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

Reloading manual(s)
Starter set from any manufacturer. It will have the basics you need
Dies for the calibers you want
Sturdy bench or table on which to set up
Designated work area that is "only" reloading area



Read as many resources as you can and ask those more knowledgeable than yourself. In my opinion, as a beginning reloader, at least initially, don't get caught up in the vast amount of different techniques people advocate for bench-rest accuracy. There is nothing wrong with all of that and most experienced reloaders try some or all of it at times. Don't get me wrong, it's good information to know; however, the basic techniques outlined at the beginning of any reloading manual is all you need to get started to reload quality hunting ammo. There will be no shortage of self-proclaimed experts who will try to inundate you with their vast amount of knowledge.

I base all of this on your assertion that you want the most basic set up to get started. I think that is a good idea. You will learn real quickly whether you enjoy it or not. Your own desire to learn more and tweak more will make YOU decide how in depth you eventually want to go and how fine tuned you want your reloads to be.

Heed all warnings in manuals and other reloading sources.

I talk to a lot of beginning bandleaders and it seems many of them think faster is better. There are two major goals of hand loading. One is cost effectiveness. The other is being able to create quality ammunition that you can taylor to your firearm that will give you the best accuracy you can attain. That does not necessarily or usually mean fastest/highest velocity load.

Welcome to the fire. You've been given a lot of good advice. I'll add my $0.02.

You can never own "too many" reloading manuals. Each one I've read had excellent instructions on how to reload. I really don't think you can go wrong with any of them. I like Lyman for the fact that they give loads for all different makes of manufacturers bullets. So I'd recommend starting with a hard bound Lyman #50. But buy more as your funds allow. If you think you'll use Barnes bullets, buy that manual too. If you plan to use Nosler bullets, buy that manual too. And so on.

When I was first starting out, every time I bought a new reloading book I would read their version of the instructions on how to reload. It was a good refresher for a beginner and sometimes a different manual would give a new or different perspective on a reloading step.

Buying a basic kit is a good idea as it will save money over buying all the parts individually. Then you will need dies and shell holders for individual cartridges you will load (unless the cartridges are in the same "family". I.e. 243 Win, 260 Rem, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win, 338 Fed, 358 Win all use the same basic case and will share a shell holder).

Buy good calipers as they don't come with the basic kit and are an essential tool from the start. Buy a nice trimmer, the best that you can afford. It will last you years and save you frustration if it's a quality unit.

Once you 've decided reloading is a hobby you plan to stick with, I'd recommend a chronograph. I'd say beyond the basic reloading tools a chronograph has been one of the most useful pieces of equipment as a reloader. The ProChrono Digital is not a unit I've used but it has a very good reputation here as one of the better inexpensive units. It runs about $100 and will earn it's value back in no time.

If you later decide to step up your reloading game and go for optimal accuracy in your firearms then I'd suggest a concentricity gauge to see how good your loaded rounds really are. But that might be getting a little ahead of ourselves...

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions.

Another vote for having several manuals, you really can't have too many. Whatever brands of bullets you use, get those manufacturers manuals. If you shoot cast bullets, get Lyman's cast bullet manual.

As far as equipment, getting a kit isn't a bad way to go, but IMHO no single manufacturer makes the best of everything so my approach is to piecemeal a kit. If your budget is tight, go with a Lee kit. While Lee equipment is made to keep the cost down, I've loaded ammunition that is just as accurate as ammo loaded with the most expensive equipment. I'll also be a dissenting opinion and say that Redding is a much better choice than RCBS.

Welcome. As others have said, read all you can. For a visual aid, try the reloading DVD put out by Redding, it may help put all you've read in perspective, and make it "click". They also make excellent reloading equipment.

Jeff

If you know someone who reloads and can look over his shoulder, you'll cut your learning curve way down. I was fortunate to have an experienced reloader willing to show me the ropes, and I've returned the favor a couple times.

Do you know anyone who handloads? If so,have them help you get started and show you how they load their own.

Wish I'd thought of that

David,

Welcome to the Campfire!

In addition to the good advice already provided, I would suggest buying a chronograph, which doesn't measuring velocity but also a very good safety device, among other uses. They don't have to be expensive: The beginner's model I recommend is the ProChrono Pal, which can be purchased new for around $100.

Great minds Smokepole!

David - if you are not aware of it, Mule Deer is to be listened to.

Guys,
Thank you again for all the advice. One thing is for certain; We are all very passionate about the hobby/sport/lifestyle we love.
Much appreciated!

I believe there are videos/DVDs out too... I'd invest in that if I were starting, sometimes SEEING what you read about makes life a lot easier when starting out....

As rost495 stated, videos are a good way to see how everything goes together.

Here is a Sierra video featuring David Tubb reloading the .243 for accuracy. It is a rather long but very thorough video, worth watching when you have the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUnrYp0NH38

I'm a slow learner, better with hands on... I get headaches trying to read something and really envision it in my mind.

OTOH read something through first so the brain has "seen" it and then have someone show me or teach me hands on, its then really fairly easy.

I won't go into my teenage years not having a clue when I managed to screw a die in to far as a seater die and was crumpling my 300 wtby loads when I seated a bullet... had to go back and re read and realize I finally ran into some tolerance stacking, and then actually UNDERSTAND how the crimp part of the die worked and come up with a new method of setting my seating dies up....