Another new guy question.

FoMoCowboy · January 29, 2009, 01:39 AM

I've never reloaded a shell in my life, and i dont know anyone who is willing to actually help me learn reload, (i have been reading and studying up as much as i can without actually owning any equipment except for guns and spent cases) and now im ready to order the stuff to get started, im tired of paying roughly $0.60 for every .357 mag i fire. Im currently reading the Nosler No. 6 reloading handbook (titled something to that effect) and am waiting for USPS to quit losing my Richard Lee reloading handbook

So, im looking at ordering the Lee 50th anniversary pack (not from Lee directly, i found it $50 cheaper on another site)
the link to the product is

http://leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/...g/anivers.html

My question is that from what you guys can tell (it looks like i get some parts cheaper if i order them at the same time as the Kit so i dont want to just wait til it gets here and realize i could have saved money if i knew what the hell i was doing......make sense?) even if it doesnt i'm a little foggy on putting the pieces together from this kit.......

I am planning on reloading .357/38spl and .308 winchester and i read somewhere that i get 3 ......damnit i cant find it now..... 3 components that i believe to be specific to the cartridge you want to load.

anyways, if i get 3 i would also want to load 22-250 rounds later on (as i get more experienced and can make bad ass loads competently)

So what kind of dies and shellholders and other stuff do i need to just SHOOT that this kit does not come with? i didnt want to copy and paste the whole product description from lee (not out of laziness, i just figured this post would have been too long......but maybe its already too late for that)

Thanks for any help.

The link again is

http://leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/...g/anivers.html

FoMoCowboy · January 29, 2009, 01:55 AM

so wait a minute, i realize i left one broad thing out.....consumables, i think i already have a general knowledge of how to find out what powders, primers, lead etc. i need to acquire

My question is directed at the actual EQUIPMENT that is left out of the lee kit

if i had to write a list from scratch, *I THINK* i would come pretty close to getting everything i need, but saving money on this ready made kit is my priority but its hard to "check off" that everything i need is on this list that jumps around on the product description.........

all i really want to do right now is shoot.....tip top accuracy isnt a real biggie right now

However my .357 and .308 are both very prized hand-me-down possessions (not to mention the .357 is a 6'' colt python and i'd hate to try and replace it)

So SAFETY of the complete rounds is much more important than accuracy right now, i dont have any guns that are really "replaceable" to me that i have any interest in handloading

and yes, it goes without saying (for me at least) that the biggest safety factor is between my ears and in my procedures.......i dont think right now i need advice on PROCEDURES, and this question is ONLY for equipment.
But i imagine i'll be back for procedures and how-to's when i get my equipment and start scratching my head.

......holy hell.......i should just write a book.....sorry
for the novel.

jckeffer · January 29, 2009, 03:49 AM

Check your Private messages

**Bud Helms** · January 29, 2009, 01:23 PM

FoMoCowboy,

Welcome to TFL.

The most important item of reloading/handloading equipment is a collection of as many reloading manuals as you can get your hands on. I found Hornady and Lyman the two best for someone starting out.

ryalred · January 29, 2009, 01:29 PM

I have purchased almost all my reloading equipment from Ebay or Gunbrokers and feel I have really done well price wise.

Don P · January 29, 2009, 01:51 PM

# 4 Sticky works wonders if people would stop and read it. As far as what else is needed from the link all you will need is the dies. I personaly have a set of dies for 38spl and 357mag. I run the Lee turret press this way they each are set up and not having to adjust when switching between the two calibers. For my self its just easier this way and the price of the dies didn't break the bank.

FoMoCowboy · January 29, 2009, 02:34 PM

Okay, so just dies, sweet, so what about shellholders?

As far as .38spl and .357, i think that i'll be reloading by far more magnums than .38 specials, so much in fact that i dont think i could justify (im a penny pincher) even messing around with buying separate dies for the .38's, only as often as i would reload them, i dont think that adjusting the dies would be a nuisance to me.

As far as manuals, I just got finished with lyman shotshell reloading manual....(while reading it i decided i dont think im interested in getting into shotshell reloading yet) but lots of good safety and procedural information that im sure carries over to brass reloading. Right now im reading the nosler No.6 manual, seems to me that this book is more along the guidelines of hunting rounds, and im not a huge hunter, but i've been waiting for a while for the Richard lee reloading manual to come in the mail for quite some time but USPS is having fits, it left ohio and its been 3 weeks and its only in illinois as of last night......so maybe i'll get it in march sometime

I seen in wal-mart (my walmart is actually getting reloading stuff at the same time i'm getting interested in it.....cool eh?) the speer manual and i was going to buy it yesterday along with the nosler manual, but the speer was gone, and only one copy left of nosler, so i snagged it. but hopefully when i go in again they'll have restocked with the speer manual.

