Hi, I guess I'll start out buy saying I've had it with buying manufactured ammo, I would like to shoot more than I do but rising ammo prices are making it hard to afford anymore. Going out with a few friends shooting for a day is becoming few and far between. I have a number of firearms (12 guage, 7.62x39, .308, .223 etc...) I'm new to reloading all together, I've just started researching about it online, Would a single stage press (+ needed caliber dies for my guns) cover all my reloading needs? Does reloading shot take a different press altogether?

Sorry if these question seem dumb to most of you that have been doing this for a long time, I guess you have to start somewhere.

If anyone knows of any websites I can research, that would be great. What are some of the better presses? Are there any I should stay away from? I was thinking about purchasing a used press, Is this a good idea?

I'm interested in getting something that I can use to reload a lot of rounds, I'll more than likely get suckered into reloading for friends (or let them use the press themselves) I myself, can easily go through a few hundred rounds in a day, so I'm looking for something easy to use, so I can sit down and do reloads for a long period of time.

Thanks.

Visit a local shop, that sells reloading gear. Purchase a reloading manual. Read the "Introduction to Reloading" section start to finish. Then read it again, making notes of anything that you don't understand. Come back here and ask questions.

quote:

I have a number of firearms (12 guage, 7.62x39, .308, .223 etc...) I'm new to reloading all together, I've just started researching about it online, Would a single stage press (+ needed caliber dies for my guns) cover all my reloading needs? Does reloading shot take a different press altogether?

Sorry if these question seem dumb to most of you that have been doing this for a long time, I guess you have to start somewhere.

If anyone knows of any websites I can research, that would be great. What are some of the better presses? Are there any I should stay away from? I was thinking about purchasing a used press, Is this a good idea?

I'm interested in getting something that I can use to reload a lot of rounds, I'll more than likely get suckered into reloading for friends (or let them use the press themselves) I myself, can easily go through a few hundred rounds in a day, so I'm looking for something easy to use, so I can sit down and do reloads for a long period of time.

Well for starters there really are no dumb questions when starting this adventure. Everyone here started somewhere, and had to ask similar questions somewhere along the line.

Personally I feel that a single stage press is the best way to start. It gives you the ability to inspect each and every round through out the process and discover things that, if your not accustomed to looking for, you might miss on a progressive. They are a bit slower, but they do turn out quality loads, and you learn what your doing, see the little things like, cracked necks which show up after sizing, upside down primers, primer pockets which are loose, powder levels that are off, and so on. It really does suck to have a round hit the bin with no primer, especially when loading ball powder.

As for the presses themselves, most companies nowadays build good equipment that with care will last you a lifetime, especially the single stage ones. The progressives are very nice for production, and once set up can turn out bulk loads in a short time, if your on top of everything. Being new it is somewhat overwhelming to watch three to four stages while trying to keep up with setting the cases, bullets, and pulling the handle. Of course you can get them now with auto case, and bullet feeders, so that might be of benefit, mine isn't that fancy.

Most of the companies have some type of run down on the procedures involved with reloading. I know that RCBS & Dillon both have sections on their sites to help pick out the right press and equipment, and am pretty sure so does Hornady and Lee, and probably other as well. Look through the pages as you look for ideas on just what you want to get. Most presses hold their value pretty well, so don't be afraid to start with a single stage and then move up to a progressive. Even if you do the single stage can still be useful, or sold if not wanted or needed.

As for a top pick, most production loaders use Dillon or Hornady, simply due to the ease of setting up die heads and being able to swap calibers with out changing much. Most all of them are fairly easy to use once you know what to look for while working them.

This same stuff applies to shot shells. While there might be a single stage press or two that will cross over and do shot shells, I don't know of any progressives. As far as brands, MEC, Pacific, and Hornady, all offer them I know, I have an old Pacific manual shot shell press that has loaded cases upon cases of shells for me, with little worry or problems. More or less it is a single stage, in that you simply move the shell from one station to the next by hand. Each step you do the next step. With a steady rhythm it turns out quality shells in fairly short time. It won't keep up with one of the newer progressives which do it all automatically, but it is much nicer should something need to be removed or changed mid stream.

