Reloading 101

[virahunter]

awesome! Thanks for posting. I was just starting to get myself prepared to learn 410 shot shell reloading

[SURVIVOR619]

mac and turby, I very much appreciate you making this a sticky. I'm definitely in reloading 101 and this thread puts me in a much better direction.

JT

[lawdawg0417]

Great post, I was seriously about to purchase a lower end single stage and after reading this, def think I will save up for a Dillon.

[usmchugheskl]

I see a high rise in people blowing there guns ups. Please read manuals and data sheets and be carful as this takes time and safety to get good at, only mentioned this because when I bought more bullets today the guy at the local gun store was trying to fix a glock that was demolished by a over killed powder charge, good luck y'all

[orangeusa]

Since this is reloading 101, thought I'd bring up scales for measuring powder and overall product.

A grain is 1/7000 a pound and anything 0.1 gram accuracy won't cut it. (accuracy of 1.5 grains when loading 7-8 grains in handgun ammo is not safe).

I found that Amazon is a great source for electronic scales (about 1/4 the price of head shop scales and 1/8 the price of gun shop scales) and they had the Lee dippers (for powder) that I needed.

Gunbroker (if you shop carefully) has primers. I'm loading small batches for 45colt.

.

[TacticalVantage]

Thank you for this thread! I have been trying to find this for awhile now

[slayer61]

My name is Paul, and I have an addiction..

New to pistol shooting last year and between my Mrs. and I we have collected 9 different pistols from 4 manufacturers and in sizes from 22lr, 9mm, 40S&W and .45acp.

Ammo is getting harder to get and more expensive, so I decided to start reloading and recently ordered this little beauty.



I also have dies coming for 9, 40 & 45. Once I get the press set and understood, I'll start looking for components-powder, primers and bullets.

It is a good feeling knowing I will soon be self reliant in yet another category! Paul

[Cowboy T]

The most important thing is to get people started with reloading. Therefore, I came up with a shopping list some years back and updated the prices to current levels, as of September 2020.

The prices may vary a little based on who you buy your stuff from, but it should still be right around $300.

1.) Single-stage "Lee Reloader Breech-Lock Press", $50
2.) Set of three dies (Lee Precision) for your cartridge, $40 (standard shell holder is already included)
3.) Lee Auto-Prime XR, $18
4.) The special shell holder for Lee Auto-Primes for your cartridge, $2.00 or so
5.) Beam scale, either RCBS 500 or Dillon Eliminator ($90) (Note: I do *NOT* like or recommend the inexpensive digital jobs--too unreliable)
6.) Set of analog dial calipers, $25 (the digital jobs go through batteries WAAAY too fast--I've already been there)
7.) Kinetic bullet puller, $15
8.) Vibratory tumbler, $35
9.) Brass cleaning medium, fine crushed walnut or corn cob, $11 at PetSmart or PetCo ("Lizard Litter")
10.) Good car polish, e. g. NuFinish, for helping the crushed walnut--DO NOT USE BRASSO or anything else with ammonia in it, though!
11.) Colander-type sifter to separate the brass from the cleaning medium once the brass is clean (mine was $7.00)

Total: $293. This is a complete, functional setup, and the same thing I used to make my first 1,000 rounds.

The reloader can then go from there if he/she wishes. It's been 11 years since I bought that little single-stage, and it continues to get plenty of use on my bench, even though most of my reloading is done progressively these days.