(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best gun maintenance products

There's a perfectly serviceable FAQ here which SHOULD answer the mail here, but for some reason, despite the frequency of newbie posts, no one on the mod team has increased the font size of that link on the sidebar SO PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT AND READ IT (Seriously mods, get with it). I'll make a "Teal Deer" version even though I oughta know better by now.

1. I don't see any reloading manuals on that list. Buy at least two reloading manuals and read them. Did you read them? Yes? Good. Read them again. Did you do that? Good. Read them again. Did you do that? LiarGood. You still sure about this? Yes? Ok, now you may go buy your equipment. Notice how you bought and studied some manuals and then went to buy stuff? Ok, just checking.
   
   In addition to the manuals there's some good Youtube videos out there you can watch to see what the books are trying to explain, but realize some people have better habits than others. Some guys do some pretty trick shit, but that's for advanced users only; fun to watch, but not necessarily a "try this at home" type of thing.
   
   
2. If you're doing this for the money, most return on investment will be with the "uncommon" calibers, .30 carbine paid off my Lee Challenger setup after 700ish rounds. If you want to make pet hunting loads for each of your rifles you'll save dollars per round off premium .308 and .30-06 too. Conversely, it's hard to make a return on 9mm until you've bought components in bulk. Bulk in this case is defined as a couple thousand projectiles and multiple 8-pound cannisters of powder. Here's a good source for price comparison if you need some hard numbers to convince your wife to let you spend save money on this new wallet draining endeavor.
   
   
3. Opinions will vary wildly, but if you're dead set on starting but really aren't sure if you'll stick with it, get a quality single stage press. Scour your favorite for-sale-by-owner websites for used tools, and keep an eye out for deals on Amazon. If you don't stick with the hobby, a quality single stage will be easiest to get most of your money back on when you sell it on ebay or RapelistCraigslist. If you like it, a quality single stage will always come in handy when you make special pet loads for accuracy, even if you upgrade to a progressive some day.
   
   If you're plan to load for bulk, which I'm guessing is your case because you're looking to do 9mm, a turret/progressive press hybrid like the Lee Classic Turret Press, where you can take the indexing rod out and use it as a single stage if need be, might be a much better choice for you. You can start out learning in single stage mode and add the indexing rod later. Single stage and 9mm is TEDIOUS (Ask me how I know...I own a Challenger like the one you have listed) Opinions on progressive presses vary, and merely by mentioning the Lee I fully expect to receive at least a half dozen unsolicited opinions replies on the matter. A progressive is pretty much mandatory if your primary purpose is to chase savings by loading pistol calibers or .223 in bulk.
   
   Here's my recommended list of stuff; I recommend NOT buying the Challenger KIT, because most of the stuff you'll want to upgrade later or will find you'll never use it. Take the money you're saving by not buying the kit and get the turret press I mentioned above instead. You'll spend a little bit more on certain items by going a la carte because there are a few places where not skimping gets you way more value. Buy the dies from whoever you want, quality level is up to you. For plinking purposes, and even most special tuned loads, Lee is just fine.
   
   Buy the press and one or two calibers of dies, then buy a good digital scale, a good chamfer and deburring tool (not that shitty Lee abomination. Seriously, fuck that thing. Your hands will thank you), a cutter (plus associated gauge and shell holder for a drill), a powder funnel, a puller for when you inevitably dick it up, and a nice set of calipers and you're off to a solid start for under $350.
   
   We could also get WAY into tumblers and the benefits of wet vs dry, but I'll leave some leftovers for others to talk about.

I typically clean my guns after any range trip, but I am not as OCD about it as I was trained to be.

One thing I do always use is some form of a CLP. I like using something like that because if I leave a little behind in some hard-to-clean area of the gun, it will still provide an oil-like protective film. I cringe when I hear people use something like brake cleaner on their guns to de-grease them. If they miss a spot oiling/lubing afterward they have left bare metal exposed - pretty much guaranteed to rust.

Break-Free - was always a good stand by.

Tri-Flow - is similar to Break Free, I just seem to like it better (once heard it was created by one of the two original Break Free partners after their split. Not sure of the validity of that story.).

Strike Hold - This is just the best of the bunch. It does all it is supposed to: penetrates well, makes it easy to clean the gun, and it provides stellar protection after wiping it all down when finishing up. You could use just this and do well for your guns.

Ballistol - no long-term assessment yet. I seem to still reach right past the Ballistol can and grab the Strike Hold spray bottle. I suppose one of these days I will have to make a serious attempt at learning for myself if this is the way to go.

Congrats and welcome to the Mauser club! You picked a decent rifle for your first. This one's been refinished, but I have yet to see a 1916 in original condition that doesn't look like it was dug up out of a mud puddle, and this is a shooter, so that's probably for the best.


So before you buy anything else, you'll want to get your range kit together, starting with a cleaning kit. This youtuber has the most in depth range kit video I've seen, but his setup is geared towards black powder rifles.


For a cleaning kit, you'll want patches, a bore snake, and a cleaning rod. I suggest going to Walmart for these to start. You will also probably want a cleaning solvent with a copper solvent in it.


You'll also want a gunsmith's screwdriver kit. These have a different bit that's meant to prevent the screws from stripping out.


For a shooting rest, I really like how compact the rest from that video.


For a spotting scope, you can spend hundreds of dollars on a piece of shit. Something like this celestron is what I use. A pure refractory telescope in that price range won't work very well unless it's incredibly sunny.


If you want to get into reloading, the cheapest and most space efficient way is with the Lee hand press. You would still need a case trimmer, dies, and some other stuff. It takes some research to figure out exactly what you want.


And finally, you'll want to figure out how to carry all this stuff as efficiently as possible. There is a tendency to have all kinds of cases and stuff you have to drag out to the range. The best thing you can do is to figure out how to get all this stuff in a range dedicated backpack, which is why I linked the video.


I also recommend that channel. He's not the easiest to watch, but I have yet to find a channel that is as thorough or as knowledgeable in one rifle as this gentleman. His favorite, as far as I can tell, is the P53 enfield.

Look for a 91/30. Prices atm range from ~130-200. I wouldn't pay more than 150 in person for one unless it were something really special. For the love of God don't bubba it (sporterize, cut, destroy, drill, etc) (From what you've posted you don't sound like the kind of guy who would- Good man.)

Recoil isn't worse than a 12guage, it kicks but it's a fun kick. Of my guns it's my gf's favorite, and she's tiny. Get a rubber recoil pad and it does wonders, I have a link for the one I use in the 2nd half of this guide. People joke about the recoil being insane but it's greatly exaggerated.

Here's some info from a guide i've been working on. Runnybear's guide over on the /r/guns FAQ is a great place to start but I tried to pick up on some of the stuff he left out. Also I held out on including a hidden goatse, for better or worse.


BUYING:

FACTORIES: Russian Mosins come from two main factories: Izhmash and Tula. 91/30’s (Made after 1930) Izhmash is depicted by a triangle with an arrow in it. Izhmash before that is depicted by a small bow and arrow. Tula is depicted as a star with an arrow in it. Some people swear by Tula, something to do with less being made by them and they got the instructions before the Izhmash plant did and could start producing them earlier, but I have yet to find any solid evidence that would indicate one being better than the other. Regardless of whether or not any difference is present, online gun retailers have capitalized on such views and will charge you extra (10-20 bucks from what I’ve seen) for a Tula. Again, that does not indicate that they are better, they’ve capitalized on people thinking (which may or may not be true) that Tula’s are better. For reference both of my Mosins are Izhmash (’42 refurb and a ’44 Ex-PU Sniper) and work just fine. If there’s a spotless, sparkling Izhmash and a rusted or beat up Tula, I’d go with the Izhmash. Don’t think of Tula as some holy grail with steel forged by Stalin himself in Lenin's tomb.


REFURBS: Check the stock and receiver for a small symbol that looks like a square with a line either going diagonally through it or vertically through the center. This would mean that your gun was taken and re-finished and touched up at a Ukranian Arsenal in the 1970's. Up to you on whether or not you want a refurb. The refurb process basically touched up the rifle and may have swapped out or replacement parts. Your call if you want to go with a refurb, some people say it “takes away from the collectible value” or whatever but when it comes down to it we’re talking about a 150 dollar rifle so the “collectible value” might be an extra 20 bucks. If you’re looking for a good shooter, I wouldn’t scoff at refurbs. Parts were replaced due to being worn out or beat up. When looking at a refurb definitely check for a COUNTERBORE (described below).

EX-SNIPERS: In your journeys you may find a 91/30 that was a sniper-model originally. 91/30's that had exceeded accuracy standards were given a scope, bent bolt, and a better trigger system and issued to snipers. As the war dragged on, the need for infantry rifles outweighed the need for sniper rifles, so they started stripping them of their scopes and re-issuing them as infantry rifles. To see if said rifle is an ex-sniper, look for a few signs. For starters, check the receiver to the left of the factory stamp and date (on the side of the rifle, just above the stock). Do you see a separate serial number with a line stamped through it? This would be the serial # of the scope on your rifle that was removed. To check further, open your bolt and inspect the inner receiver wall. Do you see 4 holes about the size of a pencil eraser in the wall of the receiver? These are spots at which one point the receiver was drilled and the scope fastened in these holes with screws. Also look for wartime productions with very smooth receivers. This is not always indicative of an ex-sniper, but sniper models were given nicer finishes at the factories than their infantry brethren. While a standard wartime 91/30 would probably have grooves or a rough surface, ex-snipers have smooth, finished barrel shanks. Also look for a "C" stamp, this is indicative of a sniper mosin. Ex-snipers are generally worth a bit more than a regular Mosin, and the trigger is much nicer. Also they were originally more accurate than their infantry brethren, but that may or may not be true today. It does make the rifle unique though! Also, on my '44 Izhmash Ex-Sniper the bolt seems to move smoother and more quietly when working the action, and i've noticed at the back of the receiver on mine the path that the bolt travels has some angled grooves, almost like rifling. Not sure if that has anything to do with the bolt being quieter/smoother but it's there.

