If you had to start over....

[mtnbound]

I have a progressive loader, and while I like it for some work I also hate all the moving parts.

 

[Weldor]

I would think before I buy, knowing what I think I know now. I have way to many presses and scales, powder throwers. etc.

 

[xsn10s]

I agree with getting a basic single stage set up. Digital scales are great, but I have a beam scale as backup. Pretty much what everyone is telling you works. I'd add a concentricity gauge to measure bullet runout and ensuring that your die set ups are good to go.

 

[Mojave]

Buy tools that make things fast, while being consistent. Tools that do multiple steps in one are huge time savers.

Things I wouldn’t give up,

Giraud trimmer, trim chamfer debur in one step.

SAC modular dies with expanding decapper. One pull decaps, expands and sizes.

V4 auto trickler. Mainly for speed.

All depends on what you’re doing. If your going to shoot precision rifle matches loading with dated/manual equipment becomes a pain real fast.

This is solid.

Press doesn't matter as much. concentric press that works for your budget.

I both love and hate progressive presses, this depends on how much of a chore reloading is to you. Sometimes it is a chore and sometimes I enjoy it.

Progressive makes it stupid easy.

Single stage makes it good.

Arbor press builds precision.

What is your goal.

Ultimate precision?

Cheap enough?


My work flows depend on what I am trying to do.

1. always de-cap first.

2. Clean dry media (walnut hulls)

3. anneal

4. lube and size

5. Chamfer

4. clean in wet media ultrasonicly, or with just hot soapy water and a couple mile drive in the country and Lemmie Shine.

5. dry

6. prime

7. fill cases with powder

8. seat bullets.

 

[EdP]

All the major die mfgs offer a micrometer bullet seating adjuster. It is a nice item to have. Most of the mfgs sell one for each caliber seating die. Hornady sells one that works for all of their different caliber dies so you only ever have to buy one. Unless not available in the caliber I wanted, I have bought only Hornday dies ever since for that reason.

 

[SloppyJ]

I'd go straight for the FA Intellidropper instead of the triple beam then digi and trickler.

Same with the FA trim and prep center. Or I'd buy one of the fancy guiards or however you spell it. Stuff to make brass prep easier is the biggest time savings IMO.

This will be atypical but I really like the lee classic turret press I have and can't say I'd change that to start. You can use it like a single stage or set it up to rotate and throw powder to knock out big quantities of pistol of gas gun loads. I could easily get by with a single stage though and ive started shooting PRS and loading 150 to 200 at a time.

I'd skip trying to save money on dies and only get the RCBS matchmaster FL bushing sets.

 

[Vern400]

I'd buy my rock chucker again. Used. Off eBay.
I'd buy an RCBS 505 scale and charge Master lite. Check one with the other. Don't die
I'd start out measuring cbto and not overall length so get shoulder and headspace gauges.
I like the micrometer dies for rifles.
I would probably use Walnut media again for vibratory cleaning. I'm scared of losing a metal pin somewhere and having it do something bad.

This is a stretch for Budget cuz they're not cheap but if you can afford to get a Xero it will teach you a lot about your reloads if you listen to it.

 

[spaniel]

I started out with a Rockchucker and hand-picked accessories, then several years later added a Hornady LnL progressive. Largely, I got it right. The only things I would have done differently:
- Started with a cheap Cabelas electronic scale. Piece of crap. Upgraded to a Chargemaster. Should have started there, or with a better electronic scale.
- Started with a cheap Lee hand primer, which I used for 15+ years. When it broke I upgraded to an RCBS. Huge difference in effort, should have chucked the Lee years before.

 

[mooretitan]

I know this might go against things for people who like to shoot but I would probably just narrow it down to couple of rifles and then just go from there. Once you keep adding new rifles, it’s new powder, new dies, new primers. The list goes on some just sit and never really get shot. I would do a small caliber 223/204/20. Something light and enjoyable. Add a mid caliber 6.5/7-08 and for just the little bit extra a 300 win mag/30-06/7mag/280ai. Those 3 areas would cover you and be pretty easy to load for and can take pretty much everything. Start adding more in and it’s just more to keep track of. Takes away from reloading and shooting

 

[long hunter]

I am surprised with this seems the original question may be a bit mis-leading perhaps. Are you looking to up-date equipment or really asking what will be needed in the basic set-up to get started, One would need the basic equipment and as stated there are various ways to acquire this, but perhaps the best thing is knowledge I was fortunate to know a old guy who was a re-loader and a very good one, my dad re-loaded shotgun ammo but no metallic. Knowledge is paramount to achieving the best results not to mention the safest. So I will add a up to date loading book and find a friend who knows what there doing to teach you. Also dont be sucked in with all the lates greatest gotta have gizmos this part of the craft can be a very deep rabbit hole.

 

[flyfisher117]

If I could start over.

1) I would skip the "starter" all in one tool kits. Anymore all I use that mine came with is the press, the hand priming tool, and the loading trays. And I don't love my hand priming tool but it works.

