I am planning on rolling my own soon and was wanting to get some experienced advice.

1)Mainly .357 and .44 magnum calibers

2)What equipment would you recommend? I am not afraid to buy quality tools-not top shelf stuff mind you, but stuff that will last.

3)What book(s)?

4)Any other info greatly appreciated...

My knowledge base is small, so don't hold back on even the most rudimentary stuff.






Thanks,

Derrek

A couple of years ago, I bought an RCBS rock chucker supreme kit from ebay at a good deal. No regrets. look up the spec's / contents. It takes me about 1-1/2 hrs to load 100 rounds from the time I take the cases out of the vibratory tumbler with you will also need. I also use RCBS dies. limetime warranty on everything.

If you know someone who reloads then spend a little time with him. Buy yourself a reloading manual (or 2) and read all the hows to's at the front. As for equipment it would come to down to how much you are going to reload. Those handgun rounds can add up fast and a progressive sure make that nice. If you anticipate a small quantity than a single stage would be fine and I also prefer a single stage for high power rifle rounds. Brand on a single stage doesn't bother me too much as long as it's a cast frame. Dillon has a big part of the progressive market and they will warranty their stuff no matter how it was abused. I use RCBS and Redding dies and have no complaints with either. There are several additional items you will need, powder scale, tumbler, primer tray etc. Best to learn from an experienced reloader or read the manuals so you get a good idea of what you need before spending your $$$. It really isn't difficult, just pay attention to what you are doing.

Manuals; I load out of several. I like the Lyman for cast data. I also use Speer, Sierra, Nosler and a couple of the powder company's as well.

a big plus one...this is top quality equipment

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I think the first question you need to ask yourself is how many rounds do I shoot a week, this will play a big roll in what type of machine you need, single stage, turret or progressive. If you plan on shooting 100 rds. or less a week you can get by with a single stage press, with a turret you can turn out 200-300 a week. More than that then you want a progressive. I use a Lee turret, have done 10,000rds in the last year. Output of 125-150 rds an hour. Very easy to change between calibers. Die sets are very good quality and inexpensive. I would write some more but I injured my arm and typing is no fun. There are a lot of good machines out there. One thing you need to do is read, read and read.

The Lee turret is what I use. I shoot between 25 and 50 rds. of handgun ammo a week. The auto index rod can be removed and the press then can be used as a single stage. I'm very happy with my press. The LTP is also quite affordable.

Ask at the gun store, are there any reloading clubs in the area.

I found a club not far from my house, very nice fellas and Very helpfull ,got me started.

IMO the Dillon SD is best for handgun only. Great CS. Priced fair.

For rifle also they have a great price on 500's Loads both Rifle and Pistol.

SD loads with one pull of lever. They also have DVD on how to reload.

With the SD dies come with it, set from the factory in your caliber.

Good luck

8th

IMHO there is only one name you need to know.......DILLON! Their presses are (again IMHO) the best in the business. Their no BS guarantee is just that and their customer support is fantastic.

If you are loading for handgun calibers ONLY, their Square Deal B is the way to go. If you are interested in rifle calibers as well, I would recommend their 650.

I have my Dillon almost 25 years now and I have never regretted it. I reload somewhere around 8,000 rounds a year, maybe more and it's still going strong.

regards,
chief38

As a former handloader, remember that doing this will require a large investment of your time. Time becomes more and more important as time goes by. When you factor in the investment in equipment and materials as well as the investment in time, you may not actually be saving much in the end. Personally, I eventually found handloading was too costly of my time investment and one of the most boring endeavors I have ever tried. I gave away all the equipment and unused material I had and I have no regrets about it. YMMV.

i can't let this thread end on that sour note. While you might not find handloading to fit your lifestyle, you can't beat the results compared to one size fits all factory loads.

Like any other hobby, it's what you make of it. You can go nuts or just get the job done.

You won't save money, but you'll make your investment back relatively quickly. You'll wind up like most of us, if you stick with it. It cost's 1/3 the price of factory ammo for my reloads. But that just means I shoot 3 times as much.
And it's a lot of fun sometimes trying for the most accuate, or most handleable, or most economical rounds, take you pic. Just pay attention and read the manuals..

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Pete.

I think I'm a little different than most handloaders. I save a lot of money. I do shoot a little more, but not much, so the savings are definately there. If I went to cast bullets instead of plated/jacketed, I would save even more.

Although I agree that many of us have limited time to devote to reloading, I actually enjoy it. I seldom have time to do any reloading in spring, summer, or fall, so I do 95% of my reloading in the dead of winter. I can reload around 300 rounds an hour on my Dillon 550B so I can easily load up a years worth of ammo, and I shoot a lot, in January and February.

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- Change it back -

I'm glad you posted because I thought the same thing and had a whole diatribe typed out last night but threw it away.

Everybody has the same 24 hours in a day. What you choose to do with it is up to you. I've never thought I missed out on a single thing in my life because I spent some time reloading.

Check the reloading section,it will lead you in the right direction.

Hey, I didn't mean to dis anyone or the hobby of hand loading ammo. I'm just giving the OP another viewpoint. Over the years, I've spent a small fortune or three getting into hobbies I thought I would enjoy. I've got the attic space filled up to prove it.

Hand loading is obviously something rewarding and fun to many people but it's not for everyone.

Love shooting - hate reloading! That is why I got a Dillon. Makes the task less miserable for me, produces quality reloads faster than any press I have ever used. Their no BS guarantee is just that. They are a great outfit! I would suggest getting one of heir Blue Press Catalogs or visiting them on line.

chief38

1. Carbide dies--period. Lubing is a needless chore with straight-walled cases. A 4-die set isn't needed. A seating/crimping die will work fine if set up properly.
.2 Good powder drop measure. Something like the Lee auto-disc measure will get you close, but a good drop measure will get you on any exact load.
3. Unless you're planning on cranking out 100s of rounds in a session, a single stage will do the job. A turret-top is handier but not necessary.
4. Good digital calipers.
5. Accurate scales. I have a RCBS 505 that's great.
6. Most presses have a built in primer, but a hand-held allows more feel for worn primer pockets.
7. Straight-wall pistol cases rarely (if ever) need trimming, so don't invest a lot of $ there.
8. Bullet maker reloading data books usually only list their brand of bullet. A jacketed 158 grain HP is a jacketed 158 grain HP, but... Most powder manufacturers have reloading data available online. Find your caliber/powder and print out what you need. Reload manuals do offer good info and tips (Speer, etc.).
9. A tumbler. Cleans cases and helps keep dies clean. If you're into shiny brass, it will do that--but they won't shoot any better.
10. Don't spend a lot of $ on things like primer pocket scraper, brushes, etc. I no longer bother with that, but there're plenty of household items that will do the job.

I find reloading therapeutic. I'm not a competitive shooter, so I don't need to reload in mass quantities. If you plan of a lot of shooting (or time is precious), then you might lean toward a progressive. I think a person is better off learning the ropes on a single stage, but that's only my opinion.