Help a noobie out please..

[Flynn]

Hey guys,

I've finally gotten into my thick skull that I need to begin reloading. I can't continue to pay .75 - 1.50 per round for match grade ammo. I know next to nothing about reloading and don't know anyone around here who does reload. <span style="font-weight: bold">I did read the sticky and want to verify that I've digested it properly.</span> From what I understand, I'll need the following items:

Press:
PRESS


Dies:
Dies

Shellholder:

shell Holder

Powder measure:
Measurer

Bench Stand:
benchstand

I want to begin loading .223/5.56 loads and later .308, 30.06, 45acp, and 9mm luger. Other than a good manual, brass (which I have a few buckets of, bullets, powder and primers, does the above list include everything I need to begin reloading? Do I need a tumbler to polish brass? Will all of the above items work correctly together? Are they good choices? Any recommendations?

Again, forgive my being a noobie. Thanks in advance for suggestions and critique.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

You will need a good scale. I prefer balance beam scales but I am old school. Some prefer digital. A 505 RCBS, well taken care of, will last you a lifetime and be sufficient for any charge weighing task.

 

[nesikabay]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Your forgot case trimmer, deburring tools, caliepers, case lube. Priming tool, i could keep going but you will add as you go.

 

[nesikabay]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

+ 1 dont go digetal <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: armorpl8chikn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You will need a good scale. I prefer balance beam scales but I am old school. Some prefer digital. A 505 RCBS, well taken care of, will last you a lifetime and be sufficient for any charge weighing task. </div></div>

 

[Duckdog]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Well since you want to be loading match grade ammo, you'll also need:
Calipers
trimmer
flash hole deburrer
case mouth deburrer/chamfer
hand priming tool (IMO, easier than using your press)
I'd suggest a primer pocket reamer or at least a cleaner

A tumbler isn't a neccesaty, but I suggest one. Not only does it clean your brass, it makes it easier to see if there's split necks and what not.

I really don't see a need for that shell holder set. More than likely, all you'll need is a regular shell holder for each size bolt face.

Like mentioned above, you'll also need a scale. My suggestion would be to buy the best balance beam you can afford, and "upgrade" later (if you want)

 

[Graham]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Walk; don't run: Get an accurate caliper, a comparator, a good set of guages, and tools to measure both shoulder bump and COAL from bolt face to bullet ogive at the lands in your chamber. Learn to use them, measure everything, and keep records.

 

[Notso]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

You're on the right track. I like the press and the Redding dies depending on whether you're shooting an AR or a bolt for .223. If AR, you really should just go with a 2-die FL bushing set. Neck-sizing only for an autoloader is a bit of a no no.

Also, the comp shell holder set is a bit of overkill for your stage. It's nice but not required in the slightest. Get a standard shell holder for each caliber.

On the powder measure - depends on what you want. Do you want accuracy, speed, cheap? Pick 2 out of 3. If accuracy, go with a digital scale and weight each charge. If speed (reloading several hundred at a time), then get a powder measure. If you want both, get a Chargemaster. But you can't have all three (speed, accuracy, cheap).

Some other things to consider are case prep tools. Hand tools for primer pocket cleaner, uniformer, mil crimp remover (if you shoot LC brass), neck in and out chamfer, neck brush, etc are easy, cheap and necessary. RCBS's casemate is worth the extra money

Finally, you will need to trim brass by a couple of reloadings, maybe every other. A hand trimmer is fine and works well, but it's very slow and trimming eventually becomes a chore. Some of the motorized trimmers are worth the money IMHO. I have a Giraud, but that's really expensive. I've heard good things about the RCBS 3way trimmer that chucks in a hand drill. Also look at the possum hollow trimmer with drill attachment.

Have fun!

 

[Flynn]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I don't yet understand some of the reloading terms being used, I'm sure that's where the manual comes in. As far as the scale, I'm not sure if I'm hearing "the balance beam is better" or "start with a balance beam and upgrade to digital later". If the latter, I'm of the "buy once,cry once" mentality. Other than the "die set", are the other items I listed g2g?

 

[Graham]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flynn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't yet understand some of the reloading terms being used, I'm sure that's where the manual comes in.</div></div>Nope. Stop. Don't buy anything yet. Spend thirty-five bucks and get Glen Zediker's book on reloading for competition. Read it cover to cover. Twice. Then buy stuff.

