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Posted: 2/1/2015 6:45:08 PM EDT
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So I've been looking around for a while the last few days, searching for a basic list of tools needed to get started reloading. I have experience reload shotgun shell a few years back, but it appears that rifle shells are more complicated and I'm not sure where to start. I want to reload for my 5.56/.223 primarily but would like the ability to expand to 9mm and .45ACP down the road. I assume reloading the 7.62x39 is difficult since I haven't seen very much brass ammo around town.
I've got a workbench with some extra space and a few hours to spend, so any help is appreciated. |
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Quoted:
Read, read and read some more. After that I would recommend starting with 9mm or .45 to get the hang of things because as you noticed reloading straight walled pistol cartridges is easier. I started with 308/223 and just started pistol and I would say starting with either would be fine. I was actually more nervous about loading for pistol due to the small charges and how much pressures can increase with just a few tenths of a grain. OP, read the threads as suggested and watch YouTube, tons of info. This will help you understand the process and what you need versus what you want. Buy some manuals and before you know it you will be several hundred dollars poorer, er...wiser  .
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Quoted: Read the pinned threads at the top of the page and get back with us when you've finished with any questions. Welcome to our hobby. You will also need a good reloading manual, I suggest Lyman 49. Here is some good info a click away, |
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After reading I think I have a list of tools needed for my start to reloading.
Turret Type press- seems for adventitious for reloading the amount of rounds I hope to as I become more acclimated to the process. Mechanical powder dispenser Digital scale Bullet pulling hammer Tumbler Mandrel Type Trimmer Manual De-burring Tool Bullet holder Obviously as many books/manuals I I can gather for reference. My goal is not to load precision loads only, mostly for range ammo and to play around with some hunting loads. How does this list look for a good starting setup? As a license commercial pesticide applicator and a golf course manager, my job requires the use of math, measuring and careful preparation of materials and tool. I feel that these are useful for reloading. All the initial expense aside, how much per round should I expect to pay? I'm interested in this hobby for two reasons; learning more about the shooting sports and all that come with it and helping to feed the habit of shooting while allowing me to shoot more by lowering the cost per round. Thanks for any help. |
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After reading I think I have a list of tools needed for my start to reloading. Turret Type press- seems for adventitious for reloading the amount of rounds I hope to as I become more acclimated to the process. Mechanical powder dispenser Digital scale Bullet pulling hammer Tumbler Mandrel Type Trimmer Manual De-burring Tool Bullet holder Obviously as many books/manuals I I can gather for reference. My goal is not to load precision loads only, mostly for range ammo and to play around with some hunting loads. How does this list look for a good starting setup? As a license commercial pesticide applicator and a golf course manager, my job requires the use of math, measuring and careful preparation of materials and tool. I feel that these are useful for reloading. All the initial expense aside, how much per round should I expect to pay? I'm interested in this hobby for two reasons; learning more about the shooting sports and all that come with it and helping to feed the habit of shooting while allowing me to shoot more by lowering the cost per round. Thanks for any help. Turret press is a good place to start Mechanical powder dispenser? Im assuming a rotary type like and RCBS or Hornady? Dont bother with a digital scale unless you want to spend alot of coin on one. RCBS 505 is a great choice for a beam scale in combination with a trickler if you need to get really precise Bullet puller, yes. Everyone makes mistakes at times Tumbler - my personal thoughts are go SSTL wet tumbling. Start with a cheap Harbor Freight unit and a couple pounds of media, lots of great thread on doing it on the cheap. Next step up is something like a Frankfort or a Thumbler. Beyond that, build your own if you need to do alot of volume. Another plus is that wet tumbling will allow you to skip deburring as the media will clean the cases up for you after you trim rifle cases to length Trimmer - I cant say enough about how simple and effective something like a WFT2 is. Bullet holder? Not clear Manuals - I find the Hornady and Lyman manuals to be the best bet |
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Quoted: After reading I think I have a list of tools needed for my start to reloading. Turret Type press- seems for adventitious for reloading the amount of rounds I hope to as I become more acclimated to the process. check Mechanical powder dispenser check Digital scale Don't go cheap here (less than $100) all cheap scales drift and are dangerous. I prefer a beam scale like the RCBS 505. Bullet pulling hammer check Tumbler check, don't forget media separator Mandrel Type Trimmer Did you mean lathe type? Manual De-burring Tool check Bullet holder ??? Did you mean a loading block? Obviously as many books/manuals I I can gather for reference. Hornady 9, latest powders and calibers included. Something my favorite Lyman 49 lacks. My goal is not to load precision loads only, mostly for range ammo and to play around with some hunting loads. How does this list look for a good starting setup? As a license commercial pesticide applicator and a golf course manager, my job requires the use of math, measuring and careful preparation of materials and tool. I feel that these are useful for reloading. All the initial expense aside, how much per round should I expect to pay? I'm interested in this hobby for two reasons; learning more about the shooting sports and all that come with it and helping to feed the habit of shooting while allowing me to shoot more by lowering the cost per round. Thanks for any help. Ball park about half the cost of factory ammo, some calibers much more. One thing about reloading, you think you will save money, you won't. What will happen is you will spend the same but shoot much more. |
