need advice on reloading equip

RedOneFive

New member
I Buy most of my stuff from a pawn shop here close (i know the owner pretty well). But he's unable to get any 223 and barely any 7.62's right now and the local ammo store and basspro seem to have a hard time keepin em in stock. I guess im goign to have to start reloadin. can someone point me in the right direction of a reasonably priced basic set up? at least for my 223 and 270s I've never done any reloading. so i am not quite sure what i need.. Also i was told about the black hills ammo but i can't find anyplace that sells it around here, and hardly any online.
 
Besides buying a good loading manual your pawn shop owner may be one of the best places to start there is. Ask him what he has.....if he can't help I would suggest researching various kits from Lee, RCBS, Hornady and find one that fits your budget and loading needs.
 
Spend the 80 bucks and order a Lee Anniversery reloading kit with the manual from Midway. Add a couple of the Lee delux die sets. Get Lee's case trimmer for each cartridge you plan on loading. Spend another 50 for either the Midway tumbler or Cabela's tumbler whichever is on sale. Get or make some loading blocks and some plastic bullet boxes.

Your going to be in for a couple of hundred bucks by the time your done and your set for the next 15 or 20 years of beating the high costs of factory ammo.

There is lots of good loading equipment on the market and it all works well. How much you spend is up to you, but I started with RCBS and though I still use some if it the Lee equipment has been on my bench for 15 years now doing a great job.

Personally I'd rather spend the several hundred difference between the fine Lee equipment and the next higher priced brands on bullets, powder, cases and primers.

Here's my setup. It's simple and I have a great view up the canyon sitting at my bench. Be sure and put a good light over the bench. I like one of the seven buck four foot florescent's that you can get a places like Home Depot or Lowes. Keep in mind that if you use an electronic scale or dispenser your light may need to be on a separate circuit or it can interfere with the scale.

ReloadingbenchRemodel-40.jpg


Here's how my powder measures are set up. This keeps bench space free and gets them up to eye level.

ReloadingbenchRemodel-36.jpg


This is my shooting partners RCBS scale and powder dispenser. It makes the most accurate loads I've ever put togather, but it ain't cheap.

ReloadingbenchRemodel-23.jpg


I've got to say I've been reloading for well over 45 years and not only do I get really accurate loads, but it's a great hobby in itself to go along with shooting. I've never saved any money on reloading, but I've certainly shot a lot more ammo downrange than I would ever have to been able to do buying factory ammo. I cast for all the handguns I shoot and can shoot centerfire for not much more than you can a 22 long rifle.

Have fun.
 
I have recently upgraded to a Rockchucker Supreme and the newer, stronger, Lee Classic Turret press. Only certain cartridge types are loaded on each.......

I use mostly Redding dies now, some Lees, and a couple RCBS and Forster.......

Hornady "New Dimension" are the absolute worst dies I've ever used (I hear they recently redesigned them, with good reason) and I also do not like RCBS standard seating dies much, especially if a crimp is desired........

For about $8 bucks, the Lee factory crimp die (FCD) is the best investment a reloader of straight-walled cartridges, or any that require crimping, really, can make, IMO.......

The Lee Anniversary kit is fine for beginners and a great value. If you get into reloading a lot, you will soon want to upgrade certain items, though..........
 
Quote:
IDBob,
Please, sir, tell me those ain't your pink shoes in that last picture..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif



I noticed those pink shoes also. First, the senator up there that is being forced to resign, and now these pink shoes and painted toe nails... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

It kind of makes you wonder about the boys up in Idaho. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
The Lee aniversary kit will get you by just fine. I think the scale needs to be upgraded but other than that it is as IDBob lets on a perfectly fine reloading set. And for the price of $80 you won't find anything else remotly close to it.
 
Quote:
Quote:
IDBob,
Please, sir, tell me those ain't your pink shoes in that last picture..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif



I noticed those pink shoes also. First, the senator up there that is being forced to resign, and now these pink shoes and painted toe nails... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

It kind of makes you wonder about the boys up in Idaho. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



That's my grand daughter, she helped me do the rework of the reloading bench. She's 13 this year and has been shooting along with here sister whom is a year older since both were six and seven.

Here they are at the bench making 41 magnum revolver loads. I hate to thing what's going to happen when they get boyfriends, they both can outshoot most of the boys around here and lots of the adults.

Grandbabies41mags.jpg
 
Not too proud of the Rockchucker I bought a year or so ago. The threaded insert that the dies screw into was terribly loose. Called RCBS and they sent me a new one, just as loose. I need to get a case alignment gage to see how much runnout it's giving me. Thinking about going back to the 30 year old C- press.
 