2) bare essentials I would get a Forster Coax press. Frankford Arsenal or RCBS hand priming tool. Hornady powder drop. Mitutoyo calipers. I would track down an older Ohaus made beam scale. I would at a minimum get the hornady comparator tool sets but if budget allowed I would splurge for a nicer set.

3) I would skip drill and torch annealing. I would skip salt bath annealing. I would jump straight into an automated flame annealer. Or I would go Amp, if funds allowed.

3) if funds allowed I would have gotten an automatic powder dispenser way sooner than I did. It's not needed but dang I do love it. It has technically made my powder thrower obsolete. I got the small RCBS one and it's great other than speed. It was onsale when I got it so I should have gotten 2.

4) Not needed but the inline fabrication quick change press mounts are awesome. I have a limited size reloading bench so being able to quickly change between my 2 presses or a small bench vise has been great. If I want to use my bench for other tasks I can also get my presses out of the way.

 

[lintond]

If starting over I probably would of just skipped reloading and just spent the money on custom ammo or used factory. Between components and tools I’ve got way too much $ sitting in my garage.

I don’t get enough volume to make it pay off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Items on my list for upgrade include Hornady CBTO gauge and maybe a turret (non-progressive) press. It would be really nice to keep all dies in the press without having to reset every time between sizing and seating. These would save me some time and cycles.

If using reloads or buying used brass a Hornady comparator is clutch and will save a lot of time/headaches.

Other than these nice to haves, my single stage is completely functional. It’s a Redding with swing arm for priming, and IME this is far superior to hand priming (RCBS tool).

 

[Mojave]

Basic economics for 6.5 CM handloads

$2.20-2.50 per round Berger bullet or similar as reloads including the brass.
$41.80 a box for Berger factory ammo so the same price.

But first reload the brass is around 91cents per round, if you got to keep 80% of them to 10 reloads it makes it pretty good.

You are sacrificing money for time though.

Barrels are a hard commodity for people.

A barrel cost $800-1400 installed depending on if it is carbon fiber or not. On a bolt rifle.

A 6.5 CM is pretty much done in 3000 rounds.

So that 6.5 CM cost $3400 ish to burn through a barrel. If the first 1000 rounds are new ammo, or using new components.

People get hung. up on the cost of barrels. Barrels are down right cheap compared to ammo.

Maybe 5-8% of all shooters will go through a barrel.

Stop complaining about a cartridge being a barrel burner. Only a very few of you slackers will ever burn out a barrel.

One of the big complaints on Blasers is that barrels are expensive. A conventional barrel blank for a bolt rifle cost $400-950 A barrel job cost $250-800. Realistically $650 for a prefit-$1600 not to different in reality.

A Blaser barrel will last about 500-800 rounds longer because of the EDM chamber.

They are currently $1600 for a basic barrel.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Keep in mind marketing wants you to believe in every kitchen gadget, the ShamWow, pocket fishing rod, and fancy reloading gear.

It’s hard to go wrong with a Rock Chucker combo kit, or the same basic single stage package from Redding or Hornady. You’ll never wear out the press and even top accuracy shooters still use these presses, so you’ll never outgrow it.

You don’t know what comfort items make sense for you until you’ve loaded a while. Most extras make things easier, not really better. It’s like buying your very first pickup - until you drive one a while there’s no way to tell if an extra cab or long/short bed fit you better.

Unless your rifle is capable of sub 1/2 moa accuracy just the very basic set up, including basic full length dies, is all you need.

I’d go so far as saying a basic setup is essential to teach the basics. I know dozens of guys who don’t know how to figure out shoulder bump or seating depth without a gizmo. When the basic technique of smoking a bullet to find the lands isn’t learned, there is no double check of the gizmo that is supposed to simplify the measurement.

Don’t sleep on the pocket fisherman, I have slayed some fish with that baby!!!

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I would have started a lot earlier in life. I love my Rock Chucker, wouldn't change a thing there. Almost all my equipment is RCBS and IMO it has all been solid.

 

[Kimber7man]

Depends on how many rounds/year you're going to go through.
If I was buying a 6.5 Creedmoor and had no reloading equipment, I'd just buy cases of Berger or Hornady match ammo. Find what it likes, buy more of that lot.
Sell the brass for 60 cents on the dollar. Lapua brass, no matter the cartridge, is over $1.00 a piece nowadays. Buy more ammo.

Primers, powder and all the reloading equipment you need are expensive...

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

Redding Big Boss II press (what I mostly use now)
Probably an RCBS Matchmaster powder dispenser ( I am thinking of upgrading to one from my Hornady LNL)
Redding dies and shell holders
Federal primers
RCBS case lube pad
Tumble in Walnut hulls with rouge
Have a universal decapping die handy.
Prime on an RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool
Clean lube off cases by wiping down with mineral spirits and a rag

 

[Rich M]

I went from RCBS to Lee. The RCBS stuff broke, the Lee stuff is still working. No diff in accuracy.

It got a lot more fun when I stopped checking everything every other or third round. Now I just set it and run with it. Gun still shoots better than I do.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I now have a Mighty Armory decapping die. I don't know how I ever got by without that thing.