Just getting started in reloading/hand loading. Bought rockchucker supreme off a friend . Looking to start with 45acp 9mm& 223. Looking at dies and its a little overwhelming not trying to do any precision shooting yet but don't want to buy junk. Also looking for scale, powder drop/measures, hand priming tools and all the case prep tools to. I'm sure its been asked before but looking for some advise. Also trying to do it on a budget but if it takes longer to buy quality I'm fine with that. Buy once cry once. Ordered a Sinclair catalog yesterday. Any help pointers would be greatly appreciated thanks.
new to handloading
- Thread starter handloadc
- Start date
Here is some advice: DO YOUR HOMEWORK to find out exactly what you need. That means "getting a very experienced reloader as a mentor"! This will save you much time and many $$$s.. READ, READ, READ and ASK QUESTIONS before you buy! This forum is a GREAT resource for much of what you are looking for. However, I can't stress enough, get a mentor!
ShootDots said:
+1 as this is kinda like learning his to play an Instrument. Hard to do just from a book. Buy several, I found How to reload and the Lyman 49th as great resources and very useful.
Parts quality can vary, but starting off I found RCBS dies to be just fine. When you become an excellent reloader you can still sell them. Get carbide for pistol cartridges. That is $ well spent. Hand priming, I use a Lee ergo-prime, it works just be delicate and you'll get years of use. Shellholder: a Lee kit for the primer tool and a Lee kit for the press. A good pair of calipers will be a must, as well as a beam scale. You can survive without a powder measure, but you'll want one soon. Measure all charges to start and go slow. Tons more advice is out there so research a lot!
-Mac
Awfully hard to go wrong with RCBS or Redding dies. For the pistol rounds you should buy carbide dies. Read the equipment reviews on scales and other ancillary equipment. Powder drops by Harrels are the accuracy standard, but there are other good ones. Just go slow with tools until you're certain what you want and need.
You can prep the cases in batches through each die. But starting out, when you charge the case with powner IMMEDIATELY seat a bullet in that case. This will prevent accidentally double charging a case. As you gain skills and confidence in the procedures you may alter this process. After 40 years of reloading I charge and seat bullets one at a time using an electronic dispenser/scale....seating the bullet in a charged case while the powder for the next one is being dispensed into the scale. YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO SAFE. CHARGE CASES CAREFULLY.
deepwater
deepwater
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
don't go crazy with neck turning and concentricity gauges! They will just give you heartburn and at this stage it is better to learn the basics, develop a detailed procedure that you do every time and keep it simple, shoot A LOT. Tightening the nut behind the gun is the best way to shoot better.
Get a real mentor, not BillyBob the septic cleaner who makes boolits.
Get a beam scale. Find a fleabay RCBS 505 or 10-10. Get a Redding BR30 or even a 10X and you will love it.
For rifle loading stick with a single stage press till you really get good. For every accurate rifle buy a Redding COMP seat die. Best money spent for accuracy. Diminishing returns on the other stuff. Use good brass, not range crap. Buy a caliper and some means to measure OAL to the land bearing point (ogive). Sinclair makes a fine little hex nut for doing this. Use a hand primer and at least uniform primer pockets if you do not use Lapua brass. Get a used case trimmer...Wilsons are great, but if all you are doing is lots of 223, try teh WFT. I like mine, just make sure to size then trim. Get a chamfer tool or two and two cheap battery drills. That way you don't wear out your hands and you don't have to chuck/unchuck. Use power for primer pocket uniforming or you will have arthitis and blisters, chipped teeth from gritting them.
check EVERY case and every charge and seat one at a time till you get real good.
Enjoy and don't spend much to start out.
Get a real mentor, not BillyBob the septic cleaner who makes boolits.
Get a beam scale. Find a fleabay RCBS 505 or 10-10. Get a Redding BR30 or even a 10X and you will love it.
For rifle loading stick with a single stage press till you really get good. For every accurate rifle buy a Redding COMP seat die. Best money spent for accuracy. Diminishing returns on the other stuff. Use good brass, not range crap. Buy a caliper and some means to measure OAL to the land bearing point (ogive). Sinclair makes a fine little hex nut for doing this. Use a hand primer and at least uniform primer pockets if you do not use Lapua brass. Get a used case trimmer...Wilsons are great, but if all you are doing is lots of 223, try teh WFT. I like mine, just make sure to size then trim. Get a chamfer tool or two and two cheap battery drills. That way you don't wear out your hands and you don't have to chuck/unchuck. Use power for primer pocket uniforming or you will have arthitis and blisters, chipped teeth from gritting them.
check EVERY case and every charge and seat one at a time till you get real good.
Enjoy and don't spend much to start out.
handloadc said:
Before buying anything else, run, don't walk, and pick up at least two reloading manuals. e.g. ABCs of reloading + Hornady's 9th, Noshers, Lymans 49th, whatever.
Out of the calibers listed, I'd learn to load them in the same order .45 and 9mm first, then moving on to rifle after some time under your belt.
Is the .223 for an AR or a bolt gun?
I like the Rockchucker, but you couldn't pay me to load any of those calibers on a single-stage, for my purposes, possibly besides the .223, depending on the gun and bullet chosen.
I"m not a fan of RCBS pistol dies - Lee or Hornady (carbide) are fine, and reasonably inexpensive.
If loading for several different pistols in the same caliber, you may want to pick up a case gage per caliber, and will likely want one for .223. You may also consider picking up a Hornady comparator tool for your .223 to avoid excessive shoulder bumping vs your chamber.
Pick up a used RCBS or OHaus scale on eBay.
For .223 trimming and case prep, pick up a Hornady primer pocket reamer, a chamfer/deburring tool, and a WFT2 (the '2' model allows you to change calibers in the event you later move to .308 or other rifle calibers) for trimming.
Calipers - Frankford Arsenal or HF are fine, although you may wind up replacing them a few times over the years.
+1 on a mentor and reloading manuals. I like the Sierra book.
Your in luck. The Tampa area has some top notch shooters both rifle and pistol. Paul Larson comes to mind. He won the Grand Senior Division at camp Perry two years ago. I believe he's in Riverbend. You've got the Manatee rifle club not to far away (real good shooters there) and across the state you've got Port Malabar Rifle & pistol club. Lots of National record holders there. Nice folks and always ready to help. If you need help PM me, always ready to help a new guy.
Your in luck. The Tampa area has some top notch shooters both rifle and pistol. Paul Larson comes to mind. He won the Grand Senior Division at camp Perry two years ago. I believe he's in Riverbend. You've got the Manatee rifle club not to far away (real good shooters there) and across the state you've got Port Malabar Rifle & pistol club. Lots of National record holders there. Nice folks and always ready to help. If you need help PM me, always ready to help a new guy.
CatShooter
Don't waste time with the 49th ed of the Lyman manual - it is loaded with mistakes.
Highpower-FClass
Gold $$ Contributor
I started out handloading for 9mm and 223 on a Rockchucker. I now also load 45ACP and a couple of other cartridges on the same press. For the pistol cartridges I can highly recommend the 4 die Lee sets ( what they call the deluxe sets). Carbide dies that work great at a very reasonable price.
For the 223 I also have the Lee dies though I have since gotten Redding and Forster dies. Nothing wrong with the Lee 223 dies as such but the Redding / Forster are much better when it comes to accuracy.
For the 223 I also have the Lee dies though I have since gotten Redding and Forster dies. Nothing wrong with the Lee 223 dies as such but the Redding / Forster are much better when it comes to accuracy.
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