Don't get much more excited than I am right now!

[rugerla1]

Just picked up a Dillon 550b from a member on here, some dies and powder from another TGO member and I can barely sit still with exictement  :rock: I have some of my Dad's old shell holder trays, powder funnels, 30-30 dies, and some odds and ends that I have to dig out and go through.

 

LukeE has been helping me along the way with decision making and every time I started straying towards something else, he steered me back. I'm so glad he did. I've got it started pretty well but going to wait for assistance setting the dies so I don't have to fix it later.

 

I've never reloaded before even though I spent many a night watching my Dad reload in his shop for 30-30, 30-06, .357 and .44 mag. What I did learn has long been forgotten since over 20 years have passed and I was mostly the case lube technician  :yuck:

But I am so eager to get started and learn this process that I should have stuck with out of high school but didn't.

 

I picked up some primers and some .223 bullets today just because I'll need them but have several things left that I'll have to have.

 

Reloading manual 

Caliper 

Case lube

media tumbler/ultrasonic cleaner or both

Primer tray (may have one of my Dad's old ones)

Electronic powder scale

Case trimmer/deburring tool and primer pocket cleaner

Hand primer (not necessary but a want more than need)

Bullet puller

50 count ammo boxes and labels for data on each

 

Feel free to add anything I might have left off. I'm really excited about getting this press! 

Edited August 23, 2015 by rugerla1

[Jct1911]

If getting serious about loading .223, you'll need something to address primer pockets. Crimps are a pain when found on the press. Can be as simple as a countersink to chamfer the crimp out, or swaging tools of various designs. Edited August 23, 2015 by Jct1911

[Pete123]

Love the excitement!

[rugerla1]

If getting serious about loading .223, you'll need something to address primer pockets. Crimps are a pain when found on the press. Can be as simple as a countersink to chamfer the crimp out, or swaging tools of various designs.

Thanks, I will be doing .223 a lot. But I have to tell you that out of all the tools I'm researching, scales are the most frustrating! Balance scales are slow but seem to be the ones people fall back on and check against their electronic scales. But with all the technological advances made, reviews on electronic scales from $30 to $250 are all over the place! Won't measure consistently, warm up time issues, etc.

[RED333]

What ever scale you buy, make sure it has a calibrating weight.

[Grunt67]

What ever scale you buy, make sure it has a calibrating weight.

 

 If it doesn't have a cal. weight(s), buy a set. They're not expensive, but come in handy. I always check my scale bofore starting

to reload. Call it peace of mind.

Welcome to the club, rugerla1, and best of luck. There is a wealth of info on TGO. All are helpful, friendly, and on occasion, knowledgeable.

LOL

[rugerla1]

If it doesn't have a cal. weight(s), buy a set. They're not expensive, but come in handy. I always check my scale bofore starting
to reload. Call it peace of mind.
Welcome to the club, rugerla1, and best of luck. There is a wealth of info on TGO. All are helpful, friendly, and on occasion, knowledgeable.
LOL

Thanks! I plan to be checking a lot of things for peace of mind for a long time. I know I will 2nd guess things since I'm new, but I'm fine with that. I will mess up like everyone who is new but hope I catch all of my mistakes quickly due to "over checking" and I doubt you can over check too much in reloading, I don't plan on making records for speed. I just want to learn the process and be safe.

[Currently]

I started on a 550, it is the best one for multiple calibers, taking your time to do it right and being trouble free.

Put an old sock on the handle to prevent blisters ...

Slow is smooth ... Smooth is fast.

It is a great press that can be passed down generations.

[rugerla1]

I started on a 550, it is the best one for multiple calibers, taking your time to do it right and being trouble free.
Put an old sock on the handle to prevent blisters ...
Slow is smooth ... Smooth is fast.
It is a great press that can be passed down generations.

Thank you, I hadn't heard the sock idea but think I saw somewhere about a different option for the handle to avoid blisters as well?

[MrBrian]

I recently bought a decent set of analog dial calipers to replace my digital ones because I was tired of constantly replacing the batteries....  just a suggestion, so if you already have analog ones, just stick with them

[Jonnin]

Thanks, I will be doing .223 a lot. But I have to tell you that out of all the tools I'm researching, scales are the most frustrating! Balance scales are slow but seem to be the ones people fall back on and check against their electronic scales. But with all the technological advances made, reviews on electronic scales from $30 to $250 are all over the place! Won't measure consistently, warm up time issues, etc.

 

How picky are you?  Even the cheap 20-30 dollar scales are within less than 1 grain of accuracy.  I have a cheap one and getting good results requires 3 things:

1) a solid, flat, hard surface.   No give, no movement, level surface.  

