New To Reloading - Research Phase

[Jimbo357mag]

I prepare brass for loading (cleaned, sized etc.) and put them in containers for loading. When I want to load some ammo I take the already cleaned and prepped cases out of the container, prime them and then add the powder and bullet to complete the rounds. I do batches of 40 at a time in old ammo trays. That is how you can break the loading process up into 2 stages.

 

[2sheriffs]

I think a lee 4 station turret press with the cast iron base would be good. With 4 stations you can put a 3 die pistol die set and a separate crimp die. Its better to crimp in a separate step. The dies stay in the turret all set up and ready to go. You get a separate turret for each Iet of dies. I have a old 3 die lee and put 3 crimping dies in a separate turret. I have wanted to upgrade to the 4 die press. I have 3 presses now and I mount them to a 2X6 and use 2 C clamps to clamp them to the bench. A old Hrrters 2 ram C press , a RCBS Reloader Special C press and the 3 die lee turret press. I started reloading with the Herters back in about 59 or 60 with my DAD.
Ron

 

[grobin]

You can get a turret press. I like the Hornady lock-n-load as they use a bushing that allows a die to be adjusted exactly and be removed with out the need to readjust. Hornady dies come with the bushing but they are cheap (~$4 q10). Dies take some effort to get adjusted-from not much to some depending on how precisely you adjust them. Like the above post lots of folks with turret presses avoid the issue by buying multiple presses or turrets.

Ohaus are very good scales. You probably want one with a 200 gr or more capacity as you may want to weigh bullets at some point. You want a 1mg resolution/accuracy and autotare. With tare you place the primed case on the scale and push tare. Remove the case and use the powder measure to throw a charge slightly less than what you want. Put the case back on the scale and the tare will be automatically subtracted giving you the powder weight. Now use a powder trickler to get the exact weight. Depending on the powder and measure this may only be necessary for precision loads of when working up loads. Lots of scales have multi unit feature and you want one that has grans and grams. Don't buy any scale that can't be calibrated or that doesn't provide resolotion. e.g. .001 g or 1mg.

As for blended or mixed loads they are not necessary for most of today's powders and calibers. The only current ones in commercial use are for the AR cartridges (6.5mm Grendel, 300 blk, 450 Bushmaster, etc.) which are constrained by the 5.56 case volume and so present particular problems. Yes Horandy and others are doing it but they have lots of test gear and special receivers/barrels. MY recommendation is don't do it.

 

[woodsy]

OR, you can do what I did, since I wasn't sure if I would enjoy reloading: I got the Lee "Whack-a-mole" introductory reloading set, since it is so inexpensive, AND I was reloading for only one revolver. The Lee set does not have a full-length resizing die, since it isn't necessary if the reloads will be used in the same firearm they were shot from. Once I got familiar with the entire concept, and happy about the whole deal, I bought a single-stage RCBS Rockchucker and some various dies, and a Hornady 2 Liter ultrasonic cleaner. The Lee set was so cheap that its cost is only a distant memory, and I also have NO use for a tumbler, the Hornady cleaner being so much more effective and acceptable.

 

[Kevin]

Lots of great advice here. I use a turret press from RCBS. I have three heads which can hold 2 different pistol calibers in each head. Compared to some people here I don't reaload very much.

The advantage of a turret press over single stage is I don't have to screw in and unscrew my dies as you would in a single stage. They are more or less permanently mounted in the interchangeable turret heads.

Last year I upgraded my tumbler to one of those Extreme Rebel 17 rotary tumblers. It cleans the brass with soap and water with stainless steel pins. They are like new after cleaning. The great thing about that is as Contender said, less wear on the dies. Plus primers can be seated much easier and better without any crud in the primer pocket. I deprime my brass with a separate tool, off the press. For me, it's much cleaner. Then clean the brass and voila' the press and dies stay fairly clean.

For long range plinking, I would think you want everything to be as close to the same as possible. Clean brass would be important in this equation.

For powder, I use the RCBS ChargeMaster powder dispenser. Then a funnel to get the powder into each case, one at a time. I go slow, but it's fine, I enjoy the hobby. Plus it's the only way I wouldn't make a mistake. With a progressive press, me personally, I would make mistakes left and right.... that's just me.

I also have a whole lot of small containers with lids. I make notes about what stage the brass is, i.e clean or clean and resized, or clean, resized and helped, readily for primer and powder... With several calibers, it's the only way I can stay organized. With the kids, it assured me I don't combine two different stages of brass or one caliber together. If that makes sense.

Also, as a few people have said, if you invest in quality equipment, it will last forever. I wouldn't buy a kit. You will be better off buying individual components. If cost is a factor, buy one piece a month or something like that.

