Beginner Reloading?

[txgho1911]

So far

I have the Sierra and Hornady books. Wating on some leaflet books from somewhere. Caliber specific books if your wonderin.
I am looking at starting on a Hornady AP because I plan to load thousands at a time and never buy retail again in my life. Next new rifle will get a first meal from Winchester, Rem, or Federal. I shoot what I own on a tight butget and that means I don't shoot enough to keep in practice.
My time is valuable so I want to get the most return possible for the investment. The less time I spend reloading the more time I can spend shooting and working up loads for new rifles and handguns.

 

[Richard.Howe]

Simple and expensive beats cheap and complicated. Get a nice Rockchucker, learn to load, then move up to progressive if you like it. Starting on a progressive -- imho -- is an invitation to miss out on some of the finer points of reloading!

 

[Art Eatman]

I've saved a ton of money buying good used stuff at gunshows, or from folks who for one reason or another quit reloading.

For one thing, it's common to find all those miscellaneous gizmos and whatzits thrown in essentially for free. Primer pocket reamers, chamfer tools for case mouths, shell holders, case trimmers...

I've never found bad dies, as in all scratched up inside. And, powder scales can always be checked and calibrated. Hard to hurt a powder measure--and I saw one at last weekend's gunshow for $25, with a neat little stand.

Heck, some of my dies weren't new when I got them in 1950!

I got an now-old Dillon 350, way back when; it still works...

, Art

 

[Kamicosmos]

I voted Mid Level. When I think midlevel, I'm thinking like the RCBS Kits. 250ish to get everything you need.

Good quality stuff that will serve you well for a lifetime if you like reloading. If you don't, the stuff retains value well, and makes it easier to sell it off to get some money back.


And books. Lots of books.

 

[BluesBear]

Start with a good quality single stage press.

Learn the feel of it.
The feel of a primer touching the bottom of the pocket.
The feel of flaring the case mouth.
The feel of a good crimp.

After you learn all of that then go with a progressive if you need speed.

The single stage will always be good for working up a new load a few at a time for testing.

I used to have multiple progesssive presses for commercial use.
But ALL of my load development was done on single stage presses.

 

[Greymoor]

Bullet - I am just starting to get the things together to reload myself. I will say midlevel as I am going with the Pro2000 from RCBS. This manual indexing progressive will give me the ability to single stage while I am learning and step up as I gain knowledge and experience.

My decision is based on the fact that I will mostly be reloading pistol ammo.

 

[Bullet]

Greymoor

Good luck to you. I hope you enjoy reloading.

 

[Newguy1]

I started on a Redding Boss and have since moved up to a Corbin SII (I want to start swaging my own jacketed and lead bullets). I think that starting on good (expensive) gear is the best way to go because if you spend the money on good gear you only have to buy the gear once. I have upgraded most of my dies to Redding and I buy them when ever possible. I have found great deals on used gear at gunshows (I bought a deluxe set of Redding 300/221 Fireball for $15 last gun show) and on ebay. Just watch out on ebay as I have often seen people pay more for used gear on ebay that new gear costs from Midway or Sinclairs.

 

[cookiemonster]

I started somewhat economically. Went with the lee challenger kit. It was acceptable for the three original calibers I reloaded (.223, 45-70 and 45 winmag), but as I progressed, I bought a few pieces here and there...now my little challenger still has a place on my bench, but only for decapping and pulling bullets...I have a nice rock-chucker IV and I reload for 12 calibers...including a few wildcats...I broke that press when I was trying to FL resize brass and snapped the aluminum teardrop that the handle is inserted into...its not made for that kind of stress...many of the Lee items are indespensable...the hand press I use for decapping in the house and mebbe working up loads at the range, the dippers for the same...and the hand primer...I also have the auto prime that goes onto the press...all work wonderfully...what it really hinges on is A) What are you going to load? B) How much space you got? you HAVE to answer those first two before the third... C) How much CAN you spend? I say it that way because its a constant monster with me that has to be fed quite often. However its not too bad once you get all the equipment needed....then its just a matter of when you add an additional caliber...

MTCW YMMV
Darrell