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First reloader setup to last
- Thread starter kgarrett
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I'm leaning towards a Redding Big Boss II (like how the priming process works) or RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme for a press, Hornady Auto Charge Pro or RCBS Chargemaster Supreme for a powder measure, steel media tumbler for brass cleaning (suggestions?), and am trying to figure out which case trimmer and dies next. Thinking about RCBS case trimmer and Redding dies.
Like the Frankford Arsenal press, but made in China so prefer to buy an American (or Canadian made ha ha) option.
Thanks for all the input and suggestions, keep them coming. Plan is to shop around local stores and Canadian online retailers for price and make a final decision.
Again, focus is on making hunting ammunition that is very accurate in my rifles.
Like the Frankford Arsenal press, but made in China so prefer to buy an American (or Canadian made ha ha) option.
Thanks for all the input and suggestions, keep them coming. Plan is to shop around local stores and Canadian online retailers for price and make a final decision.
Again, focus is on making hunting ammunition that is very accurate in my rifles.
I'm pretty happy with my redding ultra mag. I bought the lee challenger kit to start and broke my press within a week bought the ultra mag and that's all I've used ever since!
As long as I'm still using them or even if I can sell them at a loss I'm happy. I just want to minimize the amount of stuff that I buy and in the first year am already wishing that I just bought a better option to begin with.
M1A1ABRAMS
Well-Known Member
I would start collecting primers before, I bought any equipment ? Just to ensure I can get them. I think the equipment will be there in the future. This will give you more time to decide on what you want.
precisionshooter
Active Member
I'm using the thumlers tumbler it cost more than the FART but I believe it's heavier duty and it holds a lot more brass than the Franklin armory. Mine is going on 20 years old and still all original down to the plastic drive belt. I messed around with all kinds of wet media stainless balls, ceramic pins, and sunshine media stainless chips (which aren't magnetic enough) so I keep coming back to stainless pins. Get 5 pounds of it, throw in your brass, a squirt of Dawn dish soap and a 45ACP BRASS full of lemeshine. I used to run it for hours to get that super shine look, but it tends to peen the case mouths too much. 45 mins to an hour is plenty clean. I pull primers first not so much to clean primer pockets as I don't think that makes a difference on target. But with the primer pulled it's easier to get all the water and pins out. Pins will occasionally get stuck in the flash hole so you need to look them over carefully before loading. I dry on a cheap jerky machine Before priming.
I love my FA multi process brass trim machine. I trim, chamfer, debur and brush necks all on one tool. Saves a lot of time.
I'm loading on a rock chucker that's probably going to outlast me and it's 25 years old. I'm not big on kits. Here is my list.
Rock chucker Press
Chargemaster
Lyman trimmer(or any of the lathe type)
Chamfering,deburring tool. Primer pocket tool.
Some reloading trays
Primer tray. ( you can prime on the press just fine for small batches.)
A decent digital caliper
Get the Hornady headspace and bullet comparator tools
Hornady one shot case lube
Full length dies from Rcbs,Redding,Forster,Hornady.
I would stay away from bushing dies in the beginning. You can reload very accurate hunting ammo with standard dies.
Rotary tumbler works fine. Honestly I dont tumble my hunting brass much.
Rock chucker Press
Chargemaster
Lyman trimmer(or any of the lathe type)
Chamfering,deburring tool. Primer pocket tool.
Some reloading trays
Primer tray. ( you can prime on the press just fine for small batches.)
A decent digital caliper
Get the Hornady headspace and bullet comparator tools
Hornady one shot case lube
Full length dies from Rcbs,Redding,Forster,Hornady.
I would stay away from bushing dies in the beginning. You can reload very accurate hunting ammo with standard dies.
Rotary tumbler works fine. Honestly I dont tumble my hunting brass much.
Moondoggie
Well-Known Member
IMO, all good information here. I think you will eventually tailor to your specific needs and everyone is different. RCBS rock chucker or rebel. Bought the rebel (very satisfied with it) when I started a couple years ago. Not the kit, cause I personally think kits have useless stuff or a product you would rather have from another manufacturer.
Already looking at another press, only because I want a dedicated one for 5.56.