COUNTERBORE: Also check the muzzle to see if it has been counterbored. What this means is that for whatever reason (dinged up by cleaning rods, rust, Ivan tried to fight a rock with it) the muzzle crown was messed up, and the Soviets re-drilled it to “improve” accuracy. A simple way to check this is to take your average 7.62x54R round and insert it into the MUZZLE, bullet first (pointy goes in). If you can press the bullet itself in up to the casing around it, it was a counterbore. If you find resistance and can’t push all the way to the casing neck, it was not counterbored. Counterboring affects the accuracy and is generally not desired.

FIELD STRIP IT: Look all over for rust and pitting. Even though these things were seemingly tossed in a cosmoline vat, rust can still be present on these rifles. Taking the rifle apart is super easy. Start by making sure the firearm is unloaded. Then, pull the bolt back all the way. While pulling the trigger, pull the bolt back further to free it from the receiver. Then, slide the two metal bands on the stock (holding the wood on the barrel) to the front of the rifle. This should allow the top wooden cover of the barrel to free and come off. Then take a Mosin tool (or flat-head screwdriver) and you’re going to remove 2 screws. One is on top-back of the receiver, just beneath where the cocking knob sits when the bolt is closed. The second screw is underneath the rifle, at the front of the magazine. Take these two off, and you can pop it right out of the stock. Look underneath the rifle and all over it for signs of rust or pitting (little pocks and divots caused by rust eating into the metal). Avoid rust like the plague, it’s not your friend and it could cause a serious problem when firing. Once you have field stripped it, you could probably do it again blindfolded. It’s like the world’s easiest puzzle, with two screws and 2 metal bands (not like Slayer or Megadeth, but circular loops of metal to hold the stock (you came for the guide, but stay for my piss-poor attempts at humor!)).

ELECTRO-PENCIL: Check the bolt, magazine, and floorplate to see if they have matching serials stamped into them. They may have the original stamped numbers lined out (or not visible) and the presence of Electro-Penciled numbers (bottom picture here ). What this means is that these parts are not original to the rifle, but were "force-matched" from other rifles to fit it for any number of reasons (the original bolt on your rifle may have been ruined, or magazine broken, etc etc). Think of it as a "Frankenstein" gun, with parts from other Mosins being part of it. This is an indicator of a ARSENAL REFURB, described above, and you may want to take that into consideration depending on what you are looking for.

HEADSPACE: I would either headspace it yourself or have it headspaced by a gunsmith before firing, you can buy gauges from Amazon for around 20 bucks IIRC. I use the No-Go and Go gauges from Firewerks. You will need BOTH a Go and No-Go gauge to measure the headspace, the rifle must pass both checks for it to be considered properly headspaced and safe to fire. They involve a simple test using a little gauge that you place on the front of the bolt and then cycle the action. I wouldn’t imagine any gun store to have a problem with you checking headspace. There is also a “Field” gauge that can be used should the Go and No-Go gauges failed, but this kind of indicates that your gun is in a grey area of safety and should probably only be shot using modern commercial ammunition (I wouldn’t buy anything that didn’t pass both the No-Go and Go test).

(CONTINUED BELOW)

Frankford Arsenal powder trickler. Compact, nice heavy base for stability, even flow. I also have an RCBS trickler and hate it. It's not as stable and the dispensing arm thingy is a weird two piece design that never seem to flow well for me.
GemPro 250 digital scale. Do not waste your money on cheaper options. I don't have experience with the chargemaster type of scale. I like to do things manually.
Redding Imperial Sizing Die Wax. Best stuff there is. Works amazingly well. I also keep a lanolin/alcohol spray lube around for doing large batch work, but Imperial Sizing Wax does a better job.
Hornady Bullet Comparator set. You don't mention what cartridges you're reloading. THIS KIT DOES NOT INCLUDE 6.5mm. There's a 14 insert kit that includes more, or you can buy just the few inserts you need.
Frankford Arsenal bullet puller. I buy what's cheap. These don't last forever. All the hammering eventually cracks the plastic. I've tried several brands and they all break eventually. I usually keep two on hand.


So that covers what you already know you need. Here are some more recommendations.

Hornady 9th Edition. I use this more than all my other manuals combined. I shoot a lot of Hornady bullets, though. If you already have a favorite bullet brand, you should buy that brand's manual.

Lyman Shooters Check Weights. I use these every single time I reload. I like knowing that my scale isn't lying to me. Digital scales can be finicky sometimes! These are worth every penny.

Hornady Headspace Comparator set. This is a lot like the bullet comparator set, except that it measure to the shoulder of the case instead of the ogive of the bullet. If you're planning on monitoring the amount you're bumping your shoulders during resizing, this is what you need.

Lyman Case Prep Multi-Tool. The chamfer tool that came with your kit will do the job, but this Lyman multi tool is my preferred method. It also comes with primer pocket scrapers that will be useful, and primer pocket reamers you should throw away and never use.

RCBS Uniflow Powder Baffle. This will help your uniflow powder measure throw more consistent charges.

RCBS Advanced Powder Measure Stand. If you're going to do a permanent installation of your powder measure on your bench, you will want this stand. Its price is absurd, but it's a great stand.

RCBS Universal case loading block. Your kit came with one, but you need at least one more.

What is your plan for cleaning brass? Wet tumbling with steel pins is the way to go. I have the Frankford Arsenal unit. It's huge and noisy. If I had it to do over I would purchase the dual drum tumbler from Harbor Freight and buy steel pins from Amazon.

Redding dies don't come with shellholders. Did you remember to get one?

What is your plan for case trimming? You don't mention what you're reloading. The cheapest option, which is actually my preferred method, is the Lee case length gauge and shellholders with their cutter and lock studs.

There are some additional case prep tools, but they would depend on what you're doing. If you are dealing with brass that has military crimps, you'll need tools to deal with that. There are primer pocket brushes, primer pocket uniformers, flash hole deburring tools, and a million other little things.

That's all that's coming to mind right now. I'm sure I missed some stuff.

>Should I clean and oil it before I shoot?

Some guns comes with packing grease and some don't. It doesn't hurt to clean and oil, but make sure you don't over-lubricate because that can cause problems too.

>How often should i clean it? After every time i shoot?

As CMK said it's up to you. Some people are meticulous about cleaning between every session (so usually 100-200 rounds) but it's not absolutely necessary for a modern duty gun like the Glock.

I usually clean every other session (so around 500 rounds) but I don't really make a rule of it.

>Do i need to buy a cleaning kit or will the brush it came with be ok?

Better to get a kit, but there are lots of cheap crappy ones out there. You can just assemble one yourself, but generally what you want are:

• Brass or non-marring (coated) cleaning rod. Don't worry about caliber, they are all the same and it's only the attachments that differ by bore size.
  
• Brushes. At least one nylon and one bronze. I like this pack.
  
• Cotton patches. Just buy bulk and cut them yourself.
  
• A lot of people recommend dental picks or something similar, for the hard to reach crap.
  
• Bore snakes work for a quick routine cleaning, but it's more for convenience and you should still have the above basics.
  
  >What cleaning products and or gun oil do you recommend?
  
  You have many good choices on the market to pick from. Here are a few:
  
  
• Hoppe's No.9: a good, well known solvent
  
• Rem Oil
  
• Tetra Gun Grease: grease is not oil. Use it only on the really heavy load bearing parts.
  
• Break-Free CLP: an all-in-one product (Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant) that can be used for both cleaning and lubricating. There are dedicated products that are better for either purpose, but this one doesn't hurt. The military uses it.
  
• Froglube CLP: another CLP that's gaining popularity because it's non-toxic and biodegradable
  
• Ballistol: another good and well-known all-purpose product

I have all of those pieces except the case prep center and they are all great. I was happily reloading my rifles with this.

I also bought a Dillon 550 and I love that too. I do 9, 40, 556 and 300 with it.

Then a friend dropped about 2k of 5.56 brass in my lap. The case trimmer and "by the hand" primer pocket cleaning and deburr of the neck got old really fast.

I bought the Universal Trim station which basically is an automated case trimmer and built in case prep center. After some out of box problems (RCBS quickly sent me replacement parts). I love that too.

I will say even though I purchased [this crimp remover] (http://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Trim-Military-Crimp-Remover-SM/dp/B0063IDE6A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422572881) and it's the first thing I'm actually dissatisfied with. I still don't have reliable primer seating (occasional primer crushes) on the Dillon.

I moved over to this as a step in once fired brass prep, and then go ahead and clean out the primer pocket using the crimp removal thing (on the trim station) from above and things seem really solid now.

I hope that helps, stay safe and have fun.

RCBS has great customer service. I don't think you'll regret getting that kit.

> I'm looking for a good cleaning kit and set of tools for this gun.

For a starter kit, i'd recommend something like this setup:

• Otis Cleaning Kit
  
• 6" Q-Tips - Great for the hard to reach spots a regular short Q-Tip can't reach.
  
• TekMat - Only cleaning mat brand i'll go with, durable, and solid for the price.
  
• CLP - Whatever you prefer, everyone has something they like/prefer. For now, i've been using RandCLP to clean my guns for the last year, and some ALG Go-Juice as my lube.
  
• Brushes - I don't use these as often as some do, most use them for stuff like scrubbing their BCG's. I only clean my AR's after a high round count, so i use mine maybe once a month when i clean my regular phosphate BCG's.
  
