New to reloading, what do i need!?

[Reaperatm]

Alright everyone, i have just made the decision that i am going to start reloading my own .223 and .45acp. I know you guys are some of the most knowledgable on the net and i need to be pointed in the right direction. What do i need to do get started? What should i buy (preferably the cheaper stuff, i don't need any highend high dollar machines)? Alright boys, bring on the advice!

[Sevens]

We love to help, but not until you do your part:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=230171

Read it all then come back to this thread with specific questions!

[CrustyFN]

My recomendation would be the Lee Classic Turret press. I load 9mm, 38/357 and 223 on mine. Even if you aren't shooting a lot now when you do you will have a press that can handle it and not have to upgrade. I can load around 200 rounds per hour for pistol. For rifle once the case prep work is done I can load around 300 RPH. The priming system works very good the spent primer disposal is awesome. It's a very sturdy press ( cast iron and steel ) and is very easy to setup and operate. You can buy one in a kit from WWW.kempfgunshop.com for around $150. I would recomend the upgrade to the small & large safety prime and the pro auto disk. That will bring the price up to around $170. Buy a caliper and tumbler and you can be ready to go for under $250. Go to the Lee web site in the video section and you can see the Classic Turret in operation.
Rusty

[Reaperatm]

Thanks a lot! thats a lot cheaper to start than i thought it would, and i just buy powder and primers from basspro or cabelas?

[James41]

Don't know about Basspro but i can tell you that cabelas is not the cheapest place for many items you will need. Better shop around many different sites for the best prices. Right now Powder Valley has mostly the best prices on powders, Wideners has some good prices on bullets and especially on primers.
Cheyene Brass has some darn good prices on once fired brass. Midwayusa has a lot of good prices now and then. You gotta shop around and learn your prices or your gonna get screwed good.

I agree with that fellow that recommended the Lee Turret, very good loader at a reasonable price that can handle most reloaders needs. There are better loaders like Dillon and RCBS, but they are also quite a bit more expensive.

[arkie2]

Buy your powder, primers and bullets locally if you can. Powder and primers are hazardous materials and that will add to the cost of shipment. Besides, if you buy locally you'll get to know folks in your area who also reload.

[CrustyFN]

For components check out http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/ and https://www.grafs.com/metallic/568. I have been getting a good price on Zero pistol bullets at Powder Valley. I have been buying Hornady 55 grain FMJ-BT for $58 per thousand from T and T reloading. Here is a list of some other places you can check.
Rusty

http://www.midwayusa.com/
http://www.brunoshooters.com/catalo...g_frameset.html
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
http://www.grafs.com/
http://www.lockstock.com/
http://www.natchezss.com/
http://www.leeprecision.com/
http://www.tntreloading.com/
http://www.tntreloading.com/index2.ivnu
http://www.fmreloading.com/
http://www.kinneman.com/catalog/whole_catalog.html
http://www.neconos.com/
http://www.wideners.com/
http://www.atozreloading.com/indexns.html
http://www.sinclairintl.com/
http://www.snowcrest.net/oldwest/
http://www.clarkcustomguns.com/linksammo.htm
http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/main.htm
http://www.wholesalehunter.com/product/search.htm
http://www.starlinebrass.com/
http://www.blue-star-inc.com/
http://www.bhshooters.com/
http://www.gibrass.com/
http://www.southernbellebrass.com/contact.htm
http://ammunition-reloading.virtualave.net/products.htm
http://www.reloadingcentral.com/
http://www.georgiaprecision.com/order.htm
http://www.customreloads.com/
http://www.tyko.com/
http://www.huntingtons.com/
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/
http://www.precisionreloading.com/
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/
http://www.cabelas.com/texis/script...bFALL1998AAAnAA
http://www.gamaliel.com/
http://www.rmss.com/
http://www.championshooters.com/
http://www.pla-net.net/~rcomer/ammo.htm
http://www.buffaloarms.com/baco2.htm#39
http://www.z-hat.com/Cylinder.htm

