Reloading Help

bojack2575 · August 6, 2008, 12:24 PM

Forgive me if I am being lazy I know if I did enough research I could find the answers myself, but I figured I would ask people who have already done this before.

First I have never reloaded any type of ammo I am a total newbie when it comes to reloading.

I want to start off reloading .40S&W then maybe down the road other calibers. Of course like everyone else I want to do it as cheap as possible.

So what kind of equipment should I start off with could someone please list every item I would need start to finish.

Thanks for all help.

Wiskey_33 · August 6, 2008, 12:38 PM

a reloading manual for starters, that will tell you everything you will need.

Lyman's Book is good, as is the ABC's of reloading.

As far as someone telling you what you'll need, that's really up to the person spending the money, and what you want to get out of it.

You can do a single stage press for very cheap, or you can spend "big bucks" on a progressive and pump out mass quantities of ammo.

It's up to you, but make sure you get a few manuals to start, read them, then go back and highlight information that relates to what you'll be loading.

AZAK · August 6, 2008, 12:41 PM

Try going to the Handloading and Reloading forum here. (Just look under, "The Skunkworks" on TFL's homepage.) There is a ton of info and lots of friendly, knowledgeable folks ready to chime in!

bojack2575 · August 6, 2008, 12:54 PM

I guess I should also say that I mainly want to reload to save money on plinking and target shooting.

Also sorry if asking for everything I will need is a bit much I didn't mean to word it that way.

Thanks for all help.

Wiskey_33 · August 6, 2008, 01:08 PM

You don't really save money, so to speak. You can shoot for cheaper, but you end up shooting more, therefore, spending more.

bojack2575 · August 6, 2008, 01:32 PM

Wiskey33 you put it a better way. I want to be able to shoot all I can and get the most rounds per $$$

RobertS · August 6, 2008, 03:06 PM

A single stage press can be used on almost any cartridge out there but all single stages are slow. A turret press is faster as it enables a person to have all dies required to reload a certain caliber on a turret head that rotates which can make it faster to reload. With a turret press you don't have to take one die out of the press and then put in the next to do the next stage of reloading such as it is with the single stage press. The progressive press reloads more volume at a quicker rate, but is a bit more challenging for a person who hasn't reloaded, but with that said it doesn't mean that you can't do it either. Progressive press are also more expensive as already stated.

Lee is the least expensive route to go whether you buy a single stage press, a turret press, or a progressive press. The other big three RCBS, Hornady, and Dillon are more expensive and are nice presses but the Lee equipment reloads cartridges just as accurately as seen by target groups at the range. The new cast single stage or turret models that lee has come out with are every bit as good and durable as the other three manufacturers I spoke of.

If I were wanting to get into reloading I would go with the Lee Classic 4 hole turret as it will reload anything you need from pistol to rifle, and even the 50BMG. It is built like a tank, will last a lifetime and is easy to operate. You will also want to have the lee safety prime system setup as this enables much faster priming. You can load up to 150-200 rounds of pistol or 100-150 rounds of rifle in an hour without working to hard at it.

There is the Lee Classic Turret Kit being sold which sets you up very well as it includes the press, powder measure with auto disk riser, both small and large safety primer setup, a scale, and I think it has a turret head (you may want to double check on the turret head). The only thing else you will need are the dies.

I have used the lee powder scale and it is ok, but more difficult to use than others has it is harder to read. I use an Ohaus 10-10 scale which is much easier to read and use, but the lee will work. The kit costs around $165 from Cabelas and probably another $30 or so for the lee dies. If you dig around on the internet you may find it cheaper.

I might also suggest that you buy a pair of measuring calipers so you can measure the COL (cartridge overall length), safety glasses, and the Lyman 48th or 49th reloading manual. In addition to the Lyman manual you can also pickup the free reloading manuals that gun stores usually have.

