what do i need to strat reloading? and how do i reload ive senn it done a couple of times but the guy that showed me is dead and i forget? please help.

 

A good friend that knows how to reload and a case ot two of beer!

OR, you might start by getting a reloading book. Lee Percision makes a good one that walks you through the "how" and gives you pointers on the equipment. Due to the cost of a "good quality" reloader people don't bother to learn. It is fairly easy to learn but is not without its obvious hazzards.

I currently use an MEC 650 for reloading shotgun shells. Mostly 12ga and 10ga.

I use a Lee turrent press for my rifle shells which I think I have about $300 into for dies and such. I use to use a lee progressive for my pistol shells but switched to a dillion XL 650 for my 454 Casul ,44 mag and 45 Long Colt pistols. I reload about 2000 to 6000 rounds a year for myself and friends with it. I paid about $600 for it and all its fixin's and I absolutely love it. I am not sure which I like more shooting the pistol or reloading with the dillion.

A nice powder scale is a real time/life saver too. The more accurate the powder charge the better it performs and the safer you reloads are to shoot.

I also have about 30 different reloading books that I have picked up and learned from over the years. SO I would highly suggest starting your library by visiting a gun store and buying a reloading manual and reading it. The newer ones have so much information about the new bullets they are coming out with.

Hope this helps

SJ

 

Swampyjunior has given you good advice. I would reiterate the part about buying a couple of good manuals and learning the basics as best you can prior to buying a lot of equipment. If you start out with one calibre and learn the ins and outs of developing good loads you will better understand what you need in the future.

Swampy's comment about buying a top of the line scale is excellent advice. I have an electronic but still keep a quality balance beam scale on the bench to double check with.

The Dillon presses are outstanding units, I have a couple of the progressives, and will do an outstanding job of loading larger quantities of ammo. For real precision loads for use in competition shooting I prefer a good "C" or "H" press.

Lee Precision makes good quality, less expensive equipment that is great for smaller lots and is very cost effective. I have a bunch of Lee equipment I keep in the camper to use when we are on the road and really can tell no difference in the quality of the ammo that it produces from that made on the more expensive equipment. Size wise the Lee equipment is quite a bit smaller and lighter.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to get into the reloading hobby. Select your tools with care and follow the advice you find in the current reloading manuals. It is a natural tendency for most people getting started to want to work up maximum loads but it is best to avoid this until you have a very strong understanding of the internal ballistics involved.

Good luck with your new hobby, it's a lot of fun.

 

There are some very good reloading manuals out there that can get you started in the right direction.I like the Speer and Hodgdon manuals just be sure to get the latest versions in case you want to reload any of the more recent(last ten years) calibers.Study the manuals and pay attention to the pressure that a load puts out since this can be the one thing that can make bad things happen with stout loads.NEVER EXCEED the manuals recommendations for any reasons,there are limits for a reason.Reloading can be a very fun hobby that can save you some $$$ if you shoot a lot and at the least you can usually get better accuracy with some experimenting.Keep your reloading bench clean,organized,and away from the reach of children and pay attention to detail and you will have a good time.Not trying to scare you off with the comments but just realize that reloading is pretty serious business that can be dangerous.

 

Good advice from all so far. Tellin ya I wish we had the internet back when I started reloading which was before 4 wheelers. There is a wealth of info out there on the net but a good old printed hardback manual by Speer or Nosler etc is real hard to beat......you can understand what's going on before you even get your hands on hardware.

I bought a Lee turret press for about 50 bucks way back then, and a good RCBS powder measure and scale, and I've made thousands of rounds on that setup, pistol and rifle. Gradually put together the other essential items like brass tumbler, micrometer, and such. Even without expensive equipment, my 223 and 270 reloads will land 3 shots inside the base of a coffee cup at 300 yards. It's nothing but attention to detail. And you will be able to shoot much more for the buck which is a very good thing.

My favorite part of reloading is 44 and 357 and 38 shells which are so cheap to reload I can shoot all day without even caring about it.

Read about powder and understand it. Have fun.

SR

 

Reloading is a lot of fun. I am currently teaching my daughter how to reload. She really gets a kick out of doing the calculations to see what small changes in powder or bullet weight can do to a load.

