Reloading Equipment

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

I understand that part. What you ld e the need in doin that? If I get my set, wouldn't that do the same thing?

 

[Saintsfan1977]

Well Yea you could set the die and be done but you won't know how much you are bumping the shoulders back without a guage. You don't need a Guage but it's handy. The shell holders aren't needed it's just convenient

 

[L.Sherm]

If you dont have a guage then how do you know how much your bumping your shoulders back. If you bump excessive then you will get case head separation eventually.

 

[turkn8r1]

Like others have stated I always Marry my shell holders to each set of dies even in the same caliber. Remember a small inconsistency can cause big problems. My set up that really got me going was I picked up a set of lee powder measures and a decent digital scale. Not a lot of coin for consistency and accurate charges. Unlike most I use the inexpensive Lee case trimmers that come with the mandrel and screw on shell holder. The only draw back to them is length is not adjustable. The upside is they are inexpensive and they square off the top nicely. A quality set of calipers is an absolute must and gotta have. A good connetic bullet puller will come in very handy as will a good stuck case puller. These are just some of the items I use. I have more and expensive equipment but sometimes simpler can be just as good. Enjoy your never ending journey into the world of reloading. Prepare for an awsome and very satisfying hobby.

 

[Saintsfan1977]

Blackdirt Cowboy , how much is your budget for reloading equipment ? I can give you a a list of everything you need to load for bolt action.

The Calipers don't need to be Mitoyo or cost you 200 bucks.You are reloading not machining. Your tools are all relative. They don't need to be precise. Harbor freight Calipers would work fine.

 

[Innovative]

Blackdirt Cowboy . . . .

Reloading any belted magnum calibers (like the 7mm Weatherby Mag.) is a bit different from loading non-belted calibers. Read up on the Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die.

 

[steelmaker69]

I would suggest in investing in a good rotary tumbler with the stainless steel media for cleaning your brass.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Something I forgot... Get a collet bullet puller. Don't use the kinetic type, they can deform the bullets your pulling. If you use a collet puller, you can reuse the bullets you pull.

I use the RCBS puller. You will need to buy collets for each caliber size (.257, 6.5mm, .277, 7mm, .308, etc...), but they're not expensive.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/680804/rcbs-collet-bullet-puller

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012921422/rcbs-collet-bullet-puller-collet

 

[dhargo]

I am just getting into reloading and was given a rock chucker supreme for Christmas this year. Now I need to buy all the other equipment I need to start reloading. Other than the shell plates, the dies, and the consumables, what will I need to get started? I'll be using both new and once fired brass until I get some stock piled. What system should I look at for the powder charge? I don't want to spend a ton of money, and two of the calibers I'll reload for are for hunting only. The other caliber I'll load will be a combination long range target and hunting rifle.

Also, how do you go about selecting the right dies for your intended application?

Blackdirt Cowboy, I was new to reloading a little over one year ago. Before purchasing any equipment, I read many articles on the internet, purchased a couple of reloading manuals, read forums, and watched hours of YouTube video. We are fortunate to have a wealth of experience at our fingertips, and everyone has opinions. In the end, I had to make equipment decisions, and below is what I purchased. After one year, I am totally satisfied with my choices. I reload 9mm, 6.5 Creemor, .223, and 7mm RM currently.

Forster Co-Ax press
Redding "S" dies and Forster dies
Lee Universal de-capping die
RCBS Chargemaster
Mitutoyo calipers
LE Wilson case trimmer
Franklin Arsenal wet media case cleaner
LE Wilson case gauges.

I am now beginning to expand my equipment after loading several thousand rounds over last year. My choices may not be perfect, but they have served me well. Reloading is a boat load of fun. Have fun!

 

[HunterLongRange]

Whatever you decide on, get yourself one of these... It's worth the expense.

https://www.mightyarmory.com/products/copy-of-the-magnum-100-universal-decapping-die-for-all-presses

As for scales, balance beams are good to have around because they function without electricity. However, they're not quite as accurate as a digital scale when it comes down to serious precision loading down to 1/10 of a grain. If you go with a digital setup, and stick to extruded rifle powders, then I suggest the Chargemaster 1500. Pricey, but worth the investment. If you want something that's half manual and half digital, then getting a Hornady Quick-Trickle and a good digital scale like a Gempro setup where you hand trickle each charge, that's also a very precise way to go.

Dies, I prefer Redding over RCBS, but have lots of each, and they all work good. Also, a way to make precision ammo, is to buy a shell holder for each individual set of dies, and do not mix them around. This way your die set is adjusted perfectly to that shell plate, in your press. When it comes to loading precision ammo, consistency is key in every aspect.

Do yourself a favor and get some Imperial Sizing Wax, and DO NOT use Hornady One-Shot spray! That stuff will get brass stuck faster than anything. At the minimum use 98% alcohol and 12:1 lanolin mixture that you mix yourself.

