What I need to get started?

[Thedragonslayer]

Originally Posted by titanse05

I think some important questions that needs to be asked:

1. How many rounds do you shoot a week/month?
2. How much time can you set aside to produce said ammo?
3. What calibers are we talking about reloading?
4. Max budget?

1. Maybe 100 to 200 max
2. Depending on Chatter at the table... maybe an hour a day.
3. .45 and maybe 556/223
4. Cheap

Im trying to formulate a budget and a list of parts and equipment to start pulling together.

[Thedragonslayer]

I havent had time to read yet, thank you guys for your replys!

[Thedragonslayer]

Originally Posted by NAMVET72

Well here are a Couple Things for Sure:

1) Know how to Read
2) Have the patience
3) Have the time


Now the Bad Parts:

1) Money
2) Do you have any of the above? No.




BTW Also Brains............

I HAD TO READ THIS ONE BEFORE I LEFT!!!!!


Man Chief, thats cold! Maybe true on a couple of counts though!!!

[NAMVET72]

Google is your Friemd, each setup is different prices, and then comes the Carbide Dies, Manuals, brass, bullets, Gun powder....................ETC.....

[Grizzman]

You asked for it.....so here it is.

This is the the entire collection of reloading tools and accessories that I regularly use. The bullet puller gets used as infrequently as possible.


Here's a list of what a person will very likely need in order to load for pistol and bottle neck rifle cartridges:

Caliper to measure overall length and case diameter (doesn't matter whether it has a dial or a digital display)

Case Lube if you don't use carbide dies. I use the pad and bottle lube with no desire to change. Spray lube is another option.

Case Trimmer is needed when it's necessary to trim the cases to the same overall length to start, and to shorten the case after it's been stretched beyond the max length. I've used this manual RCBS unit for my entire career and it's worked like a champ. Motorized units are available, but I think they cost over $200.

Case Deburring/Chamfering Tool is needed to remove any burrs left by the case trimmer and to chamfer the inside of the neck to make bullet insertion easier. This step isn't absolutely necessary, but I do it anyway. Mine is an RCBS, but I'm certain that most other brands would work adequately. This has also never needed to be replaced.

Dies.

For bottle neck rifle, a resizing/decapping die is needed. A bullet seating die is needed. A taper crimp die is optional. Most bullet seating dies are able to roll crimp as well as seat the bullet.

For straight wall pistol, a resizing/decapping die is needed. A belling die is needed to slightly bell the case mouth to accept the bullet. A bullet seating die is needed. A taper crimp die is optional. Most bullet seating dies are able to roll crimp as well as seat the bullet.

I've used RCBS dies for the first 12 or so years of my loading career, and recently tried out a Lee pistol and rifle die. I prefer the locking ring of the RCBS die, which ensures that the seating depth and belling amount doesn't change unless you want it to. The Lee dies work fine, and are cheaper.

Primer Pocket Cleaning Tool is used to clean the primer residue that collects in the primer pockets after multiple firings. This step isn't completely necessary, but I do it occasionally. It only takes a few seconds per round, and the tool was cheap. Mine is RCBS, but Lee, Hornady, etc should work equally well.

The Press is where a lot of the debate is centered. For loading 100 or fewer rounds per loading session, a singe stage press should be adequate. If the goal is to load several hundred rounds per loading session, a progressive is highly recommended, unless you've got TONS of spare time. Even if a progressive press is needed, it's a good idea to also purchase a basic single stage to load small batches, like when trying multiple different powder charges at different overall lengths. I've been using this RCBS Rock Chucker II continuously for 13 years, and it's ready for 13 more. Lee or Hornady should work fine also.

A Primer Insertion method is needed, and I'm now using an RCBS hand priming tool. I used the built in primer inserter of my Rock Chucker for a while, but needing to handle every single primer is a bit of a drag. The hand tool works much better and it's easier to tell how deep the primer is being seated. Again, I chose RCBS and am completely satisfied. I'm sure other options are also available.

A Powder Funnel is very helpful in pouring the powder into the case. The RCBS I use has a neck shaped to fit tightly around all diameters of case mouths.

A Scale is necessary to ensure that the proper weight of powder is being used. There are multiple options for dispensing the desire powder amount, but the scale is necessary to confirm that the dipper, charge bar, etc is dispensing the correct amount. I'm currently using a Pact digital scale, since I dropped my RCBS unit off the desk about 2 years ago. Don't do that as it's unlikely to survive. Had I not broken it, I'm sure it would still be working fine today. Any digital scale that's designed for loading or any balance beam scale should work adequately. The scale was one of the most expensive parts I bought.

A Powder Dispensing method is needed, and there are enough different options to warrant a separate thread. I use an electronic dispenser that I bought when I began loading, and I'm still using it exclusively. This dispenser receives an IR signal from the scale so that the dispenser knows when the correct weight of powder has been dispensed. To use it, it must be calibrated for the chosen powder and the desired charge weight entered. Pressing the dispense button trickles the correct amount +- .1 grain....generally +.1 if it's not dead on.

