COnsidering on making some improved "starter kits" for reloading

[JMP]

If I made a starter kit for a rifle shooter:
1. Single Stage 1.25" threads with adapter for Hornady LNL bushings.
2. Redding Comp Die set with bushings and extra decapping pins
3. Giraud Trimmer
4. RCBS Chargemaster
5. Dry tumbler
6. Hand primer
7. Calipers

Anything else, you will probably have to repurchase. Calipers, micrometers, and other tools, you'll always need more of.

For a pistol shooter, a Dillon 650.

Buy a crap Hornady set, and you'll just let most of it rust away. You'll save more with the Redding 3-piece comp sets because it's hard to break them or get stuck cases. It could be that I don't know what I am doing because I'll break cheapo dies like clockwork and get sub-par results.

Manual powder drops and trimmers, all I can say is that you won't be shooting much.

[slopoke]

As an individual, unless you buy big quantities of the merchandise you are going to sell, I don't think you can get a price point that will attract a new reloader. To make it more complicated, which brands of presses are you going to carry and which models? The previous question will apply to all of the other things such as scales, calipers, headspace guages, loading blocks, etc.

[bsumoba]

we're talking about an economical, more complete starter kit. of course, if you have the money, get a dillon, chargemaster, gempro250, forster co-ax, giraud trimmer and annealer, etc, etc.

the way i see it, the starter kits are not as complete as they could be, which is the point of this kit. you buy the starter kit and you will undoubtedly be missing something whether its a bullet puller, case gauge, trimmer, tumbler, etc. Instead of buying these things piecemeal, include it in this kit.

Without going into details of the brands and such I can see a 9mm single stage setup costing $460. Add .223 and its an additional $140. A .223 only setup could be about $550

There might not be a market for this, and maybe people are willing to do the research because they have the time. i love the research, but lots of people dont have the time. How many "best" threads do you see in this section? That shows that people are looking for the quick advice...unfortunately.

In any case, this might not go anywhere business wise, but here is what the list would be:

Press (pre-mounted on wood blocks and clamps included)
Digital Scale
Case Prep Tool
Priming System
Funnel/Pan
Tumbler and Media
Powder Drop
Loading Blocks
Reloading Book
Calipers
Bullet Puller
Dies
Gauges
Lube (for bottleneck cases only)
Trimmer (for bottleneck cases only)

If anyone is interested in the actual brands, PM me. Again, It will probably end up in the $350-450 range for 1 caliber, then add about $60-$75 per pistol caliber and $125-$150 per rifle caliber (this is not "precision" reloading and is basic blasting ammo reloading with some potential for accurate reloads if you do your research and probably add-on a few items).

[slopoke]

we're talking about an economical, more complete starter kit. of course, if you have the money, get a dillon, chargemaster, gempro250, forster co-ax, giraud trimmer and annealer, etc, etc.

the way i see it, the starter kits are not as complete as they could be, which is the point of this kit. you buy the starter kit and you will undoubtedly be missing something whether its a bullet puller, case gauge, trimmer, tumbler, etc. Instead of buying these things piecemeal, include it in this kit.

Without going into details of the brands and such I can see a 9mm single stage setup costing $460. Add .223 and its an additional $140. A .223 only setup could be about $550

There might not be a market for this, and maybe people are willing to do the research because they have the time. i love the research, but lots of people dont have the time. How many "best" threads do you see in this section? That shows that people are looking for the quick advice...unfortunately.

In any case, this might not go anywhere business wise, but here is what the list would be:

Press (pre-mounted on wood blocks and clamps included)
Digital Scale
Case Prep Tool
Priming System
Funnel/Pan
Tumbler and Media
Powder Drop
Loading Blocks
Reloading Book
Calipers
Bullet Puller
Dies
Gauges
Lube (for bottleneck cases only)
Trimmer (for bottleneck cases only)

If anyone is interested in the actual brands, PM me. Again, It will probably end up in the $350-450 range for 1 caliber, then add about $60-$75 per pistol caliber and $125-$150 per rifle caliber (this is not "precision" reloading and is basic blasting ammo reloading with some potential for accurate reloads if you do your research and probably add-on a few items).

Have you spoken to any distributors regarding pricing? I think you need to, so you can get an idea of your pricing, then you need to factor packaging and shipping costs and your time. Like I stated before, if your prices are not on par with the other retailers, people will use your guide lines as a shopping list and buy where the individual components are cheaper, because that is what I would do.

Don't forget about the costs of liability insurance, business license, reseller license, and all of the other costs of a small business. Good luck.

[bsumoba]

Have you spoken to any distributors regarding pricing? I think you need to, so you can get an idea of your pricing, then you need to factor packaging and shipping costs and your time. Like I stated before, if your prices are not on par with the other retailers, people will use your guide lines as a shopping list and buy where the individual components are cheaper, because that is what I would do.

Don't forget about the costs of liability insurance, business license, reseller license, and all of the other costs of a small business. Good luck.

im sure it will not come to fruition and im okay with providing the list I have if anyone is interested. again, its just a thought.

[klewan]

HOLY ****ING **** those are expensive kits...

Jesus ****ing Christ... Maybe I saw the wrong thing, but if I saw a startup kit for $1200 I was say **** THAT, I aint reloading any time soon...

Man I am glad I already know what I know. Geeze...

I think the goal of a kit should be to package together the most BANG FOR YOUR BUCK and as low a price as possible; not to buy from the most overpriced repainter/reseller of the Harbor Freight website...

Damn I gotta leave, my arse is still puckered...