Must haves...a few manuals, which one to start? Pick one. I chose Speer. Reloading blocks! The first time you knock over a cartridge or dumped powder out of brass and started over because you weren't sure, then you'll understand. Get several. I made several out of persimmon wood I cut on my mill. Drilled on a press then coated with poly. There are several threads that give size of drill bit in relation to cartridge. A micrometer. I would not go harbor freight on this one. Get a decent one. As most others have stated, stainless pins are the Cadillac. Be sure to get a magnetic pickup!
Next piece of equipment upgrade for me...rcbs chargemaster. Mainly because I load a lot of 5.56 and 9mm.
Already looking at another press, only because I want a dedicated one for 5.56.
Must haves...a few manuals, which one to start? Pick one. I chose Speer. Reloading blocks! The first time you knock over a cartridge or dumped powder out of brass and started over because you weren't sure, then you'll understand. Get several. I made several out of persimmon wood I cut on my mill. Drilled on a press then coated with poly. There are several threads that give size of drill bit in relation to cartridge. A micrometer. I would not go harbor freight on this one. Get a decent one. As most others have stated, stainless pins are the Cadillac. Be sure to get a magnetic pickup!
Next piece of equipment upgrade for me...rcbs chargemaster. Mainly because I load a lot of 5.56 and 9mm.
I have agree with everyone's recommendations. I still have the first RCBS press that I started with many years ago. Buy what you like now, but things change over time and so will your needs or wants. I have four presses at this time for different purposes. I have passed some equipment on to beginner reloaders that I no longer use. My main press is a Redding T7 at present, but still do small batches on the old RCBS RS3. Good luck finding components and enjoy your reloading. It's enjoyable, not work.
You'd still need a trickler! Electric powder dispensers are great...used the old balance beams for 30 years before that. Rcbs still my favorite press but I am replacing all my rcbs dies now with Hornady.I concur with the Rock Chucker. I started reloading a year ago, and I suspect it will be the only thing I started with that will still be in use in another year.I don't know enough about them to recommend anything specific, but I DEFINITELY recommend you start with an electronic powder thrower and good digital scale! I started with scoops and a trickler, now I'm on a Lee deluxe perfect powder measure and trickler, but I wish I'd just bought a Chargemaster or such.
What Cagun said, plus. I do tumble my brass and mounted a RCBS priming tool on a board that I C-clamp to my reloading bench when I'm priming cases. Another change I made last year was to remove the expander from the FL sizing dies, decap with a universal decaping die from RCBS, and then expand necks with individual mandrels for the different calibers that I got through Brownells. Of course, to get the most benefit from managing neck tension, I also bought an Annealeeez for annealing brass and have been very pleased with how many fewer 'unexplained fliers' I have these days. Some years ago I purchased a tool to check run-out, which sets unused today, since I believe that the heart of accuracy comes more from consistent neck tension than most anything else.
Mike Matteson
Well-Known Member
THE RABBIT HOLE! You have found it. We'll spend your money for you
. By now your head got to be spinning. I would lean toward bushing die's, A good powder measure, and scale. Reloading manuals. I woud get a Sierra reloading manual to start with. It carriers more cartridges than any other reloading manual. Watch for used manual on Ebay or other places. Don't ever throw out your old reloading manuals. I started reloading in 1962. I load almost everything I got in firearms or can. (Cajun posted above has a very good list to start with.) ARE YOU BEGINNING TO FEEL THE RABBIT HOLE! It's deep too.
Primers are had to come by. Check your stores around you or it you go by one going or coming from someplace. Stop and look for primers. Most of the time you don't need mag primers. Unless you are loading 75gr+. Match or benchrest primers probable the best way to go. Get in different manufactures if possible. Most of us have our go primers, but it's best in working up a load to have different primers to compair too.
. By now your head got to be spinning. I would lean toward bushing die's, A good powder measure, and scale. Reloading manuals. I woud get a Sierra reloading manual to start with. It carriers more cartridges than any other reloading manual. Watch for used manual on Ebay or other places. Don't ever throw out your old reloading manuals. I started reloading in 1962. I load almost everything I got in firearms or can. (Cajun posted above has a very good list to start with.) ARE YOU BEGINNING TO FEEL THE RABBIT HOLE! It's deep too.Primers are had to come by. Check your stores around you or it you go by one going or coming from someplace. Stop and look for primers. Most of the time you don't need mag primers. Unless you are loading 75gr+. Match or benchrest primers probable the best way to go. Get in different manufactures if possible. Most of us have our go primers, but it's best in working up a load to have different primers to compair too.
