Starting to Reload Do I require anything more

Rubicon37s

Rubicon37s

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Hello,

I am going to start reloading 38 Special and 9mm with additional ammo in the future.

I believe the list below is what I require. Am I right in my thinking?

1 – 14261 – Dillon RL550B...................... US$385.001
– 20127 – 9mm Luger Caliber Conversion...... US$44.951
– 14406 – 9mm Luger Dillon Die Set........... US$62.951
- 22058 – Deluxe Quick Change............... US$98.951
– 20132 – 38/357 Caliber Conversion.......... US$44.951
– 14400 – 38/357 Dillon Die Set.............. US$62.951
– 19455 – CV-750 Tumbler................... US$139.951
– 21045 – CM-500 Media Separator.......... US$45.951
– 13496 – Ground Corn Cob (media)........... US$14.951
– 21143 – Accessory Package................. US$165.95
(scale, manual, safety glasses, caliper, flip tray, etc. . .) Shipping...................... US$142.73 FedEx International (82#) Total....................... US$1,209.28

I will also check the pricing at Elwood Epps.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/catid/3/pid/23988/?viewImg=1
I'm a little concerned about the accessory Package- Is that a good scale and book? some say I should have more than one Load book if anyone can recommend a good one.

Lastly I will require the elements to make the bulletts if anyone can recommend some quality materials that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Cheers
Brian
 
I would pass on the accessory package, buy a scale, book and primer tray seperate...

I would also go with a 650, go to epps they are 649.00, if you add your shipping to the press price and the 5% as the dollar is in the ####er your almost there assuming you can drive to epps...

Where are you located Brian?
 
My standard list for new reloaders:


Presses

There are three basic types of presses. Which type you need depends on how much you shoot and what your budget is.

The single stage machines do one thing at a time and you have to change the dies for every new process. It's where most people start and many if not most never feel they need more.

Turret presses are much the same except all the dies are mounted together in a plate that can simply be turned to bring them into play one after the other. They are rather more convenient once set up; cost of course is rather greater.

The progressive machines are essentially automatic - once set up and filled, you get a round of ammo every time you crank the handle. They are more complex and decidedly more expensive and probably more than you need unless you are firing a lot of ammo on a regular basis. (If you do, on the other hand, single-stage or turret presses probably aren't up to what you need.)


Stuff to get on top of that?


Before you buy anything else, books:

  • ABCs of Reloading is probably the best introduction to the hobby (art? science?). Large paperback. You'll save a lot of time, effort and money by spending a night or two digesting this. It's only lack is that it does not have many 'recipies'; for that you will need...

  • a reloading manual put out by one of the major component manufacturers. Read it before you actually start reloading. Until you get some experience, I wouldn't take any loads off the net. WRT your question, any of the books put out by the major players are reliable. Some people like this one, some people that one. None of them are bad. I tend to buy a new one every so often and make a point of getting a different one each time.

Must-Haves:

• a workbench of some sort. It can be custom built, a folding work-mate or even a way to use your kitchen counter, but you must have something reasonably solid.

• dies and a shell holder for the calibre(s) in question

• components - brass, bullets, propellant and primers

• scales. Electronic or balance.

• a reloading block - a tray to hold your cases as you work through the process. You can buy them or make them with a piece of 2x6 and a drill press.

• a legal way to store primers and powder. Lockable box with EXPLOSIVES written on the outside is the starting point.

• a book of some sort to record your efforts so you can tell what works and what doesn't. You can buy specially-printed ones but a school notebook works just as well

• good lighting. If your reloading place isn't bright, buy a cheap gooseneck lamp. I got mine (a floor model) at Ikea - it's flex neck allows me to put the light where it is needed

• often overlooked - safety googles and a fire extinguisher. Chicken Little only has to be right once. Besides, they create an reassuring aura in the eyes of spouses and landlords.


'Should-have-but-not-critical' Stuff

• powder measure. It dumps a measured volume of propellant.

• powder trickler (the 'throw low and trickle up' concept is useful for high accuracy loads)

• small flashlight

• accurate calipers and, if you've the inclination, a micrometer.