Having those expensive kits really help to give the blu stuff the good reputation. It's rare when an absolute newb to reloading is going to spend $1200; it's the guys that have years of experience buy that. And being experienced, they have a better idea how to operate it, overcome any problems. So satisfied user.

Lee's market is the newbs and advancing newbs, where the numbers are. So the newbs buy a Loadmaster because it's $235 complete for a caliber to their door. And with limited experience, they're in over their head, don't understand how to diagnose and adjust, so you see all the p*ssing and moaning. Just something as basic as mounting it to a heavy, immovable bench, so it isn't bouncing around isn't what most of them are going to know about or do.

Same deal with cars; I could run a FIAT, do the maintenance, be aware of any new noises or vibration or anything else out the ordinary, and I didn't have all the break downs you read about. People that treated it like a refrigerator, they had problems.

[JMP]

It's easy, just go to a friend's place that will show you the proper tools for the job. If you have no friends, then go to one of those CGSSA courses, where I'd imagine they have all the different tools to try.

If you are shy, folks like CSACannoneer offer private instruction (see his sigline), a very helpful guy. While I haven't seen his gear, I'd trust him to be extremely proficient based on reputation. There are a lot of people that are very generous with their time that know a lot. Just ask.

Anyhow, your idea might work, but that's my advice. It is of infinite help to get the basics and theory down by someone who is well-qualified in your discipline of shooting.

[ar15barrels]

or maybe....ill simply just do a list of parts i would have done and let the people buy it....

Like these?

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=158086

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=229221

[JMP]

Like these?

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=158086

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=229221

Out of curiosity, why do you recommend the 2-piece Redding? Is that just for budget mindedness as I find the 3-piece comp set with the neck micrometer and seating micrometer well-worth it, as it makes the neck sizing and decapping very easy for a bolt rifle.

[Capybara]

Based upon our experience at half a dozen reloading clinics in 2013 and another half dozen this year, the fly in the ointment I see with your idea is you are making a lot of assumptions about what a newbie reloader needs or wants. In our clinics, we cover a lot of ground of digital vs. balance scales, this hand primer tool versus that one and should I prime on the press or hand prime. This brand of dies versus that one, two die versus three and four die sets, the list goes on and on. My point is, we teach and train the students to know enough and to have just enough hands on experience to know what piece of gear is right for them. Amongst all of the instructors, we have Dillon guys and Hornady LnL guys, guys who are cheap and like things simple like me versus guys like Bubbala who appreciate the finer tools in life. There are no hard and fast rules about what is "right". We are of the opinion that newbies need guidance and a slight push, then they need to learn how to swim on their own. The biggest mistake new reloaders make with gear is buying it before they have tried it. The proof is in the experience.

While I think your idea is noble, from a practical standpoint, I think it is unnecessary.

[thorne]

Would to go to a Reloading seminar/training

Hi Gang,

I am one of the newbies in reloading I have been watching youtube videos on the Dillon 55o and 650 as well as the Hornady LNL progressives. I have also thought stongly about starting with a Lee Turret Classic set up.

I did like the advice "donty buy anything you have not tried or worked with before. Sound advice.

So, I live in Sonoma county ad would like to go to demo, seminar, training, reloading club or something that gives me experience and a bunch of experienced guys to talk to. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Thorne

[JMP]

I am one of the newbies in reloading I have been watching youtube videos on the Dillon 55o and 650 as well as the Hornady LNL progressives. I have also thought stongly about starting with a Lee Turret Classic set up.

I did like the advice "donty buy anything you have not tried or worked with before. Sound advice.

That is a good plan. I have found that learning about firearms over the internet does not give one the requisite knowledge to make important investments.

[bsumoba]

Hi Gang,

I am one of the newbies in reloading I have been watching youtube videos on the Dillon 55o and 650 as well as the Hornady LNL progressives. I have also thought stongly about starting with a Lee Turret Classic set up.

I did like the advice "donty buy anything you have not tried or worked with before. Sound advice.

So, I live in Sonoma county ad would like to go to demo, seminar, training, reloading club or something that gives me experience and a bunch of experienced guys to talk to. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Thorne

if you are going to reload mainly rifle like .223, .308, then start with a single stage. if you're going to do pistol only, then i would consider a progressive.

i started with a single stage, loaded probably over 2K pistol cartridges and 2K in rifle in singles stage and moved to a LnL for pistol and didnt know why i didnt do it earlier. however, it made me appreciate the efficiency and speed of the progressive, but most importantly, the things i learned while doing single stage reloading carried over and i feel like that made me a more careful, safe, and accurate reloader as well.

[stilly]

Having those expensive kits really help to give the blu stuff the good reputation. It's rare when an absolute newb to reloading is going to spend $1200; it's the guys that have years of experience buy that. And being experienced, they have a better idea how to operate it, overcome any problems. So satisfied user.

Lee's market is the newbs and advancing newbs, where the numbers are. So the newbs buy a Loadmaster because it's $235 complete for a caliber to their door. And with limited experience, they're in over their head, don't understand how to diagnose and adjust, so you see all the p*ssing and moaning. Just something as basic as mounting it to a heavy, immovable bench, so it isn't bouncing around isn't what most of them are going to know about or do.

Same deal with cars; I could run a FIAT, do the maintenance, be aware of any new noises or vibration or anything else out the ordinary, and I didn't have all the break downs you read about. People that treated it like a refrigerator, they had problems.

I would only buy a Fiat if it came with J-Lo... But even then I am not sure I would feel that I got a good value...

[klewan]

I would only buy a Fiat if it came with J-Lo... But even then I am not sure I would feel that I got a good value...

Yeah you would. I had 3 124 Spiders, only weird failure was the fuel pump cam developed a flat spot so it knocked. Took a while to find that one.