Pieces to buy next? - Page 2

mikld · December 1, 2017, 12:18 PM

I'm a K.I.S.S. kinda guy. I started with a Lee Loader in '69. My entire reloading inventory consisted of the Lee kit, a yellow mallet, a 24" log, one pound of Bullseye, 250 generic lead bullets, a bunch of scrounged brass, and 100 CCI primers. Of course I had to buy more primers and bullets when the first lot ran out, but this inventory kept me happy and shooting for about a year+.

Some of the suggestions are a plus, but not necessary. In my experience the single most important "tool" is a good reloading manual. I understand some reloaders can't reload without shiny, virgin lookin brass that has pristine, formed and exacting size primer pockets but I can't see suggesting such to a just getting started reloader. I would suggest to the OP to think; "is this tool necessary for safety reasons or just cosmetic foo-foo?". After a bit of basic reloading the OP can decide what's important to him, his ammo and his gun...

RC20 · December 1, 2017, 12:42 PM

While the first part is true, the only way you can make some of those decisions is to know what else is out there, how it works, plus and minus to it (if any) cost.

Agreed that the Chronograph is not needed until down the line and you can make do fine without it. Mine died and has yet to be replaced.

I started out whacking 44 magnums into a sizer and quickly decided that was not the way to go.

I ran a RCBS Junior for many years for pistol and that and the basics worked for me.

When I started to load in quantity for rifle, then it set in that processing took a lot of time that I prefer to do other things and or needed faster just to reload so I could go shoot.

With that using ideas built up over the years and a very inter active discussion with my brother I added key equipment.

The digital scales and onto the electronic dispenser was one (when its price point worked for me).

As I was doing quantity, the off the shoulder trimmers even before the dispenser. I can't think of a more annoying job reloading than hand cranking to trim a case (and still have to chamfer and de-buss)

I am trimming 270 on the hand crank as I am not reloading or shooting that a lot.

I did get the Lyman M die for it as I hate those neck yanking sizer thingies.

You can be doing the initial and still get ideas for the future.

RC20 · December 1, 2017, 12:49 PM

Quote:

GeauxTide-I'm trying to widen my reloading horizons so when you mentioned the Lyman 1200 as being a good powder measure I did a quick search and found out they are up to gen 6. Cabelas has it on sale now (11/30/2017) for $165.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lyman...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

It looks interesting, thanks for mentioning it.

That is the Lyman I got, its not Gen 6, forget what they call it (I will call it Lyamn Small) (the 1200 is my backup and general bench scale)

The Lyman small works good overall.

The display is touch and I got a stylus to deal with my fat fingers.

The touch can be a bit quirky, I have had mine for 6 months I think and no failure. The ones that are at issue are the zero and calibration, the rest work fine.

If I was doing it I would put more hard buttons on it (the zero would be one, calibrate another

Nice feature is if it gets 3 or 4 tenths off it locks up until you zero it.

Its locked up a couple of time but power down and back up and good.

I keep mine powered up all the time, will see if that works or not. Cooler area so heat is not an issue.

Overall I am good with it and don't plan to replace it until it fails, hopefully 20 years from now!

I did break my Lyman boroscope (USB connector) Lyman just sent me a whole new one, RCBS like in that regard and highly recommend them support wise.

December 1, 2017, 12:18 PM	#26
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	I'm a K.I.S.S. kinda guy. I started with a Lee Loader in '69. My entire reloading inventory consisted of the Lee kit, a yellow mallet, a 24" log, one pound of Bullseye, 250 generic lead bullets, a bunch of scrounged brass, and 100 CCI primers. Of course I had to buy more primers and bullets when the first lot ran out, but this inventory kept me happy and shooting for about a year+. Some of the suggestions are a plus, but not necessary. In my experience the single most important "tool" is a good reloading manual. I understand some reloaders can't reload without shiny, virgin lookin brass that has pristine, formed and exacting size primer pockets but I can't see suggesting such to a just getting started reloader. I would suggest to the OP to think; "is this tool necessary for safety reasons or just cosmetic foo-foo?". After a bit of basic reloading the OP can decide what's important to him, his ammo and his gun... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

December 1, 2017, 12:42 PM	#27
RC20 Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 7,014	While the first part is true, the only way you can make some of those decisions is to know what else is out there, how it works, plus and minus to it (if any) cost. Agreed that the Chronograph is not needed until down the line and you can make do fine without it. Mine died and has yet to be replaced. I started out whacking 44 magnums into a sizer and quickly decided that was not the way to go. I ran a RCBS Junior for many years for pistol and that and the basics worked for me. When I started to load in quantity for rifle, then it set in that processing took a lot of time that I prefer to do other things and or needed faster just to reload so I could go shoot. With that using ideas built up over the years and a very inter active discussion with my brother I added key equipment. The digital scales and onto the electronic dispenser was one (when its price point worked for me). As I was doing quantity, the off the shoulder trimmers even before the dispenser. I can't think of a more annoying job reloading than hand cranking to trim a case (and still have to chamfer and de-buss) I am trimming 270 on the hand crank as I am not reloading or shooting that a lot. I did get the Lyman M die for it as I hate those neck yanking sizer thingies. You can be doing the initial and still get ideas for the future. __________________ Science and Facts are True whether you believe it or not Last edited by RC20; December 1, 2017 at 12:56 PM.