 

[Galaxiedan]

I also use the Lee classic turret press. $219 for almost everything you need to start reloading.
Just add a die set and your ready to go. The included book is a wealth of knowledge. Once YOU get started YOU will than find out if you need more or better equipment.

https://www.brownells.com/reloading/reloading-kits/4-hole-turret-press-deluxe-kit-prod56289.aspx

One thing to remember about reloading is you will get many opinions on whats best. Ford or Chevy. Blonde or brunette. Etc

 

[pleadthe2nd]

Just a little tip, found this out last night, don't set your cell phone next to your digital scale, especially if you are using Bluetooth, which I do to listen to music, it will make your scale go crazy, those things are very sensitive, mine was bouncing around numbers so bad , changed batteries 4 times before I figured it out.

 

[grobin]

+1 the above is right on! I've had folks having problems with inconsistent scales have either electrical problems or problems with air currents. An air current can cause problems with even a grain sensitivity scale let alone the more useful mg. scale. To check just put a glass mixing bowl over the scale and watch for a minute for any change. Strong magnetic fields can also be a problem (large electric motors etc.). Temperature changes of +-5° require a calibration check. I've seen some exotic scales (micro gram or more sensitive) which are enclosed inside Faraday cages.

 

[henry-b]

Ok, it seems a Turret would give me semi-auto easy of use but isn't an autoloader, more like a single-stage...seems a Turret is what I'll do.

No mixing of powders...or at least not admitted to

And I need a good scale, maybe a Tare scale (compare style) ?

So next on the block is fluid cleaner or tumbler...If I get a tumbler, will I have to use compressed air to clean the primer area ? If I use a fluid cleaner, will it smell up the basement ? Can fluids be bought at Lowes ?

 

[pleadthe2nd]

I have the frankford arsenal scale and for under 30$ am quite happy with it, you can pick up tumblers and sonic cleaners at harbor freight very reasonable, I do both to my brass, not sure it's necessary but my cases are bright and smooth. I use lyman sonic cleaner fluid, 16$ from brownells, a little goes a long way since it's a concentrate. Not sure I would use cleaners from Lowe's, certain chemicals will break down brass, from what I understand, but a lot of guys have homemade recipes that they may share with you, you'll figure it all out just read your manuals, and follow the recipes, and all the steps, I like the new Lyman manual alot, lots of bullet weights and powders to choose from, have fun , be safe.

 

[grobin]

Frankly a ultrasonic cleaner is all that you really need. The tumbler makes the outside of the brass really shinny. Does this matter? Well if you are picking up junk brass from the range or have really dirty cases then yes!. But they don't do much for the case interior which can matter for accuracy. But a good cleaning solution-not-expensive and no odor. A few big box stores have them but a lot of hardware stores have a choice.

As for scales the https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-DS-750-Digital-Reloading/dp/B002BDOHNA/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1522629053&sr=8-14&keywords=frankford+arsenal is adequate. It does have an autotare feature where you put something on the pan and it is automatically weighted and the weight set to 0. Then filling the cartridge and reweighing it effectively subtracts the empty weight from that do the the powder. Any scale can do tare including a beam balance https://www.amazon.com/Ohaus-Specialty-Mechanical-Stainless-Readability/dp/B0051WB5NI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1522629668&sr=8-4&keywords=triple+beam+balance you just need to use a calculated to subtract the tare from the final weight!

But the Frankford is inadequate as the sensitivity is 0.1grains or ~6 mg. Ok for reloading but not for real precision.

 

[NikA]

I think the cheapest way to clean brass well that I've found is to buy stainless steel wet tumbling media and use a large mouth screw top container with soapy water. Total cost: about 10$/pound for the stainless pins. I have three pounds of pins in a ~2 gallon container and can do maybe 150 cases at a time. Shake a while, let settle, rinse, and let dry in a cardboard box. Use Lemishine dishwasher addition if you have a problem with water spots on your brass.

ETA: I have also tried an ultrasonic cleaner, and while I found it to be about as effective, it seemed to me to be a bit less contained and therefore more messy. Not a huge deal if you're out in the shop, but if you don't have extra space, the shake and wash solution is the cleanest and most compact I've found.

 

[2sheriffs]

I don't have a tumbler, so I take a 6qt. stainless pot and put hot tap water in i, and add dishwashing soap in it and stir it until the soap is mixed in. I deprime the brass before adding them to the pot and slush them around. I leave them in for a day or so, slush them around every 3 or four hours before I go to bed at night. When I get up in the morning I slush them around a couple times then take them out. If they are still dirty, I put the pot on the stove and heat them up till the soapy water is a little bit warmer than hot tap water and start over again.This usually gets them clean. I dump the soapy water out and put tap water in the pot and slush them aroun and change the water and do it again I put them on a towel until they are dry. I set them up so the the water goes out through the primer pocket. Not the fastest way, but it works..
Ron

 

[contender]

Since we are talking about cleaning brass,, I'll add this tid-bit.
When I do a wet cleaning,,, to dry my brass,,, I use an old food dehydrator. Works like a charm. In fact, I was just at Goodwill the other day, found one NIB, and paid $8 for it. Now I have a spare.