Bullet manufacturer
http://www.angelfire.com/stars/light...ets/index.html
http://www.barnesbullets.com/
http://www.bearcreeksupply.com/
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/index.htm
http://www.beast-enterprises.com/slugs.html
http://benchrest.com/bib/proven.html
http://www.bergerbullets.com/faq.htm
http://www.berrysmfg.com
http://www.bonusbullets.com/
http://www.brassmanbrass.com/monthlyspecials.html
http://www.bushwhackerbulletcompany.com/
http://www.carrollbullets.com/
http://www.carrollsweb.com/gunshop/h...t_bullets.html
http://www.castperformance.com/
http://www.castperformance.com/Default.htm
http://www.cheycast.com/
http://www.goldenwestbrass.com/
http://www.hawkbullets.com
http://hometown.aol.com/lishsu/home.html
http://www.hornady.com/
http://www.jdcomponents.com/prices/prices.html
http://www.lapua.com
http://www.laser-cast.com/
http://www.maadigriffin.com/
http://www.magnusbullets.com/index.html
http://www.masterblastersbullets.com/
http://www.meisterbullets.com/index.asp
http://www.mkcb.com/
http://www.montanagoldbullet.com/
http://www.neihandtools.com/
http://www.nosler.com/
http://www.NWARMS.com/
http://pennbullets.com/
http://www.phoenixbullet.com/products.htm
http://www.precisionbullets.com/products.html
http://www.precisiondelta.com/
http://www.proshootpro.com/
http://www.rainierballistics.com/
http://www.remington.com/products/am..._&_handgun.asp
http://www.scharch.com/r-bullets.htm
http://www.sierrabullets.com/
http://www.shilen.com/bullets.htm
http://www.shooterstore.com/acb/web..._ID=345&DID=108
http://www.speer-bullets.com/
http://www.superiorammo.com
http://www.swiftbullets.com
http://www.thebulletbarn.com/
http://www.theshop.net/chas/sureshot/products.htm
http://www.winchester.com/products/c...s/bullets.aspx
http://www.wolfbullets.com
http://www.xtremebullets.com
http://www.zerobullets.com/

powder mfg.
www.accuratepowder.com
www.alliantpowder.com
www.goexpowder.com
www.hodgdon.com
www.norma.cc
www.pyrodex.com
www.lapua.com/reloading.html
www.westernpowders.com

surplus powderhttp://powdervalleyinc.com/
http://www.gibrass.com/gunpowder.html
http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

used brasshttp://www.chestnutridge.com/products/brass.asp
http://www.southernbellebrass.com/rifle.htm
http://www.cheyennebrass.com/
http://www.scharch.com/

die manufacturor
http://www.leeprecision.com/
http://www.hornady.com/
http://www.rcbs.com/
http://lewilson.com/About_L_E__Wils..._e__wilson.html
http://www.neiljones.com/
http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/main.htm
http://www.reddingreloading.com/

[CrustyFN]

Buy your powder, primers and bullets locally if you can. Powder and primers are hazardous materials and that will add to the cost of shipment. Besides, if you buy locally you'll get to know folks in your area who also reload.

Thats good advice if you are only going to buy a little to try. If you want to save money then buy bulk online and go in with friends if you can. I go in with friends and we buy 50,000 Wolf primers at a time and end up getting them for less than $16 per thousand. We buy powder 50 pounds at a time and get it for around $11 per pound. Both of those will only be one $20 hazmat fee. You can also buy 50 pounds of powder and primers mixed for the one hazmat fee. The hazmat fee is nothing when you are buying at those prices.
Rusty

[The Lovemaster]

If you can, shop a big gun show for a press, you can find a variety of used ones for good prices.

Stay away from Bass Pro, their selection sucks and so do their prices. Cabela's has good prices on some stuff. Best to do your comparison shopping online so you know what things should cost, as another poster recommended.

[Conservadude]

I'm probably worst case because I'm kind of anal about not liking to be without something that I need (or want?). I took everyone's advice and bought everything on the list, mostly local, and got set up for .30-06 and 500 S&W magnum reloading. Including my first batch of brass, bullets, powder, and primers, the total was right around $500 to get started (totally from scratch.) I went with RCBS all the way except for the case trimmer, which is a Wilson instead. Now I'm collecting up lead and will soon buy what I need to start smelting lead and casting ingots for when I start casting my own boolits (for the 500 that is.) I did not try to save money BTW, so again ...this is probably a good worst-case example of start-up costs. I was (and am) more concerned with getting going right away ...the bug bit me you might say. My wife's very tolerant of me...

There's one data point for you... those are Alaska prices BTW, and we tend to pay more up here ...sometimes the same or less, but mostly 15% to 20% more. If a guy/gal were to setup for only a single caliber and only bought what he/she had to, you could probably get away for half what I spent.

Brian

[Sevens]

Well, if you are handloading for .500 S&W, then it doesn't matter how much money you've spent--you will save big bucks! Those freaks are nuts for what they sell factory ammo for. It's like, "house payment? Or range day?"

I wonder how well cast bullets are going to work for a monster round like the .500. You can only push lead so fast before you find yourself with a barrel that is loaded with it and it's awful to remove.