Going to start reloading

**Wolf** · 02-02-2016, 05:16 PM

Going to buy starter kit just want to know all of what else l should buy. What kind of powder primer etc. Lube

**Don-T** · 02-02-2016, 05:45 PM

You need a press, dies for whatever you're going to reload for, a shellholder, a powder measure, and scales to weigh your charge to set your powder measure. Lee dies come with a little plastic scoop and a load chart to dip correct powder charges with so you could get by without the scales and measure initially. A funnel to help dump the powder into the brass may help and a loading block to organize your brass. Without knowing what you intend to reload for, powder and primers are different for the various cartridges. Spray-on Frankfort Arsenal lube and a pie pan is what I use for brass. Sooner or later you'll need the scales and powder measure and a reloading manual or two.

**foxx** · 02-02-2016, 05:48 PM

Big question. Lots of opinions.

I would recommend RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master kit. http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/937...le+stage+press

For starters, it's a "safe" investment. Good enough for most any application for reloading high quality rifle cartridges. Certainly nothing there you'll wish you hadn't bought later on. It includes my preferred balance beam scale...

Next, READ the MANUEL. Then read it AGAIN.

After that, get some RCBS dies for your particular cartridge and read some more. If you can, find a buddy who has experience so he can help guide you. Check in here often if you have any questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable, friendly and experienced reloaders here who can help you.

Before you buy any powder or bullets, check for advice here. Every cartridge has many different powder options available. (10-12). Some are better than others for most people.

Read some more.

Buy another manual written specifically for the bullets you choose. Read it. Read it again.

Check back often.

Good luck. It's fun and addicting.

RCBS dies are decent. Lee Collet Neck Sizer dies are good for my purposes... But, in all likelihood, those terms mean nothing to you yet. :) That's okay.

**LHitchcox** · 02-02-2016, 08:02 PM

A strong press, dies, powder measure, caliper, and case lube are necessities. Priming tools and powder measures help things along too. If loading for rifle cases a means of trimming cases is necessary. My favorite press is a Lee Classic Turret with a removable four station turret head. I set up my dies and leave them set in the turret to speed up caliber swaps. One turret will hold one set of pistol dies and two sets of rifle dies.

**darkker** · 02-02-2016, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by foxx

Big question. Lots of opinions.

Next, READ the MANUEL. Then read it AGAIN.

Read some more.

Buy another manual written specifically for the bullets you choose. Read it. Read it again.
.

This is some of the best advice you can get.
Personally I bought the Lee anniversary kit, but there isn't any tangible difference starting out.

In another thread someone asked for loads that work in his rifle, and got bent when I told him there is no single answer for him.
Can afford the rifle, but apparently not to feed it.

MOST bullets/powder/primers/cases have more accuracy potential than 85% out there will take advantage of, just need to find the combo that works in your rifle.
The other thing you need to get is a chronograph. You will see that every manual lists differing charges of the "same" powder. Every lot is different, a chrono will allow you to see how your powder burns compared to what was tested/reprinted in the manuals. Load "A" may be perfect for one guy, but if your powder is burning differently the "same" load won't actually be the same.

**Front Royalty** · 02-02-2016, 08:20 PM

Knowing what I know now, I would have passed up the Lee auto priming tool (hand held) and gone straight for the Lyman Ram prime. If you want a Lee Auto prime cheap, I'll take care of you :)

The same goes for dies: if you can stomach a little bit more in up front costs, buy some quality dies. Buy once cry once, as they say. Spend now or spend later. Learned that lesson on my RCBS 2 die .308 set. Do they work? Yes. Consistently? Sometimes. Are they user friendly? NOPE! Especially when you need to whip up 200 rds for training class this weekend...

Also, I highly recommend the Frankford Arsenal case prep center for around $100. A trick little tool that will save you some time and some frustration.

Go slow.

**67tundra** · 02-03-2016, 04:02 AM

You'll need patience and organization. Lots of research here and in the manuals and Google will get you a pretty good load right out of the gate. You can start small.... But see how long that last before you know it you'll have a whole room stuffed full of reloading stuff.

JW · 02-03-2016, 07:35 AM

Before I purchased anything, a friend gave me a few reloading manuals to read
Instructions were to read the front section of book to the data
I think I went through 5 or six different ones
They all said basically the same thing ( mostly confusing at the time) but one "clicked" with me

^^^This is the best advice I can give you^^^

Being new to the reloading game , a kit is a good way to get started but as you progress you will see other items that are "better" or that you "need"
I purchased items separate trying to get the best of each item that I could afford at the time. This worked on some of the things LOL

Welcome to the fantastic world of reloading
To quote a dear friend: There is no end to it

Jack

**GaCop** · 02-03-2016, 08:49 AM

Read, read, read everything about reloading you can get your hands on. Some good information can be found on "accurateshooter.com" and similar accuracy sites. There's a lot to learn so go slow and check your work often.

