(Part 3) Best products from r/reloading

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.

Cleaning Supplies/General Maintenance

I'm not going to put links to these, but it is useful to have some cleaning supplies for your press. Rubbing alcohol, paper towels, q-tips, dental picks, etc are nice to have around.

Grease is good to have for your press and some oil is good to put on your dies if you'll be storing them for a long period.



Press



Honestly, I’m a little hesitant to write this part. Presses are the single most costly part of a beginner reloading set up and can change the what else you buy. There is a lot to take into account when buying a press and if you’re a new reloader you can’t fully grasp all of those things yet. You don’t know how you prefer to reload or what might fit you best and choosing the wrong press can make you hate reloading while another press might make you a reloading fiend. Remember, you can generally sell your press for a good chunk of what you paid as long as it is in good shape. Don’t let it rust and you’re fairly safe.


>Single Stage Presses:


Single stage presses are the most basic type of press there is, it holds one die and one shell at a time. This means you’ll end up ‘batch processing’ or doing the same step to say 50 cases at a time before switching dies and running those cases through the next step. For example: Deprime/Resize all 50 cases, switch dies and prime all 50, switch dies and bell all 50, etc. Single stage presses are the slowest way to reload, requiring you to handle the cases multiple times and potentially dial in your die setting every batch. They are also the most stable presses, in that there is very little mechanical variation. This makes them wonderful for precision rifle loading.
Many people recommend you start on a single stage press. Handling your brass many times and getting to see the difference in 50 or 100 cases all at once is a great way to learn what works or not and gives you many chances to spot defects.
Most often I hear people worry about “out growing” their single stage press. Remember, you can sell it or use it as a dedicated depriming station. Many reloaders keep their single stage presses just for rifle loads. Keep in mind that presses that connect on both sides of the case will be stronger than C shaped presses. Compare the Lee and Hornady presses below.


Lee Hand Press $29.09


Lee Press $37.84


Hornady LnL Classic $134.89


>Turret Press:


The turret part of the press is above the brass and holds multiple dies in stations. You place a piece of brass and run it through the first station, then rotate the turret and run it through the next station. You continue this until you have a completed round, then start over with the next piece of brass. This is much faster than a single stage and allows you to do multiple reloading sessions without having to reset all your dies. Because there are more moving parts there is the potential for more variation from round to round. You can still make very accurate ammo on a turret press though, you’re average shooter will never be able to tell the difference between ammo made on a turret or a single stage.
You can still batch process with a turret press and I recommend it for new loaders. Again, getting a feel for reloading and what is/isn’t right is very important.



Turret presses usually have 3-5 stations, keep this in mind when buying as it will change your reloading process.


Lyman T-Mag $186.49


>Progressive Presses:


Progressive presses are cool. They hold 3-5 dies and just as many cases all in the various stages of being reloaded. More importantly, that guy over on arfcom said he can make 600 9mm rounds an hour with his progressive. Even their price tags are impressive. Since you don’t want to outgrow your press you might as well jump in with both feet and get a 5 stage progressive right away. Right?


Well, I’d say that depends. Remember way back up at the top when I asked you those questions? Here is where they really come into play. Progressive presses have a lot of things going on all at once. For instance this is my reloading procedure on my Hornady LnL AP press when loading 9mm. On every raise of the ram I listen for the primer popping out, check a case for a powder charge, watch the case activated powder charge moved into the full upright position, place a bullet, and feel for that bullet seating. When I lower the ram I watch the primer tray to make sure a new primer moves into place facing the right way, feel that it seated properly into the next case, make sure the completed round makes it into the collection bin, and place a new case into the shell plate. All of that happens in a second or two. That is a ton of stuff to watch for without a lot of time to do it. You need to be familiar with what all those things feel/sound like before you can do it quickly. If you can trust yourself to go slowly at first and really really try hard to learn those things while running one case at a time through the press, you can start on a progressive. Even when you feel like you’ve done it enough, I’d hold off a while longer to make sure you really have it down before moving to full on progressive loading. You’ll also need to move your case inspection to before you start the loading process as doing it during progressive loading defeats the speed increase you get from the press.
Remember, reloading is dangerous. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. No one will make fun of you for going with a single stage or turret when starting off. You can always sell and upgrade later and by then you’ll have more knowledge about what you want in a press. If you go spend several hundred dollars on a progressive and then don’t like it’s workflow you’re going to have a lot more invested you’ll need to change to move to a different press. If you are in the market for a progressive you need to determine what features you want. How many stations, auto indexing or manual, how expensive add-ons are, etc. While I don’t claim to be an expert on all presses, everything I’ve heard says you’ll want a Dillon, Hornady, or RCBS progressive. Lee is more of a bargain brand and I’ve never heard good things about their progressive presses. Progressive presses are already finicky creatures to set up, no need to add to that frustration.


