Newbie questions

R1E45

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I've been wanting to get into reloading for a while, but never made the move. Well, a friend on another forum put up his new and never used Lee Precision Anniversary Challenger Kit II up for sale at a great price, so I jumped on it.

He said before I can get started I need to buy a die set, case trimmer, and case tumbler. And of course components. He suggested a Lee four piece die set that Amazon has for $49 on prime.

Some of my questions are where do you fellas buy your components and equipment? What brands are suggested for them? Is there any specific case trimmer and tumbler that you'd suggest? Any other general advice or tips is appreciated as well.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Forget to mention that I'll be loading 45 ACP only for now.
 
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Don't worry about a case trimmer for 45acp.

I used the tumbler that @BurnedOutGeek linked to, for a long time. I eventually got into wet tumbling, but there is nothing wrong with dry tumbling, either.

The balance beam scale from Lee will work, but I never really liked it. I got a digital scale which is perfectly adequate for loading pistol.

Midway is where I get a lot of my reloading equipment from, I just like dealing with them. For hazmat items (powder and primers) I try buying that at the local gun shows as there are a couple of vendors that have good prices at the Raleigh shows. I know @Bullseye Baldee goes to Myrtle Beach occasionally and he knows of a place down there that sells powder and primers, maybe he will chime in with that info. For bullets, I generally order online whenever there is a big sale (Xtreme has a good black Friday sale, and a few other times during the year).

Welcome to the addiction. :p
 
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Thanks for the responses. It's always nice to hear that I don't have to buy something. :D I live in the Myrtle Beach area and it'd be nice to know of a local source. I just heard on the radio that a local gun shop now sells reloading gear, so I'll have to take a drive out that way and see what they have. We have a Bass Pro, but almost everything seems to be more expensive there.

I'll check out Midway, too. I've used them for other things and have always had pleasant experiences with them.
 
I bet I can come up with brass and bullets for your first few hundred rounds as well as a set of Lee dies for you tomorrow, just promise me that you’ll take the money I just saved you and go buy a reloading manual.
 
Don't get froggy and lusting after a digital scale. They're nice but gravity never goes out of calibration.

Case tumbling- if the cases are pretty clean, not a necessary step. If you're going to get into it, just go with wet media. Get a dual drum Harbor Freight unit and a couple pounds and it'll get you started and be sufficient for a while.

Case trimmer- generally not needed for 45acp.

Manual- YES, get physical copies, more than one brand. You'll find that load data varies between brands and some don't list bullets that the others do.

Lee stuff varies in quality, some is pretty darn good, some not so much. You'll need some type of case lube or you'll be back on here asking how to unstick a case from a die. I use 1Shot by Hornady.

Components, well, that's something you'll always be on the lookout for from now on and it's a large part of the criteria I use to define a "good" gun store.

Welcome to the rabbit hole. Reloading won't save you any money, that's just what you tell the SO. What it does do is allow you to shoot more for the same money :D
 
Add equipment as needed. When I was loading for pistol only I never tumbled my brass. Never trimmed it. Never measured it.

Now 20 years later I load for rifle. I have a case trimmer, tumbler, and a caliper.

Buy components when you can get a deal on them.

You can also use the paycheck tax method. Every paycheck buy a set dollar amount of brass, bullets, powder or equipment.

If the wife is concerned about what you spend on this hobby, explain "it's cheaper than a mistress." But, not by much.[emoji41]

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk
 
You'll get up and running faster if you can get some time from a local experienced loader.
Ask to watch them load, then help you get initially set up.
Most experienced loaders would be happy to help you set up, and be safe with your upcoming addiction.
 
Lee dies work fine. A 4-die set is the standard three (size/flare/seat) plus a Factory Crimp Die. Lots of people swear by the FCD but I'm not one of them. It's not a bad thing but if you're trying to save money look for a Carbide 3-die set.

learn how to do the Plunk Test but also get a case gauge.

Buy some extra bushings. They sell them with the lockring built in now, and they are worth the extra few bucks IMO.

Those on-the-press primer gizmos that come with the kit *can* work but they can also be finicky and drop primers. I would add an RCBS hand primer to your kit. Don't cheap out and buy the Lee hand prime... You won't be happy with it.

Buy some books:
- Lee ABC's
- Lyman 49th (or whatever the current version is)
- Lyman cast bullet handbook
- Speer current version.

And don't believe anyone who tells you reloading saves money... they're either lying or delusional :)
 
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If the wife is concerned about what you spend on this hobby, explain "it's cheaper than a mistress." But, not by much.
emoji41.png

And if she does wise up and decide to leave she will take half of the house, half of the retirement, the nicer car, etc, etc, etc, but she will leave ALL of that "reloading crap".

Think of it as a "hedge".
 
You absolutely must have calipers. Measuring case length will identify cases too long and you can set them aside for the day you do want a trimmer, discard them or give them to someone that has a trimmer, but you won't waste time or components on cases that won't chamber. I always trimmed cases that headspace on the mouth because I'm an analytical type. I did it to have uniform lock time. I doubt I could measure the difference if there was any. Yeah, there is an abbreviated term for my personality type. As others have said, you can get away with no trimmer for a long time and many loadings.

