very basic level help needed

Read The ABC's of Reloading before you do anything.

Get on RCBS's website and poke around for instructions.

Lee has some good reloading videos. Go to www.LeePrecision.com

The directions in the die box should sum most of it up. Lee dies even have load data. If the directions are missing I'm sure you could find them on Lee's website.

Does he understand the concepts of reloading? He needs a comprehensive reloading manual. It probably doesn't matter which one.

I started out by reading Lyman's 48th from cover to cover -- especially the first few chapters that explain the basics. I bought the book for the loading data, but the introductory stuff was actually much more useful.

The deluxe rifle die sets include a full-length resizer as well as a collet sizer. Start with the FL sizer until he gets the hang of it. The collet sizer is not at all intuitive to set up (just follow the directions that came with it even if they don't make sense)

Dude!!!!

Seriously, you should tell your Dad to read a couple of reloading manuels for a while. I think the gift is more than generous on your part and from a hobby stand point, I feel you have introduced him to one of the best out there.

However, I do think that this is like giving someone a gift like a puppy or something like that as compared to like a gift certificate. Hold on!!!! let me finish...
The reason being that with this gift, comes great responsibility. If reloading is done with less than 100% correctness, the effects could be immensely disastrous and fatal.

I hope I now have your attention. That said, I think this will bring a whole new demension to both your's and your Dad's shooting and your relationship with eachother. You really have no idea how fun it is to go into The Cave with your Dad, brother, or best buddy and bounce ideas off eachother and work up loads and then go fire them off.

You should both be reading the loading manuels and going online and checking out as much resources as possible. This will eventually turn into the quest and a way of life.

"Hi, My name is LGB Loader and I'm a shooter and a loadaholic"


Cheers...

Consider signing up for an NRA sponsored reloading class or checking with a local shooting club/range. There's always guys around who would tutor him!!

It's like learning to drive a car by reading about it (a little easier than that tho) It's a lot easier when shown how.

I agree with the other posts here. Reloading can be very dangerous if you're careless or don't follow proper case length / powder weights. Your dad would also need a case trimmer, case deburring tool, case length guage, lube, lube pads, media for the tumbler, primer pocket cleaner, priming tool, etc. There's a lot of onlne resources for reloading. One I find useful is chuckhawks - http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2k_reloading.htm

vids

There is a hole bunch of reloading videos on you tube.
+ the ABC's of reloading is a good read.

I also have the rock chucker press witch i bought in the kit form

press ,scale, powder flow, lube tray, and so on and also the speer loading book came with it and contains lots of info.

for safetys sake please studie up with some books first then also have the books at his side when its time to put his hands on the press.

I might add that this will make Father's Day shopping a little easier on down the freeway...
For example, I asked my Dad what kind of brass he is short on and he said "38 spcl and 357 Mag." Enough said, I went out and got him a couple of Remington bags of each (Brand new) along with a 1000 primers of each (1000 sp, 1000 sp mag) and 200 Hornady FP/XTP 125 gr (Great with H110) and 500 Laser cast 158 gr LSWC.

If that ain't a great Father's Day gift, I don't know what is!

Cheers...

The best manual for your needs is the RCBS which is called THE SPEER Manual

The RCBS Supreme Kit comes with it! It can be bought separately as well.
http://www.rcbs.com/guide/supreme_reloading_kit.aspx

CRITGIT

Zach? What part of the state are you in? I'm North Of Mansfield about 18 miles. I might be able to help you some how.

MANUALS, MANUALS, MANUALS!!! READ, READ, READ!!! You or your dad are playing with explosives that can hurt you, your dad, or his firearms...If you have read and fully understand what this hobby is about it is quite safe. Until then......

Doesn't the Rock Chucker kit come with the Speer manual? Mine did, but that was several years ago. It will explain reloading theory and technique, and the instructions that come with the dies should fill in any info specific to those particular dies.

Check on YouTube too, there are some people with videos showing the process. Those can be helpful, though be sure to corroborate with a reputable manual.

nm -- I thought the Rock Chucker Supreme was a kit. Now I see that's what they're calling the press itself.

I didn't buy the rock chucker kit. We have reloading manuals. Everybody relax.

Click to expand...

zahc. you claim you have no experience in reloading and that you and your dad are confused, than you get snappy when others show concern for your safety. I'm thinkin' you're the one who needs to relax.

I have RCBS equipment and dies and all came with fairly good instructions. What wasn't covered by the enclosed instructions was covered in detail in all of my reloading manuals. I recommend rereading your manuals(not just the load data) until you understand the process and than if you're still a bit tentative, go thru the entire process except for priming/dropping powder. Compare your finished shells to similar factory loads for length and appearance, and then test to see if they chamber and extract like factory. Even tho they are dummy rounds, still use caution and then either pull the bullets or dispose of them properly.

yep your missing what everyone is telling you. You need to get him some reloading manuals. the abc'
s of reloading, lees modern reloading, lymans 48th. he will need load data manuals as well. They will not only teach him how to load but give him data on which to use to shoot and load rounds. its not about sizing put in a primer fill up the case all the way with powder then use your thumb to push in the bullet. You have to make sure he understands what he has and is doing

What sort of problem in particular is your dad having? With the resizing die, you typically raise the ram with the correct shellholder installed, then screw in the resizing die until it touches the shellholder. If it's a regular steel die you lower the ram and screw the die in another turn and set the lock ring. If it's a carbide die, you back the die out and leave about 1/64" of clearance above the shellholder.

But I think that's what everyone is getting at - this sort of thing is amply covered in reloading manuals, so I think that's why everyone was wondering if he had a good manual. Everyone in this forum is more than happy to help, but we'd be remiss if we didn't ask about anything potentially unsafe.

Maybe there is something peculiar to the Lee collet dies, I'm not sure, I've never used them. I suggest your dad give Lee a call, if they're like RCBS and the other reloading companies they will bend over backwards to help him.