Get a good set of calipers. I don't recommend skimping on money in this department... You'll find you use caliper for a lot more than just reloading. I use the Starrett 799A-6.

I agree 100% with the chargemaster 1500 digital scale. I used to have the Harrels powder throw for measuring and while (somewhat) accurate, once I made the change to weighing every load, my shots closed up exponentially. So much in fact, people at the range started asking what I changed. Have to weigh those charges!
In regards to Dies, I went with Redding Competition and again, found these exceptional. My 308 hits golf balls 600 yards down range pretty easily. When there is a miss, it's the one behind the trigger, er, um, me.

I also love my 21st Century Primer loader. It has a micrometer on it and just looking at this thing is a piece of art. More expensive, but worth it. I made so many mistakes when getting into long range. Do the research and ask lots of questions like you're doing. Watch what the pros are doing, save your money and buy things once. Not like I did and buy something only to sell it at a discount months later because it wasn't working well enough.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

Many on this forum have taken reloading to the extreme and spend a lot of time debating minutiae, that while important can lead a newcomer down rabbit holes that you really don't need to go down until you and your equipment are capable of getting anything out of it.

id get you some boxes to separate your brass
https://www.brownells.com/shooting-...ge/ammo-boxes/rifle-ammo-boxes-prod32875.aspx

and for your ar platform rifles , if you plan on doing any bulk loading for them , little crow gunworks trimmer & i think now days the have inserts for different cartridges , - when they first came out , it was all one piece

https://www.littlecrowgunworks.com/store1/WFT2-Chambers-c31402039

then a primer pocket swager either a rcbs or a dillon , i like the dillon cause its blue

https://www.brownells.com/reloading...rimer-pocket-swager-bench-tool-prod54151.aspx

or the dillon super swage , large rifle primer size for the 308 and 6.8 -- i thing both come with both primer sizes
https://www.dillonprecision.com/super-swage-600_8_8_25263.html

then the free stuff , id google online data and print or save to your computer as many sources as you can find ,

 

[NeedForSpeed]

Blackdirt Cowboy, I was new to reloading a little over one year ago. Before purchasing any equipment, I read many articles on the internet, purchased a couple of reloading manuals, read forums, and watched hours of YouTube video. We are fortunate to have a wealth of experience at our fingertips, and everyone has opinions. In the end, I had to make equipment decisions, and below is what I purchased. After one year, I am totally satisfied with my choices. I reload 9mm, 6.5 Creemor, .223, and 7mm RM currently.

Forster Co-Ax press
Redding "S" dies and Forster dies
Lee Universal de-capping die
RCBS Chargemaster
Mitutoyo calipers
LE Wilson case trimmer
Franklin Arsenal wet media case cleaner
LE Wilson case gauges.

I am now beginning to expand my equipment after loading several thousand rounds over last year. My choices may not be perfect, but they have served me well. Reloading is a boat load of fun. Have fun!

I started a year ago and this is almost exactly what Ive ended up with. I got the Chargemaster Lite which Ive read has a better screen and interface and is less money. I got Hornady calipers. the Forster coax is a great press and worth the investment if this is something that you want to seriously pursue.

 

[rcol317]

WOW, If I was Black Dirt Cowboy I'd be a little overwhelmed reading this thread. Keep it simple to start. A Rock Chucker's a great starting point. As you learn what you are doing you will see what you need. You can find most of the tools necessary for not a lot of money. Pay attention to Sherm, a balance beam is fine to start with. I recently visited a loading room a guy with lots of money but not much sense started. Spent $20K plus on Mike Dillion stuff and is so overwhelmed it's is still in the boxes after more than two years. "Read a lot and buy a little" is what I'd recommend. Welcome to one of the most enjoyable hobbies a guy can learn. Have Fun.

 

[Tex_Hunter]

I'll throw in my .02 here:

This is by no means all encompassing, but the tools I have had the best success with are:
- Chargemaster; this is non negotiable, by the time you buy a decent beam scale, trickler and powder measure you have spent as much or more as what one of these costs, they go on sale about once every 2-3 months, wait and buy one
- Forster dies; if you full length size this is another non-negotiable, the expander ball is floating and is up closer to the neck of the die so that it starts drawing the neck out while the case is still centered and supported in the die so less chance it will pull the neck off center vs dies that have the ball all the way down at the bottom of the decapping rod, also their micrometer seater dies are also strong enough to run compressed charges without splitting the seater stem
- Lee trimmer/ case length gauges (the little caliber specific rod/cutters, NOT the all in one trim/chamfer/debur multi tool) quickly and consistently trims brass back to a pre-set length, they are cheap and effective and you can chuck the cutter into a drill and speed things up considerably, cost about $15 all in so I just have one cutter for each caliber that I reload for, I mounted the lock stud/shell holder to a screw driver handle and welded on a little metal rod so that I can quickly insert/remove cases