jsn_mooney
Marksman
I've had a couple of buddies ask me lately "what do I need to get into reloading?" I've thought about it, and although I don't claim to be an expert by any means, I have been doing it a while, and I wanted to sit down and figure out what I really use, and what I have just because I bouhgt it thinking I needed. I finally came up with something I think my fellow INGO brothers and sisters will hopefully find useful. I've put Midway P/Ns and prices on everything I've listed, I use Midway the most when I order stuff, and that way you can go to their catalog or website and see what I'm talking about.The prices listed are full retail prices just to give you an idea, everybody runs sales, and alot of this stuff can be bought used. I only ask that if you are one of those people that fail to realize everything has limits- read no further, reloading is not for you, and everybody will be a little safer if you continue to buy your ammo across the counter. For everybody else, lets pretend you've just got a sweet deal on one of those evil black rifles and now you are looking to keep it well fed and happy.
Bench- good and sturdy, homemade or store bought will work.
Press- single stage I prefer RCBS but Lee,Lyman, Redding all make good ones. Deals can be had on used ones, spring for a dustcover they help keeping things tidy. Rock Chucker Supreme Press #513-567 $125.99 Dustcover #258-088 $12.99
Scale- I'm sold on the Lyman DPS, there are others that are similar. They aren't cheap but, they're fast and accurate. Lyman 1200 DPS 3 #279-731 $280.99
Powder Funnel- gets powder from scale pan and into case rather than on case, buy the kit. MTM Funnel Kit #613-906 $15.45
Dies- I like RCBS but its up to you.Supposedly, Small-Base dies are better for Pump and Autoloader feeding, I use them. RCBS Small Base Die set .223 Remington #469-170 $33.99. Also a Universal decapping die is useful because it allows you to de-prime dirty cases which means you can de prime before you tumble before you size the cases. RCBS Universal Decapping die #372-023 $15.99
Priming Tool- I have bought and tried 2 different kinds of hand-held and press mounted primers. I like the priming arm that came with my press best of all. It's slow but it doesnt jam up.
Shellholders- Presses don't come with the shellholders, and neither do die sets. You can buy these individually for about $5ea but I've found the best deal is to just buy the Lee set. Nobody reloads for only 1 caliber- you'll see. Lee Universal Shellholder set #786-187 $20.99
Case Lube- you have to lube the cases before you size them or they will stick in the die, evenually you'll stick one anyhow. I've tried pads and powder and didn't like either, best thing I've found is Hornady spray lube-instructions are on the can. Hornady 1 shot case lube #438-512 $6.59
Stuck Case Remover- if you are really careful, you may never stick one. It took me a couple of years before I did. When I did, I junked a $50 Forster BR die trying to get it out. You may get lucky but for the money its good piece of mind. Hornady stuck case remover #131-002 $13.79
Tumbler- I didn't have one at first, but now,I don't see how I got away with it. Midway has a kit that has everything you need and often run them on sale. I the use corn-cob for cleaning and walnut for polishing. FA tumbler kit #413-369 $73.99
Case Trimmer- I've used lathe-type case trimmers but- the cheapest, best, and easiest I have found by far are the ones from Lee that you chuck the shellholder in a drill. Lee case length guage/shellholder .223 Rem #107-333 and Lee cutter w/ ball grip #136-199 $5.89. They are caliber specific and do a slick job of making sure everthing is the same length and your casemouths are square.