• Shop Towels - I use the shit out of these. After shooting suppressed i gave up on being real anal-retentive about cleaning, so i just wipe down parts (BCG, uppers, CH, etc) with a shop towel and re-lube where needed. I only do a detailed cleaning maybe 1-2 a year.
  
• AR Tool - Despite Tapco stuff usually being Chinese junk, their AR tool is pretty tip-top, i've had it for about 3.5 years now and used it a lot, it's held up wonderfully.
  
  I use a kit i put together myself for cleaning my handguns, rifles, shotgun, etc, for cleaning. My guns get cleaned differently, which gun it is dictates how it'll get clean and how often.

Reloading is a rabbit hole, you can spend so much time chasing the umpteenth thousandth of an inch of accuracy. Guys will hem and haw over the most minuscule details, brand loyalty, etc. I don't subscribe to that. I'm assuming you want "good enough for hunting and hitting your intended target at 600 meters and in".

You are asking about bottle necked calibers which have a few extra steps in the process but honestly you don't need all that much.

If you want to absolutely cheap out and "rounds produced per hour" (rate) isn't a concern you could easily do all that for sub $500. Something like the RCBS Supreme Kit has most of what you need, throw in dies and a cheap way to trim bass and you're in business. I spent my first two years reloading on a sub $300 kit in my apartment. My setup was a little tabletop box I could clamp to my kitchen counter and store in a broom closet.

If you're willing to go a little higher you can get a progressive press, which allows each pull of the handle to do multiple steps. This exponentially increases your rounds produced in a given time and does not sacrifice quality. Something along the lines of the Hornady LnL Auto or the Dillon 550-ish series are solid. I'd say probably $700 or so and if you can afford the little extra the boost to productivity is worth it. On my single stage I can reload about 50 rounds an hour and each round takes multiple strokes of the handle, fiddling with the press between steps, and can be frustrating. On my progressive that shoots up to 300+ pretty easily. Most progressive presses can be switched into manual mode essentially giving you a single stage press without all the fuss.

Reloading will NOT save you money unless you dedicate yourself to casting your own bullets or are shooting odd calibers. Even then the argument can easily be made that you'd be better off working extra hours and buying ammo with that cash.

Reloading WILL give you ultimate control over your ammo.

If you're in NoVa Elite Shooting Sports has a little reloading bar / area you can check out some stuff. They also offer some clinics but I haven't had a chance to sit through one.

first of all

Secondly, I assume you mean this one, the lee cast iron turret is a great press and it will work for most applications, If you need to do things not involving the turret (like decapping of w/e) you can just pull the index rod out(it just pops out when you take the dies out) and it won't spin anymore.

For tumbler I can say wet tumbling is best but not feasable for everyone and walnut tumbling works fine. The frankfort arsenal kit is good choice.

Lee dies and hand trimmers are cheap and work good too. I wouldn't worry about a trimmer for 40 or 9 but get one for sure for 223 and 30-06. cutter + Insert

there's some more basics like decent case lube and components themselves but it's a step in the right direction.

EDIT
***
additional recommended things would be a kinetic bullet puller, digital scale, and calipers.

I feel your budget pain! I was lucky enough to get into reloading during a rare time in which I could go further in debt up to my eyeballs, but even I need to cut corners as much as I can while I concentrate on preparing for post-election shortages. At your budget level I'm going to disagree with the other commentor who recommends dial calipers; $10 digital calipers from Harbor Freight or eBay are decent and will serve you well for a few years.

Your plan fails at primer installation. Neither the hand press nor the Ultimate Rifle Die Set (good choice, IMHO) is provisioned for priming. You'd need to get a Ram Prime die or some sort of separate primer such as a hand primer (avoid the Lee hand primer because it uses proprietary shell holders).

I recently added the hand press to my collection. The hand press is nowhere near as large or heavy as its photos make it look. It's a light-duty, dinky little thing. I'm glad I have it but I wouldn't want to use it as my main press, just as an accessory. It's ok for decapping when primers aren't in too tightly, but some cases have been more difficult and I have to lay it down and repeatedly slam it (putting my fingers at risk, there's not a lot of finger clearance). I was thinking of finding appropriate pipes to use as cheaters.

IMO its best uses are light-duty decapping (using a universal decapping die or a larger caliber's sizer/decapper; NOT the sizer/decapper from your caliber's die set) and Ram Prime usage while sitting on the couch, and mobile bullet seating at the range when you have already sized/prepped the cases at home. I would not want to use it to size .308win cases, that's for sure! Some can be tough even with my Rockchucker Supreme.

For almost the same price you can get the 90045 Lee Reloader (not to be confused with the Lee Loader), a disposably-priced but (reportedly) well-built simple single stage C-press. Bolt it to a block of wood, then clamp that to the kitchen table or your desk (or the bench at the range) when you want to use it. (You'll still need either a Ram Prime or a hand prime tool.)

(Edit: I missed where you commented on your furniture clamping worry. You can clamp it without leaving a mark. Harbor Freight's cheap bar clamps have nice rubbery plastic covers, and you could place another block of wood, even plywood, on the underside to spread it out even more, and you could even sandwich in some rubber or plastic.)

Yes, always choose carbide dies if they are available. They aren't that much more from Lee and they save time/effort, which you'll appreciate especially since it sounds like you'll be tediously hand-cleaning all your cases. Does Lee offer carbide .223 dies (or does anyone else offer them at a similar price)?

Immediately get at least a cheap $15 digital jeweller's scale that measures in grains. The dipper is convenient but you shouldn't do without a scale of some sort.

Once you get into the swing of it, 1000 cases won't seem like as big of a time investment as you thought...though a tumbler would help. Do you have a treadmill? If so, you can use a $1 barrel from Dollar Tree, $4 Hartz corn cob bird litter (though finer media might be more pleasant with .223), and a glob of car polish or whatever similar stuff is handy. Place barrel on treadmill, block the end with something heavy (or turn treadmill around so open end is against a wall) so the barrel can't roll off, and run treadmill at 1.5mph for 90 minutes...cases come out sparkling clean.

Also, I'm not sure if you'll save much/any on the .223. As someone else mentioned, steel-cased (with allowed bullets) can be pretty cheap -- cheap enough to pay for the extra barrel wear twice over.

Of all the reloading components, bullets are most expensive (you already own the brass) and disappear fast. If you get into casting and can source scrap lead then you can definitely save money on .223, but casting is even more equipment investment (financially, and your limited space, plus you ought to do it outdoors).

What you've done looks awesome! And I can say that you've taken the first step down a dangerous path! I started restoring putters as a side hustle almost 10 years ago (almost exclusively Cameron, but some Bettinardi), and once you get the hang of it, you can turn some pretty cheap and sloppy putters into great refurbs.

If you are at all interested in learning to add the original gunmetal look back to the putter, take a quick browse through golfwrx's Cameron Restoration threads. (I'll try to post a thread when I get back home.) You can turn a ~$50 investment into a $200+ sale, even more if you get lucky enough.

Link to the bluing kit I've always used:
https://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Casey-Liquid-Gun-Blue/dp/B000KKELM8

Edit-- here's the restoration thread I was talking about: http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/897086-scotty-cameron-rust-bucket-diy-step-by-step-restoration/

>"mediocre bandaid" source please

If your gun will only run with special gourmet lubricant, lubricant isn't your problem. That should be pretty self-evident.

I'm not saying it's ineffective. I'm challenging the assertion that it's so much better than everything else. All this guy's comparing it to is CLP, which doesn't do any one thing particularly well; its only advantage is that grunts only have to use one substance for everything.

The good USPSA shooters around these parts lube their fancy space blasters with Mobil 1; that's $10 for a lifetime worth of gun lubrication. I'm skeptical that it's worth spending $30 for 8oz of minty-smelling goop.

Guns aren't a particularly demanding application for lubricants, so IDK why people feel like they need to spend all this money on exotic lubricant concoctions. If Frog Lube gives you extra confidence in your guns' reliability then use it. Mine all work great with stuff I bought at the auto parts store.

I have no experience with the RCBS turret press, but in general RCBS makes good stuff. I'm sure it'll work out quite well.

Priming Tool: https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Perfect-Primer-Seating/dp/B01B7OYUVC

or:

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-90200-Hand-Priming-Tool/dp/B000PW71LO/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1541981733&sr=1-1&keywords=RCBS+priming+tool

As far as .223 reloading dies, really any standard FL sizing die kit is going to work just fine. Some of the more expensive dies will be made from better steels, and will have slightly nicer features, but overall they're all kind of the same.

Here are some RCBS ones as an example...$30 for your basic die kit:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011278027/rcbs-2-die-set

For $5 more, these Hornady dies are a little nicer (probably a little easier to make smaller adjustments, and a vastly superior lock ring):
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011077269/hornady-custom-grade-new-dimension-2-die-set

If you want to "buy once cry once" for rifle dies, you can get these:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/248565/redding-type-s-match-bushing-2-die-set

I'd probably recommend the cheaper standard FL die set(s) for starting out, at least while you learn the basics.


Regarding the flash suppressing powder, I've never really messed with that; I also shoot all my ARs suppressed lol. :)


Typically the faster the powder the less flash it's going to have at the muzzle (i.e. faster powders have completely burned up by the time they exit the muzzle, whereas slower powders may not be completely burned, especially on a shorter barreled rifle). I can't recall any powders that market themselves as having a lower flash signature either; if anything they focus on being cleaner burning, or having agents added that will reduce copper fouling. Lastly, most of the discussion you'll find (and where it makes a much bigger difference) is with pistol reloading; with those you can see/feel/hear a major difference with the powders; it's just not as pronounced with rifles in my experience.