I would love to tell you that you should get this press, or that one, but your budget, needs, and various other variables come into play, and it would be like telling you which pair of socks would fit you the best.

Look over the information on the Manufactures sites, and look at your situation with regard to the area your setting up in, your budget, and the different possibilities of swapping things out from one caliber to the next.

Each of the progressives require shell plates of some form or fashion for each caliber, and these can cost anywhere from $10 - 20, where even though the shell holders for a single stage are still needed you can get a complete set of Lee, for around $15.

As you can see there are pro's and con's to both sides of the coin. Either will produce god quality ammo, but to get into a progressive, you looking at a much higher initial outlay of cash, as no matter which way you go, your still going to need to have the side items like a trimmer, scale, tumbler, calipers, such and so forth.

While not as fast as a progressive, I work through my loads in batches. I shoot up a batch, throw all of them in a tumbler, after cleaning, I size, trim, prime, and load them all at one sitting each. It might take a couple of days total to load them but when I am done they are top quality rounds. Whether I use the progressive or not, the only thing that changes is the actual loading of the case. So either way, I can sit and load a couple hundred prepped cases in a short time, but I get a much better inspection and control using the single stage over the progressive.

Hope this helps some. It is a big investment up front, but either way there comes a great satisfaction of shooting your own ammo.

1 - DO NOT RELOAD FOR FRIENDS WITHOUT A LICENSE AND INSURANCE ... its both illegal (yes, it is) and inherently risky from a liability prespective

2: for the first year or 5, NEVER exceed the medium loads given ... always start at the low charge.. never start LOWER than the low charge.

3: book max loads are MAX LOADS-- those loads produced an average of the company's maximum working pressure for that round. Those are MAX LOADS -- if you use the same powder, the same bullet, case, primer, and OAL, and then add more powder, your loads would have resulted in an overpressure load for the rifle(s) in the book. DO NOT DO IT ..

4: no animal on the planet knows the difference between 2900fps and 3100 FPS ... if your rifle shoots better at 2900 you will hit more accuractely

5: NEVER, EVER, drink, smoke, do drugs, or be exhausted when you reload.. its also dumb to eat while doing it.. lead and distractions

6: ONLY ONE POWDER OUT -- ONLY ONE ... never have several cans of powder out. never assume you have the right powder... READ the can, EVERY time

7: primers are important .. don't change from one kind to the other without restarting your load process. This is CRITICAL and can be deadly, at anything like max loads.

8: no ceiling fan on, no music, no people, no distractions, no phones, no nothing that can distract you while you are reloading. weigh everything.. twice .. its YOUR life, or even worse, an injury to a third party, every time

9: do NOT experiment -- when you have grown past this and these warnings, do as you will .. but a new reloader should NEVER do anything not specially in the book. there's no secert for changing a powder, or primer, or making a lever gun into a benchgun .. don't bother trying, its not there

10: weights, lots, and OAL mean EVERYTHING... if you want to shoot a rifle accurately, OAL must be consistent ... a pistol can raise presure HUGELY by shortening oal ...

11: never be in a hurry -- if you only have time to load 10 rounds accurately, then only load 10 .. trying to cram 20 into the same time results in errors

12: check powder levels in cases AFTER you weigh and put the powder in the case. every time ... not checking powder levels can result in double or no charges .. resulting in death, injury and damage

if you are still interested, i suggest you get ackley handbooks for reloaders, volume 1 and 2 .. IGNORE all the loading data in the back pages, at this time. You'll soon find out its either BS or dangerous

NEVER EVER EVER take reloading data "from the internet"

What you need most is a friend who knows what he is doing. Using a book or video is the hard way. Other than that, remember all rifle shooters used to be handloaders. Good luck!

