I agree on Dillon progressives.
I don't like the idea of starting with a single stage press and working up to a progressive. You'll sell the old setup for pennies on the dollar (or worse, stack it in the garage with the other junk you'll never use again).
Rich (in name only)
Excuse the long post,
I agree on Dillon progressives.
My first press, some 15 years ago, was (& is) the 650; at my age, it should be the only press I'll have to buy.
I don't like the idea of starting with a single stage press and working up to a progressive. You'll sell the old setup for pennies on the dollar (or worse, stack it in the garage with the other junk you'll never use again).
I had to wait several months until I could afford the 650, then walked into the Dillon sales room and paid cash for the press, dies, digital scale, primer flipper, etc. etc. The price I paid is long forgotten, but the equipment soldiers on...
Manuals! You can't have enough reloading manuals!
I use only two powders for handgun reloading (mostly autos) and am thinking of using one powder for everything: this will be more economical and safer - no accidental mixing of powders. I've tried several "new & improved" powders over the years, and they all functioned, but none of them gave me any reason to adopt them.
Your reloading bench must be sturdy! The ideal bench is one of those poured concrete picnic tables commonly found in public parks. I don't know anyone fortunate enough to have that setup. I use a 27 X 60 inch bench with 4 x 4 legs, mounted in the corner of the room ans secured to the walls on two sides with large steel shelf brackets. I also anchor the top of my press to a wall stud via a 1 X 4 'flying buttress'. Because the table rests on a concrete slab, I have no need to anchor it to the floor.
Your environment is as important as your equipment. I havea separate lockable room that contains my gun safe, a (lockable) closet with shelves for ammunition storage, and the reloading bench with permanently mounted press and shelves & drawers for components and tools. No one comes in while I'm in there.
That's the ideal situation; but if you organize your equipment and space, you can do very well with a much smaller, temporary space. If you have an unused closet (lol), you can store and use everything you need in that space; Be sure it has a lock, and you have the only key.
I hope someone will start a thread showing pictures of their 'efficiency' reloading setups.
Excuse the long post,
Rich (in name only)
I started reloading about 2 months ago. I really enjoy it, it's a relaxing pastime. I can see, though how it can become addicting. I'm already experiencing symptoms!
I'm using a Lee turret that I "neutered" to use as a glorified single-stage. (I like doing them in batches for some reason.) It, and my Lee dies work just fine. I did a lot of research before I bought and Lee won because I'm a bang-for-the-buck kinda guy.
My bench is an old, but incredibly sturdy, coffee table top that I mounted on 4X4 legs and built a "hutch" for. Because my wife is wonderful, and she loves me, I have it in the den side of our greatroom. The computer is behind me, so I can keep all my load data handy. I'll try to get a picture up tomorrow.
Here is my bench. All told, I think I have about $30.00 and a few hours invested. The most expensive part of it was the sheet of plywood for the hutch.