Reloading newbie - Tumbler Selection?

[Jasonsmack]

Hi guys. I have never reloaded before and would like some opinions from you guys. I am gathering stuff to start reloading this winter and plan on starting off with my 50 BMG. I bought the Lee 50 BMG press and am now trying to decide on a tumbler. Here are my questions:

Is a Lyman 1200 tumbler going to be large enough for the 50 BMG brass? I was hoping to use this machine so I can buy one of the bullet moly coating kits that fit on the 1200 further down the road.

Maybe bigger is better? I plan on loading alot of 223 once I get that far so maybe I should buy the biggest macine I can get or does it really save time?

Thanks for your input in advance guys.

 

[Missing Something]

Big is good. I have a M2 and it works great. You can only fit about 50 - BMG cases in it at a time. Just takes longer if you have a bunch.

 

[Jasonsmack]

Just thought of something else. Primer pocket cleaning and reaming. Is the primer pocket on the 50 BMG a different size than everything else or can the tools for another cartridge work to clean the pocket out?

Missing Something - The M2 looks like it is bigger than the Lyman 1200. I think we see eye to eye on the bigger is better theory. Thanks for your input.

 

[Missing Something]

If your going for BMG reloading you need bigger.... Trust Me :twisted:

As for the rest - BMG is bigger everything... primers & priming tools, deburring tools, case trimmer, powder measure.. etc....

 

[bigbull]

The RCBS Sidewinder tumbler is what I use and it will work for your 50cal.
bigbull

 

[Jasonsmack]

I will check out the RCBS Sidewinder also. Thankyou.

 

[straitshooter]

I just picked up a Lyman 1200 "Auto-Flow" tumbler today. It's sitting on the floor near me busily polishing it's first load (of 44-40) even as I type this.

I like the 'self-separating' feature of the auto-flow -- we'll see how well it works after this load is done.

I didn't know about the moly-coating add-on kit. Thanks for the heads-up, Jasonsmack.

 

[schick]

Sorry to hijack. Holy ####! You're going to reload for the first time, and you decided on 50 BMG. You must have a money tree in the backyard.

I have seen rifles get screwed up from a few guys making small mistakes with magnum cartridges. I would hate to see the results of a mistake with a 50 BMG loading.