Starting out on a budget

[misterc01]

Start with some research. You can get free info on reloading (RCBS has one for example). As you read different publications, you will see some common elements come to the fore front.
THE PROCESS: Case: clean, resize. Primer: Insert. Powder: Insert in case after primer(!). Bullet: Insert into case.
TO START: Notebook for record keeping. Reloading manuals. Press. Die)). Calipers. Scale - Minimum beam balance, if two, digital and beam balance (beam balance to check digital). Brass - new or once fired (OFB). OFB from your rifle - good stating point. OFB other rifle - FL resize. Powder dispenser of some sort. Primer seater - separate - hand, bench, or integrated in press. Funnel for powder. Case Trimmer (Lees makes some that are inexpensive that work). To clean brass - many options.
ON A BUDGET: I used eBay for MANY of my reloading items to save $, but I concentrated on quality items at a low price. I knew I was going to do some long range precision reloading, so I knew I wanted solid single stage press. I found an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme NEW on sale for less than one on eBay. A local gun store often has prices less than on the internet, so I buy there.
NOTES: I took a reloading class before I spent any $. The instructor told us that at the end of his classes, many people would say "This is NOT for me - I'll just buy commercial. I found I enjoy it, AND I get precision loaded rifle ammo tuned to MY rifle/pistols for less than buying off the shelf Match. Yes, you do shoot more because of that, BUT I found I enjoy it more. Once you get the hang of it and experience, you WILL learn as you go, you can add more items, such as chronographs, OLA gauges, run out gauges, etc. , as you go because you see the value of it TOO YOU.
FINALLY: Have Fun! You will meet and talk to a lot of people as you go, since you are shopping for the same things as other reloaders, and their knowledge and experience is invaluable.

 

[Ol' Red]

You've already heard a bunch of opinions. People will also tell you that Savage or Thompson rifles suck. YMMV. Here's my opinion.
There's the philosophy, buy once, cry once. You'll hear it when getting into reloading, but reloading is one of those things you'll discover you either love or can do without, so my suggestion is to start out on a budget minded set of components. Reloading gear is one of those things that, if you sell, you get back most of what you put into it.
The notion of reloading to save money is pure hooey. If you reload and love it, your ammo will cost you 1/3 of what you pay retail, but you'll shoot 6-10x more. Then you get the added benefit of tuning your ammo for what works in your rifle. From personal experience, I would have never thought of pistol ammo behaving differently in my EDC, then started testing different recipes of powder and bullets. Whoa, my groups tightened up significantly with the right mix. With rifle ammo, you can take something that is a MOA shooter at best and get 1/2 MOA with a good load. Of course, this presumes you are doing your part. Reloading ensures you get to do a lot more practice at doing your part. Bonus!

As far as components and gear:

• Nothing wrong with Lee Precision stuff. Yes, some of it is made more cheaply than others. As far as a single stage, I think their aluminum one (Challenger?) is undesirable, but their Classic Cast (iron) one is bolted to my table, along with a Forster Co-ax. It is a rock solid press.
• If there are gun boards / communities local to you, look for a RCBS Jr press. Typically they're old and can be had for $50. They turn out great ammo.
• Dies can be found on sale, as well as used. As long as they're not rusted or gauered up with filthy brass (running sandy brass into your press, for example), they will work fine.
• You can find dies from Lee, Hornady, Forster, Redding, Lyman, RCBS, CH4, Whidden and several custom manufacturers. Hornady has their "Get Loaded" rebates, which combined with the free bullets you will get, almost make the dies free. Personally, I'm not the greatest fan of Hornady dies, but they work and I have eight or nine sets. My favorites are Redding, Forster, and for custom, CH4. I'm sure Whidden are awesome too, I just haven't popped for any yet.
• Bare arse minimum set up parts you will need:
  • Your press and a solid bench/table to mount it on. Yes, I used the kitchen table for a few years. Not a wise choice if you like keeping wifey happy.
  • A good reloading book. Recommend Lyman. I think any of them are great too. Be sure to study the safety section of the book first.
  • You MUST have a good scale. You can get a 10-10 beam scale for $50. Well worth it. You can also get digital scales. They're easier and faster to use. I have a bunch of scales. The notion of using a powder dipper, while it's what I did when starting out, is ridiculous. The point of tuning your ammo requires you to vary powder charges. You need a scale for that.
  • You do NOT need a powder measure or trickler, but they do make the job easier.
  • You MUST have a set of calipers. The Harbor Freight digital ones will do just fine. I've also found accurate, inexpensive ones at places like O'Reilly Auto Parts. I started out with cheap, vernier calipers ages ago. My first digitals were the auto parts store ones. Over time, I have upgraded as good deals come available and now run all Mitutoyo gear. They're worth it.
  • Though not necessary, I recommend you get some case prep gear. I have found this Lyman tool indispensable.
  • Dies for the calibers you shoot.
  • If your press doesn't have a primer attachment, you'll need a primer tool. I find the RCBS one to be very good. Couldn't stand the Lee hand primer, and my Hornady one works well also.
  • No, you don't need a tumbler or anything. You can wash your brass by hand or just wipe it down with 4/0 steel wool or a fine scotch brite pad. I got rid of my vibratory tumbler and now use an ultrasonic bath, a stainless pin wet tumbler (Frankford Arsenal or Harbor Freight Rock Polish drum), or do it by hand with 4/0 steel wool.
  • After so many firings, your brass will stretch to the point it will no longer fit your chamber. When this happens, you'll need a brass trimmer or just expect to get a maximum number of uses out of each case.
  • As far as chronograph, you do NOT need one until you get into long range precision. Then your reloading gear needs will change significantly.
  • The only time I used new, virgin brass is when I couldn't find 1x fired stuff or wanted a specific quality like Petersen brass.

