Reloading Presses

[phddan]

Good advice so far.
With a good single stage, you can make and tune your rile rounds better than any way else. Two thumbs up for the Rockchucker.
With a good progressive, you can make tons of good, quality, plinking rounds. Two thumbs up for Dillion and Brian Enos.
And you just can't beat the warranty and customer service of these two, BAR NONE!!!

Dan

[NcongruNt]

I'm looking into this stuff as well.

I'm looking to get my first reloading setup here within a month or two. My specific needs are for both handgun and rifle rounds. Specifically, I want to load 9x18, .380, 9mm, 7.62x54R, and eventually .45 ACP and 7.5x55 Swiss. Because of the pistol rounds, I want to get a progressive loader. Yes, I understand a single stage is better for new reloaders... the progressives I am looking at will function as single-stage, and that's how I intend to operate mine until I feel I am competent enough to reload progressively.

What I'm looking at right now is the Lee Load Master. It looks like a setup in 9mm can be had for about $200 from Widener's:

http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm? ... 10|212|237

I am guessing I will need a tumbler and obviously dies for the various cartridges... any thing else I should think of (besides brass, bullets, primers, and powder) when getting a new setup going?

[nuparadigm]

... any thing else I should think of (besides brass, bullets, primers, and powder) when getting a new setup going?

You'll also need a powder scale and calipers. As long you're going with the Lee brand, there's nothing wrong with the Lee Safety Powder scale - as with other Lee products, it ain't pretty, but it does the job.

[biblefreak]

Lets talk color..... There are other colors of Kool-Aid than BLUE!!! I use a Hornady LnL that I really enjoy. I started life on a Lee Turret Press. It was a decent way to get started, but quickly found it to be lacking in function. The powder hopper was leaky, the disk measure that the Lee used was not the most thought out design in my opinion, and I just couldn't warm up to it. I quickly sold that and bought a Dillon Square Deal B. Was 10X the press the Lee was, but try pricing new dies! Ouch! Sold that and ended up with the Hornady LnL- very nice press that runs smooth, makes great ammo, LOVE the powder hopper (using the micrometer insert), etc. To be fair, I have never used a Dillon 550, but have spent some time on a friends 650. The 650 is sure nice, but if I was doing it all over again I would get another LnL.

Justin

[Jeremae]

Interestingly, since I am unable to afford a Dillon right now, I also am looking at buying the Lee Load Master.

For each new calibre you want to load you will need a set of dies, a toolhead and possibly a new shell plate (most shell plates can be used for more than 1 calibre).

For ball type powders (like win 231), I have found that the Lee AutoDisk Pro powder measure an excellant yet low priced tool for doing powder drops (I have seperate ones for each calibre that I keep mounted on the Expanding die so I don't have to mess with changing disk opening). For rod type powders used in rifle calibres, I would suggest buying a better powder measure system that allows accurate and consistant drops and the funnel attachment on the Expanding die.

For case cleaning, vibratory cleaners work well but are NOISY. Probably best bang for buck would be the Franklin arsenal kit that includes the tumbler and a rotary media seperator that Midway sells. A true tumbler is a little quiter but more expensive, best place to buy would be Harbor Frieght or Northern Lights (who also have vibratory cleaners). For cleaning media, buy bulk corn cob bedding (and/or Walnut shell) from petco or other large pet supply store. I use both, first walnut shell with jewelers rouge (can use bulk lapping compound from auto parts store instead of rouge if you can't find a cheap source) to clean case then corn cobb with polish (NuBrite car polish from dollar store) to polish and shine.

Measurement tools you need include a pair of calipers (don't need real expensive I bought a pair for $7 at Sears) and a good scale. If you know how to use a beam scale the Lee scale is acceptable but there are several electronic scales for under $50 that would work fine.

I keep a small shop vac by my reloading bench that is only used for cleaning up after reloading. I also have an adjustable lamp mounted over bench so I can shine light right where I want it.

Last thing to think about is storage containers for brass (and cleaning media, loaded ammo and other stuff). I use Folger's plastic coffee cans and I prefer the large ones.

[age_ranger]

Start with a good, heavy loading bench. You'll thank yourself later.....I got this one at Sam's for around $200ish

[dukalmighty]

I have a lee pro 1000 i load everything with,except 308.I on't like the primer feed on it it's hinky and sometimes flips primers sideways or upside down.and sometimes it will load several hundred without a hiccup.i also have a lee single stage fer 308 and stuff i only shoot a few rounds of when i go to the range.I m going on vacation and will be back in february upon returning i am planning on buying a better progressive press that is fairly quick to change calibres and cranks em out around 500 an hour pretty easy,i'm thinking dillon 550 but fer a little more the 650 automatically advances.but theres thehornady and all i know is when i'm reading up and comparing this with that myhead hurts a lot i'm still researchng cause if i ink a 1000 plus bucks in a reloader i don't wanta say shuckson the other hand dilons retain a lot of their value

[Venus Pax]

If you're wanting a bit more glam, try this http://www.glamguns.com/rainbow-brite-ammo-loader.html

[Mike1951]

That's just SO wrong!!

