New to reloading

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  • Thurston1412

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Jan 16, 2017
    3
    1
    Danville
    Recently traded a buddy for a reloading setup. Looking at starting out loading 300 blk rounds. Right now just have a single stage press but looking at a Dillon 550b as it seems to simplify the process. Anybody have any newbie advice they'd like to share? I got the book "ABC's of reloading" for Christmas so I'll be starting there.
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
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    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
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    Bloomington
    Book is a good start. Get a reloading manual or two also so you can look at different "recipes".

    Dillon and other progressive presses make rounds faster but I wouldn't call it simplifying the process. Single stage to me is more simple. Slower for sure, but for me it works. I probably wouldn't load rounds for a rifle that I'm looking for the best accuracy out of on a progressive anyway.

    I'd save a progressive for something I shoot a lot of rounds of. Say 9mm if I was a competitive shooter hitting the IDPA, USPSA, 3-gun events.

    Just my :twocents:
     

    billybob44

    Master
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    383   0   0
    Sep 22, 2010
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    In the Man Cave
    +1 For Single Stage for now....

    Welcome to the reloading hobby!!

    Learn from the single stage BEFORE going to progressive..

    Great start with your current manual--Also pick up the Lyman 50th Manual..Hodgdon datalist is a good on line data list, along with the Nosler data list.

    Read+Learn---Read+Learn....Bill.
     

    dooshie

    Marksman
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    10   0   0
    Dec 30, 2013
    249
    18
    Indy
    read read read and watch a few youtube videos so it can make what u read the best sense of it all.....
    and second don't forget to post pic of your new reloading room ... lol
    welcome to the club buddy...
     

    Old Dog

    Expert
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    2   0   0
    Mar 4, 2016
    1,376
    97
    Central Indiana
    Stick with the single stage press for now and learn how to reload properly and well. Once you feel you have it mastered and need the volume, move to the Dillon. You may decide that you really don't want to or have a need to reload.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
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    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,875
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    Lafayette
    Don't hesitate to ask questions.
    If there is an aspect that you can't COMPLETELY comprehend, ask someone who loads.
    The only stupid question, ESPECIALLY when talking reloading, is the one not asked.

    Be safe, and KNOW what you are doing. Don't guess.
     

    Ngdonut

    Sharpshooter
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    7   0   0
    Feb 15, 2013
    306
    28
    Greenfield, IN
    Always good to hear people getting into the reloading hobby, so welcome. I agree with some of the above comments about starting on a single stage press. AND if you are reloading 300 blk or any rifle caliber for that matter, single stage is where you want to be anyways. Progressive presses are more so meant for handgun calibers, though i do hear of some people loading 223 on progressives. Either way, single stage is a good place to start and see if you enjoy the hobby before deciding to invest +$500 on a press.
     

    Bennettjh

    Grandmaster
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    Jul 8, 2012
    10,434
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    Columbus
    I consider myself a newb as well so I'm not much help. Best thing I think you could do is plenty of research. I have a Lyman 49th and Hornady manual I refer to often. Can't go wrong with a single-stage. I'm using one as well.

    It's a lot of fun! Just wait until your first round hits the target, you'll never look back.
     

    1911ly

    Grandmaster
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    Dec 11, 2011
    13,419
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    South Bend
    You are getting lots of great advice here. There are a lot of very knowledgeable reloaders in this subforum. As mentioned up thread, get several reloading manuals. The newest Lee, and Lyman are great go to books. I shoot a lot of Hornady stuff so I have that one too as well as a Nosler book.

    Progressive are great for speed, but accuracy is best had with a single stage press (some will disagree with me) and the learning curve is a less with a single and what you learn with it will carry over to a progressive later on it you go that route. If you are very comfortable with the single stage go for the progressive or even a turret press if you are shooting a lot. But if you can Keep up with the single stage I'd save the $$ and put it in powder and projectiles!

    I tend to load as I use it up. I try to stay 50 to a 100 ahead of my use. My belt fed gun is more like a few hundred ahead. I love reloading. We (my son and I) reload everything we shoot that is centerfire. We don't always save $ but we gain in quality of the ammo.

    Enjoy the new hobby and done hesitate to ask questions. Welcome to the forum.
     

    Doublehelix

    Master
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    15   0   0
    Jun 20, 2015
    1,874
    38
    Westfield
    Another newbie here, but all the advice about reading and studying is spot on! I read everything I could my hands on for about 6 months before I got started, and that made my purchasing decisions easier and when I actually started loading some rounds, I sort of knew what I was doing!!! :n00b:

    I started with the Lyman 49th ed., but the 50th is out now, and should be a good place to start. The first 1/3 of that book is all about "how-to", and it will serve you very well. I also got into the "ABC's of Reloading" that you mention, I think I read both of these books 3-4 times. The Lee and Hornady books are good also, but they don't have as much "how-to" as the Lyman book does. I recommend it highly.