benzuncle · August 6, 2008, 03:57 PM

RobertS is spot on. Lee equipment (I have the Lee Classic Turret Press) is a great way to begin. You can spend more money on some of the other brands if you care to but it is not necessary to turn out accurate, reliable rounds of ammuntion. I ordered my "kit" from www.kempgunshop.com last January because they had everything I wanted/needed at the time and the price was comparable. I do not foresee purchasing a more expensive setup. The 150 to 200 rounds per hour I can produce is sufficient. I found Kempf on the Lee precision website. (My figuring currently puts them about $9 higher than Cabela's on everything needed to "build" your kit.) I figure on paying for my Lee setup after about 75 boxes of 45ACP with the savings over buying ammo from suppliers. That includes the workbench, fluorescent light, tumbler and cheap on/off timer. If you buy a tumbler, don't forget timer! Get the caliper and you may want to consider a case gage for each caliber too. Case gages are cheap and indestructable. The Lee scale works just fine for me. I just have to remember to turn off the ceiling fan before zeroing the scale and measuring the first few loads to make sure they are accurate. The fan is a number of feet away but that is how "touchy" it is. Your paper targets or a BG will never know if you are off by a tenth of a grain. Good luck with your decision. I've attached a shot of my setup. It's in the corner of the Warden's Sewing Room! My Thumler Tumbler resides in the orange 5gal. bucket on the top of the bench. I do my tumbing in the utility room, not in the house.

Good luck on your decision. Any reloader will do just that. Let us know...

BigJimP · August 6, 2008, 04:23 PM

There are a lot of good presses out there - Hornady, RCBS, Dillon etc - but I prefer Dillon.

Dillon has a SDB model for pistol calibers only - but it uses a proprietary die unique to that press and it has no "powder check station" on it. Dillon 550 is a good press - but no powder check on it either. Dillon 650 has the powder check, is a great press - you can add a case feeder to it later. Its fast, easy to use - and most importantly, in my view, has the powder check feature so you don't get a double charge of powder or no charge / which is a big deal. The extra security of knowing that - is a big deal to me. Machines that don't have it will produce very good loads / and are fine - but since the options are out there with the powder check - I would recommend you find a press with that option ( Dillon 650, Hornady, RCBS, etc ).

A complete list of stuff you'll need is pretty long - Dillon and others have startup kits ( scales, calipers, etc ) but probably the biggest thing is try to find a mentor in your area to give you a hand and get you started. Its important to turn out high quality ammo / and safe ammo - picking the right press is just the first step.

link at top of this section on forum will give you a lot of info.

zxcvbob · August 6, 2008, 05:22 PM

Just be aware that .40SW is a very unforgiving cartridge. Seating the bullets too deep, or not crimping them tight enough so they "set back" when chambering can really ruin your day.

The classic revolver cartridges (.38SPL, .44SPL. .45LC, .357MAG, etc) or .45ACP would be much better to start with if you have a gun that shoots them.

If all you have is the .40, go for it, just be careful.

bojack2575 · August 6, 2008, 07:20 PM

Hey guys thanks for all the great advice I have other calibers I just find myself shooting my .40 a lot.

Quote:

Just be aware that .40SW is a very unforgiving cartridge. Seating the bullets too deep, or not crimping them tight enough so they "set back" when chambering can really ruin your day.

When you say ruin your day what exactly are you talking about? Poor performance or a blown up gun

zxcvbob · August 6, 2008, 07:40 PM

Quote:

When you say ruin your day what exactly are you talking about? Poor performance or a blown up gun

KaBoom ("KB" for short)

CrustyFN · August 6, 2008, 07:40 PM

Another vote for the Lee classic turret. It is a very easy press for a beginner to setup and operate. It is very easy to add calibers to and to change calibers when you start loading more than one. You can't beat the price, you can buy a kit with most of what you need for under $200. It is a rock solid press and built to last a lifetime. Check out youtube and the Lee site to see videos of the classic in operation. This is mine.

Sorry the three ball handle does not come with the press.

Rusty

Perajio · August 6, 2008, 08:02 PM

LEE Precision gets my dollar every time I need reloading equipment.
The LEE Zip-Trim is a handy item too!! Another must have is "Modern Reloading" by Richard Lee.

benzuncle · August 6, 2008, 08:09 PM

Saweet, Crusty. That red numba 3 matches the Lee color! Lee should have thought of that. For shame!
Am I looking at a small light to see your powder charge? And I like the way you "Sharpied" each caliber right on the turret. Gotta steal that idea from you, sir.

I do store both of my turrets in the round standup container like the one you show your 38 turret in.

CrustyFN · August 7, 2008, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Am I looking at a small light to see your powder charge?

Yes you are. I got it from Grainger. The only thing I don't like is messing with the batteries. One set will last around 60 hours so it's not that bad but it would be nice if it plugged in.

