(Part 3) Top products from r/reloading

There's a perfectly serviceable FAQ here which SHOULD answer the mail here, but for some reason, despite the frequency of newbie posts, no one on the mod team has increased the font size of that link on the sidebar SO PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT AND READ IT (Seriously mods, get with it). I'll make a "Teal Deer" version even though I oughta know better by now.

1. I don't see any reloading manuals on that list. Buy at least two reloading manuals and read them. Did you read them? Yes? Good. Read them again. Did you do that? Good. Read them again. Did you do that? LiarGood. You still sure about this? Yes? Ok, now you may go buy your equipment. Notice how you bought and studied some manuals and then went to buy stuff? Ok, just checking.
   
   In addition to the manuals there's some good Youtube videos out there you can watch to see what the books are trying to explain, but realize some people have better habits than others. Some guys do some pretty trick shit, but that's for advanced users only; fun to watch, but not necessarily a "try this at home" type of thing.
   
   
2. If you're doing this for the money, most return on investment will be with the "uncommon" calibers, .30 carbine paid off my Lee Challenger setup after 700ish rounds. If you want to make pet hunting loads for each of your rifles you'll save dollars per round off premium .308 and .30-06 too. Conversely, it's hard to make a return on 9mm until you've bought components in bulk. Bulk in this case is defined as a couple thousand projectiles and multiple 8-pound cannisters of powder. Here's a good source for price comparison if you need some hard numbers to convince your wife to let you spend save money on this new wallet draining endeavor.
   
   
3. Opinions will vary wildly, but if you're dead set on starting but really aren't sure if you'll stick with it, get a quality single stage press. Scour your favorite for-sale-by-owner websites for used tools, and keep an eye out for deals on Amazon. If you don't stick with the hobby, a quality single stage will be easiest to get most of your money back on when you sell it on ebay or RapelistCraigslist. If you like it, a quality single stage will always come in handy when you make special pet loads for accuracy, even if you upgrade to a progressive some day.
   
   If you're plan to load for bulk, which I'm guessing is your case because you're looking to do 9mm, a turret/progressive press hybrid like the Lee Classic Turret Press, where you can take the indexing rod out and use it as a single stage if need be, might be a much better choice for you. You can start out learning in single stage mode and add the indexing rod later. Single stage and 9mm is TEDIOUS (Ask me how I know...I own a Challenger like the one you have listed) Opinions on progressive presses vary, and merely by mentioning the Lee I fully expect to receive at least a half dozen unsolicited opinions replies on the matter. A progressive is pretty much mandatory if your primary purpose is to chase savings by loading pistol calibers or .223 in bulk.
   
   Here's my recommended list of stuff; I recommend NOT buying the Challenger KIT, because most of the stuff you'll want to upgrade later or will find you'll never use it. Take the money you're saving by not buying the kit and get the turret press I mentioned above instead. You'll spend a little bit more on certain items by going a la carte because there are a few places where not skimping gets you way more value. Buy the dies from whoever you want, quality level is up to you. For plinking purposes, and even most special tuned loads, Lee is just fine.
   
   Buy the press and one or two calibers of dies, then buy a good digital scale, a good chamfer and deburring tool (not that shitty Lee abomination. Seriously, fuck that thing. Your hands will thank you), a cutter (plus associated gauge and shell holder for a drill), a powder funnel, a puller for when you inevitably dick it up, and a nice set of calipers and you're off to a solid start for under $350.
   
   We could also get WAY into tumblers and the benefits of wet vs dry, but I'll leave some leftovers for others to talk about.

So this review on Amazon is what my buying guide will consist of. My apologies for formatting, I am on mobile.

-----
I'm new to reloading, but I shoot a lot so instead of doing what every beginner should and buy a single stage press I saved up a little and got the AP press due to the fact I knew I would use it a lot. But after it came I quickly realized it was far more technical than I expected. I found out there were a lot of parts I still needed and a lot more money that still needed to be spent. I was fine with it bet I knew I would have to save up for a little bit to get it all. But after about 100 hours of reloading YouTube videos and four months I was able to actually start reloading. Wishing I had a guide right off the bat to tell me what I need and why I ended up making one for any other new beginner. So here it is.


Disclaimer: Do not follow my advice blindly, do your research on each piece of equipment. The prices I have stated are not set in stone, they were what I spent. I would advise you to shop around to get the best deals
--------------------------------------------------
What you still need:

--Hornady Lock N Load Auto-Progressive Reloading Press
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PD01NS/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$462.64
Notes: Does not have to be this press

--Hornady Lock N Load Ap & Projector Shell Plate
http://www.hornady.com/store/Choose-Shell-Plate-by-Number/
$41.33
Notes: Each shell plate is for a different caliber, when you buy make sure you get the correct plate for the caliber you are reloading. Here is the guide http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/shell_holder.pdf

--Hornady Shell Holder
http://www.hornady.com/store/Choose-Shell-Holder-by-Number/
$5.00
Notes: Each shell holder is for a different caliber, when you buy make sure you get the correct holder for the caliber you are reloading. Although RCBS makes a similar looking holder, it will NOT fit in the Hornady setup. Here is the guide http://www.hornady.com/assets/files/shell_holder.pdf

--Reloading Dies
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PD6PO2/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$43.89
Notes: All reloading dies from all companies are universal to each other's presses. So you don't have to stick to Hornadys dies (I do because I like them)