I did this over 40 years ago and had no reloaders to fall back on while learning while in the military. I started out with a Lyman Spar-T turret press, Texan balance beam scale and Lyman dies. I had the Lyman mounted on a wood wire reel that I had stored at a friend's house where I was able to reload on the weekends and store my equipment/supplies in his hall closet. After I got married in 1974, I used the same set up in base quarters for years until I acquired a Bonanza Co-Ax press used and mounted that and the Lyman on a small desk in a walk in closet that served as my "loading room" all the while I was in New Mexico.

**Bolthead** · 02-03-2016, 12:37 PM

The common thread here is to read everything you can get your hands on about reloading. Someone made the point elsewhere on this forum, that you are building something that explodes four inches from your face, so you want to take your time and do it right. I started looking into reloading about six months ago and have just loaded my first 20 rounds. They are so fresh that I haven't even had a chance to take them to the range. The worst mistake you can make is overcharging the powder. High (over) pressure is not your guns' friend, and can cause nasty things to happen. I use a balance beam scale and a digital scale to check each other. Maybe I'm being too anal, but I don't think so at this point.

schnyd112 · 02-03-2016, 02:53 PM

The ABC's of reloading is a good place to start reading. I have a copy that is held together by rings and tape. It went from my grandfather, to my uncle, to me. Lots of pictures and simple explanations of most steps. Safety is big in this book. If you are reloading for rifles, you can definitely get by without a powder measurer and weigh each charge by hand. You will learn more that way and be forced to take your time. Make sure to have a good trickler and something that doesn't conduct static to scoop with

take copious notes. Temperature when you loaded, how much you loaded, what time of day, were you in a good mood, and of course the hard data. Primers, brass, powder, bullet, seating depth and then how they shoot. After you have some time under your belt you will see what conditions cause you to reload your best ammo. Note everything when you start, the whittle that down to the information that you find pertinent after you have been doing it a while. It's a great hobby and once you gain some confidence it is a good way to relax.

**03mossy** · 02-03-2016, 03:47 PM

^^^^^ I was also going to suggest the ABC's of reloading. Great book! I read that thing cover to cover multiple times and always had it open as a reference when I first started out. Take your time and you will be fine. You will learn a lot of the ins and outs once you get started. Trouble shooting problems is when the hands on learning starts. Good luck and have fun.

**Silvercrow1** · 02-03-2016, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by foxx

Big question. Lots of opinions.

I would recommend RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master kit. http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/937...le+stage+press

For starters, it's a "safe" investment. Good enough for most any application for reloading high quality rifle cartridges. Certainly nothing there you'll wish you hadn't bought later on. It includes my preferred balance beam scale...

Next, READ the MANUEL. Then read it AGAIN.

After that, get some RCBS dies for your particular cartridge and read some more. If you can, find a buddy who has experience so he can help guide you. Check in here often if you have any questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable, friendly and experienced reloaders here who can help you.

Before you buy any powder or bullets, check for advice here. Every cartridge has many different powder options available. (10-12). Some are better than others for most people.

Read some more.

Buy another manual written specifically for the bullets you choose. Read it. Read it again.

Check back often.

Good luck. It's fun and addicting.

RCBS dies are decent. Lee Collet Neck Sizer dies are good for my purposes... But, in all likelihood, those terms mean nothing to you yet. :) That's okay.

+ 100 ! The Supreme is what got me started and it's the sort of set you won't "grow out" of! RCBS is excellent stuff IMO. BEST WISHES...I predict you're going to love reloading!

Brian

**Silvercrow1** · 02-03-2016, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by 03mossy

^^^^^ I was also going to suggest the ABC's of reloading. Great book! I read that thing cover to cover multiple times and always had it open as a reference when I first started out. Take your time and you will be fine. You will learn a lot of the ins and outs once you get started. Trouble shooting problems is when the hands on learning starts. Good luck and have fun.

+ 100 ! again! Sort of the Reloader's Bible, if you will...

Brian

dawg4life · 02-03-2016, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by darkker

This is some of the best advice you can get.
Personally I bought the Lee anniversary kit, but there isn't any tangible difference starting out.

In another thread someone asked for loads that work in his rifle, and got bent when I told him there is no single answer for him.
Can afford the rifle, but apparently not to feed it.

MOST bullets/powder/primers/cases have more accuracy potential than 85% out there will take advantage of, just need to find the combo that works in your rifle.
The other thing you need to get is a chronograph. You will see that every manual lists differing charges of the "same" powder. Every lot is different, a chrono will allow you to see how your powder burns compared to what was tested/reprinted in the manuals. Load "A" may be perfect for one guy, but if your powder is burning differently the "same" load won't actually be the same.

This guy didn't answer the question in the other thread. I asked for a "starting point" ya know like what people have had luck with in the past. In no way did I ask for "the load that would work in my rifle". I was just asking for advice not answers....there's a difference. So now this guy is trolling my posts from other forums. So I returned the favor. I can also afford the bullets sir I did decide to buy a Lapua not exactly the cheapest road to go down obviously. Some people find it smart to weed out things like bullets that are not going to useful for them.

