New to reloading...this is my plan...

[Fred G Cook]

Hi, I'm a new member here. Been reading for some time and this will be my first post. I've hunted my whole life...Oregon, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana. Never shot at anything over 400 yards and recently bought a MOA extreme summit 7mm Rem Mag as I wanted to stretch things out and shoot a bit further with confidence. With the help of a friend, my first shot at 1000 was a dead ringer! After a string of shots, I then stretched it out to 1160 with pretty good results!. I have to say I'm hooked on the long range shooting deal.

So I figured I might as well get into the reloading thing too! The custom ammo made for my gun is about $4.25 a squeeze! I figured I might as well invest in a reloading setup for that kind of money.

After reading a great deal on here and finding a great sale online, I'm thinking about purchasing the Rockchucker kit and a chargemaster lite. On Natchez I can get both for $500. Additionally I'll need some premium dies and my components, obviously.

So is this a good starting point for someone that wants shoot out to 1000-1200 yards? What other tools will I need that aren't included in the Rockchucker kit that I may need?

Thanks!

 

[Mossyhorn]

There's been some amazing advice and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to post up their thoughts. Definitely feeling overwhelmed with all of it and like a few have said, maybe that expensive custom ammo is still a good way to go? HA HA! It definitely seems like a good hobby to get into and I think it would be fulfilling.

 

[Konrad]

Hi, I'm a new member here. Been reading for some time and this will be my first post. I've hunted my whole life...Oregon, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana. Never shot at anything over 400 yards and recently bought a MOA extreme summit 7mm Rem Mag as I wanted to stretch things out and shoot a bit further with confidence. With the help of a friend, my first shot at 1000 was a dead ringer! After a string of shots, I then stretched it out to 1160 with pretty good results!. I have to say I'm hooked on the long range shooting deal.

So I figured I might as well get into the reloading thing too! The custom ammo made for my gun is about $4.25 a squeeze! I figured I might as well invest in a reloading setup for that kind of money.

After reading a great deal on here and finding a great sale online, I'm thinking about purchasing the Rockchucker kit and a chargemaster lite. On Natchez I can get both for $500. Additionally I'll need some premium dies and my components, obviously.

So is this a good starting point for someone that wants shoot out to 1000-1200 yards? What other tools will I need that aren't included in the Rockchucker kit that I may need?

Thanks!

I would suggest you seriously look at the Dillon RL550 progressive press. Once your dies are set, you don't have to adjust them when moving from one operation to the next.
Calipers, scale, loading block, powder trickler, case trimmer and hand primer setting tools are the minimum extras.
Dillon truly has a "No BS Lifetime Warranty".

 

[TX Badger]

There's been some amazing advice and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to post up their thoughts. Definitely feeling overwhelmed with all of it and like a few have said, maybe that expensive custom ammo is still a good way to go? HA HA! It definitely seems like a good hobby to get into and I think it would be fulfilling.

Don't be intimidated. It can be as simple as complicated as you want it to be. The fact that you can tune loads to your rifle should make your ammo better than store bought stuff. Start out simple and if you like to tinker, like many of us do, you will enjoy adding the more advanced steps/processes.

 

[Alibiiv]

I would suggest you seriously look at the Dillon RL550 progressive press. Once your dies are set, you don't have to adjust them when moving from one operation to the next.
Calipers, scale, loading block, powder trickler, case trimmer and hand primer setting tools are the minimum extras.
Dillon truly has a "No BS Lifetime Warranty".

The OP is just starting out, I don't think it's a good idea to start out with a progressive press. When starting out there's too many possibilities for errors. Progressive press means lots of bad ammunition instead of a few bad rounds. I have a Dillon 650XL, I reload pistol ammunition only on it. I wouldn't recommend reloading large rifle ammunition on it. It will do it, but I don't think the quality will be there.

