# What do I need?



## Bauer (Sep 29, 2005)

Question for you guru's.....

Im looking at getting into reloading of rifle/handgun ammo and am doing alot of research trying to figure out what I need, but without knowing, its making it tough to look for.

Im not worried about all the scales,calipers, or what I need for pinpoint accuracy, that I can figure out myself. Im looking for what I need to just reload the bullet.

Obviously a press and all parts of the bullet (powder etc)

Ive seen some dies that require a shell holder, and some that dont, which is better? 
Some come with both a neck sizer and seating die, Im assuming I need them both??? either purchased separately or together

What else do I need?

Thanks for the help


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## plowboy84 (Feb 22, 2009)

Look At a Lee Challenger Kit Sug. retail 144.98, Lee Reloading Dies for your caliber 25.-35.00 , Modern Reloading 2nd Addition about 16.00. Read the manual select the powder you want to start with for your load and and get ready to get addicted. You need to locate a Supplier in your area for the Powder and Primers as shipping charges for mail order are out ragges due to haz. mat. fees. Check out leeprecision.com 
P.S. Scales and Calipers are a got to have to reload period. Powder must be weighed and Over all Lenght must be measured.

Plowboy


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## Bernie P. (Sep 25, 2008)

Lee makes great components at very reasonable prices.Their Pace setter rifle die sets,carbide pistol die set along with one of their presses/kits will get you started just fine.Good luck!


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## Bauer (Sep 29, 2005)

Thanks for the point in the right direction. :beer:


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Take a look at the Hornady Lock and Load Classic kit also. It has every thing you need to get started. I have one and it has been great. I have never heard any thing bad about the dies, or any thing for that matter.


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

I got the Lee turrent press kit that was like 150, very nice along with everything you need. Very glad I started reloading! :beer:


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## snowslayer (Feb 4, 2008)

I do not like lee dies but have not tried any of there other equipment. I'd go with RCBS, and or hornady dies.


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## StretchNM (Dec 22, 2008)

A couple of months ago I ordered the Lee Breech Lock Challenger Kit from Kempf Guns. About $104. I did NOT get the Anniversary Kit because I wanted to install the primers by hand. If you want to prime off the press, you might try the Anniversary. I recommend against it. The Lee presses prime on the downstroke of the ram, and it's very hard to "feel" when the primer is seated. I know this because with my Kit came two primer feeders. You have to load each primer by hand but you can prime on the press. I don;t like it. Either Kit will give you everything you need to start, except cases, primers, powder, and bullets.

IF I was to do it all over again, I would get the Lee Classic Cast press and assemble the other stuff on my own, but at the time, I was like you: I wasn;t really sure exactly what I needed. I will add a Classic Cast later.

I bought the Lee and Lyman manuals, based on an overall average of opinions suggesting they were the two most valuable. I recommend them both highly. I also have a Hodgdens Annual and an old Hornady a guy gave to me. For a third or fourth manual, after you find some bullets your gun likes, maybe get a couple of manuals by those bullet manufacturers. I like Sierras (or rather my rifle does), so that'll probably be my next manual.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

With the Hornady kits you get the 7th(newest) edition of their loading manual, and from the 6 other manufacturers manuals I have I would have to say it is one of the better manuals(IMO). Definately buy a few different manuals and read them through before you start. I bought the newest edition from 3 companies before I started and they answered a lot of questions in good detail.


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## HWYBULL (Feb 10, 2007)

Try one caliber/cartridge first! Buy a good quality 3 die set for for Center fire rifle (Full Length Die, Neck Size Die & Bullet Seater) RCBS, Redding or Horandy. Before you invest in a kit with a press, powder dispenser, scale, case trimmer, shell holders etc... Find someone knowlegeable and ask for help on your first batch of reloads. See if you can set up your dies in their press and take a little guidance from them. It will give you a better idea on what kind of reloading kit you want to invest in. This will eliminate some headaches and remove some of the trial and error. You can't learn everything from the book. Take good notes- write everything down on paper or in the margins of your reloading book. Good luck- holler if you need help!

p.s. I use a RCBS Rock Chucker Press with a Hornady lock-n-load conversion kit....


