reloading advice (beginner)

[spinnerbob]

What's an average cost for reloading equipment?

Any bands/types to avoid?

any brands/types to prefer?

(The reason I ask, is, I have spent some decent money on "premium" amo, and found that the depth of the bullet in the brass varries as much or more than with cheap core lokt. I'm sick of it.)

[native]

RCBS is pretty good. I have a RCBS rockchuck and I am happy with it. Most of my dies are RCBS although I also have some Lyman dies. Check out Sinclair magazine for an awesome selection of reloading equip.

[DAB]

Hard to beat RCBS stuff, it aint the highest priced or the lowest priced. I have had an RCBS press and dies for more than 35 years and still going strong, let me try to put this in perspective, I use IMR 4350 powder for reloading 30/06 and 300 win mag ammo, and have burnt more than 50 pounds of it, then add all the other cal. I load for with other powders and the press is as tight today as it was when it was new. How many rounds has it loaded? A whole lot..
I know that there are others that have loaded more rounds than I, I was just trying to say that RCBS is ok in my book.
DAB

[glowball]

If you can swing it buy redding dies. Much better dies. Check ebay for rcbs equipment. I've got lots of stuff on there. Also you should go buy a reloading for accuracy video. You'll learn a ton. I did.

Kris

[Yeti]

I purchased an RCBS set up used, complete with dies and a bunch of misc stuff for $100. RCBS is good stuff to start with.

Starting new figure @ $250 - $300.

Spend $ on a few reloading manuals. A couple of tools I really like are the Stoney Point OAL guage and digital calipers.

Enjoy,

Yeti

[billc_sbio]

I'll second that about Redding Dies...they're some of the nicest made these days for general reloading.

Once upon a time RCBS was close to the top of the heap, they're still close. But that's when it was an individually owned company. Now it's part of one of the biggest shooting sports conglomerates there is, and the bean counters influence can be seen in most of their products. Still, they're not bad.

If you're going for any volume reloading, then Dillon Products cannot be discounted. They have some very innovative products from one end of their line to the other, and they have no fuss product warranties that can't be beat! They'll even replace a defective/broken product for the 2nd or 3rd owner most times!

LEE Products are made on the cheap side, however with bargain prices in mind, and many of them are quite innovative. They make some products that nobody else does! Their hand operated Auto Prime tool was the first of its kind, less expensive than most of the newer units offered by other makers, and still one of the best.

When it comes to super precision, benchrest type accuracy, then single stage Arbor Press actuated Inline Dies, like those made by Wilson get the nod.

As mentioned most of that type of gear can be found in Sinclair's catalog.

[Don Becker]

Used equipment also shows-up on Craig's List:

http://portland.craigslist.org/spo/95545973.html

Don

Can't go wrong with RCBS and Redding. If you decide to do pistol reloading then add Dillon to the list.

[SeanD]

I have used RCBS hornady, and lee kits. all work fine. I really like the RCBS, and thats what I have for myself. The lee kits reload just fine and they are also inexpensive. I am real happy with my RCBS, the hornady press is also very nice with the lock and load feature. I have used redding, rcbs, lee, and hornady dies. I only use redding dies now. I will never waste my money on hornady dies again.

[brshooter]

If you are into precision reloading, you might check our Harrell Precision. They make a sweet press. Also have arbor presses for those using Wilson dies. They make one of the best powder measures on the market along with Neil Jones.

[shorthair]

strange how it works out but reloading just does not save me any money, seems the more i reload the more i shoot the more $ spent on loading .

[Hunt'nFish]

shorthair writes: "strange how it works out but reloading just does not save me any money, seems the more i reload the more i shoot the more $ spent on loading."

Oh how true, how true.
But I tell ya, I was up late last night to load a couple boxes of 30-378wby. I shudder at the retail cost for a box of those! Ouch. All in all, my reloading equipment has only made me money..... , at least that's what I tell my wife!

But seriously, if I totaled up all "I WOULD HAVE SPENT" on ammo, it would scare me! With two Dillon progressives (650XL & Sq-Deal B), a couple RCBS single stage presses, and 3 shotgun presses (Hornady 366 progresive, MEC & Pacific) I can load just about anything. Aside from my Dillon 650, all were bought used at good prices.

Reloading can be cheap.... or it can be expensive. My advice start w/ a used single stage RCBC, Junior or Rockchucker it makes no differance, some used but recent manuals (the more the better... but one of them should be a Hodgon manual w/ pressure data), and a good digital scale w/ self cal ability. That's really all you need aside from dies, cases and other components. One of the RCBS kits is a good place to start, but most of the stuff in the kit I don't use. Give me a press, my digital powder dispensor, and a can of Hornaday "One Shot" spray case lube and I would be just fine.
But that fella's comment about the Stoney Point OAL gage set is right on! Very useful when determining a chamber's "zero to lands" measurement. It indexes off the bullets ogive, which is very important.
W.Tracker
Mike


-----------------------------
Mike Knifong Gunsmithing
Beaverton, OR
ultramag338@yahoo.com

[billc_sbio]

strange how it works out but reloading just does not save me any money, seems the more i reload the more i shoot the more $ spent on loading .

I just bought a couple of boxes of premium factory ammo (.243 Win.) for a friend who I might let "borrow" one of my rifles for a Deer hunt.

