The reloading list

[MarineMD]

I would like to try to get into reloading. no rush. I am going to purchase a Hornady single stage press kit. The only fancy thing I am going to get is a scale dispenser system. I realize I need to walk before I run, but I want to efficiently produce quality, precision ammo. I would appreciate advice on what other stuff I should get. My budget is about $1000.

I realize this topic has probably been posted and talked about so if anyone knows of the link, let me know.

 

[falluchi624]

Ok, I recently started myself. But had a similar budget. I ordered the cabelas case tumbler kit (am considering also getting a stainless steel set up to), good dies(don't cheap out on the dies, you get what you pay for), reloading trays if you don't find them or make them, Case lube, trimmer of some sort (so many options), a bullet puller, I suggest a good scale to check the auto dropper, a priming tool, and primer pocket Cleaner/uniformer, and a reloading manual or 5 doesn't hurt.

what iv earned is there is so many methods and variations to how you reload it really comes down to what you like. Some guys are all about speed, I do it in my spare time instead of watching tv or laying on the couch.

 

[SporterII]

I learned much about what I was doing with measuring tools. No.1 being a good caliper.
Books of course. Read one, the second contains more...
Doing, and paying attention.
eta;
Doc, I gotta say I read about the subject for years and always felt if someone showed me, I would acquire some feel for it. I did.
I was lucky enough to have an accomplished long range shooter show me , the way he was shown.
It was invaluable.
He happened to be loading with basic tools and was shown to work this way. Procedure and attention to detail.
This also was reinforced to me here on these threads. I inquired about equipment.
I have now a year in. Learning with each round.

 

[MarineMD]

I learned much about what I was doing with measuring tools. No.1 being a good caliper.
Books of course. Read one, the second contains more...
Doing, and paying attention.
eta;
Doc, I gotta say I read about the subject for years and always felt if someone showed me, I would acquire some feel for it. I did.
I was lucky enough to have an accomplished long range shooter show me , the way he was shown.
It was invaluable.
He happened to be loading with basic tools and was shown to work this way. Procedure and attention to detail.
This also was reinforced to me here on these threads. I inquired about equipment.
I have now a year in. Learning with each round.

I too have read lots of books and actually had a Hornady kit, but then chickened out. I have gone the route of having custom loads made for me. I will take your advice. I am going to try to find a course. The problem is how do you separate out the bullshit courses.

 

[SporterII]

Like I said, I was lucky. My contact did know how to patiently show and explain each step. Nothing fancy. Just the necessary procedures.
I was chicken too. Reading and being shown got me out of the nest.
As to how to weed thru, Take what you can find. You have read the procedures and will find confidence. Build a round and pick it apart. Compare it to a factory round.
As to equipment, not so bad to buy a kit. I did. Press that will not need to be replaced is a good start as investment in mounting the thing is a monumental step in itself. My press is a shit ton brick house. I love it.

 

[rw496]

I was just in this same boat. I stayed away from the kits because they always had something I didn't want or wouldn't use. I went Hornady single stage; ultrasonic cleaner instead of tumbler; and RCBS 10-10 scale. I based pretty much everything on the stickies by TresMon and the million other posts I've read on here. I just reloaded my first batch and I like my choices.

 

[MarineMD]

I was just in this same boat. I stayed away from the kits because they always had something I didn't want or wouldn't use. I went Hornady single stage; ultrasonic cleaner instead of tumbler; and RCBS 10-10 scale. I based pretty much everything on the stickies by TresMon and the million other posts I've read on here. I just reloaded my first batch and I like my choices.

When I was a kid my father, with a 3rd grade education, taught me how to weld. There was no fancy, metalurgic explanation of what make a good weld vs a crappy weld. He didn't teach me welding terms: in fact his English was only rudimentary. He taught me to look at the colors of the weld, etc. I have a bench we made that despite lots of pounding and unbelievable weight bearing duties is a sound structure to this day...fast forward 35 years later, and I have a need to know everything about a subject before I dive-in. I guess I just have to do it...you know when you have a several 10s of thousands psi explosion going off inches from your face it makes me a little leary.

