I've been wanting to get into reloading for quite a while now. I've been saving my brss for who knows how long and have decided it is time to do it. Therefore, is there a particular kit that will give me the tools needed for reloading? Also, please give some recommendations for reloading books.

I have the following calibers I'll be reloading:
22-250 (vast majority), 243, 7mm-08, 257 weatherby, and 300 win mag.

A single stage press from any of the name manufacturers will get the job done. The RCBS Rockchucker is a lifetime investment. Can't go wrong there.

Hornady and Sierra are great books

I started with the Rockchucker kit, and I still use the chamfer, powder measure, and scale.

A complete list of the stuff I still use:
1) Forster Co-ax press
2) Forster full length factory honed dies
3) RCBS uniflow powder measure
4) RCBS 505 powder scale
5) Redding Imperial die wax
6) Wilson case mouth chamfer
7) Forster priming tool
8) Lyman pocket uniformer [for cleaning]
9) Lyman moly vibrator kit
10) Berry's Bullets vibrator cleaner
11) Luxo magnifier lamp
12) Berry's Bullets ammo boxes
13) 3M post-its
14) Lee depriming die
15) Any $20 Chinese 6" dial caliper
16) Any Chinese pin gauge sets .060 to .500"
17) Sinclair concentricity gauge
18) Sharpie ultra fine point permanent marker
19) Sinclair bullet comparator
20) A radio to listen to when reloading
21) Quickload program on my computer

Hey graybird

I would start with the RCBS kit.

For dies in each caliber I would recommend the Lee Collet Neck Sizer, the Redding Body Die, and the RCBS Competition Seater.

That way you would be able to neck size for the first few loadings and size the case body and push the shoulder back when needed. The Competition seater is expensive but it will seat your bullets straight and to the same point.

You will be able to reload straight ammo with this setup and not buy them later when you get into runout and Partial Full Length Resizing.

Sooner or later you will need gauges to determine seating depth and shoulder position. I recommend the Hornady OAL Gage with the modified case to gauge the seating depth of your chamber. For shoulder position the Hornady Headspace Gage will become indispensable.

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:
I've been wanting to get into reloading for quite a while now. I've been saving my brss for who knows how long and have decided it is time to do it. Therefore, is there a particular kit that will give me the tools needed for reloading? Also, please give some recommendations for reloading books.

I have the following calibers I'll be reloading:
22-250 (vast majority), 243, 7mm-08, 257 weatherby, and 300 win mag.

Greybird, I very highly recommend this as your place to start:

http://www.natchezss.com/category.cfm?contentID=product...vel=2&prodID=RC09357


This RCBS Rockchucker kit has all the tools you need to get started except for dies and shellholders for the particular calibers you want to load for. Buy the Kit, dies and components and you are ready to go. You'll add stuff later but this is a perfect way to start. I still have the same basic kit that started me in reloading 31 years ago. My kids won't wear it out.
RCBS is good solid stuff and a good value. I've helped a couple other rookies start out with this kit and all were sucessfull and were very happy with it. Sometimes you can find them even cheaper than $250 so shop around a bit. If you don't find it cheaper Natchezss has given me good service and I can recommend them.
Good luck, let us know if there is anything else we can do to help....................DJ

Everyone is correct in saying go with the RCBS starter kit, but if you're strapped for cash look into the Lee. One of my good shotting buddies at the club swears by his Lee and if you price it out it's considerably lees expensive that the RCBS. We got one of other buddies into reloading and he just started and he went the Lee road and is very happy. I would never give up my RCBS it works just fine and is over 30 years old and I bought if used from someone.

Start with a kit. I started with the RCBS Advanced RC Supreme Master Reloading Kit

Added the dies and shellholders... I also picked up the Forster Co-Ax press but that fit the "optional" catagory...

Ken....

quote:

Originally posted by graybird:
I've been wanting to get into reloading for quite a while now. I've been saving my brss for who knows how long and have decided it is time to do it. Therefore, is there a particular kit that will give me the tools needed for reloading? Also, please give some recommendations for reloading books.

I have the following calibers I'll be reloading:
22-250 (vast majority), 243, 7mm-08, 257 weatherby, and 300 win mag.

+ 1 for RCBS Or Hornady

Looks like we pretty much have a unanimous decision.

Thanks for the help guys!!

