Reloading Gear Check.

[Justintoxicated]

So I have decided I want to start reloading. But it sure seems like an investment. I want to reload 223 and 45 acp. Heres my list so far.

*Image Removed*

I know I'm missing a case trimmer for 223.

Anything I'm forgetting or should swap out?

[bohoki]

here is a list of my gear i'll be as complete as possible

for 45 acp

rcbs jr2 press
lee 45acp carbide dies
lee perfect powder measure
unnamed digital grain scale from ebay
(i cast my bullets so i have a 2 cavity lee 45 rn tl mold,the lee 452 sizing and lube kit)

ive used bullseye and red dot



for 223
same rcbs jr2 press
lee rgb dies .223
shellholder for 223
vasaline for lube just a little rubbed on works fine for me
lyman drburring tool
possum hollow 223 trimmer
possum hollow power adapter(works well with the lyman debur tool
hornady small primer reamer (for crimped pockets)

same scale and lee perfect powder measure

my favorite powders for 223 are ramshot tac and winchester 748

a harbor freight tumbler (i put a little carrige bolt throught the drum and base to stop it from getting loose and spinning)
harbor freight walnut media
some "kit scratch out" polish just a cap and it makes brass shiny quicker

harbor freight digital caliper for setting oal

[Justintoxicated]

Your right I was forgetting calipers.

These should do the trick I think.

http://www.amazon.com/Caliper-Electronic-Stainless-Steel-Body/dp/B0019O6OCO/ref=sr_1_3?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1306444609&sr=1-3

I'm not including primers, Bullets, Media or powder just yet. But I know I will need some.

I'm with Hornady because thats what my friend has and he said I can come by and use his progressive if I never need to crank out a bunch of rounds. (everything should just drop in real easy).

[gunboat]

When I see your bottom line, I cringe -- I started out reloading with a lyman tong tool, pacific weight scale, ink pad and bottle of lube, spoon for dipping powder, lighter fluid and rag for wiping off the lube and the components for 25/20wcf -- Things have really changed.
Reloading seems to have fallen prey to the same disease that causes people to spend thousands for a bicycle, lycra's, water bottles, and what all, to save on gasoline.

[sequoia_nomad]

I'd say consider more economical die sets for now. Rcbs and Lee make some mighty fine dies for at least 50% less than those Reddings cost. I'd say you could probably do without the primer pocket uniformer, but I'm no .223 expert either. Also, I'm not sure the micrometer parts for the powder measure are really necessary.

Those changes alone would save you about $200, pretty significant by my wallet. Don't forget to buy a couple different reloading manuals.

[Sam Adams]

Don't forget case gauges for your rifle calibers.

[damndave]

Things I spotted that you need and/or might consider changing out.

Cheaper dies
While the redding are great dies, you can save quite a few bucks going with the Forster micrometer die set for your 223. I use the Redding Type S bushing dies for my 308, but use the Forster for my 223. For the 45acp, just go with the Lee carbide set. That will save you a ton.

Calipers

Go,No Go Case gage for the 223 (cheap and works fine)

Lube for when you size the 223 (I use Hornady One shot and works fine). Buy a couple of cans and it goes fast.

Reloading trays (at least 2)

I also hand prime my cases instead of using the one on the press. You can get a Lee hand primer pretty cheap.

Don't forget to get a manual.

List looks good, and good luck! It is very addicting.

[killshot44]

Get the Hornady Headspace gauges for measuring shoulder set-back:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=479704

You can use the comparator Body from the above with this to measure OAL by ogive, much better than measuring OAL from the base to the meplat:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=727771

The Possum Hollow trimmer is the best non-powered case trimmer IMHO. Get the power drill adapter that will also hold a Chamferer.

If you're springing for Redding dies, I'd recommend the two-die set with a Type S Full-length Bushing die, two bushings (.246/.245) and the Competition Seating die. A little more than the three die set but for another $50, better dies.
Lets you control neck tension with the bushings (take out the expander ball) and the seater is top-notch. I never crimp, FWIW.

