new to reloading

whitetailwoodsarcher

whitetailwoodsarcher

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hello im trying to get into reloading. reason is cheaper ammo and i can customize my loads to take different game. mainly be realoding 308, 44 magnum, and 223. can someone just give me the rundown on the basic equitment i need to reaload with. i dont need really fancy stuff.
thanks!
 
Most any manufacturer has starter kits, Lee, RCBS etc. Most have slightly different things included in their kits. As has already been said in numerous threads on CGN, Buy a good manual read it over and then you have a good idea of the procedures and needed tools. Browse this section there are lots of threads on the subject.
 
the basics:
tumbler + media, or soapy water and a towel (get brass clean)
press (single stage will likely work well for the calibers mentioned)
shell holders (your press of choice might need them)
priming tool (if you can't prime on the press)
powder thrower or trickler (something to throw a charge)
scale (something to meter the charge, i like digital better)
dies (size and seat, crimp is optional)
micrometer (something to measure your oal, i like the digital kind)
case lube (you will need this)
powder, primer, bullets.


find something in your budget and start loading :)
 
The "ABC's of Reloading". The best $25 you will spend on reloading. Bought mine off of amazon.ca
Clint
 
Youtube is your friend. Everyone has slightly different processes and preferred tools. And it's like anything else - cheap tools usually work well enough to get the job done, but quality tools make the experience so much more pleasant and enjoyable instead of just a chore.

You could spend anywhere from $150 to >$1k, depending on exactly what your expectations are: are you trying to turn out massive amounts of shootable ammo in the shortest possible time, or are you trying to produce the hands-down most precision rounds possible? Or are you just looking for the flat out least expensive option? There are a lot of options that will dictate your purchasing decisions.
 
Before I got into reloading, I watched lots of Youtube videos on the subject. Ammosmith's channel is great - he's got hours of detailed instructional videos. I highly recommend you subscribe as I did. My next step was to get books, I bought the Lee and Lyman reloading manuals. There is a lot of great information in the first few chapters about the reloading process - and when you do start reloading, you'll need the reloading manuals to give you load information. I personally prefer the Lee manual for the "how to reload" information, and I go to the Lyman for my load data. I tend to use the powders covered in the Lyman manual more so than the ones covered in the Lee data. That's just personal preference.

As for actual equipment, that's all about personal preference. As was mentioned before, you can spend a lot of money getting a progressive press to put out a high volume of bullets in a short time, or you can spend a little and put out a good amount of precise ammo or cheap ammo. I personally went for a small investment to reload cheap ammo to make shooting more affordable, and have the option to load some super precise ammo for when I go hunting.

I found that when I go shooting, I come home and look forward to the reloading... maybe a bit more than the actual shooting. I know its weird, but I enjoy the process. Hope that helps!
 
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