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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Reloading
Recommended Reloading Equipment
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<blockquote data-quote="boomtube" data-source="post: 271181" data-attributes="member: 9215"><p>Fact is, a good loader can assemble excellant ammo on about anything currently available. A poor loader can't, no matter how much he spends on equipment. Meaning, the most critical eliment is YOU!</p><p> </p><p>Kits are okay, in a way, in that you don't have to make any decisions about the basic tools, but I don't care for "kits". I buy my gear based on features, not brand. I would hate to have to start with a batch of tools all the same color since that wouldn't fit my methods very well. If you get a kit, it really won't make much difference which one, in the long run. </p><p> </p><p>Fancy and expensive tools, such as digital powder dispensers, turret/progressive presses, powered case trimmers, micrometer heads on seater dies, etc., can make loading faster but do absolutely NOTHING to improve the quality of your ammo. And it can actually impede the quest for quality if you get caught up in seeing volumes of rapidly made ammo. Your current perspective on that is GOOD!</p><p> </p><p>Top grade 7/8" x 14 dies (meaning Redding and Forster, ONLY, IMHO) are nice. Sorta. Actually, the difference in ammo made with ANY of the less expensive dies (which are all quite good) on average, I've found one brand is about as good as any other. The much more expensive dies are really not all that much greater, and that not instantly. I use the better dies for my better rifiles, now, and love them. But it took a loong time for me to become a sufficently good reloader to actually see any difference in using them. My more common factory sporting rifles can't tell if I loaded the ammo iwth Lee or Redding/Forster dies.</p><p> </p><p>SO! Get a good, solid single stage press (the Lee Classic Cast is as good as any , better than some and a LOT less expensive too), actually any current press of that type will do nicely. A good (beam) powder scale (RCBS 505 is great). Dies/shell holders. A case trimmer (a simple one). Get a double ended case deburring tool, any brand. A drum type powder dispenser with a "micrometer head" and a heavy trickler (OK, both of these should be Redding's). A powder funnel, any brand. Two loading blocks in a size to match each of your cartridges. An inexpensive 6" stainless steel dial caliper (maybe an inexpensive micrometer too?). A tumbler is nice, any will do as well as any other, ditto the media type. A Lee Autoprime tool, and its shellholder kit. "Imperial Die Wax" or Hornady's "Unique" case lube(applied with finger tips) is as good as it gets. </p><p> </p><p>Perhaps the most important single reloading "tool" is a good bench with lots of strength, lots of storage and lots of light. All that rarely gets mentioned but it's VERY important. Most of us build our own so lots of us have some good ideas about benches and it needs thread of it's own.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="boomtube, post: 271181, member: 9215"] Fact is, a good loader can assemble excellant ammo on about anything currently available. A poor loader can't, no matter how much he spends on equipment. Meaning, the most critical eliment is YOU! Kits are okay, in a way, in that you don't have to make any decisions about the basic tools, but I don't care for "kits". I buy my gear based on features, not brand. I would hate to have to start with a batch of tools all the same color since that wouldn't fit my methods very well. If you get a kit, it really won't make much difference which one, in the long run. Fancy and expensive tools, such as digital powder dispensers, turret/progressive presses, powered case trimmers, micrometer heads on seater dies, etc., can make loading faster but do absolutely NOTHING to improve the quality of your ammo. And it can actually impede the quest for quality if you get caught up in seeing volumes of rapidly made ammo. Your current perspective on that is GOOD! Top grade 7/8" x 14 dies (meaning Redding and Forster, ONLY, IMHO) are nice. Sorta. Actually, the difference in ammo made with ANY of the less expensive dies (which are all quite good) on average, I've found one brand is about as good as any other. The much more expensive dies are really not all that much greater, and that not instantly. I use the better dies for my better rifiles, now, and love them. But it took a loong time for me to become a sufficently good reloader to actually see any difference in using them. My more common factory sporting rifles can't tell if I loaded the ammo iwth Lee or Redding/Forster dies. SO! Get a good, solid single stage press (the Lee Classic Cast is as good as any , better than some and a LOT less expensive too), actually any current press of that type will do nicely. A good (beam) powder scale (RCBS 505 is great). Dies/shell holders. A case trimmer (a simple one). Get a double ended case deburring tool, any brand. A drum type powder dispenser with a "micrometer head" and a heavy trickler (OK, both of these should be Redding's). A powder funnel, any brand. Two loading blocks in a size to match each of your cartridges. An inexpensive 6" stainless steel dial caliper (maybe an inexpensive micrometer too?). A tumbler is nice, any will do as well as any other, ditto the media type. A Lee Autoprime tool, and its shellholder kit. "Imperial Die Wax" or Hornady's "Unique" case lube(applied with finger tips) is as good as it gets. Perhaps the most important single reloading "tool" is a good bench with lots of strength, lots of storage and lots of light. All that rarely gets mentioned but it's VERY important. Most of us build our own so lots of us have some good ideas about benches and it needs thread of it's own. [/QUOTE]
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