What's needed for reloading?

[Chris89lx]

Hello all.
I'm kind of new to the site. Been reading a lot but never posted.

I want to start collecting the equiptment required to load ammo for my 7mm Rem Mag.

I want to load the Berger 168 VLD's.

What is required and what is nice to have?

Any recomendations on primers and powder?

 

[BigSkyGP]

Hello all.
I'm kind of new to the site. Been reading a lot but never posted.

I want to start collecting the equiptment required to load ammo for my 7mm Rem Mag.

I want to load the Berger 168 VLD's.

What is required and what is nice to have?

Any recomendations on primers and powder?

> First thing first, get a good reloading manual. Read all of the warnings, cautions, Do's, and Dont's. Read the Why's and How's. Best investment, and insurance for you and your rifle. I have read two manuals, in 20 years of reloading. I use them all the time for reference. I'm still learning how to reload.

 

[CRNA]

I second the idea of buying a reloading manual first. It is also VERY beneficial to watch someone reload some ammo if you have never done it before. I think it would be very difficult to reload ammo just by reading a book. It makes things alot easier and understandable if you actually see someone in action. It just helps put things together and understand the flow of the process.
I have a new 7mm Rem Mag myself and I am getting ready to start reloading for it. I have reloaded before, but I have never had my own equipment. I am going to let my wife by me some reloading equipment for Christmas this year. As far as powder etc, I went with H-1000, Sierra Matchkings 168gr., Winchester brass, and Federal Magnum rifle primers.

 

[Chris89lx]

Any specific manual you recomend?

I will be loading along side my dad with his 7mm Rem Mag.

He hasn't loaded recently but did some a few (20ish) years back.

My brother will also be reloading for his 300.

The idea is to split the cost of the equiptment.

 

[onzah]

Here is my shortlist.

Calipers
Hornady or Davidson gauges for measuring length to ogive
press
powder scale
powder measure
priming tool
bump gauge or headspace gauge, hornady works alright, your gunsmith can make one even better when he chambers your barrel
loading blocks
imperial sizing wax
chamfer tool
neck brushes
reloading manual

I use a few others but they aren't real necessary. I started without several of the things listed in my shortlist, but would never recommend it. Keep in mind a loading manual will tell you how to manufacture ammo, but there is a big difference in manufacturing ammo and handloading. Find someone to help you learn what each gun is telling you about your reloads.

 

[BallisticNut]

I have only been reloading myself for the past several months using friends equipment and or mine. Its a expensive hobby to start or can be depending on how serious you are about reloading. Lots of things to consider and lots of little things required as listed in the previous posts.

I have been researching my equipment and "wish listed" all mine on midway.com just waiting for the little extra cash to pull the trigger. Midway is running a good deal right now on the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Kit and it comes withs the reloading manual. As well, RCBS is offering a $50 rebate if you purchase $300 of RCBS equip. Which is almost impossible not to do.

Lee also has a inexpensive starter kit for around $100, the press and powder thrower are great but the powder scale blows so you will need a RCBS 505 powder scale if you go this route.

I have used both of these and feel RCBS is the better choice.

Once you order all your equipment and are waiting for its arrival, get started on your reloading bench. Read the posts in these forums on such before you start construction. Make sure your bench is big enough for all your equipment, then double that in size. Include lots of nice little cubby holes, partitions and shelving for all your supplies, dies and tools.

JMTC.

 

[Mike6158]

(1) A good reloading manual (I like Sierra but I have 3 or 4 others that I occasionally reference)

(2) A good single stage press (for rifle). Which press is the subject of much debate. I like my Forster (actually have two). There are others.

(3) Good dies. If you're just making bullets to shoot then most dies will work. If you're into precision then you may want to look into higher end dies like Forster or Redding (or whatever else is out there).

(4) Powder- See Item 1 for information on which powder is best for which bullet. Note that if you use Bergers you won't find Berger bullets in the Sierra manual... or Barnes or Hornady for that matter. You have to "work up a load" for the bullet. You can get a good starting point by finding a bullet of the same or similar weight listed in the manual and working up from the lower powder weight. Honestly... this is one of the most important pieces of the reloading pie. You have so many degrees of freedom in powder selection alone that the possibilities are nearly endless. You can literally tune a specific bullet to your specific rifle by powder selection and charge (assuming you use the right primer). The fine tuning comes from bullet seating depth and numerous other small but important pieces of the accuracy equation.

(5) Primers- It wasn't that long ago that the answer was "whatever you can get your hands on". It's getting better. Be picky.

(6) The rest of the stuff has already been listed. I will add that most of the doo dads and gadgets that I have acquired over the years don't see daylight much...

 

[Chris89lx]

Some very good info here. Thanks a lot guy's.


What about a kit like this to get started.

Wholesale Sports

 

[BigSkyGP]

Hey I just spent three days reading this online acuracy reloading manual, read Chapters 1-5: Hand loading for Long range 1: brass case prep - Sniper's Hide Forums

I learned a lot. I like his ladder test, and he explains very well how to find the right powder charge for your rifle, and your sweet spot.

I've been using a Lee classic anniversiary kit for over six years on my 300winmag. Sure there are better presses out there, I was short on cash at the time, and it still does the work.

 

[BigSkyGP]

Some very good info here. Thanks a lot guy's.


What about a kit like this to get started.

Wholesale Sports

> The kt will get you started.

I would look in the classifieds, there's usually some old lady selling off her husbands entire kit, who knows you could get the dies you need too.

 

[flyin lizard]

A nice manuel to start with is the Lyman number 48 or 49 reloaders manuel. It has a good section on the mechanics of reloading, discribes the diff. types of powders, and has a good list of reloading recipes with low and high charge weights,, many of todays popular bullets and powders are listed..