Want to get started in reloading

[RobertSubnet]

Hello all. I would like to get started in reloading and have been doing some research on the subject. I was hoping to get some advice on the choice of press.

I will be reloading:
30-06
30-30
223
45
38/357

As mentioned this is my first time doing this. Am I better off keeping it simple and use a single stage while I learn and decide if I really want to get in to this? Go with a turret press, again simple but a little faster (?) than the single stage which should help with cranking out pistol ammo. Or go progressive?

I have decided on RCBS so it would be the Rock Chucker, the RCBS turret or the Pro 2000.

Thank you again for your thoughts and comments.

[gregrn43]

You cant go wrong with the rockchucker, I have had mine for 24yrs and never had a problem with it. I have never loaded any pistol rounds before, so I am no help there. Reloading is tons of fun and allows me to shoot more often.

[RobertSubnet]

You cant go wrong with the rockchucker

I am reading mixed reviews on the priming system of the Turret Press. The RockChucker looks like a great piece of equipment was just hoping for something a little faster.

[Wayspr]

When starting out, a single stage is the only way to go. After you have learned the do's and don'ts of reloading, if you want a progressive......buy one. In the beginning, focus on reading as much as possible and not worrying about speed but producing accurate safe ammo.

[RobertSubnet]

A good point Wayspr all the speed in the world won't matter if your ammo isn't safe!

Thanks.

[Centaur 1]

Take a look at the Lyman T-mag turret press. They're the same price as the rockchucker and built extremely sturdy. I don't prime on any of my presses, I have the Hornady hand priming tool. With the hand primer I can do my priming while watching tv with the family.

[RobertSubnet]

Thanks Centaur I will.

[homers brother]

I wouldn't put much stock in any priming system that's part of a press. Using a hand priming tool is exponentially faster and allows much greater consistency.

JMO - Turret presses are an unnecessary gimmick. Consistency is truly your friend when it comes to reloading. I've actually watched guys rotate the dies around the ram one round at a time and the results at the range were ... well, let's just say "not terribly impressive."

On the other hand, if you have 100 or more empty .30-06 cases laying around that justify a reloading session and you have a set of .30-30 dies set up in your turret press, you're going to dismount and re-mount exactly as many die bodies as you would if you were using a single-stage press. It's really more a matter of whether you want to do the setup all at once or at the beginning of every operation.

[North Texan]

I have a rockchucker, but I have recently converted it to the Hornady lock-n-load bushing system, which has seemed promising so far.

Like others have said, don't prime with the press, use a hand primer. Much easier and quicker.

I have an automatic powder dispenser (Hornady). Kind of expensive, but easy to use and much quicker than the scoop and balance beam scales.

[rogerstv]

I have 30-30 and .38 special brass for sale in the classifieds/guns forum.

rogerstv