First press for new reloader

[Animal.]

I reload in room a townhome. Come down to HB and I'll help you out.

I have a rockchucker, big boss 2, a 550b and a lock n load

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That would be awesome, HB is not far from me and I am down in that area for work often. Let me know when your available in a pm if your serious and see if we can work something out. Thanks Bumslie, have been hoping someone would make this offer to help me out.

[tanks]

...
With the advent of machines like the MK 7, are the clubs making their own ammo?
Or are groups of competitors getting together and assembling a months worth of practice ammo in an hour or two?

I ask because I'm finding more and more competitive shooters who are not reloading.
I guess these guys are making more money working per hour than they do cranking out 550B ammo in the garage.

Anyhow, great post. Look forward to reading your response.

I know a few companies have automated machines that their sponsored shooters get to use for free to make their ammo. I don't think clubs are due to insurance requirements etc..

I don't know of any serious competitor that does NOT reload (or has someone load for him). Also, it depends on division one is shooting as well. Most 2011s will not run factory ammo as they would be too short. For example SAAMI spec for .40 S&W is 1.135" OAL neither one of my 2011 Limited guns will feed anything shorter than 1.195" OAL reliably.

Most of the guys I shoot with locally have either automated machines or a 650 or a 1050 Dillon. Some have more than one.

BTW, a month's worth of ammo takes more than an hour as I am not comfortable to run the machine at more than 2,500 rph even though the top speed is supposed to be 3,500 rph. It is nice though to have a couple of months worth of ammo already be loaded at any given time so I am not reloading the night before a match. I also roll size the brass prior to loading, case gauge all ammo and then plunk test each round for major matches (level 2+).

[hambam105]

Good to know, thanks.

Competitors, serious USPSA style competitors, go thru the ammo big-time.
So much so I don't even mention the number because the non-initiated will not believe it.

After my 2nd pistol cleared it's shake-down, I've always made it a point to have all my match equipment on the garage floor ready to go by Wednesday night.
Clean gun & mags, ammo, leather, eyes, ears. When the match was on Sunday, and I'm practicing on Saturday, it wasn't with any of the gear prepared for Sunday.
Well, most of time anyhow.

I'll give you fair warning when I plan on competing in SoCal again.

[SoCal1911]

I reload for everything I shoot (except 22 LR) for 20 plus years. All my rifle loading is done on a set of single stage RCBS Rockchuckers. Pistol loading done on a RCBS Pro 2000. Mostly shoot pistols, more than rifles. For a beginner to reloading, I would recommend a single stage press, that way you understand what each step does. Knowing and having experience using a single stage press will help when you step up to a progressive press. Put a WTB post for a single stage press, and I bet you will find a deal. Get a good scale and calibers and do your research. Do not try to produce magnum loads, use stating load data and work up looking for over pressure signs. Like others have said, reloading is a rabbit hole with no end, but a hobby I enjoy as much as shooting. My loads are more accurate then most factory rounds, which is one of my main goals.
I would be open to showing you what I can using my equipment to get you a feel for reloading. I am in Buena Park, Orange County. Send a PM if you want.

[Rockzilla]

go back and edit the rest of your posts will you.

You ain't old enough to know when gasoline was $1.50 let alone $0.50.

Shut the pie hole and and go eat some tide pods

now this is getting interesting...

gas $0.50 per gallon... nah how's about Sunoco "260" ?
found a receipt for it $0.32 a gallon gas "rationing"
odd / even plates...ran that stuff in my 454 Chevelle

and I have dies that cost more than my press, some
custom ones made with the same reamer that did
the barrel...any way Reload rounds from 17 Rem / 22
Hornet through 50BMG and a "lot" in between, then
specialty equipment, tools, etc.

Started in the 70's reloading RCBS Rock Chuckers still got em
still use em. Got me into a process and flow, reloaded in batches
back then,, still do from time to time..the equipment has grown
and grown, and outgrown several benches, so instead of making
the benches bigger, build dedicated bench for other processes.
Throw in casting....


-Rock

[M1NM]

... definitely a single stage press to start and prefect your hand loading skills ...buy as high of quality equipment ...as you can afford up front....Buy once, Cry once.
[ATTACH]732416[/ATTACH]

+1 I've been reloading since 1968. Keep your bench Green RCBS Green. I started with a hammer and little Lee kit for doing .357. Finally got all the way up to a RCBS progressive. I have since downsized to just a RCBS Rockchucker (sold the progressive, an RCBS Jr and another Rockchucker). That is where I suggest you start. A Lee is fine for the .223 and 9mm but for anything bigger like the 30-06 you'll like the leverage of the Rockchucker. I've even used it to resize 30-06 into 7.65 Mauser and 7.7 Jap. Don't get hung up on do-dads. I've never had/needed case gauges etc. Adjust the dies like the directions say and everything will work fine. I don't trust electronic scales so and old Pacific beam one is all I have. A cheap caliper and Forester case trimmer (I didn't even have one of those until I got a 30-30 which streches the cases and for trimming reformed brass. For big jobs I just take off the hand crank and hook it up to a drill.
The biggest problem you will have is consistancy. You need the work the handle over it's full range EVERY TIME or your rounds won't be sized right. Get a loading block when you resize and prime put them in the block mouth down when it's full you can easily see that all are primed. Next powder (Lee powder scoops will work until you can afford a powder dispenser and scale) put those in the block mouth up and when it's full take a flashlight an look in each case to make sure you didn't miss one and they are all about the same height, finally the bullet and you're done.

