Looking at starting reloading - wouldn't mind some advice, fellas.

[Pat]

Hey all.

 

Well, here's a dash of backstory. When my father got me started shooting at proper ranges, he ingrained a lot of things in me. The one thing that is relative to this thread is, always pick up your brass. Rimfire to dispose of, centerfire to store, just in case I were to get into reloading.

 

After totaling up a few years of shooting, I found 152 .30-30 cases and 165 .357 Mags. I think the time to look into reloading is fast approaching!

 

As such, I've been doing research online for a few weeks now. I purchased a book, the ABCs of Reloading, after seeing it recommended a few times here on TGO and elsewhere. Very helpful and informative to this kid who's never so much as seen a bullet press or a jug of powder.

 

The main thing for me is making sure I acquire everything I need to start - and perhaps a handful of helpful items.

 

That's where the friendly bunch on TGO come into play. I would like some recommendations...

 

Firstly, my total budget... Well, I'm looking at around $300 total or less. That wouldn't include the materials, IE bullets, powder, primers.

 

In addition, I only intend to start reloading one round at the moment - .357 Magnum. I don't plan on reloading a lot for now. The gun I'll be reloading for is a Ruger Blackhawk, so it's not like it'll be for competition shooting. I would, however, like to be able to experiment with hunting-oriented loads, if this matters.

 

I've been looking on Midway USA, and I've found a couple of very similar reloading kits by Lee which look right to me.

 

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

 

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/423081/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press-anniversary-kit?cm_vc=subv1121744

 

Lee appears to be the low-end reloading equipment maker... typically, the low end of any product is junk. But from a little research, this doesn't seem to be the case. But again, I'd like to hear that from you all.

 

Then... the difference between the two kits is that the anniversary kit has a priming device in the press, while the other has a hand primer. I'm not sure what I would prefer, honestly. What are the pros/cons of either? A four dollar difference doesn't matter to me, so that isn't an issue.

 

Now, then there's the rest of what I need. A case trimmer; .357 Magnum shellholder (I only need one, correct?); a .357 Magnum die set (I will get carbide); and a reloading manual... what of these would you all recommend? My main questions are the manual, and the case trimmer. Lee has a hand-held trimmer which was more what I expected to see pricewise, at 15 bucks... the next cheapest is a stationary one, more what I'd prefer, but it's 70 dollars.

 

Beyond that is a tumbler, and media. I have that basically sorted out; Midway's cheapest tumbler is 30 or 35 dollars. What would you all recommend for media, or does it really matter?

 

Then there are bullet pullers... I believe the ABCs of Reloading says an impact-type puller is easier on the bullets than a press puller, so I suppose I'll go with that.

 

Lastly, where is a good place to buy the materials from? Bullets, primers, etc..

 

There will be more questions to come later, I'm sure, but I suppose I'll start out with this... any and all advice is appreciated.

[gregintenn]

It sounds like you are on the right track. I bought a Lee reloading kit nearly 20 years ago, thinking i'd upgrade later. Now I'm in the position to buy most anything I want, but I'm still happy with the Lee stuff after all that time and thousands of rounds.

 

I use the Lee hand trimmer, and like it. I chuck mine in a drill. I also have an impact bullet puller. I'm not sure of the brand, but it's green plastic. It works great.

 

Lee dies are great because they come with loading data and a shellholder. They are also cheaper than other brands.

 

You don't have to get a tumbler right away. While your brass is chucked in a drill for trimming, you can quickly clean it with a piece of 0000 steel wool.

 

Midway has everything you need, but the hazardous shipping fee for powder and primers is ridiculous. You'll want to purchase these locally. Graf & Sons is another great place to buy reloading supplies.

 

If you were closer, I'd be happy to walk you through the process. I'd bet there's someone here who lives closer to you and would be willing to do the same.

[GlockSpock]

I too am getting very close to reloading. I am actually reading the exact same book that you just bought. So far so good. Also, while price checking everything, I almost bit the bullet on one of those anniversary kits. However, a little bit more research and I decided not to. Here's why:

 

The Anniversary Kits have the "Challenger Breech".

http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-challenger-press.html

 

There is a better single stage made my Lee called the "Classic Breech".

http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-classic-cast.html

 

In a nutshell, the Challenger is some sort of alloy blend of materials, while the Classic Breech Cast is all iron and steel. It will probably end up costing you about $50 more or so overall to go with the Classic Breech Cast, but in my opinion it is money well spent. It will last a very long time. It is the press that many on here use and highly recommend.

