Quote:
Originally Posted by BIG.PAUL
I am wanting to get into reloading. I'm leaning tward RCBS equip.
I'll be loading for 257 roberts. 45LC. 9mm, 270Win.
Where is the best/cheapest place to buy equip. should I go new or used. Kit or piece it out. I was thinking of the pro 2000 kit from RCBS.
|
Let's put first things first.
You want to start loading your own ammo, and you're looking for a good starting point.
So, let me add a few suggestions to the pile of great information already on the table!
There's a few manufacturers of reloading equipment that you might want to look at.
RCBS, Lyman, Lee, Hornady, and Redding are the most prominent, and easiest to find most of the time.
When I teach reloading classes, I advocate two things - one, get the best equipment you can afford, and 2, get a single stage kit.
Reloading is something that, once you're into it, it's a great experience that you can share with your boys.
Getting a single stage kit is WAY better than trying to learn a progressive. I highly suggest against it. Stick with a single stage. You'll like it better, and be more apt to use it more often.
My press of choice is a Rockchucker Supreme.
I've loaded thousands of rounds on it, and it's still like it was the day I bought it. Built like a tank, easy to set up, great efficiency, and good range of motion.
A good reloading kit will have a few critical items - the press, primer seating tool, powder scale, powder measure, chamfer tool, and a variety of other knick-knacks that are useful.
Get whichever kit you like the most. They're all pretty similar, though I do admit a bias towards the "O" frame presses. More rigid in my mind, and with the sheer forces you use to resize brass, it seems to me to be a sound preference.
As for loading components, you have a couple options.
Unless you're buying a LOT of powder and primers at one time, be aware that buying online costs an extra $20-25 per order for the HAZMAT fee. If you're only getting a couple pounds of powder and a few thousand primers, get them at the store. Simpler that way in my experience.
Bullets and brass are another story.
Range brass is fine to an extent, but I'd be wary of any that have reloading marks on them - a bright ring about 1/4-3/8" up from the case head where the dies stop resizing.
With your specific calibers, shop around to get the best deals you can on your brass. 65% of the cost of new ammo is in the brass.
Bullets are whatever you want them to be.
You can buy bullets in any grade from plinkers to match grade, depending on your own needs and budgetary considerations.
Casting bullets is also very easy. For my handgun plinking, I use cast bullets I make from tire weights, which are readily available to me for free. Ask around, and know what the laws are in your area regarding the use of lead bullets where you intend to shoot.
I have a couple different molds too. I use a Lee 6 hole for my handgun bullets, and Lyman or RCBS 2 cavity mold for rifle.
One other thing I almost forgot with relation to cast bullets is that you must be aware of your velocities. If you want to use a cast bullet without a gas check, you're limited to about 1100 FPS.
Add a gas check, and you can bump that to 2000FPS, according to what I have read and experienced myself. I use cast bullets in my AR, and they work great! Not supremely accurate, but for target practice and shooting silhouettes, they're great!
Sourcing your supplies is the easier part.
Midway USA and Midsouth Shooters Supply are the two that I use most, as they always seen to have what I need when I need it, and pricing is pretty good at both. Check between the two to get the best price. Even though they're comparable between the two, you can most always save a few bucks by being wise.
And, by all means, as you get started, post on here, ask questions.
Call tech support. Get yourself a couple different reloading manuals, and read up on the subjects.
I have Speer, Hornady, and Nosler manuals on hand, and I get the new ones every year. I find it wise to have different manuals on hand to compare loads, and it helps me determine what's best for me, and narrows down a lot of the trial and error in finding a good load that my gun likes.
Most everyone here will help you as best we can.
Welcome to the crew!
IF I can help you further, by all means PM me, and I'll be more than happy to answer any other questions you might have.
Dave
New to reloading