If you looked at this chart, and found a powder that was on the faster end of the spectrum (i.e. had a lower number) and also appeared in the .223 load data (that also gave good velocity), in theory that would be the best powder for a low flash application.

Chart:
https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf

Hodgdon Load Data:
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

1. higher weight bullets will give a slight better performance for wind but not worth it for plinking ammo.
   
   
2. I dont know, i just use enough powder that cycles the system successfully.
   
   
3. YES I use a lee hand stimmer with a cutter and stud in a drill.
   
   
4. for 223 it do not think the price of brass is worth spending all the time to anneal.
   
   

Also, for cleaning and maintenance, I find ballistol and a crownsaver to be all you really need, until you are ready for a lube tune (which are easier than a lot of people expect). I am all thumbs when it comes to mechanical things, but I've torn down my HW95 and R9 a few times. They are probably some of THE EASIEST springers to work on, but a hatsan m95 shouldn't be too far from those.

Ballistol is good for cleaning the barrel, and general wipedowns.

Break in period can vary widely, from 20 shots to 500. I would use good pellets, so you can more accurately monitor when your gun starts to settle. If it isn't dieseling a lot, you'll probably have a short break in. If it is dieseling a lot, I would probably recommend a lube tune to just clean that gunk out...

Ballistol is great, here is what I use:

1. Black nitrile gloves
   
   
2. Steel mixing bowl
   
   
3. Gunslick Ultra Klenz
   
4. .40 Brass Jag in your caliber
   
   
5. Handgun cleaning rod
   
   
6. Patches in your caliber
   
   
7. CR-10 Bore Cleaner, for removing copper reisdue, use it inside the barrel only
   
   
8. Outers Crud Crutter
   
   
9. Gunslick graphite grease
   
   
10. Ballistol Lubricant
    
    I use them pretty much in that order. If I could buy only 1 thing from the list, it would be the nitrile gloves. All the gun cleaning solvents are super toxic, nitrile is better than latex for solvents. Latex won't stop some solvents. Ballistol is the second best thing, then Gunslick Ultra Klenz is my next favorite. The Outer's Crud Crutter removes all of the above solvents, I use it when I'm done cleaning with Ultra Klenz and CR-10 because it removes the solvents and dries leaving the gun bone dry. Then I apply a drop of grease at friction points and give it an all over polishing with Ballistol.

So that’s a fine setup to start with. You mentioned you would like to do 30-06 for your M1. So I figured I’d add in what you need to get started.

Dies, The lee dies are fine, and have a wonderful warranty.
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Pacesetter-Dies-Red/dp/B00162NUS0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=lee%2B30-06%2Bdie%2Bset&qid=1562265363&s=gateway&sprefix=lee%2B30-0&sr=8-2&th=1&psc=1

Case prep
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Preciesion-90950-Conditioning/dp/B008MG9HN0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=lee+30-06+trimmer&qid=1562265548&s=gateway&sr=8-3
And
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Springfield-Gauge-Holder/dp/B0013Z3Z3A/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=lee+30-06+trimmer&qid=1562265548&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Priming
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Platinum-Perfect-Reloading/dp/B01B7OYUVC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=priming+tool&qid=1562265718&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Case lube
https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9336-Case-Lube-Kit/dp/B007ZZO7XY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=case+lube+pad&qid=1562265764&s=gateway&sr=8-1

That should get you going rolling 30-06. You should look locally for primers, powder, and projectiles. Or if you feel like paying the hazmat fee, powdervalleyinc.com Natchez, and midway are great sources.

don't be a dick hammer and put all sort of mall ninja shit on it right away. spend all your money on ammo and quality cleaning equipment.



Cheap decent quality ammo



if you're new and you just want an easy cleaning kit:



field manual with pictures if you're really new to AR's something like this is super valuable to have.




Otis Cleaning Kit includes everything you need to clean it.



Lube Everyone has their favorite Lube, mine was ballistol, you can dump it on pretty much everything, and it makes it work together smoothly.



But now I prefer to use Seal 1 CLP this shit is great.




scrapper for when your bolt carrier group gets all fuckered.




you're def going to want one of these puppies too, a chamber brush

http://www.amazon.com/M-Pro-Sided-Tactical-Cleaning-Black/dp/B002CTCFTQ/ref=sr_1_48?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410762717&sr=1-48&keywords=cleaning+kit

http://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-BoreSnake-Cleaner-Choose-Caliber/dp/B004DPJPV8/ref=pd_sim_sg_10?ie=UTF8&refRID=05M04WYT0TVAT23E7G6E

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-Micro-Tactical-Folder/dp/B006YBW82C/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410763379&sr=1-5&keywords=cold+steel+lawman

http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Steel-American-Lawman-Handle/dp/B0015U73I6/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-1&keywords=cold+steel+law+man

http://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-831548-Rebar-w-Standard/dp/B005KSWIBQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764666&sr=1-2&keywords=leatherman+rebar

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WEG8P0/ref=twister_B007QOEXNI

http://www.amazon.com/Neutron-2C-Flood-Cree-Flashlight/dp/B004UH12W4/ref=sr_1_20?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764914&sr=1-20&keywords=thrunite

http://www.amazon.com/Olight-Tactcial-Flashlight-Batteries-Lumentac/dp/B00KANR6KO/ref=sr_1_10?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764992&sr=1-10&keywords=olight+m10

http://www.amazon.com/Winchester-Deluxe-Shooters-Bag-Holds/dp/B00EQ7U3KU/ref=sr_1_20?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1410763558&sr=1-20&keywords=range+bag

http://www.amazon.com/TekMat-11-Inch-17-Inch-Handgun-Cleaning/dp/B0036N9A3G/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=1-5&keywords=gun+mat

http://www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-8760-Stainless-Magnetic/dp/B000OUZCUE/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1410764144&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=magnet+parts+bowl

Knives, cleaning gear, and flashlights are never unwelcome gifts for gun/weapon nerds. I linked you a bunch of decent tools that would make great gift ideas. Some more affordable than others. Get him a couple really nice things for like 40-50 each or a bunch of little affordable things and toss them in a 20 dollar range bag.

A hand press kit, a scale, and dies will cost you a little over $90 with free shipping, and will fit into a shoebox. Add components (brass (you said you already have some), bullets ($0.20/rd or less for good ones), primers ($0.05/rd or less), and powder ($0.03/rd or less)) and you can be loading fairly easily and cheaply, the only hard part will be finding pistol powder.

Honestly, for $116ish I'd opt for the [Lyman Case Prep Xpress] (http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Case-Prep-Xpress-115-Volt/dp/B004TABTWU/) and save ~$10ish. Amazon reports that the Lyman unit is free one-day delivery, too. I have one with an [RCBS military crimp remover] (http://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Trim-Military-Crimp-Remover-SM/dp/B0063IDE6A/) that I'd highly recommend.

>Seating Die:


Seating dies push the bullet down into the case and for pistol cases remove the belling done by the expanding die. Many seating dies can optionally apply a crimp, though some people dislike this because the bullet is still being pushed downward as the crimp is applied. Some seating dies come with multiple or reversible seating stems, this allow you to seat different profiled bullets(FMJ/Ball, Spitzer, VLD, etc) bullets without damaging them. 




>Crimp Die:


Crimping dies push the case mouth into the jacket/lead of the bullet. This helps secure the bullet from ‘walking’ out of the case under recoil. There are taper crimps, often used in semi-auto oriented rounds that start from the base of the bullet and slowly narrow as it moves upwards towards the bullet and roll crimps which fold the very edge of the case mouth inwards. Roll crimps are often used on revolver cartridges like 44mag or 38spl and rifle rounds. Taper crimps are used on things like 9mm. 



>Factory Crimp Die:


A Factory Crimp Die or FCD is kind of like a fail safe. If a bullet is slightly too large or that particular round didn’t get seated far enough a FCD will correct the mistake. It doesn’t make an unsafe round(say from a bad powder charge) safe to shoot, but it will help make sure all your rounds chamber. Since many people don’t like to seat and crimp on the same step, they use their FCD as their only crimp die. 




>Powder Check Die:


A powder check die has a small free floating ram in the middle that drops into the case. It provides an easy way to spot check powder levels based on how high it raises. Some powder check dies will lock the press when they detect an over/under charge. In practice the low powder volume and wide case can make powder check dies unreliable for pistol loads. If you do use a powder check die you shouldn’t let it lull you into a sense of false security, you should still be visually checking your charges. 





>Powder Throwers:


This isn’t a “die” so much, but many do fit directly onto your press. They dispense or ‘throw’ a specific charge of powder every time they are activated. Do to the nature of how they work how accurate they are depends on the type of powder you are using. Flake powders and long extruded powders measure with much more variation than ball or short stick powders. Throwers come in three flavors; Case activated, manual, and press activated. Press activated throwers dispense powder anytime the press ram is moved up. This is fine for a single stage press, but on a progressive press it is just a big mess waiting to happen. A manual powder thrower has a small handle you actuate anytime you want to dispense powder. These are great, as long as you don’t forget to pull the lever for every case. Case activated throwers only dispense powder when a case goes into them. These are great, especially on progressive presses. 




>Bullet Feeding Die:


Bullet feeding dies place a bullet into the belled/charged case. With a bullet feed die you don’t need to manually place a bullet for each round. While the dies themselves are 20-40 dollars they won’t always save you time without an automatic bullet feeder hopper which can cost several hundred dollars. Only useful on progressive presses.




>Case Feed:


Again this isn’t technically a die, but it attaches to your progressive press and places a new case into your shell plate automatically. These are specific to your press and usually cost several hundred dollars.


Many powder throwers can be given a PTX add on that will expand as well as charge the case. On a progressive or turret press this saves you a spot on your press and on a single stage it saves you from having to do a separate belling step. 





