Guys, I want to start reloading. Please give me suggestions on equipment I need. I am not as concerned regarding price. I'd rather have quality and not have to upgrade in the future.
Reloader noob
- Thread starter Iggles2017
- Start date
Assuming you are reloading for precision I like the Forster co ax. You will also need a good powder drop
Use the Cabelas trick(AJ, Discount gift cards, etc) and get the Forster Co ax. It's a single stage press but allows for quick die changes and is buttery smooth. PM me if you need any details.
I have been using the Forster CO ax for about 3 years and is very good and very repeatable. I prefer Redding dies sets tried other didn't like them. I started with the Redding Type S bushing 3 die set but for me I have now moved to the FL sizing die and micrometer seating die. If cost is no problem I recommend the Bench Source Annealer and Giraud power trimmer. And last but not least get a good scale. I use a SATOURIS 64-s VERY accurate but the 10-10 beam scale is also good.
reload 50 bmg / high volume progressive / see shooters reloading @ range prepped brass/ only things I can recommend rock tumbler harbor freight stainless steel media, hornady bullet comparator , headspace gauge, modify cases , magnetospeed , scale .001 g ,
I know some guys just enjoy the minutiae of reloading, i.e. "the ZEN". For myself a single stage is PAINFUL!
I strongly encourage skipping the single stage and going with a progressive to start out. Progressives are more than accurate enough for creating precision rifle ammo for PRS style shooting. Time saved reloading is time you can spend on things that have a bigger impact on real world accuracy gains such as practicing fundamentals and reading the wind. If you decide later to get a single stage cause you're a world class shooter going for national benchrest championships you can still use the progressive for match quality pistol ammo.
As a real world example: the "6.5 GUYS" on youtube started season 1 of their PRS journey with a Foster Co Ax... by season 3 they had already moved onto progressive presses. Most competitors I've talked with have gone this same direction as well.
Not concerned with price... We'll see about that... here is the very best auto powder dispenser/scale available Prometheus(link)
I strongly encourage skipping the single stage and going with a progressive to start out. Progressives are more than accurate enough for creating precision rifle ammo for PRS style shooting. Time saved reloading is time you can spend on things that have a bigger impact on real world accuracy gains such as practicing fundamentals and reading the wind. If you decide later to get a single stage cause you're a world class shooter going for national benchrest championships you can still use the progressive for match quality pistol ammo.
As a real world example: the "6.5 GUYS" on youtube started season 1 of their PRS journey with a Foster Co Ax... by season 3 they had already moved onto progressive presses. Most competitors I've talked with have gone this same direction as well.
Not concerned with price... We'll see about that... here is the very best auto powder dispenser/scale available Prometheus(link)
I wouldn't support someone with those kind of shady business practices that wants you to pay 3k to 5k for a unit & then claim they still own it & you can't do as you wish with it etc.
I don't know if it's shady...
Pay $5,100 up front and it's yours to do as you please.
Payment plan is $3,600 with the option of paying $1,500 at the end if you want to actually own/sell it.
Yet, truth be told... I have not owned or leased one.
Lol. Yeah 5100 a little high. I basically meant I don't want a setup that I will want to upgrade fairly soon
Education counts more than equipment.... Find a local benchrest shooter and ask to watch them reload.
The good ones sweat the details.
I have a Redding T7 turret, single stage press. It allows me to install 3 calibers of dye-sets on the turret plus a decapping dye. Everything stays adjusted. I use Redding S-Dyes with a micrometer seating dye.
Inline Fabrications make a replacement handle and a nice riser/stand.
https://inlinefabrication.com
For powder management I use an RCBS Charge Master with some minor tweaks.... Like a McDonald's straw.
For brass cleaning I use a Thumlers Tumbler with stainless steel pins. I also have a Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner to remove any lube residue.
For annealing, I borrow a friend's Giraud annealer.
Lastly, buy decent brass.... If you treat it right it'll last a long time.
The good ones sweat the details.
I have a Redding T7 turret, single stage press. It allows me to install 3 calibers of dye-sets on the turret plus a decapping dye. Everything stays adjusted. I use Redding S-Dyes with a micrometer seating dye.
Inline Fabrications make a replacement handle and a nice riser/stand.
https://inlinefabrication.com
For powder management I use an RCBS Charge Master with some minor tweaks.... Like a McDonald's straw.
For brass cleaning I use a Thumlers Tumbler with stainless steel pins. I also have a Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner to remove any lube residue.
For annealing, I borrow a friend's Giraud annealer.
Lastly, buy decent brass.... If you treat it right it'll last a long time.
The Prometheus is very fast, faster than the auto-trickler with a good electronic scale. However if I had to do it again, I would save the money and get the auto-trickler and just deal with it being slower. The Auto-Trickler is just as accurate (as far as I can tell), for about half the money. On the down side, it is electronic while the Prometheus is almost entirely mechanical, and less likely to just stop working.