 

The main difference between the "Classic Cast" and the "Breech Classic Cast" is that the latter allows for the use of your quick change bushings between dies. Those make it quicker to swap things up, and they also allow you to keep your dies set at the configuration that you want them, thus allowing you to duplicate loads extremely easy between batches. The "Breech" model is going to cost a bit more than the non-breech, but I feel it is going to be money well spent and will save you a lot of time in the long run.

[superduty]

Buying your reloading equipment in a 'kit' will be cheaper than buying all the different pieces separately.

 

I'd suggest getting a couple of different reloading manuals-  for example, in addition to the ABC's book you mentioned, I also got the Lyman Reloading Manual, as well as the Speer Manual. You'll find that, while some information s duplicative, there are some things that are different in each- or, things that one has that another does not.

 

As far as brand goes, I think you'll find it's largely a Ford vs. Chevy kind of thing-  whatever you are comfortable and happy with, and that works well, will be fine.  The customer service of whichever company's products you choose goes a long way.  I've been pleased with my choice of RCBS so far.

Edited July 14, 2013 by superduty

[Sidinman]

Like Greg said nothing wrong with Lee products. I have a 4 hole turret press that does all I need. Unless you are going to shoot some type of competition and need to load several hundred to thousand a week, it will serve you well. I take my time and I can still turn out about a hundred an hour. give or take a little.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Sidinman

[roverboy]

I've been reloading since '87 and bought a Lee Challenger press and still use it. Its had several thousand loaded on it. Mostly .38 Spl and .357. As far as a press with priming tool or a separate priming tool, that's your choice. I bought a Lee Auto-Prime when I started and still use it. The Auto-Primes use another type of shell holders but, they are not very expensive.  As far as a trimmer, get what you want. I would get a regular bench mounted one if I was going to load more than one caliber with a pilot set. Some people use walnut media in their tumblers. Get some decent calipers too. You mentioned bullet puller, I use a Frankfort Arsenal impact (hammer type) and it works good. Its easier to just use the shell holder and put in in the puller instead of the collets. As far as components go, I'm kinda lucky, there's a great store about 8 miles from me called Gamaliel Shooters Supply in Gamaliel, Ky. They have pretty much whatever I want. They have great website too.

[Wiljo05]

I also run a Lee 4 hole turret press. Has served me well. Only thing I do that many do, and many don't is I do my powder charge off the press. Takes me a little longer, but seems to be more accurate powder wise. Then again, I should probably. Invest in a better powder measure. I am running 2 different Lee powder measures

[HvBikeWlTravel]

:up: on the Lee equipment in general. Have a 3-die press(28 years) and a single stage mounted on a small metal roll-around so I can load will watching TV or socializing. Auto-primer has survived longer than I ever expected when I purchased.

[TNMTBik3r]

If you get a tumbler, skip buying the reloading media and instead go to Walmart or a pet store and pickup lizard bedding. It is fine walnut. seems to work better and is much cheaper than the "real" media from Lyman or RCBS.

[gregintenn]

If you get a tumbler, skip buying the reloading media and instead go to Walmart or a pet store and pickup lizard bedding. It is fine walnut. seems to work better and is much cheaper than the "real" media from Lyman or RCBS.

Yup! Lizard bedding with a dash of Nu Finish car polish, and a used dryer sheet thrown in makes your brass look all new and shiny.

 

 

Get some decent calipers too.

Calipers are a must.

[Pat]

Goodness. A lot horde of helpful replies... thanks, guys. Where to begin...

 

I'm definitely happy about all the thumbs-ups for Lee stuff, for one. But, more specifically...

 

CZ9mm - I saw your thread a while back, incidentally... I'll look into that other press. I'm not big on having to replace things... I think I will nix the tumbler for now, and that'll make a bit more room for a better press. I definitely like the idea of quick-change dies...

