Reloading questions.

[Big country]

Okay I've hit up the rifle forum for advice on good rifles and now I'm investigating the possibility of getting started reloading. If I go this route instead of buying a rifle or a scope with my tax return I could save some money and shoot more, and maybe even improve the accuracy of my rifle. Thoughts on this starter kit.
[url]http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=749997[/URL]
What else would I need other than powder and primers to get stared? What kind of dies would I need? Are callipers something I'd need right away?

 

[cconn]

First off buy a good reloading book, Lyman makes one of the best. Then study it. You will need calipers to check lengths when you begin but those are fairly cheap. The only thing i really see missing from that kit besides the calipers is dies and shellholders, which are caliber specific.

Hornady Shellholder #1 (308 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield, 45 ACP) - MidwayUSA

Take your time, double check everything, especially powder charges. And enjoy.

 

[Big country]

What dies are required for reloading just the 30-06 rounds for hunting and target practice? And is a tumbler required right at first or is that something I would be able to hold off on?

 

[cconn]

I like RCBS dies. These are normal RCBS full length sizer dies RCBS 2-Die Set 30-06 Springfield - MidwayUSA

If you want to get real anal about accuracy and are only using the ammo in one bolt action rifle, you can get dies that only resize the neck. RCBS 2-Die Neck Sizer Set 30-06 Springfield - MidwayUSA

Or you can go with a competition set that is micrometer adjustable. RCBS Competition 2-Die Set 30-06 Springfield - MidwayUSA

For my bolt rifles in 308 and 22-250 I use the neck sizer only, with a competition seater die. With the neck sizer you have to fire the case in the rifle you plan to use once to fireform the case to that particular rifle.

Probly best to start with the first and cheaper option, then see where you want to go from there. I don't consider a tumbler to be necessary at first, but you will need one eventually.

If you lived closer to me I would invite you over to try out my equipment and walk you through the steps and necessary equipment. I bet there is someone close to you that would be glad to give some in person lessons.

 

[Bullseye Shooter]

You'll need some kind of case trimmer; Forster, Wilson, etc.
A full length case gauge is nice to do a quick check on finished rounds.

You can clean cases by soaking them for about 5 minutes in a solution of water, white distilled vinegar, salt and detergent and then drying them in the sun or in a low temp oven. That's what the old timers did before tumblers became more common. If you want the exact measurements, I can look it up and post it for you.

 

[Big country]

Nah I think I'll just get a tumbler. LOL!
So other than the kit I posted I'd need,
* neck sizer
*Case holder
*callipers
*Case trimmer
Any thing I missed?
Does "decapping" mean pushing the spent primer out of the case?

 

[Big country]

Is this starter kit any better?
[url]http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=100238[/URL]
Or would it be better (cheaper) to go buy one piece at a time and start here?
[url]http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=788822[/URL]
I'm thinking like I said that buying this and a fire safe with the tax return money would be a better investment than a new rifle right now. Is rolling my own going to save me any money or is it just going to get me better groups?

 

[Bullseye Shooter]

Does "decapping" mean pushing the spent primer out of the case?

Yep. Decapping = depriming.

 

[Big country]

Cool that's what I thought. What about the rest of that, any thoughts?
Let me just say that I do have about half a thimbles worth of experience helping a guy I used to know reload. I just never did any of the hard work. I just wish I remembered all of what he taught me.

 

[Okierifleman]

BC, I would seriously look into the RCBS Rockchucker kit, it has everything you need to get started. It even has a set of calipers. All you would need is a shellholder for 30-06 and a set of full length dies. A tumbler would be nice if you can afford it, and you are going to need a case trimmer, but you can wait until your cases have been shot a couple of times before you need it. Powder, cases, bullets, primers and you are off and running. The kit even comes with a Speer loading manual.

 

[Big country]

Okie, I don't see a set of calipers. But is this the one you're talking about?
[url]http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=646599[/URL]

 

[Okierifleman]

That is the one I am talking about. My mistake, I thought that case lube pad was a set of calipers. No worries, they are very inexpensive. And it comes with the hand primer which will save you a ton of time.

 

[Big country]

No problem, thanks for the info. Well it seems that with every one of these is going to require me to buy;
press kit - I like the Hornady, but we'll see.
neck sizer
case trimmer
calipers
tumbler<wisper> don't tell my wife there's another way
I guess that's it. Like the rest of my questions lately I appreciate the info guys and I'll just have to decide what the tax return is going to be and what it gets spent on. The safe is #1 priority and #2 is one of three things a 10/22, a deer rifle for the wife, or a reloading set up. And that is if uncle Sam doesn't give me the chorizo come tax time.