Contrary to some folks opinions, there is no equipment to go to or from, if it were not all good stuff it would die off the market rapidly. (Some people are mechanical klutzes and bend or break things they should not, or have great difficulty adjusting things with moving parts. But that is no direct result of any inferiority in the tools, some just work a little differently from others, it's all good stuff.)


Few of us suggest a progressive press of any kind to a newbie, to many things going on at once for easy learning of some important things.

From the description of your goals I believe you would be well served with a Lee Classic Turret press and extra turret heads for each of your cartridges. Load each head with preset dies and you can swap cartridges in seconds without tools. And Lee's dies are as good as any.

Shotshell loading does require a completely different set-up and the percentage of savings is lower than you might hope for. Uless you expect to load competition levels of ammo I'd reccommend sticking with cheap factory stuff.

You really need to get oriented by reading some introductory material. I'll suggest The ABC's of Reloading. It will give you a good overview of the process and the types of equipment available. Also, pick up Lyman's Reloading Handbook. It has introductory material, load recipes, and related articles, such as ballistics info. When you have read these, this forum has an excellent SEARCH function and is a repository for information on every topic there is. You will then have specific and relevant questions to present here.

You will devise a tentative loading process, and then your knowledge of the equipment will be beneficial for you. A general inquiry such as yours is usually met here with a long list of opinions and recommendations that, if it doesn't thoroughly confuse, may only misguide. Here's an excellent example:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...2511043/m/9071077421

sierra also makes a good manual to start with usually on the lighter end of loads also. the introduction is very detailed and alot of pictures it didnt stuff like case annealling or some of the nice tools you will end up wanting but you will learn that as you go .

Well what Jeffeosso said is just so DAMN important--heed his advice.

Shotshell reloading is a different beast than reloading centerfire rifle cartridges, although all the precautions apply to both.

Reading a reloading book introduction is how I got started, I started with 2, the Nosler and Speer manuals of the then current issue, and they were great--I am a big fan of the Nosler manuals to this day. That is where I would start, lots of info around here about new/used what type and how much $....I'd look at a few of those threads (use the search function) and don't ever be afraid to ask, and though I wasn't going to--I will anyway--repeat one of Jeffeosso's 'rules' NEVER use a load from the internet, unless you KNOW it is safe!

There can be some great deals on used stuff if you find it. Used good gear like RCBS lasts a long time and is seldom worn out, but new stuff is not really that expensive either...set a budget and work towards that--always havfe a contingency fund though

Good Luck!

I'm a little late to this thread so I'll offer only one piece of advice. Do not, under any circumstances, buy a progressive as your first press.

1. Forester/Bonanza Co-Ax Press (both jaw sets). I buy the aluminum Forester Cross Bolt Lock Ring to repalce rings that come with dies for use on Co-Ax. I don't use steel rings because i want the ring to have any wear not the press frame.
2. Harrell's Premium Culver Powder Meter Buy direct from Harrell)
3. RCBS 1010 Powder Scale to set clicks on Harrell's.
4. Whitetail Primer lg&sm Pocket Uniformer (Russ Hydon Supply)
5. Lee Auto Priming Tool with case holders
6. L.E. Wilson/Sinclair Ultimate Trimmer with case holders
7. Sinclair Poly Blocks to hold cases
8. RCBS Sidewinder Case Tumbler (wash cases with hot water and auto dishwasher detergent not walnut or corn cob hulls)
9. L.E. Wilson case mouth chamfering Tool
10. RCBS or Redding Case Sizing Lube and Pad
11. Best Quality Redding dies. Sizing die to have interchangeable neck bushing capability. I mostly partial neck size for bolt guns.
12. I like an Arbor Press with L.E. Wilson Hand Dies also (check out on the Sinclair International website)
13. Sinclair Flash Hole Deburring Tool
Simple RCBS Kinetic Bullet Puller tool for the ocassional revision.
14. Starret/Mitutoyo 6" Calipers
15. Starret/Mitutoyo Micrometer
16. Starret/Sinclair Case Neck Micrometer
17. Davidson Seating Depth Checkers for use with caliper (Sinclair site)
18. Hornady OAL Guage and Modified cases

Two great books I highly recommend:

"Precision Shooting: Reloading Guide" Book Editied by Dave Brennan

A-Square "Any Shot You Want Handloading and Rifle Manual" Reloading Manual

Both of these books are available at MidwayUSA.