It is hard (NO, difficult) to get accross the fact that you MUST be careful when adjusting loads. She likes the loading part but really likes the calculations. She is my quality control when it comes my ammo.

So I will add that those who know how to reload should pass it along tothe next generation along with the love for shooting/hunting.

SJ

 

Good on you Swampy for teaching your daughter to load. I taught a number of young people over the years including our sons. The time came when instead of them shooting up my ammo I shoot up theirs. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Payback is sooo much fun. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

You can also buy a cheap video on the internet that walks you through the steps. When I started, I didn't have anyone to show me so let a video show me and also got "the ABC's of Reloading" book to read up on.
I bought a complete RCBS reloading kit off of Ebay for around $120.
The components you need are:
1) a press (to use in conjunction with dies & Shell holders)
2) Shell holders (they fit on the shaft of the press to hold the cartridge in place as you use the press)
3) dies (come in sets of 2 or 3, screw into a press, & manipulate brass cartridges in a particular caliber)
1) Resizing die (shapes brass cases back to it's original size after being fired, & pops out the old primer)
2) Expander die (expands the opening of the case to allow a bullet to be seated in the case)
3) Bullet seating die (seats a bullet in a cartridge after the powder has been added)
*Note: you need a set of dies for every caliber you reload
4) a scale (for weighing powder)
5) Case trimming kit (used to cut brass down after it lengthens from multiple firings)
6) Funnel (to pour the powder into the cartridge)
7) a powder dispenser (usually comes with reloading kits)
8) lube (cases need to be lubed before resizing so they don't get stuck in dies)
9) Lube pad (you put the lube on this and roll the cases on it to lube them)
10) a reloading manual (has recipies for many calibers and instructions on how to reload safely and effectively)

The following numbers usually come in a complete reloading kit: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
2) shell holders are sometimes purchased seperately and 3) dies are always purchased seperately from a kit.

Those are the basics you need. once you start reloading, you might buy accessories that save you time or make your ammunition more accurate.
getting an instuctional video helps a lot because if you don't understand something right away, you can always watch it over and over again until you understand.

 

Originally posted by ShadyRascal: I wish we had the internet back when I started reloading which was before 4 wheelers.

Didn't you just chop down a tree and sharpen one end?!!!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Just kidding!!!

Seriously though, what can I expect to pay for the following? Are there any all-in-one kits?

1) press
2) Shell holders
3) dies
1) Resizing die
2) Expander die
3) Bullet seating die
4) scale
5) Case trimming kit
6) Funnel
7) a powder dispenser
8) lube
9) Lube pad
10) a reloading manual

 

There are some kits that have almost everything. Dies will always be bought separate though because you need a set for every caliber you plan on reloading. Check the internet for ?rock chucker reloading kits? by RCBS. I bought a complete kit that came with every basic thing you need to reload for about $120 off ebay.
New it would probably cost about $300.
Dies for normal popular calibers cost around $25 a set

I was also military and got my first kit in mailed to me in Germany, unfortunately it is illegal to reload in Germany so I studied up for about a year before I got to use the kit..

First step is to buy a reloading manual/guild or an explanatory DVD and study up on what you need. Then it will make purchasing a kit a lot easier
The Speer Manual has tons of info.
Usually if you buy a kit, you can?t go wrong, and it should come with a manual to teach you how to use the equipment. There won?t be much else that?s not included in the kit that you will need.
Here is one of the best web sites for purchasing everything related to guns and reloading
http://www.midwayusa.com/

I also had to look at the picks of the reloading kits to familiarize my self with the equipment before I purchased it.

It seems very complicated and difficult to get started, but once you get in the swing of things, it'll be worth it even if you are just planning to save money.
I like to shoot 45-70 and a box of factory ammo costs $30 for the cheap stuff. I can reload premium hunting ammo for $7-$10 a box and target ammo for less than $5 a box.
It takes time to reload, but all it takes is a trip to the store and a look at how high ammo prices are for me to go back home and load my own

plus, you can find armor piercing and tracer bullets that you can't find in factory loaded ammo.