Looking to start reloading

[clvickers]

I’m planning on starting to reload my own ammo. The calibers that I will be reloading for are:

Pistol
- .38 Spcl
- .357 Mag
- .40 S&W
- .44 Spcl
- .44 Mag

Rifle
- .270 Win
- 7mm Rem Mag
- .30-30 Win
- .308 Win
- .444 Marlin

I also suspect that I will be loading .380 Auto, .45ACP, .223 Rem, 7mm-08 Rem, and .30-06 in the future.

Based on what I've read on the various websites, I plan to spend some time doing some book reading before I start ordering any reloading equipment. So far I’ve ordered the following books to begin with:

• Abc's Of Reloading: The Definitive Guide For Novice To Expert (8th Ed)
• Modern Reloading (2nd Ed) by Richard Lee
• Lyman Reloading Handbook: 49th Edition

Are there any other books that I’ve missed that I “Really need” in order for me to make the correct procedural process or purchase decisions as a neophyte beginner just starting down this path?

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep, get a reloading manual from one of the outfits like Speer, Hornady, Nosler and read it!

Fact is, good idea to get two or three of the manuals and read them all.

Then, Buy quality reloading equipment right to start with.

Some folk like the low priced stuff, but for the most part, you do get what you pay for.

If you can't afford new, look for some used equipment, or better yet get with someone who has the equipment and start loading with them.

Using their equipment and experience will pay dividends when you start to buy your own.

Nothing like hands on to make it clear why good equipment is worth the money.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[hornady]

Wow starting out like a house on fire, You are starting out right. The books you mentioned are all good. I agree with the previous post. Start out with good equipment you will not regret it. As to getting any more books. I would slow down a little. Get the press and the 38/357 dies They are a good round to start out on. Both are very forgiving. Once you get your feet wet. Then you can start in on the trickier rounds. 40 S&W is a high pressure round. You really should not be experimenting with. And the Bottleneck rounds are a little different. The 38/357 will help you get the basics down. All the rounds you mentioned you are talking about a boat load of money. And Reloading is a passion. Some guys go hog wild. Others get all the equipment and find its just not for them. Also components. Powder and primers are still pretty scarce in most areas. Dont get me wrong, I load most of the rounds you mentioned. But I have been working on it for 40 years. And did not have the free time till I retired, to load that many rounds.But to do somthing that long you have to love it. .

[clvickers]

Hornady,

With regards to all of the calibers I listed, I'll probably just start out with reloading only one or two to begin with. The list however happens to denote all of the calibers that I shoot.

My primary goal for reloading is to allow me to be able to shoot more often so that I can be a more proficient shooter. At the same time, I expect that I would save money over the long run by reloading the .44 Spcl/.44 Mag, .38 Spcl/.357 Mag ammo, .40 S&W, and .444 Marlin ammo.

As far as the what press I go with, I do feel that it will be a turret press vice a progressive press even though I know that a progressive allows me to turn out a lot more ammo in less time. I like the fact that with a turret I can setup all of the dies on a press and not have to change out dies each time I move to the next step of the loading process. As far as whose turret press (Lee, RCBS, Redding) I will use I don’t know.

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by clvickers

* Abc's Of Reloading: The Definitive Guide For Novice To Expert (8th Ed)
* Modern Reloading (2nd Ed) by Richard Lee
* Lyman Reloading Handbook: 49th Edition

When you are ready to actually start putting powder into cases, get a copy of the "One Cartridge/One Book" series. As the name implies, each book (booklet, really) is dedicated to just one cartridge.

They are short of description of the loading process and have next to nothing except loading data. But the loading data covers a wider range of components than I have found in any regular loading manual.

There is a thread "stickied" to the top of this forum that discusses equipment choices.
there are also a couple of threads recently in TFL that you should DEFINITELY read, because they ask almost exactly what you have asked.

Originally Posted by LilLady

Please Recommend Press

Originally Posted by Clay

Basic start up costs?

Originally Posted by gdeal

Should I walk away from Reloading?

Originally Posted by rodwhaincamo

low flash powders

Originally Posted by rodwhaincamo

Getting Started

I have posted in some of those. Look for my (rather lengthy) post "10 Advices for the new handloader"
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=387433

Loading can be a very satisfying activity, a hobby in and of itself, beyond satisfying your need for ammunition. Punching holes or harvesting game with ammunition you have crafted yourself is very gratifying.

Welcome to your new obsession. Good luck. Always wear safety glasses when working with primers and don't pinch your fingers in your press.

Lost Sheep

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Even'in clvickers,

In regards to the press choice, well I have loaded since the 60s with a single stage, non-turret press and seldom if ever felt that a turret press would be an advantage.

I know there are those who will not agree, as the turret presses are sold and there must be enough demand to keep them listed by the manufactures.

However, as per strength, most will be more like the old "C" style press I started out with many years ago, then the very strong "O" type press such as the RCBS RockChucker.

Is the "C" / turret press going to lack in strength for most reloading needs?

Nope, but if you should advance to the point where you begin to do case forming such as might be needed for a wildcat or forming old and unavailabe cases, the "C" / turret press will always have more spring/give then an "O" style.

No matter how strong and well built a turret press is, even if the turret is designed on the framework of an "O" style press, because of design there will be potential for some springing in the turret during heavy sizing operations.

It is just IMHO, and be'in an Ol'Coot I have formed some of those, so I feel the minimal time saved with die switching between a good "O" style press and a turret press is a questionable trade off.

After these many years of reloading I just recently bought a progressive Hornady press for handgun ammo, but the tried and true RockChucker will still serve the duty of loading rifle rounds.

AND, had it not been for a goodly amount of Cabela's points, Cabela's $30.00 off on an order of $150 or more, along with a 1000 "free" bullets from Hornady, I would have likely gone the rest of my life loading everthing with the single stage press.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[oneounceload]

Based on those calibers, you're looking at potentially needing 5 different types of primers, as many or more types of powders, double that number of bullet types, brass, etc......

Initially, that can cost a LOT.

IMO, to get started, pick the one pistol and rifle caliber that you shoot the most and get to learn the idiosyncrasies down pat. As you become more familiar with techniques, etc., expand to the next most popular calibers, etc....

Use carbide sizer dies for your straight-walled cases - that'll be a big help.

If you shoot a particular bottle-neck rifle cartridge in one gun, look into neck-sizing for that.

A RCBS single stage or one of similar quality will outlast you and force you to do one step at a time - nice for learning so you don't rush and skip something by accident leading to a kaboom. Even if you eventually move to progressives, the single stage is always handy to have for specialty loading (like snake shot capsules in those 44's) or working up a new load for accuracy