New re-loader

[Ruthless4christ]

Hey ya’ll, I have never done any re-loading before, but am very interested in starting to re-load all my handgun ammo. Down here in central America a box of 50rnds Armscor 9mm cost $17. Box of .45 Aguila (mexican ammo) cost $26 so I am pretty desperate to start reloading.
I will prob be loading around 2500 rounds a month (I shoot a lot) and i will be re-loading auto and revolver rounds. does anybody have any suggestions as to what brand of machine I should get?
Thanks!

[Erich]

I've been happily using my inexpensive Lee equipment for over 20 years with no problems whatsoever. I've acquired equipment by Dillon, RCBS, Lyman and Redding as well. For what it's worth, for the basic equipment, I think Lee represents a better value.

Espero que usted goce de su nueva mania.

[Dondor]

Try the reloading forum as this thread will most likely get moved.

But to answer your question. I use a Lee Classic Kit. ~$90 from Sportsman's Warehouse. $24 for 1000 primers, same place. $25 for a reloading manual. $40 for a good set of carbide dies and $6 for the shellholder. $17 for powder, and $45 for 1000 lead bullets.

Other stuff you can buy $45 for a cheapo tumbler, and $15 for media to polish with.

Hope you keep your fired brass ))

For the amount of reloading you are going to be doing, look into a progressive. They are a bit more difficult to set up, but doing 2500 by hand on a single stage press would be mind numbing.

[uzimon]

the cheapest is the lee turret.
set up in 1 cal for a little over a hundred
i've had a couple of these. they require a bit of cleaning, lube & maint.
mine kinda went to crap as i aint really into lube & maint

top of the line is dillon, over $600, if i remember right

in between is rcbs

it just depends how much you wanna reload.
all the above are progressive, meaning you get a loaded round from each pull.
some of the above have good features like quick cal changes. some have easier or faster primer or case feed. some you gotta place the bullet atop the case yourself.

its safest to do a visual of the powder level b4 the bullet gets seated, to prevent a double charge

if you just want a single stage press you can start out real cheap.
that same press could make rifle cals too

as cheap is 9 is to buy, your best bet is reload lead. even cast your own from lead scrap, imo

[Ruthless4christ]

howabout loading fmjs? or will i only be able to load lead bullets?

[PeteQuad]

For that kind of volume, you are going to want a progressive. I would normally say get a turret because it is much easier and safer to start with that. Specifically the Lee Classic Turret. But you will likely want to upgrade to a Hornady Lock-N-Load or Dillon 650 soon after getting that. Be careful! Buy some handbooks and take your time when you start out. I'd recommend a Lyman handbook, the Lee handbook, and the ABC's of Reloading. If you often buy Speer or Hornady bullets, buy those handbooks. Get more than one.

There is no difference loading FMJ or lead so you will not have a problem with either.

[Smokey Joe]

Ruthless4christ--Welcome to TFL, and to The Magnificent Obsession, Reloading!

May I suggest that when starting any sort of new operation, the first thing one needs is knowledge, not gear.

Therefore, may I suggest that your first acquisition in the reloading line be the "standard textbook on the subject," called The ABC's of Reloading and put out by Krause Publishing, www.krause.com

You can order direct from the publisher, or from Midway or any of the other large reloading suppliers, except that I'm not familiar with their international shipping policies. Those, however, should be accessible on ther websites.

Anyhow, please get, and read, The ABC's. This will give you a knowledge base from which to begin acquiring the equipment that you (a) must have to begin, (b) want in addition to (a), and (c) can put off getting until later. It will also inform you as to the entire process of reloading. A great general resource for the beginner, plus it goes beyond the starting points to the extent that there is something for every reloader, IMHO. Belongs on every reloader's bookshelf, well thumbed.

Again, welcome. And, as always, the journey is part of the destination.

[Jart]

Loading a lot of handgun rounds and a first press?

You might look at the Dillon SDB.
It won't do rifle rounds.
It only accepts Dillon dies.

But, I believe it's the only progressive that's available with the dies installed and adjusted - you even get an inert round. Check/adjust the powder bar and go to town. You won't even have to dink around with the seater and crimp dies if you match the components used in the inert with a receipe that likes the overall length they provided.

