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Starting with nothing, what all do I need to get started?

Don_M2

I've decided on this press...

www.brownells.com

LYMAN Brass Smith 8 Station Turret Press SKU: 539000084

Check out LYMAN Brass Smith 8 Station Turret Press SKU: 539000084 with 5 reviews and an overall rating of 4.8, available Online at Brownells Today and many more Reloading Presses products are available in our Reloading Department.
www.brownells.com www.brownells.com

Other than the 9mm and 10 mm dies and shell holders, what else will I have to have in order to be up and running.

I know I will need:
9 and 10mm brass
9 and 10mm bullets
Large and small pistol primers
Priming tool
Powder (2 lbs to start?)
Powder measure + trickle measure
Powder scale & funnel
Powder scale
Digital Caliper
and....???
 
Don_M2 said:
I've decided on this press...

www.brownells.com

LYMAN Brass Smith 8 Station Turret Press SKU: 539000084

Check out LYMAN Brass Smith 8 Station Turret Press SKU: 539000084 with 5 reviews and an overall rating of 4.8, available Online at Brownells Today and many more Reloading Presses products are available in our Reloading Department.
www.brownells.com www.brownells.com

Other than the 9mm and 10 mm dies and shell holders, what else will I have to have in order to be up and running.

I know I will need:
9 and 10mm brass
9 and 10mm bullets
Large and small pistol primers
Priming tool
Powder (2 lbs to start?)
Powder measure + trickle measure
Powder scale & funnel
Powder scale
Digital Caliper
and....???
Click to expand...
You can prime on the downstroke of the Belling sequence on that press. Lots of pistol shooters don’t clean primer pockets.
The RCBS Chargemaster link has been recommended by many as a do all powder dispenser and scale. @Kevin1990 can give you his positive experience with it.
 
Kracken McGraw said:
You can prime on the downstroke of the Belling sequence on that press. Lots of pistol shooters don’t clean primer pockets.
The RCBS Chargemaster link has been recommended by many as a do all powder dispenser and scale. @Kevin1990 can give you his positive experience with it.
Click to expand...
So other than not needing the hand priming press, is my list right?
 
Just be aware that you are choosing a progressive press for your first reloading press (I’m sure you are). When you get it set up and you get some experience with it, it will be fine, but you will likely want to upgrade in the future. Plastic primer tray is “iffy” with regards to reliability for primer delivery and you’ll need to watch it closely. Primer delivery to the case and insertion can also be somewhat spotty, so you’ll need to check loaded rounds. Powder dispenser is known to leak powder, especially ball powders. All that said, it isn’t a bad press and the deal with dies included isn’t bad. You need to go slow and watch each station on each stroke when you are starting out. Don’t get overwhelmed.

I would always recommend a single stage press (or perhaps a turret) as a first press. You can pay attention to each step while you’re learning and you will always find a use for a good single stage.

EDIT: Seems OP has removed the Lee Six Pack Pro as his press of choice - so, can probably ignore my response (grin).
 
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First thing you need are good manuals. I'd get the Hodgdon because it is magazine size and convenience and has everything the unwieldy big ones have. If you are an iPad techie type the Hornady ebook version is nice on that. The Lyman 51st will give you stuff the others don't. And they all have good articles and info in the front you'll learn good stuff from. I wouldn't order any hardware until I get and study the manuals a bit.

I'm a first semester freshman. I've been reading and studying and asking a lot of questions. I haven't loaded a single round yet and won't load any until next year. In the meantime I'll be firing new ammo and from that getting once fired in my own gun cases to reload.

I like Lee. I just like the company and what they've built and accomplished. I have their hand press as I don't have anywhere for a permanent press. If/when I make enough space I'll get the Classic.

I wouldn't start with a turret press. I want the extra control of single stage. I'd also get (and already did) the hand priming tool. I might eventually go to on press priming, if I get a permanent press, but I like the extra feel I believe the hand tool will give.

Good luck in your journey.
 
Looks like you are starting with pistol calibers, are you doing more than that? What kind of volumes are you looking at? If you’re going to be doing more than plinking and doing any competitive shooting I’d go with a progressive over a turret press. A little steeper learning curve but as your just starting out it is all going to be new, just a few more precautions with a progressive…. If your trying to load 200-400 or more a session a single stage or a turret will get old quick for most people…
 
If you have tons of money, go ahead and buy all the fancy electronic powder scales and dispensers. If you just want to load for pistols and save money, get a good balance beam scale and a good thrower. With ball powders and a little patience, I can get my thrower tuned in to a tenth of a grain variance and throw hundreds of pistol charges in a short time. With prepped brass ready, 500 rounds in an afternoon is easy.
I use a Scott Parker tuned scale and an RCBS powder thrower.
 
Like @Kracken McGraw said, that press will prime on the downstroke, so you can definitely save some money there and upgrade later. You're list looks good to me. Add a chamfer and deburring tool, maybe a primer pocket cleaner. Never loaded for pistol but I prefer single stage presses.
 
^^^^^^^Yup!! ALWAYS buy carbide for pistol dies.
ALSO: Bullets? I shoot mostly plated bullets in my pistol. I use some jacketed hollow points in my 10mm, 44 magnum and 45 Colt rifle.
Look at Everglades ammo for bullets. Xtreme plated are my go to but some jacketed bullets at Everglades are just a little more than plated.
 
Last edited:
kenhwind said:
Buy the whole kit not just the press.
www.midwayusa.com

Lyman Ultimate Reloading Press Kit System

The Lyman Ultimate Reloading System is the only kit you’ll ever need! Outfit an entire reloading bench with premium products designed to...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com

Maybe this one:

www.midwayusa.com

Lyman Brass Smith All-American 8 Station Turret Reloading Press

Lyman – an innovator in the field of case preparation and reloading – has introduced the Brass Smith 8-Station Turret Press, the most...
www.midwayusa.com www.midwayusa.com
Click to expand...
From the looks of it, if I order this combo, all I'll need to get is the 2 die sets & shell holders (plus the consumables). I have some titanium-carbide dies in my cart @ Brownell's, but I'll check Midway before I "pull the trigger."
 
I started reloading on a hand-me-down Rockchucker. It came with the Piggyback and I set it up for .45 Auto but the thing is finicky and seems to like only a few types of powder and the priming station was less than ideal. I removed it and just went with the single stage press, hand primer, carbide dies as mentioned. I have an old RCBS scale that works just fine but have since upgraded to the Chargemaster. Standard micrometer. All RCBS stuff that an old shooter left me when he took his last train ride
 
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