 

[Flynn]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Notso</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

On the powder measure - depends on what you want. Do you want accuracy, speed, cheap? Pick 2 out of 3. If accuracy, go with a digital scale and weight each charge. If speed (reloading several hundred at a time), then get a powder measure. If you want both, get a Chargemaster. But you can't have all three (speed, accuracy, cheap). </div></div>

Accuracy first and foremost, I'm not in a hurry.

 

[Rover31]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Find someone you can learn from. Go use their gear, pick their brain. for as long as they will allow.
Go to the range you shoot at or a good gun shop. Then ask around for an old retired guy that shoots a lot. Talk to him. My bet is he would love to show you how to load.
Be very slow in buying the correct equip for your need lots of different ways to approach this.
Good Luck
T

 

[Mutt]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

You can save about $50.00 right off the bat by switching to THIS DIE SET instead.

I have the Comp neck sizer and personally I find that I don't need to know the neck sizing length to the nearest thou.
It's an excellent die but I can't shoot the difference between +-.001" of neck length.
The seater die though, is a different story...

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flynn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't yet understand some of the reloading terms being used, I'm sure that's where the manual comes in.</div></div>Nope. Stop. Don't buy anything yet. Spend thirty-five bucks and get Glen Zediker's book on reloading for competition. Read it cover to cover. Twice. Then buy stuff. </div></div>
+1 You are getting the cart before the horse. "When you rush, that's when accidents happen."

 

[Flynn]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Again, thank you everyone. I trying to decipher the advice and hear mixed messages: "good start, you forgot a few things" and "stop and spend awhile researching". I feel the latter is good advice, I'm just afraid that I'll spend/waste as much $ on good ammo while figuring it out, as it would cost to buy the equipment to produce it myself.

Most of my quandary is that I know very few people around here. I'm a fairly recent transplant from Alaska now living in rural Idaho ( btw I like Idaho). It could take awhile to find someone to latch on to.

By this summer, I could easily spend 1k on ammo. I currently have a $600 dollar credit (+$50 off with a promotion key of $500+) with midway and would rather spend it on equipment to produce ammo than ammo itself.

I'm struggling trying to articulate the position I"m in...

 

[lightman]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Lots of good advice here.I would recommend buying a good book,and reading it,before buying much equipment.The one recommended and a Lyman could save you some money and grief.Order it online now,and you will have it wednesday.Finding another shooter or retired guy would be good too.Any of us could give you a list of equipment that would work fine,but lots of it is personal preference.Good Luck, Pete

 

[sniperaviator]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

To GET STARTED, here is a minimum set of equipment. First of all, use once fired brass in your rifle from factory ammo for your brass.

You will need:
A single stage press (Rockchucker is fine).
Neck sizing die.
Seating die.
Scale ($25 electronic one will get you started, but either type)
Calipers (either electronic or spring).
Lee Dipper for the amount of powder you will be using.
Inertia bullet puller (so you can safely take apart your mistakes
Chamfer/Reamer tool.
Primer pocket cleaner
Spray case lube.
A bench to mount the press on.

1 lb of Powder
100 Bullets
100 primers

You can get loading info free online from hodgdon.com (start at minimum charge listed and work up in .5 grain increments)

You can deprime and prime with your press. At least most of them will. The Rockchucker will I believe. I know a Lee Classic cast will.

Got to youtube.com and look at a lot of videos on reloading.

That should get you started. Later on you will need a ton of other stuff. But you can do it with the above.

What you will do is:
Clean brass with rag snd spray case lube
Chamfer/ream brass
Deprime
Resize neck
Prime
Put powder in case
Seat bullet

Be careful and enjoy!

 

[Rover31]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flynn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Most of my quandary is that I know very few people around here. I'm a fairly recent transplant from Alaska now living in rural Idaho ( btw I like Idaho). It could take awhile to find someone to latch on to.</div></div>

put a post in the member link up section for Idaho folks in your area, I bet you get plenty of people to help. 98% of the people I know that shoot are more than willing to give their help to people in your position.
T

 

[mwroseberry]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Powder trickler, calipers, and a reloading tray and you're set. Also I always use a Lee Factory krimping die on my 2nd and up time fired brass just to lock the bullet in especially if I'm necking out at all.

