Initial shopping list for reloading

[tweek]

Despite the other thread I'm still interested in reloading. For now I just want to be able to clean my brass, size it, and pop out the spent primer. That way I'll have shiny empty brass ready to be reloaded.

I'm planning on reloading 223 and 243 so:

Lee Cast Iron Reloading Hand Press
Lee Deluxe Rifle 3 Die Set with Shellholder For 223 Remington
Lee Deluxe Rifle 3 Die Set With Shellholder For 243 Winchester
Lee Case Trimmer & Lock Stud
Lee Rifle/Pistol Hand Priming Tool
Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-Ez Case Tumbler

This isn't meant to be the end all be all of reloading. Just enough to let me watch x-files while sizing and depriming cartridges.

 

[kerryp]

Don't know if this will help you for when you go all out, but here is the list of stuff I bought. Someone else was asking about it and the cost at the range today, so I thought I would post it in case it would help.


* Lee 4 hole turret press with auto index deluxe kit - Midway# 622290 - $109.99 Includes:
- Press with auto index
- Auto disk powder measure
- Safety Scale
- Primer pocket cleaner
- Cutter and lock stud
- Chamfer tool

* (3) Lee 4 Hole, Classic 4 Hole Turrets - Midway# 292460 - $10.00ea ($30.00)

* Lee safety primer - Midway #548630 - $20.99
* Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set 45 ACP - Midway #242098 - $36.99
* Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set 9mm Luger - Midway# 885350 - $36.99
* Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set 38 Special, 357 Magnum - Midway# 309802 - $36.99
* Lee Deluxe 3-Die Set .223 - Midway# 776391 - 28.99

* Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler Master Kit - Midway# 414369 - $73.99 Includes:
- 110v tumbler
- Rotary media separator
- 4oz brass polish
- 3lb bag of corn cob media

* Lee "Modern Reloading 2nd Edition" Reloading Manual - Midway# 484416 - $12.49
* Speer Reloading Manual #14 - Midway# 537267 - $28.79

* Smith & Wesson Electronic Caliper 6" Stainless Steel - Midway# 856689 - $24.99

 

[robin303]

You can also check this out. Cabela's -- Lee Anniversary Reloading Kit
I have one of these and reload 9mm and 40S&W and all you need to make it complete is a good scale, calipers at least 3 books. I didn't start to tumble untill I reloaded 6k rounds or more.

 

[griff383]

You may want to rethink the hand press, some larger cases can be a mother to resize with that thing. The first press I bought was the LEE 4-hole turret, and had enormous success with it. I learned a ton with that press and didnt have to spend a whole lot. Also with the hand primer you need to get shell holders for any caliber you wish to prime and they are NOT the same as the ones that come with the dies.

+1 With Robin303 on the scale, the balance beam works but it is so much easier to read a display rather than balance a pan. You can usually find a good one on sale if you look around.

 

[randmplumbingllc]

Despite the other thread I'm still interested in reloading. For now I just want to be able to clean my brass, size it, and pop out the spent primer. That way I'll have shiny empty brass ready to be reloaded.

I'm planning on reloading 223 and 243 so:

Lee Cast Iron Reloading Hand Press
Lee Deluxe Rifle 3 Die Set with Shellholder For 223 Remington
Lee Deluxe Rifle 3 Die Set With Shellholder For 243 Winchester
Lee Case Trimmer & Lock Stud
Lee Rifle/Pistol Hand Priming Tool
Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-Ez Case Tumbler

This isn't meant to be the end all be all of reloading. Just enough to let me watch x-files while sizing and depriming cartridges.

Something to consider. Will this be the only cal's I reload ? Will I ever upgrade ? How much time do I have to reload ?

IMO, you would be better served to buy a progressive. You don't have to get all the bells and whistles, all at once. You can add on all the cool stuff later.

If you use this logic : " If I only buy one press in my life, it would be....", because your press should last your lifetime. I like Dillon stuff, but there are several out there that have a lifetime warrany. It will cost a little more up front, but well worth, in the long run. (Unless you are waaay old)

 

[tweek]

As usual: great information. Didnt consider that aspect of the money savings reloading would provide. With the hand press I'll be able to drop my gym membership!

Think I'll invest in some DVD's and books before I actually buy anything.

As for future calibers.....30-06, 308 and probably 9mm. But for now just 223 and 243.

 

[jgedmond]

The other thing to consider is how many rounds you shoot in a typical week or month. If you are mainly shooting low volume rifle for accuracy or hunting, then a single-stage will work well and be much cheaper than a progressive (about $125 vs. $400++). If you ultimately do want to load 9mm and shoot high volumes, then a progressive makes sense.

I started with a 9mm on a Hornady single-stage and even at 500 - 600 rounds a month got tired of that pretty quickly in the heat of my garage in the TX summer. I bought a Hornady progressive for pistol and use the single stage for 223 now.

 

[tweek]

Difficult to say at this point. I go through 90 - 180 rounds per visit to the range right now and I'm going roughly once a week. Once I start riding again I suspect that will drop a bit to something like every other week. I really do enjoy shooting but don't get the mental high I get from the track (not an adrenaline rush, that means you just screwed up). On the other hand, if I could get in to the tactical stuff that might be a completely different conversation.

For now I'll keep collecting brass, reading and researching. If I keep doing this and keep going through a lot of ammo I'll probably invest in a progressive setup so I can crank out a lot in a short time. If I'm just doing it as a way to relax my mind the hand press will probably do just fine (and do away with the gym membership too!)