Case Blocks are nice to have to hold the cases. They're pretty cheap and they'll last pretty much forever. Brand isn't overly important. These are MTM.

A Bullet Puller is handy when a mistake is made and it's not wise to just shoot the round. There are a couple of different options, kinetic and collet that's used with the press. I use the kinetic kind. They're all pretty much the same, so you can choose it by color. I didn't.....it was in stock.

A Case Tumbler is optional, and I didn't buy this one until about a year ago. I generally only use it with old mil surp brass Ibuy and for when cases get thoroughly corroded.


Here are a few photos of my reloading bench and the tools I use.

[NAMVET72]

Nice pics , and I will sale you all of 's Reloading Outfit for 2 Bits. Delivered on 's Dime................HEHEHE

[Dave Waits]

My setup pretty-much mirrors 's setup with a few small changes. I have the Pact Electronic Dispenser along with the Pact digital scale. Also, I use a Lyman Electric case trimmer with a PTO on the other end for cleaning primer-pockets.
This may tick off some guys but, with your budget and skill-level, stay away from Progressive presses.Too expensive and too complicated. Unless you're shooting in competition and fire 1000 rounds a week, you really don't need the capability a Progressive offers.
Another thing, you get what you pay for with reloading equipment. The 'inexpensive-pricing of Lee equipment' is tempting but, it just doesn't hold up.My reloading partner and I both tried Lee equipment. I bought a Lee Classic and he bought a Challenger, these are what Lee calls presses. Neither press lasted more than six months. Further, the Dies are very cheaply made, alot of plastic involved. I finally relieved myself of the last of my Lee Equipment this last week when the Lee Bullet-seater for 45ACP broke.Lee uses a steel seater tube but they also use a plastic depth knob. The threaded part of it broke in half.

Here's the thing, get the best you can afford. Everything I use now, except for the casetrimmer, scale/dispenser and one set of Hornady 'New-Dimension' dies(44magnum), is RCBS. The stuff is Bulletproof and not alot more in price than Lee, especially if you buy used. Good equipment never wears out. My Rock-Chucker was 20 years old when I bought it six years ago, it's still working great, no problems.

Now, what do you really need to make good ammunition?
1.) A good press
2.) Good die-sets
3.) A inside/outside champhering tool
4.) A good scale, either a standard measuring scale or one of the battery-powered electronic scales(They run about the same price).
5.) A Primer-pocket cleaner.
6.) A Powder-Trickler for final measuring of charges.
7.) A Dial-Vernier, doesn't have to be electronic, a decent steel vernier can be bought for $20.00.
8.) A lube-pad and lube, RCBS is fairly inexpensive and lasts a long time.
9.) Get a Lee auto-prime, the only decent thing Lee makes
10.) I strongly recommend either Speer #13 or #14 reloading manual. It has the best reloading tutorial out there. Easy to read and understand with plenty of explanations, tips, pictures, and help.

You can pick up a good used Rock-chucker for about fifty dollars and, you'll never have to buy another press(Unless you want one), the rest will run about $200.00 total. A box of primers runs about $27.00 per thousand, the rest is pretty much regional, powder runs about $23.00 a pound. Most guys have a bunch of cases.

Breakdown of cost to load 45ACP.
Cases- Most guys save their cases so, unless you toss yours that's taken care of. However a Value-Pack of WWB costs $40.00, afterwards you have 100 cases you can reload. I use this as an example of case cost because you get to have fun emptying them before you reload them.

okay, I use 5 grains of HP-38 in my 45 practice-loads and a 230grain bullet,either FMJ or Lead( I pay $45.00 for 500 LRN 230s) and Winchester large pistol primers.
Case-free,once fired.
Primer-.02 each
Bullet- .09 each
Powder charge- .02 each charge(7000 grains in a pound,5 grains per charge,$23.00 a pound)

So, my 45ACP practice-loads cost me a whopping $6.50 per fifty and they're more accurate than most factory loads.

[allrockabilly]

I have never reloaded before and I have really been thinking of getting into it. So thanks for starting this thread and thanks to all of you posting great responses. This will help me at least find and purchase what I would need to get started reloading 45acp and possibly 5.56 (223).
At least this tells me everything I will need to get started as far as the tools and hardware. I was thinking of picking up a book I found for sale at a LGS on how to reload and it seamed to walk you through the basics on how to reload different calibers (casings, primers, powders, bullets...etc) I just want to make sure I find the right book / books and learn enough to where I can reload without blowing one of my guns up or even worse injuring myself.

Reloading is a skill all in it's own and I definitely want to learn it. I believe with the right tools and other hardware Time and practice will get me there. I wish I had someone that I could learn from and learn the do's and don'ts as I go but I am sure with enough reading and a little help from the COTEP family I will safely get there some day.

Thanks again.

-Ryan S

[Thedragonslayer]

I want to thank you guys for posting your responses! It has been very helpful and later this fall I hope to dive in with both barrels!

Please continue to post ideas and pics if possible.

[AutoMag]

, I got in on this one late but some very good answers were given!!

If you do plan on getting into reloading check with me, I might just have some things that you will need and I am sure that others might also!!!