Shell Plates


Most die sets come with a shell holder of a matching caliber to keep the brass in the press. However if you are buying your dies piecemeal you’ll need to get a shell holder set. Progressive presses use “shell plates” which hold multiple rounds at a time. These can be proprietary and will need to be purchased separate from your dies. 




Lee shell holder set $27.99




Hornady LnL AP shell plate 9mm $24.64





Case Trimmer


When a round is fired the case is under such extreme pressure that the brass actually acts like a plastic. It expands outwards in all directions until the chamber stops it. In front of the round however there is nothing to stop the brass from flowing. Because of this the brass grows in length. After a few firings the brass may be too long to fit in the chamber of a gun again. To combat this after sizing your brass(which further alters its dimensions) you measure it. If it is too long you need to cut some of that excess off with a case trimmer until it is the proper size again. This is primarily only a concern for rifle brass.




Case trimmers can be free hand, manual, and motorized. Free hand allows you to remove brass, but requires you to check with a case gauge often to ovoid over trimming. Manual trimmers allow you to set a certain length to cut to and do all rounds to that length rotating a small lever by hand. Motorized trimmers allow you to set a length and very quickly trim a large amount of cases. Some manual trimmers can have drills attached to make them faster. Not all motorized trimmers can handle multiple calibers.




Lee Zip Trim $21.99 and Lee Cutting Ball $9.99



Lyman Universal Trimmer $82.99



World’s Finest Trimmer .223 $75.95





Chamfer/Deburr tools




Chamfering removes a bit of metal from the inside lip of the case so that bullets seat more smoothly. Deburring is removing a small amount from the outside edge of the case mouth to help remove any burrs or flakes caused by chamfering. You don’t need to do either on pistol rounds as the case is belled wide enough to accept the bullet without it. 


You can also chamfer primer pockets. This will make seating easier and in the case of crimped primer pockets it is required. 


Again, there are manual and motorized options available. Motorized is worth it for anything above small batches.




Lee Chamfer Tool $3.99




Lyman Case Prep Multi Tool $22.99




Hornady Case Prep Trio $99.99




Bullet Puller


In the process of setting up your dies you’re going to make some dummy rounds. No primer, no powder, just case a bullet to dial in your case bell, seating depth, and crimp. You can just throw these rounds away. . . or you can get a bullet puller and recover your components. There are kinetic bullet pullers that work well with heavier bullets(125gr+ in my experience) and collet bullets that attach to your press. 




Frankfort Arsenal Kinetic Bullet Puller $17.76




Hornady Cam-lock Bullet Puller $31.56






Yeah...a Lee press is like $30. https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Reloading-Press-Md-90045/dp/B002SF4X5I/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1504265516&sr=1-1&keywords=lee+reloading+press
Lee RGB Dies are $20. You'll save a lot of headaches.
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-308-RGB-Die/dp/B000NOSH1W/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1504265559&sr=1-3&keywords=lee+RGB
Shell holder https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-R2-Shell-Holder/dp/B00144I7BK/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1504265597&sr=1-4&keywords=lee+shell+holder
Case trimming......If you really want to do it the ghetto way, you can use a piece of sandpaper, laying it flat on a table and rubbing the case mouth in a consistent manner on the sandpaper. Alternately you can use a coutersink bit from Home depot and just hog off the excess brass with a hand drill. Trim die is probably your next cheapest option.
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-90231-308-QUICK-TRIM/dp/B00FORZS2E/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1504265346&sr=8-4&keywords=lee+quick+trim
Digital scale like this is alright....just check it with a known value each time you use it. Use a bullet or a pellet gun pellet or something. If you're using a middle burn rate powder like IMR4064 or Tac or something...you have to be pretty far off...by probably ten grains... before it gets dangerous if you're going for a middle of the road charge. Consistency is more important for accuracy.
https://www.amazon.com/Ascher-Digital-Back-lit-Display-Weighing/dp/B01IXHSPDK/ref=sr_1_10?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1504265087&sr=1-10&keywords=digital+scale.
Simple ram type primer....or just use the priming function of the lee loader you already have....
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-LP90106-Lee-Precision-Prime/dp/B00162UGQE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1504265432&sr=8-5&keywords=lee+priming+tool
And then a set of calipers to check your length
https://www.amazon.com/YKS-Composite-Vernier-Digital-Caliper/dp/B01DXAFZ94/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1504265810&sr=8-12&keywords=calipers

http://www.cabelas.com/product/RCBS-reg-Rock-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading-Kit/1324071.uts ($50 mail-in rebate on this)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N8JZL4?psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Small-Base-Die-223/dp/B000N8LIOQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1495571705&sr=1-1&keywords=rcbs+223+dies

https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-01407A-Electronic-Digital-Caliper/dp/B000GSLKIW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495571775&sr=8-3&keywords=digital+calipers

https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Reloading-Length-Headspace-Gauge/dp/B001RI7A66/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1495572110&sr=1-1&keywords=lyman+headspace+gauge

= $435, leaving $65 for your first round of components.

When your $50 rebate comes, I'd get this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Lock-Load-Comparator-Inserts/dp/B000PD5VLA/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1495572018&sr=1-1&keywords=hornady+bullet+comparator

https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-836017-Quick-n-EZ-Impact-Bullet/dp/B001B7ZB4Q/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1495572088&sr=1-2&keywords=bullet+puller

• A load manual from your bullet manufacturer of choice. Since money is an issue, I'd start with Hornady and/or Sierra bullets which are on the affordable side of the spectrum and are good quality. Also, Hodgdon has a lot of free data for their powders (including IMR) on their website.
  
  This is basically my exact setup and I get great results from it.

If he has a super popular handgun aka a Glock or 1911 you can get like part sheet let me find an example real quick

https://www.amazon.com/TekMat-Gun-Cleaning-Mat-1911/dp/B0036N9A3G

something like that might work for you. I want one Atleast

I had the Mr. BulletFeeder for about 2 weeks now. It works really well. Easy set up if you follow the instructions on the website; it doesn't come with any directions. And following the directions, you have to expand the neck before seating. The Lee Universal Flaring Die works great for that.

If you aren't doing much volume the lee trimmer is the best budget minded one you can get.

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Cutter-Lock-Stud/dp/B000NOQIOU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417303995&sr=8-1&keywords=lee+trimmer

8 bucks and then each caliber is 8 bucks or less

you don't need to trim 9mm

I've had to trim .357 because I had a bunch of different range pick up and they varied greatly, wouldn't seat on the cannelure right.

I reload for my ar15's, so buying the WFT for .223 was a lot easier than all the blisters the lee trimmer would cause.

They also have this thing, it would be a lot more comfortable.

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Cutter-Ball-Grip/dp/B00162PVJQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1417303995&sr=8-3&keywords=lee+trimmer

A couple things I find that are very helpful: a good stiff brush with a small head, a cleaning stick, and an air compressor. I find that a toothbrush is often not stiff enough to get the hard baked crud off. The universal cleaning stick is great. If you're cheap then wood Popsicle sticks and chopsticks work fine instead.

http://www.amazon.com/Otis-Variety-Receiver-Brushes-Bronze/dp/B00162OKDY

www.countycomm.com/ucs.html‎

Thanks for the tip. I found this listing on Amazon and it looks pretty nice. Comes with 12 shell holders, that's very convenient. I'll think about picking it up. My RCBS one doesn't work very well for me and I end up mangling a primer every once in a while, then I have to deprime and dispose of it. It's a hassle. Do you have that kind of thing happen with yours?

I have generally done what you described with cleaning one day, de-priming another, priming a following day and then loading with powder and bullet. I just like the idea of being able to do all in one go efficiently. But even doing it how you describe, the priming still takes too long with too many problems.

I was looking at this. I'm guessing it's a pretty good deal. Thank you so much for the info, you've been very helpful.

My reloading setup was based on budget. I spent about $147 total for my Lee Single Stage Press + extras. The only complaint I have is I wish the press was a little more accurate for speedier results.

Id like if anyone commented on high speed pressing components with high accuracy results. It would be nice to have but really just curious whats out there and what works.

Edit: incase you were curious ive listed my parts below

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BDOHNA/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GSLKIW/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SF4X5I/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Deluxe-3-Die-Rifle/dp/B00162TEOE

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NOQIOU/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NOSGOU/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014136PA/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00162UGQE/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Laser

The best thing I think I've done, was driving a NASCAR around Kentucky Motor Speedway! REALLY fun!

I love BCM Gunfighters charging handles, and good call on the CTR stock. Do yourself a favor and Frog Lube that BCG a couple of times while you're waiting.

RCBS Kit $300

Hornday Calipers $25

You need a case trimmer. I went for the WFT.

Then you need dies (sizer/seater). You can spend as little as $50 or so for this, I went with the most recommended which was Redding and cost $160.

All of this made sense for me because I knew I was going to keep it forever. But if you have the funds to do it right, do it right and dont skimp. Because even if you should decide in a year you dont want to do it anymore, you are more likely to be able to sell good components than cheap ones, and at less of a depreciation. I bought all this stuff a year ago, and I bet I could get an 80-90% return if I were to sell it now.

Just keep a few things in mind: Reloading, especially as a beginner, takes time. Expect 100 rounds of .308 from start to finish to take you 4ish hours. And add to the cost, you can see already that $500-600 is about where you will land with just components (accounting for the cost for a tumbler). Now components, lets do the math for 1,000 rounds. You have to buy Brass (expensive, 100 costs $50-80, but they are obviously reuseable), bullets (lots of 500 for $170, so $340 for 1k), powder (can be hard to find, and if you have to ship can be expensive, think $40/lb, 7lbs should get you a tad more than 1k rounds, so $280 for 7lbs+hazmat/shipping+$50ish), and primers (sold in lots of 1k for about $32, $27 hazmat shipping fee unless you pick up locally/ship with powder).

