" trashman4515
new to reloading
as well as new to the site. looking for some advice, im thinking about getting into reloading, and was wondering what the must have items would be. i know the press and dies...but what press would you guys with more experiance reccomend? i was thinking of a progressive press. i would be reloading 45acp, 40 s&w, 9mm, and 5.56/.223, maybe eventually .380. was looking at a lee progressive press, looks like a good deal, but i have heard bad things about them...thoughts?
which brings up another question. when reloading 5.56/.223...i started saving some of my 5.56 brass...how does that work? i know their virtually the same dimensions but different pressures....so is it you could load a 5.56 case to 5.56 or .223, and just .223 cartridges to .223? would the dies for 5.56 be the same as the dies for .223?"
As you can quickly see everyone has their favored equipment. I can't argue with them, I do to.
But to your questions:
"the must have items". That is a tall order. You list 3 pistol rounds and a rifle. In most ways these are handled the same but... straight walled cases (tapered) grow so little that constant checking and trimming is not needed. A bottle neck case grows in length with every firing and/or sizing operation. They get longer and longer, some times to the point that the bullet becomes pinched in when the round is chambered. This is NOT good! So, what a .45 needs is a little different from what a .223 needs. Referring to what others have stated, read the stickies. And get a 'reloading book' and read that too.
"thinking of a progressive press". I've got one of those, it's great.... As you are just learning, a progressive press is doing lots of things all at the same time. At any one time each stage could be producing dangerous loads. Learn to crawl before you walk and walk before you run. The Lee Classic Turret, listed above looks good to me.
Lee progressives. I have a Pro 1000 and it does what I want. It does require constant observation (something all should have) and minor adjustments from time to time. I didn't get mine until I had been reloading for over 45 years.
"reloading 5.56/.223". In all practice, these are the same. Same DIEs, same powder, same primers, same bullets, same.... Factory loads are loaded to different specifications. It is not the round, it is the chamber configuration the round is fired in. And yes, they are loaded to different pressure levels and in a pinch the 5.56 could be fired in a .223 chambering but it may not be a wise thing to do. Load for the weapon, not the head stamp of the brass.
I know of no competition to 'get loading' quicker, so take your time and do it right the first time. Less waste and unneeded or wanted tools. Enjoy yourself and be safe.