Don't forget loading blocks, powder funnel and the various case-mouth attachments to the funnel.

If you decide to hand-charge and use a trickler, I found this to be much, much better than the hand-twisters:
http://www.omegapowdertrickler.com/Home_Page.php A powered trickler.

Get to know Powder Valley....

[Justintoxicated]

[QUOTE=gunboat;6477377]When I see your bottom line, I cringe -- I started out reloading with a lyman tong tool, pacific weight scale, ink pad and bottle of lube, spoon for dipping powder, lighter fluid and rag for wiping off the lube and the components for 25/20wcf -- Things have really changed.
Reloading seems to have fallen prey to the same disease that causes people to spend thousands for a bicycle, lycra's, water bottles, and what all, to save on gasoline.[/


Thanks for the advice everyone. I want to get good sets of dies, especially for the 223, but it might be worth the investment for the 45acp too. As for the hand primer crimper I'll probably get something, but I want to try the primer seating setup that comes with the kit first (since I'm already spending a fortune).

Get the Hornady Headspace gauges for measuring shoulder set-back:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=479704

You can use the comparator Body from the above with this to measure OAL by ogive, much better than measuring OAL from the base to the meplat:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=727771

The Possum Hollow trimmer is the best non-powered case trimmer IMHO. Get the power drill adapter that will also hold a Chamferer.

If you're springing for Redding dies, I'd recommend the two-die set with a Type S Full-length Bushing die, two bushings (.246/.245) and the Competition Seating die. A little more than the three die set but for another $50, better dies.
Lets you control neck tension with the bushings (take out the expander ball) and the seater is top-notch. I never crimp, FWIW.

Don't forget loading blocks, powder funnel and the various case-mouth attachments to the funnel.

If you decide to hand-charge and use a trickler, I found this to be much, much better than the hand-twisters:
http://www.omegapowdertrickler.com/Home_Page.php A powered trickler.

Get to know Powder Valley....

The kit comes with some lube, so until I can gauge supply I think I'm ok there. Turners is not too far away if I need more.

Loading Blocks, check, Piece of wood 10 minutes, and a drill press .

I'll look into the Possum Hollow case trimmer. I have a stainles funnel I used to use to fill my flasks, I know its not aluminum but it should work for now right?

Plastic Spoon for powder trickling ok for now?

I'll look into the 2 die set, however I want to keep this newb friendly. I have no idea what I am doing yet, a friend helped me put together this list.
Also there is a good chance I'll be chucking some of these parts into his hornady progressive setup at some point, or picking one up for myself someday down the road.

So then, if this is all good, I'm lost on the advice to pickup the headspace / case gauges. What do I need them for? I headspace checked my rifle using my friends go/no go gauges. How are these used for reloading? Can't sizes be checked with a caliper? I don't have the reloading manual yet (It comes with the Hornady kit), so sorry if this is a bad question.

[Fyathyrio]

Try www.manventureoutpost.com as it may be cheaper. Also MidwayUSA.

Don't know if it's included in the press kit, but you will need a bullet puller (often called a bullet hammer due to how they work) to take apart mistakes and dummy rounds. The Hornady kinetic one is nice, but they're all pretty much the same.

[killshot44]

I'm lost on the advice to pickup the headspace / case gauges. What do I need them for? I headspace checked my rifle using my friends go/no go gauges. How are these used for reloading? Can't sizes be checked with a caliper? I don't have the reloading manual yet (It comes with the Hornady kit), so sorry if this is a bad question.

No problem, better to ask and be thought a fool than to not know and be a fool.

A more exacting way (you're doing this for accuracy, right?) to measure the amount of headspace needed for each particular chamber is to measure a fired case (using the gauges and calipers)
and then size the case so that it is .001"-.003" smaller. This creates a proper fit to the chamber and also keeps you from overworking* the brass (*sizing it down more than needed, then firing it
and blowing the case out again to the size of the chamber, then sizing it back down more than needed). A Go-Gauge could have you sizing much more than is needed.