I still run a Forster co-ax and the powder is weighed and waiting when its time for me to seat again. There are some guys who have hooked up a Prometheus to a Dillion 1050 (or 650 I can't remember), and have the .pdf online somewhere. That would be the way to go, but it requires some parts fabrication.
to the OP - starting out, I would suggest reading this book:
Handloading for Competition by Glen Zediker. It is the best practical reloading book I have found for the type of shooting we do.
https://www.bisontactical.com/products/handloading-for-competition
The above book will guide you through the process and identify things you don't need to do as well as equipment you should look at purchasing. By the way, I sell the Forster CO-AX press if your interested as well:
https://www.bisontactical.com/products/co-ax-reloading-press
My advice is before you buy anything would be Mitotuyo calipers and many of the measuring tools sold by Brownells. Especially the ones that measure base to ogive and the ones to measure shoulder bump. For dies I think the answer is pretty much always Redding S dies but the Forster micrometer seating dies are just as good for what they do.
My personal opinion is that anybody starting out should be on a single stage press and that should probably be an rcbs Rock chucker or a similar styled Redding. I personally hate the co-ax.
You are also going to need some blocks to hold the cases. I prefer the machined caliber specific ones to the multi caliber ones. Don’t skimp here.
You can get away with triple beam rcbs to start but a chargemaster or a gempro or one of the others will make it much faster as you move on.
All I can think of for now. Hope it helps.
My personal opinion is that anybody starting out should be on a single stage press and that should probably be an rcbs Rock chucker or a similar styled Redding. I personally hate the co-ax.
You are also going to need some blocks to hold the cases. I prefer the machined caliber specific ones to the multi caliber ones. Don’t skimp here.
You can get away with triple beam rcbs to start but a chargemaster or a gempro or one of the others will make it much faster as you move on.
All I can think of for now. Hope it helps.
Everything that was said here should be considered. My precision stuff is done with a very similar setup and results are great. Get comfortable on a single stage first. When you do upgrade or start loading other cals on a progressive, be careful and pay attention. It is very easy to make costly mistakes.
My advice Start with proven loads and load data I think there are a few things that you want to start out with to minimize runout: Die design, brass (case neck uniformity is important!) and also making sure the bullet profile used works with the seating plug in your seating die.
I just went through this recently, this is what I got/have found that works good:
- Giraud trimmer & associated trimmer heads for the cartridges you plan on reloading for
- AMP annealer & associated inserts
- A&D FX120 with Auto-trickler and auto-thrower upgrade. Area 419 billet base upgrade for the auto-trickler
- Forster Co-Ax press - though lots of people have success with a progressive press such as a Dillon 550
- Quality dies: Forster, Redding, Whidden, etc. I have Redding type S and Whidden dies. Get a FL sizer (with appropriate bushing inserts) and a micrometer seater
- Good set of calipers
- Comparators for measuring base to ogive and OAL. I use Hornady lock-n-load. Whidden sizing does come with a bump gauge if you use their dies. Whidden also makes a cool case gauge comparator that works really well.
- Reloading blocks. Area 419 makes some good ones
- Lyman tumbler or similar & cleaning media. I wanted to avoid the headache of wet/ultra-sonic tumbling
- Case lube - I've been using the Hornady Unique case lube. However, I don't think my application process is consistent, as I've noticed an inconsistency in my shoulder bumping. Right now I am blaming it on operator error rather than equipment.
- Primer - I use a K&M hand primer. Works good, but it is slow. Lots of mixed feelings from people on which priming tool and method is the best.
- bullet puller - eventually you will need to pull some bullets. Not a purchase you need to make ASAP
- Primer pocket cleaner - unnecessary, no need to clean primer pockets
- hand de-priming tool - rarely if ever use it. Bought it before I found out that cleaning primer pockets is useless
- *I'm sure there is more. I will have to go home and see what is collecting dust and update accordingly
This isn't about equipment, but you do want to set up a system for documentation and labeling so you can be systematic in developing loads and assessing how they perform in your firearms. Being systematic across the entire process is important.
https://www.midwayusa.com/rcbs/b?bi...=main-image-link&utm_campaign=rcbs-vistaflyer
Rebates available on most of the items
Rebates available on most of the items
hey Iggles, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm new to reloading and trying my hardest to wrap my head around it. The best advice is to get someone who reloads and actually knows what they are doing to let you watch and learn. Then find some more people if you can. Reason I stress this is that everyone has a different way of doing things. Take what you like from each and create your own method.
As far as the equipment, I believe its just like our rifles. Personal to everyone and everyone has there own opinion of what rifle is right for them. My buddies that reload and are helping me along the way use a lot of RCBS stuff as well as others. I took a advantage of the rcbs rebates. Got a few dies and priming tool on sale with a $100 rebate and my friend is getting the $175 for this months rebate on the press, chargmaster, and universal priming tool which was all on sale as well. Then after all the other odds and ends I need I should be ready to go. Good luck on your new adventure.
As far as the equipment, I believe its just like our rifles. Personal to everyone and everyone has there own opinion of what rifle is right for them. My buddies that reload and are helping me along the way use a lot of RCBS stuff as well as others. I took a advantage of the rcbs rebates. Got a few dies and priming tool on sale with a $100 rebate and my friend is getting the $175 for this months rebate on the press, chargmaster, and universal priming tool which was all on sale as well. Then after all the other odds and ends I need I should be ready to go. Good luck on your new adventure.