Since I can see every powder drop before the bullet goes on I am more confident with each drop and don't check with the scale as often.
Rusty

August 6, 2008, 12:24 PM	#1
bojack2575 Junior member Join Date: July 9, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 457	Reloading Help Forgive me if I am being lazy I know if I did enough research I could find the answers myself, but I figured I would ask people who have already done this before. First I have never reloaded any type of ammo I am a total newbie when it comes to reloading. I want to start off reloading .40S&W then maybe down the road other calibers. Of course like everyone else I want to do it as cheap as possible. So what kind of equipment should I start off with could someone please list every item I would need start to finish. Thanks for all help.

August 6, 2008, 12:38 PM	#2
Wiskey_33 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: The South Posts: 1,084	a reloading manual for starters, that will tell you everything you will need. Lyman's Book is good, as is the ABC's of reloading. As far as someone telling you what you'll need, that's really up to the person spending the money, and what you want to get out of it. You can do a single stage press for very cheap, or you can spend "big bucks" on a progressive and pump out mass quantities of ammo. It's up to you, but make sure you get a few manuals to start, read them, then go back and highlight information that relates to what you'll be loading. __________________ "I don't like repeat offenders, I like dead offenders"-Uncle Ted

August 6, 2008, 12:41 PM	#3
AZAK Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2008 Location: the object towards which the action of the sea is directed Posts: 2,123	Try going to the Handloading and Reloading forum here. (Just look under, "The Skunkworks" on TFL's homepage.) There is a ton of info and lots of friendly, knowledgeable folks ready to chime in! __________________ The lowest paid college major/degree in this country after graduation... Elementary Education. Now, go figure...

August 6, 2008, 01:08 PM	#5
Wiskey_33 Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: The South Posts: 1,084	You don't really save money, so to speak. You can shoot for cheaper, but you end up shooting more, therefore, spending more. __________________ "I don't like repeat offenders, I like dead offenders"-Uncle Ted

August 6, 2008, 03:06 PM	#7
RobertS Junior Member Join Date: August 2, 2008 Posts: 13	A single stage press can be used on almost any cartridge out there but all single stages are slow. A turret press is faster as it enables a person to have all dies required to reload a certain caliber on a turret head that rotates which can make it faster to reload. With a turret press you don't have to take one die out of the press and then put in the next to do the next stage of reloading such as it is with the single stage press. The progressive press reloads more volume at a quicker rate, but is a bit more challenging for a person who hasn't reloaded, but with that said it doesn't mean that you can't do it either. Progressive press are also more expensive as already stated. Lee is the least expensive route to go whether you buy a single stage press, a turret press, or a progressive press. The other big three RCBS, Hornady, and Dillon are more expensive and are nice presses but the Lee equipment reloads cartridges just as accurately as seen by target groups at the range. The new cast single stage or turret models that lee has come out with are every bit as good and durable as the other three manufacturers I spoke of. If I were wanting to get into reloading I would go with the Lee Classic 4 hole turret as it will reload anything you need from pistol to rifle, and even the 50BMG. It is built like a tank, will last a lifetime and is easy to operate. You will also want to have the lee safety prime system setup as this enables much faster priming. You can load up to 150-200 rounds of pistol or 100-150 rounds of rifle in an hour without working to hard at it. There is the Lee Classic Turret Kit being sold which sets you up very well as it includes the press, powder measure with auto disk riser, both small and large safety primer setup, a scale, and I think it has a turret head (you may want to double check on the turret head). The only thing else you will need are the dies. I have used the lee powder scale and it is ok, but more difficult to use than others has it is harder to read. I use an Ohaus 10-10 scale which is much easier to read and use, but the lee will work. The kit costs around $165 from Cabelas and probably another $30 or so for the lee dies. If you dig around on the internet you may find it cheaper. I might also suggest that you buy a pair of measuring calipers so you can measure the COL (cartridge overall length), safety glasses, and the Lyman 48th or 49th reloading manual. In addition to the Lyman manual you can also pickup the free reloading manuals that gun stores usually have. Last edited by RobertS; August 6, 2008 at 05:38 PM. Reason: spelling errors

August 6, 2008, 12:54 PM	#4
bojack2575 Junior member Join Date: July 9, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 457	I guess I should also say that I mainly want to reload to save money on plinking and target shooting. Also sorry if asking for everything I will need is a bit much I didn't mean to word it that way. Thanks for all help.

