Want to start reloading. - The Firearms Forum

devildog1371 · 02-12-2013, 06:37 PM

I have been shooting for a long time and go through alot of ammo. and was lookig into reloading. but i dont know anything about it other then what i have researched on line and in books. would like some advise on what kind of press is better and if a Hornady Lock-N-Loaded Classic set is good for a beginner?

thanks

howlnmad · 02-12-2013, 06:59 PM

You picked a hellova good time to start. With all the hoarding, panic buying and gov contracts, supplies are getting hard to come by. The Hornady is a real good single stage press. What will you be loading and how much?

Oh yeah, welcome to TFF.

soundguy · 02-12-2013, 07:11 PM

you are gonna get tons of opinions on what is the right style to start with.

the 2 main sides will be a single stage, or some sort of turret or progressive press.

me.. personally.. I think single stage is easier to lear on, and the least investment.. especially for somebody who may not like it once theyget into it.

why sped 1000$ to get in.. then find it's not for you.

a cheap single stage can get you up and running for a couple hundred bucks and actually have some extras besides the basics in the kit. for instance.. a basic lee kit can be had near 100$.. and with a set of dies.. you can almost get started.. a set of calipers helps though.. ) add 100$ of goodies and you are ready to reload rifle and pistol.. etc.. if you don't like it you can sell it and get more than half your $$ back and call it a good training session..

get into a turret or progressive.. and it's enough investment you kinda HAVE to stay with it..

turett will let you single step thru each stage.. many progressives can disable the auto index as well..e tc.

here's some advice.. relaoding may not immediately save you any $$.. but you will shoot more with the $$ you spend.

if you start relaoding very expensive stuff that is premium and hard to find ($$).. like safari cartridges or any of the expensive magnums.. etc.. then you actually can quickly save money..

a box of 20 458 win mags can cost 80-100$ on a store shelf. they can be reloaded for much, much, much less.. etc.

Twicepop · 02-12-2013, 08:58 PM

Before you start, buy a couple of good reloading manuals and read them thoroughly. Speer make a great manual with a lot of good information and techniques. Their book is based from a bullet manufacturers stand point. Hodgden is another good manual, with their information being from a powder manufacturers stand point. Lyman has a good manual that is from a reloading tool manufacturers stand point. Sierra also has a great book as does Hornady. Just starting, I would recomend a good single stage press. No moving parts to confuse, or have the possibility to go out of cycle. I,ve been loading 30+ years and have not found the need to go with a progressive. My personel recomendation is the Redding Big Boss, or Bigg BossII. There has been a few pieces in the Forum about some problems with Hornady Lock&Load. Redding, RCBS, and Lyman all make good presses that use a standard 7/8-14 die thread that has worked almost flawlessly for years. I would choose any of them over the Hornady system. But, start with a couple of good manuals, and the equipment choices are yours to call.

CampingJosh · 02-12-2013, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundguy

me.. personally.. I think single stage is easier to lear on, and the least investment.. especially for somebody who may not like it once theyget into it.

why sped 1000$ to get in.. then find it's not for you.

get into a turret or progressive.. and it's enough investment you kinda HAVE to stay with it..

The price difference from a single stage press to a turret press from the same company is usually less than $20. My Lyman turret kit was only $13 more than that exact same kit with a single stage press. A Lee Classic Turret is just a few bucks more than the Lee Classic O-frame press.
With that little of a difference, cost can't be the factor that makes you choose a single stage.

A turret press can always be used as a single stage, but if you buy a single stage and decide you want to speed up, you have to pay your full initial cost again plus a few bucks more to get the turret.

Caneman · 02-12-2013, 09:59 PM

RCBS Rockchucker kit will get you started, and you will always use it even if you move on to a progressive...

soundguy · 02-13-2013, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CampingJosh

A turret press can always be used as a single stage, but if you buy a single stage and decide you want to speed up, you have to pay your full initial cost again plus a few bucks more to get the turret.

I mentione dthat a turet can be used as a single stage.

also.. some can be upgraded, so you are not paying your full investment again. rcbs has an add on kit for the rock chucker and other of it's high end single stage presses to upgrade them.

besides i know plenty of guys with numerous presses.. even with large expensive ones.. many of them still use their single for small runs or load development.

I have 3 single stage presses.. 1 setup as a deprime and or deprime / resize station, one i load on.. and one i can take to the range with me.

if you get into a single and love reloading and move up, the single makes a great 2nd station, backup, or sale to recoup cost.. or gift to get another person into reloading.

all my guns fire... when i bought my 2nd gun, it didn't obsolete my first gun.. even if the 2nd gun had more bells and whistles.

dbcooper · 02-13-2013, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caneman

RCBS Rockchucker kit will get you started, and you will always use it even if you move on to a progressive...

everyone needs a Rockchucker in their reloading room

I started with a Rockchucker and a used Lee Loadmaster and ended up with a Dillon 650, which I love

Caneman · 02-13-2013, 01:03 PM

i agree... Mom, apple pie, football, and a RCBS Rockchucker

RustyFN · 02-13-2013, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devildog1371

I have been shooting for a long time and go through alot of ammo. and was lookig into reloading. but i dont know anything about it other then what i have researched on line and in books. would like some advise on what kind of press is better and if a Hornady Lock-N-Loaded Classic set is good for a beginner?

thanks

The only problem I see with this is if you are loading pistol ammo after 2 or 3 weeks the rockchunker will get slow and old fast. I wouldn't recommend anything less than the Lee classic turret. You can use it as a single stage and when you want to go faster install the auto indexing rod and load close to 200 rounds per hour. I have never owned a single stage press and have never found the need for one yet but I have only been reloading for seven years.