The SDB is very "newb friendly" - at least it worked as my first metallic press.

You'll need some manuals, a good scale and some calipers.

Whichever manufacturer's press you get, you'll be able to get advice on non-essential accessories - primer flip trays, case lube, tumblers and the like. I'd get the flip tray right off. Most everything else will yield to local supply creative engineering. They all offer a degree of phone "hand holding" you might try calling several with "pre-sale technical questions" and get a feel for which you prefer.

[CrustyFN]

Welcome, I don't blame you for wanting to reload with ammo at those prices. I have a couple of questions for you. How much time do you have for reloading and what kind of budget do you have for equipment? If you break the 2500 rounds down to 600 or 700 per week then I can load that on the Lee Classic Turret in four hours a week. To me that isn't bad but I don't know how much time you have. With a good progressive you can load that in one hour. The difference is a Classic Turret cost $150 to $200 and a good progressive will cost you $500 and up. Dillon 650 and Hornady LNL AP seem to be the top of the line right now for progressive. As far as turret it is hard to beat the Lee Classic Turret Press. Read the stickies at the top and search out some of the presses mentioned and you will get a better idea what will fit your needs.
Rusty

[BigJimP]

look at Dillon Precision loaders - the square deal B or the 650 will be your best bets depending on the volume you want and what you want to spend. The 650 is a better press, in my view, since it has the powder check station - big safety item.

[clayking]

First, like others have said, at that volume a progressive makes the most sense, but like others have also said........acquire the knowledge first.

The dillon 650, which I use, is fairly easy to set up, helpful if you have a friend who knows about this stuff, or a place to help you get started. Even taking your time, with a steady pace, doing 3-400 per hour is probably low average. I take my time and do it slow and easy, usually a few hundred at a time, that way I don't get tired or bored and make mistakes.. Dillon has a caseloader for another $240, not cheap, but well worth it when doing volume. The powder check as someone else mentioned is a good safety feature.

I suspect if you are shooting 2500 a month at today's prices, then you can afford a dillon, but shooting lead or plated will be the only way to really save the bucks, assuming you don't cast your own.


I recently bought a bunch of supplies (Win primers, 231 powder, lead cast bullets) and figured I can load 9mm's for a little less than 7 cents per round, and 45acp's for a little over 8 cents, that doesn't count brass, which I can obtain for nadda and shooting lead cast bullets. Shooting 2500 rounds per month will pay off that equipment PDQ.

I cannot comment on other brands of equipment as I've never used any other, except for shotguns. I'm sure that all of it is pretty good, and the opinions will largely follow the equipment one uses. Some of the long time reloaders have the best experience in the use of many different kinds of equipment.................... which is why I bought a dillon.

You will learn much when you enter the world of reloading grasshopper. I learn something each time I reload, little tricks, things to avoid, things to do, even the way to sit or stand etc. etc. etc....................ck

http://dillonprecision.com/default.cfm?

[Toolman]

First? Read, read & read some more. Don't just buy the equipment & start reloading if you've never done it before. Take one step at a time. Ask the local reloaders (if any) what they use & ask to watch them reload.

[Tanzer]

Lets see.... You're going from "never done that before" to 2500 a month? Is this a test? Something's not right here..... If you shoot that much, you need to take a smitthing course - You must go through 2-3 trigger springs alone each year.

[Sigma 40 Blaster]

I've been reloading for just a few months and have had a very good experience with a Lee Pro 1000.

I recommend them for a few reasons:
1. The price - get complete progressive press plus one die set for 132.99. To load another caliber another die set and die holder will run about $40. To load multiple calibers this press will be your best friend.

2. Simplicity - only three stations, it's much easier to make sure everything that should be happening really is happening

3. You can always get a larger 4 or 5 station progressive or turret and use your same dies if the Pro isn't high volume enough for you.

I can reload 500 rounds an hour with mine...it took about a month to tweak everything so there were no mechanical issues. Biggest flaw is the primer feeding system, I manually decap and hand prime my brass to eliminate that...cool thing is I do it while watching TV in the AC.