Help on getting started on reloading

[Newhunter1]

Yes. it is. Honestly your best bet is probably to get a beginner kit and dies for one caliber and see if you even like it. It can be a tedious process, especially using a single stage press. Some people enjoy the monotony of it and some hate it.

I have a hand held press that I use for reloading my .25 cal and small pistol primers that i use for MZL shooting...I actually like doing the monotony of set, prime, rinse and repeat.

 

[bj139]

.308 WIN Commercial Brass | 200 Ct. | Diamond K Brass

Order 200 count .308 WIN Commercial Once Fired Brass from Diamond K Brass today! Casings are cleaned of range debris and typically arrive in 2-3 business days.

www.diamondkbrass.com

There is a hazardous shipping charge on primers and powder so it is best to buy those at your local gun store.
Sometimes you can go to a range and pick up 308 and 5,56 brass. I always look in the trash can.
Edit: I didn't notice the once fired were out of stock. It seems hard to find now. Here is new brass.

.308 WIN BRASS | DIAMOND K BRASS

.308 NOSLER PRIMED BRASS FROM DIAMIND K BRASS IS IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP TO YOU.

www.diamondkbrass.com

 

[bowhuntr09]

I go through a lot of 12/20 guage as me and my two sons are in trap shooting. So that will be the next purchase.

As far as getting started...this is what I have in my midway cart.

1. Lee Breech Lock Press Ram Prime Priming Unit
2. Lee Breech Lock Reloader Single Stage Press
3. Lee Pacesetter 3-Die Set 308 Winchester
4. Lee Modern Reloading 2nd Edition, Revised Reloading Manual
5. National Metallic Digital Powder Scale 1600 Grain Capacity
6. Hornady InterLock Bullets 30 Caliber (308 Diameter) 150 Grain Spire Point with Cannelure Box of 100

What powder should I use for rifle and pistol? Can you use the same powder for the handgun/rifle? What else am I missing? So far, if I make this purchase then that is 167.94 which to me isn't bad at all. Just need shells and primers (which ones should I look at for .308?

Powders are NOT interchangeable. I would review the reloading manual and choose a powder from there.

 

[Topdog]

I have 2 wildcats I have to fireform brass for you wana talk about a deep rabbit hole.

 

[mtsrunner]

I have 2 wildcats I have to fireform brass for you wana talk about a deep rabbit hole.

Yep. I have two 17 Ackley Bee barrels, one for. Contender and one for an Encore. My FIL adopted the Contender and just absolutely wears out the varmints on his farm. I have to load about 80 rounds for him a couple of times/year. He asks me all the time if I’m sure that he can’t just walk in Bass Pro and find some loaded already...
Yes, Jack. I’m very, very sure. That’s also why you are hitting groundhogs between the eyes at 150 yards with a 5 pound rifle.

 

[Nadennis]

Think about why you want to reload. The answer shouldn’t be “To save money” because it doesn’t in most cases. Only if you are shooting and reloading really high volumes of rounds or really expensive odd calibers will you ever pay off the expenses of the equipment especially if you are getting set up to load many different calibers.

There are lots of good reasons to reload, but saving money isn’t one of them.

 

[Perrytrails]

Go buy a couple books.
Rcbs, Lee, Sierra, Hornady, don’t matter pick 2. You will use them both later on.

While your waiting read them. Watch videos on YouTube on the specific presses your interested in. Take notes and go from there.

Hard to beat a Lee Classic torrent press for handgun ammo unless you have the coin for a Dillon. Then go Dillon and don’t look back.

I like single stage for rifle ammo. But the Dillon will load them too.

For shotgun Mec. But as some have stated shotgun shells are cheap right now, who knows in time what the cost will be.

It’s a great hobby, I recommend it

 

[Newhunter1]

Think about why you want to reload. The answer shouldn’t be “To save money” because it doesn’t in most cases. Only if you are shooting and reloading really high volumes of rounds or really expensive odd calibers will you ever pay off the expenses of the equipment especially if you are getting set up to load many different calibers.

There are lots of good reasons to reload, but saving money isn’t one of them.

The number one reason for wanting to start reloading is to work up a load that is sweet with all my rifles and to make sure I have ammo on hand and not have to be as dependent I am for the environment.

 

[brydan]

I have 2 wildcats I have to fireform brass for you wana talk about a deep rabbit hole.

Definitely can be a deep hole! Which ones are you loading for?

 

[TooBigToFit]

Now...I guess the dies takes out the old primer and resets the new one? Correct?

The first die you'll run your brass through usually deprimes the case, and resizes it as well.

For priming, it depends on what kind of press you have. Single stage presses may have a manual priming station, where you put a single primer by hand. Quite honestly, it sounds awful. Regardless of whether your single stage press is equipped with it or not, I would pick up a hand priming tool. It'll be much more pleasant to use.