• a primer pocket resizing tool (different kinds) and primer crimp remover if you are trying to reload military ammo cases

• automatic primer feed, strip or tube, to avoid having to handle individual primers


'Nice-to-have' Things

• primer pocket cleaner

• magnifying glass

• a small funnel for pouring powder into cases

• tumbler. You can reload without one, but asides from making things shiny, they also make it easier to examine your brass for cracks, etc. You will, as you note, also need the media.

• I found the kit lube pad messy and the lube provided with it a pain to clean off the cases. I dropped $6 on a tiny tin of Imperial Sizing Die Wax. Tap one of your fingers lightly on the wax and roll the case between your fingers. Much less messy and it lasts almost forever.

• case trimmer. You'll need it eventually, especially if reloading hot ammo in bottle-neck cases

• a deburring tool to 'round off' neck edges, especially after trimming.

• bullet puller. Everybody makes mistakes. Most people use a kinetic one, shaped like a hammer.


Things you won't need until you really need them, and that will be on a Saturday night, 15 minutes before the store closes and in the middle of a blizzard

• a couple of spare depriming pins for your dies

• a stuck case remover.

You can get both for under $10 and they'll save you a lot of grief
 
I'm in Uxbridge so about an 1.5 hr ride...I'll do it as I have not visited them yet anyways


JOJOPINTO said:
I would pass on the accessory package, buy a scale, book and primer tray seperate...

I would also go with a 650, go to epps they are 649.00, if you add your shipping to the press price and the 5% as the dollar is in the s**ter your almost there assuming you can drive to epps...

Where are you located Brian?
Click to expand...
 
i'd also echo the 650 over the 550 unless you're doing rifle- the fact that's there's no autoindex on the 5 is a pita-
 
Rubicon37s said:
I'm in Uxbridge so about an 1.5 hr ride...I'll do it as I have not visited them yet anyways
Click to expand...

Defiantly go to Epps then, defiantly get the 650 with strong mount and aluminum roller handle...

I would get a extra tool head and powder die to start with instead of the deluxe quick change it will save you a few bucks but it is more work to change calibers so suit your self, also there are much cheaper tumblers available than the Dillon one that will work well also...

get a spare parts kit, you can buy a electronic caliper at princess auto for like 10 bucks or wait till ct has them on sale for 15...

Epps has cam pro bullets by the 1000 for a decent price, best place to buy powder or DRG lead bullets and primers is Hummason MFG in Ancaster...Or get primers at Le Baron for 30.50 tax in with your discount card...
 
The 650 works well for both rifle and pistol... if you have the cash get a case feeder also...

if you are ever in my area i will give you a demo if you want....you will leave my place wanting to spend lots of cash on reloading equipment... lol
 
Buy this

Dillon makes the best presses, take my word for it. The 650 is nice but the 550 will and has done everything I wanted it to do for over 25 years.
Okay, so buy an extra Tool Head. That way you can just switch tool heads when you change calibers, instead of changing the dies every time.
Buy the LEE primer pocket double-ended [large & small] primer pocket reamer. Is very cheap and does a great job to clean out large and small primer pockets.
 
Also if looking at the 550, get one with the conversion kit. It's a little cheaper combining everything, instead of buying the conversion kit separately.

My $0.02
 
This is my new 550b..
Still waiting on some trays and bins..
http://4.bp.########.com/-DhvjaV-wpEI/TouA7ZZM2bI/AAAAAAAAAG0/lJtnpvi1MBA/s320/IMAG0071.jpg
 
ATOM included something the OP didn't but it is a must have.

Get a reloading manual. Before you buy equipment.

Learning to reload and use a turret or progressive press may be too much for a first pass. Consider a single stage press. You will learn more about reloading that way and you can save for a more expensive progressive mill once you get the basics down pat.
 
I would also purchase a
bullet puller hammer
9mm case checker
38 case checker
no matter what press from Dillon you decide on it will work great
I started with Square Deal went to 550 then got a great deal on a 650 never regretted it

supermag
 
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