Don't skimp on dies, get titanium carbide dies. They are harder than steel, so much so that you can skip lubricating cases completely. I've loaded thousands of rounds with titanium carbide dies without lubricating cases or getting a case stuck in the dies. It feels like you've already lubricated them with butter compared to using steel dies. If you use steel dies, you must lubricate, then wipe them down afterwards.

I just bought a powder dispenser / electronic scale combo but I'm just setting my bench up to get back into reloading. I used an RCBS balance beam scale and it worked just fine.

Starting with pistol rounds is a great idea. They are much simpler. If you want to go deeper down the rabbit hole, you can always start reloading for rifle.

As others have said, you will not save money. You will get the accessories you need, get all your components, then load a whole bunch of rounds. Then you'll go shoot a whole lot more than you do now, even if it is only to justify the expense.

You've had plenty of free and good advice and two offers of free brass and one for bullets. Despite the strings attached with one offer (yes, you should have a manual, this community is great like that) take them up on those offers.

Eventually you might find yourself going to shoot a whole lot just so you have more cases to load again. If you find yourself doing that, you have a problem and require immediate intervention. That intervention will not be found on CFF.

Have fun! Don't blow yourself up.
 
Some people do lube pistol calibers, but if you get a die set with a carbide sizer, you don't need lube. I never do.

I love the Lee FCD for 45acp, but I don't do cast bullets. If you do cast bullets, don't use the FCD. Cast bullets will be slightly larger in diameter than plated or jacketed bullets, and the carbide ring in the FCD could end up swaging the bullets down in diameter when you crimp. Nothing wrong with cast bullets, I just have migrated towards plated or jacketed.

I talked to @Bullseye Baldee today, he said he bought powder at a gun show one time when he was down there. If there is a local store starting to carry reloading supplies, check it out.
 
I bet I can come up with brass and bullets for your first few hundred rounds as well as a set of Lee dies for you tomorrow, just promise me that you’ll take the money I just saved you and go buy a reloading manual.
Thank you very much, sir. I had to read your PM twice this morning because I was so surprised. I just ordered the Hornady 10th Edition manual on Amazon. I see some suggested having more than one manual, is there another you would suggest?
 
Lee dies work fine. A 4-die set is the standard three (size/flare/seat) plus a Factory Crimp Die. Lots of people swear by the FCD but I'm not one of them. It's not a bad thing but if you're trying to save money look for a Carbide 3-die set.

learn how to do the Plunk Test but also get a case gauge.

Buy some extra bushings. They sell them with the lockring built in now, and they are worth the extra few bucks IMO.

Those on-the-press primer gizmos that come with the kit *can* work but they can also be finicky and drop primers. I would add an RCBS hand primer to your kit. Don't cheap out and buy the Lee hand prime... You won't be happy with it.

Buy some books:
- Lee ABC's
- Lyman 49th (or whatever the current version is)
- Lyman cast bullet handbook
- Speer current version.

And don't believe anyone who tells you reloading saves money... they're either lying or delusional :)
I ordered the Hornady manual suggested above and will check out the ones you listed as well. I'm all for more books. Reading is one of the things I enjoy as much as shooting.
 
Thank you everyone for the feedback. I greatly appreciate all of the information you've shared. I made it out to Bass Pro today to look around and acquaint myself with the items I'll soon be using and get an idea of local component costs.

I did pick up some calipers the other day, I forgot to mention that in my OP.

My Lee kit should arrive here Tuesday and my package from JimB should be here on the same day. Mr Billy, I will certainly be in touch with you as well.

I'm really taken aback by the kindness and generosity here and I greatly appreciate such a warm welcome to the site and the reloading hobby.
 
Thank you very much, sir. I had to read your PM twice this morning because I was so surprised. I just ordered the Hornady 10th Edition manual on Amazon. I see some suggested having more than one manual, is there another you would suggest?

I like Lyman #49, maybe it’s up to #50. At the front of each manual is an overview of the reloading process. It is important to understand the process and the signs of things going a little wrong because it isn’t always as easy as plugging in one of the recipes in the back of the book. Speaking of recipes, many are now online, for example this link that I also sent you by PM http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/
 
Besides Hornady and Lyman, I also like Speer. Lyman is probably the best independent source of load data, they are not connected with powder or bullet manufacturers. Their tutorial section is great also.

If you really like reading, consider getting the Pet Loads book by Ken Waters. It is pricey, and somewhat dated as far as load information goes, but he goes into detail and history about each caliber that you won't find anywhere else.
 
Thank you very much, sir. I had to read your PM twice this morning because I was so surprised. I just ordered the Hornady 10th Edition manual on Amazon. I see some suggested having more than one manual, is there another you would suggest?
I really liked my Lee Reloading manual. Besides all the load data and such it's a look into the mind of Lee, who really made reloading a sport for the masses. It's kind of a multi -chapter add of their stuff, but giving the reasons why something was made makes for an entertaining read (good look into why the lee priming system don't stack them). Cabelas has it on sale:http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lee-Modern-Reloading-Manual-nd-Edition/705252.uts

Speaking of Cabelas- and unlike Bass Pro, they often have reloading stuff on sale. And I hope it continues, but am worried because Bass Pro bought Cabelas last summer.
 