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One thing about reloading, you think you will save money, you won't. What will happen is you will spend the same but shoot much more. Truth! Also dont consider the cost of reloading equipment like its going to pay for itself. I consider the cost of the equipment just like its another hobby. One hobby feeds the other. |
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Quoted: Truth! Also dont consider the cost of reloading equipment like its going to pay for itself. I consider the cost of the equipment just like its another hobby. One hobby feeds the other. Quoted: Quoted: One thing about reloading, you think you will save money, you won't. What will happen is you will spend the same but shoot much more. Truth! Also dont consider the cost of reloading equipment like its going to pay for itself. I consider the cost of the equipment just like its another hobby. One hobby feeds the other.  |
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Someone read my sig line. Quoted:
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One thing about reloading, you think you will save money, you won't. What will happen is you will spend the same but shoot much more. Truth! Also dont consider the cost of reloading equipment like its going to pay for itself. I consider the cost of the equipment just like its another hobby. One hobby feeds the other. Its true. Reloading has turned into a fun, relaxing hobby, that I can justify the money I spend on it because it makes my other hobby more fun. Not to mention its a pretty great way to spend time with my son. The wife actually approves as well, she bought me a case feeder for my LnL, and knows the fringe benefits, she can shoot more, for less moneys.
I sat down and figured up the cost of return on 5.56 at the current cost of roughly $.18 per that I load. If I shot 100-150 rounds or so everytime I went out, the payoff time wasnt too bad, roughly 2 years. However, now that I shoot at least double that, its a wash. Thats why I consider trying to "break even" on reloading a futile exercise. Treat it like a hobby, enjoy it. |
| Thanks for all the info and help with reloading. I've roughly tallied up the total costs to $700ish to get started. I've been shooting steel cased cheapest I could find ammo for the last year, even though I haven't had problems, I would like to start becoming more accurate for long distances. I though reloading could keep the cost per round a little lower while using high quality components. I've been getting Tulammo for about $.28 per, as long as I can do a little better than that, I'm in. |
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Thanks for all the info and help with reloading. I've roughly tallied up the total costs to $700ish to get started. I've been shooting steel cased cheapest I could find ammo for the last year, even though I haven't had problems, I would like to start becoming more accurate for long distances. I though reloading could keep the cost per round a little lower while using high quality components. I've been getting Tulammo for about $.28 per, as long as I can do a little better than that, I'm in. You can beat that. Right now I load 5.56 for $.18 per round, using 24.5 grains of H335 powder, and Hornady 55gr FMJs. The load is not super accurate, 2" groups mostly. Ill take the time to run up a ladder this spring when Ive got some nicer weather, to find its real accuracy. If you dont mind me asking, what are you buying? |
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I'm new to reloading. turfengineer. There is an unrecoverable cost involved with getting into this hobby... the initial tools themselves needed to reload. Also, I asked "a lot" of questions after reading everything I could find on the topic, and the folks here got me in the right direction. Listed all of the intended reloading-tools for purchase and let the forum-members see if I was on the right track. There were a few items I hadn't considered from the beginning, since I wanted to get the biggest "bang" for my "buck" to alleviate having to continuously add after my initial purchase. There will always be things that can be added, but after a number of days letting the forum-members post - it all came into focus rather quickly. There are a lot of really well-informed folks here, and they will help you out in more ways that you can realize. Great bunch of people.
What I've found after the initial purchase is that the actual components for reloading can be reduced in cost by purchasing in bulk. In my case, I am focused on reloading for accuracy. The time-consuming process of developing a "recipe" for your firearm is the longest procedure, I've found. After that, it's proverbially "lather, rinse, repeat". Although the load work-up, in my case, has been to try different components. (Powder, primers, and bullets.) By doing this, I hope to alleviate the frustration when needing to replace a preferred powder or primer - when not readily available - by having an alternate "recipe". I know, a bit over-kill... but, that's just the type of guy that I am. Probably a character-flaw. Please feel free to ask anyone their opinions on parts or pieces you plan to purchase, and they will give you their experience. They may even have an option that may not be a common topic which can help you out while learning. Again, there's a lot of genuinely nice folks here. Hope you find what works for you, and welcome to a fun experience called reloading. It's a "blast". |
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Thanks for the kind words. About buying in bulk, buy in small lots to start. Find out what works for you and what doesn't first. Once you know what you like, then go bulk buying. Example, Rem 6 1/2 primer. Says small rifle primer (it is but for low pressure rounds only) Not for 223, for 22 Hornet and 30 carbine. (Warning on box that nobody ever sees.) So if you buy 5000 and want to load them in 223, you will have problems with all but the lightest loads. (the primers pierce) So before buying components read and study reloading manuals. |
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Don't make the mistake I did: I went CHEAP on my digital scale.
