Newbie Reloading set up

[Bugcola]

for some reason the other shots of the brass wont load but let me know and ill take a different shot

[rc]

Lee kit is ok to start but cheaply made. My powder measure leaked with ball powder and my press started to creek after a few thousand rounds. Sold that kid and bought used RCBS and never looked back. I've got a mix of used and new RCBS stuff and in general it is better than most reloading stuff out there. I would suggest you get RCBS dies and use the lee kit until you want to trade up to something better. Keep your eyes out for used stuff. The nice thing about the lee press is that it is light and you can bolt it to a small board and then clamp that to a desk or work bench when you want to reload.

[Misssissippi Dave]

These days getting reloading components can be a pain. I prefer either WST or AA5 powder for 9 mm. W231/HP-38 and WSF work well too. Some people also like bullseye and Unique for their pistol loads. I don't care too much for those personally. Most powders that work for 9 mm will also work for .38 special and .45 acp. .357 Magnum does need a slower power to work right. If you find some AA7, AA9. AA4100, H110/W296 or similar powders you should be good. You might want to check your load data and see what it lists for the loads you are wanting to do. Take the list of powders with you when you are searching for powder. Some do work better than others but the listed powders should all let you load some ammo until you can find what works for you. I would only get powders in 1 pound bottles right now. Once you have gone through a couple of pounds of a powder and are still happy with it you might want to look for it in larger containers.

The Speer manual tends to list powders they think work better for a given load first and the worst at the bottom. I don't know if anyone else does this. Some manuals seem to go by the name of the powder or the speed of the powder. There doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule on this.

I have found with .357 magnum loads I can work up a load with just about any powder listed in the books using a magnum primer. You do have to start at the lowest listed data and work up slowly. Some powders will list data using a magnum primer and for those loads that is what I will only use if it states to use one.

When you seat a primer it should be slightly below the base of the case. I normally just put all my ammo in the plastic holder the factory used so I can run my finger across them to feel if any seem to be high. It is a quick way to check and also lets me count the rounds I have loaded. I often store finished ammo in freezer bags and tupperware. I find the tupperware or similar containers hold up much longer than the factory boxes ever did. You can write on the lid or side of the container what you have inside. Sticker type labels seem to work better on the sides. Load data such as the powder used and weight, the bullet used and weight along with the OAL plus date are very helpful to track what you have in the container.

Many things can be used to store finished ammo. The ones that are air tight I like better.

[Bugcola]

morning firing line. Yeah i was gonna get HP-38 and start with a small load since these of course are pistol rounds i only need them to be effective at 15-25 yards. as for primers go the one in the picture wish the closer ones uploaded, it is flush with the bullet casing. so should i tweak it a notch and make it go a little deeper or just leave it where its at

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by rc

Lee kit is ok to start but cheaply made.

Which Lee press? Lee makes 3 single stage, 2 progressive and 2 turret presses.

Originally Posted by rc

My powder measure leaked with ball powder and my press started to creek after a few thousand rounds.

Keep them lubed, cleaned and adjusted. The cheaper Lee presses take more maintenance.

Originally Posted by rc

The nice thing about the lee press is that it is light and you can bolt it to a small board and then clamp that to a desk or work bench when you want to reload.

That's what I do with my RockChucker, too.

Lost Sheep

[Bugcola]

what do you guys think of this as a bench?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Portable-...stomer_reviews

[Misssissippi Dave]

That bench looks pretty low to the floor. You might take a look at the one from Harbor Freight. It is quite a bit larger if you have the room for it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/workben...ood-69054.html

The drawers should come in handy for dies and tools. Reinforce the bottom shelf and you can load it down with bullets to keep things stable. Some people have mentioned they didn't like the holes in the top. I would just fill them and not worry about it.