August 6, 2008, 01:32 PM	#6
bojack2575 Junior member Join Date: July 9, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 457	Wiskey33 you put it a better way. I want to be able to shoot all I can and get the most rounds per $$$

August 6, 2008, 03:57 PM	#8
benzuncle Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2008 Location: Central Florida Posts: 357	RobertS is spot on. Lee equipment (I have the Lee Classic Turret Press) is a great way to begin. You can spend more money on some of the other brands if you care to but it is not necessary to turn out accurate, reliable rounds of ammuntion. I ordered my "kit" from www.kempgunshop.com last January because they had everything I wanted/needed at the time and the price was comparable. I do not foresee purchasing a more expensive setup. The 150 to 200 rounds per hour I can produce is sufficient. I found Kempf on the Lee precision website. (My figuring currently puts them about $9 higher than Cabela's on everything needed to "build" your kit.) I figure on paying for my Lee setup after about 75 boxes of 45ACP with the savings over buying ammo from suppliers. That includes the workbench, fluorescent light, tumbler and cheap on/off timer. If you buy a tumbler, don't forget timer! Get the caliper and you may want to consider a case gage for each caliber too. Case gages are cheap and indestructable. The Lee scale works just fine for me. I just have to remember to turn off the ceiling fan before zeroing the scale and measuring the first few loads to make sure they are accurate. The fan is a number of feet away but that is how "touchy" it is. Your paper targets or a BG will never know if you are off by a tenth of a grain. Good luck with your decision. I've attached a shot of my setup. It's in the corner of the Warden's Sewing Room! My Thumler Tumbler resides in the orange 5gal. bucket on the top of the bench. I do my tumbing in the utility room, not in the house. Good luck on your decision. Any reloader will do just that. Let us know...

August 6, 2008, 04:23 PM	#9
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	There are a lot of good presses out there - Hornady, RCBS, Dillon etc - but I prefer Dillon. Dillon has a SDB model for pistol calibers only - but it uses a proprietary die unique to that press and it has no "powder check station" on it. Dillon 550 is a good press - but no powder check on it either. Dillon 650 has the powder check, is a great press - you can add a case feeder to it later. Its fast, easy to use - and most importantly, in my view, has the powder check feature so you don't get a double charge of powder or no charge / which is a big deal. The extra security of knowing that - is a big deal to me. Machines that don't have it will produce very good loads / and are fine - but since the options are out there with the powder check - I would recommend you find a press with that option ( Dillon 650, Hornady, RCBS, etc ). A complete list of stuff you'll need is pretty long - Dillon and others have startup kits ( scales, calipers, etc ) but probably the biggest thing is try to find a mentor in your area to give you a hand and get you started. Its important to turn out high quality ammo / and safe ammo - picking the right press is just the first step. link at top of this section on forum will give you a lot of info. Last edited by BigJimP; August 6, 2008 at 05:10 PM. Reason: added note

August 6, 2008, 05:22 PM	#10
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	Just be aware that .40SW is a very unforgiving cartridge. Seating the bullets too deep, or not crimping them tight enough so they "set back" when chambering can really ruin your day. The classic revolver cartridges (.38SPL, .44SPL. .45LC, .357MAG, etc) or .45ACP would be much better to start with if you have a gun that shoots them. If all you have is the .40, go for it, just be careful. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

August 6, 2008, 07:40 PM	#13
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	Another vote for the Lee classic turret. It is a very easy press for a beginner to setup and operate. It is very easy to add calibers to and to change calibers when you start loading more than one. You can't beat the price, you can buy a kit with most of what you need for under $200. It is a rock solid press and built to last a lifetime. Check out youtube and the Lee site to see videos of the classic in operation. This is mine. Sorry the three ball handle does not come with the press. Rusty __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

August 6, 2008, 08:02 PM	#14
Perajio Member Join Date: August 6, 2008 Location: Somewhere near Buffalo, NY Posts: 98	LEE Precision gets my dollar every time I need reloading equipment. The LEE Zip-Trim is a handy item too!! Another must have is "Modern Reloading" by Richard Lee. __________________ Annoy a Liberal - Work, succeed, and be happy!!! Join The NRA and protect you're rights!

August 6, 2008, 08:09 PM	#15
benzuncle Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2008 Location: Central Florida Posts: 357	Saweet, Crusty. That red numba 3 matches the Lee color! Lee should have thought of that. For shame! Am I looking at a small light to see your powder charge? And I like the way you "Sharpied" each caliber right on the turret. Gotta steal that idea from you, sir. I do store both of my turrets in the round standup container like the one you show your 38 turret in.