Those boxes cost me @$20.

I can guarantee you I could have duplicated those loads, even using all new components, for about half that price. If I were using previously fired brass, it would be even less.

If you shoot varmints with a centerfire from .17 to 6mm, and you plan to do much shooting, especially with large quantities of accurate ammunition, you just about HAVE to load your own ammo! You can tailor it to your own rifle/s, something the factories can't.

[billc_sbio]

To the above list of equipment don't forget to add a set of good quality Dial or Digital Calipers,

That's a MUST HAVE item!

[Hunt'nFish]

Digital!!! You can zero them out when your using the Stoney Point gage and not have to account for the 1" of the gage.
And their so darned cheap now....~$30....worth it.
W.Tracker

[billc_sbio]

Digital!!! You can zero them out when your using the Stoney Point gage and not have to account for the 1" of the gage.
And their so darned cheap now....~$30....worth it.
W.Tracker

Well...some of us are used to dials...and even Verniers! :grin:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...5415TMnxlgbWPA

The good guns still have 'em!

[Fishbone]

Vote no. 2 for vernier calipers! VERY cool.

[goforchrome]

I was in the same shoes a year ago and received some excellent advice and perspective on this and other boards.
There is a wealth of knowledge here.
I wanted to reload 300WSM and 7mm-08 and saw the Lee Anniversary kit on several vendor catalogs.
You will find it for about $80.
It is comprehensive except dies, bullets, and powder.
Some will say Lee is substandard equipment but that has not been my experience.
It is inexpensive but the quality and functionality is fine.
You can spend more and not get better results.
Buy the Lee Anniversary kit incl the manual and you will be many dollars ahead.
Read as much as possible before you reload.
Take your time and concentrate.
Enjoy it.
And don't be afraid to ask questions.
I have had great success and have learned alot.
Give it a try.


You will need a set of calipers, no question.

[GSD]

PM sent to ya!

[tag-a-long]

Here is a bit of advice from another beginner. Load up three sets of ammo. Use min/med/max loads of whatever powder you go with and shoot each set and see which groups best for your rifle. Make sure to open the chamber and let the barrel cool between shots for best accuracy. I have been using my hunting partners RCBS. It works great and is definately a money saver. If you get a reloading book, most will tell you what powder is most accurate in their test barrels for whichever bullet you decide to use.

Good luck!!!

[DRUNK COWBOY]

(The reason I ask, is, I have spent some decent money on "premium" amo, and found that the depth of the bullet in the brass varries as much or more than with cheap core lokt. I'm sick of it.)

I used to spend $85.00 each box for 338-378 wthby mag shells. I could nover get good groups out of them. I measured the bullet depths and overall lengths and was not happy with the results. I then started to look at the consistancy of powder and was really mad. There was a varience with each bullet in the boxes I had bought.

This was the case with other bullet manufactures as well. No intent to point the finger at Weatherby. If you want something done to the highest of standards, do it yourself!

I will never buy factory loads in the future. I reload everything I shoot over 100yds.

[BrianMaguire]

strange how it works out but reloading just does not save me any money, seems the more i reload the more i shoot the more $ spent on loading .

I'll third that one. I started reloading (again after 20 years away) this year and now I shoot a ton. It is great fun and I am learning so much. Have fun and buy a book, not just a reloading manual but a book about the mechanics of precision loading. There is as much too it as you want there to be.

Another piece of advice, that got me, being cheap and all, was spend the money and get a digital scale. Beam scales are more accurate but you are not at reading them (I was not) and once I got a digital scale my groups got better, that tenth or two of a grain difference in powder does make a difference. I also use my scale to eliminate other variences so I am not wondering what is affecting my groups. For instance when testing seating depths, I weigh my cases and shoot a group of 5 all weighing the same, as well as the bullets themselves. Bullets, especially Barnes can be as much as plus or minus seven tenths of a grain. So I weigh mine just to make sure that a heavy bullet followed by a light one are not effecting my groups. This is easy with a digital scale but near impossible with a beam scale (takes too much time)

[fishncliff]

I love my Lee single press. I think their Anniversary pardner setup is $85 right now.

I load alot of .38 and .06.
Digital is the way to go. Schucks has them for 10$

[billc_sbio]

[quoteI used to spend $85.00 each box for 338-378 wthby mag shells. I could nover get good groups out of them. I measured the bullet depths and overall lengths and was not happy with the results.

I then started to look at the consistancy of powder and was really mad. There was a varience with each bullet in the boxes I had bought.



[/quote]

If there was a variance in the powder charge between ctg.s in the SAME box, then that would be a problem!

However, a difference in the variance in powder charges BETWEEN BOXES (with different Lot Numbers) wouldn't be such a great concern.

Remember, ammo factories don't necessarily use the same "Canister" Powders that reloaders do! They have greater variances IN their powders, but also the measurement tools and knowledge to correct for this. Therefore, they often "adjust" their loads, often my changing the amount of powder loaded, depending upon the characteristics of a certain batch of powder.

The powders Reloaders use, have to fall within a much more specific set of parameters, so that loading recipes can be followed and (hopefully) be the same from batch to batch (typically there are small variations anyway)

So I don't know exactly which condition you saw? If it was from ctg. to ctg. from the same lot, then that IS a problem!