So there you have it. Others will add more, since we all started somewhere. Not everyone was born with a big blue press bolted to their bench, though they are sweet.
Recommend, once you get your gear together, watch and learn from a reloader -- someone who you consider to be blessed with common sense.
Once you start reloading, the best advice I can give you is to follow published load data. After you become seasoned, you can start to experiment.

Not much that could be added to that for starters. As you go you will always find more things you need or think you need. Pay attention to safety and enjoy yourself.

 

[Buck Fever]

Load development is an entirely different topic but physical reloading is basically 4 things.

#1, brass prep. This can go from simple resizing and cleaning to breaking down the process in to several individual steps to entirely control the metal forming, add in annealing, neck turning, sorting, etc.

#2, priming. You can make this complex if you want but it doesn't have to be.

#3, charging cases. This can be done with a powder thrower if your powder meters well or by weighing each charge and pouring it in a primed case. The precision required is debatable but you should try to be as consistent as possible.

#4, seating bullets. Consistency in this step will increase accuracy. You want the bullet jump in to the lands to be consistent and the bullet concentric with the case so it engages the rifling as straight as possible.

Ask yourself what you want to do for each of those steps and then get the equipment you need.

Brass prep can be a lot but there are some bargains. Lee's cheap trimmer setup is good (not the type that uses a press). I got a cheap Lyman case prep kit that had nice primer pocket uniformers and inside/outside neck chamfer cutters. My RCBS flash hole uniformer was pretty cheap but it's a bit of a luxury. The Lee Classic Cast press is solid and less expensive than a Rock Chucker. Used presses can be good or bad so make sure you know what you are looking for if you go that way.

Die sets are a big part of brass prep. Do you want to full length size? Do you need a small base die? Do you want to neck size? Do you want to shoulder bump and neck size? Do you want a bushing neck sizing die? Do you want to neck turn your brass?

The other half of the die question is seating bullets. I like Hornady seaters because they have the floating alignment sleeve, you can put an inexpensive micrometer head on them and you can bed your seater stem for your bullet to make sure you don't deform the tips or put rings on the ogive.

For me, I usually buy a Hornady die set and get the deluxe if I want a bushing sizing die, then if I want to change my brass prep i buy whatever other dies i need.

For priming, you can do it on the press but it seems like most people go for a hand primer so they can prime cases while watching TV or a bench primer that can give better feel. I like a system that allows me to handle the primers as little as possible.

For charging, buy an Ohaus powder scale with magnetic damping. It's slow but it is accurate and you should always have an accurate scale to spot check thrown powder charges. You should start by measuring every charge and it can do that. You will never regret spending money on this.

You can spend lots of money on throwing charges. An auto-trickler setup is about $800-1,100 and will throw charges accurate to 0.02 grain but you can spend more than that (I wouldnt). Adjustable volumetric powder measures can do pretty well for a low cost which is pretty much the thing to use for progressive reloading. Most of the low cost electronic powder measures have accuracy around 0.2 grains which isn't tremendously better than a volumetric measure so they are an odd choice.

The kits out there don't have the brass prep tools I want so I buy piece by piece. If you want to go pretty simple, a kit might make sense. Just figure out what you want to do and what you are going to need to do it.