Hornady LnL AP $449.99



RCBS Pro2000 569.99

I don’t have a link for a Dillon 650, but they usually run about $560-570 from what I’ve seen. If someone has a link I’ll add it in.
Edit: Dillon 650 $566.95


Review


Reloading is a wonderful hobby that you can spend hours and hours on working up a custom load for the best accuracy or making general plinking ammo. It is a serious hobby however and deserves attention and respect.


At minimum you’ll need the following equipment:



Manuals
Scale
Calipers
Press
Sizing/Decap die
Expanding die(for pistol)
Seating die
Shell plate
Chamfer Tool(needed for rifle)

So this review on Amazon is what my buying guide will consist of. My apologies for formatting, I am on mobile.

-----
I'm new to reloading, but I shoot a lot so instead of doing what every beginner should and buy a single stage press I saved up a little and got the AP press due to the fact I knew I would use it a lot. But after it came I quickly realized it was far more technical than I expected. I found out there were a lot of parts I still needed and a lot more money that still needed to be spent. I was fine with it bet I knew I would have to save up for a little bit to get it all. But after about 100 hours of reloading YouTube videos and four months I was able to actually start reloading. Wishing I had a guide right off the bat to tell me what I need and why I ended up making one for any other new beginner. So here it is.


Disclaimer: Do not follow my advice blindly, do your research on each piece of equipment. The prices I have stated are not set in stone, they were what I spent. I would advise you to shop around to get the best deals
--------------------------------------------------
What you still need:

--Hornady Lock N Load Auto-Progressive Reloading Press
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PD01NS/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$462.64
Notes: Does not have to be this press

--Hornady Lock N Load Ap & Projector Shell Plate
http://www.hornady.com/store/Choose-Shell-Plate-by-Number/
$41.33
Notes: Each shell plate is for a different caliber, when you buy make sure you get the correct plate for the caliber you are reloading. Here is the guide http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/shell_holder.pdf

--Hornady Shell Holder
http://www.hornady.com/store/Choose-Shell-Holder-by-Number/
$5.00
Notes: Each shell holder is for a different caliber, when you buy make sure you get the correct holder for the caliber you are reloading. Although RCBS makes a similar looking holder, it will NOT fit in the Hornady setup. Here is the guide http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/shell_holder.pdf

--Reloading Dies
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PD6PO2/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$43.89
Notes: All reloading dies from all companies are universal to each other's presses. So you don't have to stick to Hornadys dies (I do because I like them)

--Digital Scale
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BDOHNA/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$29.14
Notes: Digital scales are a little more expensive bet worth it for the time you save

--Digital Caliper
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002JFMIO/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$10.60
Notes: Digital calipers are convenient for speed but if money is tight you can go traditional

--Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner & Dry Lube
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Shot-Cleaner-DynaGlide-Aerosol/dp/B000LC9YM2/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375560230&sr=1-1&keywords=hornady+gun+cleaner
$13.28
Notes: Used when you put the press together and clean all the parts

--Hornady One Shot Spray Case Lube
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Shot-Spray-DynaGlide-Aerosol/dp/B0001NA29U/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375560743&sr=1-1&keywords=hornady+case+lube
$13.44
Notes: This or any case lube is an absolute need or your rounds will get stuck in the die. This one is cool because you don't have to wipe it off after you deprime and resize so if you have an AP bench like mine you can just keep going.