--Digital Scale
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BDOHNA/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$29.14
Notes: Digital scales are a little more expensive bet worth it for the time you save

--Digital Caliper
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002JFMIO/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$10.60
Notes: Digital calipers are convenient for speed but if money is tight you can go traditional

--Hornady One Shot Gun Cleaner & Dry Lube
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Shot-Cleaner-DynaGlide-Aerosol/dp/B000LC9YM2/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375560230&sr=1-1&keywords=hornady+gun+cleaner
$13.28
Notes: Used when you put the press together and clean all the parts

--Hornady One Shot Spray Case Lube
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Shot-Spray-DynaGlide-Aerosol/dp/B0001NA29U/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375560743&sr=1-1&keywords=hornady+case+lube
$13.44
Notes: This or any case lube is an absolute need or your rounds will get stuck in the die. This one is cool because you don't have to wipe it off after you deprime and resize so if you have an AP bench like mine you can just keep going.

--Case Trimmer
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-50140-Camlock-Case-Trimmer/dp/B000PD6QJ6/ref=sr_1_7?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375561942&sr=1-7&keywords=case+trimmer
$88.99
Notes: This will trim the case down to size. Needed because after firing the case expands

--Cartridge Reloading Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Edition-Handbook-Cartridge-Reloading/dp/B00A95QWGM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1375563579&sr=8-2&keywords=Reloading+guide
$39.80
Notes: Tells you the specifics of each round. There is a different manual for each projectile. So if you use Hornady bullets you will use their guide, RCBS you you'd use theirs, etc.
----------------------------------------------------
What you need to clean the brass:

--Case Tumbler
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Case-Tumbler-110-Volt/dp/B000PD1XE4/ref=sr_1_17?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375559938&sr=1-17&keywords=media+tumbler
$83.58
Used to remove the carbon from the rounds. I advise not to deprime before use because the media will get stuck in the primer hole.

--Tumbling Media
http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-287178-Brass-Cleaning/dp/B001GX8DS6/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375561385&sr=1-4&keywords=tumbling+media
$20.10
The corn cob media is a little more fine grain and less likely to get stuck

--Metal Polish
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-9993-Case-Polish/dp/B002L9D8VQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375561809&sr=1-1&keywords=hornady+metal+polish
$14.17
You would put this in the tumbler with the rounds to give them a nice polish
--------------------------------------------------------------
What I would recommend:

--Bullet Puller
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B7ZB4Q/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$17.15
Used when you mess up a round, it pulls the projectile out

--Primer Turning Plate
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPL80Q/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$17.56
used to make sure the primers are set the right way before you put them in the primer tube

--Universal Ammo Reloading Tray
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-1536-480040-Universal-Loading/dp/B000GU8WU4/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1375559333&sr=8-3-fkmr2&keywords=universal+ammo+reloading+tray
$11.38
Used to hold your rounds for inspection, and helps with precision loading powder

--Case Prep Tool
http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Universal-Case-Prep-Accessory/dp/B0034LAVUG/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1375562159&sr=1-2&keywords=case+prep+tool
$55.79
This is used after depriming and trimming to make sure all the holes are clean and free of debris

--Stuck Case Remover
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Y6ZJQ6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$18.99
Used in case you get a round stuck in the die

--Hornady Micrometer Rifle Lock N Load Powder Measure
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O1WOJ2/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$27.99
Used to better measure out the powder in the Hornady Powder Drop for rifle calibers

--Hornady Micrometer Pistol Lock N Load Powder Measure
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OPR300/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$39.89
Used to better measure out the powder in the Hornady Powder Drop for pistol calibers

--Powder Cop
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003D6ZLXE/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$30.57
Used to make sure you don't put more powder in than you should

--Hornady Lock N Load Die Bushing 10 Pack
http://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Lock-Load-Bushing-Pack/dp/B00162OLTW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375563887&sr=8-1&keywords=Hornady+AP+die+bushing
$42.22
Would recommend if you are reloading multiple calibers, it makes change over much faster.
---------------------------------------------------

What you need for precision loading:

--Hornady Lock N Load Ammo Concentricity Gauge
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KZ3NNK/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$99.99
Only needed for precision reloading

--Powder Funnel
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PD1XI0/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$5.78
Used for more of an exact measurement

--Hornady Microjust Seating Stem
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GU9VU4/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$24.99
Used to get an exact seating depth with the projectile
-----------------------------
I hope this helps! I will be making some tutorial videos soon and will post a link here.

Here's my 2 cents.

• Don't get the kinetic bullet pullet. They are messy and break easily. Look at the Hornady Cam-Lock Bullet Puller and associated collet for your caliber. Works super well.
  
  
• With the Lee Gauge/Holder thing for case trimming. Stick that sucker in a drill (I use a drill press). I believe you will need this piece as well to hold the gauge.
  
  
• Drop the digital scale. The kit comes with a balance beam scale that's probably more accurate and doesn't require a warm up time. It's also not sensitive to what type of lighting you use.
  
  
• Highly recommend the Hornady Comparator for your calipers. It makes measuring the round much more accurate. You'll probably also want the OAL Gauge down the road.
  
  
• The Chronograph is nice but you won't need it until after you have worked up your load. Then you'll shoot a 10 shot string over it and not touch it again. It might be better to leave that for a later purchase or see if you can borrow one for a day once you're ready.
  