And not to touch too much off the point of my question, and i'm just looking for real simple answers because i think im quite some time away from really getting into casting. but how simple, and expensive is casting your own bullets? it seems to me like it is almost easier than reloading cartridges, the reason it sparks my interest a little is because i can easily obtain wheel weights in much larger quantities than i could ever need them, (from 15 until i was 21 i worked for a ford dealership and still got connections) that could be melted down into bullets, so far all i seem to see i would need is a melting pot, the molds, ladel, bullet lube and hardness tester.....is that pretty close to everything basic?

Thanks guys for all your Insight

wwmkwood · January 29, 2009, 03:49 PM

Lee dies (not RGB) come with a shell holder. You will also want the Lee length gauge for each caliber (for the Lee cutter)

jamaica · January 29, 2009, 11:26 PM

Buy dies for 38 Spl and you can use them for both 38 and 357. I prefer to use 357 brass for all the loads that will be shot in a 357. Makes the clean up easier. (If you shoot 38s in a 357, you get a carbon ring at the end of the shorter brass.) You can load the 357 brass down for some nice comfortable plinking .

You will need a shell holder for each caliber. Well...... not necessarily , some shell holders fit several calibers, such as 30-06, 308, 270, 45 auto.

If you buy Lee dies, the shell holder comes in the package.

Enjoy your new hobby.

Don P · January 30, 2009, 10:20 PM

Like I said I run a 3 hole turrett press so that simplifies it for me. Adjusting dies in the single stage will be a snap for you and as stated shell holders will come with the die sets and shell holders will also come with the auto primer that come with the kit.( they are different) Its truely the best deal for the money. I have over 10,000 round through my press's and the work like a charm with ZERO problems.

January 29, 2009, 01:39 AM	#1
FoMoCowboy Member Join Date: January 29, 2009 Location: Eastern Utah Posts: 23	Another new guy question. I've never reloaded a shell in my life, and i dont know anyone who is willing to actually help me learn reload, (i have been reading and studying up as much as i can without actually owning any equipment except for guns and spent cases) and now im ready to order the stuff to get started, im tired of paying roughly $0.60 for every .357 mag i fire. Im currently reading the Nosler No. 6 reloading handbook (titled something to that effect) and am waiting for USPS to quit losing my Richard Lee reloading handbook So, im looking at ordering the Lee 50th anniversary pack (not from Lee directly, i found it $50 cheaper on another site) the link to the product is http://leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/...g/anivers.html My question is that from what you guys can tell (it looks like i get some parts cheaper if i order them at the same time as the Kit so i dont want to just wait til it gets here and realize i could have saved money if i knew what the hell i was doing......make sense?) even if it doesnt i'm a little foggy on putting the pieces together from this kit....... I am planning on reloading .357/38spl and .308 winchester and i read somewhere that i get 3 ......damnit i cant find it now..... 3 components that i believe to be specific to the cartridge you want to load. anyways, if i get 3 i would also want to load 22-250 rounds later on (as i get more experienced and can make bad ass loads competently) So what kind of dies and shellholders and other stuff do i need to just SHOOT that this kit does not come with? i didnt want to copy and paste the whole product description from lee (not out of laziness, i just figured this post would have been too long......but maybe its already too late for that) Thanks for any help. The link again is http://leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/...g/anivers.html

January 29, 2009, 01:29 PM	#5
ryalred Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2008 Location: SE Oklahoma Posts: 491	I have purchased almost all my reloading equipment from Ebay or Gunbrokers and feel I have really done well price wise. __________________ ryalred rifle & muzzleloader -- exhilarating bowhunting -- obsession reloading -- addicted

January 29, 2009, 01:51 PM	#6
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,187	# 4 Sticky works wonders if people would stop and read it. As far as what else is needed from the link all you will need is the dies. I personaly have a set of dies for 38spl and 357mag. I run the Lee turret press this way they each are set up and not having to adjust when switching between the two calibers. For my self its just easier this way and the price of the dies didn't break the bank. __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.*