Everybody has a list of things they swear you can't reload without but truth is a lot of them are "nice to have" things not "got to have things". Get a kit. Read the book. THEN get a two die full length set of dies for ONE of your cartridges. 7-08 would be a good cartridge to start with and RCBS are good dies. So are Lees. There are other dies that cost more and have more whistles and bells that are endorsed by the guys in the "I'll bet I can spend more for my stuff than you can" club. If you like, you can work up to the specialty dies after you get your feet on the ground.
Right now, you're not interested in seating your boutique bullets .002 off the lands or having .004 clearance for your primer. You just want to make good ammo that is better than you can buy in the store. And cheaper.
Once you are comfortable with the one cartridge, you can progress to the others and then you can start experimenting with varying seating depths and such. But right now, you certainly don't need all the thingys and gizzies, and jimcracks designed to catch reloaders. If you've never seen a Lee Loader, you owe it to yourself to find one and look at it. And think about all the gazilions of rounds of good ammo that have been loaded witn them and then look at the list of supposedly "must have" items one needs to reload.

quote:

If you've never seen a Lee Loader, you owe it to yourself to find one and look at it. And think about all the gazilions of rounds of good ammo that have been loaded witn them and then look at the list of supposedly "must have" items one needs to reload.

+1 and amen. the lee loader strips it down to the fundamanetals. it plus a few case conditioning tools are really all that one NEEDS to load very accurate ammuniton.

if you can afford the rockchucker kit, then by all means get it; as has been said, it comes with great quality and service.

if you're strapped for cash, go with lee's kit, which is just as good and also comes with great quality and service.

either way, be prepared to consider both kits to be the beginning rather than the end.

the bottom line as said above is that there is a huge difference between what you need and what you've "gotta have." i've finally crossed the threshold where i have what i need and have delved a bit into "gotta have;" to be honest, i would be just as well off with the basics, and the mone for the luxury items could go toward components, gas, or taking my wife out to dinner and a movie. once i get my hands on a LPPM or an RCBS uniflow (don't need a measure, but i "gotta have" one), i'm done buying stuff.

I have successfully reloaded with two rocks and a nail, but I prefer to work a Forster Co-ax press into my act.

I'm fairly new to reloading and started just last year with the Lee Anniversary Kit and Lee Deluxe Rifle Die sets in three calibers. I have been extremely pleased. Sure there are better scales, presses and other components, but it's a decent set to start with. One little problem with the kit: The toggle link on the press is made of aluminum and I broke two. Lee will send new ones but I made a new one out of scrap tool steel. The link won't break now.

My success with Lee equipment includes turning a .270 Ruger into a sub-MOA shooter when the best I ever saw with factory ammo was 1.75" at 100. I'll replace the scale eventually but I've loaded a lot with what's in the kit and it's good.

Graybird,
Go with the Rock Chucker Kit. I've had mine for over 10 years and it's still going strong.
Most of my dies are RCBS, but I have some Lee's also. I load about 25 calibers.
Another good tool to have is a Powder Trickler. This will put your powder charge right on the money.
Mauser K98

Welcome to the reloading world. My suggestions to any beginner are:

RCBS Rockchucker kit (There's only two sort of reloaders, those that own a Rockchucker and those that will!!)

Two (2) reloading manuals, Lyman and one more
Imperial Sizing die wax
Primer Pocket cleaners
Micrometer measure (for measuring cases)
Be sure you have both a Powder Measure and a Powder Scale
Reloading dies - RCBS 1st choice, Redding 2nd, Lyman 3rd (Problem in dies is that some people make the ones you want and some do not)

Sooner or later you will want a progressive, and that will be a Dillon 550, but thats not a tool for a beginner.

Can get your best prices via the online sales houses like Midway, Graf's, and Wideners.

I was in your shoes once. I would reccomend a Lee Classic Turret Press. It will allow you to use it as a single stage press or a turret press. I use it as a single stage for my accuracy ammo (.308 for 1000 yard) and as a turret for my pistol rounds to crank out bulk ammo for plinking. For the money I feel it is a great value and it turns out good ammo. I have been using the original turret for 5+ years and upgraded to the classic about 2 years ago, and for the average reloader I feel it is one of the best values for the the beginning reloader and wants the best of a single stage and progressive wrapped up in one.

Try to avoid buying things based on price.

You will actually save money by buying better tools that you won't have the urge to "upgrade" later.

To put a point on it a lot of the lee stuff if fine for the casual reloader who loses interest in reloading, but simply doesn't hold up to heavy use if you stick with reloading.

And the Lee stuff tends to not have the resale value of anything else.

The advise to get a Rockcrusher setup is right on the money.
It may be a bit more expensive, but it's basic and indestructable, and if you later lose interest you will have no problems selling it.

If OTOH you wanted to reload pistol ammo in volume
there is ONE and only ONE name I'd recommend: Dillon.

I have a Rock crusher myself (somewhere around here...), but I have TWO RCBS RS2 presses, and an older Iron RS press in addition to my Dillon RL550 progressive, the rock chucker has never actually been out of it's box...
And somewhere on the floor under my bench is a Lyman Spar-T turret press that I haven't used in 15years...