  
• I have a RCBS Rock Chucker and I converted it with the Hornady Lock-N-Load Bushings and it's awesome. I'm not sure if the lee can do that but it would be a nice addon.
  
  
• Buy a powder trickler. It will keep you sane and save you time until you can buy a automated trickler. It's big $$ but ultimately worth it.
  
  Otherwise good luck. Your first load will be scary but once you get the hang of it you'll be amazed at the accuracy you can achieve. Also the self reliance part is cool too!
  
  EDIT: If you're looking at a tumbler get the stainless steel kind. WAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY better than anything else. So good that I've switched to bring my brass to a buddy who has one instead of doing it in my media tumbler.
  

Frankford Arsenal powder trickler. Compact, nice heavy base for stability, even flow. I also have an RCBS trickler and hate it. It's not as stable and the dispensing arm thingy is a weird two piece design that never seem to flow well for me.
GemPro 250 digital scale. Do not waste your money on cheaper options. I don't have experience with the chargemaster type of scale. I like to do things manually.
Redding Imperial Sizing Die Wax. Best stuff there is. Works amazingly well. I also keep a lanolin/alcohol spray lube around for doing large batch work, but Imperial Sizing Wax does a better job.
Hornady Bullet Comparator set. You don't mention what cartridges you're reloading. THIS KIT DOES NOT INCLUDE 6.5mm. There's a 14 insert kit that includes more, or you can buy just the few inserts you need.
Frankford Arsenal bullet puller. I buy what's cheap. These don't last forever. All the hammering eventually cracks the plastic. I've tried several brands and they all break eventually. I usually keep two on hand.


So that covers what you already know you need. Here are some more recommendations.

Hornady 9th Edition. I use this more than all my other manuals combined. I shoot a lot of Hornady bullets, though. If you already have a favorite bullet brand, you should buy that brand's manual.

Lyman Shooters Check Weights. I use these every single time I reload. I like knowing that my scale isn't lying to me. Digital scales can be finicky sometimes! These are worth every penny.

Hornady Headspace Comparator set. This is a lot like the bullet comparator set, except that it measure to the shoulder of the case instead of the ogive of the bullet. If you're planning on monitoring the amount you're bumping your shoulders during resizing, this is what you need.

Lyman Case Prep Multi-Tool. The chamfer tool that came with your kit will do the job, but this Lyman multi tool is my preferred method. It also comes with primer pocket scrapers that will be useful, and primer pocket reamers you should throw away and never use.

RCBS Uniflow Powder Baffle. This will help your uniflow powder measure throw more consistent charges.

RCBS Advanced Powder Measure Stand. If you're going to do a permanent installation of your powder measure on your bench, you will want this stand. Its price is absurd, but it's a great stand.

RCBS Universal case loading block. Your kit came with one, but you need at least one more.

What is your plan for cleaning brass? Wet tumbling with steel pins is the way to go. I have the Frankford Arsenal unit. It's huge and noisy. If I had it to do over I would purchase the dual drum tumbler from Harbor Freight and buy steel pins from Amazon.

Redding dies don't come with shellholders. Did you remember to get one?

What is your plan for case trimming? You don't mention what you're reloading. The cheapest option, which is actually my preferred method, is the Lee case length gauge and shellholders with their cutter and lock studs.

There are some additional case prep tools, but they would depend on what you're doing. If you are dealing with brass that has military crimps, you'll need tools to deal with that. There are primer pocket brushes, primer pocket uniformers, flash hole deburring tools, and a million other little things.

That's all that's coming to mind right now. I'm sure I missed some stuff.

I would recommend upgrading to a nice digital scale, it will make things easier.

Maybe get a few of these if you haven't yet thought about how you're going to store your loaded ammo.

I have that same tumbler, works great. I would also suggest a separator for afterwords. Some brass polish is nice too.

I think that kit comes with a hand trimmer, but I would recommend a larger one, your hands will thank you.

I went with a Lyman kit for my starter set, and while it's a lot more expensive than yours, I've been very pleased with it.

When you start doing 223 you'll also want a case length trimmer. This one works pretty well for me.

Check the FAQ like the sidebar says. But I've got nothing pressing at the moment so here:

I'm answering your last question first. The Lyman manual is definitely a good place to start. And you should purchase that first and read it before you purchase anything else. It will answer most of your questions and keep you safe. It is also recommended to get other brand manuals as well, such as Lee or Hornady. Every manual is different and will give you a broader base to start from.

Press: I'm a single stage guy so I can't help with the press. You will need caliber specific dies. All brands work, Lee is the cheapest, RCBS is kinda the standard, Dillon a step above RCBS, Forster is generally regarded as the best. If you use carbide dies you don't really need to lube pistol brass. And if you do lube, its personal preference. I use a 10:1 alcohol lanolin mix that I spray on the brass inside a gallon ziplock, then shake around a bit.

Tumbler: I use the HF dual drum with a modded drum. It works fine for me as I do small batches of rifle brass. You should probably look at the FA Tumbler or something larger. It comes with media and a small packet of their detergent. Most people have great results with dish soap and a pinch of lemishine. And you really shouldn't need a primer pocket cleaner if you wet tumble.

Bullets: Those bullets should work well. And its mostly personal preference and what shoots well out of your specific firearm.

Powder: Powder is something you either buy in person or large bulk orders. The hazmat fee is a killer unless you are ordering the max weight per order, which is normally about 50 pounds. And unless you are dead set on a certain powder, most people use what they can find locally. The Field and Stream should have powder, I've never been to a Walmart that sells smokeless powder. And read your manual to know it that powder has load data for what you are loading.