Good luck,
Merritt

 

[Trapshooter12]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Since your now a transplanted Spud Picker. I bet it will be easy to find someone that re-loads in Idaho. As some have suggested before. Find someone that re-loads and ask them to help you get started.

Go to the Gun store and ask if someone will be willing to show you how.
I'm not sure if they have a Sportsmans Warehouse anymore, but they used to put on re-loading classes.

You can always start out with a few things and then add the rest later as you start to figure out what your doing.
Making high quality rounds is a labor of love. You will spend a few Hr's just making up a hundred rounds.

 

[eleaf]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flynn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't yet understand some of the reloading terms being used, I'm sure that's where the manual comes in.</div></div>Nope. Stop. Don't buy anything yet. Spend thirty-five bucks and get Glen Zediker's book on reloading for competition. Read it cover to cover. Twice. Then buy stuff. </div></div>

I'd wait on that book until you've read the introductory material in a couple of manuals first.

That book is EXCELLENT, but it's not a manual or a how-to for beginners.

I suggest the Lyman manual initially. It has the most comprehensive introductory material I've seen, and it is definitely suitable for a beginner.

The data is very conservative, but the introductory material is superb. It will explain the terminology used in reloading as well as the tools t get the job done. It also has a very good section on powders.

 

[ISBe]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Tag...

 

[bronco_buster]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

I went this route: http://www.natchezss.com/Category.cfm?co...Reloading%20Kit

Pros: manual, case trimmer included, nice digital scale, I felt it offered more accessories than competitors

Cons: no hand primer included, old school lube pad, primer cup is flimsy

I'm just starting out as well...I've already started grabbing more accessories...but you really can't go wrong with a "kit" but you already understand... you aren't going to get everything you need for precision reloading. I'm finding the write ups here and elsewhere indispensible to give a direction to head, but I'm already looking to replace my dies. I think this is like any other interest, you either get turned onto it and realize that you can go more "top shelf" to really tune things or you make choices of where the money will do the most good given the application...for me....and this is my opinion only, so I don't care if it's viewed as right or wrong...to plink through my AR carbine I don't need a $150 dollar set of dies, my lees will be fine. For the GAP, I'm looking at getting a set of micrometer dies.

I bought a tumbler, and I hate the media. It seems like I find it bits everywhere, when the cases seem clean I can always find a granule by looking in with a light. So, then I bought the ultrasonic, haven't even tried it yet, and several reloading old timers I've spoke with don't even tumble or clean their brass. Now that I've got the tumbler and ultrasonic, I'm seeing the stainless media is probably the way to go...because I expect precision brass to be spotless. So, it's just one of those things...I thought I knew what I needed, but that changed very quickly after starting.

Just look at it as growing pains, and realize most of the equipment is pretty easy to sell if you find that you're not satisfied with how it performs...plus there will always be something better around the next corner or in the next post here anyway...so have fun.

 

[toyfreak]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Not trying to hijack the thread but im also a noobie just trying to get started. This is what im considering. I know that accurate reloading wont be done with this stuff alone.
My wife wants to buy the initial part of the reloading equipment for me so im trying to make it easy on her.

Lyman kit

or
RCBS kit

Any real benefit to going with a kit?

Thanks guys

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

How did you ascertain that accurate loading could not be done with the Lyman kit alone? I was loading accurate ammo at the age of 13 with a similar kit. At that time I did not know any better though. That Orange Crusher kit looks fine and with a little common sense and a good loading manual you can make great ammo. Anyone that tells you a kit is a bad buy for a beginner, simply do not know their ass from a shotgun. There are a lot of great products out there that are nice to have but you don't absolutely need them to load great ammo. The only thing I would add to this kit is a set of dial calipers in steel.
Read the manual first, plug and play is not a good idea!

 

[bronco_buster]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: toyfreak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not trying to hijack the thread but im also a noobie just trying to get started. This is what im considering. I know that accurate reloading wont be done with this stuff alone.
My wife wants to buy the initial part of the reloading equipment for me so im trying to make it easy on her.

Lyman kit

or
RCBS kit

Any real benefit to going with a kit?