 

[Clark]

The best deal that I am aware of on the Lee Classic cast turret can be found at Kempf's:

https://kempfgunshop.com/Kempf_Kit_w/_Lee_Classic_Turret_Press_-90064Kit-6575.html

Clark

 

[henry-b]

Hmmm, no scale, no tumbler...

I'm still a little foggy re the turret style...are these designs so that one can keep the deprimer, primer, crimper (?) all loaded on the turret at once ? They don't do what an auto will do. do they ? I'm only int in 44mag right now.

 

[grobin]

¡¡You need to get a reloading manual!! The Lyman 50th is the widest coverage and a good section on the reloading process. First decapping and priming are often done without the press, using hand decappers or primers. Second a for set of dies for 44 mag might be like this Redding one: 'Redding Carbide 3-Die Set is designed for use in single stage or turret presses. Includes a Titanium Carbide Sizing/Decapping Die, Expanding Die and Seating Die. Standard 7/8"-14 thread. Shellholder sold separately. Titanium Carbide dies do not require the use of case sizing lube when sizing brass. These die sets come with a Profile Crimp Die unless the cartridge headspaces on the case mouth requiring a Taper Crimp Die.'
The 44 mag will have a taper crimp. With a single stage press you insert the sizing die in the press and process say 50 cartridiges. Then swap for the expanding die and primer feed (if the press has one) run the 50 processed cartridges. Now use the powder measure to throw a charge into the cartridge, weighing them and filling exactly with a powder trickler (or if you were not using maximum loads and don't need high accuracy just use the powder measure), now seat the bullets to the exact depth. You have changed out three dies in sequence.
With a turret press you mount all three dies (and possibly the powder measure). Now you can process the rounds as above, simply rotating the turret until all steps have been done to each of all 50 cartridges or you can do all steps simply rotating the turret with each step until the round is completely loaded 50 times. (Insted of batching 50 cartridges at each step.)

Even if you depend on the powder measure you still must have a scale to set the powder measure so that it gives the correct amount of powder! Different powders give very different weights for the same volume. Yes powder measures have adjustments for this but they require a scale to be set correctly.

Yes you don't need a tumbler; but you need to clean cases. The suggestion of a cheap used food dehydrator to speed drying is excellent. Next time I'm by Good Will I'm looking for one!

 

[Galaxiedan]

Since I use the Lee classic turret press kit that I included a link to, I will walk through the steps I take loading 44mag hopefully to help answer some questions. As stated earlier this is how I do it and there are multiple ways to get the same result.

I did alot of research on what to buy to get started myself. Im frugal and hate buying things twice and also didnt want to buy the cadillac when all I needed was a good chevy.

First thoroughly read the big book that comes in the kit I linked, It will explain the why and how of all further steps.

Starting with spent brass I run them through my inexpensive lyman tumbler using walnut media made for cleaning brass (I tried to save a buck with pet store walnut shells not worth it to me)

About 2 hrs later I have a couple hundred clean brass to start loading, as I take the brass out of the tumbler I inspect for damage and put them in a bin.

The instructions that come with the press to get it ready are pretty easy to understand, the Lee 4 die set I use have good instructions to get them on the 4 hole turret that comes in the press kit.

The press kit has a primer feed system that when you pull the press handle all the way down the ram pushes the brass into the decapping and sizing die (station 1) that action pushes the spent primer out into the hollow shaft of the ram into a tube at the bottom. Than you simply press the primer feed to load a new primer. When you move the press handle back up it will seat the primer and rotate the turret (station 2) to the powder drop and case mouth flare position. I use the included auto disk system but instead of the disks I use the micrometer accessory sold separately.

I get the powder measured and adjusted using a small Frankford Arsenal digital scale. I dont like the beam scale that came in the kit.

Once I get the proper grains dropping (refer to included book) and the case mouth slightly flared its on to the bullet seating die (station 3).

Bullet seating is a simple as pulling the handle on the press. You set a bullet on the case that has been primed and loaded with powder. Die has a threaded knob on top to adjust seating depth and OAL. I use a harbor frieght digital micrometer.

Last station is crimping.

So the Lee turret press is 4 pulls for a completed round without pulling the case out of the press. It can also be used as a single stage press by pulling out the index arm in 2 seconds in that case you do each step multiple times as a batch.

I reload most cartridges listed below and haven't used it as a single stage though.

 

[contender]

henry-b, Apparently you need a little more detail than what we are offering here. I'm sure many of us would be glad to help you get started if we knew where you were located. I know I would.

A turret style press can be used as a one station press,,, OR,,,, you can manually rotate the head with each shell and load a complete round at a setting. MOST folks use it as a one station press, working the same die, doing one operation on a batch of brass at one time. Then they rotate the head & do the next step,,,, !

And yes, some folks do a universal de-prime, and a hand prime,,, but there are just as many who do it all on the press. YOU have to decide which one YOU prefer.

 

[henry-b]

TN - between Knoxville and Nashville.