Equipment for reloading

[MontanaJack]

KISS principle, Keep It Simple Stupid. Start with a good basic system. There are lots of very good Youtube videos to help you understand fundamentals. Best quick start would be to make contacts with experienced shooters that also handload. See if they would be willing to invite you over to "see how they do it and what equipment they like and use". As a beginner, don't let anyone push you to go with a progressive press. I've been doing this for over 60 years and have multiple presses, scales, powder measures, etc. My advice: 1) buy a good single stage press. Suggest Hornady, RCBS, or Redding. 2) buy a quality manual scale. 3) Start with one rifle caliber that you like to shoot a lot and get a set of dies and shell holder the same brand as your press. 4) A current loading manual published by the brand that makes the bullets you want to use. The Sierra Reloading manual is a great reference for a beginner and their bullets will be adequate until you get more experiences and start using boutique bullets. Avoid getting sucked into the bullet debate too soon. 5) 6" dial or electronic caliper. 6) Consumables: case lube pad, powder, primers, brass, brass holder, bowel for powder and a thin small spoon for powder, powder trickler. That will get you started. Your first upgrade may be a auto dispensing electronic powder dispenser, such as the RCBS CARGEMASTER (about $300). Good luck & have fun!

PS: Powder measures work adequately for fine grained pistol powders, but not larger grained rifle powders. I use the for pistol loading with my Dillion 750 Progressive and my MEC 9000 Grabber for shotgun. However, I weigh every charge for my larger rifle cartridges.

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

Two mititoyo calipers

 

[budlight]

I want a progressive reloader and an ultrasonic brass cleaner for sure.

Let me know. Thanks.

Ultrasonic cleaners are a waste of money. I started out with dry media tumblers. They really do a mediocre job and leave media dust inside and out. The walnut shells are always getting wedged in and you have to dork with them. I bought the Hornady Ultrsonic cleaner. The little baskets don't hold many cases and they do a another mediocre job. I gave it to my wife for a jewlery cleaner.

You can't beat wet media stainless steel pins. lots of Dawn dish soap and 1/2 tea spoon of dish washer ultra shine crystals powder. Let it tumble for 3 hours and pull out 200-300 pistol/rifle cases and they look brand new. Very pretty. Only someone without clear thinking would use the other two options. The pins clean inside and out. No oil or mess for reloading.

I use a single stage prep for all rifle rounds. Size and decap then off to the Thumblers tumbler to remove all the resizing oil.

Check the length, trim and inside and outside chafer on my RCBS case prep machine.

I use the franklin hand primer after the cases have dried for a period of time.

I have a dillion 550. I bought a 750 and chased problem after problem, case feed, primer feed and seating with moving the handle forward. I loaded so many bad 9mm's that I sold it because it was a PITA. It would miss a primer and it would rotate to the next powder fill station and the fine ball powder would dump into the turrent and jam up the whole mess. It was such a problem compared to my sizing and hand priming 550 operation that I had been using for 15 years.

A good balance .