Reloading

[phatkaw]

If you look closely there's four 366s...

 

[Bowtie747]

If you look closely there's four 366s...

So you’re saying I shouldn’t shell mine and just keep it for when I need it down the road? Hahaha 4?! Different gauges?

 

[phatkaw]

All 4 are 12ga.
I have a 28ga Mec Grabber and 2 P/W 375s that I can swap tool heads to load 12, 20, 28ga and .410.

Don't sell it!

 

[Bowtie747]

All 4 are 12ga.
I have a 28ga Mec Grabber and 2 P/W 375s that I can swap tool heads to load 12, 20, 28ga and .410.

Don't sell it!

You sir are my hero! Those bad boys arnt cheap. Mine was gifted to me in good shape and I about crapped when I looked up what they sell for

 

[philsanchez76]

I didn't see this mentioned and apologize If I just missed it within a post, but something I didn't realize was important for reloading was getting a chronograph or at least having access to one. If you're just doing bulk handgun rounds, not necessary. But it you are doing rifle rounds and starting to safely work up to higher end loads, the Chronograph is very important because it lets you know exactly how fast your loads are and thus gives you the ability to work up the appropriate tables for windage and drop over distance. It will also let you know your ES (extreme spread) or speed deviation between your loads. This will help you know that certain powder combinations just may not be as reliable for you in your particular hunting situations (extreme cold weather for ex). I found a cheap used "Chrony" brand for $30 and it does the trick as my max shooting ranges are 300 or under. If you were a bench rest 1000 yard shooter, you'd get a megneto or Labradar or something better.

 

[Iron_llama]

I reload for pretty much everything I shoot... .45, .44Mag, .44SPL, .357, .223, 7mmx57, .243, 8mmx57, 7.7 Arisaka, 7.62x54R, 7.62x39, .30-30, .30-06, .308, 7mm-08, 7.5x55, .444 Marlin, 12ga, 7mm Rem Mag, .357 Moleman, 300BLK, 6x45, probably a few others that don't come to mind right away.

You won't go wrong learning on a single stage. I've got - and use, and like - LEE, but it's tough to beat an RCBS single-stage. Get the Rockchucker kit, some LEE dies, and a few extra reloading manuals. Speer, LEE, Hornady will cover you to start. What I like about the LEE manual is that it doesn't try to sell you Alliant powders or Hornady projectiles, etc., it's just a good all-around reference. But it's important to have and refer to multiple manuals when developing a load.

Once you have your technique down on a single-stage you can start messing with progressives. The Dillon owners love them but I don't do enough volume to justify the expense and setup time.

As you can probably guess from my list, my main interest in reloading is to feed antiques and milsurps, and oddball wildcats with no factory ammo available.

If you want to make the plinking and practice ammo for cheaper than you can buy it, you absolutely can. That's one direction to go. The other direction is accuracy, or velocity. On rare occasion you'll be able to make a highly-accurate load that's cheaper than factory but generally the continuum is: "cheap ammo - factory ammo - accurate ammo". My focus is generally on mild-recoiling plinking ammo and reliable hunting ammo; I generally don't take the time to chase the last few .01" of accuracy but have mad respect for those that do. Once you start down this path you'll sort out your own priorities and motivations and load accordingly.

 

[Bowtie747]

Well I went with a Dillon Rl 550c. I figure for most of my pistol, smallish rifle stuff it will do. Then down the road I’ll get a single stage to reload the rest of my rifle stuff.
The startup cost hurts but I’m hoping it’s another hobby I’ll love and enjoy. Anything I can do to extend my hunting and gun related hobbies I’m all about. I like that in a way it extends my hunting passion because I’ll reload hunting types of ammo as well. Hopefully no one who commented is thinking I’m an idiot for going Dillion. The lifetime warranty is pretty hard to look over

I’ll wet tumble my brass, I think from what I’ve seen that’s what I think will work the best for me

 

[98XJRC]

You made a solid choice, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the 550. It's the press I started on and still use to this day. Only wish I could go a little faster when loading pistol rounds.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

That's a solid choice. Now, like someone previously suggested, buy components like crazy when the high prices and insanity dies down. Congratulations.

 

[Bowtie747]

Thanks guys! I like the environment on this website so much! Normally I’d hate to tell someone I bought something in order to not saying like I’m “bragging” or something dumb like that. I just like that people are actually happy for u when u buy something. Much respect! Thanks again for all the comments guys

 

[Torrent]

You're money and time ahead to just go on our to wherever you get your ammo and see if they've got any lol.

Reloading is costly, in both time and money. But is very rewarding and a good way to spend time when the wife gets mad at you for throwing away all the worn out plastic containers that nobody ever used and were always in the way. And then always fell out in the floor and made a mess when you're trying to get something else. I asked her to get rid of those a bunch of times and she wouldn't do it so I waited until she left one day and I threw them all in the trash. She came back and got mad about it but the trash was already outside and I told her to go get them and she wouldn't do it. So I think it's on her that she didn't get her plastic stuff back.

But yeah, start reloading. I like Lee presses and dies. RCBS also makes good presses and dies. Carbide is the way to go if you don't like using lube on everything.

Best of luck!



Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[Icedog]

Great choice Bowtie Enjoy your new hobby. I built a homemade wet tumbler and use stainless steel pins some dawn dish soap and just a bit of Lemi Shine powder. Makes the brass look new and purdy. Too much Lemi Shine turns brass pink but the wife liked it on her 9mm rounds.

 

[Topdog]

Great choice Bowtie Enjoy your new hobby. I built a homemade wet tumbler and use stainless steel pins some dawn dish soap and just a bit of Lemi Shine powder. Makes the brass look new and purdy. Too much Lemi Shine turns brass pink but the wife liked it on her 9mm rounds.

Same here except I bought a cheap rock tumbler from Harbor Freight, works great!

 

[bigmike23]

I also wet tumble but no matter what amount or combo of lemishine and dawn I used I couldn't get the color like I wanted. It's purely an aesthetic thing but after I wet tumble and dry them I throw them in the media tumbler with the jewelers rouge.

 

[7mmremmag]

I didn't see this mentioned and apologize If I just missed it within a post, but something I didn't realize was important for reloading was getting a chronograph or at least having access to one. If you're just doing bulk handgun rounds, not necessary. But it you are doing rifle rounds and starting to safely work up to higher end loads, the Chronograph is very important because it lets you know exactly how fast your loads are and thus gives you the ability to work up the appropriate tables for windage and drop over distance. It will also let you know your ES (extreme spread) or speed deviation between your loads. This will help you know that certain powder combinations just may not be as reliable for you in your particular hunting situations (extreme cold weather for ex). I found a cheap used "Chrony" brand for $30 and it does the trick as my max shooting ranges are 300 or under. If you were a bench rest 1000 yard shooter, you'd get a megneto or Labradar or something better.

Agree, chrono is a must for good rifle loads. I do statistics in manufacturing for a living, it makes sense. Loading in the node and minimizing variation has always produced the best groups for me.