 

[Frog4aday]

I like quality stuff. But I know when you start out with something new, buying the "best" rarely makes sense. You need "good enough" quality to get going, and then, if you are really (really!) into it, you might upgrade items after that. But you need to get going first, to see if you are even 'into it'. So a "starter kit" with all the goodies incorporated already makes sense. But you want a GOOD starter kit, with QUALITY stuff you can use for a lifetime or sell and get some cash to upgrade to better stuff later. This kit seems to tick the boxes:

Explorer Plus Reloading Kit | RCBS

Buy Explorer Plus Reloading Kit at RCBS, the leading producer of high-quality reloading equipment supplies for over 60 years.

www.rcbs.com

• Reloader Special—5 press
• Uniflow Powder Measure
• Powder Trickler-2
• Includes 1,500-grain Digital Pocket Scale
• Nosler 7th Edition Reloading Manual
• Hand Priming Tool
• Universal Case Loading Block
• Debur Tool
• Powder Funnel
• Case Slick Spray Lube
• Advanced Powder Measure Stand
• Pow'r Pull Kit
• Stainless Steel Dial Caliper
• Measure Cylinder (small)
• Six Die Lock Rings
• No. 2, 3, 4, 10 and 43 Shell Holders

Available for $440 (as of 6-7-2020) here: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013036427

 

[Buck Fever]

I'm going to complain about kits a bit.

That kit has a bottle of spray lube and a deburring tool for case prep, hardly everything you need.

The calipers are ok but won't do you much good until you add a Hornady headspace gauge kit and a bullet comparator kit. I prefer digital any way so I can zero it and get direct measurements instead of doing math.

RCBS should do better but I don't think anyone is doing much better on kits...

 

[rsmithsr]

annealing every THIRD firing, means THREE different neck tensions as the brass hardens each time .
consistency...anneal everytime.
unless the rifle cannot tell the difference.

Where to start? I have accumulated 6 or 7 presses from 3 lee, 2-rcbs, and 2-Dillons. For rifle hunting rounds, get a nice inexpensive single stage lee. Plan to prime on the press, it comes with press so no need to buy a separate unit. If you aren't loading real long rounds, like RUM, then get breech lock press. You can preset your length then you have quick 1/4 turn pop out/in ability. Get nice digital scale, I have a Lyman and hornady(prefer Lyman) a good powder drop, I use Quick Measure and it's worth the money. Weigh Every Charge! Definitely use your used brass and neck size. I'd anneal 308 every 3rd shot. I use sand annealing but find your own preferred method. 308 is cheap to reload so you could toss your brass every 3rd shot also. get the lee Quick trim system. Cheap and easy. Yes you need a tumbler(Lyman turbo $56) and yes you need a chronograph. I will tell you that I no longer buy lee dies. RCBS or Forester are much better. I neck size everything except semi autos. chronographing is extremely important for load developing. I was an advocate of the press kits, till I noticed I wasn't using half the stuff.

 

[rsmithsr]

you really want to start on a budget ??
buy two lee classic reloaders , one for each rifle.
buy 2 20 round boxes of ammo for each rifle.
shoot and keep separate by rifle.
reload per lee instructions.
add a priming hand tool so you do not have to beat in primers.
add a caliper to set length.
keep records.
add tools as the budget allows.
I have around 100 lee loaders, and still use some.
I have 1000's of dollars in loading gear.
you can start very cheap and very small and add when you can.

Hello all I made a post a week or so ago about trying to get started in reloading I've talk to couple people outside of people on here and I'm kind of confused I have kind of a idea of what I need to and what all I will end up having to buy but I'm stump I've been told I dont need a tumbler or chronograph also people have said I need to buy new brass not to use the 100 plus peices I've saved up over year or so time it's allWinchester brass that's been fired out of both 308 rifles that I will load for also I have been told so many different thangs about powder scales and messure that I dont know what to get also have been told not to buy any type of lee press I know there cheap but are they really that bad? Also I've been told to start out with a starter kit of some sort but I've priced hornady rcbs and lyman kits and what they have in them would I not be better off buying everything by it self?.I am wanting to reload for hunting ammo and little for presion
Thanks in advance

 

[aushunter1]

now that I've done alot of research and asking around I'm definitely ready to get my feet wet in it

The biggest thing in reloading is researching & understanding the processes & then you will get the reason why you need a particular item.
This takes some time & a lot of reading & re reading then looking at what you have read on videos to see the actual practical process imo.

I see it so often where people are asking questions like why their loads aren't working or their brass wont chamber & when you ask them how they are measuring their CTBO or how they have set up their die to know what their headspace measurement is they have no idea because they do not have the right gauges or equipment to measure these things!

