Reloading equipment

[epoletna]

Your uncle's outfit would be, at best, a "starter" kit. You would find yourself replacing items gradually as you learned that you like other brands more, and that you want a more robust system. I used Lee for a while for a small pistol caliber, but they just don't make presses robust enough for what you will eventually want to do, like resizing long rifle calibers. Might as well start out with what you want to keep.

As for the recommendation on the Hornady Coax press, it has some nice features, but the priming system is NOT one of the nice features. Since you'll probably eventually go to a hand primer (better "feel" on seating the primers, and you can do it while sitting in front of your TV in the evening) maybe the Hornady's second-rate priming system (that'll rile up some readers!) isn't the end of the world. I have a Coax, a Rockchucker, and two Dillon 650's, and my preference for reloading the big rifle cases is the Rockchucker. For the small pistol calibers, the Dillons can't be beat. I use the Coax for processing .223 range brass, where popping out crimped-in primers takes some "oomph".

You probably wonder why people are giving you recommendations about how to clean brass when you asked about reloading. You will soon find you want to work with clean brass. My preference is SS pins, and I don't worry about work hardening the brass. I think you will be replacing your brass for other reasons before the work hardening becomes an issue. And the walnut media is dusty and hard to clean out of the cases. You can get tumbling systems from Harbor Freight (they're sold as rock polishers or something) that are a good way to start. Get Frankford Arsenal's media separators to shake the pins out of the cases -- you'll be happy you did.

I like the RCBS electronic charge master. It meters a charge, then dribbles powder one kernel at a time until it reaches the right weight. I've used a lot of other metering systems and scales over the more than 55+ years I've been reloading, and the Chargemaster is the most hassle-free.

A good part of reloading is building a good bench and shelves to keep your equipment and components organized and available, especially the small stuff like individual boxes of primers and other small stuff. Keep it well organized so you don't mistake one kind of primer for another or other such considerations. If you can, bolt it down firmly so it doesn't shake every time you size a case.

And for Pete's sake, keep good records. Otherwise you'll find yourself loading four different loads for a range session, then trying to remember two weeks later exactly which one performed best.

Good luck with this. I enjoy reloading almost as much as I do shooting the ammo I reload!

 

[Rich Coyle]

One more thing, possibly the most important for safety, is absolutely no more than one brand of primer and bullet and powder on the bench at a time. Check when you start and verify as you put them away. When I was new I loaded 3031 instead of 4831 and caught the mistake as I verified while putting things away.

 

[Bigaldepr]

I am not all that experienced and only reload 20 to 50 at a time of 7mm RM and Rem 22-250. I purchased an RCBS rock crusher, dies, case holder, table top primer press, lube kit, funnel and Lyman Turbo tumbler for about the same price from MidwayUSA. I purchased a 0.02 grain electronic jewelry scale off Amazon. 0.02 grains is about the weight of single grain of H4831. I have been really happy with that setup. I de-cap before cleaning with corn husks and add a cap or two of Cabela's polish which eliminates dusting and gives a great finish.
Dumb rookie mistakes:
Too much lube, too little lube and lube on the shoulder.
Not verifying the primer is installed.
Forgetting to move the funnel and double loading a case and making a mess or no power in the case. So always do a check weigh of the loaded cases for safety and to prevent looking like an idiot.

 

[Will Mathieson]

I am not all that experienced and only reload 20 to 50 at a time of 7mm RM and Rem 22-250. I purchased an RCBS rock crusher, dies, case holder, table top primer press, lube kit, funnel and Lyman Turbo tumbler for about the same price from MidwayUSA. I purchased a 0.02 grain electronic jewelry scale off Amazon. 0.02 grains is about the weight of single grain of H4831. I have been really happy with that setup. I de-cap before cleaning with corn husks and add a cap or two of Cabela's polish which eliminates dusting and gives a great finish.
Dumb rookie mistakes:
Too much lube, too little lube and lube on the shoulder.
Not verifying the primer is installed.
Forgetting to move the funnel and double loading a case and making a mess or no power in the case. So always do a check weigh of the loaded cases for safety and to prevent looking like an idiot.

It's not a mistake and you don't look like an idiot when you correct any mistake before you pull the trigger. Has happened to all of us and continues to happen to lesser degrees occasionally. Difficult to be perfect with so much repetition required in the reloading process I use a lube pad helps apply minimum amount and keeps it off the shoulder.

