Good reloading starter kit?

[Guest Southern Christian Armed]

I want to get in to reloading I am looking for an inexpensive starter kit. I want to reload 9mm, 30-06, and .243. Can anyone reccomend a good starter kit, dies, and what powders I should use. Is there a universal powder or do I need one for each round. I wont be reloading anything hot, just factory specs. Thanks

[gregintenn]

I would suggest a Lee anniversary Kit. I would suggest Lee dies as well. There a few things you'll need in addition to what any kit offers, but they'll have most of what you need to get started. The first thing you should get is a reloading manual, and read it.

 

As for powder, a handgun cartridge uses a real fast powder, while bottlenecked rifle cartrisges need a much slower powder. There are quite a few powders that will work well in both the 243 and 30-06.

[Guest Southern Christian Armed]

Thanks gregintenn.

[RED333]

Lee and a book, ask questions as you have done.

[Dolomite_supafly]

These are all available at Midway Usa. They normally have coupons online so you can save money as well.

lee-perfect-powder-measure

lee-auto-prime-hand-priming-tool-shellholder-package-of-11

frankford-arsenal-micro-reloading-electronic-powder-scale-750-grain-capacity

lee-auto-prime-hand-priming-tool

lyman-electronic-scale-powder-funnel-pan

lee-classic-cast-breech-lock-single-stage-press

hornady-lock-n-load-press-and-die-conversion-bushing-kit

hornady-electronic-caliper-6-stainless-steel

This is what it would minimally take to load. You would still need to buy the particular dies you need as well as bullets, primers and powder. I suggest the primers and powder be purchased locally. I would also suggest buying jacketed bullets in the begining, they are easier to deal with than cast. Cast bullets add another facet to reloading.

People are going to say the Lee stuff is crap but I have used all these items for a few years now without a single issue. For the money the Perfect Powder Measure can't be beat.

I prefer a electronic over a balance beam. Balance beams take a lot longer to settle than an electronic.

No need to tumble your brass to clean them. Get some Lemishine at Walmart. Add a table spoon to some water and soak your brass for 24 hours. Every time you walk by give them a shake to aggitate them. Rinse them and let dry. Brass will be very clean and useable.

As far as supplies to reload you can get what you need from David, DLM37015 on here. He has all the supplies you could want or need to reload.

The list above is under $200.

Here are a few things to do to save money at the cost of convienence

You could do away with the conversion bushings if you don't mind setting up your dies each time. I find it hard to make identical ammunition when I have to set the dies up each time.

You could also do away with the powder pan and just weigh the powder in the casing. You just need to make sure to zero out the scale for each casing because they all weigh differently.

You could also dip out the powder and not use the Perfect Powder Measure but that is a very slow going process.

The Press has a priming tool on it but that is also another slow going process. You are also tied to your press to prime cases. With the hand primers you can watch TV while priming cases.

Dolomite Edited December 13, 2012 by Dolomite_supafly

[Jonnin]

If you are going to reload a lot of 9, I would splurge for a turret press (lee classic) as it greatly speeds up the process.  I can crank out 9mm at a rate of a box in 15 min, and that is with me looking in each case to ensure powder got in, and using the on-the-press primer tool.  That is the one we shoot the most of, and mass production = win.

 

If you are going to shoot more rifle, a single stage is about as good, the turret is almost reduced to a single stage for rifle cases because of the trimming step.

 

You could *probably* make 223 rifle powder work in both 9mm and large rifles but there will be NO load data for the 9 and that sort of thing is best left to experienced folks.  I would just stick with a pistol powder and a rifle powder.  Which you use is up to you and tied to what you can find locally for the best deal.  I strongly recommend buying a 5-10 pound bottle for the rifles.  A 1 pounder for the 9mm will make about 1000 rounds of 9mm "on the average" though it is also cheaper to buy it in bigger containers.  Unfortunately, a 30-06 is going to hold 40+ grains of something and 1 pound only makes about 200. 

Edited December 13, 2012 by Jonnin

[gregintenn]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/121744/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press-kit?cm_vc=subv1  

 

This, along with appropriate dies and shellholder (Lee dies come with a shellholder, except for the RGB series), appropriate trim guage and shellholder, powder, primers, and bullets will get you started. As I suggested eariler, you need to buy a manual first! If you like it, you'll soon want a tumbler, bullet puller, stuck case remover, maybe a better scale, etc.

