I need advice on what reloading tools to get.What press, neck turner, concentricity guage etc are the pros using? Also where can I get a tool, not sure what it's called) to measure my overall cartridge length to the rifle lands, on a video I saw David Tubbs use one). Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
need advice on reloading equipment
- Thread starter canuck
- Start date
At the bottom of this page click on Sponsers. Sinclair has a neat little press if you are using standard Redding style dies. I've been waiting for someone I know to buy one so I can try it out. They also have the tools you need for precision measurement.
Forum Boss
Administrator
If I was starting from scratch,and not loading at the range where a compact press is desireable), my kit would include:
Forster Co-Ax Press
K&M Arbor Press with seating-force gauge
Wilson SS Micrometer Seating Dies
Wilson case trimmer with mount
RCBS APS Hand-priming tool,and APS bench tool if large volume required)
Sinclair or K&M Expander body with expander mandrels
Hornady,formerly Stony Point) OAL length tool
Forster 45deg chamferer and Holland VLD chamferer,latter used sparingly)
Sinclair Delrin loading blocks
RCBS 1500 Chargemaster
Denver Intrument or Acculab MX-123 scale,I reweigh charges thrown by the Chargemaster)
Sinclair Case Neck Sorting Tool
If there is any money left over I would add a compact press for the range or a Redding Turret press. The turret is nice for holding often-used "miscellaneous" dies such as universal decapper, expander etc.
If you turn necks, you should add...
New Sinclair, K&M, Nielson, or Stiller neck-turning tool with carbide mandrel
Ball Mic with .0001 resolution,see: http://www.6mmbr.com/casenecktools.html)
Variable speed drill that can be set for low speed rpm
A concentricity gauge is nice to have, but I personally haven't used one that I can recommend unequivocally.
Forster Co-Ax Press
K&M Arbor Press with seating-force gauge
Wilson SS Micrometer Seating Dies
Wilson case trimmer with mount
RCBS APS Hand-priming tool,and APS bench tool if large volume required)
Sinclair or K&M Expander body with expander mandrels
Hornady,formerly Stony Point) OAL length tool
Forster 45deg chamferer and Holland VLD chamferer,latter used sparingly)
Sinclair Delrin loading blocks
RCBS 1500 Chargemaster
Denver Intrument or Acculab MX-123 scale,I reweigh charges thrown by the Chargemaster)
Sinclair Case Neck Sorting Tool
If there is any money left over I would add a compact press for the range or a Redding Turret press. The turret is nice for holding often-used "miscellaneous" dies such as universal decapper, expander etc.
If you turn necks, you should add...
New Sinclair, K&M, Nielson, or Stiller neck-turning tool with carbide mandrel
Ball Mic with .0001 resolution,see: http://www.6mmbr.com/casenecktools.html)
Variable speed drill that can be set for low speed rpm
A concentricity gauge is nice to have, but I personally haven't used one that I can recommend unequivocally.
Forum Boss
Administrator
Unless you have a combo press like a Harrell's, the arbor press won't full-length size your cases -- it's good only for neck-sizing and bullet seating. You need something like an RCBS Partner press to size the cases.
There is probably some kind of heavy duty industrial arbor that could handle FL size duties, but it would have to be very big and heavy.
There is probably some kind of heavy duty industrial arbor that could handle FL size duties, but it would have to be very big and heavy.
FALPhil said:
The Sinclair is probably the most popular and easiest to use.canuck said:
.
ronemus
Gold $$ Contributor
The best purchase to make when reloading for accuracy is Precision Shooting's Reloading guide; this is a tutorial, not a data book, and gives you all the details on how to do it right. A data book is also good to have since the loads are pressure tested and make a better starting point than information you get from people off the web.
A case tumbler is necessary, and while I can't recommend a brand, I can say that I'm not pleased with Midway's - the construction is shoddy and breaks down often,the lifetime warranty on mine is necessary, but current models have a 2-year warranty). I tumble with walnut before sizing to remove deposits and with cob afterwards to remove lube and to polish.
My favorite single-stage press is the Hornady Lock 'N Load - it's a strong O-frame design and the Lock 'N Load bushings make die changes very fast. It won't be wasted money if you decide to get a progressive later since nearly all competitors do their long-range loads single stage, even if they do their short-range ammunition on a progressive.