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Not too proud of the Rockchucker I bought a year or so ago. The threaded insert that the dies screw into was terribly loose. Called RCBS and they sent me a new one, just as loose. I need to get a case alignment gage to see how much runnout it's giving me. Thinking about going back to the 30 year old C- press.



There's a reason for that.... The standard die/press threads are relatively coarse by design.

If you use a flat shim to align the die/die bottom with the press ram/shell holder before you lock the die in place with the locking ring, there should be no major problem with run-out.

If the threads were tight and did not allow for some movement of the die when aligned and before being locked, you would have continual run-out each time the press was used if the ram and the dies would not align because of design tolerance errors in the press itself.

-BCB
 

Hornady "New Dimension" are the absolute worst dies I've ever used (I hear they recently redesigned them, with good reason) and I also do not like RCBS standard seating dies much, especially if a crimp is desired........


Hey 2muchgun,

I have 2 sets of the Hornady New Dimension and 2 Match Neck sizing dies that work as well as, or better than my RCBS or Redding dies. What problems have you had with the Hornady dies?

Sodak Jim
 
IDBob,

My daughter says to tell your grand daughter that she likes the shoes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

I am impressed with your reloading bench. I am going to start reloading early next year and I had pretty much decided to go with the RCBS setup. Now after looking at yours, I am going to reconsider the Lee. $200 is cheap to get into reloading and I can always upgrade little by little over the years as needed.

This fall I am going to be using a 243 for coyotes instead of my usual 223. The ammo for the 243 is so much more expensive. After the initial investment I can reload the 243 cheaper (much cheaper) and be able to customize my loads.


Calcoyote
 
Quote:
Quote:
IDBob,
Please, sir, tell me those ain't your pink shoes in that last picture..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif



I noticed those pink shoes also. First, the senator up there that is being forced to resign, and now these pink shoes and painted toe nails... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

It kind of makes you wonder about the boys up in Idaho. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



Said the boy from California. "The land of Fruits and Nuts" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

It is a shame about Craig though. He really did fight for gun owners and the 2nd amendment.
Whats the world coming to?
 
Go online to leeprecision.com. Lots of good things to see. If $$$$ are short look at the closeouts. Turret presses for $50 and extra turrets for $4. They also have all the kits available.
 
+1 on the RCBS Rockchucker and (preferably) Redding dies. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I spent about $500 on new RCBS equipment for reloading accurate 223 ammo. RCBS has a forever garuntee on their equipment and their customer service is fantastic.

A Rockchucker kit is NOT everything you need, nor is a Lee kit. Don't be fooled. You still need a micrometer, tumbler, trimmer, deburrer, etc. Here is a list of what you will NEED if you go with RCBS:

$260 Rockchucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit
$60 Vibratory Case Cleaner
$14 Walnut Shell Dry Media
$13 Flash Hole Uniformer (Lyman)
$13 Primer Pocket Uniformer/Brush (Lyman)
$80 Trim Pro Case Trimmer
$26 Die Set 223
$30 Steel Dial Micrometer

That's $496 total from the Cabela's magazine. You can probably find better prices if you shop around. Those Rockchucker kits go on sale all the time too.

Then you need a stockpile of brass, powder, primers, and bullets, which is all much cheaper if you buy in bulk. For starting out you're going to want to buy small quantities of a few different types of powder and bullets to try to see which is the best combo. Stick with what's proven to work for others. Good luck!
 
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If you can find one, buy an old Turret press for your rifles. Mine has I believe 9 stations on top. This lets you reload several calibers without taking the Dies in and out. If not get a Dillon 550b with a few extra Die holders. Taking Dies in and out is a pain because you lose your adjustments especially with Lee Dies. Lee equipment is usually el cheapo stuff. I like the Lee autoprime but I wear one out about every two years. I also like the Lee Zip Trimmer. Dillon is top of the line stuff and has a forever warranty. Loading 223 means you will need Carbide Small base dies. Even though these are carbide you must still lube them. I use the spray Dillon lube. You will also need a Primer Pocket swager to remove the military crimps. You will also need a Case Cleaner. Buy a Vibrator instead of a large Tumbler. Now you need a Dillon Squirrel cage to remove the media.
 
I broke the lever acuator that the handle is clamped into on my Lee press after about four months. I asked for and was sent two new sides for this piece, but was told by Lee that if it was older then two years old I had to pay 50% of the parts cost. Has anyone ran into this problem with Lee before? It seemed to be the weak point of the press has snyone else broken their presses?
 
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