Reloading equipment? What is good bad ugly?

[tombogan03884]

I was reloading for 2 rifles, Traded them both  Now I'm switching all my rifle components for the Calibers  I've got now.   

[fullautovalmet76]

I too am considering reloading and I would like to ask this question:
There always seems to be one thing or a couple of things one should not cheap out on no matter the hobby. For reloading, what are the items that one should really pay more?

Thanks!

[m25operator]

A good powder measure, a good scale, a good primer seater, the Lee is cheap and it works, but will wear out, but a new one is now days, 15 bucks, a good supply of good reloading manuals, not just one, I love pet loads by Ken Waters, his most accurate loads will save you time and money in a given caliber with excellent results, but you still need a modern manual for the newer powders. In pistol calibers, most dies will do fine, Although I highly recommend Carbide resizing dies for straight wall cases. I do like the Dillon taper crimp dies as well. For rifle, I might spend a little extra for a match seater die with a micrometer adjuster, only if the rifle I'm loading for had exceptional accuracy potential.

I have reloaded for Wow, now 30 years, and have used inexpensive and not so inexpensive equipment. They all work if you are confident in what you are doing, the main difference is speed. I still have a RCBS single stage press, that I use mainly for rifle, a Lee turret press, that I can't give away, but it has it's uses as well, 2 Dillon 550 b's, that take care of my pistol needs, and a MEC shotgun reloader, ( the original progressive reloader ) . I used to shoot a lot of pistol, 5,000 rounds a month, that's 100 boxes of 50, retail at that time you could count on $5 a box +, in .45 acp, 7.50 and in .44 mag 10 bucks +, now I've got sticker shock over everything, 13 bucks for bulk pack .22rf, $13 for 30 30, surplus .308 for .40 cents a round, .223 for easy .30 cents a round. Lead bullets for 9mm and .38 at over 60 bucks a thousand. Whew, but I squirreled a lot away in the old days,  and I have casting equipment as well. I can mine the berms at my local club for lead.

If you shoot 100 - 300 rounds a month, you probably don't need to invest in a reloader, except as a back up for hard times or for producing the most accurate ammo for your particular needs. If you spend the time, reloaded ammo tuned to your pistol or rifle is the best.

A single stage press will wear you out to load 100 cartridges in a night, but there are methods to increase your production, maybe someone should start a thread and we can go there. A Dillon 550 will easily give you 300 rounds an hour, and is capable of 500 rounds and hour +.  The 650 and 1050 will load what they say, but take more knowledge and some mechanical skill to keep running. By the way, the Dillon no BS lifetime warranty is EXACTLY that. Call them on the phone and tell them what's up, the part will be on it's way, and they won't ask you for the old one.

[TexGun]

ditto on the carbide pistol dies.  Case lubing is the most time consuming part of reloading, especially for large volumes of pistol cartridges.  Carbide dies take care of that for you on STRAIGHT WALLED cases only, as far as I am aware.

All good advice on the entire string.  BTW, i still use a single stage RCBS for all of my reloading.

[DesertMarine]

I have been reloading pistol and rifle ammo for around 30 years.  Lee, RCBS and Redding make good equipment.  I have used all three and have gone completely to Redding.  Get the best that you can afford.  Lot of great advice given here on what you need, safety and legal.  Have fun.

[Sponsor]

[DesertMarine]

Like M25Operator said, if you shoot a lot, follow his suggestions. 
If you are more an accuracy or bench rest type shooter, subscribe to Precision Shooting Magazine and look at www.sinclairintl.com for equipment and components.  I load more for accuracy rather than volume, so I use a Redding press, Redding bench rest dies, Redding scale and a good micrometer (a must).  For priming, a Bonaza co-axial primer seater.  I have a Lyman 55 powder measure, pain in the butt to set-up and Lee powder measure, nice and cheap ($25). 

I measure cases and loaded rounds for straightness and alignment and have found that Redding equipment does a better job for that.  For me a great shooting session is getting 5 rd group measuring .25" or better.  Fun part (also fustrating) is developing a load that will do that or get close to it.