Progressive presses usually have their own primer feed system, and a station for priming the brass. You'll usually need to use a primer flip tray to get them in the same orientation.

I tried for the past half hour to try and make a list of everything you might need, realized that I would probably forget stuff on the list, and so deleted all of that work. I think your best bet is to start with your reloading manual, reading it, then making a shopping list (or proposing a shopping list to us) thereafter...

I would also recommend starting with doing a pistol caliber first.

 

[brydan]

Priming, it depends on what kind of press you have. Single stage presses may have a manual priming station, where you put a single primer by hand. Quite honestly, it sounds awful. Regardless of whether your single stage press is equipped with it or not, I would pick up a hand priming tool. It'll be much more pleasant to use

I tried for the past half hour to try and make a list of everything you might need, realized that I would probably forget stuff on the list, and so deleted all of that work. I think your best bet is to start with your reloading manual, reading it, then making a shopping list (or proposing a shopping list to us) thereafter

I primed on a Rockchucker for years...it's awful It works in a pinch and seems like it shouldn't be that bad, but for some reason it is. Much prefer the hand primer.

Equipment lists are hard to make. We all settle into ways of doing things, one guys favorite tool ia anothers dust collector

 

[bowhuntr09]

I tried for the past half hour to try and make a list of everything you might need, realized that I would probably forget stuff on the list, and so deleted all of that work.

If you actually came up with an accurate list, he would probably abandon this idea immediately!

 

[bj139]

Think about why you want to reload. The answer shouldn’t be “To save money” because it doesn’t in most cases. Only if you are shooting and reloading really high volumes of rounds or really expensive odd calibers will you ever pay off the expenses of the equipment especially if you are getting set up to load many different calibers.

There are lots of good reasons to reload, but saving money isn’t one of them.

I reload to shoot more while spending the same amount of money. The more you shoot, the more cost effective it becomes. Also, I can load reduced loads that are much more pleasant to shoot, so I shoot more.

 

[TooBigToFit]

If you actually came up with an accurate list, he would probably abandon this idea immediately!

I think it's just like any hobby. You kinda start off doing it, and if you like it, you end up finding excuses to spend money.

You start off with a basic press. Then you buy tools to save you time. Then you buy tools to make things more accurate. Then you run out of calibers to reload, so you decide to look into reloading another caliber even if you don't shoot it that much.

Except for 5.7. I looked into what it took to reload that, and I said screw that.

 

[Fireguy4]

I'll second the RCBS Rockchucker. Have had one for years and my grandkids will prolly be using it. I bet I read no less than 4 manufacturers manuals cover to cover before I ever resized a piece of brass. Hand primer is a must for me

 

[Newhunter1]

I'll second the RCBS Rockchucker. Have had one for years and my grandkids will prolly be using it. I bet I read no less than 4 manufacturers manuals cover to cover before I ever resized a piece of brass. Hand primer is a must for me

I already have a hand primer that I use for my vari-flame .25 acp shells for my muzzleloader...so that is taken care of...

 

[Newhunter1]

I gotta say...this is becoming more and more in-depth and intimidating.

 

[brydan]

I gotta say...this is becoming more and more in-depth and intimidating.

It can be as simple or as involved as you want it to be. A lot of us have gone off the deep end but I know people that only load a couple handgun rounds with a Lee loader. Very simple and inexpensive.

Personally I started loading from my dad at around 13 but he wasn't super into it. I went bonkers for a long time but trimmed everything largely back down to the basics again and enjoy the simplicity of it now

 

[mspaci]

I go through a lot of 12/20 guage as me and my two sons are in trap shooting. So that will be the next purchase.

As far as getting started...this is what I have in my midway cart.

1. Lee Breech Lock Press Ram Prime Priming Unit
2. Lee Breech Lock Reloader Single Stage Press
3. Lee Pacesetter 3-Die Set 308 Winchester
4. Lee Modern Reloading 2nd Edition, Revised Reloading Manual
5. National Metallic Digital Powder Scale 1600 Grain Capacity
6. Hornady InterLock Bullets 30 Caliber (308 Diameter) 150 Grain Spire Point with Cannelure Box of 100

What powder should I use for rifle and pistol? Can you use the same powder for the handgun/rifle? What else am I missing? So far, if I make this purchase then that is 167.94 which to me isn't bad at all. Just need shells and primers (which ones should I look at for .308?

Id get the book & read it several times, lots of other stuff needed, trickler, primer pocket tool, champfer for resized necks, measuring tools for case & overall length, primers, case trimmers, etc. The book will answer your powder question as well. Mike

 

[FishBlood&RiverMud]

I suggest getting a reloading handbook and reading the first section regarding safety.
Almost all questions will be answered with that quick read.
I got the Lee book, read the first 150 pages. Had enough knowledge to know what i'm getting into and how to get into it.
Been reloading a few months now with great success. Have 5,600 bullets arriving today. Watch your wallet - costs creep up fast!