--Case Trimmer
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-50140-Camlock-Case-Trimmer/dp/B000PD6QJ6/ref=sr_1_7?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375561942&sr=1-7&keywords=case+trimmer
$88.99
Notes: This will trim the case down to size. Needed because after firing the case expands

--Cartridge Reloading Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Edition-Handbook-Cartridge-Reloading/dp/B00A95QWGM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375563579&sr=8-2&keywords=Reloading+guide
$39.80
Notes: Tells you the specifics of each round. There is a different manual for each projectile. So if you use Hornady bullets you will use their guide, RCBS you you'd use theirs, etc.
----------------------------------------------------
What you need to clean the brass:

--Case Tumbler
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Case-Tumbler-110-Volt/dp/B000PD1XE4/ref=sr_1_17?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375559938&sr=1-17&keywords=media+tumbler
$83.58
Used to remove the carbon from the rounds. I advise not to deprime before use because the media will get stuck in the primer hole.

--Tumbling Media
http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-287178-Brass-Cleaning/dp/B001GX8DS6/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375561385&sr=1-4&keywords=tumbling+media
$20.10
The corn cob media is a little more fine grain and less likely to get stuck

--Metal Polish
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-9993-Case-Polish/dp/B002L9D8VQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375561809&sr=1-1&keywords=hornady+metal+polish
$14.17
You would put this in the tumbler with the rounds to give them a nice polish
--------------------------------------------------------------
What I would recommend:

--Bullet Puller
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B7ZB4Q/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$17.15
Used when you mess up a round, it pulls the projectile out

--Primer Turning Plate
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPL80Q/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$17.56
used to make sure the primers are set the right way before you put them in the primer tube

--Universal Ammo Reloading Tray
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-1536-480040-Universal-Loading/dp/B000GU8WU4/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1375559333&sr=8-3-fkmr2&keywords=universal+ammo+reloading+tray
$11.38
Used to hold your rounds for inspection, and helps with precision loading powder

--Case Prep Tool
http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Universal-Case-Prep-Accessory/dp/B0034LAVUG/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375562159&sr=1-2&keywords=case+prep+tool
$55.79
This is used after depriming and trimming to make sure all the holes are clean and free of debris

--Stuck Case Remover
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Y6ZJQ6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$18.99
Used in case you get a round stuck in the die

--Hornady Micrometer Rifle Lock N Load Powder Measure
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O1WOJ2/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$27.99
Used to better measure out the powder in the Hornady Powder Drop for rifle calibers

--Hornady Micrometer Pistol Lock N Load Powder Measure
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPR300/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$39.89
Used to better measure out the powder in the Hornady Powder Drop for pistol calibers

--Powder Cop
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D6ZLXE/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$30.57
Used to make sure you don't put more powder in than you should

--Hornady Lock N Load Die Bushing 10 Pack
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Lock-Load-Bushing-Pack/dp/B00162OLTW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375563887&sr=8-1&keywords=Hornady+AP+die+bushing
$42.22
Would recommend if you are reloading multiple calibers, it makes change over much faster.
---------------------------------------------------

What you need for precision loading:

--Hornady Lock N Load Ammo Concentricity Gauge
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KZ3NNK/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$99.99
Only needed for precision reloading

--Powder Funnel
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PD1XI0/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$5.78
Used for more of an exact measurement

--Hornady Microjust Seating Stem
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GU9VU4/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$24.99
Used to get an exact seating depth with the projectile
-----------------------------
I hope this helps! I will be making some tutorial videos soon and will post a link here.

Here's my 2 cents.

• Don't get the kinetic bullet pullet. They are messy and break easily. Look at the Hornady Cam-Lock Bullet Puller and associated collet for your caliber. Works super well.
  
  
• With the Lee Gauge/Holder thing for case trimming. Stick that sucker in a drill (I use a drill press). I believe you will need this piece as well to hold the gauge.
  
  
• Drop the digital scale. The kit comes with a balance beam scale that's probably more accurate and doesn't require a warm up time. It's also not sensitive to what type of lighting you use.
  
  
• Highly recommend the Hornady Comparator for your calipers. It makes measuring the round much more accurate. You'll probably also want the OAL Gauge down the road.
  