Primers: Primers for the most part are personal preference, they don't affect loads until you get into long range precision rifle. And see the powder above about hazmat fees.

Calipers: Those calipers will work.

Chronograph: You really don't need a chrono for what you'll be doing, at least initially.

Have fun and stay safe. Welcome to the rabbit hole that is reloading.

I have no experience with the RCBS turret press, but in general RCBS makes good stuff. I'm sure it'll work out quite well.

Priming Tool: https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Perfect-Primer-Seating/dp/B01B7OYUVC

or:

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-90200-Hand-Priming-Tool/dp/B000PW71LO/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1541981733&sr=1-1&keywords=RCBS+priming+tool

As far as .223 reloading dies, really any standard FL sizing die kit is going to work just fine. Some of the more expensive dies will be made from better steels, and will have slightly nicer features, but overall they're all kind of the same.

Here are some RCBS ones as an example...$30 for your basic die kit:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011278027/rcbs-2-die-set

For $5 more, these Hornady dies are a little nicer (probably a little easier to make smaller adjustments, and a vastly superior lock ring):
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011077269/hornady-custom-grade-new-dimension-2-die-set

If you want to "buy once cry once" for rifle dies, you can get these:
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/248565/redding-type-s-match-bushing-2-die-set

I'd probably recommend the cheaper standard FL die set(s) for starting out, at least while you learn the basics.


Regarding the flash suppressing powder, I've never really messed with that; I also shoot all my ARs suppressed lol. :)


Typically the faster the powder the less flash it's going to have at the muzzle (i.e. faster powders have completely burned up by the time they exit the muzzle, whereas slower powders may not be completely burned, especially on a shorter barreled rifle). I can't recall any powders that market themselves as having a lower flash signature either; if anything they focus on being cleaner burning, or having agents added that will reduce copper fouling. Lastly, most of the discussion you'll find (and where it makes a much bigger difference) is with pistol reloading; with those you can see/feel/hear a major difference with the powders; it's just not as pronounced with rifles in my experience.


If you looked at this chart, and found a powder that was on the faster end of the spectrum (i.e. had a lower number) and also appeared in the .223 load data (that also gave good velocity), in theory that would be the best powder for a low flash application.

Chart:
https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf

Hodgdon Load Data:
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

So that’s a fine setup to start with. You mentioned you would like to do 30-06 for your M1. So I figured I’d add in what you need to get started.

Dies, The lee dies are fine, and have a wonderful warranty.
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Pacesetter-Dies-Red/dp/B00162NUS0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=lee%2B30-06%2Bdie%2Bset&qid=1562265363&s=gateway&sprefix=lee%2B30-0&sr=8-2&th=1&psc=1

Case prep
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Preciesion-90950-Conditioning/dp/B008MG9HN0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=lee+30-06+trimmer&qid=1562265548&s=gateway&sr=8-3
And
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Springfield-Gauge-Holder/dp/B0013Z3Z3A/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=lee+30-06+trimmer&qid=1562265548&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Priming
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Platinum-Perfect-Reloading/dp/B01B7OYUVC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=priming+tool&qid=1562265718&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Case lube
https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-9336-Case-Lube-Kit/dp/B007ZZO7XY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=case+lube+pad&qid=1562265764&s=gateway&sr=8-1

That should get you going rolling 30-06. You should look locally for primers, powder, and projectiles. Or if you feel like paying the hazmat fee, powdervalleyinc.com Natchez, and midway are great sources.

He needs, yes. The Lee Challenger kit is around $99 on Amazon, and that has everything he'll need to get started except for: Bullets, Primers, Powder and Brass and DIES for 7.62x54r (another $30-$40)

Now, he'll want a digital scale, a case trimmer, and a tumbler to get his brass clean and pretty. That all can be added on, and most likely, be purchased in addition to the press kit for about $200.

Here's a list of things he'll want:

Lee Challenger Reloading Kit
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ISVWC6/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hornady Reloading Manual (So he doesn’t blow himself up)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MAUZ71V/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Calipers (So he doesn’t blow his gun up)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000GSLKIW/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

7.62x54r Reloading Dies
https://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-7-62X54R-Pacesetter-Dies/dp/B00162UGUK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511562718&sr=8-1&keywords=7.62x54r+dies

Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-EZ Case Tumbler (To make clean-shiny brass)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001MYGLJC/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Case Tumbling Media
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OQRGF2/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

RCBS Universal Case Loading Block
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013RA5DQ/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hornady One-Shot Case Lube https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0001NA29U/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack (Because listening to good music scientifically makes better bullets)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LICGSFU/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8

>Seating Die:


Seating dies push the bullet down into the case and for pistol cases remove the belling done by the expanding die. Many seating dies can optionally apply a crimp, though some people dislike this because the bullet is still being pushed downward as the crimp is applied. Some seating dies come with multiple or reversible seating stems, this allow you to seat different profiled bullets(FMJ/Ball, Spitzer, VLD, etc) bullets without damaging them. 




>Crimp Die:


Crimping dies push the case mouth into the jacket/lead of the bullet. This helps secure the bullet from ‘walking’ out of the case under recoil. There are taper crimps, often used in semi-auto oriented rounds that start from the base of the bullet and slowly narrow as it moves upwards towards the bullet and roll crimps which fold the very edge of the case mouth inwards. Roll crimps are often used on revolver cartridges like 44mag or 38spl and rifle rounds. Taper crimps are used on things like 9mm. 