Thanks guys


</div></div>

Lyman kit is excellent. Its the one that I returned my Hornady LNL kit to get instead. I personally found the following more desirable: the manual which is excellent and thorough, it came with a case trimmer included...huge plus that saved me at least $100 in buying a separate one, the digital scale seems to be a lot more robust and useful than the hornady which seemed to feel like a calculator with a pan attached--I didn't use it, I'm sure it works just fine...but I'm a bit OCD, finally the LNL was aluminum and the Lyman is steel...does this matter?...most say no, but I instantly felt the difference with the Lyman and it makes it feel much more solid on the bench, I also didn't like the quick change bushings that would need purchased with the LNL kit, but apparently all the Hornady fans out there seem to really get upset when I post how I feel...I just felt that it added another component to complicate the setup, wait to have shipped to me, and increase cost, for something that really doesn't solve a huge problem for reloaders in the first place, what do I know though...I'm a newb.

I didn't say you can't make perfectly accurate ammo out of the kit, I said you'll need certain items and replace a few. I have calipers, but lack an ogive attachment to determine overall length which I feel will be necessary to take my shooting to a different level of precision. Sure, I can load to the overall length of my chamber, but I'm seeing the advantage of loading to the lands of the rifling and that will require an investment in guages at least, and probably micrometer dies. My Lyman was also on sale for 299.95 which I think is a good deal with all the items you get. The case trimmer and scale sealed the deal for me...good luck.

 

[eleaf]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: toyfreak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not trying to hijack the thread but im also a noobie just trying to get started. This is what im considering. I know that accurate reloading wont be done with this stuff alone.
My wife wants to buy the initial part of the reloading equipment for me so im trying to make it easy on her.

Lyman kit

or
RCBS kit

Any real benefit to going with a kit?

Thanks guys


</div></div>

I'd get the RCBS kit, then go out and buy the Lyman manual (actually, I'd buy the Lyman manual, read the intro material, then buy the RCBS kit).

The Rock Chucker is a GREAT press. You'll never need another as it's built like a tank.

 

[bronco_buster]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: toyfreak</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not trying to hijack the thread but im also a noobie just trying to get started. This is what im considering. I know that accurate reloading wont be done with this stuff alone.
My wife wants to buy the initial part of the reloading equipment for me so im trying to make it easy on her.

Lyman kit

or
RCBS kit

Any real benefit to going with a kit?

Thanks guys


</div></div>

I'd get the RCBS kit, then go out and buy the Lyman manual (actually, I'd buy the Lyman manual, read the intro material, then buy the RCBS kit).

The Rock Chucker is a GREAT press. You'll never need another as it's built like a tank.</div></div>

Look at Natchez Shooting Supplies; the RCBS supreme kit was on sale for 279. http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=RC09357&src=tpMfg

 

[toyfreak]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

Thank you much guys. LyMan manual and rcbs it is.

Calipers,dies,shell holder and I should be good to go. Ohhh. After I read the manual of course.

 

[Rover31]

Re: Help a noobie out please..



personal opinion
I like lyman stuff quite a bit for some reason. priced well works well.
I have Lyman RCBS Lee
T

 

[toyfreak]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rover31</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

personal opinion
I like lyman stuff quite a bit for some reason. priced well works well.
I have Lyman RCBS Lee
T</div></div>

What is it about the layman that you like over the rcbs?

 

[TravisB]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pete Theodore</div><div class="ubbcode-body">.Finding another shooter or retired guy would be good too.Any of us could give you a list of equipment that would work fine,but lots of it is personal preference. </div></div>

+1

 

[Flynn]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flynn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't yet understand some of the reloading terms being used, I'm sure that's where the manual comes in.</div></div>Nope. Stop. Don't buy anything yet. Spend thirty-five bucks and get Glen Zediker's book on reloading for competition. Read it cover to cover. Twice. Then buy stuff. </div></div>

I'm reading this book now, good stuff..

 

[tomcatfan]

Re: Help a noobie out please..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Flynn</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't yet understand some of the reloading terms being used, I'm sure that's where the manual comes in.</div></div>Nope. Stop. Don't buy anything yet. Spend thirty-five bucks and get Glen Zediker's book on reloading for competition. Read it cover to cover. Twice. Then buy stuff. </div></div>

On this note I recommend the ABC's of reloading. This book helped me out so much by explaining what reloading is all about. It also breaks down things very well. I based my need for equipment off of this book... and the hide.