  
• The Chronograph is nice but you won't need it until after you have worked up your load. Then you'll shoot a 10 shot string over it and not touch it again. It might be better to leave that for a later purchase or see if you can borrow one for a day once you're ready.
  
  
• I have a RCBS Rock Chucker and I converted it with the Hornady Lock-N-Load Bushings and it's awesome. I'm not sure if the lee can do that but it would be a nice addon.
  
  
• Buy a powder trickler. It will keep you sane and save you time until you can buy a automated trickler. It's big $$ but ultimately worth it.
  
  Otherwise good luck. Your first load will be scary but once you get the hang of it you'll be amazed at the accuracy you can achieve. Also the self reliance part is cool too!
  
  EDIT: If you're looking at a tumbler get the stainless steel kind. WAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY better than anything else. So good that I've switched to bring my brass to a buddy who has one instead of doing it in my media tumbler.
  

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.

Nice. I have had my 550 since 1995. Great machine.

I bought the spare parts kit, it is great to have on hand. Dillon will give you any of the pars on request, but it takes a couple days.

Ask for a couple bellcrank cubes for the powder measure. It is the one consumable part.

Bondhus drivers make working on the press much easier than standard L-shaped wrenches.

When removing the toolhead with the 1/4 driver, don't forget to loosen the 1/8 set screw on the side of the ram.

The UFO LED lighting kit is a great addition.

Keep the linkage greased and the shaft oiled.

Spilled powder and brass shavings will collect in the primer cup and dent primers. Watch for that and clean as necessary.

I put an 8-ball on mine for a larger handle. It is more comfortable. You may decide that you want a roller handle. If so, a cheap foam bicycle grip is a great addition. They come in pairs, the other one goes on your impact bullet puller (which you will need if you don't yet have it).

There are a great many aftermarket parts on ebay. Toolheads are cheaper than factory. There are powder measure knobs and micrometers. There are shellplate bearings and low-mass detent balls.

My Dillon .223 powder funnel did not want to flow stick powder (3031). I spun it in my lathe and radiused the transition. Problem solved.

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.

As a suggestion, I've been super happy with my Lee bench plate on my turret. It makes it super easy to swap my presses around and, as a bonus, adds a little bit of rigidity to the bench top.

He needs, yes. The Lee Challenger kit is around $99 on Amazon, and that has everything he'll need to get started except for: Bullets, Primers, Powder and Brass and DIES for 7.62x54r (another $30-$40)

Now, he'll want a digital scale, a case trimmer, and a tumbler to get his brass clean and pretty. That all can be added on, and most likely, be purchased in addition to the press kit for about $200.

Here's a list of things he'll want:

Lee Challenger Reloading Kit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ISVWC6/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hornady Reloading Manual (So he doesn’t blow himself up)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MAUZ71V/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Calipers (So he doesn’t blow his gun up)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GSLKIW/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

7.62x54r Reloading Dies
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-7-62X54R-Pacesetter-Dies/dp/B00162UGUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511562718&sr=8-1&keywords=7.62x54r+dies

Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-EZ Case Tumbler (To make clean-shiny brass)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001MYGLJC/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Case Tumbling Media
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OQRGF2/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

RCBS Universal Case Loading Block
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013RA5DQ/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hornady One-Shot Case Lube https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0001NA29U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack (Because listening to good music scientifically makes better bullets)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LICGSFU/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8

+1 on the Lyman 49th. A lot of people use different presses and like anything else out there, people have good and bad experiences with them. The balance with presses is how much you shoot, and how much you want to spend. If you shoot 100's of rounds a month, you might want to think about spending a little more and getting a progressive. If you shoot 50 - 100 rds a month you can probably get by with a single stage. I'm right in the middle and I bought the Lee Classic Turret. I like it because I can have it auto index and load quicker for pistol rounds but take the indexing rod out and have a single stage if I want to load rifle some day. A lot of good people on this sub that are willing to give good advice.

If you get a progressive or a turret that's a 4 hole press, I recommend getting 3 die sets and using a powder cop die to help you watch your powder.

Good luck and welcome to the club!

