reloading newb check list

[huntsd123]

I've decided to take the plunge! Here is the list of items i've come up with. Please chime in to let me know if I am missing anything or if anything is overkill. I will load for a 6.5 CM and 300wm. Lastly, I assume buy everything individually rather than a set as sets look like they have some unnecessary items. Thanks!

Press – I am leaning towards single stage. Turret seems overkill

Dies – 1 per caliber

Shell holder – 1 per caliber

Scale – Do I need with an electronic powder dispenser?

Powder Dispenser – Ecteronic

Calipers

Priming tool – (if not on press)

Chamfer/deburring tool

Flash hole deburring tool

Case trimmer

Annealer – Really not sure if I need this??

Lube/cleaning

Other – Primers/bullets/powder

 

[Eric H]

Headspace gauge kit. This is to help you setting up your sizing die to bump shoulder normally .002.

 

[memtb]

JMO…..you don't need an electronic scale. The time proven balance beam type work great, but are a bit slow. Plus, the electronic can fail….unlikely with the balance beam scale.

Turret presses are "friggin" awesome. You set-up your dies, and never have to move/readjust, ect. Very handy if your loading multiple cartridges. Again JMO. memtb

 

[birddog 68]

You will definitely want a scale to double check the weight of the powder dispenser.
Annealer isn't necessary.
I would add some type of case cleaning device whether tumbler, vibratory or sonic.
You may want to get a bullet puller, I just use the inertia style.
And as Eric H mentioned a headspace gauge kit, and a bullet comparator. I use the Hornady and works fine.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Try the search bar. Several threads on this subject already.

 

[SPitty]

A good reloading manual is important.

 

[orange1948]

A powder trickler would be handy. They are available as manual or electric. RCBS, Hornady, etc have manual tricklers available. I like my electronic trickler from Dandy Products, LLC.

 

[nkyshooter]

I've decided to take the plunge! Here is the list of items i've come up with. Please chime in to let me know if I am missing anything or if anything is overkill. I will load for a 6.5 CM and 300wm. Lastly, I assume buy everything individually rather than a set as sets look like they have some unnecessary items. Thanks!

Press – I am leaning towards single stage. Turret seems overkill

Single stage "O" press is the place to start - RCBS Rockchucker or the Hornady equivalent are both good. You'll never regret having one

Dies – 1 per caliber

My recommendation will likely get some "poo poo's " here ... Lee Ultimate Die sets will come with Full Length, Dead Length Seater, Collet Neck Sizer, a Factory Crimp die AND a shell holder. I get handloads that average +/- 1.5 Thousands runout. I also have WAY too many other dies and types but if I was starting, the Lee Ultimate reloader sets are exactly what I would get.

Shell holder – 1 per caliber

If you get the Lee dies, they will include them.
If you get the Frankford Arsenal priming tool, they are included for use in the priming tool but won't work on a press.

Scale – Do I need with an electronic powder dispenser?

I love my electronic dispenser/scale but it is not a replacement for a beam scale - RCBS 5-0-5 is a classic and a power failure doesn't affect it ... you'll need it to double check an electronic every so often as you are loading.

Powder Dispenser – Ecteronic

I like my RCBS charge master lite - but - it doesn't 'replace' the need for the beam - it CAN replace a mechanical powder measure but not if you lose power ... IMHO a beam scale and a mechanical powder measure is the place to start - down the road, ADDing an electronic IS a nice to have.

Calipers

A hard MUST have - I like mechanical ones - no battery to go dead and nothing that can get out of adjustment that you won't see. No need to go crazy expensive on this but also don't cheap out and by a $10 set ... target the $30-$50 range for this ... more if money doesn't matter.

Priming tool – (if not on press)

I have: RCBS hand primer, Lee hand primer, Frankford Arsenal hand primer ... I load small and large rifle primers and using multiple base sizes so I leave then set up for the 3 most common base/primer combo's I load for ... my favorite - hands down - the Frankford Arsenal. It is by far the best of those 3.

Chamfer/deburring tool

any of the basic ones will do fine for you. I have the RCBS that came in the Rock Chucker kit I bought years ago and it works great. I've now also added a Frankford Arsenal Case Prep center - as long as I have electric it is nice to have and it will trim, chamfer, deburr, clean primer pockets.

Flash hole deburring tool

I try to stick with brass high enough quality that this isn't necessary - I don't own one and get great results. Maybe I should add it to the mix and see if I can make itty bitty groups turn in the little itty bitty groups.

Case trimmer

I have an RCBS lathe style - now as a backup if my Frankford Arsenal goes down or I lose power - If I could only have one, I'd get the lathe style.

Annealer – Really not sure if I need this??

I don't anneal ... have never needed to that I am aware of ...