 

I'm set as far as calipers. I have a pair by Kobalt that served me well for my first three months of machinist school before I picked up slightly higher quality dial calipers... would anyone recommend a micrometer or anything like that?

 

I do have a question about the whole process... something that is a bit of a put-off to me is that, in the step-by-step instructions given in my book, it seems that you do each step per round. Is it possible to do each step for X amount of rounds, then progress to the next step? Meaning... say if I had 50 rounds to load. Is there anything wrong/dangerous/stupid about, for example, depriming each of those cases before moving to the next time? This probably seems like a silly question, but I'm one of them ask-first do-later guys, I suppose! Or just dense, hahaha.

 

One other thing... if I forego the tumbler... is a soak and rinse in soapy water followed by maybe fine steel wool enough of a clean?

 

Thanks again for all the answers, guys.

[Luke E.]

Can't  go wrong with an RCBS hand primer and it will use the same shell holder that either press will. If you get the Lee hand primer you will have to buy seperate shell holders. I've got a Lyman turret press that has a primer arm on it but i threw it away. You will be much happier in your reloading with the hand primer especially on a single stage since you have to pull each case off the press for each step anyways.

[Luke E.]

 

One other thing... if I forego the tumbler... is a soak and rinse in soapy water followed by maybe fine steel wool enough of a clean?

 

Thanks again for all the answers, guys.

There are solutions you can mix up using household items that due a fair job without tumbling. If you have a Harbor Freight near you and a 20% off coupon you can pick up a good tumbler for $40.

[Rightwinger]

As far as the step by step goes, no...you don't have to do each round step by step until you get to the actual powder and seating of the bullets (to me).  Clean everything, then size everything, trim if necessary, then prime an amount you can do in one evening, then get to the actual throwing charges and seating bullets.  Assembly line is okay for the early stuff in the process. My kids used to love punching primers and throwing the cases in the tumbler. 

[gun sane]

Get a .38/,357 carbide die set so you won't have to lube the casings.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I'm set as far as calipers. I have a pair by Kobalt that served me well for my first three months of machinist school before I picked up slightly higher quality dial calipers... would anyone recommend a micrometer or anything like that?

 

If you are a machinist, then you can probably make better measurements with a caliper than I can make with micrometer. I'm not skilled with the tools, but I use micrometer on occasion because of my lack of skill. In addition, all my measurement tools are "relatively cheap" and a cheap micrometer is likely more accurate than a cheap caliper, because there's not as much that can go wrong with the micrometer unless they messed up the thread pitch or whatever. So I use the cheap micrometer to "check up on" the cheap calipers.

 

There are little round steel gadgets that look like socket wrench attachments, called case gages or whatever. They are "go/no go" gages built to the minimum chamber dimensions of each caliber, cost maybe $15 or whatever. I bought mine, for every caliber I reload, from Dillon but other places surely sell them. It is a good convenient quick check to make sure the round will likely go into a pistol or rifle. Drop a round in the gage, and if it goes in easy, and comes out easy, and doesn't stick out on either end, you are good to go.

[gregintenn]

 

do have a question about the whole process... something that is a bit of a put-off to me is that, in the step-by-step instructions given in my book, it seems that you do each step per round. Is it possible to do each step for X amount of rounds, then progress to the next step? Meaning... say if I had 50 rounds to load. Is there anything wrong/dangerous/stupid about, for example, depriming each of those cases before moving to the next time? This probably seems like a silly question, but I'm one of them ask-first do-later guys, I suppose! Or just dense, hahaha.

I like to process (clean, size/deprime, trim, chamfer, and clean primer pockets, and reprime) a large lot of cases of the same chambering at once, and store them in empty coffee cans. Then, when I want to load some, I can add a measured dose of powder and seat a bullet and have a loaded round in seconds. I can load one, ten, or a thousand at a time.

You are correct to do each operation in batches, and not one round at a time.

 

You will want a chamfer tool to deburr the inside and outside of the case mouth after trimming. the inside part of the chamfer tool can also be used to remove the primer crimp from military brass. One more thing I'd suggest getting is a primer pocket cleaning tool. It is a little knurled steel bar with what favors small slotted screwdriver bits on each end. One fits a large primer pocket and one a small primer pocket. A twist removes crud from inside there.

