Help a potential reloader

[Guest GregRN]

I know everyone asks what is the best equipment for reloading. I don't really care about having the best reloading equipment. I am curious about price. My question: What is the most inexpensive reloading equipment that you could, in good conscience, recommend to someone new to the reloading game? Include all the minimal amount of equipment needed to safely reload. I am trying to figure out if this is something that I can afford to get into right now. Later upgrades would be a given.

[Mike.357]

Greg, try the Lee Loader. You can buy it from a lot of places over the internet for around $15. I use one now for making .357 Mag rounds and it is fairly easy albeit a litte tedious to use. But most definitely accurate and inexpensive along with very safe.

here is a link to it from Cabelas

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602007-cat20847&id=0003091210526a&navCount=1&podId=0003091&parentId=cat20847&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=2UG&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20847&hasJS=true

[Guest Mugster]

Well, there is cheap and then there is inexpensive. I think this would get you going in style:

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/anivers.html

Add a couple books, a reloading manual, and a micrometer and you should be making ammo pretty quick.

[musicman]

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1194974673.2847=/html/catalog/rlpress2.html#DeluxeTurretPressKit

This is what I started with, and it's what I still use. The only upgrade I made was getting a Pro Auto Disk powder measure. It's a few dollars more than the non-turret kit and definitely worth it, I think. The ability to drop a 4 die plate into the turret and go is just great. I actually just use 3 die plates, but I split up my reloading process different than some, and I prime my cases using the handheld Lee Auto Prime tool.

Lee's Modern Reloading book is the best, cheapest, nost comprehensive manual you'll find, especially if you use Lee products. If not, a lot of the book is a waste because he thoroughly explains how all his tools work in it.

Until you're ready to commit big bucks to a blue (Dillon) machine, Lee is the way to go!

For the micrometer, horbor freight usually has some kind of sale on them. I got my 6" micrometer for $4.00!! For revolver rounds with crimp grooves in the bullets the micrometer is no so important, but for your auto feeders that operate in high pressure territories (like .40) they are a MUST!!

Have un and let us know how we can help!

[Guest GregRN]

I appreciate the responses. I will check out Lee products. I never seriously considered reloading until this year. And I'm still not interested in making match grade accuracy. I just want cheaper ammo. I do want inexpensive, not cheap, stuff. I consider myself to have above average mechanical ability and meticulous attention to detail, so I don't see why I couldn't make that Lee Loader work just to see what it is about before buying one of those other kits. I'm sure I will be posting questions as I get started. But from what I know now, my first purchase should include a manual.

[Guest DrBoomBoom]

Greg, I'm pretty new to it myself, having reloaded about 300 bullets so far, .45ACPs and .38 specials. Mostly lead target rounds. I bought a used Lee handpress. I can't compare it to anything, but the handpress has worked well for me and even new, it's a real bargain. It forces me to go slowly, and that seems like a good thing to do at the beginning.

[The Rabbi]

It would depend. If you want to reload a single rifle I have a Lee reloading kit for $23.50. I haven't used one myself but a friend has and says they work just fine. Nothing precise about it but enough so you can do it at the kitchen table.

[Mike.357]

The big things I found using the Lee Loader is that, 1, It is a quality product, nothing cheap about it, just inexpensive. And that 2, you will need to set the bullet seater and lock nut with some kind of thread locking compound to insure that the bullet stays at the same depth into the casing round after round. I found that even though I would use a wrench and vice to tighten the lock nut that it would move around with a few blows of the mallet. Not so critical on rounds for a revolver but I believe more so for an auto loader.

I also recommend a sturdy wood block to use as a base for strikes with the mallet. IE: don't go using the dining room table to do this on, lol.

You will need a mallet and caliper, both of which I got at good old Harbor Freight (which

musicman already mentioned) , then just follow the instructions that come included. There is even a recipe booklet for matching bullet weight and what powders to use.

I found I rather enjoyed this methodical method of reloading. Took me about 90 minutes to make the last 60 rounds I reloaded on Sunday.

Now I am hooked, hopefully I will buying Dotsons old Lee press this weekend. Then it is more lead, powder and dies.

[molonlabetn]

I have a spare table in the basement that is very sturdy... I should probably invest in an entry-level press and some .357sig dies.

Time to start saving brass, at least... I curse myself every time I leave the range for forgetting to pick up my brass.

[Guest Mugster]

Actually a good book about reloading, and a reloading manual might be worth buying before you invest in equipment. Alot of them cover equipment selection, or at least the books I have do. Not to mention, a good book covers in step by step detail what to do and those things you can sort of ignore if you aren't going for accuracy/beauty and just trying to make safe shooting ammo.

[The Rabbi]

Yeah. Dont be like the guy I heard about who started off reloading rifle bullets. He decided that all that room in the case was there to be filled. So he filled it up.

Fired the first round and had a lot of trouble working the bolt to extract it. Fired the second round and the gun was ruined for all time.

[Mike.357]

Actually a good book about reloading, and a reloading manual might be worth buying before you invest in equipment.

I am going to get a book here soon. But there are also plenty of resources here on the internet too. Try going to You Tube and enter in the search "cartridge re-loading" or something along those lines. There are several demonstration videos I have watched. And another place I found that has a lot of info and a lot of helpful people is at High Road. Here is a link to their re-loading forum.

http://www.thehighroad.org/forumdisplay.php?f=15

[Im Neero]

Yeah. Dont be like the guy I heard about who started off reloading rifle bullets. He decided that all that room in the case was there to be filled. So he filled it up.

Fired the first round and had a lot of trouble working the bolt to extract it. Fired the second round and the gun was ruined for all time.

That says a lot about modern rifle design. The rifle was ruined, but the guy didn't blow his face off. That's always a plus in my book.

[Guest Eddie]

Shop around. A lot of times, Lee will throw in a good reloading manual with the purchase of a press for a few bucks more.

Most powder companies have web sites with powder charge data. Some have available PDF files. These are handy because you can print the page you want and highlight the preferred charge. This will help to prevent overcharging a case.

Besides powder charge, watch your finished length. Too short = higher pressure. Dial calipers are handy.

[Guest GregRN]

Well, I have already started saving brass, but those things are sometimes hard to find in the grass. I never seem to find them all. I plan to reload 9mm first, since that is what I shoot most (except .22). I am going to look at Books-A-Million and see what books they have available. Then I guess it will be time for equipment. Thanks for all the input.

[musicman]

Hey Greg, I've got probably 1,000 9mm cases if you want 'em. It looks like you're about an hour and a half away from me. If you're anywhere near Smyrna in the near future, I'd be glad to give them to you. If you would like me to ship them to you, I'll have to ask for a little $ to cover the expense. I really wish I could just ship them to you for free, but I am in a really rough spot. I've sold 4 guns in the last two months!

Just let me know if I can help.