Thaks for your words, I appreciate the time.

 

[P7id10t]

Watching the metal flow is a good analogy. You're controlling multiple variables when you reload, albeit different ones.
The books are a good foundation to start, the stickies here valuable, shared insight to augment, but diving in and doing is where your knowledge takes off.
Your most valuable asset is common sense, next comes your highly tuned understanding of how stuff fits together.
Start conservatively, build as your knowledge base and intuition expand.

You like high end bikes. If you appreciate quality and precision, as i suspect you do, recommend you go with the higher quality equipment commonly discussed here.

 

[Will Fennell]

MarineMD,
I've been lucky enough to have mentors in my family and friends that got me started loading early in life, but....I have had quite a few friends who have taken up reloading later in life, and I have witnessed the trepidation that you are experiencing. I think the BEST thing you can do to help with getting started is focus on 1 cartridge/load at first, don't get side tracked with developing a load for this, and that, and the other, until you go through setting up for 1 load, with 1 cartridge, for 1 rifle. Let's keep the variables to a minimum. Speed will come with experience.....just have fun and learn.

 

[MarineMD]

Hey Will,

Thanks for your advice. I am going to do just that. I am going to concentrate on .308 Winchester. I have new rifle made for me by Dixie Precision Rifles with which I have shot .36 inch groups with factory ammo on a stock bedded for another action off a creaky BBQ cart (yes, I am bragging, gushing, etc.) so I know I have a rifle that will shoot.

 

[doc76251]

Hey Doc,

Doc here ,

Read this

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...eloading-101-reloading-basics-new-reload.html

and this

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/snipers-hide-reloading/58037-reloading-201-other-thoughts.html

and then let me know if I can help you get started.

Cheers,

Doc

 

[nnn66]

MarineMD: All of the responses here have been very sound advice. I have only been reloading for a few years and am continuing to read and learn more every day. When I first started, i was lucky enough to have a couple of friends who are avid reloaders and have been doing it for decades. My first experiences with reloading happened before I had ever read anything on the subject; these guys simply walked me through it and explained things as we went along. I felt confident that my loads were safe because they were there watching what I was doing and talking me through it. Of course, they gave me books to read and continued giving me guidance and continue to do so to this very day. I have learned much through reading and frequenting this forum, but having an experienced person to guide me through the process took away any feeling of uneasiness about it. I would strongly suggest that you try to locate someone locally who is willing to let you hang out and watch what they are doing. You can certainly be successful without having a mentor, but I believe that I was able to progress in my knowledge and skills far more quickly by having someone to help me.

I read your account of your father teaching you to weld and it reminded me of the way I learned to weld. In fact, I am now a welding instructor in a high school. I could give my students stacks of books to read and videos to watch, but it is when I demonstrate a technique and then let them try their hand at it that they truly begin to learn something about welding. Have fun with it!

 

[Phil1]

I would like to try to get into reloading. no rush. I am going to purchase a Hornady single stage press kit. The only fancy thing I am going to get is a scale dispenser system. I realize I need to walk before I run, but I want to efficiently produce quality, precision ammo. I would appreciate advice on what other stuff I should get. My budget is about $1000.

I realize this topic has probably been posted and talked about so if anyone knows of the link, let me know.

I had someone teach me but its really easy.My current setup cost about $1000 and has a Dillon 650 and a turret press. The first time I had all new equipment (Rockchucker & Dillon 550) then i got out of reloading foe eight years. All of the stuff I have now was bought used.

I would spend 5-8 hours on you-tube and check out all the machines and functions of reloading. Some are not the best quality but seeing what is going on is of good value. One, or a couple used reloading books will have all the explanations on how to, in the front of the books.

As far as other pieces of equipment check out some of these threads. If you don't plan on reloading pistol or 5.56 in big quantities you don't need a progressive. Or you can get one later. All of the die manufactures are pretty good and although I have mostly run of the mill RCBS. Many swear by LEE which is the cheapest.