[Dolomite_supafly]

The Challenger press is a good starter press but with mine the ram has wore the press itself to a point it is loose. I have relagated it to sizing lead bullets because it no longer has any tight tolerances. I have a Classic Cast and it is an amazing press for the money. I also like the Lee depriming system.

 

Dolomite

[JeffL]

I just went all in and started on a Dillon 550b.

[jcoosi]

Started with a rcbs rockcrusher supreme kit and now using a dillon 550b

[mikegideon]

The Challenger press is a good starter press but with mine the ram has wore the press itself to a point it is loose. I have relagated it to sizing lead bullets because it no longer has any tight tolerances. I have a Classic Cast and it is an amazing press for the money. I also like the Lee depriming system.

 

Dolomite

The Classic cast is a great, heavy duty press. The Classic turret is great too. I have both. I agree with Jonnin that a turret is perfect for loading pistol ammo. I use it for rifle ammo too if I'm doing big quantities.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Al0pZoSsfU&feature=player_embedded

[MississippiBoy]

I am looking at getting into reloading as well and the classic turret seems to be the best deal. Graf and sons has the best price I can find and the shipping is reasonable. The kit has almost everything needed to start. I have been reading all of the threads under reloading on here, and started one, for information. There are a bunch in here with some varying views on how to start, but each has a valid point.


http://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/23840/inline/1

[mikegideon]

I am looking at getting into reloading as well and the classic turret seems to be the best deal. Graf and sons has the best price I can find and the shipping is reasonable. The kit has almost everything needed to start. I have been reading all of the threads under reloading on here, and started one, for information. There are a bunch in here with some varying views on how to start, but each has a valid point.


http://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/23840/inline/1

That kit looks pretty good. I will say that the Lee scale REALLY sucks. The Frankford scale in Dolomite's list is great, especially for the price. It agrees with my more expensive scales.

[MississippiBoy]

That kit looks pretty good. I will say that the Lee scale REALLY sucks. The Frankford scale in Dolomite's list is great, especially for the price. It agrees with my more expensive scales.

The only problem is it is discontinued. At least that is what it says on that link. Here is an electronic scale in a similar price range , anyone have any info on how reliable it is?

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/5955

[mikegideon]

It's just out of stock.  I don't know anything about the one you linked. Electronic scales are kinda tricky. I stick with what I know

 

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/175512/frankford-arsenal-ds-750-electronic-powder-scale-750-grain-capacity

[mikegideon]

In stock at Amazon...

 

http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-205205-Arsenal-Reloading-Scale/dp/B002BDOHNA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355431083&sr=8-1&keywords=frankford+arsenal+ds-750

[gregintenn]

It's just out of stock.  I don't know anything about the one you linked. Electronic scales are kinda tricky. I stick with what I know
 
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/175512/frankford-arsenal-ds-750-electronic-powder-scale-750-grain-capacity

Midway once had those on sale at half price, so I bought one on a whim. I didn't expect much from a $15 scale. I have been pleasantly surprised with it, and use it pretty regularly now. It is quite accurate and repeatable. I think I've had it a couple of years now and have yet to need to replace the batteries or to recalibrate it.

As for the Lee scale, it is very cheaply built, but I've found it to be accurate as well. I also picked up a Lyman scale a while back, and they all three read the same thing everytime.

[mikegideon]

Midway once had those on sale at half price, so I bought one on a whim. I didn't expect much from a $15 scale. I have been pleasantly surprised with it, and use it pretty regularly now. It is quite accurate and repeatable. I think I've had it a couple of years now and have yet to need to replace the batteries or to recalibrate it.

As for the Lee scale, it is very cheaply built, but I've found it to be accurate as well. I also picked up a Lyman scale a while back, and they all three read the same thing everytime.

I know the Lee scale is accurate, at least until it hits the wall at 800 fps :). I hate that thing. Used it once, and it went back in the box.

[gregintenn]

What trouble did you have with it?

[mikegideon]

It's just fiddly and hard to read. If you fart loud, the pan falls off the scale. I don't like cheesey tools, and that's probably the cheesiest thing Lee makes.

Edited December 13, 2012 by mikegideon

[Rock.45]

Dillon 550B

[mikegideon]

Dillon 550B

Won't happen with me. I got used to auto-indexing with my cheap Lee turret press. Gotta be a 650.