With the challenger you can buy bushings to make changing dies super quick, I recommend them. As for the plate, here is what I was speaking of. You'll have to check the reviews for better pictures though. Also you can buy just the pre drilled block that comes with hardware for each of the presses, to make quick changes of whats on the work bench. You can also cut a piece of 3/4 ply or hardwood (template included) and clamp that down and mount other things to this plate for quick changes. Like mentioned, I mounted my RCBS Rock Chucker to a piece of 3/4 birch plywood and it works great.

My reloading bench is also my work desk, I'm tight on space and this makes it very handy, as when I'm not reloading I just have a piece of flat steel bolted to the desk.

I purchased the FA case trimmer on December 10, 2015. For $134.54, it has been cheaper to the tune of $125 and change
I read the reviews, I selected this model for the following criteria :

1. uses standard threaded accessories. All the RCBS tool fit this model.
   
2. Multiple stations. I use it to trim, chamfer and deburr, as well as polish internally.
   
   The Good:
   
   The damn thing has been absolutely rock solid for 2yrs 11mo and so many days. I've trimmed, chamfered, deburred thousands of 5.56, 7.62 as well as 30.06, and .303 British. Nothing has gone wrong there.
   
   You can have it set horizontal or vertical. I prefer the vertical horizontal (brain can't speak/type), seems to make cleanup easier.
   Its not that noisy. I listen to podcasts while processing brass, to pass the time, its not too noisy. It has a distinct noise, but not whiny.
   
   The Bad: the included cutter was a cheap POS. I ended up purchasing and drop-in replacing the RCBS carbide cutter almost immediately ok, 6 months later. There it has remained for the past 2 years+ trimming brass, just like new. That was a +$40 extra expense.
   It's "only" accurate to about 1-2 thousandths. I'm gonna list this as a negative, but I will NOT say it trims everything perfectly. If I set it to 1.750" for my .223/5.56mm (or 2.005" for the 308) it gets it "close enough for government work." I still use it for my (airquotes) "Precision rounds" but if you are a stickler for the absolute, a manual trimmer may be what you want. By and large, I get whenI mean to trim to, 1.750 or 2.005, but it doesn't do it EACH and EVERY time, but the vast majority, its golden.
   
   The trimmer indexes on the shoulder, many reviews state that doing 300 blackout brass is troublesome. I can't comment, I don't load that cartridge. The other negative is that if you intend to trim straight-wall rifle or pistol cases, it wont work (due to the design). I don't have an opinion on that, I don't trim straight-wall stuff -- But I can confirm, the design relies upon a bottleneck or shoulder to index the brass.
   
   
   All and all, for bottleneck stuff, this has been an incredibly useful addition to my bench. It has the limitations, read the reviews, buy accordingly.

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.

These are the pins I use. I have no issues with them so far. Size is large enough so 2 can't get stuck in the flash holes but not huge (I don't know what is technically the "standard"). Even came with a sample of their cleaning detergent which is pretty good.

Obviously this depends on the size of your tumbler. If you're using the harbor freight set up (I am) all you need is 2lbs of pins. If you're going the frankfurt arsenal route you probably need 5lbs so your deal would be better.

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.

Calipers, scale,and a reloading manual... You don't have to buy a manual, as many companies have reloading data online, but make sure to use a reputable reloading company's website.... http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

You don't have to get the hand priming tool, as you can prime off of the press, but it's personal preference as to what you use. If you start reloading multiple calibers, look into the Hornady quick change adapter and bushings... makes changing dies a breeze... https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-44099-Lock-Load-Conversion/dp/B000PD1XAI I know it works well with the RCBS Rock Chucker press, but if you get a Lee press, they might have their own version of them...

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.

The 3lb would work, but if you can get a deal on the 6lb one, I'd get it. I have the 6lb one(dual drum) and if I remember correctly, I do 50 cases of .308 or 7.62x54r cases per drum, each works out to be about 1lb of brass. For 9mm and 45acp, I weigh out a pound on a kitchen scale.

I do 1lb brass, 1lb stainless steel pins, 1 lb water, a squirt of laundry soap, and a 9mm case worth of lemishine.

I deprime before cleaning with a Lee depriming die.