Case Prep Kit- Lyman makes a kit that you chuck in a drill and it allows you to de-burr/chamfer your case mouths after trimming as well as clean necks and primer pockets and remove the military crimp from primer pockets. Lyman Accessory kit #394-805 $30.49
Flash hole uniformer- Lyman makes a tool that I removed the handle to chuck it in my drill. It's got an adjustable stop-collar on it, which is what you want. Maybe I'm foolin myself but, if all the flash holes are de-burred on the inside and all the same diameter-that has to be a good thing. Lyman Flash Hole Uniformer #729-748 $11.99
Case Length Guage- Piece of aluminum with cut-outs of max lenghts of about every cartridge known to man. Invaluable when checking to see if your brass needs trimmed after sizing. Much faster than checking every one with calipers. Lyman E-Zee Case Length Guage II #559-802 $19.49
Lee Decapper- if you reload military brass you'll need one of these. They knock out the old crimped-in primer without breaking the decapping pins in your die. They also make one for 7.62. Lee Decapper and Base 22 cal #297-408 $5.39
Calipers- the digitals are so much easier to use. Needed for your COL measurements amoung other things.FA 6" Digital Calipers #604-242 $23.99
Bullet Puller- sooner or later you'll screw something up and this will save your components for re-use. Get the one that looks like a hammer, the press mounted ones tend to chew up bullets. FA Bullet Puller #215-517 $14.79
Loading Blocks- I prefer the caliber specific ones, I have made them out of wood but the plastic ones are easier to clean case lube off of. FA Perfect- Fit Reloading Blocks .223 REM #888-804 $7.19
Ammo Boxes- House brand work well for me, MTM's are a little more expensive. I usually buy by the 10pk. FA flip-top 50rd box (10pk) #282-761 $19.99
Manual- To me, the Nosler book is the best, and I have several.Step by step instructions for reloading are covered in the book- so, you really don't need an "ABCs"-type book as well.The internet is full of reloading sites with loads people have worked up- always bounce their numbers against your book to see what the max is, when in doubt the rule of thumb is to reduce by 10% and work up from there. Hornady's website also has a ballistics calculator on it that will figure the drop/drift for your load if you know the velocity (& BC but it has BCs listed for all Hornady bullets) Nosler 6th edition reloading manual #894-640 $20.99
-Chronograph- if you have the coin buy one up front, you'll use it more than you think, if not- get one as quick as you can. An F1 from Shooting Chrony is about as basic as it gets but it still gets the job done. Also, if you should let the air out of a Shooting Chrony Chronograph, you can send it back and get $50 off another one- ask me how I know?-always remember that a scope on an AR sits about 2.5" above the bore. F1 Standard Chrony #531-741 $79.99
Now all you need is some brass, bullets, powder, primers and a little bit of time. I buy once-fired brass because its alot cheaper than new, and I'm getting over 10 loadings at least on a case so missing out on 1 isn't a big deal to me. Also remember that new brass still needs sized, and possibly trimmed(unless you go with Nosler $$$)and if you get the processed stuff from Scharch it requires no prep. You can go cheaper but there's alot of work involved. Check around and see who has the bullets you are going to use on sale, usually, either Natchez or Midway will. Powder in the 1lb cans you'll probably be wanting to start out with for load development are better picked up someplace so the Hazmat fee doesn't apply. Varget, Reloader 7 and Reloader 15 work well for me in the .223. Primers are also best picked up to avoid hazmat fees the 1500 is probably your best bet, you'll need either CCI #41 Arsenal Primers or some kind of Small Rifle Magnum Primers for an AR- CCI#450/Wolf etc. They say that due to the floating firing pin of an AR the possibility of a slamfire exists when chambering a round loaded with a standard primer- basically magnum primers are "harder". I've gotten by with using the standard primers, but I don't use them anymore-why chance it.
I hope that this helps anybody who is looking to get started in reloading but doesn't really know what they need to get it going. That kept me from getting started for quite a while because there is just so much stuff out there, and I had no idea what did what, etc. It's not really that hard, and you can make reloading as simple, or complicated as you wish. Good luck, like I said, I'm no expert, if anybody has a better way of doing something chime in- thats what its all about.
Bench- good and sturdy, homemade or store bought will work.
Press- single stage I prefer RCBS but Lee,Lyman, Redding all make good ones. Deals can be had on used ones, spring for a dustcover they help keeping things tidy. Rock Chucker Supreme Press #513-567 $125.99 Dustcover #258-088 $12.99
Scale- I'm sold on the Lyman DPS, there are others that are similar. They aren't cheap but, they're fast and accurate. Lyman 1200 DPS 3 #279-731 $280.99
Powder Funnel- gets powder from scale pan and into case rather than on case, buy the kit. MTM Funnel Kit #613-906 $15.45
Dies- I like RCBS but its up to you.Supposedly, Small-Base dies are better for Pump and Autoloader feeding, I use them. RCBS Small Base Die set .223 Remington #469-170 $33.99. Also a Universal decapping die is useful because it allows you to de-prime dirty cases which means you can de prime before you tumble before you size the cases. RCBS Universal Decapping die #372-023 $15.99
Priming Tool- I have bought and tried 2 different kinds of hand-held and press mounted primers. I like the priming arm that came with my press best of all. It's slow but it doesnt jam up.
Shellholders- Presses don't come with the shellholders, and neither do die sets. You can buy these individually for about $5ea but I've found the best deal is to just buy the Lee set. Nobody reloads for only 1 caliber- you'll see. Lee Universal Shellholder set #786-187 $20.99
Case Lube- you have to lube the cases before you size them or they will stick in the die, evenually you'll stick one anyhow. I've tried pads and powder and didn't like either, best thing I've found is Hornady spray lube-instructions are on the can. Hornady 1 shot case lube #438-512 $6.59
Stuck Case Remover- if you are really careful, you may never stick one. It took me a couple of years before I did. When I did, I junked a $50 Forster BR die trying to get it out. You may get lucky but for the money its good piece of mind. Hornady stuck case remover #131-002 $13.79
Tumbler- I didn't have one at first, but now,I don't see how I got away with it. Midway has a kit that has everything you need and often run them on sale. I the use corn-cob for cleaning and walnut for polishing. FA tumbler kit #413-369 $73.99
Case Trimmer- I've used lathe-type case trimmers but- the cheapest, best, and easiest I have found by far are the ones from Lee that you chuck the shellholder in a drill. Lee case length guage/shellholder .223 Rem #107-333 and Lee cutter w/ ball grip #136-199 $5.89. They are caliber specific and do a slick job of making sure everthing is the same length and your casemouths are square.