Part of safe reloading is problem solving, obviously you will make errors but you have to catch these errors before something catastrophic happens, & knowing how to fix it.

Also knowing what the benefits will this process have for you in you end product.

So many people will say you don't need this or that or you dont have to do this process but if you choose not to do a process like example not 'flash hole & primer pocket deburing' the you should know what the the result will be from not doing it! The answer is a less consistent ignition & improper seated primer.

Everything reloading is about consistancy....................................did I alredy say that

Apart form the equipment write out a process list, then get it in the right order of process so you can repeat it & dont forget a step.

 

[SamuelBerryhill308]

Alot of good help from everyone thanks all

 

[Calvin45]

While true that you don't NEED a chronograph I highly recommend buying one, even a cheap shooting chrony or something, doesn't have to be fancy or top of the line. I too started loading on a budget (was engaged and in college). I bought a chronograph before I bought a press even, on the advice of an older wiser man. No regrets. Without one you can know a lot of things, shoot safety, shoot accurately, determine drop the old fashioned way, but the actual mv you'll never truly know and to me that just won't do.

Single stage press all the way, budget or not.

if there's one single piece of your equipment you cannot afford to have fail (and this doesn't mean it needs to be pricey, but it does need to be verified accurate) it is in my opinion your scale. Most under appreciated piece of equipment in the reloader's toolkit, and the most dangerous if not working right.

whoever said you need to start with new brass quite plainly doesn't know what they're talking about. Keep collecting that factory brass and don't spend unnecessary money when this is the stuff to learn on for sure.

 

[WildBillG]

You want to go with a budget this is what I would do.
Get a press any make as long it is a complete ring of solid metal style.
A balance beam scale. Don't worry about a stupid digital one.
A shell holder for your 308. That covers a lot of cases down the road.
A case trimmer cheapest I believe is the Lee set up.
As mentioned case lube of some kind.
A powder trickler and likely the Lee powder scoops.
Calipers.
Bullet puller.
Loading block.
2 50 round ammo boxes.
Stuck case puller.
Your brass is fine just figure out which brass fits which gun. That is easy take your fired brass and try it in each gun. Likely one of the guns will not except the others brass.
Oh yes get a reloading manual most give you step by step lessons on reloading. Plus when you are ready you will have data for your 308. Enjoy this great hobby.

 

[Calvin45]

Would also add, in the interest of being a friend and on the basis of my own experience of the learning curve - get a stuck case remover kit or put one of your own together after researching what they entail - just do it now...you will need it...ask me how I know.

Prepare to have some frustrating moments and to have grace on yourself and not loose your cool: reloading is not to be done in a frazzled and angry state of mind. Alcohol has no place anywhere near this particular hobby (and just for fun we'll recommend not smoking in the presence of gunpowder - do the math )

keep the work area clean and orderly. And remember to always lubricate casings. Or you'll need that stuck case remover right away. First time going to load I forgot all about resizing lube and jammed a case into the die so hard even the aforementioned kit couldn't remove it.

 

[bullet man]

I like quality stuff. But I know when you start out with something new, buying the "best" rarely makes sense. You need "good enough" quality to get going, and then, if you are really (really!) into it, you might upgrade items after that. But you need to get going first, to see if you are even 'into it'. So a "starter kit" with all the goodies incorporated already makes sense. But you want a GOOD starter kit, with QUALITY stuff you can use for a lifetime or sell and get some cash to upgrade to better stuff later. This kit seems to tick the boxes:

Explorer Plus Reloading Kit | RCBS

Buy Explorer Plus Reloading Kit at RCBS, the leading producer of high-quality reloading equipment supplies for over 60 years.

www.rcbs.com

View attachment 197516

• Reloader Special—5 press
• Uniflow Powder Measure
• Powder Trickler-2
• Includes 1,500-grain Digital Pocket Scale
• Nosler 7th Edition Reloading Manual
• Hand Priming Tool
• Universal Case Loading Block
• Debur Tool
• Powder Funnel
• Case Slick Spray Lube
• Advanced Powder Measure Stand
• Pow'r Pull Kit
• Stainless Steel Dial Caliper
• Measure Cylinder (small)
• Six Die Lock Rings
• No. 2, 3, 4, 10 and 43 Shell Holders

Available for $440 (as of 6-7-2020) here: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013036427

That's the one I have just throw away the digital scale and get beam scale and u will be set

 

[bullet man]

As far as the powder thrower is concerned if you load pistol and ball powder the one that comes with that kit works fine. If you switch to a stick type powder that's when the problems start with repeatable throws. If u add up what u need buying separately compared to a kit u usually save more money on the kit.