New to Reloading

[turnerdye1]

I have been reading on reloading for about a year now. I think im gonna plung in and make the commitment. Money is a major factor to me, being the broke college student i am.

I read the sticky and have a general idea of what i need to do and how to do it.

I was just wondering what would be best for me to start out. Ill be reloading 9mm and .223. Speed doesnt really matter to me. So i think ill go with a single stage. Im thinking of getting one of the Lee starter kits and getting carbide dies.

Would it be okay to buy used reloading stuff or is it best to buy new?

 

[3gunshooter]

I just bought the Lee starter kit to load my .308's. I have a Dillon 550 also, I don't normally do cheap stuff. It has the hand primer I don't do a whole lot at work so I can bring them in and prime them in my spare time along with doing the sizing also. A single stage would be a good start as long as you are not loading 1000's at a time. Get what you can afford.

 

[turnerdye1]

Single stage will help me learn the basics of reloading also i think

ill probably load 100 at the most each time if not less

 

[DustyDawg48]

I started reloading about 20 years ago on an old MEC Jr for my 12 gauge trap loads. A few years ago I finally took the plunge myself and started loading for pistol and went the same, single-stage route. I don't need to be an ammo factory, although I would love to try, and can crank out what I need when I need it. I feel that as long as you don't view the reloading as a chore and you view it as an extension of your hobby, something you can do that is enjoyable when you can't get out and shoot, that goes a long way. You can love it, use a single-stage press and not 'work' at all but if you don't like the process you can have a Dillon 650 and crank out thousands of rounds and hate every minute of it.

I have an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme and it was worth the $125-ish I paid for it. I use Lee dies, which are fantastic, and the cheap Lee powder hoppers (which leak like a mother but for $12 ea they are hard to beat) but the one thing you DON'T want to go cheap on is a scale! I wouldn't hesitate to buy used merchandise but do yourself a favor and buy a good balance-beam scale and a set of dial calipers (neither needs batteries). The 9mm is a good round to start with, just get yourself a good reloading book, I have the Speer #14 Reloading manual and it is worth every penny I spent on it.

Just find a load you like (powder, primer and bullet weight) and start at their MINIMUM powder drop and work your rounds up from there. I usually load 4 or 5 rounds of my first attempt and go shoot that. If I come back with all 10 fingers I'll then up my reloads by .2 of a grain, 5 or 6 rounds at a time until I'm near their maximum load. I'll then go shoot those and see which I like and the gun likes and that will be my load for that caliber. For example, I recently switched from 230 grain FMJ to 200 grain jacketed flat points. I loaded at 5.8 grains of Unique, then 6.0, 6.2 @ 6 rounds each and went and shot. I liked the 6.2 the best and kept that. It more than makes power for my IDPA shoots and is probably potent enough for defense if I needed it in a pinch.

Starting with the .223 is a bit different because the case needs a bit of extra prep. The cases also need to be lubricated individually so they don't get stuck inside the dies. I have all the equipment to reload for .223 but haven't wanted to tackle them just yet.

I hope that helps, good luck! Let us know what you decide.

 

[squirrelhntr]

lee's a good way to start. thats how i started, but then upgraded to rcbs. if money is an issue you might want to start off with just handgun loads. i'd stick with new stuff.....

 

[turnerdye1]

i was planning on going with this kit
Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Kit - MidwayUSA


i know the cost benefits for reloading the 9mm but is reloading .223 really cost effective? i mostly just plink

 

[shootinghoosier]

Single stage is by far and away, the safest IMHO because you can focus on one thing and not be distracted. However, if you think you will be taking up reloading as a hobby that will span many years, I would suggest you consider investing in a turret press. While Lee turrets may be affordable and some people swear by them, I have never been impressed with their "hardiness". They seem, well, cheap. Perhaps others can chime in as to whether they are a longterm investment or not. My turret press is a Redding T-7. While it is more expensive than Lee, it is built like a tank. You can operate it as a single stage press while you learn about reloading, and then as you gain knowledge through practice, you can venture into the turret aspect.

I learned to reload about 35 years ago by taking a course at IU/Bloomington. The course was about the shooting sports, and it entailed a lot more than reloading, but I can't imagine taking the plunge into reloading without having some guidance at the very beginning. I would suggest you sign up for a course, just to get acquainted with the equipment and steps. I think Gander periodically will offer a reloading course and there are some vendors on this site that can help you too.