It looked like something a a druggie would own. And while OK accurate, it was unreliable (turned off all the time) and ate batteries. The Dillon scales are top-notch. Time was, the Dillons were re-branded PACT scales. Either brand should have a range of models - all good quality. As far as scales go, buy once cry once. |
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Should I consider something like this to get me started? Seems to be a pretty basic to me but maybe that's what I need.
http://www.brownells.com/reloading/reloading-kits/rock-chucker-supreme-master-reloading-kit-prod54059.aspx-prod54059.aspx |
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That's the kit I began with in December, turfengineer. It includes quite a few necessary items: scale, priming-tool, etc. Of course, there will be other items to add to the list to get you on your way, but... I have really enjoyed learning the many aspects of reloading on the RCBS Rock Chucker single-stage press. Guess I just like being meticulous.
dryflash3 mentioned early in the post about a book called: The ABC's of Reloading. Before I even unpacked everything, I read that book cover-to-cover. (At the time, only half of it made sense, but...) It literally spells out the many things you are likely to encounter, and I continue to refer to it. The Lyman 49 Book is a great reference item, as well. The RCBS-kit you mentioned comes with the Sierra Manual, although I just compare it with the Lyman book's data to stay within reason while working up loads for my firearms. I went the route of wet-tumbling after being referred to it by others on the forums. There was a deluxe-kit that included everything I'd need here, aside from the blue Dawn dish-washing liquid. It has worked excellent for me, and I can't say enough good tings about it. I chose to swage the primer-pockets on once-fired military brass, so I had to find a solution to that. I chose a Dillon super swage 600 and mounted it to a 2" x 12", so I could sit in front of the tv and do it. Some folks choose another way, but for me... it's a straight-forward process.... and, I can't mess it up. At first, I didn't see the validity of having a powder-trickler. Some folks just solder an empty piece of handgun brass to something, and that works well for them. (I wasn't one of those people.) I did get a Redding powder-trickler, and it saves "a lot" of time while measuring out powder during load work-ups. So, that might be something to consider. I think that is about all I can post, at this time. |
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I started with the Lee classic kit has everything the RCBS does but cost from cabelas was $130ish. Loaded close to 4000 rounds with it. Before I got a Dillon 550 for 223 and a Hornady LNL AP for 40. Needless to I still use it occasionally for 556 for decaping and other small batches of ammo I reload. But, it was a great learning set. I realized I needed to step up to higher end, and RCBS didn't have that for me that setup you posted above in my opinion would just be a step stone to learn on before going with a dillon or hornady. Lots of people will bag on Lee stuff but, like I said if pumped out a years worth of 223 on it. Cheap start up cost!
Also might want to consider a SWAGER for 556. |
| Wet tumbling is the way to go. I did my first batch a while back using a couple of Harbor Freight dual drum units and the absolute worst range brass you've ever seen came out shiny and new. Even the primer pockets looked great after 4 hours. Filtered water, Lemishine and a little Dawn liquid do wonders with stainless tumbling media. |
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Quoted: That's the kit I began with in December, turfengineer. It includes quite a few necessary items: scale, priming-tool, etc. Of course, there will be other items to add to the list to get you on your way, but... I have really enjoyed learning the many aspects of reloading on the RCBS Rock Chucker single-stage press. Guess I just like being meticulous. dryflash3 mentioned early in the post about a book called: The ABC's of Reloading. Before I even unpacked everything, I read that book cover-to-cover. (At the time, only half of it made sense, but...) It literally spells out the many things you are likely to encounter, and I continue to refer to it. The Lyman 49 Book is a great reference item, as well. The RCBS-kit you mentioned comes with the Sierra Manual, although I just compare it with the Lyman book's data to stay within reason while working up loads for my firearms. I went the route of wet-tumbling after being referred to it by others on the forums. There was a deluxe-kit that included everything I'd need here, aside from the blue Dawn dish-washing liquid. It has worked excellent for me, and I can't say enough good tings about it. I chose to swage the primer-pockets on once-fired military brass, so I had to find a solution to that. I chose a Dillon super swage 600 and mounted it to a 2" x 12", so I could sit in front of the tv and do it. Some folks choose another way, but for me... it's a straight-forward process.... and, I can't mess it up. At first, I didn't see the validity of having a powder-trickler. Some folks just solder an empty piece of handgun brass to something, and that works well for them. (I wasn't one of those people.) I did get a Redding powder-trickler, and it saves "a lot" of time while measuring out powder during load work-ups. So, that might be something to consider. I think that is about all I can post, at this time. I'm glad I could help. 
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