>Factory Crimp Die:


A Factory Crimp Die or FCD is kind of like a fail safe. If a bullet is slightly too large or that particular round didn’t get seated far enough a FCD will correct the mistake. It doesn’t make an unsafe round(say from a bad powder charge) safe to shoot, but it will help make sure all your rounds chamber. Since many people don’t like to seat and crimp on the same step, they use their FCD as their only crimp die. 




>Powder Check Die:


A powder check die has a small free floating ram in the middle that drops into the case. It provides an easy way to spot check powder levels based on how high it raises. Some powder check dies will lock the press when they detect an over/under charge. In practice the low powder volume and wide case can make powder check dies unreliable for pistol loads. If you do use a powder check die you shouldn’t let it lull you into a sense of false security, you should still be visually checking your charges. 





>Powder Throwers:


This isn’t a “die” so much, but many do fit directly onto your press. They dispense or ‘throw’ a specific charge of powder every time they are activated. Do to the nature of how they work how accurate they are depends on the type of powder you are using. Flake powders and long extruded powders measure with much more variation than ball or short stick powders. Throwers come in three flavors; Case activated, manual, and press activated. Press activated throwers dispense powder anytime the press ram is moved up. This is fine for a single stage press, but on a progressive press it is just a big mess waiting to happen. A manual powder thrower has a small handle you actuate anytime you want to dispense powder. These are great, as long as you don’t forget to pull the lever for every case. Case activated throwers only dispense powder when a case goes into them. These are great, especially on progressive presses. 




>Bullet Feeding Die:


Bullet feeding dies place a bullet into the belled/charged case. With a bullet feed die you don’t need to manually place a bullet for each round. While the dies themselves are 20-40 dollars they won’t always save you time without an automatic bullet feeder hopper which can cost several hundred dollars. Only useful on progressive presses.




>Case Feed:


Again this isn’t technically a die, but it attaches to your progressive press and places a new case into your shell plate automatically. These are specific to your press and usually cost several hundred dollars.


Many powder throwers can be given a PTX add on that will expand as well as charge the case. On a progressive or turret press this saves you a spot on your press and on a single stage it saves you from having to do a separate belling step. 





Shell Plates


Most die sets come with a shell holder of a matching caliber to keep the brass in the press. However if you are buying your dies piecemeal you’ll need to get a shell holder set. Progressive presses use “shell plates” which hold multiple rounds at a time. These can be proprietary and will need to be purchased separate from your dies. 




Lee shell holder set $27.99




Hornady LnL AP shell plate 9mm $24.64





Case Trimmer


When a round is fired the case is under such extreme pressure that the brass actually acts like a plastic. It expands outwards in all directions until the chamber stops it. In front of the round however there is nothing to stop the brass from flowing. Because of this the brass grows in length. After a few firings the brass may be too long to fit in the chamber of a gun again. To combat this after sizing your brass(which further alters its dimensions) you measure it. If it is too long you need to cut some of that excess off with a case trimmer until it is the proper size again. This is primarily only a concern for rifle brass.




Case trimmers can be free hand, manual, and motorized. Free hand allows you to remove brass, but requires you to check with a case gauge often to ovoid over trimming. Manual trimmers allow you to set a certain length to cut to and do all rounds to that length rotating a small lever by hand. Motorized trimmers allow you to set a length and very quickly trim a large amount of cases. Some manual trimmers can have drills attached to make them faster. Not all motorized trimmers can handle multiple calibers.




Lee Zip Trim $21.99 and Lee Cutting Ball $9.99



Lyman Universal Trimmer $82.99



World’s Finest Trimmer .223 $75.95





Chamfer/Deburr tools




Chamfering removes a bit of metal from the inside lip of the case so that bullets seat more smoothly. Deburring is removing a small amount from the outside edge of the case mouth to help remove any burrs or flakes caused by chamfering. You don’t need to do either on pistol rounds as the case is belled wide enough to accept the bullet without it. 


You can also chamfer primer pockets. This will make seating easier and in the case of crimped primer pockets it is required. 


Again, there are manual and motorized options available. Motorized is worth it for anything above small batches.




Lee Chamfer Tool $3.99




Lyman Case Prep Multi Tool $22.99




Hornady Case Prep Trio $99.99




Bullet Puller


In the process of setting up your dies you’re going to make some dummy rounds. No primer, no powder, just case a bullet to dial in your case bell, seating depth, and crimp. You can just throw these rounds away. . . or you can get a bullet puller and recover your components. There are kinetic bullet pullers that work well with heavier bullets(125gr+ in my experience) and collet bullets that attach to your press. 




Frankfort Arsenal Kinetic Bullet Puller $17.76




Hornady Cam-lock Bullet Puller $31.56






I use disposable nitrile gloves. I like to keep my hands clean, and using lube and fiddling around with brass cases for an entire afternoon left my hands pretty disgusting, so I adopted the gloves.

Also, I see you've grabbed Hornady Unique for lube, if you're doing more than a handful of cases Hornady One-Shot Case Lube might be a better solution. It's a little less messy than Unique and less time consuming when doing batches. I have both of them, and I find myself preferring the One Shot if I have more than about 10 cases to do.

