Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Thanks! have any recommendations as far as reloading setups?
Asking about a reloading set-up is dangerous as everyone has an opinion
. One of the best things you can do is buy a reloading manual, which gives a lot of basic info although the brand manual you buy will tend to put a lot of emphasis on their own brand of equipment although on a basic level it's all similar. I have all the major current reloading manuals, and suggest the Lyman manual as one of the best sources of information(although you can never have too many loading manuals).
Forgoing the Lee Loaders(which you work with a rubber mallet and block of wood) for bare-bones reloading you need a set of dies in the caliber of your choosing(get carbide if you are reloading handgun rounds), a press, some means of priming the cases(many presses do this, but many are inefficient-I suggest a separate handheld primer if you're using a lower end press) a scale, and a set of cartridge trays(I suggest two trays). You can make the last item yourself out of a block of wood if you're so inclined, although good ones aren't that expensive. Also, unless you're buying Lee dies, you'll need the appropriately sized shell holder for your press-the way they fit the press is universal, but the numbering schemes are NOT so be sure to research this. I've had issues with Lee shell holders, while RCBS makes universally great ones. Hornady is a good compromise between the two.
Note that there proposed alternative to a scale-most notably the Lee "dippers"-but my experience is that they MUST be verified with a good scale and actually take some practice to throw powder repeatably.
Brands of equipment are hotly contested. Lee occupies the "low end" of the market. I have a fair bit of Lee equipment and many times they come up with innovative ways of accomplishing things inexpensively, although it can be cantankerous to get everything working correctly. Most of my dies are Lee, and I have a strong preference for them because they work well with other Lee components in my workflow. On a more advanced note, I also like that replacement expander plugs and bullet seating plugs are very inexpensive-for several calibers(in particular 38 special/357 magnum) I have modified these parts for specific applications. I have a LOT of bullet seaters that I have machined for specific bullets, and it's nice that they're only ~$2 each so if I mess one up in machining it I'm not out a lot.
Realistically, though, you can't go wrong with dies from any other major maker. RCBS in general makes great stuff(most of my non-Lee items are RCBS), but Lyman, Hornady, and Dillon dies are also great. Redding is usually considered "top of the line."
One thing that I mentioned above was carbide dies. Again, all the major makers offer them. For straigh twalled cases(most handguns) they are a big time saver as you don't have to lubricate the cases(although there are times where you still may want to, especially with new or really clean cases). For bottleneck cases, carbide dies are available but IMO are generally a waste of money as you generally still have to lubricate. For lubrication, you have a couple of options. The "cheap" option is to buy a case lube that you rub on with your finger. You have to be careful of overlubricating, though, or you can end up with "dimples" in your cases. I have an RCBS lube pad, which I squirt some lubricant on and then roll the cases on. I find it quick and easy to use, and it also avoids overlubing the cases. With some exceptions, all common dies use the same screw thread so can be used across any brand press.
Presses broadly come in two flavors-single stage and progressive. I have always used a single stage press, although I've been tempted by progressives. Basically, with a single stage, you fit one die at a time then perform a single operation with every pull of the handle(i.e. you might go through and resize/decap 50 or 100 cases at a time). On the low end, the Lee hand press is small enough to take to the range with you or put away when you're not using it. The RCBS Rock Chucker is sort of the epitome of the "bomb proof" single stage press. I use a middle of the road RCBS press. One thing to look at is that most brands now offer a "quick change" die feature, where the dies can be swapped with only a quarter turn or so rather than having to screw them completely in and out. The downside to many of these systems is that the collars are expensive. I have a bunch of Lee collars(which fortunately are NOT expensive) but can't use them with my RCBS press. Even if your press has this feature, you can just leave the one included collar in place and screw the dies in and out. Cheap single stages can be as little as $30, while the Rock Chucker is in the $300 range.
In a progressive press, all the dies are installed and each handle pull does multiple operations simultaneously-once rolling, you should be able to put in an empty case before pulling the handle down, and have a finished cartridge pop out the other end. Progressive presses require attention to make sure you don't do something like run out of powder in the hopper or pull the handle twice without advancing(which would double charge the case). Various brands make various add ons that automate parts of the process. All the major brands make a progressive press, although Dillon is considered king in this business. On a high end Dillon that's fully "tricked out" you really do just have to pull the handle and watch the level of all the consumables, while lower end models require varying amounts of interaction. Good progressive presses are expensive and cheap progressive presses are bad, so if you want to go this route it pays to do your research. To get set up with a Dillon, you're probably looking at a minimum of a $1200 investment.