2) I put the case in the exact same place each time.  Mine has a square surface for weighing and putting the case in the extreme corner works for me. 

3) if you didn't know, no wind/air current/ other disturbances and external vibration, etc.

 

If you want better than 1/2 a grain accuracy or so, you have to throw a lot more money at the problem and get a better scale.   The same as above to use it with good results.

 

Balance etc also require no external disturbances (harder, they are larger and more prone to disturbances...  you can't just invert a see thru plastic bin over one and kill all the air currents for example) and flat surface and all that.  They also require more time, usually cost more, and are prone to human error (mentally mess up reading the thing... its hard to do that on a digital 5.25 for example type readout).   Not a big fan of them.  

[rugerla1]

How picky are you?  Even the cheap 20-30 dollar scales are within less than 1 grain of accuracy.  I have a cheap one and getting good results requires 3 things:
1) a solid, flat, hard surface.   No give, no movement, level surface.  
2) I put the case in the exact same place each time.  Mine has a square surface for weighing and putting the case in the extreme corner works for me. 
3) if you didn't know, no wind/air current/ other disturbances and external vibration, etc.
 
If you want better than 1/2 a grain accuracy or so, you have to throw a lot more money at the problem and get a better scale.   The same as above to use it with good results.
 
Balance etc also require no external disturbances (harder, they are larger and more prone to disturbances...  you can't just invert a see thru plastic bin over one and kill all the air currents for example) and flat surface and all that.  They also require more time, usually cost more, and are prone to human error (mentally mess up reading the thing... its hard to do that on a digital 5.25 for example type readout).   Not a big fan of them.

Actually I think I got so frustrated from a couple of things. Lack of sleep/late night web browsing and reading too much into reviews when I know that half of them probably just complain about every little thing that they don't like.
Thanks for all of the tips and information. The no air movement will be what I'll have to watch while it's warm outside. I set my press up in my garage and use a box fan to keep some air moving. But I'll just have to turn it off while measuring powder even if the fan is facing away from me.

[Trekbike]

Put an old sock on the handle to prevent blisters ...

I wear a thin jersey glove with the finger tips cut out if I'm going to load a bunch of rounds.

[rugerla1]

I wear a thin jersey glove with the finger tips cut out if I'm going to load a bunch of rounds.

 

Hopefully after tonight I have this problem!

 

LukeE is coming over to help me set my dies and get started. Like a kid on Christmas Eve I am :rock:

[mikegideon]

You picked a good coach. Enjoy your newfound ammo freedom! 

[rugerla1]

You picked a good coach. Enjoy your newfound ammo freedom!

Yessir he's been talking me through so much of this. And thanks, I'm sure it will be even more satisfying than I'm imagining it now.

[rugerla1]

Well a big thanks to LukeE for coming over last night and helping me set my dies and giving me a tutorial on using the my new press and general reloading knowledge as well. It took a while to set everything but mostly due to him explaining everything that each piece and adjustment does and of course all of my questions. It really is a lot of information to try to absorb at one time and a lot of things to watch for that will hopefully soon become habit.

 

I loaded 92 rounds last night and another 60 or so tonight. It's almost surreal sitting out in my garage working that press when a couple of days ago I was excited yet worried a little bit about how the first run would go and if I'd mess anything up. Actually I wasn't sitting and doing anything, I was standing/squatting because my garage is full of stuff for the Labor Day yard sale and I can't get to my damn stool!  :rant: But it has been really fun and interesting the first two nights. I'll go ahead and tell y'all that I've went out to the garage about 20 times and just stared at it, grinning because I'm so happy to actually be doing this after being really interested in starting for the past 6 months or so. Anyway, a tray and a half of .223 Vmax rounds sure puts a smile on a man's face! Thanks for the help LukeE and to all those who offered advice and tips, and of course to Sam1 for the Dillon. I'm a blue Koolaid drinker now!!  :rock:

[mikegideon]

Congrats, man. You won't ever regret taking the leap.

[rugerla1]

Congrats, man. You won't ever regret taking the leap.

 

Thank you Mike!

[RED333]

Well now the bad news about reloading, you will not "save" money reloading. Ya just shoot more, thus spending the money on more supplies.

Congrats on getting into reloading, you gona try "hand loading"?

[rugerla1]

Well now the bad news about reloading, you will not "save" money reloading. Ya just shoot more, thus spending the money on more supplies.
Congrats on getting into reloading, you gona try "hand loading"?

What?? I wish I had known! Haha

I want to, but I'm going to stick with very basics now until I get comfortable with standard reloading processes before I start tuning. I still have tools left to buy for what I'll be doing over the next year or so. It's so exciting listening to each completed round dropping into the bucket!!