Recommend a newbie some gear

[Fishwishin]

Total newbie at reloading. I want to start with revolver calibers (.357, .44 and 45LC). I'd like to start with a tumbler and depriming tool just to start getting some brass ready while I collect shell boxes and all the other miscellaneous components I'll need. So just for starters can somebody point me in the right direction of an appropriate tumbler that will see light usage? Also, what is the recommended media?

Thanks!

[RiskyBusiness]

did you want to go dry or wet tumbling? I can only vouch for wet tumbling but since you think you'll be doing some light reloading in small quantities go with dry tumblers as they are more economical. Any brand if fine, they're all made of parts from the same chinese factory whether they be green,blue, red or orange. I deprime on my press and prime off with the RCBS universal hand primer. Your basic depriming tool will be included in the box of dies you choose to go with for that specific caliber, then there is a separate universal Lee decapping die that will work for any caliber and is good for decapping when the brass is still dirty and you dont want to dirty your sizing/decapping dies for that. This way you can deprime, clean, size and your primer pockets aren't so dirty.

[Divernhunter]

Midway vibrator tumbler is what I have used for many years and I am not a light user. I use to use treated walnut media but now use the treated corn cob media mostly. The Lyman jug of it will last a long time. Some people try to"save" by using reptile litter and such. It is not treated and by the time you do it cost also. One trick to making the media last a long time is to cut up an old dryer sheet and put in each batch. If I get static troubles I spray the unit with anti-static spray and/or use a new dryer sheet.

I deprime on the press and hand prime my brass. I batch process all my brass except what I load on my Dillon 650.
You will not need to trim the cartridges you listed.

1ST thing to get is the Lyman reloading manual and read it. It will answer many of the questions you will have.

If you are near me you are welcome to come over and get some help started. I have helped quite a number of people

[stilly]

Originally Posted by Fishwishin

Total newbie at reloading. I want to start with revolver calibers (.357, .44 and 45LC). I'd like to start with a tumbler and depriming tool just to start getting some brass ready while I collect shell boxes and all the other miscellaneous components I'll need. So just for starters can somebody point me in the right direction of an appropriate tumbler that will see light usage? Also, what is the recommended media?

Thanks!

I just deleted a wall of explanatory text to instead, make a polite request that you NEVER EVER EVER EVER AGAIN start a sentence in real life OR a Thread or Post in here with the word "Recommend". If you can do that then I will contribute more to this thread than a simple request.

[TexasJackKin]

I have both a wet system, and a dry vibratory tumbler from Cabala's, made by I don't know who, but like RiskyBusiness said, they are all pretty much the same. I use untreated crushed walnut shells, with a light squirt on new finish car wax added to each batch, before the brass is added, in the belief, that it helps the brass stay shiny, and perhaps smooths things going though the process.

When I want really clean brass, I deprime and wet tumble with SS pins. with any of the recopies you will see posted here. The brass comes out looking like new, inside and out. I would say (and I'll probably get blasted) that wet tumbling is twice the work, for a 15% better product. but, you will find most of us are a bit fanatical about our reloading.

I said 15% because i couldn't decide between 10% and 20%, Kind of like a .40S&W is for people that can't decide between a 9MM and a .45ACP..... (I like shoot, enjoy, and load for them all)

[wbunning]

You're most likely to need at least a shell holder each of the calibers you want to load to do the de-priming and they come in the die sets. One recommendation for the depriming part of your question might be to jump over on Amazon and order the Lee Precision Reloader press model 90045, The Lee universal depriming die, and the Lee universal shell holder kit. That will total under $75. You can use that for all three of your calibers while giving you time to study up on what die sets you want, type of press, etc. Then, when you ultimately decide on a more robust press, you have the Lee press as a dedicated de-priming station. Lots of us do that. Depending on how much bench space you have, you may also want to give the Inline Fabrication quick-change mounting system some consideration.

As far as the tumbler goes, there are definitely two main camps and both have merit. My pref is wet, but it's more costly to get set up. Dry tumblers are cheap..you can even get one at good ol' Harbor Freight. Dry tumbling media such as crushed walnut shell and corn cob can be purcased for cheap at pet stores..they sell it as lizard bedding, etc.

