And so it begins

[MCgrease08]

I had an excellent visit to Profire today as I took the first baby steps toward reloading.

I asked a ton of questions and got lots of good answers from the staff there. They were very patient with me as I looked at several presses and explained what I was hoping to do with limited space.

I didn't pull the trigger on a press or any components just yet. I still want to do a lot more research and will probably take a class there next month. But I didn't leave completely empty handed.

 

[Toolepqk]

Buying and reading a manual is the best place to start. I think it's important and see many new guys lately loading without at least 1.

 

[DocIndy]

See if you can find an older manual. A lot of newer manuals have been neutered and the powder charges reduced. I also recommend the caliber specific load manuals from Midway. They combine data from all the manuals for each caliber for both jacketed and cast as well as each powder manufacturer.

 

[MCgrease08]

Thanks for the suggestion Doc. I plan to get a couple of different manuals so it definitely makes sense to look into some of the older versions.

I want to keep it simple and start with a single stage press and focus on 9mm and .38 until I get the basics down.

 

[dugsagun]

try Speer #13 manual, its only around 10yrs old I think, and it is a good one to read.

 

[87iroc]

Thanks for the suggestion Doc. I plan to get a couple of different manuals so it definitely makes sense to look into some of the older versions.

I want to keep it simple and start with a single stage press and focus on 9mm and .38 until I get the basics down.

I would recommend the Lee Classic Turret. I ran it as a non-indexing press to start with(last April) then after I had figured out the steps moved to indexing.

Regardless, I'm struggling with 45 acp right now to get it to run right in my 1911...but the .38 spcl/357s I've loaded have worked well.

I started with that book too. My go to book now has been the Lee manual that came with my press...but I will have to check out the Midway loading books.

 

[CCC]

The ABC's of reloading

A good book to start with. Also, I agree with Lee Classic turret press is good to start with.

Be SAFE!!!

 

[MCgrease08]

The ABC's of reloading

A good book to start with. Also, I agree with Lee Classic turret press is good to start with.

Be SAFE!!!

Both the book and the Lee Classic Turret are on the short list.

As far as presses, I'm really looking hard at the Hornady single stage, the RCBS single stage, Lee classic turret or Lee "c" press.

Basically my bench space right now is limited to about 48" x 24", so it needs to be compact. Also I want whatever I start with to serve a purpose after I expand the setup, even it it's just a dedicated deprimer.

 

[Marksman2019]

The Lyman manual is a great place to begin. I would also recommend the Hornady and Nosler manuals. However, keep in mind they are geared more toward their own products.

If you are still considering which press to buy, I would encourage you to look at the Dillon BL 550.

 

[MCgrease08]

The Lyman manual is a great place to begin. I would also recommend the Hornady and Nosler manuals. However, keep in mind they are geared more toward their own products.

If you are still considering which press to buy, I would encourage you to look at the Dillon BL 550.

Isn't the Dillon 550 a progressive press? I'll basically be starting out in a corner of the kitchen in an apartment, that's why I'm pretty sold on single stage for now.

 

[woodsie57]

I have been using a lee single stage "c" press 5 or 6 yrs now,recently added an old Lyman turret press, you'll be fine going low tech, the simple presses make great ammo, and unless you're a high volume shooter, you may never need to get any fancier. I load 38/357, 44s, 30-30s, don't see the need to change anything. Enjoy the journey!

 

[Gluemanz28]

Go with the Hornady LNL single stage press. I have two of them. You can always use a nice single stage press to run Special hand loads on or to deprime as you stated. I also have a dillon 650 and Hornady LNL AP set up in the basement reloading area.

 

[Vamptepes]

Get the lee 2nd edition book too. I also started with the lyman. It has good info but crappy data charts.

When I started I bought the lee anniversary kit. Comes with the O frame single stage. Still use everthing from that kit to load 9,380, and 40. Soon .223. Its slow but not bad. I just do everything in steps. Deprime and resize reprime a bunch of stuff. Then flare. Then Powder drop and seat/crimp. I just work in groups of 100. Mainly because that's how many primers are in a pack.

 

[MCgrease08]

Go with the Hornady LNL single stage press.

This was the first press I was drawn to simply based on the ease of mounting and the solid design and materials. I think the Hornady Deluxe kit seems like a pretty good value. It includes most of what I would need to get started and not a lot of unnecessary stuff.

The goal for now is to pump out 100-150 rounds per week.

 

[IndyGlockMan]

The Dillon 550 is a progressive press, but it's manually advanced. It doesn't turn from station to station automatically like other progressives.
It's considered a progressive, but it's kind of a hybrid.
I started on a RCBS Rock Chucker single stage, and the 550 was my second press shortly afterward.
The 550 is definitely better in my opinion.

If you can afford the Dillon RL550B, get it. You won't regret it.
If not, the Hornady is a good press too.

Get on Youtube and watch reloading videos, lots of videos.

 

[ghuns]

Santa is bringing me a Lee single stage kit with all the trimmings. I guess I wasn't a good enough boy this year to warrant anything better.

For now, I will be rolling my own .458 SOCOM rounds. It's really the only thing I have that I can't afford to shoot as much as I'd like.

 

[hoosier21]

I'll be following this thread as I have been thinking about this the last couple days myself. My wife is at the library several times a week, so I told her to pick me up a few books on the subject. I only shoot 9mm, and would want to keep things as simple and modestly priced as possible.

 

[MCgrease08]

I only shoot 9mm, and would want to keep things as simple and modestly priced as possible.

I will primarily be starting out with 9mm too. I was kind of disappointed when I learned that there isn't a ton of savings with 9mm. You'll maybe save 8-10 cents a round if you're loading lead bullets. The savings are only 4-5 cents per round with plated or jacketed bullets. (Ballpark numbers)

It doesn't make much sense to spend several hundred dollars on a press to save a few cents. I am going into this as a new hobby, not expecting to save any money.

The odd or magnum rounds save you much more per round apparently. I guess that's an excuse to get into .357.

 

[llh1956]

I have a RCBS Rockchucker with a Piggyback progressive/auto index unit mounted to the Rockchucker. Ive had this set up for about 30 years and it still serves me well!

 

[Leadeye]

Look into bullet casting if you start loading bigger calibers like 44 mag or 45LC. Lots of money to be saved there.