Scales come in digital and analog, but I have a preference for a good beam-type analog scale. I've had several. The $20 Lee one is fine, although I now use an RCBS 502. The 502 and 505 are fairly pricey new, but are indestructible and can often be found a lot less expensively on the used market.
Beyond those basics, other things to consider are a powder thrower, a hand priming tool, and a means of cleaning cases(either a tumbler or ultrasonic cleaner). I use both a tumbler and ultrasonic cleaner, which gives me both very clean and very shiny cases, although it takes me a couple of days to process cases for use(I will usually prep a couple hundred cases at a time). Most progressive presses have good priming tools, while the ones on single stage presses tend to be inefficient. IMO, the Lee hand-held design is one of the safest on the market as it segregates the primer being inserted from all the others(primers are a mass detonation hazard) but like all things Lee it has its quirks and also feels a bit flimsy to me. I get the occasional flipped primer with it, so pretty much have to constantly watch it. Also, the Lee tool requires a different shell holder than the press, although the set of shell holders isn't terribly expensive. The RCBS design gives you a LOT more leverage.
Power throwers are a contentious topic
. The most important property to me is consistency. There are throwers that operate directly on the press, and others that operate on separately from the press action. Either one is a big time saver. I'm a big fan of the Lee Auto-Disk in conjunction with a Lee powder-through die(all Lee expanders are designed to work with this thrower also). It is actuated by the press; The cavity sizes are fixed, so it can't be bumped out of calibration, although larger grained powders can have issues with consistency in small cavity sizes. I actually measure standard deviations on the powders I use in this measure with certain cavity sizes so I know where I can trust it and where I can't-powders like Unique can vary from squib to kaboom in cartridges like 32 S&W Long using this thrower. Also, the Lee auto-disk is(theoretically) limited to certain increments, although in practice I've bought spare disks and enlarged the cavities manually to give a certain throw(again, they're cheap). A friend has an electronic powder thrower, which is extremely repeatable but also very slow. For high precision applications or near max loads, a powder thrower set to under the "target" in conjunction with a powder trickler
is a sure bet.
That's just a run-down of stuff-the deeper you get into the more there will be to learn. In all honestly, a lot didn't "click" until I actually sat down at the press and started cranking out ammunition. I also have bought a lot of other "toys" as needs arose. Even though I'm primarily a handgun reloader, I found myself in need of a cartridge trimmer for 32-20, so went out and dropped $100 on the Lyman one
Thanks! have any recommendations as far as reloading setups?
Asking about a reloading set-up is dangerous as everyone has an opinion
Forgoing the Lee Loaders(which you work with a rubber mallet and block of wood) for bare-bones reloading you need a set of dies in the caliber of your choosing(get carbide if you are reloading handgun rounds), a press, some means of priming the cases(many presses do this, but many are inefficient-I suggest a separate handheld primer if you're using a lower end press) a scale, and a set of cartridge trays(I suggest two trays). You can make the last item yourself out of a block of wood if you're so inclined, although good ones aren't that expensive. Also, unless you're buying Lee dies, you'll need the appropriately sized shell holder for your press-the way they fit the press is universal, but the numbering schemes are NOT so be sure to research this. I've had issues with Lee shell holders, while RCBS makes universally great ones. Hornady is a good compromise between the two.
Note that there proposed alternative to a scale-most notably the Lee "dippers"-but my experience is that they MUST be verified with a good scale and actually take some practice to throw powder repeatably.
Brands of equipment are hotly contested. Lee occupies the "low end" of the market. I have a fair bit of Lee equipment and many times they come up with innovative ways of accomplishing things inexpensively, although it can be cantankerous to get everything working correctly. Most of my dies are Lee, and I have a strong preference for them because they work well with other Lee components in my workflow. On a more advanced note, I also like that replacement expander plugs and bullet seating plugs are very inexpensive-for several calibers(in particular 38 special/357 magnum) I have modified these parts for specific applications. I have a LOT of bullet seaters that I have machined for specific bullets, and it's nice that they're only ~$2 each so if I mess one up in machining it I'm not out a lot.