Pustic · 02-13-2013, 04:17 PM

I handload three cartridges, .45 LC, .30-30, and 7.62X54R, all with Lyman 310 tools.

soundguy · 02-14-2013, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RustyFN

The only problem I see with this is if you are loading pistol ammo after 2 or 3 weeks the rockchunker will get slow and old fast. .

you guys must be independently wealth and not have to work or something

I simply can't find enough time to shoot sooo much that i can outrun my single stage press.

right now I can make WAY more ammo that I can send downrange, UNLESS i'm using a fast gun. If using a fast gun.. then yeah.. you can outshoot production easy.. but who wants to shell out their bullet hose continously like that. reduces value..

02-12-2013, 06:37 PM	#1
devildog1371 Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: CA Posts: 1	Want to start reloading. I have been shooting for a long time and go through alot of ammo. and was lookig into reloading. but i dont know anything about it other then what i have researched on line and in books. would like some advise on what kind of press is better and if a Hornady Lock-N-Loaded Classic set is good for a beginner? thanks __________________ ”A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.” ~George Washington -->

02-12-2013, 06:59 PM	#2
howlnmad Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Harriman, Tn Contributor Posts: 2,565	Re: Want to start reloading. You picked a hellova good time to start. With all the hoarding, panic buying and gov contracts, supplies are getting hard to come by. The Hornady is a real good single stage press. What will you be loading and how much? Oh yeah, welcome to TFF. __________________

02-12-2013, 07:11 PM	#3
soundguy Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: florida Contributor Posts: 4,406	Re: Want to start reloading. you are gonna get tons of opinions on what is the right style to start with. the 2 main sides will be a single stage, or some sort of turret or progressive press. me.. personally.. I think single stage is easier to lear on, and the least investment.. especially for somebody who may not like it once theyget into it. why sped 1000$ to get in.. then find it's not for you. a cheap single stage can get you up and running for a couple hundred bucks and actually have some extras besides the basics in the kit. for instance.. a basic lee kit can be had near 100$.. and with a set of dies.. you can almost get started.. a set of calipers helps though.. ) add 100$ of goodies and you are ready to reload rifle and pistol.. etc.. if you don't like it you can sell it and get more than half your $$ back and call it a good training session.. get into a turret or progressive.. and it's enough investment you kinda HAVE to stay with it.. turett will let you single step thru each stage.. many progressives can disable the auto index as well..e tc. here's some advice.. relaoding may not immediately save you any $$.. but you will shoot more with the $$ you spend. if you start relaoding very expensive stuff that is premium and hard to find ($$).. like safari cartridges or any of the expensive magnums.. etc.. then you actually can quickly save money.. a box of 20 458 win mags can cost 80-100$ on a store shelf. they can be reloaded for much, much, much less.. etc.

02-12-2013, 08:58 PM	#4
Twicepop Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 581	Re: Want to start reloading. Before you start, buy a couple of good reloading manuals and read them thoroughly. Speer make a great manual with a lot of good information and techniques. Their book is based from a bullet manufacturers stand point. Hodgden is another good manual, with their information being from a powder manufacturers stand point. Lyman has a good manual that is from a reloading tool manufacturers stand point. Sierra also has a great book as does Hornady. Just starting, I would recomend a good single stage press. No moving parts to confuse, or have the possibility to go out of cycle. I,ve been loading 30+ years and have not found the need to go with a progressive. My personel recomendation is the Redding Big Boss, or Bigg BossII. There has been a few pieces in the Forum about some problems with Hornady Lock&Load. Redding, RCBS, and Lyman all make good presses that use a standard 7/8-14 die thread that has worked almost flawlessly for years. I would choose any of them over the Hornady system. But, start with a couple of good manuals, and the equipment choices are yours to call.

02-12-2013, 09:59 PM	#6
Caneman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,244	Re: Want to start reloading. RCBS Rockchucker kit will get you started, and you will always use it even if you move on to a progressive...

02-13-2013, 01:03 PM	#9
Caneman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,244	Re: Want to start reloading. i agree... Mom, apple pie, football, and a RCBS Rockchucker

02-13-2013, 04:17 PM	#11
Pustic V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Western Kentucky Posts: 146	Re: Want to start reloading. I handload three cartridges, .45 LC, .30-30, and 7.62X54R, all with Lyman 310 tools. __________________ No matter what they say or do, I will never surrender my guns. Am I paranoid? Nope, I'm heavily armed.