I like the Hornady New Dimension sizing die because the elliptical expander works very well - no runout problems, so I can decap, size and expand in one step,many do this as three separate operations). Imperial sizing die wax is the best lube on the market, making the sizing fast and uniform,be sure to lube inside case necks to get uniform expansion).
Since I shoot 3-4,000 rounds a year, I use a Gracey trimmer,would probably buy a Giraud now) and Gracey neck shaver. The Giraud carbide cutter makes the trimmer work much better. I set them up side by side and can produce 250-300 rounds of trimmed, chamfered and neck turned brass an hour. I uniform primer pockets using a Sinclair carbide tool and deburr flash holes with a RCBS tool, both chucked in a cordless drill - I use the uniformer to clean primer pockets because it does a better job of getting into the corners than a brush.
Primer seating is very individual. I prefer the Sinclair tool since it has the best feel of anything on the market, but it costs $100. Any of the hand tools is superior to using your press which has far too much leverage. I don't like the auto-feed tools because an accident that sets off a primer could set off a very dangerous chain reaction,primers are high explosives)! The RCBS hand priming tool that uses APS strips is good once the spring that tensions the ram is replaced with a lighter one,I think the one I scrounged is for the AR-15 buffer retaining pin), otherwise you can't feel the primer seat. You can buy empty primer strips and refill them easily with the RCBS tool, so you're not limited to CCI primers.
Instead of a powder measure, I use the PACT/RCBS PowderMaster/PowderPro dispenser and scale combination. I push a button to dispense a charge while I seat the bullet over the last charge; this is a fast as using a measure and gives me a charge weighed to +/- 0.1 gr every time. The downside of this scale is that the reading doesn't change until the weight varies by 0.4 gr; this makes manual trickling a pain since you have to bump the pan to get a new reading. I use the charge as measured to 600 and trickle on an Acculab VIC-123 for 800-1000. The original measure wasn't very fast, but the latest generation,beginning in mid-2003) dispenses in half the time. If you come across an old one it can be upgraded for ~$75. Today I'd get the RCBS ChargeMaster - it's faster yet.
The Redding and Forster Competition Seaters are equally good, so get whichever you prefer. Either will have problems with heavily compressed loads although the Forster is more durable and less expensive, but you may want to get another seater to handle them. However, accuracy usually suffers when the powder is compressed, so this may be a non-issue for you.
You'll also need some measuring equipment to set up your dies properly. A couple of dial calipers are handy, especially since you'll probably tie one up with a Stoney Point bullet comparator to measure seating depth. A Stoney Point OAL gauge is a great way to determine where the lands are so you can seat bullets to the right length. A Sinclair concentricity gauge is useful to measure runout, and is probably the easiest design to use. The RCBS Precision Micrometer is the best way to measure case length to size properly for your chamber, although a Stoney Point case length comparator on dial calipers is nearly as convenient.
There will be some miscellaneous items you'll want as well. Reloading blocks help you keep operations organized and prevent powder spills. A collet-type bullet puller will let you recycle many of your mistakes. A primer tray is handy to get them all facing right way up. A powder funnel is necessary, and one that incorporates a 6" drop tube will let you get more powder in the case. A chronograph is very useful,I like the CED Millenium), especially in combination with good ballistics software package,Shooting Lab by RSI is head and shoulders beyond anything else available at a reasonable price); this is especially true for long-range load development,>600 yards).
Of course, you'll need a supply of components,bullets, powder, primers), but those will depend on the caliber you're reloading and what you intend the loads to do. It's useful to have a selection of small quantities of bullets, primers and powders so you can experiment to find what your rifle likes.
A case tumbler is necessary, and while I can't recommend a brand, I can say that I'm not pleased with Midway's - the construction is shoddy and breaks down often,the lifetime warranty on mine is necessary, but current models have a 2-year warranty). I tumble with walnut before sizing to remove deposits and with cob afterwards to remove lube and to polish.
My favorite single-stage press is the Hornady Lock 'N Load - it's a strong O-frame design and the Lock 'N Load bushings make die changes very fast. It won't be wasted money if you decide to get a progressive later since nearly all competitors do their long-range loads single stage, even if they do their short-range ammunition on a progressive.