Also, I recommend Precision Shooting Magazine, Dealing exclusively with extreme rifle accuracy. Here is the website http://www.precisionshooting.com/

That's about all for now. MidwayUSA and Sinclair international are good online stores to shop at.

Loading pistol ammo sucks on a single stage. You will learn more from a single stage, so it is a catch 22. For shot shells you'll need a different press.

First read about reloading to see what it's about. Even Barnes and Noble has The ABC's of Reloading. If you can find someone who reloads and learn from them before you buy a press.

Then you see if your friends want to get involved. For instance you buy press and each buys a different set of dies. Someone else buys the shot loader. I started with the RCBS Rockchucker, added an MEC Sizemaster (used) for shot, picked up a Lee Loadmaster, a friend gave me a Redding single stage that he never used that he got from a family member (I haven't used it either, it's going to be a portable press one of these days.), and I bought a Redding T-7 turret press about a year ago that I've just set up. The RCBS was '96.

My first few hundred pistol rounds convinced me to go progressive. I still use the single for load developement even on a pistol round so It's not like you won't use it for ever.

For shot there are times it is easier to buy a hundred rounds at Walmart than it is to load skeet rounds. I don't know what their prices are right now but components for shot shells aren't much of a deal unless you shoot a lot of trap and skeet. I've generally been able to shoot pistol ammo for a third to half the price but components have gone up in the past year. Rifle ammo depends on what you load. I buy 7.62x39 and 54R, I will be making my match ammo for 5.56 and 7.62. It is less than buying and gives a consistant load that is made for my guns.

If you are near the Norfolk, Virginia area I can help get you started.

quote:

Shotshell reloading is a different beast than reloading centerfire rifle cartridges, although all the precautions apply to both.

Shotgun powder is pretty potent stuff. I saw the Mythbusters guys use the powder from just four 12-gauge shells in a cannon to propel either a 5-pound or 16-pound ball over 500 yards. Can't remember how heavy the ball was, but sending it 500 yards really got my attention...

Thanks everyone for all the great help and recommendations, very useful information. I'll be sure to check out a couple of the books mentioned here. Great forum! Look forward to participating more once I get on my way.

Thanks Again

I think they used the shell as a dipper for that.

Welcome to reloading. You'll get good advice around here. Sometimes we even agree with the books.

If I may suggest. contact the NRA to see if there is a reloading instructor in your area and contact them. This is a great way to find a mentor who will guide you threw the many questions.
AND what jeffeosso said is, for the most part, RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
You couldn't go wrong printing his list and posting with your reloading gear.

muck

They were using black powder and the shot shell was a dipper/measure.

quote:

Originally posted by Sam:
I think they used the shell as a dipper for that.

Who? What?

quote:

They were using black powder and the shot shell was a dipper/measure.

Ditto.

No food, drink. That's an important one. You're handling some toxic materials. Wash your hands after working at the bench.

I listen to music. I don't watch TV or visit, but I listen to music. It's not like I sing along or tap my feet to it, but it's there.

Develop a routine process. Part of that routine needs to be checking and double checking your work:

Weigh every tenth charge to ensure it hasn't shifted.

Every tenth charge, double check your scale. Then read the label on your powder to ensure that it's what you think it is.

Keep notes. I keep a spiral bound note book for each caliber. Label lots with date, number of rounds, load, bullet weight, primer, etc.

I keep load data on the right hand side of the pages, and shooting results/comments on the left hand pages.

