Considering to start reloading

[bulletsmith]

No bad advice here (as usual). Pick the press you want to start with. Lee makes getting started affordable. I started with Lee and stayed with it for 30 ish years. I think there are better solutions out there, but I'd be hard pressed to warn anybody off of Lee to start.

Timing is good. Factory ammo is cheap so you can collect brass rather affordably. Follow the manuals, learn to read the signs of pressure, and document everything. I feel this is not said enough. Log your recipes and procedures as though you are leaving instructions for somebody who will come after you are gone. Sometimes that someone is you, and it's been so long that you don't remember as well as you thought you would. Consistency is your friend.

 

[trailrider]

I started reloading about 7-8 years ago. Mostly rifle ammo. It took a pretty big initial investment but 300wsm costs $3 per round. Now I have enough stock to make several hundred rounds in several different calibers. Look for used equipment/dies/components in the classifieds. I don't mess with target pistol ammo but I do reload personal protection. Single stage is all I need. Good luck!

 

[LarryC]

Having reloaded for many years (Son and I have been reloading handgun ammo for over 30 years / rifle for 25+), I 100% agree with starting with the Lee system. Over the years we have accumulated many single stage presses, the Lee progressive, and a few years ago a complete Hornady Lock and Load system (well over $2,000 in it) and have the capabilities to reload well over 30 calibers. Son went with the L&L system VS Dillon due to the change over time and cost. He is doing most of the reloading now and has been very satisfied with the Hornady, but I wouldn't recommend a new reloader spend the money on either Dillon or Hornady until they were sure they wanted to continue to reload a lot.

The Lee equipment and dies are very inexpensive and in my opinion are hard to beat in quality. We have dies from almost every vendor, some in carbide, some steel. The Lee's still do a great job if we do ours.

 

[Jagermeister]

I am prone to Redding dies and I use RCBS presses.