Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Reloading advice and basics.

Hello,
I've been shooting my whole life and have always had a desire to reload. I finally have the space to get started. I'm hoping someone can give me a basic overview of exactly what I will need. I really want the most basic set up that will allow me to begin producing quality ammunition while I'm learning and experimenting.
I'm a huge fan of short action rifles and mainly shoot 7mm 08, .260 Reminton, and .243 winchester.
Any advice or direction very much appreciated.

David

Buy as many reloading manuals as you can. Read them. They are smarter than any of us.

Others will chime in here.

Welcome.

+1

Once you determine what you need/want, shop around. Sometimes you can find a bargain on EBay, but be careful, know the equipment and what you can buy it for at Midway, etc.

Find an experienced reloader in your area and seek his help. Most gun folk, as you know, are good people and will be glad to help.

The Fire is a good place to ask technical questions; lots of expertise and experience. Lots of BS, too...

The best to you in your quest.

DF

And, I almost forget.

Welcome to the Fire...

DF

Good advice. Thanks for the replies.

How much do you shoot and how much do you think you will reload.
Basic set ups are great but if you do a lot of reloading you may want to start out a little beyond basic so as not to grow out of the basic equipment fast

I started with a single stage press and was pumping out over a 1000 rounds a week.
no internet back then
wish I would have known about Progressive presses back then. would have made things much more pleasurable way back in the day.
Don't get me wrong I loved my single stage but I love my progressive a whole lot more.

I forgot to add
have fun with your new endeavor
and welcome to the FIRE

Thank you! I've been doing some reading and it seems that most of the pros recommend beginning the way you did with a single stage for obvious reasons. I don't shoot all that much so in sure I'd be stockpiling even with a single stage...

Welcome to the'fire.
Yeah, I would say buy some reloading manuals and read the basic instructions. Buy manuals from the bullet manufacturer that you intend to use.
Work up slowly and ask questions. The knowledge on the fire may be confulted but, if you ask you can sift the crap and find the diamonds.

Ernie

Welcome!

I was in your boots back in January. I'd had a buddy doing my loading for years, but I started pulling the handle for myself.

I'd also recommend getting the manuals, but I'd do so with this twist: check 'em out of the library, if you can. I was able to do a statewide search to get several different ones, along with all the pertinent volumes of Ken Waters' Pet Loads. I was able to do a lot of shopping that way, before deciding which ones to buy.

FC

You can doa lot of shooting and have a lot of fun for a very minor investment IF the Lee Loader is made for the cartridge that you want to load for. It'll also give you a good grasp of the basics.

The loads given with the lee loader can be a bit limiting, but the simple addition of a powder scale and a loading manual can get you by those limitations.

If I wanted to get in a little deeper I'd look for a beginners kit from hornady.
Just looked and the Lock n Load kit from hornady is on sale at cabelas for $269... You'd do real well going that route...

Nosler manuals make the best reading. Hornady's are maybe the most useful. JMO...

Thanks so much guys. Plenty to think about...

I bought the RCBS rockchucker set.

Back then it came with scales,powder,measure,press and a set of dies of your choice.
Now i think they don't put a set of dies in the package but i would still buy it.

As far as books on the subject get several,there will be some overlap but they do make good reading.

My folks bought me an RCBS Partner press kit for Christmas 22 years ago, still using it today.

I have since added a trimmer, case prep station, powder measures, trickler, primer tool, and electric scales.

I cant remember whether or not the trimmer came with the kit, probably did, but aside from maybe the trimmer, you can get started loading rounds immediately with a basic kit like that. Of course it came with the speer book, and that served me well for years.

Good luck!

I learned basic reloading by reading a book called "The ABC's of Reloading", the Speer manual, the Lee manual, and watching Youtube videos.

I learned by reading the Lyman #48 (I think) and here at the fire + the old Shooters before it closed and I came here. Lots of people here that know their stuff. You will soon figure out which ones they are. Welcome to the fire, and pay no attention to the Azzholes. Again, you will figure them out soon enough. As to trimmers, when I used my first Lee trimmer in my drill, I gave my regular trimmer away. They are one of the first things that I buy for a new cartridge that I will be reloading for. Cheap, and while you have it chucked up to trim, you can inside champher (sp) and flip the tool and smooth the outside. Then grab a piece of Scotchbrite pad and hit the outside of the case. Move on to the next one. Good luck, and ask questions. miles

Count me as another shooters.com refugee that was asking the same questions as the OP back in 2000.

+1 on the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme Reloading Kit
+1 on the ABC's of Reloading Book
+1 on Ken Water's Pet Loads

Here's the long version of my answer I did for Deer and Deer Hunting back in 2011:
Should I Reload?

It's a 2-parter. The second part lists all my suggestions for what you should buy beyond the kit.

I'm now 15+ years into it. Neither I nor my sons have taken a deer with a factory load in all that time. I now load for over a dozen chamberings. The key pieces of advice that I can add to those two articles are as follows:

1) Make meticulous notes. I have every load written down. I can trace every round of brass from acquisition to disposal. It's a bore early on, but a few years down the road you'll thank yourself.
2) Don't be in a hurry. Starting out, concentrate on one batch at a time and run it all the way through to completion before putting another load on the bench. It's too easy to mix things up. 15 years in, and I now feel comfortable pausing after priming and resuming later adding powder.
3) Continually check your work. Your calipers and scales should wear out before your dies.
4) Be consistent. I started reloading at the same time I was working at a solder factory, extruding metal alloys into wire. My boss used to say, "If you fart while running the wire on Tuesday, make sure you fart the same way on Thursday."
5) Never go above the published MAX load. Stay well below until you know what you are doing. You will probably find your work is more accurate, and certainly safer.
6) Never trust a load you pick up on the Internet, unless you can verify it with published results from a reputable manufacturer. I use Hodgdon's online data almost exclusively anymore.
7) Learn to finger-tip anneal. This trick can make brass last forever.
8) Never eat or drink. Wash hands thoroughly after loading. Lead exposure is bad stuff.
9) Never have any distractions. This should be like meditation and not a party.
10) Never load for others. Your insurance may not cover injuries to others using your loads. If there is a mishap, the settlement could wipe you out.

You also might be surprised how useful, "The Big Book Of Gun Gack" can be. I figured it would only speak to advanced handloaders, but I refer to it all the time. It has kept me from going down rabbit holes that would eat all my time, but yield nothing for what and how I shoot.

FC

David,
Welcome to the fire.
RCBS rockchucker set.
The Speer reloading book.The Speer book I had was excellent..ie step by step..
They used to go hand in hand.
This is how I started and how I would recommend a new reloader to start, even today.
Throw the RCBS case lube away and get some Imperial Sizeing die wax.
RCBS die are good, but these days I like Redding.

dave