 

[ar10ar15man]

as delivered NOT A PRECISION LOADING DEVICE.
i have 2
i HAND load all my current long range ammo

I would suggest you seriously look at the Dillon RL550 progressive press. Once your dies are set, you don't have to adjust them when moving from one operation to the next.
Calipers, scale, loading block, powder trickler, case trimmer and hand primer setting tools are the minimum extras.
Dillon truly has a "No BS Lifetime Warranty".

 

[ar10ar15man]

i disagree with the thought that one cannot START on a 550.
i do agree that a 550 as delivered in NOT a precision ammo loader.

The OP is just starting out, I don't think it's a good idea to start out with a progressive press. When starting out there's too many possibilities for errors. Progressive press means lots of bad ammunition instead of a few bad rounds. I have a Dillon 650XL, I reload pistol ammunition only on it. I wouldn't recommend reloading large rifle ammunition on it. It will do it, but I don't think the quality will be there.

 

[gator378]

Don't skimp on anything that your don't have too. If this is truly something you love and will do for the rest of your life then invest in quality. The kit is a nice value but realistically your going to use two things. The press and priming tool.

Every person on this site has a preference and opinion. Research and buy the items you want. And from time to time ask us how to spend your money!

Buy once cry once. Don't go cheap.

 

[ntsqd]

I'm going to second, third, eleventeenth getting a beam scale. A friend has (had? Tank, you out there?) an electronic scale (RCBS, I think) and he told me he's seen large variations in it with regard to temperature as his garage is not heated or cooled. Beam scales don't have that problem, so that's what he uses now.

The kits are tempting to a beginner, I bought a Hornady/Pacific kit 30-odd years ago. The only piece that I have left are the dies and the scale. Oh, and the book. Everything else has been replaced. If, after looking over this thread, you find yourself coveting tools that would replace more than 1/3 of the kit's pieces I'd buy the individual pieces. You're going to end up with the coveted tools anyway, may as well admit that and get them now.

I used a plastic spoon as a trickler for decades. A powder thrower dramatically sped up my reloading. Get one with a micrometer adjustment. Even if you're weighing every charge & trickling to exact zero on a beam scale a thrower still will speed up that step of the process.

And something that no one has yet mentioned, a tablet or index cards or or a fone app, something that can go to the range as well as sit on the reloading bench to keep long term records of what you've loaded and how it performed in what conditions. This is something I've lacked on, and it has been a problem.

 

[clownbuster]

Hey Mossyhorn, welcome!

The Rock Chucker will work just fine for all your needs. However, if you have a couple more dollars to invest, I'd recommend a Forster Co-Ax. If not, no biggie.
Okay, off the top of my head stuck in Portland traffic, here's a simple equipment list to get you immediately making loaded ammo producing low TIR (total indicated runout) numbers in the 0.002" - 0.00015" range.
-A Forster FL sizing die (with a rubber o-ring installed under the lock ring) honed to size neck .004" under final sized neck diameter with the expander removed.
-Set final neck tension running case mouths thru a 21st Century Expander Die with a TiN Turning Mandrel for a final neck diameter of .002" neck tension.
- Sinclair Carbide VLD Case Mouth Chamfering Tool & L.E. Wilson Deburr Tool to clean up the mouths.
A Micrometer Seating Die with a VLD Seating Stem installed.
-Sinclair Hand Primer

Now you need the ability to accurately measure what your doing while you're doing it.

Innovative Technologies Digital Headspace Gauge to quickly & accurately measure and control your shoulder bump (0.002" - 0.0015"). My favorite tool on the bench.
Sinclair Concentricity Gauge to measure your Total Indicated Runout. You can find these used here, SnipersHide and the Accurate Shooter classified forums all the time. There are more expensive models available, but unnecessary.
Anneal your brass no less then every 3rd firing.

Oh, and two words: Chrono...graph. Must have. Magnetospeed will do you fine for now for dope.

Welcome again!

