Reloading Recommendations

[FoppishDandy]

Hey Everyone... Was hoping to get some advice on beginning reloading.
The two rounds I mostly want to start reloading are .45ACP for my 1911 and 30-06 for my Garand... Though I'd obviously like it to be expandable.

I've read a few guides online, but I'm getting a bit overwhelmed. I'd like to know what the group here would recommend. Should I purchase a full kit and add whatever is missing... or should I go piecemeal?

Let me know what products you'd recommend that would get me set from start to finish. No need to list powder, bullets, brass, primers, etc... Just the actual equipment I'd need.

Thanks!

Sam

[Dark Mod]

I definatley recommend a kit over buying peicemeal, to wit: the Lee anniversary kit.

Its a great kit and they can be found for around $80. Then you just need to buy dies, components, calipers, manual, and a tumbler and your ready to rock.

you will need a trimmer for the .30-06, but no worries, a lee trimmer is like $5.

Im a big fan of lee stuff since its great quality and super cheap.

Ive moved on to bigger and better things in reloading but i still use the lee single stage press i got when i started, and i continue to buy nothing but lee dies.

[JagerDog]

I'd go the other way. Get a decent press (RCBS RS or even better a Rockchucker). Even if you get the bug and end up going auto, there's always purposes for a good single stage press with some grunt. Get a decent scale with magnetic damping. Some type of powder measure will greatly speed things up. You can do the micrometer type or even a Lee disk for pistol. You'll want a primer flipper and some type of priming device/attachment. This can be hand held or press mounted. Not much need for trimming the ACP cases generally. Trimming rifle brass can be tedious and low, or throw more money at it and make it faster. See some of the other recommendations in the=is forum for trimmers. No need to lube pistol brass with carbide dies. Pick up some Hornaday One-Shot or something similar for rifle. Case lube pads are a PITA. Could use some calipers. A powder trickler is really nice for rifle loading (I weigh every charge on most rifle reloading). Most the rest you can find in your kitchen.

If you're not in a hurry, you could pick everything up on Ebay pretty cheap.

Personally, I like Hornaday pistol dies and Redding rifle dies, but they all work.

[john16443]

I was in your situation about 1.5 years ago. I have to agree with Mark in post #3 in starting off with a kit. I started with the Lee 50th Anniversary kit, moved to a Lee Classic turret a month later. This was for 45ACP and 9mm pistol. If I had to do it again, I would go straight to a Lee Classic Turret kit for about $200. They will have all the basics you'll need to get going and are well suited for pistol and rifle rounds.

This Lee kit from Kempf's comes with dies https://kempfgunshop.com//index.php?...hk=1&Itemid=41

It is missing some other critical components that are needed to get you started.

This same kit from FS reloading comes with all the basic items you'll need to get started, but you'll need to buy the caliber specific dies. https://fsreloading.com/classic-turr...kit-90304.html

I'd say the FS Reloading kit is the way to go. Buy your dies, buy a second turret for about $10 and caliber changes are done in 15 seconds or less.

Other things you'll need or maybe want in a short period of time will include things like:

Inexpensive calipers, digital from Harbor Freight, or dial from ebay, amazon, etc. Either can be found for under $20, and as long as they can measure to 0.001" increments, are good for measuring finished length.

A better scale, either digital or beam. I've found this one to be excellent and very affordable. http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh...emini+20+scale You will need a powder pan, but the pan from the Lee scale works very well.

A kinetic bullet puller like this to take care of the little mistakes that will happen. http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh...emini+20+scale

A tumbler to clean the brass. To start, consider something like this. http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arse...ef=pd_sim_sg_6 It wouldn't hurt to get the eitire kit that includes media and separator. Bulk media can be found online, and Harbor Freight, and pet supply stores.

[Bill Steele]

I was in your situation about 1.5 years ago. I have to agree with Mark in post #3 in starting off with a kit. I started with the Lee 50th Anniversary kit, moved to a Lee Classic turret a month later. This was for 45ACP and 9mm pistol. If I had to do it again, I would go straight to a Lee Classic Turret kit for about $200. They will have all the basics you'll need to get going and are well suited for pistol and rifle rounds.

This Lee kit from Kempf's comes with dies https://kempfgunshop.com//index.php?...hk=1&Itemid=41

It is missing some other critical components that are needed to get you started.

This same kit from FS reloading comes with all the basic items you'll need to get started, but you'll need to buy the caliber specific dies. https://fsreloading.com/classic-turr...kit-90304.html

I'd say the FS Reloading kit is the way to go. Buy your dies, buy a second turret for about $10 and caliber changes are done in 15 seconds or less.

Other things you'll need or maybe want in a short period of time will include things like:

Inexpensive calipers, digital from Harbor Freight, or dial from ebay, amazon, etc. Either can be found for under $20, and as long as they can measure to 0.001" increments, are good for measuring finished length.

A better scale, either digital or beam. I've found this one to be excellent and very affordable. http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh...emini+20+scale You will need a powder pan, but the pan from the Lee scale works very well.

A kinetic bullet puller like this to take care of the little mistakes that will happen. http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh...emini+20+scale

A tumbler to clean the brass. To start, consider something like this. http://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arse...ef=pd_sim_sg_6 It wouldn't hurt to get the eitire kit that includes media and separator. Bulk media can be found online, and Harbor Freight, and pet supply stores.