    Best of luck!
     

    coltfan

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Oct 22, 2012
    3
    1
    I agree. Start with single stage or even a good turret press like the Redding T7. I have been reloading since 1967, didnt get my first progressive (Dillon 550B) until 1995. I do not like progressive loaders for precision rifle. Also not all powders weigh consistently in powder measures. Get a good scale and check your measure frequently. Take your time. Reloading is not for an impatient personality.
     

    hunt4fun

    Retired
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    97   0   0
    Feb 24, 2009
    162
    28
    North Salem
    +1 on weighing charges. It took me a lot of different tries to find powders that measured consistently. I've been reloading since 1997 when I started loading 38 special wadcutters with 3 grains of Bullseye on a single stage Lee Challenger press. Loaded thousands of rounds on that press. Several years later I upgraded to turret press and then added auto indexing. Loaded that way for several years before going to a progressive press. Give yourself time, seat primers completely, carefully weigh charges, and verify your bullet depth and crimp.

    The beauty of the single-stage press is control. Because only one thing happens at a time many people load their best ammo on a single stage. Moving to a turret saves time in setting dies. Moving to a progressive saves even more time, but you have a lot of things happening all at once and it takes a while to get used to it.

    Be safe, watch carefully, have plenty of light on your bench and when in doubt, have a good bullet puller standing by and use it.
     

    gond

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Feb 16, 2017
    13
    1
    Sheridan
    I am a new reloader too. I have only loaded about 1000 rounds so far. I started with the Lee Challenger kit when i found it on sale. I really like it but I already went and got a digital scale. My only regret so far is I wish I had been a little more patient and got the Lee Turret press kit. It is only a little more expensive and you can remove the auto-indexing rod and use it as a single stage press until you are ready for a turret. At the same time I am afraid I would have tried to move to the turret too fast but we will never know.

    I agree the Lyman manual is great. I have that and the Hornady and the Lyman is more thorough on the steps.

    Also I am looking for a better bullet puller already. I have an inertia puller which works fine but but is slow. I have made enough mistakes I have about 50 rounds waiting to be pulled because I HATE how slow the inertia puller is.

    Lastly welcome to the forum. I have posted a few questions here and you will get flooded with great info from this group. You will love it.
     

    Motomechanic45

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Dec 1, 2016
    38
    6
    Plainfield
    Exciting to see so many other new reloads starting at the same time as me and my boss. He has purchased the lee turret kit, but already looking for new scales and such and all we have loaded so far is a few dummy loads, I on the other hand is looking for a single stage because like most recomend I wanna learn the skill before I get in a hurry with a turret. Though after watching what he has bought so far would I be better off buying each piece instead of having the junk scales and such creating cludder around my already small bench?
     

    Doublehelix

    Master
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    15   0   0
    Jun 20, 2015
    1,874
    38
    Westfield
    The Lee Classic Turret Press (LCT Press) is a great press, and is the one that I got as well. I've got about 3,000 rounds through mine with very little maintenance. As you mention, you can use it as a single-stage press by removing the auto-indexing rod.

    I added the Inline Fabrication case ejector system which really speeds up handling a lot. I also modified one of the bushings to give it a 4-flipper ejector as well when I run it as a single-stage processing press. So now I get case ejection whether it is running as a standard turret, or as a single-stage. Here is a crappy, out of focus video I made to describe these two ejectors:

    [video=youtube;Vu3xF0VIHEc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu3xF0VIHEc&feature=youtu.be[/video]


    That being said, I have just received a Dillon progressive press (XL650) to increase my throughput on pistol rounds, but I will also keep the LCT press for load development and rifle work. It really is a great press.
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
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    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
    12
    Summitville
    Always good to hear people getting into the reloading hobby, so welcome. I agree with some of the above comments about starting on a single stage press. AND if you are reloading 300 blk or any rifle caliber for that matter, single stage is where you want to be anyways. Progressive presses are more so meant for handgun calibers, though i do hear of some people loading 223 on progressives. Either way, single stage is a good place to start and see if you enjoy the hobby before deciding to invest +$500 on a press.

    Where did you come up with that information?
     

    mac45

    Expert
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    0   0   0
    Feb 17, 2008
    756
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    Best advice is get a couple of manuals and read before you do anything.
    Lots of good video's on youtube also (some pretty bad ones too).
    If you still aren't sure of something.....ask!
    Lots of smart people on here that are happy to help.

    As for presses, you have the single stage already....take your time before you jump to another one.
    If....after due consideration, you decide to go progressive, the 550 is hard to beat.
    You can load darn near ANY cartridge on it other some of the monsters that need oversize dies.

    Personally, I don't care to fool with lubed cases on the progressive and load rifle on a turret, but thats just me.
    Plenty of excellent rifle rounds get run on progressives.

    Besides, after running the press you already have.....you may just decide that a single stage is right for you.
    Nothing wrong with that either.
     

    Motomechanic45

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Dec 1, 2016
    38
    6
    Plainfield
    So after about 6 months of reading and research Im picking up a press tomorrow. Got some brass and hp-38 according to best powder to start with, what's your guys favorite bullets to start with?
     

    natdscott

    User Unknown
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    5   0   0
    Jul 20, 2015
    2,797
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    Advice?

    Don't do this:

    ...looking at a Dillon 550b as it seems to simplify the process.

    --Get good calipers. Mitutoyo or Starrett dial...and USED Mitutoyo are better than new junk.

    --LEARN pressure signs. This is best done with an experienced mentor.

    --Ask QUESTIONS of those of us with a lot of dollars spent BEFORE you spend your own.

    When you ask questions, be open to hearing the answers, even if it doesn't validate what you thought beforehand. That's a biggee. Don't be the guy that just asks questions to get answers that make him feel good. That how you lose fingers.

    -Nate
     
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