Hi, I need to know where to go to find really basic info. Can anyone recommend a book, Cd or? to answer really basic stuff? For example,Do you need to have a press and dies that are the same brand or will a RCBS die work in a Pacific press? I have reloading books Etc. but I can't find really basic questions. Thanks, Mike

Dies and presses are pretty interchangeable assuming you are talking about current production stuff. However, things diverge a bit from there.

An RCBS trimmer, for example, will require RCBS specific shell holders that work only on the RCBS Trim Pro and don't fit its press or anything else that I am aware of.

Many other brands will use the same shellholder for everything: press, trimmer, primer, et cet. But I don't know whether those are interchangeable amongst some or all brands.

I don't think there's a short answer to the question, So the safe thing to do is simply stick with the same brand in any given area. That is to say, Don't try to use Redding shell holders with an RCBS press.

Does this help?

LWD

Welcome to the forum...

I would like to give you a book name or two but this is the place to get many of the early questions answered.. There are MANY folks here that know much, much more then I as I too am a beginner... I do reload for two cartridges right now though. The 338-378 Weatherby and the 30-06... That said, I received all the beginning info I needed to get started from this forum and a couple of friends...

One reloading manual that comes to mind covers so much ground that I believe it is a good investment for ANYBODY considering reloading... The Lyman 48th edition is my goto manual... To answer your basic question, pretty much all dies work with all presses... This is NOT 100 percent as there are those out there that are proprietary or different like the 50 BMG... I use by RCBS dies in my Forster Co-Ax press and my Forster dies in my RCBS press, no problem....

Ask your questions and you'll recieve some very good information here...

Ken....

quote:

Originally posted by olcoach10:
Can anyone recommend a book....

The ABC's of Reloading

Modern shell holders are universal, as are dies. I have Pacific shell holders that I use in my Redding press. Redding's Competition Shell Holder sets can be used in anyone's press.

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:

quote:

Originally posted by olcoach10:
Can anyone recommend a book....

The ABCs of Reloading

Modern shell holders are universal, as are dies. I have Pacific shell holders that I use in my Redding press. Redding's Competition Shell Holder sets can be used in anyone's press.

This is a classic beginners book. If it doesn't answer your questions then you can come to forums like this for add'l. fine tuning.

quote:

Originally posted by olcoach10:
Hi, I need to know where to go to find really basic info. Can anyone recommend a book, Cd or? to answer really basic stuff? For example,Do you need to have a press and dies that are the same brand or will a RCBS die work in a Pacific press? I have reloading books Etc. but I can't find really basic questions. Thanks, Mike

Any and all 7/8X14 dies will work in all presses with that thread. Some of the older presses, however, may need a special shellholder instead of the "standard" type, exemplified by today's RCBS type.

For basic information, buy a Lyman # 48 Handloading Manual......

Hi, Thank you all for taking the time to answer my plea. You've all been very helpful and I appreciate it greatly. If any of you know where I can buy The ABCs of Reloading or Lyman #48 please letme know as all the places I've checked are out. Thanks again. Mike

quote:

Originally posted by olcoach10:
If any of you know where I can buy The ABC's of Reloading or Lyman #48 please let me know as all the places I've checked are out.

You can ask a local bookstore to order them for you.

Just check Ebay in the hunting/reloading section, you should find it there plus lots of other GOOD READING, plus lots good buys IF you know how to work EBAY.
Don.

quote:

Originally posted by olcoach10:
Hi, I need to know where to go to find really basic info. Can anyone recommend a book, Cd or? to answer really basic stuff? For example,Do you need to have a press and dies that are the same brand or will a RCBS die work in a Pacific press? I have reloading books Etc. but I can't find really basic questions. Thanks, Mike

Mike,

Welcome to the forum and welcome to reloading.

I have been reloading for my pistol shooting since the mid seventies.

I heartily agree with the earlier posters, the ABCs of Reloading is a good book to read. Also, almost any reloading manual will have a section describing the basics. (I don't know what ones you have, but most do.) I recommend having at least two loading manuals. That way you can be exposed to two different writing styles. If one writer describes something in a way you can understand better than the other you will understand that subject well. Having things described in different ways almost always makes for more thorough understanding. When I tutored Accounting I used five different textbooks as reference materials, because each book's author(s) had some sections written differently than others. Not necessarily better, but more in tune with my (or my students') way of understanding the subject. I just picked the one that treated the subject best for that student.

First question I have is, "Will you load for handguns, rifles, shotguns?"

Most handguns use straight-walled cartridge cases. Simplest to load. Most rifles use a bottlenecked case with a "shoulder". A few more details involved. Shotguns are a whole different set of issues, what with wadding, shot cups and folded crimps, etc.

Where will you shoot? If you can find a mentor who can actually watch your loading technique, you get much faster feedback than on any internet forum. When I first started shooting, I bought a press at the same time as my first gun. The store owner gave me six .357 cases and showed me how to load in the back of his store. He loaded a round or two and then watched me load the others. Absolutely invaluable to have that instruction. Not that I could not have learned from reading or (now) from a DVD or Video Tape (which did not exist back them). After learning, you can mentor someone else. Not necessarily in reloading, just give back to the universe.

With some experienced advice you can pick up used equipment in good condition. Otherwise, a good reloading "Kit" from any of the good manufacturers would get you started. As you get more experienced you will develop your own preferences for some of the lesser components. But the press will be the "heart" of your setup. I recommend any beginning loader start with a single-stage press (as opposed to a progressive, which is more complicated because it loads multiple rounds simltaneously, in progressive stages). One operation at a time until you are familiar with the full process. Preferably a full frame or "O" frame press as opposed to a "C" or open frame press. The full frame is stiffer than the open frame. If you will load large rifle cartridges, a compound leverage system would be good (think RCBS Rock Chucker press as opposed to the RCBS Jr. Don't infer anything from my use of RCBS as an example, they are all good.)

Wear eye protection, especially when working with primers and don't pinch your fingers in the press.

Welcome

Larry (Lost Sheep)

quote:

Originally posted by olcoach10:
Hi, Thank you all for taking the time to answer my plea. You've all been very helpful and I appreciate it greatly. If any of you know where I can buy The ABCs of Reloading or Lyman #48 please letme know as all the places I've checked are out. Thanks again. Mike

Mike,

Go on the internet and contact the mail order houses, Midway USA and Cabela's. Ask them for their catalogs. If you can't find a store with reloading gear locally in or near Redmond, you will probably be dealing with one or both of these guys anyway. Me, I've been lucky (and patient) enough to always deal face to face for my stuff.

Good shooting, and don't pinch your fingers in the press.

Larry (Lost Sheep)

Have a go on Ebay. The intro information on reloading would be the same even if the book was not the latest edition and you could get it quite a bit cheaper.
Depending on what calibres you're loading for, you don't have to have the latest books but I like to have several to cross reference with.

Hi, Once again thank you all. You have been super helping a really old beginner. I am really impressed with how helpful people are on this forum. Thank you all so much. Mike

To all of this sage information I would add that it is economical to find one powder that will cover the majority of your reloading needs. At upwards of $20 a pound, keeping a dozen different powders on the shelf for two or three cartridges is not smart in the wallet department. I use RL-22 and H4831SC for my 300WSM (running low on the SC and won't restock), BL-(C)2 and AA #2230 for my .223s (running low on the AA #2230 and won't restock), and AA #5 for my .357Mag and .45ACP. I use the same amount of powder for the .357 and the .45-- it saves time in the set-up...