[Bugcola]

thats the first bench i looked at, as a college student im lacking funds atm after paying some bills so im looking for the * poor mans * setup that will last me awhile till i can build a final bench with all the nice toys. im also trying to find a desk on craigs for free cause ive seen some heavy ones

[Misssissippi Dave]

A heavy desk will work. Even those old all steel gray ones. If it is too thick to find bolts to mount the press just use some all thread rod and cut to the length you need. Even a lighter desk should work. If you think the top might be too weak just put some wood or plywood to strengthen and reduce the flex. I find solid core doors make great bench tops. 2X4s for the legs and other parts. More or less most any desk will work if you mount the press to a piece of 2x6, 2x8 or greater wood block. Then clamp the block to the desk top. This method has been and is still being used by many people.

I tend to just grab scrap wood to make the frame for a bench and throw a solid core door on top. Bolt everything together and maybe even bolt it to the wall if needed. I look for function over looks.

[Bugcola]

Yeah im just looking for a nice area to mount my lee progressive load master. since it has the bras holder and bullet holder and powder i can cheat myself on some space. just need a small area to hold the spare parts etc. was thinking of maybe putting it in my closet but it would feel cramp to me. ive seen people make some the size of those tv trays and swear by it. but ima look at solid doors at home depot if they are not to expensive i might pick it up and some lumber for frame and leg. but again it comes down to cost.


edit: you know while cleaning i noticed, this stand would seem sturdy if i mounted the press in the middle and bolted it down with some washers. what do you guys think should i add more wood or should it work

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wdn5gqotg0...615_170323.jpg

[Misssissippi Dave]

Just another thought for you. If you see a good size remodeling job going on, check to see if maybe they have one they are throwing out. You only really need half a door to make a nice top for a bench. You can frame around to make a good support for the 2x4 legs and when you put a shelf near the bottom it should make it pretty stable. If it still isn't stable enough for your needs a couple of cross braces will fix that quickly. You can even use the other half of the door to make the shelf. When you put bullets and other heavy stuff on the lower shelf it stops movement pretty fast.

Many of the old solid core doors had butcher block style wood inside. The newer ones seem to fill the void with material made of saw dust and glue. Both will hold some weight without problems.

[Bugcola]

ill keep an eye for any places getting remolded and before that what about this stand im sure i can get a sheet of think ply wood for it and maybe add a handle or two and some wing nuts to remove it so i can bring it places and store it.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DEC...9#.Ubz6jJzfLPY


and if this looks like it can do the same it might be better for me since its cheaper lol

http://www.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DEC...5#.Ubz7WZzfLPY

[Misssissippi Dave]

I have heard of a few people using the heavier work-mate to reload on. Most mount they reloading equipment on a block of 2" thick lumber or about 1" thick plywood then it is clamped to the top of the work-mate. If it is only going to be used for reloading then maybe just bolting the press through 3/4" plywood and through the wood top would work. If it move around too much add some heavy weight to the step and load on the other side. You might want to take a trip to Home Depot and see if it is possible to see one out of the box. That would probably give you a better understanding of the weight, true size and probable strength it has. I have used them for other things years ago and they did hold up better than expected.

[Bugcola]

ah so i might do that then but till i get settled in with powder brass etc ill try mounting it to thhe table i posted before and see how well that works for the time being. thanks for the post btw

[Silver00LT]

Nice little setup. Lost answered a lot of my questions...very knowledgeable in Lee presses. I have their Classic C single stage and LOVE it...except the changing out dies, etc. part. When I upgrade to my next press this press will become my rifle decap/size station as I hand trim all my rifle cases.

[Silver00LT]

Keep an eye on your local thrift stores, sale papers etc. I picked my reloading desk up for like $20 bucks.

[Bugcola]

afternoon all, first thanks for all the post and advice. second yeah i was thinking of hitting up a thrift when i head to school just gotta find a small sturdy one since i drive a prius :<

[Silver00LT]

Build your own? When I get some junk out of the reloading room I'm going to build a extension to the desk for my presses and all.