New guy about to start reloading.

[Gallows]

I have been entertaining the thought of reloading for months now and I think I'm ready to start. However, I have no idea where to begin or what I need to start. So here is what I want to know.

1. What equipment will I need to start?
2. Anything I should know being a beginner?
3. What is the initial cost to start?
4. Anything I should be cautious about?
5. Any websites( or calgunners) that can give me a good direction to start in?(recipes etc.)
6. How much space will be needed?
7. Will this be time consuming?
8. Suggestions for storage?

That's all I can think of right now.

Also just to add a little more I am mainly reloading for .45 and .40. I will typically be using these rounds for plinking and target shooting. Money isn't much of an issue right now. At some point I want to start reloading rifle rounds. I'm not sure what else to put at the moment.

Anything you guys offer is appreciated!

[Gallows]

I just realized there was a 101 faq that was put up as a sticky. My bad!
Well answers would be appreciated anyways! =]

[Fyathyrio]

Many will recommend starting with a single stage press and later advancing to a progressive. I chose to get a progressive press and use it in single stage mode initially...then once I had the process down I went progressive and didn't have to buy another press. This was for handgun stuff also. Evaluate your personal mechanical abilities and decide from there...a progressive press can get pretty busy and the repercussions from mistakes can be pretty dire.

Buy ABC's of Reloading and at least one reloading manual such as Hornady or Speer...read and learn. Then start building a wishlist on a site such as MidwayUSA.com to help keep track of desired items to purchase. Stick to the reloading components listed in the "recipe" in the manual, or as close as possible initially, to help keep your results similar and more likely to be safe.

Oh, what's your intended budget? OK, now triple that!

Expect it to take a couple months to get everything you need...primers, powders, brass and bullets can be hard to find. .45 stuff in particular is pretty popular and can be out of stock easy. Shop carefully, google is your friend. Powders and primers have a one time hazmat shipping charge of $22.50 regardless of amount ordered, so buy in bulk and combine them when possible.

Good luck! I really enjoy reloading, for me it's turned an activity into a hobby. Working up a load, seeing the results at the range, and then coming home to make a big batch that's tailored to my weapon is great...plus the Zen time on the press in the man cave can't be beat!

[jb7706]

Buy as much as your budget can support. Be it a Dillon or a hand press, your money is well spent on as much quality as you can afford. It only hurts once.

[Gallows]

Well how is this I estimate I will have around 4k to spend on it.

[XDRoX]

Well how is this I estimate I will have around 4k to spend on it.

Please allow me to help you spend your 4k. If I had 4k, this is what I would get:
First I'd get an RCBS single stage press to learn on and load precision rifle rounds. This kit will come with almost everything you'll need including a manual. This press will load about 50 rounds per hour. Every good handloader needs a single stage press on the bench IMO.
Price is $323

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=646599

Then I would also get a progressive press. I like Dillon.
This one is $420:

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23594/catid/1/RL_550B

This one is $545:

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/23803/catid/1/XL_650

Both of these will load like 400 rounds per hour, the second one will load slightly faster. The 2nd one will be a bit more complicated and a bit more expensive to change calibers on.

So for under $1000 you will have two of the best presses and almost everything you need to learn. You'll still need to pick up some dies (Dillon makes nice ones) and a few other odds and ends.

$1000 more will get you enough components to load 10k rounds.

With the remaining 2k I will personally drive to your house and give you the best reloading lesson you've ever seen

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[XDRoX]

BTW, if you change the title of this thread to, "I have 4k to spend on reloading supplies," you'd get a lot more replies

[Gallows]

BTW, if you change the title of this thread to, "I have 4k to spend on reloading supplies," you'd get a lot more replies

Hahaha good call I should try that! I was gonna say if you want to come over and reload with me then be my guest!

[fullspeed1]

Well how is this I estimate I will have around 4k to spend on it.

Dillon 1050 and all the cheese and crackers to go with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wGVRGbQrU

Although, You might make Randall jealous.

[joelogic]

Just as a correction you can spend $1k on a XL650 once you add in the trimmer ($200 plus dies $40 each) and the casefeed ($200 plus $40 shell plates and you need all 4).

Granted you dont need the trimmer for pistol but once you start reloading you will want to reload for everything. I reload .223, .308, .45, and 9mm.

$625 will buy you 10k 9mm/.223 bullets at group buy rate.
$300 will buy you two 5k cases of primers.
$600/case of H322 because you will need a case of powder to load 10k .223 rounds.
$150 for 8lbs to load 10k+ of 9mm.

Once you start loading .308 it will be even more money.

Personally I dont believe everyone needs to start on a single stage. If you are going to load match rifle rounds than get one. But if you can follow directions and focus while multi-tasking go progressive.

[joelogic]

Dillon 1050 and all the cheese and crackers to go with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9wGVRGbQrU

Although, You might make Randall jealous.

Cleaver actuating system. But I will have to figure out why I have to realign my cases to prime them. Maybe every 10th one needs to be recentered.

Edit: I love youtube. Just lost 20 minutes watching, How to Make Hollow Points, and swaging brass jackets.

[Gallows]

Just as a correction you can spend $1k on a XL650 once you add in the trimmer ($200 plus dies $40 each) and the casefeed ($200 plus $40 shell plates and you need all 4).

Granted you dont need the trimmer for pistol but once you start reloading you will want to reload for everything. I reload .223, .308, .45, and 9mm.

$625 will buy you 10k 9mm/.223 bullets at group buy rate.
$300 will buy you two 5k cases of primers.
$600/case of H322 because you will need a case of powder to load 10k .223 rounds.
$150 for 8lbs to load 10k+ of 9mm.

Once you start loading .308 it will be even more money.

Personally I dont believe everyone needs to start on a single stage. If you are going to load match rifle rounds than get one. But if you can follow directions and focus while multi-tasking go progressive.

This is a lot to take in at once and thanks everyone for the replies. Now I that I have a foundation to start with and some ideas it doesn't seem so daunting. Something that keeps crossing my mind is where I'm going to put this station? No room in my garage and I'm not sure if I want it in my room, it just seems like a bad idea for some reason. Especially since there is a lot of foot traffic in my room. I'm sure I will figure it out.

[bucktooth7]

I am a new fellow like you. I have purchased all of my reloading hardware from e-bay. for penneys on the dollar. I shoot every week end , and I haven't purchased factory rounds in years. Lee single stage, 9mm, .38, .357,.45,.44. If you feel the need to produce 500 rounds in an hour then buy the expensive dillon set up. If you are like me a little slower and alot cheaper with no loss of quality is the way to go.

[johnrunner89]

You can go for a turret press to settle between a single station and progressive. I went with a lee classic turret press and couldn't be happier. Whatever you choose, make sure to get a couple reloading manuals, they are always good to have.

[killshot44]

The Lee Classic Turret or the Redding Turret (7 holes!) are very good. If you want to, you can use the auto-indexing features for greater speed.

If you've got the $, don't buy a "kit". You can buy the right pieces from those who make the best of that particular part (Ie; the maker of the best dies don't make the best powder-measure or priming system)

Check out Randall's "Match Rifle Ammo is too Expensive" Sticky. The stuff on the "good" list is all top-notch, can't-go-wrong equipment.

Check out the picture thread of other's set-ups for inspiration. Don't know about reloading in "your room"....(dorm?)
Congrats on the decision to reload your own.