My first order

[Baconator]

After doing lots of reading around and seeing what everyone recommends, I finally got my first order put together and ordered today.

I bought from Grafs:
Hornady 230gr HAP BULLET ACT. PISTOL 500/BX
Starline 45 ACP Brass x 500

and from Powder Valley
1 lb of Accurate #5
1,000 large #300 cci Large pistol primers.

I hope that was all I needed. I bought a RCBS Supreme Master kit already. Anything else? The kit came with a Speer reloading book, so I have some loads to test out, and I bought a set of .45 Lee Carbide dies.

Thanks for any input.

[XDRoX]

Sounds like you're ready to go. That set comes with pretty much everything you need to start cranking out some pistol ammo.

Do you have a set of calipers?

[Baconator]

Sounds like you're ready to go. That set comes with pretty much everything you need to start cranking out some pistol ammo.

Do you have a set of calipers?

No, I knew I was missing something. They don't need to be anything special right? I could just grab some at home depot?

[XDRoX]

Yep. Any old ones will work fine. Harbor Freight has them for under $10 sometimes. I use some Craftsmen ones and my buddy's HF ones work better. If you do go to HF check out their tumblers as well.

[Baconator]

Cool. Thanks!

[NotEnufGarage]

Dump the beam scale and get a decent digital one. It really speeds up the process.
Also, get a combo funnel / powder measure like this one - http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...u=000157752433

[XDRoX]

Dump the beam scale and get a decent digital one. It really speeds up the process.
Also, get a combo funnel / powder measure like this one - http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...u=000157752433

That beam scale is one of the bet. Made by Ohaus. Not really understanding why a digi would speed things up. You only weigh a throw once in the beginning, once in the middle, and once at the end of your session, right?

[Revoman]

Stick with the beam scale, they are way more reliable. Too many things to go wrong with a digi scale, dirty power, florescent lighting, cell phones, blah-blah. Beams don't have those issues.

[Baconator]

Dump the beam scale and get a decent digital one. It really speeds up the process.
Also, get a combo funnel / powder measure like this one - http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...u=000157752433

The kit came with a powder measure, http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=646599, is it not good?

[BigBronco]

For .45 you may want to get a taper crimp die.

[XDRoX]

The kit came with a powder measure, http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=646599, is it not good?

That powder measure works great. I think notEnufgarage may have had notEnufsleep when he posted

Digital scales are nice, but not needed. And really only the more expensive ones are worth trusting. Cheap ones go bad often.

[grant22]

One of the things these guys taught me here was to up the ante on the primer and powder order. You will be paying a flat rate of $25 for Haz Mat, so to make that cost more palatable, maybe get 5000 cci primers and a couple more things of 1 lb powder. In the long run, this will reduce your cost per round since you are spreading out that $25 HM fee.

[bruceflinch]

Get a cartridge case guage.

[XDRoX]

One of the things these guys taught me here was to up the ante on the primer and powder order. You will be paying a flat rate of $25 for Haz Mat, so to make that cost more palatable, maybe get 5000 cci primers and a couple more things of 1 lb powder. In the long run, this will reduce your cost per round since you are spreading out that $25 HM fee.

Hey Grant. The bullets will be in the mail this week, I promise. Just been really busy lately. Sorry about the delay.

[XDRoX]

Get a cartridge case guage.

Case gauges are nice to have, but the barrel will also work fine as one if you don't have a gauge.