I put purchase dates on components, along with what I paid for them -- just so I can keep track of prices. Some day you're going to look at a pound of powder and ask, "Jeez, I wonder how old this stuff is?"

Reloading is precision machine work. Good work can't be rushed. Don't reload if you're tired, rushed, distracted. Don't reload because "I need some ammo, now!"

It's nice to have a place to work. Working off the coffee table in front of the TV is distracting, not very organized.

-- for starters.

This is alot of very good info. I have been -reloading for over a year now and all this is true. Pay close attention to what you do. Check everything twice or three times for good measure. Good luck. It is both fun and rewarding.

The best way to get started is to find someone who is experienced and have them show you by reloading a few rounds with them. That is how I got started 25 years ago. It's not difficult but is a lot easier if you can do it with someone who knows what they are doing for the first few times.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
1 - DO NOT RELOAD FOR FRIENDS WITHOUT A LICENSE AND INSURANCE ... its both illegal (yes, it is) and inherently risky from a liability prespective

2: for the first year or 5, NEVER exceed the medium loads given ... always start at the low charge.. never start LOWER than the low charge.

3: book max loads are MAX LOADS-- those loads produced an average of the company's maximum working pressure for that round. Those are MAX LOADS -- if you use the same powder, the same bullet, case, primer, and OAL, and then add more powder, your loads would have resulted in an overpressure load for the rifle(s) in the book. DO NOT DO IT ..

4: no animal on the planet knows the difference between 2900fps and 3100 FPS ... if your rifle shoots better at 2900 you will hit more accuractely

5: NEVER, EVER, drink, smoke, do drugs, or be exhausted when you reload.. its also dumb to eat while doing it.. lead and distractions

6: ONLY ONE POWDER OUT -- ONLY ONE ... never have several cans of powder out. never assume you have the right powder... READ the can, EVERY time

7: primers are important .. don't change from one kind to the other without restarting your load process. This is CRITICAL and can be deadly, at anything like max loads.

8: no ceiling fan on, no music, no people, no distractions, no phones, no nothing that can distract you while you are reloading. weigh everything.. twice .. its YOUR life, or even worse, an injury to a third party, every time

9: do NOT experiment -- when you have grown past this and these warnings, do as you will .. but a new reloader should NEVER do anything not specially in the book. there's no secert for changing a powder, or primer, or making a lever gun into a benchgun .. don't bother trying, its not there

10: weights, lots, and OAL mean EVERYTHING... if you want to shoot a rifle accurately, OAL must be consistent ... a pistol can raise presure HUGELY by shortening oal ...

11: never be in a hurry -- if you only have time to load 10 rounds accurately, then only load 10 .. trying to cram 20 into the same time results in errors

12: check powder levels in cases AFTER you weigh and put the powder in the case. every time ... not checking powder levels can result in double or no charges .. resulting in death, injury and damage

if you are still interested, i suggest you get ackley handbooks for reloaders, volume 1 and 2 .. IGNORE all the loading data in the back pages, at this time. You'll soon find out its either BS or dangerous

NEVER EVER EVER take reloading data "from the internet"

Great advise. To add a few more -
1 Buy the Lee anniversary kit - it is reliable & cheap to start with. You can always upgrade.
2 Also buy the latest Lyman manual & stick to it for the first year. You can look at other manuals and do analysis after you have learned the basics and understand the complex factors controlling pressure etc.
3 Weigh every charge for the first year and learn to use the powder dispenser accurately and safely.

You will meet and read about macho guys claiming 100fps or 200fps more than max book velocity. Don't get sucked in. They may claim to have a big dick but it will be totally limp when the gun blows up!

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:

quote:

Originally posted by Sam:
I think they used the shell as a dipper for that.

Who? What?

quote:

They were using black powder and the shot shell was a dipper/measure.

Ditto.

mythbusters, using powder to launch a cannon ball .. has nothing really yo do with this thread