 

[clownbuster]

ar10ar15man said: ↑
you need to FULL LENGTH size FOR YOUR CHAMBER.
WITH BELTED CASES growth at the belt can become an issue.
there is a belt sizing die that sizes just above the belt.
(some one jump in here with the source)

So I need a Standard 2 die kit, plus a bump die and a belt die?

Maybe I'm using the wrong terminology?

Innovative Technologies - Larry Willis
http://www.larrywillis.com

You can try Larry's setup, pretty nice. I still like the Forsters though for making straight cases.

 

[Alibiiv]

i disagree with the thought that one cannot START on a 550.
i do agree that a 550 as delivered in NOT a precision ammo loader.

I've been reloading for 55+++ years, I own a Dillon 650XL, and over the years I have loaded a few pistol and rifle rounds. I use the Dillon to load pistol ammunition only, although I wouldn't hesitate to load .223 or straight walled rifle cartridges, I wouldn't use it for the larger cartridges. I believe that reloading the larger cartridges is a process that is better served with an "O" press. The Dillon 650 press is still new to me. There's many pitfalls one can get in to with this press. One is when you sort your brass, however miss a 9mm Luger, it falls into the hopper with all of the 45 ACP brass (believe me they fit nicely and are hard to see), then it comes down the feed tube and you miss it because so much stuff it going on elsewhere (ensuring that you had a good powder drop/seating your bullet), then it gets crunched into the sizing die, and...............now you have a problem! Or the primers in the primer feed tube do not fall as they are supposed to, you are cranking along thinking that you are really making some great ammo, and before you realize it there's 10, 15, 20 rounds without primers in them laying in the catch bin, and.......the powder has fallen into the primer pockets. Or...............since you are having problems with the jammed up sizing die, or the primers are not dropping as you "thought" they were and you are trying to fix this situation, you skip a station because the loading sequence is messed up, you miss a powder drop, seat a bullet on it and now you have a FTF on your hands. Or....many other reloading situations that can occur while reloading. I would never recommend a progressive press to anyone who is just starting out. You have your opinion, and we're all entitled to our opinion.

 

[clownbuster]

Mossyhorn, are you getting your questions answered? Is your RCBS press coming with a Dillon press in the box?
Your thread is quickly moving past the original intent of ..."what other tools will I need that aren't included in the Rockchucker kit that I may need..."
Move on fellas.

 

[clownbuster]

I've been reloading for 55+++ years, I own a Dillon 650XL, and over the years I have loaded a few pistol and rifle rounds. I use the Dillon to load pistol ammunition only, although I wouldn't hesitate to load .223 or straight walled rifle cartridges, I wouldn't use it for the larger cartridges. I believe that reloading the larger cartridges is a process that is better served with an "O" press. The Dillon 650 press is still new to me. There's many pitfalls one can get in to with this press. One is when you sort your brass, however miss a 9mm Luger, it falls into the hopper with all of the 45 ACP brass (believe me they fit nicely and are hard to see), then it comes down the feed tube and you miss it because so much stuff it going on elsewhere (ensuring that you had a good powder drop/seating your bullet), then it gets crunched into the sizing die, and...............now you have a problem! Or the primers in the primer feed tube do not fall as they are supposed to, you are cranking along thinking that you are really making some great ammo, and before you realize it there's 10, 15, 20 rounds without primers in them laying in the catch bin, and.......the powder has fallen into the primer pockets. Or...............since you are having problems with the jammed up sizing die, or the primers are not dropping as you "thought" they were and you are trying to fix this situation, you skip a station because the loading sequence is messed up, you miss a powder drop, seat a bullet on it and now you have a FTF on your hands. Or....many other reloading situations that can occur while reloading. I would never recommend a progressive press to anyone who is just starting out. You have your opinion, and we're all entitled to our opinion.

This is useless BS in an otherwise useful thread. The OP doesn't care about any of this, and i doubt anyone else does either. Please move your ****ing matches to your own threads. Please.