 

[country_boy]

I would get the lee 4 hole classic press, its a better built press. I started out with a lee single stage and now worked my way to a hornady lnl. Lee dies are all I use, the bonus is the free shell holder. I agree that digital read out is easier than a beam scale, I actually have two setups The turret press does all my rifle reloads and the progressive does my pistol. The one thing I would add is a good set of calipers.

 

[randmplumbingllc]

Difficult to say at this point. I go through 90 - 180 rounds per visit to the range right now and I'm going roughly once a week. Once I start riding again I suspect that will drop a bit to something like every other week. I really do enjoy shooting but don't get the mental high I get from the track (not an adrenaline rush, that means you just screwed up). On the other hand, if I could get in to the tactical stuff that might be a completely different conversation.

For now I'll keep collecting brass, reading and researching. If I keep doing this and keep going through a lot of ammo I'll probably invest in a progressive setup so I can crank out a lot in a short time. If I'm just doing it as a way to relax my mind the hand press will probably do just fine (and do away with the gym membership too!)

Too funny, but not too far off on the gym membership thing. I find that after about 6 hours on my Dilon XL650, my arm is wore out. I should flip the handle to the oter side, after a thousand rounds, so my left arm gets worked too ! The thing I thought about, is how much time do I really want to spend reloading a thousand rounds. I think a few hours is enough, and I will have ammo in that cal., for a couple of months, or more. A single stage will take , AT LEAST TWICE as long.

To me, I would rather be out shooting. For me, reloading is a means to an end. While there is a pride factor in making your own, the reason that drives me, is that I can shoot for less then factory ammo costs (lots less), better quality ammo and once I have the componants stocked up, I don't have to worry about WallyWorld being out of ammo.

 

[e4for2]

there's a vendor on e-bay who has a RockChucker Supreme kit for 308.49 free shipping-bite the bullet and you will have a great set-up to start with

 

[jtriron]

So what is the final total $ to get set up reloading??

 

[country_boy]

there's a vendor on e-bay who has a RockChucker Supreme kit for 308.49 free shipping-bite the bullet and you will have a great set-up to start with

Wow! $150 more and a Dillon or a hornady Progressive can be bought.

 

[robin303]

So what is the final total $ to get set up reloading??

I did it for less than $200 with all new stuff.

 

[Shooterman]

I'm coming to this thread a few days late, and haven't reloaded in a couple of years, but am convinced the Lyman T-Mag Turret is a great value. One extra turret and you can set up for 4 calibers. By all means, buy an electronic scale.

 

[tweek]

I probably won't start buying the gear until winter. Until then I'm still collecting brass. Today at the range somebody must have had a great time b/c I picked up about 200 cases around my area in addition to the 60 rounds I shot.

A friend of mine has a full kit of of reloading stuff that I can use to learn on for now. That will let me practice and continue researching until I'm ready.

 

[Texas42]

This is my, with only a bit of experience with reloading, opinion.

I like reloading. It gives you options on bullets, powders, ect that you can can't get with factory selection. You can get started for cheap, but I've got well over a $1300 in stuff and supplies to last me for a while. If you load a lot of pistol ( doesn't take much) or .223, you'll eventually want a progressive. I drank the blue cool-aid and bought a Dillon. I love it. Great stuff. I can make between 2-300 rounds per hour with a progressive. You'll hear stories about people cranking out 500+ round/ hour. I don't beleive them, or at least they are working a lot faster than me. I'm kind of slow and steady when it comes to this. I visually check each load.

It takes me ~1.5-2hours to finish 100 rounds of 9mm luger on a turret. I've got a Lyman turret. I'm not impressed with it. I'm actually going to switch my rifle loading to a Lee single stage that my grandpa gave me. No big problems, but it just isn't that consistant with the OAL as I'd like. (I actually like the priming system pretty well, which is why I haven't taken it off yet.) Progressives are SOOOO much nicer, but they make mistakes easy. I had to pull 80 rounds of 9mm when I figured out I was throwing more powder than I thought. I wasn't sure which ones, so I had to pull them all. (dont forget to get a kinetic bullet puller, they are worth it).

 

[country_boy]

Texas 42 a powder level checker die works wonders for that. I use a horandy lnl auto and a lee classic turret press.

 

[skinman]

I have been using a Lee Classic Turret for a couple of years to load .45 acp, 9mm, and 30-06. I have the Auto disk powder measure using the adjustable charge bar instead of a disk for more accurate powder charges and the riser to keep it off of the safety prime. The powder measure is pretty accurate with most powders I use but the small primer safety prime can be a major pain in the ass with small pistol primers and Wolf primers. The setup can be cranky and troublesome at times and you really have to watch what is going and what you are doing. When things are rolling along, I can crank out 100 .45 or 9mm in about 1.5 hours and it takes about 5 minutes to change from one to the other. I visually look into each case to check that there is powder before seating the bullets and after setting the powder measure where I want it and the bullet seat die for the OAL I want, and set the factory crimp, I check each 10-12 rounds for powder weight on a digital scale and check the OAL with a dial caliper. Not counting powder, primers, brass, and bullets, I easily have close to $500 tied up in dies, turrets, press, safety prime, powder measure, scales, calipers, brass tumbler and medium, case trimmer and ream, primer pocket cleaning tool, and case lube.

 

[gobears1997]

Get yourself Lee's modern reloading manual and read it cover to cover once or twice. Then go shopping. If you have the bucks, go for the progressive. If you just want to try it out you can't go wrong with Lee's anniversary set. The nice thing is, even if you decide to go with a progressive, you will always still find a use for the single stage.