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

> Try one caliber/cartridge first!


Bad idea for starting out. These manuals don't give any info on the process of reloading only load info. Also, some of the load info is WAY OFF from what is printed in the new editions of the bullet makers manuals. A lot of new bullets are not included in these OBOC manuals, and as I found out as a new handloader, you can't just use load info from a similar type of bullet at the same weight. I had some of my max loads come out higher by as much as 3-4gr from the OBOC to the bullet makers info.



> Find someone knowlegeable and ask for help on your first batch of reloads. See if you can set up your dies in their press and take a little guidance from them.


Very very good idea!! I talked to 3-4 different people and watched them do hand loads and looked at their setups. I think it made a big difference for me as a beginning handloader.


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

you'll need some case lube to use before sizing cases and a tool to de-bur the inside and outside of the cases. a case trimmer also. perhaps a neck brush and primer pocket cleaning tool.


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## bryan_huber (Aug 3, 2008)

i bought the rock chucker supreme press. its built heavier than a lee which i liked. 260 is what it costs. all you need to add is a shellholder, dies, powder, primers, cases and bullets. i saw cabelas had a special set for 700 bucks which has everything you need and is worth the extra money to buy. personally id sell my set and buy that one if i had the chance again. but im a person that would rather spend a few extra dollars to get something nice that will do the job right w/o needing to upgrade.


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## bearhunter (Jan 30, 2009)

i agree with :withstupid: :withstupid: :beer: rcbs all the way


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## Bauer (Sep 29, 2005)

Thanks Guys!

Im actually trying to find some time here this week to sit down with a friend and watch him load a few on his, see how it all works, ive been talking alot with him and it sounds like im on the right track, he too recommends the RCBS dies, has a lee press and likes it, but says theres much better out there.

After hours of research, I think ive finally got everything figured out, now I just need to tweak it to let things fall into place.

On another note, boy it must be hard finding primers and powder on the net, alot of places im looking are backordered or dont have any idea when they will get them in.....On to scheels I guess. Somebody needs to build a few more sportsman stores around the bis/minot areas....

Thanks again


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## HWYBULL (Feb 10, 2007)

What was meant by Try one caliber/cartridge first! was pick one gun in the arsenal and load for that first, wasn't referring to the paper-back load book things.


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## varmit b gone (Jan 31, 2008)

StretchNM said:


> I recommend against it. The Lee presses prime on the downstroke of the ram, and it's very hard to "feel" when the primer is seated. .


I actually think it is quite easy to feel when the primer is seated on my press, just my 0.02


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

> What was meant by Try one caliber/cartridge first! was pick one gun in the arsenal and load for that first, wasn't referring to the paper-back load book things.


OH, sorry about that!!! 


I had a few bad experiences with them, and don't want to have any one make the same mistakes I did. Oh well, at least the word is out to this guy, hopefully he will learn from my mistakes!


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## Bernie P. (Sep 25, 2008)

Lee has a bunch of vids you can Dload and watch covering most reloading op's.


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## alleyyooper (Jul 6, 2007)

I have a bunch of RCBS stuff. The press so old it now has whiskers, dies, powder drop, powder trickler, hand primer installer, and most dies are RCBS. Only trouble I have had is primer decapping pins that broke. RCBS sent me a 20 pack free of charge.
For years I installed the primers with the arm on the press one at a time. I could feel them go in fine. Bought the drop tubes latter on and hated them a whold bunch. The hand tool is the way to go if you can afford one right off the git go.
I also have Lyman, Redding, Pondrous dies.
Foster case trimmer with the different nose pieces for the different calibers.

If you buy good equipment it should last a lift time with out you wishing down the road you had bought some thing different.

Most of my stuff is 40 years old. The hand primer is only 10 years old.

I have heard that the unline suppliers are out of a bunch of stuff too. Our local gun shop has shelves full of any any thing you could want except some bullets like swifts and barnes. Cost is combatable since you don't have to pay shipping.

 Al


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