I like the Hornady New Dimension sizing die because the elliptical expander works very well - no runout problems, so I can decap, size and expand in one step,many do this as three separate operations). Imperial sizing die wax is the best lube on the market, making the sizing fast and uniform,be sure to lube inside case necks to get uniform expansion).
Since I shoot 3-4,000 rounds a year, I use a Gracey trimmer,would probably buy a Giraud now) and Gracey neck shaver. The Giraud carbide cutter makes the trimmer work much better. I set them up side by side and can produce 250-300 rounds of trimmed, chamfered and neck turned brass an hour. I uniform primer pockets using a Sinclair carbide tool and deburr flash holes with a RCBS tool, both chucked in a cordless drill - I use the uniformer to clean primer pockets because it does a better job of getting into the corners than a brush.
Primer seating is very individual. I prefer the Sinclair tool since it has the best feel of anything on the market, but it costs $100. Any of the hand tools is superior to using your press which has far too much leverage. I don't like the auto-feed tools because an accident that sets off a primer could set off a very dangerous chain reaction,primers are high explosives)! The RCBS hand priming tool that uses APS strips is good once the spring that tensions the ram is replaced with a lighter one,I think the one I scrounged is for the AR-15 buffer retaining pin), otherwise you can't feel the primer seat. You can buy empty primer strips and refill them easily with the RCBS tool, so you're not limited to CCI primers.
Instead of a powder measure, I use the PACT/RCBS PowderMaster/PowderPro dispenser and scale combination. I push a button to dispense a charge while I seat the bullet over the last charge; this is a fast as using a measure and gives me a charge weighed to +/- 0.1 gr every time. The downside of this scale is that the reading doesn't change until the weight varies by 0.4 gr; this makes manual trickling a pain since you have to bump the pan to get a new reading. I use the charge as measured to 600 and trickle on an Acculab VIC-123 for 800-1000. The original measure wasn't very fast, but the latest generation,beginning in mid-2003) dispenses in half the time. If you come across an old one it can be upgraded for ~$75. Today I'd get the RCBS ChargeMaster - it's faster yet.
The Redding and Forster Competition Seaters are equally good, so get whichever you prefer. Either will have problems with heavily compressed loads although the Forster is more durable and less expensive, but you may want to get another seater to handle them. However, accuracy usually suffers when the powder is compressed, so this may be a non-issue for you.
You'll also need some measuring equipment to set up your dies properly. A couple of dial calipers are handy, especially since you'll probably tie one up with a Stoney Point bullet comparator to measure seating depth. A Stoney Point OAL gauge is a great way to determine where the lands are so you can seat bullets to the right length. A Sinclair concentricity gauge is useful to measure runout, and is probably the easiest design to use. The RCBS Precision Micrometer is the best way to measure case length to size properly for your chamber, although a Stoney Point case length comparator on dial calipers is nearly as convenient.
There will be some miscellaneous items you'll want as well. Reloading blocks help you keep operations organized and prevent powder spills. A collet-type bullet puller will let you recycle many of your mistakes. A primer tray is handy to get them all facing right way up. A powder funnel is necessary, and one that incorporates a 6" drop tube will let you get more powder in the case. A chronograph is very useful,I like the CED Millenium), especially in combination with good ballistics software package,Shooting Lab by RSI is head and shoulders beyond anything else available at a reasonable price); this is especially true for long-range load development,>600 yards).
Of course, you'll need a supply of components,bullets, powder, primers), but those will depend on the caliber you're reloading and what you intend the loads to do. It's useful to have a selection of small quantities of bullets, primers and powders so you can experiment to find what your rifle likes.
Thanks for the input. I guess I shopuld have told people I already have been reloading for years but just for hunting purposes. I have calipers,the rcbs auto powder dispenser etc etc.
I want to get more serious about my rifles and ammo now. I have had a few custom guns built and want to get the most out of them. So with all the help from much more knowledgable people here I ordered a lot of new and much better equipment.All the stuff should be here in a week or so. I just need to order a few more things.
I feel like a kid waiting for christmas
Thanks once again for all the input and help guys....much appreciated
I want to get more serious about my rifles and ammo now. I have had a few custom guns built and want to get the most out of them. So with all the help from much more knowledgable people here I ordered a lot of new and much better equipment.All the stuff should be here in a week or so. I just need to order a few more things.
I feel like a kid waiting for christmas
Thanks once again for all the input and help guys....much appreciated
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