Someone else suggested a tumbler, and I agree with that. I usually deprime, resize, neck-trim, primer pocket clean, and deburr all before sonic cleaning and tumbling.

These are the pins I use. I have no issues with them so far. Size is large enough so 2 can't get stuck in the flash holes but not huge (I don't know what is technically the "standard"). Even came with a sample of their cleaning detergent which is pretty good.

Obviously this depends on the size of your tumbler. If you're using the harbor freight set up (I am) all you need is 2lbs of pins. If you're going the frankfurt arsenal route you probably need 5lbs so your deal would be better.

I've been pretty happy with my ProChrono.

Edit to add: The suggested tripod is really solid, too. Adding just a little bit of weight at the bottom makes it solid like a mountain.

Thanks for the tip. I found this listing on Amazon and it looks pretty nice. Comes with 12 shell holders, that's very convenient. I'll think about picking it up. My RCBS one doesn't work very well for me and I end up mangling a primer every once in a while, then I have to deprime and dispose of it. It's a hassle. Do you have that kind of thing happen with yours?

I have generally done what you described with cleaning one day, de-priming another, priming a following day and then loading with powder and bullet. I just like the idea of being able to do all in one go efficiently. But even doing it how you describe, the priming still takes too long with too many problems.

I was looking at this. I'm guessing it's a pretty good deal. Thank you so much for the info, you've been very helpful.

Do you love pretty brass? If so, get the Frankford Arsenal wet tumbler, separator, and magnet.

Make sure it's this separator: https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Platinum-Media-Separator/dp/B01B6S8JUC

RCBS Kit $300

Hornday Calipers $25

You need a case trimmer. I went for the WFT.

Then you need dies (sizer/seater). You can spend as little as $50 or so for this, I went with the most recommended which was Redding and cost $160.

All of this made sense for me because I knew I was going to keep it forever. But if you have the funds to do it right, do it right and dont skimp. Because even if you should decide in a year you dont want to do it anymore, you are more likely to be able to sell good components than cheap ones, and at less of a depreciation. I bought all this stuff a year ago, and I bet I could get an 80-90% return if I were to sell it now.

Just keep a few things in mind: Reloading, especially as a beginner, takes time. Expect 100 rounds of .308 from start to finish to take you 4ish hours. And add to the cost, you can see already that $500-600 is about where you will land with just components (accounting for the cost for a tumbler). Now components, lets do the math for 1,000 rounds. You have to buy Brass (expensive, 100 costs $50-80, but they are obviously reuseable), bullets (lots of 500 for $170, so $340 for 1k), powder (can be hard to find, and if you have to ship can be expensive, think $40/lb, 7lbs should get you a tad more than 1k rounds, so $280 for 7lbs+hazmat/shipping+$50ish), and primers (sold in lots of 1k for about $32, $27 hazmat shipping fee unless you pick up locally/ship with powder).

On the conservative side, assume you spend $500 on components to be ready to reload. +$70 (brass avg), +$340, +$330, +$32 = $772 for 1,000 rounds, just in components.

Now you are at about $1200-1300 for 1,000 rounds. But your next 1,000 are only components, so $772 (ish) per 1k from then on out.

But if you aren't even sure you want to do this for a long time, you may not make up the cost difference of the equipment. Which is where one of the fallacies of reloading lies, don't get into it to save money. Get into it to have complete and total control over the product that you shoot. If that's not worth it to you, just buy factory ammo.

Lastly, going back tot he $1200-1300, lets average it again to $1250, how much ammo can you get for that, right now? Assume you find Federal Premium Gold Medal Match 175gr (you wont) boxes of 20 are $35. Thats 35 boxes, or 700 rounds. Or you could go Hornady 168gr for $26.50. Thats 47 boxes for $1250, or 940 rounds.

Disclaimer, its early, still drinking coffee, please correct math if I screwed up somewhere (it's been known to happen). My close friend wants to build his first precision rifle, and he fell into the newbie mistake of thinking he could skimp on things, like optics. I wont say I demanded he 'spend twice what he did on the rifle, on the glass' or anything like that. But I told him I already spent more than his rifle will cost on reloading gear, which he can use, so he wont have to. So he has to spend at least $850 (Vortex PST 6-24x FFP) on his scope to use my gear. I think getting into this style of shooting you need $1k for the gun, $1k for the optics, $1k for reloading. There will be some the gun/optics category to fill in for accessories, or add to the reloading budget, but if you cant spend $3k for a .308 setup, shooting .308 is going to be too costly for you anyways.

The 3lb would work, but if you can get a deal on the 6lb one, I'd get it. I have the 6lb one(dual drum) and if I remember correctly, I do 50 cases of .308 or 7.62x54r cases per drum, each works out to be about 1lb of brass. For 9mm and 45acp, I weigh out a pound on a kitchen scale.

I do 1lb brass, 1lb stainless steel pins, 1 lb water, a squirt of laundry soap, and a 9mm case worth of lemishine.

I deprime before cleaning with a Lee depriming die.

I tumble for 30 min to an hour, then separate from the pins, rinse, and let dry.

I also load on a single stage about once a month, and it works great for me.

If you have any questions, you can PM me.

If you are going with a hand priming option, I would suggest a tool with an adjustable primer seating depth.

This is probably the best option on the market.
http://www.xxicsi.com/stainless-steel-priming-tool.html

I use the Frankford Arsenal option
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Perfect-Primer-Seating/dp/B01B7OYUVC

haha, yeah. That was my experience coming from reloading 45 with no lube. I had plenty of lube on the outside but the necks were dry as a bone inside, I thought nothing of it at the time.