On the conservative side, assume you spend $500 on components to be ready to reload. +$70 (brass avg), +$340, +$330, +$32 = $772 for 1,000 rounds, just in components.

Now you are at about $1200-1300 for 1,000 rounds. But your next 1,000 are only components, so $772 (ish) per 1k from then on out.

But if you aren't even sure you want to do this for a long time, you may not make up the cost difference of the equipment. Which is where one of the fallacies of reloading lies, don't get into it to save money. Get into it to have complete and total control over the product that you shoot. If that's not worth it to you, just buy factory ammo.

Lastly, going back tot he $1200-1300, lets average it again to $1250, how much ammo can you get for that, right now? Assume you find Federal Premium Gold Medal Match 175gr (you wont) boxes of 20 are $35. Thats 35 boxes, or 700 rounds. Or you could go Hornady 168gr for $26.50. Thats 47 boxes for $1250, or 940 rounds.

Disclaimer, its early, still drinking coffee, please correct math if I screwed up somewhere (it's been known to happen). My close friend wants to build his first precision rifle, and he fell into the newbie mistake of thinking he could skimp on things, like optics. I wont say I demanded he 'spend twice what he did on the rifle, on the glass' or anything like that. But I told him I already spent more than his rifle will cost on reloading gear, which he can use, so he wont have to. So he has to spend at least $850 (Vortex PST 6-24x FFP) on his scope to use my gear. I think getting into this style of shooting you need $1k for the gun, $1k for the optics, $1k for reloading. There will be some the gun/optics category to fill in for accessories, or add to the reloading budget, but if you cant spend $3k for a .308 setup, shooting .308 is going to be too costly for you anyways.

OP:

Sounds like you have probably over-oiled your gun, or applied it in places you shouldn't.

Oil getting onto your ammo is a big problem as it can & will seep into the primer & powder and cause the round to not go off which is the last thing you need in a home defense / self defense weapon.

Be careful where you are applying lubrication.

I'd break it apart, dry it thoroughly with paper towels / rags & dry patches, then read the manufacturer's manual where they suggest lubricating & how much or google "Make & model of firearm lubrication" and I'm sure you'll find tons of info.

My primary firearms; ARs & 1911s, love & need to be run wet, but as much oil as I put on them I never notice more than a tiny smear on the brass from the slide / bolt contacting the top round in the magazine. That's all you should ever see too.

I'd set aside that round that you found covered in crap & prob dispose of it in the canister meant for dud rounds at the range. It's not worth possibly blowing up your gun and sure as hell don't leave that round in there for home / self defense.

EDIT:

Do yourself a favor & get some sort of needle-tip lubricant applicator. It lets you apply small amounts of your lube of choice exactly where you want it. Is also perfect for knives and anything else that needs lube:

https://shop.guntap.com/eezox/eezox-premium-gun-care/eezox-premium-gun-care-0.95-oz-syringe-needle-oiler

Eezox is my CLP of choice. My guns are in pristine condition due to using it. It is an incredible rust preventative, lube and cleaner.

Also get these tools - makes cleaning so much easier:

https://countycomm.com/products/nortons-u-c-s-universal-cleaning-stick

https://www.amazon.com/Tipton-549864-Cleaning-Picks/dp/B0048KGFHU

Use those tools with a patch to easily get into all the nooks & crannies of your gun.

Be careful on Countycomm's site....they have way too many amazing tools & gadgets. :-)

I reload 9mm and 5.56, here's my experience:

1. Lee Breech Lock Challenger Kit: $120 shipped
   
2. Electronic scale $30
   
3. Reloading trays (2) $5 ea.
   
4. Case de-burrer thingy $25
   
5. Misc Case length trimming widgets $10
   
6. Reloading Manual: I found mine free online in .pdf form, but take your pick.
   
7. Bullet puller $12
   
   Instruction manual Seriously though, this guy is one of the best reloading resources around.

What I ended up doing is resizing a bunch of 223 before I chopped them, I used the 300 resizer and took out the primer punch, worked pretty good. This trimmer may be a good idea, I've been looking at getting it for myself, you can read the reviews and decide if its for you. And heres a jig if you dont want to make one.

For powder/bullets, I use AA1680 and Palmetto Projectiles 208gn for Subsonics. Dont use them for Supers. Also, if you're running a progressive and loading lead coated projectiles, you'll need an expander die of some sort to prevent the brass from cutting up the lead projectiles.

Also, sub/xpost to /r/300BLK

I have the field gauge from this set. It's pretty easy to use since you don't need to take out the extractor.

Liberytreecollectors.com has some M91 bayonets in stock. I'm going to try to get one later once I start getting paid. They're not cheap though. You can also get an M91 cleaning rod from them. I'm guessing you already know all of this though. Good luck with the sling, that might be hard to find.

I would highly recommend the RCBS Rockchucker reloading kit - it comes with pretty much everything you need to get started except for a die set, brass, bullets, primers, and powder. You can always buy different equipment later, or fancier tools to make the process easier (especially for brass prepping and powder dispensing). Here's a link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading/dp/B0078MWM2W

I've definitely seen it cheaper than $370 though!

I'd recommend Sterling Arsenal/Critical Koting. Best in the area IMO, and competitive pricing too. You could also use something like this gun blue kit for cheaper yourself.

Well poop... I only have semi-autos.

Would this hand press be any good? I dont have a bench, just a small table, to work on, so bench mounted options are out right now. It says max OAL is 3.65 inches. Would that work for both the 223 and 308? THe dies are a bit more expensive. If I do that set-up I'll probably only do 223 for a while to get used to it and buy the 308 stuff later on. It's not too expensive, but I try to keep my gun stuff allowance pretty low per check. Hahaha.

If you are going with a hand priming option, I would suggest a tool with an adjustable primer seating depth.

This is probably the best option on the market.
http://www.xxicsi.com/stainless-steel-priming-tool.html

I use the Frankford Arsenal option
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Perfect-Primer-Seating/dp/B01B7OYUVC

Others have made some great suggestions. I would add to those lists--

a big can of some high quality lubricant, I like Ballistol for all kinds of cleaning/protecting/lubricating things, but there plenty of other kinds on the market.

Duct tape

Electrical tape

A caulk gun, and a few tubes--plain old "painter's caulk" and a waterproof caulk for windows, doors, and bathroom water infiltration areas. --- and a lesson on how and where to use them.

AND, maybe a nice book, with lots of pictures, for how to do lots of varied home repairs and upgrades, perhaps something like this: Reader's Digest New Complete DIY Manual

I just started to and you need to chamfer and deburring tool.

This one is the best IMO http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Case-Prep-Multi-Tool/dp/B004MCMCYE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1422086949&sr=8-2&keywords=lyman+case+prep&pebp=1422086951922&peasin=B004MCMCYE

If you are reloading 556 brass with a crimp around the primer you may also want this tool that also fits into the above layman tool. http://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Trim-Military-Crimp-Remover-SM/dp/B0063IDE6A/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1422087101&sr=1-1&keywords=rcbs+crimp+remover&pebp=1422087104120&peasin=B0063IDE6A

You can get the crimp off with a razor or the first tool but its easy to put this in the drill chuck and crank them out by the numbers.

I would add:

Hornady's bullet comparator https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Lock-Load-Comparator-Inserts/dp/B000PD5VLA - This allows you to measure seating depth off the ogive of the bullet, which is much more consistent than going off the tip of the bullet.

Hornady's overall length gauge https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Overall-Length-Gauge-Curved/dp/B000PD6SD0/ref=pd_sim_200_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000PD6SD0&pd_rd_r=6K3666EQ4851J0R8AKHC&pd_rd_w=JBOSV&pd_rd_wg=kwjaE&psc=1&refRID=6K3666EQ4851J0R8AKHC & https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Lock-Load-Winchester-Modified/dp/B000PD6RJA/ref=pd_lpo_200_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2S9PEM17YKNN0J5WDMYK - This allows you to measure your gun's chamber, which is important for developing seating depth.

I like RCBS dies.

Beyond that, your list is complete. The only remaining suggestion I have is considering stepping up to a cast iron press. Strength = precision.

Tools should be maintained like your bike. Wipe them down with a good oil after every few uses and definitely before storing for extended time. Something like Ballistol makes a very good preserver of not only metal but wood, plastic, etc.

I haven't tried it myself but I have seen blued 1095 on the forum a few times. I have an SR-101 (proprietary 52100) Busse I would like to strip and have been considering giving it a try. A bottle runs $10-$20 and most sporting goods stores.
https://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Casey-Liquid-Gun-Blue/dp/B000KKELM8

$70 US, G502 is a solid choice and many others here have taken the plunge and loved it, myself included. Pick up the spectrum if you like rgb but it's the same price as the core and has the exact same specs outside of lighting.

I use a tekmat handgun cleaning mat as a mousepad, it works well for an ultrawide and 16:9 side by side at 400 dpi

Search for gun cleaning brushes. They are usually about 75% cheaper and sometimes literally the same thing.

Pack of 10 for ~$6USD

'Pack' of 1 for ~$2USD

I have been using the gun cleaning nylon ones for a long time and love them. I haven't used them outdoors much though. Work great for the gym in my experience.

Use Ballistol, buy it on amazon. Works great for preventing rust and neutralizing corrosive ammo salts. I use it on my Mosin and my muzzleloader.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004ERKCIA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1405187862&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

Don't listen to the people saying that it is a waste of money. It doesn't matter what the rifle is worth if it's valuable to you. I did something very similar to a Stevens model 86 that belonged to an uncle that I'm named after. I found parts for it from Numrich and used this and this, although there might be better options now. Enjoy the project.

