Beginner reloading set up A-Z

[GreyBeck]

I’ve saved all my brass over the past few years and have several hundred cases ADG & Hornady in 7prc and Lapua & Hornady brass for 6.5prc. All shot once - most are from factory ammo, the ADG brass is from custom ammo.

I want to buy all I need for hand loading and wondering if there is 1 kit that covers most of everything - but I have questions.

If precision is the goal is it best to use a progressive press but use a separate digital scale for powder? The powder dispensers in any progressive press just don’t seem like they’d be consistent enough - am I wrong?

Between my son and I we are going through probably 5-6 cases a year. Not shooting a ton, but enough to make reloading worth it. I’m not doing thousands of rounds so I don’t need the highest speed setup, I want the most consistent. My head spins when I start researching all the options.

If there is an ideal set up/kit for what I’m looking to do I’d appreciate any suggestions.

 

[A382DWDZQ]

I would start with the first few threads in these results. Google seems to return better results than the forum search.
https://www.google.com/search?q=rokslide+beginner+reloading+setup+site:rokslide.com

 

[JFK]

I would skip buying a kit and instead make a list of all things you want and buy separately. It will be more money up front but you won’t end up replacing things, so less money in the long run and you’ll end up with stuff you want.

I’d suggest starting with a good single stage press.

As for throwing charges vs a dedicated digital. You’ll get many different opinions and there is growing evidence that minute differences (think .1 grains) in charge weight have little to no effect down range. Powder type plays a role as well. 4350 doesn’t like my powder dispenser, smaller ball powder like H100V is very consistent.

 

[GreyBeck]

The more I research I know I want a single stange - now reading / trying to figure out the differences between the more common pressures & dies and “benchrest” quality. Trying to find the middle ground. Will piece together components. Not buy a kit

 

[BKM]

I only load 20 at a time so speed is not an issue for me. That in mind the Lee anniversary kits has served me well and I don’t really see the need to upgrade.

If you plan on loading 100 plus rounds at a time a different scale and something a bit more streamlined to throw powder would be nice.

 

[Karlburns]

Buy yourself a RCBS rockchucker. There’s a reason they’ve sold about a billion of them and almost everyone has used one or owned one at some point. RCBS is a little more expensive than a Lee but RCBS will warranty the item for life. Or at least they always did before getting bought out. Time will tell if that changes.

 

[Luked]

I would also buy everything seperate.
The kits are ok but they also have a lot of stuff in them that I think is kind of useless.
I have just got back into reloading quite a bit and have bought every single piece separate and bought it for what I want.

 

[Juan_ID]

The more I research I know I want a single stange - now reading / trying to figure out the differences between the more common pressures & dies and “benchrest” quality. Trying to find the middle ground. Will piece together components. Not buy a kit

I bought “entry level stuff” with the idea that I’d upgrade later on but to this day still use the same stuff I started with (cheap rcbs or hornady dies and rcbs press/powder scale/dispenser). While I can’t claim my reloads are the best I get pretty good results both on target and the chrono. I say all this having only reloaded for 6ish different rifle cartridges but I don’t think it needs to be anymore complicated unless you want it to be. Get yourself a rcbs rockchucker or any other single stage press that you want, some basic full length dies an electric powder scale/measurer and go to town. Along with a case trimmer, calipers and all the other “necessities”

 

[GreyBeck]

So far... my cart is:
this stuff seems to be on sale too...

Forester CO-AZ
Forester Bench Rest Die set
Honrady Charge Pro
Frankford Arsenal Rotary Tumbler
Frankford Arsenal Case prep center


open to ANY suggestions or must haves. As of now only reloading rifle ammo.

 

[JFK]

Pretty good list you have. Add some digital calipers and a bullet comparator to measure cartridge base to ogive. Seating primers can be as simple and cheap or as expensive as you want to make it. I just use the basic hand primer tool and think it’s fine. A Lee dedicated de priming die is nice and keeps your sizing dies much cleaner.

 

[Karlburns]

I’m not a fan of the Frankford Arsenal prep station. I bought one on Amazon used it for about an hour and then sent it back. I hated the way it sat and the angles you had to use while operating it. Personal preference though as I know people who love it.

I use a Lyman case prep center for prepping. The downside for you is that it doesn’t have a cutter. I have a Lyman case prep express which I use for my rifle hunting loads. Works incredibly well. Use a Dillon rt1500 for trimming the piles of 223, 308 that are plinkers.