[Venus Pax]

That's just SO wrong!!

I bet most of you guys are upset that Dillon isn't producing the Rainbow Brite color scheme.

[dukalmighty]

If you're wanting a bit more glam, try this http://www.glamguns.com/rainbow-brite-ammo-loader.html

It talks about loading sparklys in the case so leaves a trail,when i use to shoot sporting clays we use to load a buncha chicken feathers in a shotshell behind a small charge of shot so the shell still felt "heavy" then when someone wasn't looking we'd slip it in their ammo bag and inevitably there would be a shot where the sky would be full of feathers and the look on their face would be priceless, i bet sparkys in the sunlight woulda been good too lol

[flb_78]

http://www.glamguns.com/ladydi.html

If I could get a S&W model 460 magnum for 657.95, I'd buy it, even if it was pink with diamond studs...

[NcongruNt]

Start with a good, heavy loading bench. You'll thank yourself later.....I got this one at Sam's for around $200ish

I'll be building my own in the near future. My German genes and heritage pretty much dictate that anything I build will be very solid and sturdy. Once I have it built, I'll post pics.

[NcongruNt]

Interestingly, since I am unable to afford a Dillon right now, I also am looking at buying the Lee Load Master.

For each new calibre you want to load you will need a set of dies, a toolhead and possibly a new shell plate (most shell plates can be used for more than 1 calibre).

For ball type powders (like win 231), I have found that the Lee AutoDisk Pro powder measure an excellant yet low priced tool for doing powder drops (I have seperate ones for each calibre that I keep mounted on the Expanding die so I don't have to mess with changing disk opening). For rod type powders used in rifle calibres, I would suggest buying a better powder measure system that allows accurate and consistant drops and the funnel attachment on the Expanding die.

For case cleaning, vibratory cleaners work well but are NOISY. Probably best bang for buck would be the Franklin arsenal kit that includes the tumbler and a rotary media seperator that Midway sells. A true tumbler is a little quiter but more expensive, best place to buy would be Harbor Frieght or Northern Lights (who also have vibratory cleaners). For cleaning media, buy bulk corn cob bedding (and/or Walnut shell) from petco or other large pet supply store. I use both, first walnut shell with jewelers rouge (can use bulk lapping compound from auto parts store instead of rouge if you can't find a cheap source) to clean case then corn cobb with polish (NuBrite car polish from dollar store) to polish and shine.

Measurement tools you need include a pair of calipers (don't need real expensive I bought a pair for $7 at Sears) and a good scale. If you know how to use a beam scale the Lee scale is acceptable but there are several electronic scales for under $50 that would work fine.

I keep a small shop vac by my reloading bench that is only used for cleaning up after reloading. I also have an adjustable lamp mounted over bench so I can shine light right where I want it.

Last thing to think about is storage containers for brass (and cleaning media, loaded ammo and other stuff). I use Folger's plastic coffee cans and I prefer the large ones.

Thanks for the tips. I do have a couple of questions.

Explain what a "toolhead" is. I have searched the Lee site, and have not found any reference to this equipment.

Also, for rifle powders - will I be able to replace the powder measure on the Lee Load Master with something more suited for this task, or does it mean that I will have to do powder charging manually? Any suggestions on what to get?

As for shell plates, it looks like Lee handily includes them with their die sets, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Also, for decapping, I don't see that included in the kit, and am a little confused. Does a decapping die fit somewhere on the Load Master when processing fired brass? I'm guessing I'll have to buy one of these separately, and if so - I'll add it to the list below.

I'm going to be initially loading for 9mm, 9x18, and 7.62x54R. Here's what I plan on getting so far:

Lee Load Master kit outfitted for 9mm
9x18 Carbide 3-Die set
7.62x54R Pacesetter Die set
7.62x54R Factory Crimp Die
Calipers
Case Cleaner and media
Electronic Scale
Case Cutter and Lock Stud
Chamfer Tool
Lee Zip Trim

Anything that I'm missing? Once I price everything out, then I can see when it is financially reasonable for me to get my new setup.

Then comes figuring out what to get as far as powders/primer/bullets/etc. That seems to be a whole other rat's nest of information I have yet to dare to venture into. I'm sure the internets and the kind folks here can help me when that time comes, though.

I'm also going to have to build some sort of brass catcher soon, as my PA-63 has very positive ejection, and spent shells land somewhere around 4:30, 10-15 feet away. 9x18 isn't generally a caliber you come across just scrounging around the range, so I'd like to catch as many cases as I can without having to get on my hands and knees to search for them.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

[age_ranger]

Bullet puller................