I learned on my own with the book that came with my press. It's pretty straightforward but there's lots of videos out there that can help

https://youtu.be/irC3NuIKDm4

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9354-Supreme-Master-Kit/dp/B00T9YKW60

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ISVWC6/

Not expereinced in cleaning guns/accessories. How useful and good of a sale are these polymer gun cleaning picks on amazon?

A cold bluing kit is worth a try - I'm no expert, but it should protect your steel just fine.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KKELM8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rDCfAb9FJCTA7

I dunno about you, but I find this kit to be worth the dough. Small enough to tote in my range bag and exceptionally well equipped. I haven't found a brush that isn't compatible with the threading.

I love me some Frog Lube

Amazon prime for free shipping http://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading/dp/B0078MWM2W

I've had really good luck with a double ended nylon brush on amazon
the one end is a single row...used with some foamy soap..may not erase the gouge, but you'll get the dirt out w/out compromising the lighter area around it...I took a few courses in museum/artifact preservation. I put it to good use on my shoes.

Pick up a set of double ended brushes like these. The bronze brush is great for getting stubborn carbon off the cylinder face.

Use a Lee universal expanding die, it's super handy.

Those are crimps, be sure to remove them before trying to reload.

You can use a swage tool to remove them, or use a countersink bit or a crimp remover like what RCBS has.

Looks like most of your questions are answered. Im also a fan of lee dies, mainly because they arent an arm and a leg to purchase. $28 on amazon.

If you need all the equipment to reload, I'd check out the rock chucker kit. If you spend $300, you quality for a rebate of $75

I love me some Shootersproshop for their Nosler blems, but that price is not the best. Brownells has it listed for $365 (out of stock) but with the plethora of coupon codes, its not out of the realm to get that for $330'ish with coupon code.

If you want it now, Amazon has it for $319 but there's probably tax involved. If you want it "now" then there's a few cheaper options.

If you can wait and might be willing to play the long game, there's been two years of price-drops around the Black Friday timeframe from other retailers, notably MidwayUSA, Cabelas and Natchez, but that's not a guarantee.

Leave the copper colored factory grease on the slide until it's gone. Hit up the range with a few hundred rounds. Some people clean the gun before firing. I just lubed the slide a little and fired 300 rounds before my first cleaning.

Start here: https://youtu.be/DZf4mUM10Vc

• buy this: Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil, Aerosol spray, 6 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ERKCIA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_gVErxbHNPR5KC
  
  
• I also use this in my range bag: Break Free CLP-PS Precision Shooter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050GWAVG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_AWErxb1E47QD6
  
• Buy these or cheap tooth brushes: 10-Piece Double-Ended Gun Cleaning Brush Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CWDPF6W/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_DXErxbM5DDJWS
  
  For deeper cleaning watch this: https://youtu.be/7VTIqAMPOco
  
  
• You'll need this (I keep one in my cleaning kit and one in my range bag): Glock GT03374 Disassembly Takedown Tool Punch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014VX2M2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_VYErxbRWCJDBW
  
  These: The Professional's Choice Pistol/Rifle Cotton Flannel 2 1/2-Inch Square Gun Cleaning Patches (120-Pack), .38/.357-Calibre/9mm/10mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MY45Q6/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_I0Erxb77YVTWA
  
  -This: UTG 9MM Pistol Cleaning Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ZJ1364/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_j1Erxb6MQEHNV
  
  
• I bought these too: Gun Cleaning Set with 3 Brushes & 2 Double-Ended Picks https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009HD0R86/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_62Erxb0DYJ7A8
  
  
  Sorry for the long links I'm on mobile and bored at the moment. There are more updated and thorough videos if you search YouTube, but I enjoy listening to Hickok45's. Hope this helps.

I have the Otis MSR kit. Compact, has everything you need--overall a good value. I got it for less than $50, but still good at that price. I'd recommend it with a single caveat--learn how to fold the patches properly on the jag.

I had a "patch" (read: incorrectly-sized tshirt scrap) come loose just past the chamber. Stuck. Bought an actual cleaning rod (was planning to buy one anyway, in case of stuck rounds) and unplugged the barrel nicely. Other times I didn't fold real patches properly and they came off the jag. No problems when I did things properly.

I like that it included the bone tool and all necessary accesories.

edit: submitted prematurely

Generation 4, New:

What It Comes With

1. Gun Case
   
2. Three 15-Round Magazines
   
3. Easy Loader
   
4. Gun Lock
   
5. Cleaning Rod/Bore Brush
   
6. Medium / Large Backstrap Extensions (Increased the grip size)
   
   Cleaning Products
   
   
7. Bore Snake
   
8. Brass Bore Brush
   
9. Bore Jag
   
10. Hoppe's Solvent No.9
    
11. Hoppe's Elite Gun Oil
    
12. Brushes
    
    Accessories
    
    
13. Gun is fine.
    
14. New triggers, extended magazine releases, extended slide stops, etc., All of these you can change out when you become more comfortable and experienced with your firearm to determine if you need/want to change anything to your own personal preferences.
    
    Home Defense, Some Suggestions
    
    
15. Gun Light: You don't have to get this one; there are cheaper ones. The receiver (Bottom Half) has a slide-rail for easy, well, sliding on and off for lights/lasers, etc.
    
16. Night Sights Sealed, Radioactive, Glowing in the Dark. Pale white in the light.
    
17. Buy a Shotgun.

I just thought of something else I thought I'd pass along. I went ahead and added a universal expanding die to my case prep to flare the case mouth just a hair. I'm not sure how much that has made a difference or if I'm just better at initial bullet seating but I have found that my bullet alignment seemed much better afterwards.

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N8N538/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah, seriously. Most everything on that list is cheaper or the same price if you already have Prime. Is OP having a clearance sale at their LGS or something? Can OP guarantee 2-day shipping?

EDIT: in case OP runs out

AR15

AK47

Bigger Remington 870

1911 #1

1911 #2

M92

Hi-Power

Glock

USP

P220

P226

P229

M&P

XD

XDm

[How strong are you?] (https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Breech-Lock-Hand-Press/dp/B0050Z5A6E)

^^^^$99 ^^^^is ^^^^not ^^^^bad

If you're worried about the bolt, and want to make extra sure it's within tolerances, you could always get one of these. The explanation on how to use the gauges is found here - please go through the tread before forking your $$$. As the users on gunboards mentioned, most of the times the field gauge is just enough (can be purchased separately).

I'd say buy him a kit and maybe some dies to start. Pistol calibers are relatively easy to reload and don't require trimming of the cases.

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9354-Supreme-Master-Kit/dp/B00T9YKW60/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511483036&sr=8-2&keywords=rock+chucker+press

That might actually look good with gun bluing

Another food safe option is Frog Lube.

I recommend the RCBS primer crimp removal tool. I've found that it is a lot more consistent than the reamer type tools like the one linked above. The RCBS tool has a hard stop which prevents you from going too deep and enlarging the primer pocket, leading to loose primers. I recommend using it in a power drill if you don't have a case prep center.

RCBS Trim Mate Military Crimp Remover-SM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0063IDE6A

I used one of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CWDPF6W/ref=sr_ph_1?qid=1462064522&sr=sr-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=gun+cleaning+brush the far end is good for large areas and the little end can get into most tight crevices

Spend a little extra and get tools you won't want to replace. The RCBS kit has a better scale, dropper, press and priming tool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0078MWM2W/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1452709834&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=Rcbs+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=41LeCz2g02L&ref=plSrch

I use the Hornady Bullet Comparator tool which measures from base to the ogive depending on the caliber of the bullet. It would be nice if those measurements were provided by reloading companies. Specifically the hornady manual since the Comparator tool is a Hornady product.

Ballistol is magical. And it smells nice too.

As far as ammo is concerned, it depends what he shoots - $60 is probably not going to get you much although I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

Ammo can "hamper" full of of cleaning supplies, gun socks & cleaning mats?

e.g.
http://www.amazon.com/Tipton-Polymer-Gun-Cleaning-Picks/dp/B0048KGFHU

http://www.amazon.com/Break-Free-Cleaner-Lubricant-Preservative-Squeeze/dp/B0050GW7KU

http://www.amazon.com/Break-Free-Cleaner-Lubricant-Preservative-Aerosol/dp/B0050GW73C

http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Company-Knit-Gun-Sock/dp/B00014ZY0Q

http://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-24020-BoreSnake-Cleaner-Caliber/dp/B0014VQ6TI

http://www.amazon.com/MTM-AC-11-Ammo-Can/dp/B003ISKM9K

http://www.amazon.com/TekMat-11-Inch-17-Inch-Handgun-Cleaning/dp/B0036N9A3G

http://www.amazon.com/TekMat-12-Inch-36-Inch-Cleaning-Imprint/dp/B0036N474S

Thanks! I haven't measured the retention without cleaning out the chute. There's still more than I'd like (I guess I shouldn't be surprised with a throat that large). I currently use a soft gun cleaning pick to brush out the grinds and there's less than 0.1g after that.

One thing that also helped was cutting out the thick screen grid in the throat. I thought about using some sort of bellows, but I'm a little worried it would force fine grinds into the motor with how the MDX is designed.

One thing I would add - scew apart/together cleaning rods will eventually have their threads buggered up, there are steel versions of kits like this out there which can damage rifling if mesed up enough (the brass more than likely wont but can be a pain screwing them together if you cross thread it once). An 'easy' upgrade off the bat would be a one piece cleaning rod (there are cheaper options out there but these rods are great) just something someone might want to consider adding to the list.

