Getting back into reloading
- Thread starter Tamitch
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Reloadron
Contributing Member
Nothing wrong with good used equipment that has been well maintained. The key is well maintained. This is especially true of what you are looking to load.
I plan to expand my loading in a few weeks when I will be retired. Looking forward to more range time and loading time.
Ron
I plan to expand my loading in a few weeks when I will be retired. Looking forward to more range time and loading time.
Ron
frankenstein406
Member
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- Jan 9, 2011
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- 816
what stuff are you looking for?
If decently maintained, reloaders seldom wear out. If you are not going to do a lot of shooting you may be able to get by with a single stage loader. They are usually built to last more than a lifetime. I enjoy the loading as much as the shooting.
Jesse Heywood
Member
Let me look into my crystal ball and see what the future holds for reloading equipment.
So much for that idea, I let the smoke out.
If you can find good used gear at a decent price, buy it. If you find new gear from a dealer that isn't gouging, buy it. The key is to avoid the price-gougers. The wholesalers have not raised their prices, so be patient, learn the prices of what you want, and be selective in buying. I doubt if the prices will drop when the panic has eased.
So much for that idea, I let the smoke out.
If you can find good used gear at a decent price, buy it. If you find new gear from a dealer that isn't gouging, buy it. The key is to avoid the price-gougers. The wholesalers have not raised their prices, so be patient, learn the prices of what you want, and be selective in buying. I doubt if the prices will drop when the panic has eased.
45lcshooter
Member
Used equip shows up all the time, far cheaper than new. Go used.
I also got back into shooting and reloading when I retired. However, I had saved my equipment and had a good stock of components. Even though my stuff was well used, it is still very functional. I ended up buying a digital scale and a few other newer items, but I'd say that older equipment, if well treated, works fine.
I would wait for used. It's a pain in the _________ trying to even find components right now. I have a feeling once all the panic buying is done, people will be too lazy or busy to reload. There are certain people that enjoy and gravitate to handloading and then there are others that just want ammo. The latter will be selling their equipment once the dust settles.
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I guess it depends how much time you have and how much money you wish to spend.
$300 will net you a Lee classic turret kit and the other tools you'll need. That will load up 150-200 rounds an hour pretty easily. Twice the rate of a single stage press with the same safety margin.
You'll have to spend a lot more(At least twice that) for a worthwhile progressive along with the tooling for it.
What you'll need more than anything is patience right now. Everything you will need can be had, and at regular(six months ago) pricing. But things sell out fast, and the chances of buying it in one place at one time are nil.
$300 will net you a Lee classic turret kit and the other tools you'll need. That will load up 150-200 rounds an hour pretty easily. Twice the rate of a single stage press with the same safety margin.
You'll have to spend a lot more(At least twice that) for a worthwhile progressive along with the tooling for it.
What you'll need more than anything is patience right now. Everything you will need can be had, and at regular(six months ago) pricing. But things sell out fast, and the chances of buying it in one place at one time are nil.
For the money a single stage press is hard to beat. I loaded thousands of rounds on one before spending the money on progressives. I don't know if Ponsness Warren still makes the Metallic II, but I would highly recommend it. It is semi-progressive and will load rifle and pistol both with standard dies.
Kevin Rohrer
Member
Used is Good
There is nothing wrong with used. I bought most of my presses used and they operate just as good (if not better) than used.
However, if you are going to load a lot of those calibers, look at the Dillon Square Deal.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25237/catid/1/Dillon_Square_Deal___039_B__039_
If not, any single-stage used press will do that doesn't use pot metal and isn't red and silver.
There is nothing wrong with used. I bought most of my presses used and they operate just as good (if not better) than used.
However, if you are going to load a lot of those calibers, look at the Dillon Square Deal.
http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25237/catid/1/Dillon_Square_Deal___039_B__039_
If not, any single-stage used press will do that doesn't use pot metal and isn't red and silver.
dickttx
Member
As several have stated, there is nothing wrong with used. However, if you don't find it local the shipping can negate any savings. And if it is missing an item or two that can be an additional cost. I got back in about three years ago. A nice guy in Dallas sold me a new Dillon balance scale at his price of $35. It took a trip to the PO and $17 postage for him to mail it to me, 75 miles away.
I still had nearly all the equipment and supplies I had put away about 40 years earlier. All of the equipment was very good (C-H CHampion press, Ohaus Duo-measure, RCBS 5-10 scales, RCBS, Lyman dies). I soon found that I wanted to concentrate on handguns and my equipment was not optimal for that.
After considerable research I bought the Lee Classic Turret, the Pro Auto Disk and Safety Prime and Lee 4-die sets for my handgun calibers. I was amazed at how well that system worked. I started out using it in single stage mode until I figured out how it worked, then inserted the auto-advance rod and went to town.
After a couple of years I started looking at progressives, not for speed or more output, but because my 75 year old shoulder really started noticing the 400 lever pulls it took to load 100 rounds. After more research I purchased the Hornady LnL AP. It takes 104 lever pulls for 100 rounds on it. Very nice press. And, I just transferred my Lee 4-die sets and Pro Auto Disk to the LnL and added an RCBS Lock-out die. The Lee dies and powder measure work as well on the LnL as they did on the LCT.
I have the LnL setups for 9mm, 38 Super and 45 ACP. I still use the LCT for 38/357, 41 Mag, and 45 Colt, as the volume on the revolver rounds is significantly less.
Lots of good equipment out there. Since the late 60's when I started reloading I can honestly say that I have never had a piece of equipment that didn't do the job it was intended for, if I spent the time to learn how to use it. I might add that I am pretty much a mechanical midget, but I am pretty persistent.
I still had nearly all the equipment and supplies I had put away about 40 years earlier. All of the equipment was very good (C-H CHampion press, Ohaus Duo-measure, RCBS 5-10 scales, RCBS, Lyman dies). I soon found that I wanted to concentrate on handguns and my equipment was not optimal for that.
After considerable research I bought the Lee Classic Turret, the Pro Auto Disk and Safety Prime and Lee 4-die sets for my handgun calibers. I was amazed at how well that system worked. I started out using it in single stage mode until I figured out how it worked, then inserted the auto-advance rod and went to town.
After a couple of years I started looking at progressives, not for speed or more output, but because my 75 year old shoulder really started noticing the 400 lever pulls it took to load 100 rounds. After more research I purchased the Hornady LnL AP. It takes 104 lever pulls for 100 rounds on it. Very nice press. And, I just transferred my Lee 4-die sets and Pro Auto Disk to the LnL and added an RCBS Lock-out die. The Lee dies and powder measure work as well on the LnL as they did on the LCT.
I have the LnL setups for 9mm, 38 Super and 45 ACP. I still use the LCT for 38/357, 41 Mag, and 45 Colt, as the volume on the revolver rounds is significantly less.
Lots of good equipment out there. Since the late 60's when I started reloading I can honestly say that I have never had a piece of equipment that didn't do the job it was intended for, if I spent the time to learn how to use it. I might add that I am pretty much a mechanical midget, but I am pretty persistent.
Maddawg2020
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2011
- Messages
- 18
used single stage
Recommend the used single stage for now
Recommend the used single stage for now
Lost Sheep
Member
If buying used, and you can wait, there may be a lot of used equipment on the market from owners who thought reloading was for them, but found out different. Might take a year, though.
If buying new, Lee Classic Turret from Kempf's Gun Shop (they include the dies, but no scale or manual).
The Lee Classic Turret is the best auto-indexing 4-station turret press in current production, bar none. (Of course, there are only two and the Lee Classic Turret is superior to the Lee Deluxe Turret.)
Lost Sheep
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