I tumble for 30 min to an hour, then separate from the pins, rinse, and let dry.

I also load on a single stage about once a month, and it works great for me.

If you have any questions, you can PM me.

>a ton of husks, wads, and no.4 shot I picked up for peanuts at a garage sale. I also have an old original lee load all 12ga press.

>My question is what primers/powder is recommended for loading this?


Doesn't quite work that way. You need to work with an established recipe.

What kind of hulls are they? What kind of wads? That makes a big difference in the powder/primer suggestion.

Your best bet to to by the Lyman book http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Shotshell-Handbook-5Th-Edition/dp/B00162MK2M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376656361&sr=8-1&keywords=lyman+shotshell

I'm renovating my house so I don't have any pictures but my brass goes in clear plastic storage boxes after they have been decapped and cleaned. I also include anti-tarnish paper to keep them nice. Bullets get thrown in bags with an anti-tarnish strip then placed in these http://www.amazon.com/Akro-Mils-8212-Stacking-AkroBins-Hardware/dp/B00002NB5I . They are the same thing you get with the hornady lnl ap. I then label them and hang them on the wall.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000PD1XIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_4iGEzbMVGJKDA

This is the cheapest and best way that I have found. Much sharper and easier to use than the Lyman reamer or the RCBS swager.

I've never used a Dillon SS.

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.

I just got this one, haven't shot a gun through it yet but I was using it for archery during hunting season and it worked great

I have this same press in 9mm, a snazzy low cost intro to progressives. Nice album too. I bought the adjustable powder chamber, and can make all the adjustment I need to, when I want a specific load thrown. Or order a second set of disks and drill out the hole that doesn't throw enough, but honestly Amazon has the adjustable unit for $14 and change.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00162RPDG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1395641364&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40

I'm not familiar with the Rowland, but being based on 45 ACP I would think it would fine.

Link to the strong mount.

This is a good description of the various ways you can remove the primer crimp in surplus brass. I have a swedging die and a Wilson reamer I chuck in my cordless drill. I prefer the reamer, it's easier and a more positive result.

Looks good. As long as the table is plenty sturdy!

I see you are using the Lee auto powder measure.

I highly recommend this adjustable charge bar rather than using the discs:

https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Adjustable-Charge-Bar/dp/B00162RPDG/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1517682469&sr=8-6&keywords=lee+powder+measure

The reason is that sometimes you want to go up just a bit, maybe .1gr and this will allow for micro adjustments much easier than emptying powder, swapping the disc around etc.

Another suggestion: I use STP grease (stuff you get at the auto store) on my ram, I use a very LIGHT coating on the action rod as well (too much and you'll get it gunked with powder).

I am not running this exact setup, (I have a pro 1000) but the suggestions work for both.

Wow, this one is less than $80! I think you'll find a chronograph is indispensable after you've owned one. Far less guesswork. ...But the ultimate in reloading nerd-dom comes with both a chronograph and QuickLoad!

I like having case gauges, sample rounds (to verify seating depth), and the case feeder parts in caliber-specific bins; it makes life easier. The [30210 bins] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002NB5I/) do this wonderfully.

Don't forget to remove the primer crimp. I swage em with one of these but it's massive overkill for just starting out on a budget:

http://www.amazon.com/Dillon-Precision-Primer-Pocket-Military/dp/B00LAEVPZE

You could just carefully use a primer pocket reamer / chamfer tool like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Primer-Pocket-Reamer-Package/dp/B000PD1XIK

I think I saw one for $100 on either /r/gundeals or /r/reloadingsales last week.

Though I just looked on amazon and found this guy for $75. (and free shipping)

Remove the primer crimp and you'll be good to prime with none damaged.




Cheaper



Funsies


Or you can swage the primer pocket which pushes the brass back into itself, compared to removing brass.

I use an old school Lyman trimmer. You can roll through brass with surprising efficiency if you get a rhythm going.

Edit: Lyman Universal Trimmer with 9 Pilot Multi-Pack Trims .17 Cal to .458 Cal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000N8JZL4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Se4FAbP77X2K3

Chamfer tool 90384

Deburr tool 90385

Trimmer cutter 90250

Larger uniformer 90378

Small uniformer 90379

Yes, they do double the cost of the machine, but cut much better than the stock ones.