I found the Lee manual for $25 with free two day shipping. Reviews said it was extremely helpful, especially for those on Lee setups.
 
For .45 ACP you only need a good set of dies and press.
Scale is nice but not 100% need as you can get Lee dippers (volume, but should be confirmed by weighing also). Beam/digital= personal preference but never needed batteries for my RCBS beam scale in 30+ yrs
Tumbler either wet or dry: not needed, just wipe with rag before and after reloading. Does make your dies last longer however
Trimmer: Not needed on .45 as you will lose them before they stretch enough
Reloading Manual, get several. I still prefer a book at the press as electronic is back in the house on laptop
Powder measure-nice to have as you don't have to measure/weigh each charge. I do measure/weigh during set up and spot check when batch reloding
Press: Hand tools, single stage hand press, single stage, turret, progressive. All work but each level adds more complexity and expense. At the end though you get higher volume reloads quicker.

Wait to you start reloading shotgun or into bullet casting/swaging. If I was home I would invite you over for a class as I'm just up the road. I've acquired most of this through FTF sales but Dillon, MidwayUSA or NatchezShootersSupply.



Haven't reloaded .22LR but thinking about reloading .22 WMR.

CD
 
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I have everything I need now, thanks again JimB and everyone else who offered their help.

I hope to meet up on your next trip in town Bullseye. The flu had me knocked out all week long.

I'm hoping to be able to clear some space out in the shed this week and get a work area setup.
 
I use an electronic Gemini 20 digital scale from Amazon. Best $20 I spent. I check it with a Lyman check weight set and it's never more than .02 grains off. I use rechargeable AAA batteries and switch them out every time I sit down to reload. Just keep it away from vents, AC's, fans and don't breath on it as all of these will affect accuracy.

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-...UTF8&qid=1517931221&sr=8-4&keywords=gemini+20
 
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I use an electronic Gemini 20 digital scale from Amazon. Best $20 I spent. I check it with a Lyman check weight set and it's never more than .01 gram off. I use rechargeable AAA batteries and switch them out every time I sit down to reload. Just keep it away from vents, AC's, fans and don't breath on it as all of these will affect accuracy.

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-...UTF8&qid=1517931221&sr=8-4&keywords=gemini+20
I have a Lee safety powder scale that came with the set. Is a digital one recommended over this?
 
I use an electronic Gemini 20 digital scale from Amazon. Best $20 I spent. I check it with a Lyman check weight set and it's never more than .01 gram off. I use rechargeable AAA batteries and switch them out every time I sit down to reload. Just keep it away from vents, AC's, fans and don't breath on it as all of these will affect accuracy.

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-...UTF8&qid=1517931221&sr=8-4&keywords=gemini+20
I use that same scale. I have no complaints, I use it all the time.

I have a Lee safety powder scale that came with the set. Is a digital one recommended over this?
I have a Lee scale and don't particularly like it, but it does work. I have a Hornady balance beam scale that is MUCH nicer, but I find the digital scale to be much more convenient for what I do. If I did not also have a Chargemaster to dispense powder, and wanted to trickle my loads, I would use the beam scale. Most digital scales are just too slow to settle when trickling powder.
 
I have been using this digital scale for several years. If you trickle, go very slow and let it catch up. Once you reach the charge you want, take the pan with the powder off and then put it back on and see if doesn't read the same weight. Trickle slow and it works fine. I've used this scale with both the Lee powder dispenser with disks and the Dillon.

I was very hesitant to buy a $20 digital scale and trust my fingers and life to it's accuracy, but after buying and testing, I have no regrets.
 
I have a Lee safety powder scale that came with the set. Is a digital one recommended over this?

I personally would recommend this over the Lee scale. It is so much more accurate, down to .01 gram. I have a Lee scale that may be accurate down to .1 gram, but I trust my Gemini 20 more. You can literally breath on it and watch the weights change, it is that sensitive.
 
0.01 grams is about 0.15 grains if my calculations are correct. That is not all that impressive. Breathing on about any scale should cause it to register different weights. Whatever scale you get, use check weights regularly and organize your loaded rounds so that you know which have been loaded since your last check.
 
0.01 grams is about 0.15 grains if my calculations are correct. That is not all that impressive. Breathing on about any scale should cause it to register different weights. Whatever scale you get, use check weights regularly and organize your loaded rounds so that you know which have been loaded since your last check.

I was wrong in my post, I should have typed grains instead of grams. Thanks for catching. I will go back and correct. When I typed that I had just left the link I posted and it kept referring to grams over and over and my mind just got stuck on grams and did not revert back to reloading where grains is the rule.

Agree 100% with the check weights. I have the one below and like I said, I did not trust any scale until I checked with these. I was impressed with the accuracy of the Gemini 20 when I checked it.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012877380/lyman-scale-weight-check-set
 
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