Edited July 14, 2013 by gregintenn

[Jamie Jackson]

I like to process (clean, size/deprime, trim, chamfer, and clean primer pockets, and reprime) a large lot of cases of the same chambering at once, and store them in empty coffee cans. Then, when I want to load some, I can add a measured dose of powder and seat a bullet and have a loaded round in seconds. I can load one, ten, or a thousand at a time.

You are correct to do each operation in batches, and not one round at a time.

 

LOL. This is exactly what I do in regards to my single stage press reloading.

 

I have 6 loading trays, so with this setup I generally process 200-300 at a time. It definitely streamlines the process.

 

 

My first press was, and is, an one of the red Lee models. Many, many thousands of rounds later it still resides on my reloading bench.

 

 

My bulk loading is for 9mm, and my Dillon 550B stays set up for that. But I can't see how anyone could go wrong with the Lee setup. And the kits they offer nowadays are a good value imho.

[Patton]

If you want to come down to Hamilton Place area one day you can try my Lee single stage press. Right now I only reload 40 10mm and 9mm. I have been very happy with my lee anniversary kit. I would buy one all over again.

[owejia]

Save your rimfire brass also. They can be swaged into .224 dia. bullets.

[Guest gunfun]

I live in the Knoxville area and have just purchased a Lee Progressive 1000 kit for 45ACP off ebay. I used to reload shotgun years ago but am new to pistol reloading. I went out to buy supplies and can't find any powder. Anyone know where I can buy powder and what brand would be best for 45?

[Jonnin]

Lee will replace anything that does break and has good solid service.   I have not broken anything significant, the spring in my disk device and a shell holder come to mind, both after an awful lot of use.

 

If you can afford just a touch more a turret press is a lot more efficient for a little more money.

 

a single stage is an assembly line process: you do one thing over and over again and hand it to the next guy with a different machine / tool.   (Here, of course, you are the next guy so you set them aside).   You knock out all the primers and size them all.  then you prime all the cases.  Then you powder all the cases.  Then you cram a bullet into each one.  Etc.    A turret or similar press does one round, then another round -- you knock the primer out, and it indexes, then you put the primer in and powder, it indexes, then you put the bullet in... this is faster because you only put a round on the press once and its done, you only set up dies once (change turrets), and so on.  Taking the stuff off and on the press is the time killer esp when they are full of powder that can spill so you have to put them in a proper holder to keep them upright etc. 

 

you do not have to steel wool polish your cases.   Just wash them.  All you NEED is to get any dirt and soot off that might be abrasive to your reloading dies or gun chamber.  Making them look "like new" is overkill, some people do it and obsess over it, but there is no point to it beyond cosmetic appeal. 
 

Honestly dirty brass straight from a revolver to a bag does not need anything in the way of cleaning.   Its the stuff you found on the ground from semi-autos that has grit on it and needs a wash.

[Jamie Jackson]

I live in the Knoxville area and have just purchased a Lee Progressive 1000 kit for 45ACP off ebay. I used to reload shotgun years ago but am new to pistol reloading. I went out to buy supplies and can't find any powder. Anyone know where I can buy powder and what brand would be best for 45?

 

 

Welcome aboard.

 

Locating reloading components is a bit of a challenge these days.

 

David (DLM) here at TGO is probably your best source. But powder and primers can be found online time to time.

 

Regards a powder for 45 acp... I've used Alliant Unique and Winchester 231 for many, many years.. 5.7 gr of W 231 for a 230 gr FMJ is my favorite 45 acp loading.

 

 

Good Luck.

 

 

 

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/67693-powder/

Edited July 19, 2013 by prag

[Pat]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice and suggestions. I've learned a lot. When I get organized and do manage to get started, I'm sure I'll have a boatload more questions to ask.

[gregintenn]

I live in the Knoxville area and have just purchased a Lee Progressive 1000 kit for 45ACP off ebay. I used to reload shotgun years ago but am new to pistol reloading. I went out to buy supplies and can't find any powder. Anyone know where I can buy powder and what brand would be best for 45?

230 fmj and 5 grains of Bullseye.