As mentioned, the other comparators are used to measure the OAL from the casehead to the bullet ogive.

[bohoki]

ive never needed case gauges or loading blocks or trickler or funnel

[sequoia_nomad]

The plastic spoon will compliment your top of the line $100 die sets nicely.

[Tzvia]

I use the Dillon Carbide pistol dies, they run around 60 bucks. And for 223, if you are doing precision reloading for a bolt action, I guess your choice is ok. For high quality plinking ammo in an AR, a standard two die set from RCBS or Redding (I prefer Redding dies personally) will cost way less and work just as well for that application. Nothing fancy and does the job. I'm no fan of the Lee dies with the exception of their Factory Crimp dies. But I only use those on my bolt-action calibers. For .223 in an AR you will want a good strong taper crimp into the crimp grooves and the standard die sets will do that fine. On the 45acp, case wall tension holds the bullet as it headspaces on the case mouth. The die only removes the bell that is made to facilitate loading lead rounds.

So you can save some money in your die choice as was already mentioned here.

Primer pocket cleaner- to remove the powder burns and allow the primer to seat all the way down.

The primer seating arrangements on the single stage presses that I have looked at and used are a joke. I bought the Lyman press mounted priming tool; it works well and quickly gets the job done with minimum fuss. I had a spare inexpensive press (RCBS Partner) to dedicate it to as a priming system so I don't have to put it on the press, then take it off all the time. Hand primers are carpal tunnel waiting to happen IMO. I just fill the tray which doubles as a primer flipper, put on the lid, and attach to its special die that you mount on the press. Each crank of the press, put another case- and they are primed. No handling individual primers.

[noylj]

The Hornady L-N-L single-stage kit includes:
Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press,
Lock-N-Load Powder Measure,
Digital Scale,
Handbook of Cartridge Reloading - 8th Edition,
3 Lock-N-Load Bushings,
Primer Catcher,
Positive Priming System (Small and Large Primer Cups Included,
Handheld Priming Tool,
Universal Reloading Block,
Chamfering and Deburring Tool,
Powder Funnel
Trickler,
5.5 oz can of One Shot Aerosol Case Lube

So, you have almost everything you want (you have what you need)
Don't buy a powder measure, the kit includes it.
Check if kit includes both rotors. Generally Hornady includes both. If not, buy the standard pistol rotor.
For dies, get the Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set 45 ACP ($35) and the Lee Deluxe 3-Die Set 223 Remington ($29). This are as good as you require and better than you need.
Don't buy the micrometer powder dispensers--it's a luxury without any benefit. This is pretty much a totally unnecessary luxury. Buy extra regular dispensers for $10-13 and leave them with a tag for powder and charge weight it is set for.
Also, you don't have to buy a primer pocket uniformer. PPUs and flash hole deburrers and the myriad of "tools" being made to make you spend money will not make any difference until you are shooting groups under 0.4", and probably not even then. All this case prep "make work" is NOT going to affect anything and you should be more interested in time behind the trigger.
You should try just walking at first and then deciding what makes sense for you.
I find that the pistol rotor works fine for me when loading .223.
I really suggest you load with the kit and determine if there is anything else you really, really need and don't fall into the camp that reloading sucks unless you spend the money and time to be sure every case is the same. IF you decide later that you simply have to make every case the same, then buy NEW brass in a lot and throw out all the range brass.
One thing to add to your order are 3 or 10 more die bushings.
Trimmer: Since you seem so interested in accuracy techniques, you will probably only be happy with a small lathe trimmer that can also inside case neck ream and outside case neck turn, so look at the Forster.
Of course, these things only really make a difference if you buy virgin brass in a 100 case lot and only shoot with those cases. In the real world, a Lee case trimmer and a hand neck reamer is all you need, and you may not even need those for a long, long time.
.45 Auto cases NEVER need trimming.