If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, the Otis Elite is excellent. But pricey (doesnt have a one piece rod, but pull throughs have their own advantage) they also make a compact version this version is included in the 'elite' - which just has extra pull throughs and more caliber brushes as well as some extra odds and ends.

Thank me later. https://www.amazon.com/Ballistol-Multi-Purpose-Oil-Aerosol-spray/dp/B004ERKCIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466182277&sr=8-1&keywords=ballistol

Had it. It was okay. I highly prefer a TekMat for a similar price.

$11 - Slightly smaller - 1911 handgun

$20 - Full keyboard size - AR15 Rifle

Edit - They also make those for many other guns. I have the MP-5 at work and the Desert eagle at home.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0048KGFHU/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1504446630&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Cleaning+pick&dpPl=1&dpID=31XIZsD9z1L&ref=plSrch
Its long yes, but I'm on mobile.

I would say the higher price is mainly marketing. The rumors are that Froglube is coconut oil based with additives to make it more suited to lubing metal parts. Nothing wrong with this per say, but I would rather pay less for a big can of Ballistol which can be used as a cleaner, lubricant, and preservant all while still being non toxic. Plus it's been in constant use for over a century.

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9354-Supreme-Master-Kit/dp/B00T9YKW60 is the RCBS one(I didn't price search much).. it looks like you get the tumbler and a case trimmer with the Hornady, but not the RCBS. I'd expect product quality to be near the same for both brands.

It's cheaper from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9354-Supreme-Master-Kit/dp/B00T9YKW60

Amazon: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/TekMat-Cleaning-Waterproof-Instructions-Armorers/dp/B0036N9A3G&ved=2ahUKEwjCwMm-spzaAhUKjVQKHd9wAxcQFjAAegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw3JQynD4HVdYaspM9roAVsZ

This

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Breech-Lock-Press/dp/B0050Z5A6E

Plus this

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-45-Die-Steel/dp/B000N8QLNE/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1462373534&sr=1-1&keywords=45-70+dies

Then a caliper
http://www.amazon.com/SE-784EC-Digital-Caliper-Metric/dp/B003MA08VQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462373575&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=digital+caliper&psc=1

All that is left is primers, powder and projectiles.

you can clean your old brass is dish soap and a small wire brush from a gun cleaning kit

If you cannot find a physical obstruction, I am betting that you need to lubricate the lock. At any rate, it is the first step to take when troubleshooting a stubborn lock.

I recommend this stuff: Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil--Amazon. I have used it for years, one can will last a homeowner forever.

Edit: spelling

Nope - regular cleaning of controllers/keyboards/mice.

Every week or two (or as needed) I wipe down the control devices I have used - typically just wiping things down with a slightly damp cloth. About once a month (or as needed) I use a brush to clear the cracks and crevices of anything I may have missed.

would just one of the basic rifle cleaning kits do? That's primarily what I've been using

Edit: this guy except obvious multi rifle not just ar

What's the difference between that one and the RCBS? Or, what would I be paying more for that this one doesn't have? https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9354-Supreme-Master-Kit/dp/B00T9YKW60/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1511483036&sr=8-2&keywords=rock+chucker+press

Here is the link to the kit.

this?

http://www.amazon.com/FROGLUBE-Brand-PREMIUM-Lubricant-Liquid/dp/B003ZW0LXQ 4oz liquid and 4 oz paste for under $35

EDIT: cheaper
http://www.amazon.com/Frog-Lube-Liquid-Bottle-4-Ounce/dp/B00579HNK4
http://www.amazon.com/Froglube-Paste-Cleaner-Lubricant-Protectant/dp/B004FOV89E

You would need to purchase this to attach to the trimmer :

RCBS Trim Mate Military Crimp Remover-SM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0063IDE6A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_Mif3vuYMpMs7y

https://www.amazon.com/TekMat-11-Inch-17-Inch-Handgun-Cleaning/dp/B0036N9A3G/ref=pd_sim_200_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C87RX0S784RCWTW8Z4QE

https://www.amazon.com/TekMat-12-Inch-36-Inch-Cleaning-Imprint/dp/B003JOLCAG/ref=pd_sim_200_7?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=S9E1VS89M6Z76BJR3GR6

Check this out:

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Breech-Lock-Press/dp/B0050Z5A6E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426880265&sr=8-2&keywords=Lee+hand+press

It doesn't even need a table, you can do it on the couch in front of the TV, it's cheap and portable. It's a lot slower than one of the big progressive towers, but it works.

10 of these

1 of these

This

Rock Chucker

Not OP, but here's a set on Amazon. FWIW, I recently bought these but haven't used them yet.

When you say you're using the Hornady setup do you mean you're using the Hornady bullet comparator?

This is what you're looking for.

Froglube

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWDPF6W/

You can also go with this
https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Trim-Military-Crimp-Remover-SM/dp/B0063IDE6A The advantage of the RCBS version is that you just bottom it out. With the Lee one you can cut too deep.

You'll need to take the handguard off and a punch to take the gas tube out. Dremel it down to where you think you need it, paint it with a dry erase marker, and install your handguard. If it makes contact, the dry erase marker will be removed in that area and you'll have an easier time finding out how much more you have to take down.

If it doesn't make contact, clean the gas block off and use either high-temp paint, or use a blueing kit.

no, don't do it! Just buy a set of picks on Amazon - plastic, brass, unobtanium - so many options

https://smile.amazon.com/Tipton-549864-Cleaning-Picks/dp/B0048KGFHU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1536755443&sr=8-2&keywords=plastic+cleaning+picks

Gun bluing. Here's a link to a kit.

You could also drop the pieces in warm vinegar til they achieve a dark patina.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KKELM8/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1453328152&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=bluing+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=413HBngrwsL&ref=plSrch#

I just did this the other day after watching the hickok45 video. Here's what I bought:

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil, Aerosol spray, 6 oz - $8.99 (http://www.amazon.com/Ballistol-Multi-Purpose-Oil-Aerosol-spray/dp/B004ERKCIA?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00)

UTG 9MM Pistol Cleaning Kit - $9.80 (http://www.amazon.com/UTG-9MM-Pistol-Cleaning-Kit/dp/B002ZJ1364?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s02)

The Professional's Choice Pistol/Rifle Cotton Flannel 2 3/4-Inch Round Gun Cleaning Patches (120-Pack), .38/.357-Calibre/9mm/10mm - $4.49 (http://www.amazon.com/Professionals-Choice-Cleaning-120-Pack-357-Calibre/dp/B005TJWQ4A?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s02)

The Patches and actual cleaning kit showed up today. Kit seems to be decent for what it costs. Ballistol will be here on Wednesday. I think the Patches require that you spend $25 (add-on item) so you may have to add something else to get up to the price to get them. Or you can just get a bigger package of them.

Gun mat
http://www.amazon.com/TekMat-11-Inch-17-Inch-Handgun-Cleaning/dp/B0036N9A3G

Bore snake
http://www.amazon.com/Hoppes-24002V-BoreSnake-Revolver-Cleaner/dp/B003ITDPXE

Ammo

I'd be real careful about this, Duracoat has some pretty nasty particulates that are very difficult to protect yourself from.

If rattlecanning, try Alumihyde or the Kyrlon grill paint.

Alternatively, you can re-blue it. Kits like this are relatively inexpensive and easy to use.

Edit: Disregard the Duracoat warning, apparently that's misplaced fear on my part.

I expand my case mouths (not just flare) when using cast bullets. Lyman makes an "M-Die" which actually expands the case mouth and works well. An alternative would be to buy a cheap Lee universal expander die and replace the expander inserts with the NOE M die styled inserts and expand your case mouths to the right diameter to avoid shaving lead or swaging bullets down. As far as making bullets harder, you can always add some wheelweight alloy to it, or something with tin and antimony. I like to use old printing press lead (linotype, foundrytype, monotype) to make my alloys harder. I usually buy mine from a guy on facebook, but you can buy it from rotometals or even scrap yards.

Link to lee universal expander die: https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Universal-Flaring-Die/dp/B000N8N538/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522945634&sr=8-1&keywords=lee+universal+expander+die

Link to NOE M-die styled expander pieces: (sorry, looks like my work is blocking it now)

My kit

Real Avid Handgun Smart Mat-19-inch by 16-inch Handgun Cleaning Mat https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0185PB8AW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_WuTl343G4CERJ

Hoppe's 24002 BoreSnake Pistol and Revolver Bore Cleaner, 9mm, .357, .380, .38 Caliber https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013RKHJI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Bre6MnkuW1npv

Birchwood Casey Gun Cleaning Patch for 2 1/4" Square 9 mm/.38/.45 Caliber (Pack of 500) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TD0UEGI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_8wvVvfu8z14rN

Hoppe's Elite Gun Cleaner Spray Bottle, 8 Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013RA3A6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_o5oHvt8b7y27O

Hoppe's No. 9 Gun Grease, 1-3/4 oz. Tube https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PW5ZGC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_HI2YuNyqeJeOt

Hoppe's No. 9 Lubricating Oil, 14.9 ml Precision Bottle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013R67A6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_i8emEskpQydLM

SE 7624BC-5 Gun Cleaning Set with 3 Brushes & 2 Double-Ended Picks https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009HD0R86/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_e675klKxRfh9s

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Oil, Aerosol spray, 6 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ERKCIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_QH46NYitYG8Xb

Hoppe's No. 9, 9-Piece Pistol Cleaning Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004U8S0D2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_e30bzbRXP7JAR

(Tapered and Regular Tip) Type-III 100pc Gun Cleaning 6 Inch American Made Cotton Swabs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CPU4JW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_OcSPLNbBbOo6M

I also picked up some cans of compressed air at Walmart