Or like $70. Coldwell ballistic precision on amazon.

Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HTN5DTE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Pl5cBb1VJ6KJC

I have had a lot of luck with this. Once you get it set up properly, I can crank out just as many as the Lyman or Dillon setup for only 35 bucks. https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9481-Primer-Pocket-Combo-2/dp/B0063IDAX2/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1YQJ4P0OW92MK&dchild=1&keywords=rcbs+swager+die&psc=1&qid=1571431910&sprefix=rcbs+sw%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-5

Amazon new for the press. On that note, things that dont degrade much with use and are in good shape dont lose value much. We're talking machinery not electronics. So $25 less for no cardboard box that you werent going to keep and some invisible germs is saving whichever way you look at it. Would the person take $75-$90? Maybe.

Just remember the hierarchy of main reloading hardware. Lee > RCBS >= Hornady > Dillon.

• Wet tumbled using this
  
  
• used these steel pins
  
  
• a dash of dawn dish liquid and 2 9mm casings full of lemi shine.
  
  
• leave on for 1.5 hrs
  
  
• air dry for now just bought a food dehydrator to speed things up.
  
  Note: deprime before tumbling for the extra clean primer pockets if you were to load precision. For mass loading of 9mm i do not bother.

thanks, just found the Lyman Shotshell Handbook 5th Edition for under $20.00

Are you using a gauge, or just chambering the round? If you are just clambering the dummy round, you don't know what is causing the bullet to get pushed back. It could be hitting the lands, or it could be just friction from chambering it. Long story short, unless you are using something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Overall-Length-Gauge-Curved/dp/B000PD6SD0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425424674&sr=8-2&keywords=hornady+overall+length+gauge
You should probably stick with published data.

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

since you dont know the type of any of the componets you already have start from here. Start sticking to the loads listed and eventually you will learn what you can and cant change safely. A Lymans shotshell manual is great for learning process and tech information. It also has more load data than you can shake a stick at.

Another method that is quite inexpensive (mine was less than $10 when I got it) besides the countersink drill bit, is the hornady primer pocket reamer: https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-041210-Primer-Pocket-Package/dp/B000PD1XIK

Works ok, and of course is slow since it's a hand tool, but it works.

Please don't remove the primer crimp, just swager! http://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Primer-Pocket-Swager-Combo-2/dp/B0063IDAX2

I suspect that you can buy inexpensive replacement heads for a lot of those case prep centers and just chuck them in the drill. Also, plenty of hand case prep tools look easy enough to chuck.

I have a vague image in my head of a shoestring budget DIY contraption for case trimming using a drill press, but I get the feeling that the stops on a cheap drill press aren't accurate enough even if I could devise such a device.

For primer crimps, you can get a swage die and use a decent single stage press. For chamfering, I suspect that there are many non-reloading tools that would work, like a countersink bit or even a very large twist drill with an appropriately angled point.

Get somthing like this. Shotshell is a diferent animal than metalic cartridges.

Ballistic Precision Chronograph https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HTN5DTE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oZKkzbQSWDYGB

I got that one and I like it. You'll need to pick up a tripod for it though.

I have this one, got the bluetooth adapter too which works better than wired imo but not required.

https://www.amazon.com/Competition-Electronics-ProChrono-Digital-Chronograph/dp/B0028MTBJ4/ref=lp_7213099011_1_3?srs=7213099011&ie=UTF8&qid=1495944962&sr=8-3

Hornady Lock n Load

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PD01NS

I'd try here: http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Shotshell-Handbook-5Th-Edition/dp/B00162MK2M

Get one of these and one of these.

• Harbor Freight Dual Tumbler
  
• Stainless Steel Tumbling Pins
  
• Dawn (Single drop)
  
• Lemishine (light sprinkle)
  
• Frankford Media Separator
  
• 5 gal. bucket

Here is the desktop version of your link

I'm a fan of the RCBS primer pocket swager combo. It swages the pocket correctly and can even fix other problems not necessarily found with military crimped pockets.

http://amzn.com/B0063IDAX2