**foxx** · 02-03-2016, 11:18 PM

There is nothing wrong with asking a general question like, "What works for you?" as long as the answer is understood in its proper context. For example, Varget is a very popular powder for the .308 Win, and a lot of people have success with Berger bullets... "For hunting deer out to 300 yards in 0 degree to 60 degree temperatures, I like "X" grains of Varget with 150 grain Nosler Ballistic tips seated just off the lands. I have used the same load in 4 different Savage .308 with 22 inch sporter barrels, they all shoot better than 1 MOA out to 300 yards."

It's just "talk". It's not "Gospel" or loading advice. If you get a dozen responses with 5 similar to mine, you might to see what the Nosler book says about Varget and their 150 NBT's and load some up (as opposed to trying any of the other 8 powders they might list in their book). Having said that, you need to understand there is still a LOT you can or need to do in order to refine your loads, but it is a START, and as long as you NEVER trust what you read on the net, but instead double check authoritative guides (powder and/or bullet mfr loading manuals) to be sure what you read is within their guidelines, you can procede. Then, play around with different techniques (neck sizing, full length sizing, Lee dies, RCBS dies, crimp / no crimp, seating depth, cleaning primer pockets / not cleaning pockets, polishing brass / not polishing brass, annealing / not annealing, and see what you can do.

**Robinhood** · 02-03-2016, 11:33 PM

Some good advice here. I like to suggest for everyone knew to reloading to find a mentor that lives close. Preferably one that has been doing it for a while and maybe one that shoots competition. You tube has good and bad stuff so pay attention. Many of it is dated but David Tubbs 2 part video is good for guys and gals new to reloading. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUnrYp0NH38

**Davehafelein** · 02-04-2016, 06:12 PM

Watch YouTube "Sniper 101 part 47" and following parts. Very informative

**Bolthead** · 02-19-2016, 12:01 PM

Looked for the ABCs of reloading and found three different authors have written books with the same title. There is one by Rodney James, Bill Chevelier, and Dean Grennell. Any recommendations?

**yew plucker** · 02-19-2016, 10:46 PM

Call Dillon Precision and get everything you need there. Get a Lyman 49th edition Manual. Then get to it! You'll learn very quickly and absorb information like a sponge. Thats the way I did it.

Kadams1563 · 02-20-2016, 06:07 AM

^^^ for anyone getting into a Dillon call Brian Enos out of Arizona. He has better pricing, won't over sell you, and does a discount if you don't use a card.

schnyd112 · 02-21-2016, 03:25 PM

My ABC's is by dean grennell.

**savgebolt** · 02-21-2016, 04:30 PM

Wolf,,,,,i did what you are about to do ,,, last fall after being away from reloading for 40 some years,,,,, if i had it to do over , i would look a lot closer at the Lee products,,,,ever post in this thread has great advice,,,,,didnt see it mentioned,, you will want a powder trickler,,, and if you ever consider case cleaning , i have the frankford arsenal tumbler that uses wet stainless steel pin media , it works well ,,,, good luck , enjoy

**m12lrs** · 02-21-2016, 11:26 PM

All I will say is learning to reload is a journey. You can stop anywhere you want along the way but there will always be more to learn.

**Fotheringill** · 02-25-2016, 01:07 PM

I am only going to say a few things based upon my own experience and mistakes.

There is a learning curve, and a steep one, depending on your prior experience, knowledge and familiarity with dies and what they do.
I would recommend going with one of the least expensive kits that you can obtain and get familiar and see what is a PITA and what is not.
Then slowly replace various items, whether they are a press, specialized dies, die inserts, primer tools, powder dispensers, scales and whatever else you will eventually see on your bench. Read, Read and Read as stated above. Chalk off your initial purchase of the kit as a reloading cost and the price of equipment. Do not replace what you like and are comfortable with and upgrade what you want to upgrade. Don't worry too much about shipping. Sinclair's has a free shipping option for $50/year. Again, get to know your equipment and what it will do for you and what it won't. When I started, i ignored my own advice as above. It wound up costing more (to this point) in large chunks, than if I did it as above.

PLEASE also be aware things may get expensive. You might want to stay with a full body sizing die with expander button (here we go) or go with something with or without bushings or micrometers or neck sizing only. Then we get to concentricity, neck turning, run out and a whole bunch of other stuff that will appear daunting at first and also second and third. The point I am trying to make is that you can easily blow $3000 for an initial setup, take a year or so to get comfortable and then decide you want a Redding Competition neck sizing bushing die with micrometer instead of the Forster comparable die. OR, initially get inexpensive, no bells and whistles Lee dies with collets and without fancy measuring do-dads.

And absolutely get the Lyman 49th edition reloading manual. Learn what is in the first section.

Example- Presses. You can get one for $75 which may be adequate for your needs or spend $500 or more for a progressive setup and then add more for the extras. Trimmers- Go with the gold or is a $50 trimmer good enough?