['ol shooter]

I "recommend" attending a reloading class, you'll get good ideas of what you need to start with.
I started out with a Harbor Freight tumbler, cheap way to find out if wet tumbling is for you.
I started with one and moved up to a Thumler, just for volume, not because the HF was bad.

Buy Stilly's pins. Even if you don't tumble, he needs the $.

[GW]

Originally Posted by Divernhunter

Midway vibrator tumbler is what I have used for many years and I am not a light user. I use to use treated walnut media but now use the treated corn cob media mostly. The Lyman jug of it will last a long time. Some people try to"save" by using reptile litter and such. It is not treated and by the time you do it cost also. One trick to making the media last a long time is to cut up an old dryer sheet and put in each batch. If I get static troubles I spray the unit with anti-static spray and/or use a new dryer sheet.

I deprime on the press and hand prime my brass. I batch process all my brass except what I load on my Dillon 650.
You will not need to trim the cartridges you listed.

1ST thing to get is the Lyman reloading manual and read it. It will answer many of the questions you will have.

If you are near me you are welcome to come over and get some help started. I have helped quite a number of people

Yes on Midway vibratory tumbler and big +1 on Lyman manual. The best manual out there.

[RestrictedColt]

Harbor Freight rock tumbler, I went with the double drum version. With dish soap and a pinch of Lemi-shine the brass comes out shiner than new milspec brass.

I then added Frankford Arsenal pins to get the insides and pockets clean and got the FA tumbler to do bigger batches, but the HF tumbler still gets used for smaller batches.

[bigbossman]

I regularly use the Midway tumbler that I bought new in 1996 or so. Only had one issue with it about 10 years ago, a wire going to the motor came loose. 5 minutes with the soldering iron fixed that.

About 2 years ago I acquired a used Franklin tumbler and put it into service when the Midway one is already in use. It works well too, and has a larger bowl capacity.

I have treated corn cob in the Midway one, and that polishes the brass pretty well. I use a mix of Brasso (the horror!) and a cap full of paint thinner/mineral spirits now and again. Keeps the dust down (along with a dryer sheet every now and then) and gives a clean bright shine. I use treated walnut in the Franklin tumbler, for dirtier cases that require more abrasion to get clean. The walnut scrubs the crap off better, but produces a more dull shine than the corncob.

[Joe'Bronco]

Best walnut media is lizard bedding. Its cheap too.


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[Pardini]

Originally Posted by stilly

I just deleted a wall of explanatory text to instead, make a polite request that you NEVER EVER EVER EVER AGAIN start a sentence in real life OR a Thread or Post in here with the word "Recommend". If you can do that then I will contribute more to this thread than a simple request.

Right always start with "What's the Best"

The Midway tumbler has been good to me since 1990. Wore holes thru the bowl a few years ago. I had a couple of extras, so it's still going. Wish I could even guess as to how many hundreds of thousands of cases it's cleaned. I would think well over a million.

Have always used walnut from the pet store. Never seen the need to wet tumble.

[jimmykan]

The Cabelas/Berry's tumbler with detachable bowl is my favorite.

Cabela's Vibratory Tumbler with Detachable Bowl

MidwayUSA - Berry's QD-500 Vibratory Tumbler 110V

Consider the Lee Hand Press as your first press. Cheap, simple, and still has its uses after you buy more serious reloading presses.



Just add the appropriate shellholder (each cost about $5, or you can buy an 11-piece set for $35 that covers almost every caliber) and a Lee Universal Decapping Die for $14.

[agarc92]

For depriming without buying a press and if you want to grow solid forearms I can recommend this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Red9]

In gonna get banned for this but...
Just buy a Dillon 550. Great press buy once cry once.
For now just bucket wash your brass. No need for squeaky clean brass. Bucket wash with dawn and a little lemishine. Rinse with diluted car wash wax. Dry resize Deprime bucket wash again. Dry in netted laundry bag. Done.
Wet tumbling can come later. Seen some 550 here go pretty cheap. One listed for 450 right now.
Yes I own several presses. They all serve different purposes. If I needed just one it would be my 550. The lee presses are fine but they get sticky and need frequent cleaning. Also I can't seem to get the press arm to my liking. Current use is just for resizing cast bullets. It sucked doing 223. Ymmv

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