This tool is very useful for measuring the shoulder:

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Lock-Load-Headspace-Gauge/dp/B000PD5VN8

link is for reference only, you can likely find it cheaper elsewhere, but man that thing has helped me a TON as I have learned to reload rifle brass.

(EDIT) the other thing I found that helped me was switching to a Lanolin based lube, you can buy em or make your own. No idea about the purchased ones as I made my own, but it works much better than the other lubes I have tried.

I'm renovating my house so I don't have any pictures but my brass goes in clear plastic storage boxes after they have been decapped and cleaned. I also include anti-tarnish paper to keep them nice. Bullets get thrown in bags with an anti-tarnish strip then placed in these http://www.amazon.com/Akro-Mils-8212-Stacking-AkroBins-Hardware/dp/B00002NB5I . They are the same thing you get with the hornady lnl ap. I then label them and hang them on the wall.

I just got this one, haven't shot a gun through it yet but I was using it for archery during hunting season and it worked great

>The key to keeping dust down is adding a dryer sheet while cleaning.

Yep.

I use cheapie new ones (Kroger house brand) & they turn gray pretty quickly. I also wet tumble after depriming (I like clean primer pockets & case interiors) and dry tumble with lizard litter and an occasional capful of NuFinish. After adding the polish run the tumbler 5-10 minutes before adding brass - avoids clumping.

I wet tumble after depriming to avoid running grimy cases thru my sizing dies, do all my case prep (size, trim, chamfer, flash hole uniforming rifle cases) then dry tumble to deal with the brass particles from prep.

Between Armor-All car was for wet tumbling and Nu-finish for dry, the result is shiny cases inside and out that stay bright until I get around to loading them.

A cheap digital scale made a huge improvement in my consistency.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06W5VXN53

As with most cheap chinese goods, quality control is hit or miss so check it against a known good scale. But both of mine have been extremely accurate when I tested them.

I got one of these and a magnet.
https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Platinum-Media-Separator/dp/B01B6S8JUC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483812316&sr=8-1&keywords=frankford+arsenal+media+separator

You can usually find them a little cheaper from time to time. It works pretty well and one of the sides has a screen in it so you can rinse the media. Worth the $$ in my opinion.

I checked with Juan :) and he told me about the Lyman AR Reloading Handbook.

Edit: I work in IT, and a running joke is to ask if they "talked to Manuel" when troubleshooting stuff.

Save yourself the headache and be sure to do the following:

• Remove any primer crimp if any
  
• Check your cases in a case gauge after sizing to make sure they're in spec.
  
• Don't be afraid of the lube. Use it.
  
• Get an RCBS Stuck case removal kit (because you wont follow #3 above)

Use a squirt of Nu Finish in your tumbler for each load you do. It'll help polish the brass better than just the lizard bedding will. Should be readily available at your local Wal-Mart, too.

Wow, this one is less than $80! I think you'll find a chronograph is indispensable after you've owned one. Far less guesswork. ...But the ultimate in reloading nerd-dom comes with both a chronograph and QuickLoad!

I like having case gauges, sample rounds (to verify seating depth), and the case feeder parts in caliber-specific bins; it makes life easier. The [30210 bins] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002NB5I/) do this wonderfully.

6-Pack Hornady Sur-Loc rings. They've been cheaper, I've bought them @ $12, $15 and $16, and if you have a decently stocked store nearby, check them out. I was in a fairly large outdoor store (but out of my way) and they had them for amazon prices. Since I get hit with sales tax, it's a wash. The Forester rings, although a more precise fit, run ~$5 apiece. I use the Forster on my more precision loads, but my handgun or non-precision applications, the Hornady rings work very well.

Don't go nuts on a scale and calibers. I've got this scale and a cheap set of calibration weights and it's amazing.

WAOAW W-01-50 Digital Milligram Scale 50 X 0.001Gram Reloading Jewelry Scale Digital Weight with Calibration Weights Tweezers and Weighing Pans (Batteries Included) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W5VXN53/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_r7BxDbK5YCMJY

Sooner or later you will stick a case in those dies. It is a good idea to have an RCBS stuck case remover on hand.

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-Stuck-Case-Remover-Kit/dp/B000O7D5O2

I think I saw one for $100 on either /r/gundeals or /r/reloadingsales last week.

Though I just looked on amazon and found this guy for $75. (and free shipping)

Gave up on wet tumbling and use dry media but ad a cap full of Nu Finish Liquid Car polish.

Brass turns out looking like brand new!

​

https://www.amazon.com/Nu-Finish-Liquid-Car-Polish/dp/B000BPSW7C

Does anyone have this publication from Lyman?

https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Reloading-for-the-AR-Rifle/dp/B00I6OUTXK

It says in the description .223 load data. Wondering if its anything different than whats found in the standard manuals or the Lyman manual?

Thanks

Or like $70. Coldwell ballistic precision on amazon.

Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HTN5DTE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Pl5cBb1VJ6KJC

• Wet tumbled using this
  
  
• used these steel pins
  
  
• a dash of dawn dish liquid and 2 9mm casings full of lemi shine.
  
  
• leave on for 1.5 hrs
  
  
• air dry for now just bought a food dehydrator to speed things up.
  
