Reloading Equipment

[Bootsnall74]

https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase.html

 

[MudRunner2005]

what does the Whidden die do that others dont?

Neck-sizing dies do the same thing...Without the $200+ price tag.

I'm not knocking Whidden, they make good products, just saying that there's a lot of voodoo speculation floating around in the gun world that just because something is newer, that makes it better, or that just because it costs more automatically means it's higher quality.

 

[L.Sherm]

They do more than neck sizing, I dont even think John offers a neck sizing only die.

 

[Tortoise]

Don't forget.. the chargemaster does more than just drop powder.. You can weigh just about anything that fits in the tray or on the pedestal.. I use mine for weighing bullets, cases, and loaded rounds... atb..

 

[Newbweatherby]

You can buy rings made by Forster that have an allen screw to lock your Lee dies in place. They are something like 10 for 25 bucks

Thanks I did not know that ,I will give them a try !

 

[Blackdirt Cowboy]

Thanks for all the great info, guys. I now have what I feel is a good plan in place to get started. I've already bought and read a couple of reloading manuals, and they are worth their weight in gold.

I wanted to leave this link here, in case another newb like me comes along and finds this thread. It's an article I found on sinclair's website, and I think it perfectly outlines the equipment and techniques need to start reloading, and also goes over some more advanced techniques to squeeze out all the accuracy you can.

https://www.sinclairintl.com/guntec...s-to-precision-handloads/detail.htm?lid=16439

Again, thanks for all of your help getting me started. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I get further into this new hobby.

 

[SealT5]

Hello sir. Congrats on getting into reloading. I have a Hornady Manual and possibly some other stuff I will gift to you for nothing more than shipping cost. PM if interested. I will look around my bench and see if I have anything else you could use.

Joe

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?

 

[Alibiiv]

A balance beam scale is probably your cheapest route to get started. Your gonna get alot of opinions on dies. Your gonna need a case trimmer to trim the length on your brass when there to long. Setting up whichever die you buy properly is one of the most important steps so I would get case guage for whatever caliber your gonna be reloading for.

A powder trickler for fine tuning his scale's drops/weights to go along with the beam scale would be good if he doesn't have one.

 

[Dirtrax]

Next steps IMHO would be a concentricity gauge and a chronograph. Both provide the empirical data that just loading and shooting groups can't. You'll spend much less time scratching your head as you advance and pull your hair out over fliers and oddball results.

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

Coming from someone who still does this in a very basic manner....

Start with small batches. Ten at a time. Measure everything, case length, COAL, etc. Weigh everything including cases, bullets, loaded cartridges, etc. Calipers are very user dependent ..and you need to learn how to use them consistently. Verify your charges on a beam scale. Learn how 0.1 grains affects your beam scale.

Never rush, enjoy it. I find it very relaxing. Keep notes.

All of this will teach you how your equipment works and give you confidence moving forward.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[foxtrotter]

There has been a lot of good advice on here but a lot of the info requires one to buy new gear, I would look into the used market for anything that is not the newest, latest gizmo. Good measuring instruments are available that will do a credible job without the cost of brand new. Estates sell all kinds of reloading gear; used proudly by a now demised reloader. I've had great success with the Lee collet neck sizing dies vs adjusting a FL sizer or buying bushing sizers.

 

[WildRose]

Every time we tried it at work in the commercial auto-drive 1050's, it would almost immediately stick a case in the sizing die and rip the rim out of the shellplate, and I would have to shutdown the machines, pull the die, and drill and pull a stuck case. I'll never use it personally after dealing with all that first-hand. Most folks don't realize the headache that adds when trying to process 15,000+ pieces of brass a day by yourself.

At home (single-stage) I've used Redding Imperial Sizing Wax for many many years, and have zero complaints.

I've used it for years with great results, just make sure the brass dries well after spraying before you work it. You also need to lube the dies with it before starting.

 

[Dirtrax]

What works for some may not work for you. That's the huge take away here. The beauty of hand crafting ammunition for what you do and where you do it is the heart of our quest. Enjoy...

 

[NeedForSpeed]

Next steps IMHO would be a concentricity gauge and a chronograph. Both provide the empirical data that just loading and shooting groups can't. You'll spend much less time scratching your head as you advance and pull your hair out over fliers and oddball results.

Which concentricity gage do you recommend?