Looking to start reloading...lotsa questions...

[Kman]

Definitely pick up a reloading manual,or a few and read them. Then find a budy that's been reloading and get educated a little. It's not hard, just time consuming and following book loads. Load with no distractions and create your own load book. Small test batches before you mass produce.

 

[madcow]

Pick up the Dillon 550 package (caliber of choice), reloading book & decent powder scale. You can set-up the Dillon to load single stage while you are learning but sooner or later you will want to graduate to a progressive, specially shooting semi-autos.

 

[wsbrown]

I started with the Hornady single stage bundle, Im still using it. I load 308, 300 BO, 556, 45, 357/38, and 9mm. Never had any issues, its a fun hobby.

 

[EMC45]

For single stage the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme is a good deal. The Lee Challenger Anniversary kit is good too.

For progressive kits (which I don't recommend for a beginner) Hornady Lock N Load are good as are the Dillon 550B.

Used gear is good to buy if it's been taken care of. I would say to get a good complete kit like the RCBS or LEE and then start getting the dies and extras that can be had on the used market for good deals. The majority of my die kits are used and work great!

The first thing I would strongly suggest getting is a good manual. Before anything else. Lyman, Lee, RCBS, Hornady etc are all good. Too often you see people seeking reloading data online (here and elsewhere) when the data is right at your fingertips if you have a reputable manual. Read the book. It will benefit you.

Go slow. Don't try to "pioneer" anything. It's been done before and some ideas are bad ideas.

There are old reloaders and bold reloaders. There are not old bold reloaders......

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

SAFETY, SAFETY...

ONE THING TO REMEMBER NEVER EVER, RELOAD WHEN YOU ARE TIRED...

2ND THING TO REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOW GOING TO BE WORKING WITH, EXPLOSIVES, NOT FIRE WORKS!!!

3RD THING, DESIGNATE A SPECIAL AREA FOR YOUR WORK SEPARATE FROM ANY FREQUENTLY USED HOUSE OR BASEMENT AREAS..

Keep your work area as clean as possible.

You are now entering one of the most expensive addictions you have ever played with before.

Reloading is not a cheap investment, and OH, you really do not save money, however you can if
your desiring to be making the most accurate loads of your shooting life.

When you buy cheap equipment you normally lose your investment, time, and passion for the reloading world...

Look at the press differences if they are cheap they have manufacturing differences like the skinny guide rails to support the ram going up and down, weak or aluminum guide rails can/will cause alignment issues.

Good luck in your quest to reloading your best loads in your life...

Been doing it for over 45+ years and it is a learning experience each and every day of your life...

 

[amazingjoe]

Been doing this for 50 plus years and am still buying new stuff. My original equiptment is still in use and will be handed down to my grandchildren. Let no one tell you that you will save money by reloading, in my experience all you do is get to shoot more for the same amount of money. If all you do is shoot standard loads at targets or hunt for a few days yearly. Reloading is probably not the thing for you, but if you like the satisfaction of tayloring your loads to the type of shooting you do then it probably is . Nothing quite beats taking an animal with a reload that you put together yourself or shooting the x ring out of the target at the range or informal shooting with the kids or grandkids. Try it you might just discover a lifetime hobby as I did.

 

[handloader]

Start with a single stage of turret kit. I recommend RCBS equipment, though there are several colors on my bench. I cast for big bore from free or cheap scrap lead. Even buying the lead as scrap 44 mag is about $5.00 a box, $3.00 if you get it free. So yes it can be less expensive per round, but you just shoot more.

 

[redfish414]

Have a big batch of "bullets that gone bad"....Just part of the learning curve

 

[handloader]

Have a big batch of "bullets that gone bad"....Just part of the learning curve

I literally wore one of these out during my first decade reloading. The replacement still gets used from time to time. Reloading "eraser".

 

[redfish414]

Got 2 broke 1