Reading about reloading is one thing, but seeing someone and then having them watch over you at the beginning is worth every cent. After all, messing around with primers and gunpowder increases your risk for getting hurt.

Reloading can be fun, but you can't be stupid or distracted when doing it. Once you learn it and buy good equipment, it will be there for a lifetime.

 

[DustyDawg48]

i was planning on going with this kit
Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Kit - MidwayUSA


i know the cost benefits for reloading the 9mm but is reloading .223 really cost effective? i mostly just plink

Reloading, for most people in most areas, will end up being cheaper in the long run. Right now, I just buy Wolf in .223 and am stockpiling my brass to eventually get around to reloading it. I want to have a dedicated reason for reloading .223 since it costs so much more than reloading for my .45 or my 9mm. I shoot IDPA and they recently released rules dedicated towards getting shotgun and rifle involved in their matches. If our club starts holding those types I'll drop the coin to buy primers and bullets and start working towards a load. The good thing with loading 9mm is that you can always use that to justify owning an AR in 9mm!

To answer your question, 'Yes, it is cost effective.' You will save money in the long run but will have to load 1,000 or better and have $300 or more involved in primers and powder and the rest to do that but you will load for about half of what you'd buy cheap factory.

 

[turnerdye1]

thanks for all the info guys!!

i think starting off with Lee will be best for me to start off with. Then when i have more money and know a bit more ill get a more expensive turret or progressive

 

[DustyDawg48]

Great! Reloading is such a fun and fulfilling part of the shooting world; I enjoy talking about it and doing it almost as much as I like shooting what I make! Just be warned, you'll shoot 'em up movies and think "Man, I wonder who is going to pick up all their brass..." It can be addicting, I have small collections of brass for calibers I'll never shoot! You never know, I could always trade them for more brass of another type, right?

 

[turnerdye1]

i have my own personal range (i live on a farm lol) but i think i spend more time picking up my brass then i do shooting. i try to find every piece i can. im thinking of some sort of brass collector setup to build

 

[DustyDawg48]

How to Buy The Nut Wizard We Make it Easy With Fast Sghipping

It was originally designed to pick up nuts from trees but somebody decided to try it on spent brass. Pretty awesome!

 

[turnerdye1]

does it work? what size?

 

[Glocker1986]

Single stage will help me learn the basics of reloading also i think

ill probably load 100 at the most each time if not less

That is how i started. Equipment is expensive so trying to buy everything right away can be a challenge.

 

[turnerdye1]

right now im gonna start with just 9mm and then 223 maybe this summer. im a student so i wont be home this spring. i should be able to get the kit i want and the dies for 150 or so. then ill get powder, primers, and bullets.

whats a good way to clean brass without buying a tumbler?

 

[walker]

Single stage is good to start with. Take a reloading class or if you know someone that reloads, ask if you could try their equipment. Lee would be nice to start with, you can always upgrade down the road. Not all reloading benches become what they are now overnight... I started out with a Dillon 450 (still have it and use it today) 25yrs ago. I mounted it to a small roll around toll box. It was a great setup for a small apartment.

 

[turnerdye1]

thanks a lot. im just gonna start out small to begin. not sure what im going for a bench yet. i guess ill take it as it comes

 

[shibumiseeker]

i have my own personal range (i live on a farm lol) but i think i spend more time picking up my brass then i do shooting. i try to find every piece i can. im thinking of some sort of brass collector setup to build

I ended up building a range building just so I could find all my brass. I have a frame that I set up when I am shooting out of the building, it has a sheet that funnels most of the brass to one point. Made it out of PVC and it breaks down for easy transport. Doesn't like wind though

 

[DustyDawg48]

You can clean the brass with water and a detergent but DO NOT use anything with ammonia, ammonia breaks down brass and you could have some nasty failures. Use something without it and you'd be OK. Midway USA has some good tumblers for cheap; I have the RCBS tumber and I like it.

As for the brass wizard, I don't know if it works good or not; I'd love to try one!

 

[walker]

You'll do good. Getting started is the first step, before long you will be off and running. Equipment and benches will evolve over time. In the mean time welcome to the world of reloading, enjoy your new adventure.