New to reloading

[Culvercreek hunt club]

1 hour ago, grampy said:

You are welcome to stop by anytime. But it will be awhile before I start putting any rounds out. Bob is one of the guy's I'm looking forward to helping me get started. So no doubt, he will have you covered with the 458's. 

 

I am pretty new at this myself Grampy. There are quite a few guys on here that have WAY more experience and really helped me. Best advice I can give is dive into the reloading manual.  I only have three of them and my equipment is the Lee. I really liked the Lee manual best for the way it really was detailed and brought it down to the level of someone that knows about nothing....because I didn't..lol. 

Get yourself a 3 ring binder and I have a tab for each caliber and note sheets with my load work ups and folded up targets that show the results of each load. 

A couple things the guys on here had mentioned to me that really sunk in and I still hold.

1.Never get into a reloading session with distractions or being rushed for time.

2. If you have a doubt in your head about something you did, re-read, ask  or take it apart and redo it. 

3. Only change one variable at a time when workign up a load. 

4. The most accurate load is seldom the fastest load

4. and the most important one. Have fun and don't drive yourself too nuts. It does get crazy for anybody that is a tinkerer. 

[philoshop]

All good points Culvercreek.  I would add one more, and I believe I already mentioned it somewhere on this thread. My mentor from 40 years ago said one thing to me several times until it stuck, "Go BUY the book, and then go by the book."  The accumulated knowledge in the manuals is absolutely your best resource.

Edit: I guess you kind of said that in your post. I just like that saying from my mentor.

Edited April 2, 2018 by philoshop

[Dinsdale]

2 hours ago, grampy said:

That is exactly what I'm thinking. Right now, until I pick up the kit from Billdogg, this week, I don't even know what I have? Or what I need. I am a complete newby to doing this, and know absolutely nothing. I will be searching here and everywhere, along with reading all I can get my hands on for info. I'm REALLY looking forward to listening to some of the guy's here, that have it all figured out, and have refined all the little things. That may shorten the learning curve for me a bit.

Not sure where I am getting the time for a new hobby. But I am anxious to get started! First thing will be to make a bench, just for reloading, down in the basement. I'm pretty excited! My wife just looks at me and rolls her eyes when I start telling her of my plans.......lol

  

I have some old style Winchester Silvertips you can have for the 270win if you want them. If nothing else you can load a few rounds and have them go bang without using what you decide on for hunting and get your feet wet.....although these are OK on deer, about the same as corelocs.

[grampy]

14 minutes ago, Dinsdale said:

I have some old style Winchester Silvertips you can have for the 270win if you want them. If nothing else you can load a few rounds and have them go bang without using what you decide on for hunting and get your feet wet.....although these are OK on deer, about the same as corelocs.

Yes absolutely! Thanks Dan! Would also like to have you on the will call list, when something stumps me. And no doubt I will get stumped. Couple others on here have offered help as well. I thank you all! Very much appreciated!! Some great advice right here on this thread!

[philoshop]

One more thing, grampy, on the basics. A sturdy bench will make your life easier. There's nothing as frustrating as having to use one hand to keep the bench upright. The .270 is not a 'large' round, per se, but the reforming process will go smoother if the bench isn't moving around. At the very least add some sandbag weights to  legs of a light bench if you go that route.

[LET EM GROW]

Is this Lee Turret style loader still a good setup these days? Looking to get into reloading as well this winter. Going to try and stock up on everything before then.. Loading for quite a few rifle calibers .223, 22.250, 243, 270, 6.5cm and more down the road.. but the smaller calibers first..

Maybe pistol is well.. My GIL said he has a single stage press with extras and such he will give me.. but id imagine its old, and not in the best shape.

[rob-c]

53 minutes ago, LET EM GROW said:

Is this Lee Turret style loader still a good setup these days? Looking to get into reloading as well this winter. Going to try and stock up on everything before then.. Loading for quite a few rifle calibers .223, 22.250, 243, 270, 6.5cm and more down the road.. but the smaller calibers first..

Maybe pistol is well.. My GIL said he has a single stage press with extras and such he will give me.. but id imagine its old, and not in the best shape.

Yep sure is, I load my pistol calibers 380’s, 38’s,357’s and 44’s on my lee turret . On my single stage lee I do my rifle calibers 300 savage , 30-30 and 7mm-08. I have turret plates for each caliber all set up and ready to go so all I do is swap out plates. If I were you I would take the free single stage one really can’t wear them out even a cheap lee one is over built. 

Edited October 8, 2018 by rob-c

[philoshop]

I've been reloading for over 4 decades and have never seen a worn out single stage press. Even the 80+ year old one I learned on 40+ years ago is still as solid today as it was the day it was built. It's pushing close to it's 100th birthday!!! Might have to throw a small party for the old gal. Thanks for all the ammo baby.

I can't speak to the multi-stage setups because I've never owned one. From what I understand though it's very much a case of buy once, cry once. You get what you pay for.

I've always looked at reloading as being kinda similar to having sex. If your main focus is just getting it over and done with,  you're probably not doing it right.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Love my Lee turret. I do the pistol rounds in it and then remove the indexing rod and basically use it as a single stage press for the rifle rounds. I like having all the dies set on the disc for the rifle rounds. It makes the set up and switching time less in my book.  A single stage would be handy so I'd take it anyways. Using it for things like a resizing die if any of your calibers you will be reforming brass. 

