Basic reload question

[KRob]

I shoot when I've have time. Most of my shooting is mainly to taking care of pest problems, but also my yearly Deer, Elk, maybe a predator hunt or two here and there. I have a 223, 30-30 and in near future probably a 300 win mag. I probably go through 500 rounds of 223 in a year, and then maybe 50 of 30-30 and then maybe 40 of 300 win mag.
Is it worth spending money on a press, if so what kind.
What kind of dies would I be needing to buy? What other tools besides the press? If I am looking at some kind of kit what should I make sure it has.
My main goal would be to lower my cost; improving the ammo I shoot would be second.
Any opinions would be nice.

 

[7Rumloader]

Here are some kits to check out and some die sets to get you started. RCBS Lyman Lee 30/30 These are some good kits with all the basic needs covered except for primers, powder, bullets and brass. These dies are good for your needs and make high quality ammo better than some costing more money. I will think of any other basic tools that you might need thats not already in one of those kits and post them.

 

[KRob]

Would these kit have the diversity to progress to many other calibers then just the basics? I am seeing in the RCBS kit a small metal item it looks like a large dril bit, would this be for resizing casings? If so how hard is that?

 

[7Rumloader]

Yes you can load many many different calibers on these kits. I use the Lyman in the second link and have loaded from 22.250 up to 7 RUM and several in between. You can load for any of the calibers you listed and most any modern caliber until you get to the bohemoth cases bigger than the RUM cases then you would need a larger press opening.

 

[7Rumloader]

That is for chamfering and deburring cases after trimming them. Your dies and press do all the resizing work.

 

[KRob]

[ QUOTE ]
That is for chamfering and deburring cases after trimming them.

[/ QUOTE ]
So first you trim them (How nessisary is that and also how hard to master). However what is chamfering and deburring?

 

[7Rumloader]

You trim them when they get over a certain length. All cases have a trim to length published in a reloading manual. As you resize brass after firing a couple of times it grows in length by different margins depending on #1 quality of brass and #2 how much it is being worked. Chamfering is cleaning the burrs left on the outside of the case neck after trimming and deburring is the opposite being on the inside of the case neck.
It's not hard to master you only need to find you trim to length and then set your trimmer up to give you that length which involves moving some stop collars back and forth on a shaft until you get it where you need it.

 

[4ked Horn]

I have the RCBS Master reloading kit and I love it. I have since added a faster primer seating tool, A powder trickler, The case vibratory cleaner from Midway and a set of steel dial calipers and dies for all the calibers I own of course. The only thing I want to get now is some better sizing dies for my .308 but this set up as mentioned above get it done in fine fashion for the vast majority of my shooting. I have loaded several thousand .223s with this single stage press. It takes some time but the results are good and economical.

 

[KRob]

[ QUOTE ]
. Chamfering is cleaning the burrs left on the outside of the case neck after trimming and deburring is the opposite being on the inside of the case neck.


[/ QUOTE ]
I feel like i am asking a number of dumb questions but thanks for putting up with it. Could you explain more into this? What do burrs look like etc.

 

[7Rumloader]

They are visible once trimmed and very sharp. I am unsure how to explain the way they look. If I was at home I would post a pic showing the difference but I'm not. The tool is double ended meaning one end does the inside and one end does the outside. Maybe 4ked can post a pic if he aint to busy or I will do it when I get home in about 5 hours. A few pictures would really make it easier to understand. Help 4kie!

 

[4ked Horn]

Can't post a picture sorry.

Trimming shortens the length of a brass case. Usually a few thousandths of an inch is all.

Chamfering (or beveling) puts an itty bitty bevel on the inside and outside rim of the case mouth. If you dont chamfer you will have teency weency sharp edges (burrs)that will cause many unwanted results.

 

[7Rumloader]

One tool you must have thats not included is a caliper. Go with a good quality digital since they are so easy to read.

 

[7Rumloader]

Sounds like a decent explanation. Better than I could come up with at the time.
I was brain locked. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[KRob]

i was begining to gather that i was going to need a good calipher.