Case Prep Kit- Lyman makes a kit that you chuck in a drill and it allows you to de-burr/chamfer your case mouths after trimming as well as clean necks and primer pockets and remove the military crimp from primer pockets. Lyman Accessory kit #394-805 $30.49
Flash hole uniformer- Lyman makes a tool that I removed the handle to chuck it in my drill. It's got an adjustable stop-collar on it, which is what you want. Maybe I'm foolin myself but, if all the flash holes are de-burred on the inside and all the same diameter-that has to be a good thing. Lyman Flash Hole Uniformer #729-748 $11.99
Case Length Guage- Piece of aluminum with cut-outs of max lenghts of about every cartridge known to man. Invaluable when checking to see if your brass needs trimmed after sizing. Much faster than checking every one with calipers. Lyman E-Zee Case Length Guage II #559-802 $19.49
Lee Decapper- if you reload military brass you'll need one of these. They knock out the old crimped-in primer without breaking the decapping pins in your die. They also make one for 7.62. Lee Decapper and Base 22 cal #297-408 $5.39
Calipers- the digitals are so much easier to use. Needed for your COL measurements amoung other things.FA 6" Digital Calipers #604-242 $23.99
Bullet Puller- sooner or later you'll screw something up and this will save your components for re-use. Get the one that looks like a hammer, the press mounted ones tend to chew up bullets. FA Bullet Puller #215-517 $14.79
Loading Blocks- I prefer the caliber specific ones, I have made them out of wood but the plastic ones are easier to clean case lube off of. FA Perfect- Fit Reloading Blocks .223 REM #888-804 $7.19
Ammo Boxes- House brand work well for me, MTM's are a little more expensive. I usually buy by the 10pk. FA flip-top 50rd box (10pk) #282-761 $19.99
Manual- To me, the Nosler book is the best, and I have several.Step by step instructions for reloading are covered in the book- so, you really don't need an "ABCs"-type book as well.The internet is full of reloading sites with loads people have worked up- always bounce their numbers against your book to see what the max is, when in doubt the rule of thumb is to reduce by 10% and work up from there. Hornady's website also has a ballistics calculator on it that will figure the drop/drift for your load if you know the velocity (& BC but it has BCs listed for all Hornady bullets) Nosler 6th edition reloading manual #894-640 $20.99
-Chronograph- if you have the coin buy one up front, you'll use it more than you think, if not- get one as quick as you can. An F1 from Shooting Chrony is about as basic as it gets but it still gets the job done. Also, if you should let the air out of a Shooting Chrony Chronograph, you can send it back and get $50 off another one- ask me how I know?-always remember that a scope on an AR sits about 2.5" above the bore. F1 Standard Chrony #531-741 $79.99
Now all you need is some brass, bullets, powder, primers and a little bit of time. I buy once-fired brass because its alot cheaper than new, and I'm getting over 10 loadings at least on a case so missing out on 1 isn't a big deal to me. Also remember that new brass still needs sized, and possibly trimmed(unless you go with Nosler $$$)and if you get the processed stuff from Scharch it requires no prep. You can go cheaper but there's alot of work involved. Check around and see who has the bullets you are going to use on sale, usually, either Natchez or Midway will. Powder in the 1lb cans you'll probably be wanting to start out with for load development are better picked up someplace so the Hazmat fee doesn't apply. Varget, Reloader 7 and Reloader 15 work well for me in the .223. Primers are also best picked up to avoid hazmat fees the 1500 is probably your best bet, you'll need either CCI #41 Arsenal Primers or some kind of Small Rifle Magnum Primers for an AR- CCI#450/Wolf etc. They say that due to the floating firing pin of an AR the possibility of a slamfire exists when chambering a round loaded with a standard primer- basically magnum primers are "harder". I've gotten by with using the standard primers, but I don't use them anymore-why chance it.
I hope that this helps anybody who is looking to get started in reloading but doesn't really know what they need to get it going. That kept me from getting started for quite a while because there is just so much stuff out there, and I had no idea what did what, etc. It's not really that hard, and you can make reloading as simple, or complicated as you wish. Good luck, like I said, I'm no expert, if anybody has a better way of doing something chime in- thats what its all about.