1st time loader Long time shooter

[tandmsimmons]

Be careful of what you buy.
If you shoot a lot get a progressive reloader. If you shoot a little get something cheap and load them one small batch at a time.

Don't buy a cheap reloader if your going to start wanting to reload multiple pistol and rifle rounds by the hundred.

I use a Dillon 550 and load 7 calibers, typically reloading in batches of one to two hunderd at a time. I've used the same machine since 1987. Cheap no ... effective yes.

[adrenalinejunkie]

Shoot once fired range pickups, and sort by non mil. If you shoot at MY range, and go once a week, in one month you will have close to 1000 pcs of once fired non military range brass. You don't have to compete with the bucket scrapers either, there's enough to go around. I scrounged 400 pcs in two trips and dealt with ZERO mil brass.

I go to ASR, and theyre nazis about the brass there because they sell it in their reloading shop. I have to start checking out BLM land more.

[johnny1290]

Just fwiw, a lee pro 1000 progressive is $170 or so with 9mm dies depending on where you get it.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/40358-1.html

If you add the cost of the dies to the cost of the turret press, we're talking another $35 and you have a progressive.

I learned how to reload on it.

If I'm honest, it probably is good advice to learn on a single stage press first, then move up to a progressive. And they're right, there's always a need for a single stage so its not a waste.

On the progressive, instead of getting to focus on figuring out one single problem like on a single you have all these different potential problems to attempt to figure out at once.

It's not rocket science, and as a hotrodder that builds his own cars I'm at least somewhat mechanically inclined, but I figured it out eventually.

It took longer than I'd like to admit though

I'm not sure if I even added to the discussion. Please excuse my ramibling.

[Cowboy T]

Before there are too many recommendations for Dillon 550's, Lee Pro 1000's (my personal favorite), or Hornady LnL AP's, remember that these are all progressive presses. In my experience, there's just too much going on at once for most people that I've shown how to reload. Squibs and double-charges are often the result.

Better, I believe, to start off with an inexpensive single-stage press and hand-primer and really learn what one is doing. The 550B's, Pro 1000's, and LnL AP's will always be there if the reloader discovers that he needs more output. And then there are the turret presses, which are always an option for a good all-around machine.

[ahren111]

I just got started a few months ago. Im very happy with my lee classic turret, a good press for the money. I'd get a good digital scale IMO easier than a beam. This is the one I got, great scale! http://www.rightonscales.com/web/ibal101.htm

[NorCalK9.com]

I shoot ALOT! So the one i get needs to do atleast 50rph "reloads per hour"

[lpspinner]

I shoot ALOT! So the one i get needs to do atleast 50rph "reloads per hour"

So you want a box of 50 rounds per hour?

A Single Stage press can do that. In fact, I can do about 200 rounds per hour on a Single Stage Press.

[johnny1290]

You know what? Come think of it, buy a lee pro 1000 *and* a single stage.

I got the progressive first, then the single because I needed it to size cast boolits.

I think it was $15, big whoop.

Learn on the single stage, then move on to the progressive when you get good at it.

You can really make the ammo rain out from the pro 1000.

If you have more money the other presses are higher quality, but the lee works just fine and shows no sign of falling apart after 8k rounds or so.

I can easily do 300+ rounds per hour on it.

Of course, it took me a while to get the hang of it. Until then, I could only do 50 per hour. It was totally frustrating.

I got squibs and misseated primers and whatnot. No double charges though. The problems were more or less all my own fault.

I thought maybe the press was junk, but nope, I got into the rythm and crank it out now without the squib or primer seating problems I basically caused before LOL

[NorCalK9.com]

@lpspinner.
Lolnif i could reload 200 rounds an hour id shoot 200 rounds the next hour lol.
Im actually gonna start shopping in the middle of the week for my stuff.