Best piece of reloading of equipment u have

[nicholasjohn]

Me to brother when I pick up a new hobby I am dedicated lol. I love it but my wife hates it. I am still priming old school on my co-ax but to me it's therputic lol. Let me know when u ready to get a turner I got a couple of K&M turners sitting in my drawer all u need to do is order expander and NT mandrel.

Your use of the word "dedicated" brings to mind a little joke :

An old guy was eating his ham & eggs breakfast with his grandson in a diner somewhere, an the little boy asked him "Grampa, what's the difference between dedicated and committed ?" He paused to ponder, and then pointed to his breakfast plate and responded that the chicken was dedicated, but the pig was COMMITTED !!! Have a nice day, Brother.

 

[Dosh]

By far is my dedicated gun room. Two benches, safe, cabinets, desktop and a place for everything. Not just one tool, but the entire package. I'm in that room every day.

 

[nicholasjohn]

So I started this thread and also the reloading bench pic thread so that everyone could get either ideas on upgrading their setup or more importantly for those starting out on how to setup and kind of what to buy. I got about 15 messages last night with questions on reloading process and when to do what. I know there are several threads already from the past on this but I will start another one soon and hopefully some people will chime in on their process from start to shoot! I am by no means a pro but I know a little and there are some people on here that know a whole lot! So with our powers combined maybe we can give new reloaders some knowledge and help keep them away from some
Of the tards on YouTube!

I'm just getting back into hand-loading after a fifteen year hiatus. I can't believe I've been killing all my animals with factory loads for all this time, while my loading press sat idle. I just retired, and now that my time is my own, this is the first of many hobbies to get resurrected. As you guys certainly know, a lot has changed in fifteen years. This long range shooting has forced these changes, and this is all for the better. My best shooting buddy turned me on to this forum, and I'm going to spring for dinner & drinks next time I see him. This forum - and threads like this one - are the best source of solid information I've ever seen. I've learned a ton of good stuff already, and there's so much more in the pipeline. Thanks a million for all the expertise you guys have shared. The $$$$ I've saved is substantial, but it is nothing compared to the frustration I have not had to endure to learn what I've learned following this forum.

 

[Remmy700]

I'm just getting back into hand-loading after a fifteen year hiatus. I can't believe I've been killing all my animals with factory loads for all this time, while my loading press sat idle. I just retired, and now that my time is my own, this is the first of many hobbies to get resurrected. As you guys certainly know, a lot has changed in fifteen years. This long range shooting has forced these changes, and this is all for the better. My best shooting buddy turned me on to this forum, and I'm going to spring for dinner & drinks next time I see him. This forum - and threads like this one - are the best source of solid information I've ever seen. I've learned a ton of good stuff already, and there's so much more in the pipeline. Thanks a million for all the expertise you guys have shared. The $$$$ I've saved is substantial, but it is nothing compared to the frustration I have not had to endure to learn what I've learned following this forum.

Well glad to hear you are getting back in the reloading game. Reloading is a hobby for some but for people like me its an obsession. Like many have mentioned they stay in their reloading room daily messing with something and I certainly am no different and even when I am not I am thinking of what I need to do when I get home and get back in there. It is a pricey hobby but very satisfying rolling your own and shooting little bug holes!

 

[MudRunner2005]

My kegorator belly would probably knock me out of the high end modeling money

Not necessarily... I used to make a ****-good living stripping for Chunk-N-Dales.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I load 308 for my M1a. I use a lot of surplus Lake City brass and they have a primer crimp. CH4D makes a primer swage die kit that works like a champ. Much better than twisting a cuter between your finger tips for hours on end. http://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/case-tools/psk

I have found that I prefer using the RCBS primer crimp cutter attached to my drill on low-speed works the best, than trying to swage it out. Just personal experiences with mil-crimp surplus brass.

 

[Alibiiv]

Pretty basic response, my RCBS Rockchucker press. Probably a number of opinions about this press, not sure if there are better ones, however for me price wise and utility wise it is the best piece of equipment that I've purchased over the years. Prior to the Rockchucker I was reloading on an old Pacific "C" press. Although often overlooked, are the two, 6 bulb florescent lighting units I installed over the reloading bench. I don't care how good or bad your eyes are, if you cannot see it you cannot work on it. Recently I purchased a Lyman primer pocket uniforming tool that I take the cutter out of, chuck it in my portable drill and clean up my primer pockets. Until I bought this tool, I never realized just how bad the quality control is on brass. Bought an RCBS flash hole deburring took for all of the calibers that I shoot, again chuck the cutter up in my portable drill. A really good set of dial-calipers is a total essential for the reloading bench, without these I would totally be lost.

 

[cohunt]

So without going super cash crazy, what seems to be the most repeatable/accurate electronic powder thrower?

 

[ntsqd]

I have a ~$100 Ohaus digital scale and a ~$50 Franklin digital scale. Both are less than 2 months old. I trust neither of them. Can weigh the same case 10 times and get 4 different results. This after calibration with a calibrating weight. Giving some serious thought to the FX 120i mentioned earlier in this thread.
A friend found his RCBS digital powder thrower to be extremely sensitive to ambient temperature and doesn't use it any more.

There is some advantages to a true mechanical beam scale. For one, you can see when it's out of calibration.

 

[WahooYahoo]

Sinclair expander die body or 21st century? And why?

E

 

[Rhett Crider]

I have K&M and just received my 21st Century's. Went w/ 21st Century because they have 0.005 steps in sizes.

"New for 2019! Our expander mandrels are available in .0005" increments in calibers 22 to 338 and will range from .001" above bullet diameter to at least .003" below bullet diameter depending on caliber. This will allow the reloader to find proper neck tension to fine-tune their loads. The oversized expanders will also help straighten necks prior to sizing to improve concentricity. Extra steps are involved in the machining of these to ensure precision and they are double checked prior to packaging."

 

[imartin]

Yes sir the mandrel setup is another die body that housed just a mandrel inside which can be changed out with many different size mandrels. U basically just remove the expander button from your Redding die and bushing size and once that is done run a mandrel into all your necks. I normally pick a die bushing that will give me .003 neck tension and then use Sinclair NT mandrel which is .002 under bullet diameter. This is particularly helpful to people than don't neck turn imho.

Remmy, do you use the stainless or carbide mandrels? Big jump in price from $10 to $50/ea. Is the carbide worth it?

 

[Rhett Crider]

http://www.xxicsi.com/expander-mandrels.html

 

[Remmy700]

I just use the stainless and I use a little dry neck lube and I also clean my mandrels with little bit of steel wool after use. Has worked fine for me. I also think the carbide one is .0015 under bullet diameter unlike the stainless which is .002.