I Want to Start Reloading

[Chris Taylor]

What do y'all recommend for someone interested in getting into reloading? What presses, dies, ancillary equipment (like trimmers and tumblers) have you had success with? What brands should be avoided?

Where does someone go after they've been doing it a while? What upgrades are beneficial, which are snake oil? What brands should we be looking at? What should we avoid?

No, not for me personally. I've been reloading professionally for the best part of a decade, have had professional (school) classes on reloading, and was self-taught several years before that. And I'm still learning.

However, I get asked a lot about reloading (a lot), and specifically "how do I get into reloading?" A lot.

I know there are folks here with Canadian frak-tonnes of experience.

Discuss.

 

[shooters101]

I started reloading when I first got into competitive shooting back around 1999. I so wish I would have listened to all the guys and gals back then and bought once and cried once with the Dillion line ups!

I though when I first got started that I did not need to load a lot only pistol and just a few rounds here and there so I bought just a Rock chucker. While this is a great press and it did allow me learn a lot it's was just a gateway drug!!!!!! I needed more and I needed faster!!!!

Once again I did not listen to my friends because I knew more than them an went with a Lee 1000. Once again not a bad press but there are a lot of plastic parts that break and ware out quick so I found the money I though I was saving go down the drain.

Then I drank the cool-aid and got my first Dillion 550B. Why did I not listen!!!!!!!! It's rick solid, easy to set up and has the best warranty in the industry. All of this took less than a year. Today I still have the same 550 that is mostly used for 9mm and 223. I have Square Deal B set up just for 45.

For 308 I think the king is the Forster Co-Ax press. Not that I could not load them on the 550 as I have loaded some plinking rounds on it I just bet better result on he Forster.

Back when I got into loading 50cal Dillion had not come out with their press yet so I got two Lee Classic presses one for depriming and the other for bullet setting etc. For the cost of them at the time it was a no brainier to get two set them up and never have to mess with them!

Reloading is just like going down the building your own ARs. Once your start you just can't stop.

 

[TJ208]

I hate reloading. It's an ends to a means for me only. I run a Dillon 650 and only reload 9mm. If I could buy quality ammo for the price I reload them I would do it in a heart beat.


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[Chris Taylor]

Shooter,

The only thing I'll kinda disagree with is starting out with a Dillon or other progressive. I always recommend the path you took, starting with a RCBS RockChucker, and then moving over to a progressive. My reasoning is that a single stage helps/forces someone to slow down and learn the mechanics of reloading, and it helps develop the habit of checking every step for safety issues. Plus, for folks that like to tinker, a single stage is just the berries for load development. Much easier IMHO than dicking around trying to adjust a Dillon. A single stage is always handy to have on the bench.

Also, I've seen a couple of rifles blown up by novice reloaders running a progressive and missing a step. Whoops.

Other than that, yeah, Big Blue is the way to go.

 

[Barry in IN]

I think when someone asks about reloading, the standard gun question of "For what purpose?" should be asked. I have four presses on my bench, plus an arbor press/Wilson dies setup. Each serves a different function.

I use the Dillon for some things, namely high-volume pistol. I use the Rockchucker and Forster Co-Ax for general use and working up test ammo. The arbor press and chamber-type dies get used for more precision work.

Most (including me) don't need to get this specialized, but knowing their needs could help steer them to the right part of the scale that runs from a Lee Challenger to a Star machine.

 

[Barry in IN]

I should also add that it helps to know the person asking.

Do they get frustrated easy? Impatient or not? Working on a shoestring budget, has the money but needs convinced to let it go, or willingly lets you spend their money? It all makes a difference here.

 

[jryock]

I have a Redding Big Boss II single stage and love it. It is a great press that is made in the USA. Got it for a steal online.

 

[english kanigit]

Related question: are carbide dies worth the expense?

I'm asking with specific regard to reloading rifle (.223/5.56).

Ek

 

[Barry in IN]

With bottleneck rifle cases, carbide dies still require lube. They just last longer (Yes, dies do wear, but it takes a long time). The sizing effort may be reduced, but it isn't that bad on 5.56 anyway.
For most people, I'd say no, they are not worth it for rifle.

 

[Chris Taylor]

For rifle, no. For straight walled pistol cartridges, hellz yes.

 

[shooters101]

For rifle, no. For straight walled pistol cartridges, hellz yes.

This!

 

[SPQR476]

The lyman T-Mag turret press kit is actually a pretty good starter setup with things like a trimmer that many kits don't include, and the powder measure is pretty good. I still use mine quite a bit, and despite being a turret, I can load rounds with very, very low lateral runout. It's nice to do load development batches, as you can leave all the dies step and do small batches as required. If what you want to do is volume related, start with a Dillon 550B. I love my 650, but I still have my 550 set up, and it's much easier to do smaller volumes, switch calibers, trouble shoot, etc, and is MUCH more forgiving than the 650 when starting out. As it is now, my reloading bench holds a LEE .50 BMG single stage that is also nice for normal rifle work (actually has really good runout, and better than more expensive .50 presses in many cases I've seen), a Lyman T-Mag, a 550B, and a 650. I use an RCBS electronic scale/chargemaster, a Redding measure and trickler, and an RCBS hand primer. You'll want a hand primer sooner rather than later. So much better feel. Carbide rifle dies are for if you're running a 1050. Otherwise, not worth it. Small base dies may be useful for some gas guns, but I don't use them for anything. You will also need a tumbler. A vibratory tumbler still gets a lot of use in my reloading chores, but a wet tumbler with ss pins is the BOMB for really cleaning stuff up. I also have a bunch of drop tubes, patching guides, bullet casting, lube wad making, etc stuff for black powder cartridge, but I'm assuming that's not of much interest here.