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I am getting ready to start reloading and wanted to get some advice.

Should I start with a single stage or bite the bullet (pun intended ) and get a progressive? I know that the progressive is a lot more money up front. But more importantly, as a beginner, is it better to start with a single?

Thanks,

I think starting with a single stage or turret style press is the best way to go, others may differ. With either press you have a chance to monitor every step of the process once you have mastered reloading then you can step up to a progressive press. Another thing to keep in mind - - - for reloading rifle rounds and load development the single stage press is often superior to a progressive press. My $.02.

I agree that starting with a single stage press is wise, and you will always have a use for it even after you get a progressive.

However, you can run most progressives with one case at a time, almost like a single stage, to learn each step (resize / deprime, bell / powder charge, seat, and crimp) as one round at a time is produced. When you set the press up you will be doing this - putting one case in and running it through all the steps, to get the dies adjusted right. It would not hurt to make an entire box of ammunition one-round-at-a-time. After you've done that, you can start putting a new case in each time you advance the shell plate and run the press as a progressive.

So it is really up to you. If you think you will be loading rifle ammunition at some point, you might be best off starting with something like a Rockchucker, and getting a progressive press later.

Which ever way you start, you will have fun, learn much, and enjoy tweaking your loads for your own purposes (e.g. light loads for paper-punching and teaching new shooters, versus full-power loads for hunting or just "making major" class at the match).

Regards,
Andrew

mblud wrote:I am getting ready to start reloading and wanted to get some advice.

Should I start with a single stage or bite the bullet (pun intended ) and get a progressive? I know that the progressive is a lot more money up front. But more importantly, as a beginner, is it better to start with a single?

Thanks,

If you know you're going to get into it for good, get a progressive. I have a Blue Press RL 550B and love it!

Thank you MoJo, Bobcat, and Chamberc! I will definitely be reloading rifle cartridges (30-06, M1 Garand and Rem 1903). The more I have thought about reloading, I think it will be better to start with a single. For me, right now, KISS is the rule I should be following.

Both the single stage and a turret press will allow you to take it slow and simple. The advantage to the turret is you only set up the dies once. This really makes it nice when you want to load a small quantity of test loads.
If you are unsure that you will continue to reload then starting with a single stage will get you to reloading for the least investment. If you are certain you will be in for the long haul then I would recommend starting with a Redding T7 Turret press. Once you have mastered this phase then you can move on to a progressive. You will always have a use for both presses. I load my high volume handgun calibers on a progressive, my large revolver and rifle calibers are loaded on a turret press.

I actually just bought all my reloading stuff during the past couple of weeks, and I went with a single stage setup.

Looking hard at the RCBS Turret Deluxe Reloading Kit (Cabela's $380) and the RCBS RC Supreme Master Reloading Kit (Cabela's $290). Leaning towards the Turret.......

Also consider how much you will shoot. Of course you may shoot more if you reload. I too started with the Blue Press RL 550B and also love it. I did reload lots of shot shell in the past, so was somewhat familiar with the process of reloading. My only recomendation is to go slow and keep distractions away. I could probably go faster, but I'm comfortable at 250-300 reloads per hour. Have a good light pointed towards your press. Finally, know that if you have a squib load, stop shooting, unload and check your barrel to make sure it is clear. Keep some various size dowel rods (hard oak) for various calibers in your range box to help remove a squib or stuck bullet.

Good luck, it is fun! Stay safe!

lws380 wrote:Also consider how much you will shoot. Of course you may shoot more if you reload. I too started with the Blue Press RL 550B and also love it. I did reload lots of shot shell in the past, so was somewhat familiar with the process of reloading. My only recomendation is to go slow and keep distractions away. I could probably go faster, but I'm comfortable at 250-300 reloads per hour. Have a good light pointed towards your press. Finally, know that if you have a squib load, stop shooting, unload and check your barrel to make sure it is clear. Keep some various size dowel rods (hard oak) for various calibers in your range box to help remove a squib or stuck bullet.

Good luck, it is fun! Stay safe!

Great advice all around... although the 550 will do more, I also stay at around 300-350 an hour.

We as reloaders tend to forget there is really three different main styles that we need to address when this question gets asked and just jump in and answer with what we do. Even then we then can break it down further but the real question was answered latter when he said he was going to load rifle. With rifle the choice is really single or turret depending on how much he is planing on loading during a session. With a turret press repeatability will be allot easier as once the dies are set up they do not have to be changed out again. With a single stage you have to change out the die with each stage. If going with a turret press would also suggest going with one I could change out the head on so I don't have to reset the dies when I change to a different caliber.
There are advantages to both as far as the reloading process itself most covered above:

• single stage:
  done a stage at a time so you become intimate with each stage.
  each stage done individually so you know in a batch each round is identical.
  always nice to have a single stage press around.
  makes very accurate rounds if you are aware of what you are doing.
  cheap to get into.

• turret:
  all the benefits of a single stage except a little more expensive to get into.
  can produce a batch or just a single round.
  makes it real easy to workup test loads.
  when in production mode not as fast as a progressive but faster than a single stage. ( not sure this is a factor for rifle. )
  can be just as accurate as a single stage just need to pay attention to the job at hand.

mblud wrote:Looking hard at the RCBS Turret Deluxe Reloading Kit (Cabela's $380) and the RCBS RC Supreme Master Reloading Kit (Cabela's $290). Leaning towards the Turret.......

I bought the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Deluxe Kit for $700. I also bought a Cabelas Case Tumbler Kit with media, and RCBS resizing dies for .308 and .223 cases. I do want to buy an RCBS beam scale as a backup and for verifying the digital scale, and for use in building accuracy loads, but I haven't picked one up yet.

I've also just purchased:

• 200 new Remington cases in .308
• 200 new Remington cases in .223
• 100 Sierra HPBT 168 grain Matchkings
• 100 Sierra HPBT 175 grain Matchkings
• 100 Sierra HPBT 69 grain Matchkings
• 100 Sierra HPBT 77 grain Matchkings
• 1,000 Winchester large rifle primers
• 1,000 CCI small rifle primers
• 1 lb. of Varget powder

I'll pick up carbide dies and components for the various pistol calibers I own later. Right now, I just want to familiarize myself with the process, and learn how to build really good loads. Later, if I feel it necessary, I'll buy a multi-stage press, but I don't know if that will ever be that high on my list of priorities.

AndyC wrote:

mblud wrote:I am getting ready to start reloading and wanted to get some advice.

Ok, here's my all-time favorite piece of reloading advice:

Visually inspect every case for powder before you seat a bullet - trust me on this, or pack a brass rod in your range-bag so you can hammer the bullet out of the barrel at the range.

No, it's never happened to me

Great advice!

You better believe it, primers without powder are just powerful enough to end your time at the range with that gun...

And yes, out of the thousands of rounds I've loaded, I have done this more than once!

Great advice!

You better believe it, primers without powder are just powerful enough to end your time at the range with that gun...

And yes, out of the thousands of rounds I've loaded, I have done this more than once!

Or blow up your gun, or some parts of your hand if the bullet lodges down the barrel and allows you to chamber another round behind it and you pull the trigger. That is why you need to recognize the sound of a squib load. Essentially if it makes a small pop instead of a big bang, stop, and inspect!