RCBS Rebel "KIT"

[Fastattack]

My digital scale weighs the test weight fine, so I sleep day and night.

Hey Sig, you need to stop sleeping so much My digital scales do too - using something like 50 or 100 grain test weights. However, weighing small charges like 5 grains for a pistol, I might get anywhere from 4.8 to 5.2 just by weighing the same charge several times. My beam scales are dead-nuts on every time, and I swear the good one responds to a single kernel of powder (not that I'm OCD or anything).

[RNE228]

Also, read thru Randall's "Sticky's" at the top of this reloading forum...

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=229221

[L4D]

My RCBS Rockchucker, scale and powder thrower have served me well since the early 1980's.

If I were get a kit though, I would have to look at Lyman, Hornady and Redding kits too.

I'm from the "start on a single stage" camp, but for 9mm, I would have to consider options for a progressive, depending on how much you shoot.

[sigstroker]

Hey Sig, you need to stop sleeping so much My digital scales do too - using something like 50 or 100 grain test weights. However, weighing small charges like 5 grains for a pistol, I might get anywhere from 4.8 to 5.2 just by weighing the same charge several times. My beam scales are dead-nuts on every time, and I swear the good one responds to a single kernel of powder (not that I'm OCD or anything).

I don't sleep as much on the freeway as I used to. Can only tempt fate so many times.

I'm much more likely to mis-read a beam scale than my electric scale be wrong. Especially because I have to turn off all fans and cooling when I use it because a breeze will affect the beam. Then I have sweat dripping in my eyes. That doesn't seem to affect my electrical scale, and if it did I could put a clear cover over it.

[sigstroker]

You can certainly load that much without a progressive, you'll just have to budget the time for it.

BTW, you'll need some way to trim brass if we haven't mentioned it.

[pennstater]

I don't really know, maybe the digital scales have improved in the last couple years. Problems with drifting readings, false readings if not plugged into a good power source or with batteries that aren't up to snuff. Have the digitals finely come around? And at what price?

MLC

[hambam105]

When your are expecting reloading to be inexpensive, fast, easy, and requires next to zero
investment in time & money, then by all means, go for it!

[TomReloaded]

Once I got my digital scale, i got rid of the beam. Beam scales grind your work to a halt and it's annoying. My cheap Franklin shows the same weight down to 0.1gr every time with no variance. I recalibrate it every few months, since it just takes a second.

Reloading pistol ammo on a single stage is not fun. Just go straight to a turret press and skip the single entirely. If you absolutely insist on using it as a single, deactivate indexing and run the turret the slow way. You'll be very glad you did.

[sigstroker]

I don't really know, maybe the digital scales have improved in the last couple years. Problems with drifting readings, false readings if not plugged into a good power source or with batteries that aren't up to snuff. Have the digitals finely come around? And at what price?

MLC

Mine is a very old one. I bought it before the cheapies were available. I think I paid a little over $150 for it.

[pennstater]

Mine is a very old one. I bought it before the cheapies were available. I think I paid a little over $150 for it.

Well heck, maybe I'll look at a few and try one for some casual handloding.
Who knows, maybe I'll like the damn thing! I'll start by looking at the Franklin one that TomReloaded mentioned.

MLC

Edit: Opps, meant Frankford?

[TomReloaded]

Well heck, maybe I'll look at a few and try one for some casual handloding.
Who knows, maybe I'll like the damn thing! I'll start by looking at the Franklin one that TomReloaded mentioned.

MLC

Edit: Opps, meant Frankford?

Yes, frankford! Mixed those up.

I have the ~$30 basic one.

Definitely use the calibration weight, but another easy test is to measure a high quality name brand FMJ (they're usually more consistent). All my 115, 124, and 147gr hornady's weigh on the dot.

If your digital scale is a shocking 5 grains off when measuring a 100gr bullet, that means your 4.0gr powder charge might read 4.2gr... or in other words, still totally safe. The real variance you'll see is closer to 0.1, maybe 0.2gr.. so your 4.0gr powder charge might really be 4.01gr, or a tighter variance than your measure will throw. That variance is ok, do the 10 tests of the same bullet instead. If its the same every time, you got yourself a good scale.

[Che762x39]

Would you guys recommend this kit for starters?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022387772?pid=270065

Should I just buy the press and source individual parts i.e. make my own kit?

My budget is $500 and hoping to have everything to load 9mm in that budget. Less components of course...

Get that kit. Then adjust from there, I started with a RCBS kit 40 years ago reloading 9mm.

[L4D]

Get that kit. Then adjust from there, I started with a RCBS kit 40 years ago reloading 9mm.

A good point was made up above. I got a Lee Classic turret press and other selected components while they were on sale at Midway. I can do everything a single stage does and speed up when i'm ready on the same press. Reviews of the Classic were good, lots of videos online reviewing it and its nuances.

[Capybara]

Good press. Need a better Beam Scale. The RCBS Hand Priming Tool is far from the best/easiest to use one out there, in my experience. The thing about kits is they try to do one size fits all and most experienced reloaders end up with several brands of gear for different tools and accessories, precisely because certain brands excel at certain items.

Downside, your $500 budget is going to go higher almost no matter what you do, especially once you start hunting for components, unless you already have a stash of powder and primers?

[golfish]

Good press. Need a better Beam Scale.

What did you have in mind ?