The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - gonna buy my first press kit what should I get

Misssissippi Dave · June 27, 2013, 07:05 AM

This does help a lot. The first problem you are going to run into is finding primers. If you have a local gun shop with primers in stock you will be able to get over the problem. You are going to need small pistol primers more than anything else. There are only a few powders that require a small pistol magnum primer for .357 magnum loads. There are places on line where you can get bullets. 9 mm bullets will be the hardest to find right now but with some patience you can get them. .38 specials are the easiest to load of all these calibers. It is a good place to start. Another thing in short suppy is brass. You can just save your brass from factory ammo to reload. I can find bullets and powder now. It may take from a few weeks to a month to find the bullets and powder I want to use. It is hard to find brass and primers.

I suggest getting a book on reloading before you buy anything. Getting a good working knowledge of what you are getting into will go a long way to make things safer and easier to do. The ABC's of Reloading is one of them. Speer and Hornady also make good books. You really can't have too many of them.

When you have more time than money for a press a single stage press makes sense. If you have only 2 or 3 hours a week you can spend reloading the Lee Classic Turret press will work even better. It can be used as a single stage to learn on and then switched to a full turret to increase speed later. You really are only at the minimum to be able to make any of the progressive presses worth while. The faster the press is the more money you will have to spend just for equipment. The faster presses also tend to go through your components much faster per hour too. That last order of powder, primers and bullets will be gone in short order but you will have plenty of ammo to shoot. This is assuming you can get these things. Several companies are also running a backlog on presses and dies for reloading. It may take a little while to get them as well. 6 months before the current shortage everything was easy to find. Since November it has been difficult to find the things you need to reload.

Later in the year, it should be better to buy components for reloading once manufactures start catching up with their backlogs. At the same time ammo should start showing up on the shelves. Reloaders are normally the last people to get components during shortages. We make up for this by stocking up on the things we need when supplies are good to ride out the times of shortages. This is why many reloaders still have ammo now when there isn't any to be found in the stores.

I'm not trying to get you to give up on the idea of reloading your own ammo. I just want you to know what to expect. The present time is not really the best time. It is a great time to start reading up on it. It may take a little while to absorb it to do it safely. This gives you time to track down the hard to find items like brass and primers. Depending on where you are and the local supplies maybe even powder and bullets. The presses and dies you can get if you are willing to wait 2 or 3 weeks. Some are available at the LGS now.

June 27, 2013, 07:05 AM	#11
Misssissippi Dave Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2009 Posts: 1,411	This does help a lot. The first problem you are going to run into is finding primers. If you have a local gun shop with primers in stock you will be able to get over the problem. You are going to need small pistol primers more than anything else. There are only a few powders that require a small pistol magnum primer for .357 magnum loads. There are places on line where you can get bullets. 9 mm bullets will be the hardest to find right now but with some patience you can get them. .38 specials are the easiest to load of all these calibers. It is a good place to start. Another thing in short suppy is brass. You can just save your brass from factory ammo to reload. I can find bullets and powder now. It may take from a few weeks to a month to find the bullets and powder I want to use. It is hard to find brass and primers. I suggest getting a book on reloading before you buy anything. Getting a good working knowledge of what you are getting into will go a long way to make things safer and easier to do. The ABC's of Reloading is one of them. Speer and Hornady also make good books. You really can't have too many of them. When you have more time than money for a press a single stage press makes sense. If you have only 2 or 3 hours a week you can spend reloading the Lee Classic Turret press will work even better. It can be used as a single stage to learn on and then switched to a full turret to increase speed later. You really are only at the minimum to be able to make any of the progressive presses worth while. The faster the press is the more money you will have to spend just for equipment. The faster presses also tend to go through your components much faster per hour too. That last order of powder, primers and bullets will be gone in short order but you will have plenty of ammo to shoot. This is assuming you can get these things. Several companies are also running a backlog on presses and dies for reloading. It may take a little while to get them as well. 6 months before the current shortage everything was easy to find. Since November it has been difficult to find the things you need to reload. Later in the year, it should be better to buy components for reloading once manufactures start catching up with their backlogs. At the same time ammo should start showing up on the shelves. Reloaders are normally the last people to get components during shortages. We make up for this by stocking up on the things we need when supplies are good to ride out the times of shortages. This is why many reloaders still have ammo now when there isn't any to be found in the stores. I'm not trying to get you to give up on the idea of reloading your own ammo. I just want you to know what to expect. The present time is not really the best time. It is a great time to start reading up on it. It may take a little while to absorb it to do it safely. This gives you time to track down the hard to find items like brass and primers. Depending on where you are and the local supplies maybe even powder and bullets. The presses and dies you can get if you are willing to wait 2 or 3 weeks. Some are available at the LGS now.