January 29, 2009, 02:34 PM	#7
FoMoCowboy Member Join Date: January 29, 2009 Location: Eastern Utah Posts: 23	Okay, so just dies, sweet, so what about shellholders? As far as .38spl and .357, i think that i'll be reloading by far more magnums than .38 specials, so much in fact that i dont think i could justify (im a penny pincher) even messing around with buying separate dies for the .38's, only as often as i would reload them, i dont think that adjusting the dies would be a nuisance to me. As far as manuals, I just got finished with lyman shotshell reloading manual....(while reading it i decided i dont think im interested in getting into shotshell reloading yet) but lots of good safety and procedural information that im sure carries over to brass reloading. Right now im reading the nosler No.6 manual, seems to me that this book is more along the guidelines of hunting rounds, and im not a huge hunter, but i've been waiting for a while for the Richard lee reloading manual to come in the mail for quite some time but USPS is having fits, it left ohio and its been 3 weeks and its only in illinois as of last night......so maybe i'll get it in march sometime I seen in wal-mart (my walmart is actually getting reloading stuff at the same time i'm getting interested in it.....cool eh?) the speer manual and i was going to buy it yesterday along with the nosler manual, but the speer was gone, and only one copy left of nosler, so i snagged it. but hopefully when i go in again they'll have restocked with the speer manual. And not to touch too much off the point of my question, and i'm just looking for real simple answers because i think im quite some time away from really getting into casting. but how simple, and expensive is casting your own bullets? it seems to me like it is almost easier than reloading cartridges, the reason it sparks my interest a little is because i can easily obtain wheel weights in much larger quantities than i could ever need them, (from 15 until i was 21 i worked for a ford dealership and still got connections) that could be melted down into bullets, so far all i seem to see i would need is a melting pot, the molds, ladel, bullet lube and hardness tester.....is that pretty close to everything basic? Thanks guys for all your Insight __________________ Hoofbeats are faster than Heartbeats.

January 30, 2009, 10:20 PM	#10
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,187	Like I said I run a 3 hole turrett press so that simplifies it for me. Adjusting dies in the single stage will be a snap for you and as stated shell holders will come with the die sets and shell holders will also come with the auto primer that come with the kit.( they are different) Its truely the best deal for the money. I have over 10,000 round through my press's and the work like a charm with ZERO problems. __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.*

January 29, 2009, 01:55 AM	#2
FoMoCowboy Member Join Date: January 29, 2009 Location: Eastern Utah Posts: 23	so wait a minute, i realize i left one broad thing out.....consumables, i think i already have a general knowledge of how to find out what powders, primers, lead etc. i need to acquire My question is directed at the actual EQUIPMENT that is left out of the lee kit if i had to write a list from scratch, I THINK i would come pretty close to getting everything i need, but saving money on this ready made kit is my priority but its hard to "check off" that everything i need is on this list that jumps around on the product description......... all i really want to do right now is shoot.....tip top accuracy isnt a real biggie right now However my .357 and .308 are both very prized hand-me-down possessions (not to mention the .357 is a 6'' colt python and i'd hate to try and replace it) So SAFETY of the complete rounds is much more important than accuracy right now, i dont have any guns that are really "replaceable" to me that i have any interest in handloading and yes, it goes without saying (for me at least) that the biggest safety factor is between my ears and in my procedures.......i dont think right now i need advice on PROCEDURES, and this question is ONLY for equipment. But i imagine i'll be back for procedures and how-to's when i get my equipment and start scratching my head. ......holy hell.......i should just write a book.....sorry for the novel.

January 29, 2009, 03:49 AM	#3
jckeffer Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2007 Posts: 185	Check your Private messages

January 29, 2009, 01:23 PM	#4
Bud Helms Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1999 Location: Middle Georgia, USA Posts: 13,198	FoMoCowboy, Welcome to TFL. The most important item of reloading/handloading equipment is a collection of as many reloading manuals as you can get your hands on. I found Hornady and Lyman the two best for someone starting out.

January 29, 2009, 03:49 PM	#8
wwmkwood Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 110	Lee dies (not RGB) come with a shell holder. You will also want the Lee length gauge for each caliber (for the Lee cutter)

January 29, 2009, 11:26 PM	#9
jamaica Senior Member Join Date: March 24, 2006 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 705	Buy dies for 38 Spl and you can use them for both 38 and 357. I prefer to use 357 brass for all the loads that will be shot in a 357. Makes the clean up easier. (If you shoot 38s in a 357, you get a carbon ring at the end of the shorter brass.) You can load the 357 brass down for some nice comfortable plinking . You will need a shell holder for each caliber. Well...... not necessarily , some shell holders fit several calibers, such as 30-06, 308, 270, 45 auto. If you buy Lee dies, the shell holder comes in the package. Enjoy your new hobby.