 

[Bigaldepr]

It's not a mistake and you don't look like an idiot when you correct any mistake before you pull the trigger. Has happened to all of us and continues to happen to lesser degrees occasionally. Difficult to be perfect with so much repetition required in the reloading process I use a lube pad helps apply minimum amount and keeps it off the shoulder.[/QUOT

It's not a mistake and you don't look like an idiot when you correct any mistake before you pull the trigger. Has happened to all of us and continues to happen to lesser degrees occasionally. Difficult to be perfect with so much repetition required in the reloading process I use a lube pad helps apply minimum amount and keeps it off the shoulder.

I corrected every mistake before it entered a chamber except one empty case. Now I do both a visual inspection of the filled case and a check weigh. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes and develop methods to prevent them.

 

[Will Mathieson]

Your bench set up is important, not only for less movement in repetitions but for safety as well. I use 2 Rock Crusher presses, one for size/decap and the other for seating bullets. I number the press ,shell holders and dies so the same ones go to the same press. This ensures that when I change back to a caliber the settings are correct, and a quick measurement of a loaded round assures it is the same. I place brass, bullets and install powder measure and presses so I do the least amount of reaching to access them. It speeds up and lessens physical exertion. It may seem trivial physical exertion but do 1000 cartridges at a time and see.

 

[Deviant]

For a very accurate loading press I like the Forster Co-Ax. For brass cleaning, I use a wet tumbler with SS pins that I bought cheap from Harbor Freight. I know some feel that it induces hardening but it cleans inside and out including flash holes. Whidden dies are great but I also have Forster. I use an RCBS electric scale and I finger pinch the final 0.1 of a grain. I've gotten good at knowing how many little powder grains to drop to get to where I need to be.

I say, especially if you can't use the dies, buy your own stuff.

Do it right the first time and get the Forster COAX. I have had 4 presses now and I wish I would have bought this one in the first place. Whidden dies are the best I have found as well but the Redding Master Hunter dies are okay too.

 

[rickjoty]

Your uncle's outfit would be, at best, a "starter" kit. You would find yourself replacing items gradually as you learned that you like other brands more, and that you want a more robust system. I used Lee for a while for a small pistol caliber, but they just don't make presses robust enough for what you will eventually want to do, like resizing long rifle calibers. Might as well start out with what you want to keep.

As for the recommendation on the Hornady Coax press, it has some nice features, but the priming system is NOT one of the nice features. Since you'll probably eventually go to a hand primer (better "feel" on seating the primers, and you can do it while sitting in front of your TV in the evening) maybe the Hornady's second-rate priming system (that'll rile up some readers!) isn't the end of the world. I have a Coax, a Rockchucker, and two Dillon 650's, and my preference for reloading the big rifle cases is the Rockchucker. For the small pistol calibers, the Dillons can't be beat. I use the Coax for processing .223 range brass, where popping out crimped-in primers takes some "oomph".

You probably wonder why people are giving you recommendations about how to clean brass when you asked about reloading. You will soon find you want to work with clean brass. My preference is SS pins, and I don't worry about work hardening the brass. I think you will be replacing your brass for other reasons before the work hardening becomes an issue. And the walnut media is dusty and hard to clean out of the cases. You can get tumbling systems from Harbor Freight (they're sold as rock polishers or something) that are a good way to start. Get Frankford Arsenal's media separators to shake the pins out of the cases -- you'll be happy you did.

I like the RCBS electronic charge master. It meters a charge, then dribbles powder one kernel at a time until it reaches the right weight. I've used a lot of other metering systems and scales over the more than 55+ years I've been reloading, and the Chargemaster is the most hassle-free.

A good part of reloading is building a good bench and shelves to keep your equipment and components organized and available, especially the small stuff like individual boxes of primers and other small stuff. Keep it well organized so you don't mistake one kind of primer for another or other such considerations. If you can, bolt it down firmly so it doesn't shake every time you size a case.

And for Pete's sake, keep good records. Otherwise you'll find yourself loading four different loads for a range session, then trying to remember two weeks later exactly which one performed best.

Good luck with this. I enjoy reloading almost as much as I do shooting the ammo I reload!

Funny, I had the Rock Chucker and changed it for the Co-Ax. The priming system on the Co-Ax is indeed slow and awkward but there is no need for "feel" as the system is designed in such a way that all primers will be seated at exactly the same depth. That is a contributor to accuracy. I also use an RCBS hand primer for my less sensitive loadings.