reloading .45 acp

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kellyj00

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I've done lots of research on reloading, including reading the abc's of reloading cover to cover, reading the stickies on this forum many times and looking over posts here.

I'm about to click "place my order" on the midwayusa.com website. This is what my 'shopping cart' looks like right now...

$70 #149097 Lee Anniversary Kit. comes with powder measure, shellholders, scale, chamfer tool, even some lube.
$13 #484416 Lee reloading manual. It's cheaper to buy it seperate of the kit by about 7 bucks, so I'm doing it this way.
$29 #242098 45 ACP Dies. This comes with a set of FOUR!

question 1) What am I missing? Something just seems to be missing to me.

Here's another few questions that came up...

question 2)there's something called a LEE FACTORY CRIMP DIE that I'm not entirely sure is necessary that comes in that die set. Any advice on whether I can get the three die version and save the $10?

question 3)do I need a caliper? I'm just trying to build simple plinking ammo for cheaper than WWB at walmart.
question 4) the sticky on this forum says a "cartridge gauge" is important for pistol rounds. Again, I've got more time than money and I'm doing this as cheap as possible. Do I need to get one of these too?

and the biggest question... 5) Does anyone know where i can find the cheapest possible .452, round nose, weight doesn't matter... cast lead bullets for my .45 acp rounds? I'm just plinking.... again as cheaply as possible.

Thanks again for all your help. THR is my #1 source for information nowadays.
 
I would reccomend the following things:

1) Brass tumbler
2) Do not get a single stage, get the Lee turret, or Classic Turett press
3) Yes get the FCD with the 4 die set.
4) get a digital caliper
5) use ranier 230 gr RN bullets, they are cheap and very accurate, roughly 40$ for 500

I HIGHLY reccomed a turret press, it is much more efficient, and you do not have to reset the dies after each chage because they stay in the turret! it is great!:)
 
I tell everyone new to reloading, to buy a single stage press for the first one. My Rockchucker sits right next to my Dillon. And I still use it. I suppose a good turret press isn't totally out of the question.

Yes, lead SWC or RN can be had much cheaper than at Midway.

The ONLY crimp for 45acp is to TAPER crimp. Read the headspace threads in this reloading section.

Grab a brass tumbler from Evilbay or Craigslist or... one of the gun forums. Be patient in your search. You don't need one right away.

You will not need a dial caliper or cartridge guage for 45acp. Case stretch is Minimal if existent at all. I've got 45acp brass that I've had for years with several reloads, that have never been measured. Down the road, for other calibers, you may/will want these tools.

Eventually you'll want more than one reloading manual. For lead, 45acp, I highly suggest the Lyman reloading manual. A good many molds are based off of Hensley and Gibbs, and Lyman designs.

-Steve
 
kellyj00: I don't see a seperate priming tool on your list. You can prime on the press, but you'll find it quicker with the LEE Autoprime and shellholder. A lot of people have the LEE load manual, but I'm not one of them. I started with LEE products many years ago, but passed on the LEE manual. Maybe it's logical to use with the LEE powder measure, but there are definitely better manuals with more accurate load data. Lyman's Pistol & Revolver III would cost you a few more dollars, but you'll find a lot more data in it and a lot of cast lead bullets you'll buy will be more similar in style to Lyman and SAECO (REDDING) and RCBS than they will be to LEE.;)
 
Ah yes!!! Lee AUTOPRIME.

I have a Dillon press that does a pretty good job of priming in the progressive sense.. Still, I prefer to batch prime with hand primer.

LEE AutoPrime has been my choice for 20+ years.

-Steve
 
The 4 die set from Lee comes with a Factory crimp die along with the 3 standard dies. You have everything you need except a loading block to hold your rounds for inspection after charging them. They're relatively cheap. I've used the universal one for the last 30 years.
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I have a single stage as well as a progressive Lee press. The single stage is used for precision pistol/rifle loads and the progressive is for range ammo. Both are Lee. The progressive is the 4 hole press.

ONe other suggestion, a good reloading manual. Maybe even 2.
 
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