Perhaps I read more into Mossy's statements then I should have. It's no real excuse but at the time, I was wet, cold and highly annoyed with the citizens of this town. For some strange reason they decided to dig out into a public street with a backhoe and was SURPRISED to find a water main, imagine that. Naturally, we had to fix it while they watched and made smart-a$$ comments. I really need to stay in my own department and quit letting them con me into these little issues of theirs.
Either way, I do appreciate the advice and as someone looking at starting out, having the info pinned by speciality, i.e. rifle, pistol etc. would be just magical!
I am guessing that using steel wool, even extra fine, won't cause case wear issues until the case should be retired anyway? I believe I've read the average reload is 10x, but most start retiring them after 6 or 7. The majority of my brass will be fire formed, I have collected roughly 300 rds from my rifle and scourged another 300+ from the local range. Which I have kept seperate so as not to cause confusion issues. So I am thinking the deluxe set might be the route to go as I'll need to FL some and just collet others?
Mossy, PM away, if you don't mind. Or email me direct, which I will send to you via PM.

What do you absolutely HAVE TO HAVE in order to BEGIN reloading your .30/'06 cases that you fired in your own gun??

I started with:

Ideal Handbook (Lyman) No. 37 (Reloading Manual)
Set of .30/'06 FL dies
RCBS Junior press (used-$40.00)
Pacific powder scale

1 lb IMR 4895 powder in a brown sandwich bag from Hodgdon in the early days! ($0.95)!
100 M2 150-grain GI bullets from the DCM
100 Remington 9 1/2 primers ($0.65)

And that's all! I got along for about 5 years with NOTHING BUT this, buying more powder & bullets as needed! You can, too.

Over the years, I've spent literally thousands of dollars on supplies & equipment for reloading, but onlydial calipers and case trimming stuff is really necessay in addition to the list above!

There's nothing wrong with the Lee stuff. Sounds like that kit has everything you need! I still useLyman Ohaus balance beam scales-I don't need a digital. Mine are accurate to 0.1 of a grain!

I find that there's not much difference at all in U.S. - made brass. Buy unprimed brass. You will eventually develop a favorite load, and will want to use whatever brand of primers turns out to be best for that load! I use mostly Federal primers, but have had some loads with CCI's that turned out to be very accurte too! I would not say that cleaning cases is not a concern, but I've never bought any case-cleaning stuff, and I've reloaded literally THOUSANDS of rounds of centerfire rifle and pistol ammo, starting back in 1954. I DO trim cases when they exceed max. length, chamfer case mouths, and clean primer pockets with a screwdriver blade. I find just wiping off the cases is enough to keep them usable for up to 10 or more refills - talking here about cases I've fired in my own guns, but I don't drop them in the sand!!

As for o/a length of loaded ammo, you want to seat the bullets (to start with) within about 1/16" of the origin of the rifling in your rifle, OR the maximum length your rifle's magazine will permit, if thisrequiresyour rounds be made shorter. The reason I said "to start with" is that generally, ammo is more accurate the less the bullet has to jump to get intothe rifling. However, this is not always true, and when you start developing your most accurate loads, you might find that you get better results with shorter O/A cartridges.

Good luck, and have fun with the superior ammo you make yourself!

The Lee Aniversay Kit is what got me started loading my 7mm Rem Mag. The kit, plus a shell holder and case length cage, 3 piece die set that has the collet die, powder, primer and bullets is all that you need. If you can buy the powder and primers locally you will save on Hazmat shipping charges.

I was in the reloading game for under $200 using the brass that I had saved. Since then I have picked up some other items to make reloading easier for me because now I am reloading for 7 cartridges and up to 100 rounds a week for each one.

I also just ordered a Lee press for 12 gauges and will be able to start loading them for less than $125.

Thanks guys! I've been trying to read all I can and think just because I will get a Frankford digital scale with the rest. If for nothing else but to run self-checks on the beam scale. Actually, now that I think about it, I think I have one mixed in with my old archery stuff. (Shoulder damage-no longer can draw a bow)
Yeah, sounds to me if I want the most accuracy I will definately have to look CLOSELY at bullet seat depth. But correct me if I am wrong, but using calipers, if I match the load data's OAL for a certain loading, it might be a okay/good hunting load? Or at least allow me to see if it has potential for better accuracy? I really don't need sub-MOA for most of what I'm doing or intending. Of course, knowing myself, I will eventually not be satisified with MOA.
If I sound nervous, I am.. but to me that should be a good thing as I will force myself to take things slow and try to get the basics well in hand before any in-depth experimenting.