Lube/cleaning

I like Imperial Sizing Wax but Hornady also has a sizing wax that is good. I only use these if I am full length sizing or changing neck diameter (like to from from 308win to 7mm-08) ... when neck sizing with an expander ball die, I use the Hornady one shot. When neck sizing with a Lee Neck Collet die no lube is necessary - another huge plus to that particular die.

Other – Primers/bullets/powder

You've got the basics covered pretty well ... just remember, manual stuff doesn't require electricity to use it or have batteries that can fail and be a really annoyance. Personally, I think the more you do manually getting started, the better reloader you will be over time ... that's just my $.02 worth ...

Last comment I'll make ... I wouldn't count out the kits ... in particular, the 2 I like are the RCBS Rock Chucker kit and the Hornady LocknLoad single kit ... you get most of the above stuff that you need plus extras you'll probably find handy and as you learn where you want to upgrade on items in the future you will never regret having the 'extra' items - if I'm wrong on that you can always hawk em here in the reloading section and collect some cash.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Don't forget good case holder trays. I prefer the RCBS 50 case ones that have 223/308 on one side, and .532" and .404/.416 on the other side.
They are stackable when empty or not in use.
You will need a nylon brush/handle set and a primer pocket cleaner, I use the Lee one, great little tool.

Cheers.

 

[Rum River]

A good reloading manual is important.

This ^^^^^

The Lyman manual (the 51st edition is the current version) has a ton of basic how-to-reload information and is a good reference for someone starting out.

 

[ncwg2boatguy]

Lyman, sierra, nosler, hornady manuals. These will cover most popular hunting and pistol bullets and have alot of other additional info. I like paper copies myself but all are available online too. I like to tab mine ane make notes and highlight info

 

[Mark37082]

You've compiled a good list so far. If you are like many of us, there will be many items to upgrade as time goes by and the passion takes off. The kits (Rock Chucker Supreme) got me started a few years ago. I bought a Wilson case trimmer, a decent caliper, and inexpensive dies, and a Lyman, Nosler, and Berger manuals to start. A Hornady comparator tool and threaded cases are a big help and not very expensive. A method for pulling bullets will be necessary if you like testing.
Welcome to the wonderful world of reloading.

 

[Nimrod]

I would second the RCBS Rockchucker kit, off the top of my head I have 4 Rockchuckers ( I collect reloading gear) and since I started reloading in the early '70s they have served me very well. The most important part of the process is the manual, read ALL the boring stuff in the front, it will keep you and your gun safe if you follow it to the letter. Otherwise your list looks pretty good to me. I use a Lee hand priming tool most of the time, I like the older ones with the round tray. Loading blocks come in handy, you can spend lots of money on custom aluminum ones or make your own with a piece of scrap wood and a drill press, they all work the same way.

I started reloading because I couldn't afford factory ammo and it has evolved, in the pursuit of perfection, to a very rewarding hobby

 

[ntsqd]

I have come to prefer the Lyman case prep tools. Their handle fits my hands and the tools themselves work nicely.

I have a magazine fed type of priming tool. Loading the mag is PITA. I use an RCBS manual priming tool and single feed them. It isn't fast, but I feel that this step is an important one so taking a little time to do it right isn't a big deal.

Any caliper not made by one of the normal machine shop type mfg's (Starrett, Mitutoyo, Brown & Sharp, etc.) isn't worth my time or money. At work I have a less expensive set from Fowler that I prefer to the set of Starrett's that I inherited from a former co-worker. I buy mine from tool vendors like MSC-Direct or Travers and not from reloading suppliers.
Digital vs. mechanical is up to the purchaser. Since I use these calipers for machining as well I find that I need metric measurements just often enough that mechanical calipers won't work for me. I keep a couple 2032 & SR44 batteries in the fridge just in case one does die. Simply remembering to turn the calipers off does wonders for battery longevity.

I've read of folks using one shell holder for all of the cases of a given size. My OCD won't let me do that, I buy a specific shell holder for each set of dies and it stays in the die box with them.

On dies, buy one of the Lee Universal de-priming dies. I wish that I'd know about it years ago.

Buy more than one manual and cross reference your loads. Look at what the books loads were developed in and pick the book with the rifle closest to yours to use as your main ref for that particular rifle. Don't ignore books like Ken Water's Pet Loads as there's a wealth of info in them too.

After using one for decades, I hate lube pads! As such I use a lanolin and IPA home brew spray lubricant with the case laid out on top of a paper towel in a small cookie sheet. Search here, there are multiple threads on this topic. I set myself up with all of the supplies needed for about what two, maybe three cans of One Shot would have cost, and given the minimum quantities that I had to purchase I doubt that I'll ever need to buy any more.
Lanolin is intriguing, it has a protein in it that freely bonds to metals on one end while bonding to the lubricating molecules on the other end. I'm pretty sure that sheep have no use for this property, yet here we are. Most (all?) other lubes and greases with high loading properties (the so-called "EP" greases for instance) employ this protein to bond their lubricant molecules to the metal.