I use one RS2 as a "Depriming station" with a Lee Universal decapping die, that sits right next to my case tumblerS (note the use of the plural, I have THREE). and I use another as a permanant priming station with a press mounted Lee auto prime (Yes, I buy "small stuff" from Lee)

I use the iron framed ReloaderSpecial press as my sizing/seating station this actually differs from the rock chucker only in that it doesn't have a removable bushing to allow use of the bullet swaging or 50BMG dies.


AllanD

Graybird: Don't overlook used equipment. I got a nice old steel Rockchucker for about $40. Great press. Also ask if anyone has stuff they want to sell. For example, Allan above seems to have a Lyman turret press he might be willing to part with ...

Graybird: First thing you ought to do is get Lyman #48 book and read the reloading section. Big R probably has them (and most other things you'll need). Sportsmans Warehouse in the Springs will also have most of the stuff you're going to need. You didn't say how much money you're willing to spend. If your budget is on a diet, I'd suggest the Lee Anniversary kit. Otherwise, the RCBS Rockchucker kit. The Lee Pacesetter die sets include a shell holder and Factory Crimp die (one of the handy tools to have). If you get anyone else's dies, you need to also get shell holders - I suggest the Lee shellholder set.

Everyone is giving some really good info. Check it all out before getting something you're not happy with.

If you need a place to shoot, check out www.frontiersportsman.com and get on their waiting list.

Mike

If I'm a beginner reloader and want to reload pistol ammo I should start out with a turret press. Is this correct?

I want to reload 9mm and .357 sig.

Thanks

midsouth shooters supply has the rockchucker supreme master kit on sale for 229.99

quote:

Originally posted by Tilly.30-06:
If I'm a beginner reloader and want to reload pistol ammo, I should start out with a turret press. Is this correct?

I want to reload 9mm and .357 sig.

Thanks

Turret presses have been favored by pistol loaders. That doesn't mean that they are necessarily your choice or limited to pistol reloading. If you like the idea of having your dies permanently mounted, it's the way to go. Another option is to get a press with a threaded insert and use the Hornady L-N-L bushings (or use the Hornady press).

If the cost is not a deterrent, Redding's T-7 turret is a (actually the) top choice. It will accommodate seven dies on a single head.

If you aren't familiar with the equipment, get a copy of The ABC's of Reloading and/or the Lyman manual. Get an idea of what your chosen loading process will be, and then purchase equipment accordingly.

I typically don't recommend kits, but if you decide on a single-stage press, the RCBS RockChucker kit may suit your requirements for pistol loading (the combination would NOT be my choice for rifle ammo). It is a very good buy for what you get.

Here is another question:
Is the turret press better than a progressive, say a dillon 550?

I will also be reloading rifle cartridges in .30-06 springfield and .223.

I was looking at the rock chucker for the rifle cartridges. I was always under the assumption that a progressive press was the better choice for pistol and a single stage for rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Tilly.30-06:
Here is another question:
Is the turret press better than a progressive, say a dillon 550?

I will also be reloading rifle cartridges in .30-06 springfield and .223.

I was looking at the rock chucker for the rifle cartridges. I was always under the assumption that a progressive press was the better choice for pistol and a single stage for rifle.

Depends on how much you will shoot.A single stage press works fine unless you are into one of the shooting sports that requires hundreds of rounds daily.Not many people shoot that much.

quote:

Originally posted by Tilly.30-06:
Is the turret press better than a progressive...?

I was looking at the rock chucker for the rifle cartridges. I was always under the assumption that a progressive press was the better choice for pistol and a single stage for rifle.

A progressive is convenient for high-volume loading, especially where changeover is infrequent and brass prep is minimal.

The virtue of a turret is that the dies stay put. You can get extra turret heads and change those out. The turret will do the same job as a single-stage. A newer method is to convert a single-stage press to L-N-L so that die changing is easier and the die adjustment is less easily affected.

Before you invest in equipment, you need to learn more about reloading so that you will have an idea of what your reloading process will be. Then you will be able to make decisions regarding equipment.

The type of shooting that you will be doing will to a great extent influence your reloading process, especially regarding brass prep. The types of powders that you employ will dictate your means for powder dispensing. The rest of your process will be centered around the powder function.

My choice for basic equipment would be a Redding press, powder measure(3BRK), and trickler. The Forster press is preferred by many. The RCBS scales are made by Ohaus and are considered a top choice; the Redding scale is also good. The case trimmer by Wilson is a preferred manual trimmer. Many like the Lee AutoPrime hand primer. Redding and Forster make excellent dies. (Do you want bushing or standard dies?) If you get a copy of the Sinclair catalog you will learn much about the better equipment available.

Learn first. Buy second.

Seems like you got a LOT of input last October.

One can never get enough input!!!!!!!!