Reloading advice

R

Renfield

New member
Due to the difficulty of finding ammunition, I'm seriously considering reloading my own.

Does anyone out there have advice on a decent reloading press for a beginner? I'd mainly be using it for bulk handgun FMJ target ammo (as opposed to precision hunting loads, etc.).

what kind of investment should I be looking at if i'm starting on the ground floor? What equipment should I put off for later and what accessories would I need immediately?

Any input would really help
 
Look at Lee Precision products as a beginner. They make many starter kits that will have almost everything you would need to get started with a single caliber. I would look at one of their rotating turret press beginner kits. READ THE RELOADING manual that comes with it! I would also get a vibratory tumbler right away, too.

midwayusa is a good company that usually has good prices. Good luck finding components (primers, powder and bullets). Components are as scarce as ammunition is.
 
I new at it and the advice given to me was a Lee Pro 1000 turret press. Go to Titan reloading. Their prices beat everyones. A scale is a must and don't trust a digital one. Everything you need is on that site.
 
rehalfacre said:
A scale is a must and don't trust a digital one.
Click to expand...

That's ridiculous. Digital scales are just as accurate as manual ones when you calibrate them. Even the cheapest digital scales come with calibration weights. I use a digital scale to load long range precision rifle loads all the time with perfect results.
 
In my mind there is no doubt it is Dillon! Easy to set up and use. The best customer service. You call saying you have a broken part and it is in the mail the next day no questions asked. Plus you get their magazine with hot women holding guns on the cover.

Don't forget you will need a tumbler; $59.00 at Midway, Brass polish $10.00 at midway, calipers, digital scale $15 and up on Amazon.

Start collecting brass now and ordering components. Precision Delta has about a 16 week wait for bullets.
 
I am new to reloading as well. I can second the choice of Dillon equipment. I did a lot of research on various reloading sites, and although their are multiple manufacturers of very fine quality equipment, the Dillon owners appear to be unanimous in their respect for the Dillon warranty and the quality of the equipment. I bought the RL550 B. I probably over did it on the extra bells and whistles added to the basic RL 550B, but after reading so many comments about how it never loses value, I figured I could sell it for more than I paid for it when I get too old to pull the handle. Try some of the reloading sites and see the comments for yourself .
 
LEE Anniversary Edition. See if Midway USA has them. They were running $115.99 and that's a great price.
Lee Die Sets as well.
 
Still consider myself as a noob as well. Was fortunate to come across a 550B from a friend who no longer had the time and it didn't cost me a penny. Have had great luck with it and wouldn't use anything else. The only problems I have had were my own rookie mistakes.

The only problem with reloading at the moment (for me) is that the bullets are so hard to find. I shoot mostly 9mm and .223 and it's really a crap shoot finding bullets cheap enough to make it worth it, if you can find them at all. Small rifle primers are still impossible to find right now as well.
 
Start with a single stage press

I recently decided to start reloading and went with a progressive reloader. It was an overwhelming experience. In retrospect I should have started with a single stage press.
 
If you're just looking to make some plinking ammo would it be possible to pour your own bullets or is that getting a little crazy about it?
On a side note... has anyone ever made any wax bullets for practicing in places (i.e. basements) where standard ammo would be dangerous? I had read somewhere a while back about wax bullets but never looked into it.
 
jcreek said:
That's ridiculous. Digital scales are just as accurate as manual ones when you calibrate them. Even the cheapest digital scales come with calibration weights. I use a digital scale to load long range precision rifle loads all the time with perfect results.
Click to expand...
I have both. Digital scales don't respond the way that mechanical scales do. That can be tricky for beginners.

I trickle and weigh EVERY charge when I reload for rifle. That's not practical with electronic scales, at least the ones I've used.

On the other hand, electronic scales are very handy for sorting bullets and cases by weight, and for spot checking loaded rounds for over and under loads.
 
Renfield said:
Due to the difficulty of finding ammunition, I'm seriously considering reloading my own.

Does anyone out there have advice on a decent reloading press for a beginner? I'd mainly be using it for bulk handgun FMJ target ammo (as opposed to precision hunting loads, etc.).

what kind of investment should I be looking at if i'm starting on the ground floor? What equipment should I put off for later and what accessories would I need immediately?

Any input would really help
Click to expand...
If you're a complete beginner, I'd go with a single stage press like an RCBS Rock Chucker. I used one exclusively for rifle ammunition. I use a Dillon RL550B exclusively for handgun ammunition. It's MUCH faster, but can be overwhelming for a beginner.
 
Get a good reload manual from Sierra or Hornady. It will teach you the basics and min things you need to get started. If you don't understand something contact the tech support folks. I can't give enough praise to the folks from Sierra bullets.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I577 using USA Carry mobile app
 
I also started reloading recently. I went with the best I could afford which was the Dillion 550B. It is a progressive machine but not fully automatic so you can use it like a single stage press. Hand gun ammo is the best to start out on. Rifle ammo is a little more difficult. I have dropped a chunk of change on my reloading and have gone all out. I'm glad I did. The only thing I should have spent a little extra on was a decent digital scale. You don't have to have one but when doing rifle rounds I would rather throw a exact measurement the first time around. It gets extra time consuming to throw a charge and trickle them all exact. I enjoy this new hobby and I never knew till I started reloading all the benifts to making rounds that each gun shoots best. Just do your homework and watch out for people gouging prices now. EBay has most everything you want. But you will pay a steep price if your not careful.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I577 using USA Carry mobile app
 
BigSlick said:
Same here though I calibrate my digital scale before each use and have never had a problem.
Click to expand...

I've been working in the medical and pharmaceutical fields for years, and the biggest differences in the less expensive digital scales you'll typically find in use in reloading, and those costing thousands of dollars in a biomedical lab, are the response to establish a stable reading, and the degree of accuracy. What that means to a reloader using a digital scale is simply be a little patient in the second or so it takes to get a stable reading, and don't worry about the difference between a weight of 20.0 gns, and 20.00000 gns (unless you just like spending big bucks), the difference to 99% of shooters is nothing you will ever know!
 
I would consider a hornady press that uses their lock-n-load setup. It is so nice to only have to set your die up once. I can switch calibers in seconds and know I am set up just like the last batch I ran.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2
 
Warbirds said:
I would consider a hornady press that uses their lock-n-load setup. It is so nice to only have to set your die up once. I can switch calibers in seconds and know I am set up just like the last batch I ran.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

+1. Hornady LNL is gods gift to reloaders that load a variety of calipers. Only have a reset my dies once a year after cleaning them.
 
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