Beginner reloader setup

Very outside of the box thinking. I like this idea a lot. Seems very similar to the idea of check weights for an electronic scale! I hate to say it but I'm gonna be a professional thief stealing everyone's ideas from them on here
MarkInPA said:
I have a set of digital Mitutoyo calipers myself. A few years back I started to question if I was getting accurate measurements for one reason or another. So I purchased a 3" gauge block. Took my measurement and I was dead on. So that gave me piece of mind and gave me confidence that I was taking my measurements accurately.
Click to expand...
 
Fairly common in a machine shop to do a rough check once in a while using 1-2-3 blocks. I know that there are guys here with more experience with that sort of thing than I am.
 
Calipers wear out too, even the best ones. The thin section on the end of the jaws goes first, to check for wear simply wipe the jaws close them and hold them up to a light. If you can see light between the jaws they are worn. I witnessed a great example of caliper vs micrometer yesterday evening. I work in a small gunsmith shop and the owner was doing a rebarrel job, he's a notorious caliper user. I called him out and got a micrometer out. His measurement on the barrel shank was .004" different than I measured with a micrometer. He switched pretty quick, he was working on a customer supplied Proof Research barrel.

Just as an aside, I've never had occasion to use metric measurements when reloading.

This is a great thread!
 
Looking at the planned to get list in the first post I see the Forster priming tool. I have their bench mount priming tool. I like it, but I don't use it. It's a time consuming PITA to load the primer tubes and to set up for each different case. Much easier to use the RCBS hand priming tool.
I also have one of the primer flipping trays, which I almost never bother to use. Easy enough to flip them over when picking them up to put them in the priming tool.
Funnel, I'm still using the spun aluminum funnel that came with the Hornady kit that I first bought. It and the beam scale are the only parts of that kit that I still have and use. I see some pretty fancy funnels out there these days and for the life of me I can't understand why I would want or need one.
I've had one of the short little ID/OD chamfer-deburrers for a long time. I recently purchased the Lyman tools that have a screwdriver-like handle on them and find them to be FAR more comfortable to use. Enough so that I also bought the primer pocket tools that use the same handle.
After reading about it here I've switched to the IPA/Lanolin mixture for case lube and I'm vastly preferring it to the traditional case lubes. A paper towel lined cookie sheet (NOT one from SWMBO's collection!) to roll the cases around on and a pump spray bottle are the only non-consumables needed. Sourced all of it from amazonian reloading supply for close to what just one can of One-Shot costs, and given the typical amazon volumes for me it is nearly a life-time supply of case lube.

I use the light gap test semi-frequently. Good call, didn't think to mention it. I think that most journeyman machinists give calipers an unfair shake, but I also think that most caliper enthusiasts expect far too much from them.
Let me tell you about the carbide jaw Mitutoyo dial calipers that some dim-wit tried to use while the rougher was still cutting. Destroyed the narrow section of the jaws. Those were my first set of calipers. I carefully ground the jaws to remove the chipped section of carbide, but eventually grew to hate the .200"/rev. dial and gave them away.
 
ntsqd said:
Looking at the planned to get list in the first post I see the Forster priming tool. I have their bench mount priming tool. I like it, but I don't use it. It's a time consuming PITA to load the primer tubes and to set up for each different case. Much easier to use the RCBS hand priming tool.
I also have one of the primer flipping trays, which I almost never bother to use. Easy enough to flip them over when picking them up to put them in the priming tool.
Funnel, I'm still using the spun aluminum funnel that came with the Hornady kit that I first bought. It and the beam scale are the only parts of that kit that I still have and use. I see some pretty fancy funnels out there these days and for the life of me I can't understand why I would want or need one.
I've had one of the short little ID/OD chamfer-deburrers for a long time. I recently purchased the Lyman tools that have a screwdriver-like handle on them and find them to be FAR more comfortable to use. Enough so that I also bought the primer pocket tools that use the same handle.
After reading about it here I've switched to the IPA/Lanolin mixture for case lube and I'm vastly preferring it to the traditional case lubes. A paper towel lined cookie sheet (NOT one from SWMBO's collection!) to roll the cases around on and a pump spray bottle are the only non-consumables needed. Sourced all of it from amazonian reloading supply for close to what just one can of One-Shot costs, and given the typical amazon volumes for me it is nearly a life-time supply of case lube.

I use the light gap test semi-frequently. Good call, didn't think to mention it. I think that most journeyman machinists give calipers an unfair shake, but I also think that most caliper enthusiasts expect far too much from them.
Let me tell you about the carbide jaw Mitutoyo dial calipers that some dim-wit tried to use while the rougher was still cutting. Destroyed the narrow section of the jaws. Those were my first set of calipers. I carefully ground the jaws to remove the chipped section of carbide, but eventually grew to hate the .200"/rev. dial and gave them away.
Click to expand...
Seen two side of the road when it comes to the primers. They say it's all about feel? Watched primal rights video on priming which gets wayyyyy into the weeds on it. Talking about primer pocket depth vs length of primer pocket and anvil protrusion in the pocket and how it's all relative to primer pocket depth seating and proper "primer crush". Which I could see there being some relevance to bc if you aren't getting a 100% controlled and repeatable powder ignition then your sd/ed might be higher than what it "could be". Some say go for FEEL when priming, some say go for MEASUREMENT/MICROMETER when priming, and some say it's not important enough and to just find a method that you are fluid with. Was really wanting the Frankford Arsenal hand primer with the microadjuster or the Forster bench primer which is supposed to give more feel to the process. But I just stumbled upon a Lee bench primer in a deal that I acquired. Not too sure if it's truly a bench primer, looks more like a hand primer with the primer tray attached that can be mounted onto a bench top
 
A_Brandt said:
Very outside of the box thinking. I like this idea a lot. Seems very similar to the idea of check weights for an electronic scale! I hate to say it but I'm gonna be a professional thief stealing everyone's ideas from them on here
Click to expand...
Some think inside the box and others ourtside box. This is the place read and learn. Get to try out things that come up. Some you will use and some not. 😊
 
Start with the basics being meticulous and methodical, can complicate it later. You'll have enough variables to control early-on. Make a list of the things/tools that you want to try after you have a little experience to judge if they're going to possibly move you in the direction that you think that you need to go.

As a guy said when the first video of Cam's Chainlink first hit the web "Some guys don't have a box!"
 
ntsqd said:
Start with the basics being meticulous and methodical, can complicate it later. You'll have enough variables to control early-on. Make a list of the things/tools that you want to try after you have a little experience to judge if they're going to possibly move you in the direction that you think that you need to go.

As a guy said when the first video of Cam's Chainlink first hit the web "Some guys don't have a box!"
Click to expand...
LOL, you just reinforced my point!
FEENIX said:
My #7 post has not changed, because most recommendations will soon follow once you have gained the real-world experience and knowledge. Throughout the years, I have done more process improvements than equipment upgrades. There is no need to keep up with the Joneses now or ever. Good luck nonetheless
Click to expand...
FEENIX said:
You have it better than most when we started. My Best advice is to follow your reloading manual or video (RCBS has a few good ones), take your time, don't complicate it unnecessarily (concentrate on the processes, not the equipment at this time), and enjoy the learning process.
Click to expand...
 

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