  Note: deprime before tumbling for the extra clean primer pockets if you were to load precision. For mass loading of 9mm i do not bother.

Spend a little extra and get tools you won't want to replace. The RCBS kit has a better scale, dropper, press and priming tool: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0078MWM2W/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1452709834&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=Rcbs+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=41LeCz2g02L&ref=plSrch

You can get new lock rings on Amazon;
Personally, I prefer the Hornady ones; They clamp the ring to the threads, instead of doing a set screw straight to the threads.
https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Sure-Lock-Ring-Pack/dp/B001OPTMU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487695315&sr=8-1&keywords=Hornady+lock+rings



But the RCBS ones are available too:
https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-8-14-Die-Lock-Ring-Pack/dp/B001OPLIRO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487695286&sr=8-1&keywords=rcbs+lock+rings

Ballistic Precision Chronograph https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HTN5DTE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_oZKkzbQSWDYGB

I got that one and I like it. You'll need to pick up a tripod for it though.

I would think you want a turret for each caliber you are going to reload.
Turret

I could be wrong though, I'm not familiar with this press.
You also need a scale. This is what I use:
Digital Scale

You also need some sort of media separator
Cheap:
Separator
Less Cheap:
Enclosed Separator
These are just examples, you should shop around for the best price.

DIY Lanolin and Alcohol works just as well and is far cheaper. Grab some bottles with it and you're set.

I have this one, got the bluetooth adapter too which works better than wired imo but not required.

https://www.amazon.com/Competition-Electronics-ProChrono-Digital-Chronograph/dp/B0028MTBJ4/ref=lp_7213099011_1_3?srs=7213099011&ie=UTF8&qid=1495944962&sr=8-3

while i got no clue about sending them back, this

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-050033-Stuck-Case-Remover/dp/B004Y6ZJQ6

has some good reviews

dunno tbh i never bothered cuz i didn't want breathe in/deal with whatever else was in it and i found pure 99% isopropyl and food-grade lanolin oil.

WAOAW Digital Milligram Scale 50 X 0.001g Reloading Jewelry Scale Digital Weight with Calibration Weights Tweezers and Weighing Pans (Batteries included) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W5VXN53?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

You need one of these.....https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-HR050095-Cam-Lock-Bullet-Puller/dp/B000PCZZO4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501089924&sr=8-1&keywords=hornady+bullet+puller

99% alcohol:

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Brand-Isopropyl-Antiseptic-Technical/dp/B07NFSFBXQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_ 3?keywords=99%25+isopropyl+alcohol+16+oz&qid=1574336646&sprefix=99%25+Isopropyl+Alcohol%C2%A0&sr=8-3

Liquid lanolon:
https://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Solutions-Liquid-Lanolin/dp/B00028MLKC

Why don't you get the media separator? It saves you tons of time picking out the brass from the SS media.

https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Platinum-Media-Separator/dp/B01B6S8JUC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1486052075&sr=8-2&keywords=frankford+arsenal+media+separator

• Harbor Freight Dual Tumbler
  
• Stainless Steel Tumbling Pins
  
• Dawn (Single drop)
  
• Lemishine (light sprinkle)
  
• Frankford Media Separator
  
• 5 gal. bucket

Here is the desktop version of your link

This book has published data. That's what I used back when I loaded 458.

Nu Finish Liquid Car Polish https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPSW7C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2tZTAbNVCW14X

http://amzn.com/B00I6OUTXK

If I was forced to pull 500 rounds, I think I'd drop the 25 bucks for a Hornady cam-lock puller

https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-050095-Lock-Bullet-Puller/dp/B000PCZZO4

Sorry, let me clarify. Have you measured the brass fired from your rifle using like a Hornady headspace gauge and caliper? Not the drop-in headspace gauge.



I'm going to assume you're shooting semi, not bolt: What I'm trying to get at, is when you measure your once fired brass with the gauge and caliper, you might find your once fired brass is 1.458". Then what you want to do, is size the brass back 0.003" to say 1.455". When you go to trim, you might actually still be shorter than 1.750" so there's nothing to trim.



Or, if you're not using a caliper to measure prior to sizing, then you might not be able to tell that your brass is getting sized and bumped back enough. Because many times, especially with 308 back in the days, had to set my die so low, that it felt like my plate in my Dillon XL650 was going to crack. The "touch the plate and back off 1/8" definitely doesn't always work. It's not as bad when you use a single stage, but I've definitely had VERY low dies to get brass to size where I want it to.



And lastly, make sure you're using enough case lube. Not sure if you're using a spray or Imperial Wax, but if you're using Imperial Wax, make sure to put a little in the neck every say 10 rounds if you're using an expander ball. If you're spraying, it'll naturally get into the neck, so you're good to go. But use lots of lube.



Remember, do not use my numbers, measure your once fired brass because my chamber and my gauge may be measure differently.

Why would you buy a new die? There is a kit for removing stuck dies.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Y6ZJQ6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You will need a tap wrench.. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004YOB1/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are plenty of videos of how to use this stuff to remove a case.. Dies are fine, no need to replace.

1. Buy a stuck case removal kit
   
   
2. Loosen the decap rod and clamp die upside down in a vise.
   
   
3. Use the #7 -.201"- drill and make a hole through the brass primer pocket.
   
   
4. Tap hole with the 1/4-20 supplied tap.
   
   
5. Place the metal cup over the brass and thread the screw in the case. Tighten the screw and it will pull the brass out of the die.