 

[country_boy]

BC if you need help reloading, I can help I live right off 1431 at Sam Bass. I work in leander. Heck I could let you use my single stage press. Let me know

 

[Texas42]

Is it weird that I prefer a beam scale? My lyman electronic scale died on me. I have an RCBS one now.

You need both dies, (sizer/decapping die and a seating die). I'm not that fimiliar with rifles, do they need crimping dies?

EDIT: don't worry, reloading isn't a way to save money, it is a hobby that you'll buy all kinds of crap for. Some to save time, others to make better ammo.

I spend less per round of ammo now, . . . but I spend just as much on ammo. . . weird. Also having a good bench is important.

 

[usmcpmi]

Big, Ok. You are going to reload to save money? Or better accuracy? Both? How many different factory loads have you fired out of your rifle? Have you found one that shoots well? IMO, that is the best way to start working up a custom load. Let the factory do all the testing, use their loads to find a starting point to refine your own... What is your best group at 100 yds? If 3 shots won't print all touching, you need to look at other things before you try to fix the problem with hand loading. MG

 

[Big country]

I'm just looking at different ideas to blow tax return money on and I'm trying to figure out if this is something I might want to start doing. CB thanks I might just take you up on that offer. And USMCPMI, I have really only tried Win PP, Fed, and rem core lock all 150gr. out of the ones I looked at the fed seemed to give me the best groups but that was a while back and they don't offer the load that I tried anymore. The #2 spot was win PP but I haven,t really done a comparison in about four years so I'm not sure what it likes better out of current offerings. But yeah, money saving and accuracy would be great. But I would also reload for my .40's after I had some experience under my belt if I do any of this at all. My wife may have other plans. LOL

 

[wshbrngr]

Well, I bought the Hornady classic kit you are looking at and have not had any regrets. It's easy to set-up and easy to use. I bought mine at Cabelas in Buda.

The new kit has an electronic scale vs. the beam scale I got with mine. Lots of people seem to prefer the electronic, so that is probably a plus.
The powder measure is accurate.

I mainly load pistol ammo as that is what I shoot most, but I am starting to load for .223. (Straight walled pistol cases require less steps to load.)

The lock 'n load die bushings make it easy to change out the dies (and keep them preset). But they can be hard to find sometimes, so you may want to buy extras when you see them so you have them when you buy additional dies.

The only other thing you might want to add to your list is a bullet puller.
I bought the Hornady cam-lock puller, but a hammer type works as well.

I have called Hornady's customer service only once. I got a .223 case stuck and when I got it out, the neck expander ball was broken. I called to buy a new one, but they sent me one for free even after I explained that it was my fault it broke.

 

[Big country]

I don't think I can drop this mutch money to get started right now. Thank you all for the help and please keep going I'm learning and I'm sure there is someone else learning to. I do regret that a new rifle (deer rifle or a 22) is a little more than I can spend out of the tax return, and so is a reloading set up. I might be able to get a new scope for my rifle but we'll see.

 

[c_m_shooter]

I'm just looking at different ideas to blow tax return money on and I'm trying to figure out if this is something I might want to start doing. CB thanks I might just take you up on that offer. And USMCPMI, I have really only tried Win PP, Fed, and rem core lock all 150gr. out of the ones I looked at the fed seemed to give me the best groups but that was a while back and they don't offer the load that I tried anymore. The #2 spot was win PP but I haven,t really done a comparison in about four years so I'm not sure what it likes better out of current offerings. But yeah, money saving and accuracy would be great. But I would also reload for my .40's after I had some experience under my belt if I do any of this at all. My wife may have other plans. LOL

If I were you , I would reload for the .40 first. Pistol ammo doesn't need to be trimmed or lubed before sizing(with carbide dies of course), so you can produce pretty quickly even with a single stage press. Cast bullets can be had for about $50 per 500 and a pound of powder will last 1,000 rounds or more. You will recover your setup cost pretty quickly if you are a regular shooter.

Big rifle rounds on the other hand, will cost $25+ per hundred bullets and a pound of powder will last more like 100 or 150 rounds, so you don't save much if any at all. Plus most people just plain don't run through a lot of rifle ammo per range visit.