Reloading...

[Mongo]

Greetin's all,
I'd like to get into reloading. I have a pile of .45acp brass that I'd like to reload. What do I need? What, as in: preferred brand, what brand powder and primer, bullets, other stuff such as scales etc. How much room do I need for all this stuff?

The vast majority of shooting will be target, so hardball is perfectly fine. I've heard that SWC's sometimes have trouble feeding in certain guns. I will be using either Colt 1911's or my shiny new XD45. I will be doing a small amount of reloading and shooting with a .38spec revolver.

 

[Powhs]

I like RCBS equipment. They stand behind there stuff. Use standard primers if you can. They are a little softer and you don't have to worry about lite hammer strikes.
Go check out reloading sights like on greybeard.com and handloads.com

 

[Mike L.]

Dillon Square Deal B.


--Mike L.

 

[Absintheur]

I agree with Mike L., hard to beat the Dillon. Yes it is more expensive initially than a single stage press but starting with a better press will let you shoot more with less time spent at the reloading bench. Buy the SDB caliber conversion kit for the second caliber and you will be ready to go.

As you can see I do like the Dillon products but out of sight is a Lee Turret and you can see an old Hollywood on the small table used for sizing rifle brass.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

If you are on a budget, get a Lee press.
I have one of these:

they work just fine.
If money is no object, just buy a bunch of factory ammo and send me all your brass.

I also got an RCBS universal hand priming tool, which works great.

I just ordered a keg of accurate no 5 and some remington large pistol primers. I can't buy powder or primers anywhere around here, so I had to order online. Midsouth lets you mix and match powder and primers with only one hazmat fee, so they got my business. With the recent Obama-steria, everything is selling out, and my primers are back ordered.

 

[Rat Finkenstein]

oh yeah, you need a scale- I have a cheapo Lee balance-beam type that works great. Also, I have a Cheapo lee powder drop- also works just fine, just weigh your loads once in a while for consistency.

as to how much space is needed, not too much. I have a powder drop, Rock chucker, & Lee turret on a small table next to my computer desk. it is actually smaller than the computer desk. You also could mount the press on a 2x6 or something, clamp it to a table when using it, then put it away if you need the space when not in use.

 

[zombieHD55]

I haven't gotten into reloading, but my father has had a RCBS single stage press for over twenty years. I don't know if they make'em like they used to but if I take up reloading thats what I am getting.

Dillon Precision makes a quality product as well. I like their calendars too.

 

[Tim-Gabz]

I used to use a Dillon multi-stage. Used to whack out plenty of good rounds. The slow part was casting my own heads. Not as accurate as the RCBS but you need a bench rest and a scope to tell. You had to get the rythm and return pressure right to firmly seat the primers.

RCBS used to get us very accurate rounds. That was slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

 

[Guyon]

Midway has the RCBS kit on sale. I've been eyeing it the past few days.

 

[omaha-beenglockin]

Most of my stuff is RCBS---do have a little Dillon scale that works well.

 

[fastlt1nos]

I second the Lee turret, it is hard to beat on a budget and will load pistol and rifle calibers with just die changes. Pick up the powder drop to it will save you loads of time.

 

[Old CW4]

I've reloaded for 60 plus years and continue to reload thousands of rounds of multiple calibers every month. One critical observation---do your resizing and priming on a separate single stage press! Then go to a progressive for the remaining steps! I've tried and/or used just about every progressive press on the market and ALL, without exception, screw up when you get a grain or two of powder into the works and the primer feed mechanisms. I don't care how careful you are, this happens. When it does, you shut down, dismantle the damned thing, clean out the gunk, and start over. Avoid the hassle and do your resizing and priming outboard on a separate simple, one stage press, then go like hell with your progressive. You'll cut your frustration factor down to near zero. Take this from an 'old pro.' Been there, done that---for a long time.