operate than a SS, but can be much quicker to set up.
Expect to pay $250 and up for starters. Components are on top of that, of course.
First step is a book called ABCs of Reloading, any edition. It gives an excellent intro.
As to kit, despite what some fans claim, all of the major manufacturers turn out serviceable kit. The key thing is what design. If you are reloading 50-100 rounds a week,a single-stage press will be just fine. If it's 1,000 rounds a week, you need a progressive, in effect a small factory on a desk. Far more expensive, but far faster. In between is a turret press, which is no faster to operate than a SS, but can be much quicker to set up.
Expect to pay $250 and up for starters. Components are on top of that, of course.
Armored Metal
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- The People's Republik of Kébekistan
Go with a single stage press if you're going to load just for one rifle. X-Reload should have all you need but do start with a good book. Lyman is great for explaining all the steps but any of the big companies book will do. +1 on the ABC's of reloading. No recipes in that one but good tutorials for rifle and pistol.
Do check out youtube. Tons of info there too.
My favorites: the lock n load channel and TiborasaurusRex.
Have fun
Do check out youtube. Tons of info there too.
My favorites: the lock n load channel and TiborasaurusRex.
Have fun
- Location
- West Quebec
Go with a single stage press if you're going to load just for one rifle. X-Reload should have all you need but do start with a good book. Lyman is great for explaining all the steps but any of the big companies book will do. +1 on the ABC's of reloading. No recipes in that one but good tutorials for rifle and pistol.
Do check out youtube. Tons of info there too.
My favorites: the lock n load channel and TiborasaurusRex.
Have fun
They (X-Reload) have a great press (Forster) for a single stage.. for more production I would go with a Dillon 650 with as many options your pocket book will allow.
Just keep looking for a used single stage press. Look for RCBS, Lee, or Hornady. (if Dillon makes a single stage, that would be another good one to buy).
A bonus for getting it used, is that you usually get a bunch of other stuff with it that you would need.
Besides the press you would need the following:
AT LEAST 2 RELOADING MANUALS (get lyman, and the one from whoever makes the bullets you plan to use the most of)
- Die set for each calibre you plan to reload for
- A scale (if you go electronic, spend a lil extra $$$ I hear a lot of bad stuff about most under $100, if you go balance beam stick to the 4 manufactures I listed for the press)
- Case trimmer
- A pilot, and shell holder for each calibre you plan to reload in (note some cartridges share the same shell holder)
- A shell holder for your press. RCBS and Lee I know are exchangable, ALTHOUGH they use a different numbering scheme
- A hand primer (I suggest the lyman as it uses the same shell holder for the press, Lee uses a different one)
- Primer flipper
- A tumbler with media (corn cob seams to be the standard for media)
- if you are doing rifle rounds you will need case lube
- and a bullet puller (I just use a kinetic puller) This is good if you screw up a charge, or when setting up the seating die if you seat the bullet too low.
- Powder funnel
- Powder measure (not needed but highly suggested)
the consumables you will need are:
- Brass cases
-Primers (please note that there are small pistol, large pistol, large magnum pistol, small rifle, large rifle, and large rifle. Make sure you get the right one)
- Powder
- Bullets
- Case lube
RCBS and Dillon have amazing customer service. I bought a used RCBS press with a missing part, emailed asking to buy a replacement part, within 2 days they shipped me the part I needed for free. For Dillon, I leave near a Dillon dealer, any problems I walk in with the broken part, he gives me new part for free, I go home and keep loading.
I have not yet dealt with the Lee or Hornady customer service so I have no comment.
For places to buy, budget shooting supply (I hear they are closed during summer though), Wholesale sports, or cabelas seem to have good stock and decent prices (wholesale sports has flat rate shipping which is great to ship bullets as they are HEAVY) , Higginson Powder is good for lee stuff and reloading components. Reliable gun is good as well. I find Lyman's shipping is pretty quick and reasonably priced for stuff coming out of the states as well(they are in USA so only get reloading tools and not components through them).
Besides the list above I would try to find places near to where you live (cheaper shipping and quicker to get to you) because of that I try to deal only with Wanstalls and Reliable Gun (about 1 shipping day away from me)
One thing to take note is the hazmat fee to ship powders (and maybe primers...) try to buy those local.
VERY USEFUL REFERENCE FOR SHELL HOLDERS -----> http://www.handloads.com/misc/shellholders.asp
A bonus for getting it used, is that you usually get a bunch of other stuff with it that you would need.
Besides the press you would need the following:
AT LEAST 2 RELOADING MANUALS (get lyman, and the one from whoever makes the bullets you plan to use the most of)
- Die set for each calibre you plan to reload for
- A scale (if you go electronic, spend a lil extra $$$ I hear a lot of bad stuff about most under $100, if you go balance beam stick to the 4 manufactures I listed for the press)
- Case trimmer
- A pilot, and shell holder for each calibre you plan to reload in (note some cartridges share the same shell holder)
- A shell holder for your press. RCBS and Lee I know are exchangable, ALTHOUGH they use a different numbering scheme
- A hand primer (I suggest the lyman as it uses the same shell holder for the press, Lee uses a different one)
- Primer flipper
- A tumbler with media (corn cob seams to be the standard for media)
- if you are doing rifle rounds you will need case lube
- and a bullet puller (I just use a kinetic puller) This is good if you screw up a charge, or when setting up the seating die if you seat the bullet too low.
- Powder funnel
- Powder measure (not needed but highly suggested)
the consumables you will need are:
- Brass cases
-Primers (please note that there are small pistol, large pistol, large magnum pistol, small rifle, large rifle, and large rifle. Make sure you get the right one)
- Powder
- Bullets
- Case lube
RCBS and Dillon have amazing customer service. I bought a used RCBS press with a missing part, emailed asking to buy a replacement part, within 2 days they shipped me the part I needed for free. For Dillon, I leave near a Dillon dealer, any problems I walk in with the broken part, he gives me new part for free, I go home and keep loading.
I have not yet dealt with the Lee or Hornady customer service so I have no comment.
For places to buy, budget shooting supply (I hear they are closed during summer though), Wholesale sports, or cabelas seem to have good stock and decent prices (wholesale sports has flat rate shipping which is great to ship bullets as they are HEAVY) , Higginson Powder is good for lee stuff and reloading components. Reliable gun is good as well. I find Lyman's shipping is pretty quick and reasonably priced for stuff coming out of the states as well(they are in USA so only get reloading tools and not components through them).
Besides the list above I would try to find places near to where you live (cheaper shipping and quicker to get to you) because of that I try to deal only with Wanstalls and Reliable Gun (about 1 shipping day away from me)
One thing to take note is the hazmat fee to ship powders (and maybe primers...) try to buy those local.
VERY USEFUL REFERENCE FOR SHELL HOLDERS -----> http://www.handloads.com/misc/shellholders.asp
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