Realistically, though, you can't go wrong with dies from any other major maker. RCBS in general makes great stuff(most of my non-Lee items are RCBS), but Lyman, Hornady, and Dillon dies are also great. Redding is usually considered "top of the line."
One thing that I mentioned above was carbide dies. Again, all the major makers offer them. For straigh twalled cases(most handguns) they are a big time saver as you don't have to lubricate the cases(although there are times where you still may want to, especially with new or really clean cases). For bottleneck cases, carbide dies are available but IMO are generally a waste of money as you generally still have to lubricate. For lubrication, you have a couple of options. The "cheap" option is to buy a case lube that you rub on with your finger. You have to be careful of overlubricating, though, or you can end up with "dimples" in your cases. I have an RCBS lube pad, which I squirt some lubricant on and then roll the cases on. I find it quick and easy to use, and it also avoids overlubing the cases. With some exceptions, all common dies use the same screw thread so can be used across any brand press.
Presses broadly come in two flavors-single stage and progressive. I have always used a single stage press, although I've been tempted by progressives. Basically, with a single stage, you fit one die at a time then perform a single operation with every pull of the handle(i.e. you might go through and resize/decap 50 or 100 cases at a time). On the low end, the Lee hand press is small enough to take to the range with you or put away when you're not using it. The RCBS Rock Chucker is sort of the epitome of the "bomb proof" single stage press. I use a middle of the road RCBS press. One thing to look at is that most brands now offer a "quick change" die feature, where the dies can be swapped with only a quarter turn or so rather than having to screw them completely in and out. The downside to many of these systems is that the collars are expensive. I have a bunch of Lee collars(which fortunately are NOT expensive) but can't use them with my RCBS press. Even if your press has this feature, you can just leave the one included collar in place and screw the dies in and out. Cheap single stages can be as little as $30, while the Rock Chucker is in the $300 range.
In a progressive press, all the dies are installed and each handle pull does multiple operations simultaneously-once rolling, you should be able to put in an empty case before pulling the handle down, and have a finished cartridge pop out the other end. Progressive presses require attention to make sure you don't do something like run out of powder in the hopper or pull the handle twice without advancing(which would double charge the case). Various brands make various add ons that automate parts of the process. All the major brands make a progressive press, although Dillon is considered king in this business. On a high end Dillon that's fully "tricked out" you really do just have to pull the handle and watch the level of all the consumables, while lower end models require varying amounts of interaction. Good progressive presses are expensive and cheap progressive presses are bad, so if you want to go this route it pays to do your research. To get set up with a Dillon, you're probably looking at a minimum of a $1200 investment.
Scales come in digital and analog, but I have a preference for a good beam-type analog scale. I've had several. The $20 Lee one is fine, although I now use an RCBS 502. The 502 and 505 are fairly pricey new, but are indestructible and can often be found a lot less expensively on the used market.
Beyond those basics, other things to consider are a powder thrower, a hand priming tool, and a means of cleaning cases(either a tumbler or ultrasonic cleaner). I use both a tumbler and ultrasonic cleaner, which gives me both very clean and very shiny cases, although it takes me a couple of days to process cases for use(I will usually prep a couple hundred cases at a time). Most progressive presses have good priming tools, while the ones on single stage presses tend to be inefficient. IMO, the Lee hand-held design is one of the safest on the market as it segregates the primer being inserted from all the others(primers are a mass detonation hazard) but like all things Lee it has its quirks and also feels a bit flimsy to me. I get the occasional flipped primer with it, so pretty much have to constantly watch it. Also, the Lee tool requires a different shell holder than the press, although the set of shell holders isn't terribly expensive. The RCBS design gives you a LOT more leverage.
Power throwers are a contentious topic
is a sure bet.
That's just a run-down of stuff-the deeper you get into the more there will be to learn. In all honestly, a lot didn't "click" until I actually sat down at the press and started cranking out ammunition. I also have bought a lot of other "toys" as needs arose. Even though I'm primarily a handgun reloader, I found myself in need of a cartridge trimmer for 32-20, so went out and dropped $100 on the Lyman one