[philoshop]

Everyone today seems to want what they want immediately. There is no difference between a burger and fries at some drive-thru window and a box of ammo. What the heck ever happened to "patience is a virtue"?

Sure, I'm impressed that you cranked out 10,000 rounds of ammo for your pistol yesterday. Now hit that target with your first shot because it's the only shot you're going to get before the target shoots back. Hmmmm. We seem to have a problem.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Just now, philoshop said:

Everyone today seems to want what they want immediately. There is no difference between a burger and fries at some drive-thru window and a box of ammo. What the heck ever happened to "patience is a virtue"?

Sure, I'm impressed that you cranked out 10,000 rounds of ammo for your pistol yesterday. Now hit that target with your first shot because it's the only shot you're going to get before the target shoots back. Hmmmm. We seem to have a problem.

I don't get your reference? Are you saying the Turret won't turn out accurate ammo?

[philoshop]

17 minutes ago, Culvercreek hunt club said:

I don't get your reference? Are you saying the Turret won't turn out accurate ammo?

Not saying that at all. Multi-stage presses are very capable machines when properly set up.

My point was more about people not willing to work at being proficient with their firearms, and then trying to substitute quantity of ammo for marksmanship. I see it a lot.  My apologies if that point didn't come across.

[LET EM GROW]

I will most definitely take his single stage press. and his reloading books. No doubt about that. But i still have to pick up everything else to go with it. At that point I think im still better off purchasing a kit from somewheres. Nothing super expensive but a good starter setup. Doesnt need to be super cheap, but cant pay an arm and leg for one..  

[Culvercreek hunt club]

10 minutes ago, LET EM GROW said:

I will most definitely take his single stage press. and his reloading books. No doubt about that. But i still have to pick up everything else to go with it. At that point I think im still better off purchasing a kit from somewheres. Nothing super expensive but a good starter setup. Doesnt need to be super cheap, but cant pay an arm and leg for one..  

take a look back through the pages of this post. There is lots of good info on here. This is a post that I made way back. not sure if the links still work or not. Shop around and a lot if it depends on how muc volume you are planning on doing. 

Posted November 28, 2012 

http://www.midwayusa...gton?cm_vc=OBv1 Press Kit NEED

http://www.midwayusa...teel?cm_vc=OBv1 Caliper NEED

http://www.midwayusa...ler?cm_vc=sugv1 Bullet puller NEED

http://www.midwayusa...lue?cm_vc=sugv1 Reloading Tray NICE

http://www.midwayusa...iber?cm_vc=OBv1 Powder Funnel NEED

http://www.midwayusa...stud?cm_vc=OBv1 case trimmer lock stud to attach a drill NICE

http://www.midwayusa...rip?cm_vc=sugv1 case trimmer ball grip to do a few by hand NEED

http://www.midwayusa...-grain-capacity (Digital scale...very nice but not required)

http://www.midwayusa...umbler-110-volt case tumbler (not NEEDED but they sure look nice...lol) Nice

http://www.midwayusa...powder-trickler Powder trickler...again not NEEDED but makes it easier to hit exact powder amounts. NEED I think

http://www.midwayusa...gton?cm_vc=OBv1 I like these dies for a rifle becasue is give you full length sizing and neck sizing. ...for each caliber

http://www.midwayusa...ton?cm_vc=sugv1 I factory crimp everything I use. I shortens case life but increases accuracy and gives a positive bullet seat. IMO....for each rifle caliber

http://www.midwayusa...ret?cm_vc=sugv1 Turret Plate for each caliber you want to reload

http://www.midwayusa...ster?cm_vc=OBv1 Trim Guage for each caliber

Off the top of my head I can't think of anything else I got to start....of course that list always grows. I am sure I forgot something but maybe the other guys can add to the list. I tried to show what was needed and what is nice to have.

Oh forgot...brass, bullets, primers and powder....step one is read...read...then read some more before you start. It isn't hard to do it is just detailed and you shouldn't be distracted when doing it.

[Marion]

But you won't need a trim gauge for pistol. By and large they tend to shrink not grow with each shot

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[LET EM GROW]

Thanks Bob! I will go through it all.. By looking at a few of these.. I wish i had dimensions for them all. I could easily make most of these at work. Maybe I will after i pick everything up. Design and draw up some prints for each. 

I dont do a ton of shooting, i would like to someday when the kids get a little bigger. but for now its mainly sight in and hunt. I will probably load the most for 6.5cm, and 22.250, 223 

Edited October 9, 2018 by LET EM GROW

[Culvercreek hunt club]

3 minutes ago, The Jerkman said:

But you won't need a trim gauge for pistol. By and large they tend to shrink not grow with each shot

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I've never seen that with the 38 and 357 I load. I've had to trim

[Marion]

I've never seen that with the 38 and 357 I load. I've had to trim

Maybe revolver rounds are different? Idk I only reload 9mm 45acp and 40s&w in pistol. Have yet to see a single one grow.

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