Spot on.

I would recommend either the Lyman 49th or the Lee 2nd Edition reloading guide as well.

[Divernhunter]

First buy the Lyman #49 Manual and read it. That will answer many of your questions, plus it has good data in it. I would suggest a Kit over pieces. An RCBS or Hornady KIT would be what I suggest.
The safest thing to use is IMR4895 powder for your M1Garand due to the gas system. That was the powder the rifle was designed around. Also 147-150-165gr bullets

[ahren111]

I started reloading a few months ago. Went with a Lee classic turret, I'm very happy with it so far.

[BACKTOSHOOTING]

I agree with the above recomendations but thru my reserch i found F&S reloading equipment to have the best priceing, and there customer service was top notch

[Oceanbob]

It burned a hole in my wallet, but I decided that I wanted to go with Dillon products. And overall I am pleased with the product.

This^^^^

Welcome to CalGuns Sam..!..

Read this before deciding.

http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon.html

[FoppishDandy]

My Proposed Initial Set-up

Okay... so after reading what everyone has posted and doing some (albeit not in-depth) research, here is my initial list. I'm linking to Midway, but will do a bit of shopping around. Is there anything that I missed? Anything that I won't need at all? Anything you'd recommend swapping? General thoughts?

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Single Stage Press Kit:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/937051/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-master-single-stage-press-kit

RCBS 2-Die Set 30-06 Springfield

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/264330/rcbs-2-die-set-30-06-springfield

Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set 45 ACP

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/242098/lee-deluxe-carbide-4-die-set-45-acp

Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler Master Kit with Quick-N-EZ Rotary Media Separator 110 Volt

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/414369/frankford-arsenal-quick-n-ez-case-tumbler-master-kit-with-quick-n-ez-rotary-media-separator-110-volt

Hornady Cam-Lock Case Trimmer Kit

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/315831/hornady-cam-lock-case-trimmer-kit

RCBS APS Hand Priming Tool

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/278665/rcbs-aps-hand-priming-tool

Lyman Magnum Impact Bullet Puller

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/667064/lyman-magnum-impact-bullet-puller

Frankford Arsenal Electronic Caliper 6" Stainless Steel

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/604242/frankford-arsenal-electronic-caliper-6-stainless-steel

Lee Improved Powder Measure Kit

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/943305/lee-improved-powder-measure-kit

Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Electronic Powder Scale 750 Grain Capacity

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/175512/frankford-arsenal-ds-750-electronic-powder-scale-750-grain-capacity

[Whiterabbit]

If you want to save some cash up front (that you WILL spend down the line), you can skip the trimmer and the tumbler.

Why the tumbler? You can wash your brass. Wipe down with a towel damp with vinegar and water and you are good to go. Ugly ammo, but works.

Why the trimmer? It's expensive and not required RIGHT AWAY. You of course will have to "throw away" your brass that gets out of spec (put aside to trim later down the line), so it will limit your initial loadings, but again this is if you want to save some cash now. You'll be buying both of these and much, much more later.

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More saving:

You can prime on your press. Up to you if you want to do it. I have a hand primer too and wont go back to press loading. But I still use the press primer for onesey-twosey operations (like 338 lapua since I have a whopping 60 pcs of brass total). Love that hand primer but I didn't start with one and you don't have to either if you don't want to. If you don't get it now you will later, but if you need to save cash up front that's a good way to do so.

[Whiterabbit]

The big one is that I don't like that press. Let me tell you about my experience:

I own two presses, a LEE classic cast (50 bmg) and RCBS RS press. I like them both for different reasons:

The RCBS handle is SMACK in the middle of the press. So it is ambidexterous. I can get WAY faster load times during operation by switching hands back and forth with respect to pulling on that lever. Way productive!

But the LEE press catches all the primers. The value of that aloneo can NOT be overstated! (and can do massive cartridges like 50DTC, 416 barret, etc)

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I will never ever de-prime on an RCBS press ever again. But it has value cause of that centered lever. The LEE offset lever is slower than the RCBS. But every primer is captured in the drop tube.

The press you chose? will leave primers all over the place and force you to be righty or lefty exclusively. That's a lose-lose situation IMO.

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The other feature I see folks talk about is the metal support in front of the ram. It blocks your vision of the cartridge, I sit slightly to the side so I can see what's going on. Maybe a press that is open-front is the bee's knees and would make me even more happy, I don't know. Both my presses have metal supports up front. No experience here.

[IBJanky]

There's Dillon, and there's everything else

myke

[IBJanky]

There's Dillon, and there's everything else

myke

[Cowboy T]

There's Dillon, and there's everything else

myke

And a fool and his money are soon parted, obviously.

Sam, consider that Lee Anniversary Kit, specifically the one with the hand primer. Learn the craft of reloading, each step. You may find that you get your best precision for your rifle rounds out of that O-frame single-stage.

An RCBS single-stage press would also be a fine choice. A Lyman Crusher wouldn't be bad, either.

For your handgun rounds, later on, if your shooting needs actually do call for it, then sure, consider a progressive press. But very often, those who jump head-first right into a progressive end up making double-charges and/or squibs, and we don't want that. That's why I recommend you NOT buy Dillon...for now. They make only progressive presses. Give yourself some time first to learn what you're doing. Then, down the road, sure, go ahead and consider 'em.