[DueceMcGurk]

For rifle rounds start with a single stage. Pistol rounds I would consider starting with a Lee Classic Turret. Enjoy the journey. Lots to learn.

[Animal.]

For rifle rounds start with a single stage. Pistol rounds I would consider starting with a Lee Classic Turret. Enjoy the journey. Lots to learn.

Yea thats now what I am back to planning on getting.. waiting to long and already missed some good deals on the RCBS kits...

[kcstott]

now this is getting interesting...

gas $0.50 per gallon... nah how's about Sunoco "260" ?
found a receipt for it $0.32 a gallon gas "rationing"
odd / even plates...ran that stuff in my 454 Chevelle

and I have dies that cost more than my press, some
custom ones made with the same reamer that did
the barrel...any way Reload rounds from 17 Rem / 22
Hornet through 50BMG and a "lot" in between, then
specialty equipment, tools, etc.

Started in the 70's reloading RCBS Rock Chuckers still got em
still use em. Got me into a process and flow, reloaded in batches
back then,, still do from time to time..the equipment has grown
and grown, and outgrown several benches, so instead of making
the benches bigger, build dedicated bench for other processes.
Throw in casting....


-Rock

Dies that cost more than a press is easy, just order a set of dies for a Cheytac. $350

[navydad2010]

+1 I've been reloading since 1968. Keep your bench Green RCBS Green. I started with a hammer and little Lee kit for doing .357. Finally got all the way up to a RCBS progressive. I have since downsized to just a RCBS Rockchucker (sold the progressive, an RCBS Jr and another Rockchucker). That is where I suggest you start. A Lee is fine for the .223 and 9mm but for anything bigger like the 30-06 you'll like the leverage of the Rockchucker. I've even used it to resize 30-06 into 7.65 Mauser and 7.7 Jap. Don't get hung up on do-dads. I've never had/needed case gauges etc. Adjust the dies like the directions say and everything will work fine. I don't trust electronic scales so and old Pacific beam one is all I have. A cheap caliper and Forester case trimmer (I didn't even have one of those until I got a 30-30 which streches the cases and for trimming reformed brass. For big jobs I just take off the hand crank and hook it up to a drill.
The biggest problem you will have is consistancy. You need the work the handle over it's full range EVERY TIME or your rounds won't be sized right. Get a loading block when you resize and prime put them in the block mouth down when it's full you can easily see that all are primed. Next powder (Lee powder scoops will work until you can afford a powder dispenser and scale) put those in the block mouth up and when it's full take a flashlight an look in each case to make sure you didn't miss one and they are all about the same height, finally the bullet and you're done.

^^^THIS^^^

Ive reloaded for 30+ years on RCBS Rockchucker, get one, even used (forget the kit) quality beam scale and powder measure. LEARN to reload, but the manuals and read! I just bought a Lee Classic press to load a little faster, retirement leaves time for more shooting. I will always use the SS RCBS for
sizing cast bullets and such...forget the angry bunch, for they will always be with us...lol

[Bigedski]

I started with a Rock Chucker in the early 80's, 2+ years ago I bought a Dillon 650, I still use the Chucker but 95% of my reloading is on my Dillon.
I only do 4 calibers right now.

[RestrictedColt]

When I was starting out 'everyone' said to get a single stage, not a progressive. I bought a Hornady LNL AP. My theory was I can run a progressive as a single, but not the other way around, and I knew I'd want high volume/low work ammo. I started out with .38 special, did a few putting only one case at a time on the press, then went right into full progressive. I reload about a dozen cartridges from .25 ACP to .338WM.

After getting into reloading I started moving towards precision cartridges instead of just quantity, not sure if it was related to reloading or not.

I have the Hornady progressive, actually two of them now, and an old Lee 3 hole turret if you want to come check them out.

[fguffey]

This will mainly be for plinking for the time being until I have a better understanding before I attempt what I think are called precision loads??

I believe you should purchase an OLD Herter press like the #3. I have at least 12 Herter presses, all of them are cam over presses; I understand that means nothing to anyone on this forum but all of my cam over presses are 'bump' presses. When I use a bump/cam over press I have to adjust the press like it was a bump press or a cam over press:! Because my cam over presses are bump presses. And? They bump twicer, once on the way up and again on the way down.

F. Guffey

[C.G.]

Started with a Rockchucker and thought I would sell it when I would buy a progressive. I still have it next to a Hornady Lock-n-load AP and still use it for developing rounds and for small batches such as .338 LM.

[Donny1]

Wow, learned a bunch but it was ugly at times, lol.