Start with handloading?

[TIMETRIPPER]

My advice is to buy a single stage press and buy it now. You can always add a Dillion later but you will always have use for a good single stage setup. New or used, RCBS makes good reloading equipment and have excellent service and warranties.

John

 

[gwpercle]

Do you know what strikes me as odd about any of the "What kind of press?" threads on any forum? The recommendations to get a turret press because it's easier to change dies. Really? How difficult is it to change a die? If it's difficult, you're doing something wrong.

I too have been amazed at how difficult some find changing a die ... Lets see , screw it In ... Screw it Out ! Wow , that wasn't too hard .
My wife keeps saying I enjoy screwing around way too much ...
6 single station presses lets me do a lot of screwing ,,,Yes !

About 5 years ago I rescued a sad neglected Lyman All American Turret press ( with wooden handle) from a junk sale, it had been neglected for years , I got her cleaned , found parts (CH4D had them) and got her running again . I set it up as a dedicated 357 Magnum loader . If you use a Turret for 1 caliber ...that's fine but if you load multiple calibers ...
give me a good single station press any day .

Progressive loaders are meant to load lot's of one caliber and they don't make the most accurate ammo . I like accurate ammo .
I've noticed when most loaders have problems , especially with powder charging , most times they are new and using a progressive . With every pull of the handle 5 operations are going on ... and you have to be aware and know what's happening at every station .
In all my years of reloading the single stage and going slow and being careful has kept me safe and out of harm's way .
Gary
Sorry about the ramble but newbe's need to know what they're doing before going progressive ...Lee Classic Loaser (Whack-A-Mole) should be a basic requirement !

 

[glenwolde]

You might try a Lee Hand Press. I have a portable set I use that all fits in a plastic .50 caliber ammo can.

Lee Hand Press
Hornady .38/.357 dies set
RCBS Lil' Dandy Powder measure (+ half a dozen rotors)
Lee Ergo Prime (discontinued but there's a similar model) Small primer only
Lee Ram Prime (not really needed, just a back-up)
Frankford Arsenal electronic scale
1# Win231
1,000 Winchester Small Pistol Primers

 

[dave1918a2]

Start with a quality single stage press. Buy once, keep forever. I have been reloading beyond 50 years and use RCBS and Dillon. RCBS scale, and Forster trimmer. All 50 years old now. Except the Dillons may be 35+ by now. I have no Lee products at all.

 

[Paul in Nevada]

Another vote for the Lee hand press. It sounds like you don't currently have a good location for a bench mounted press and 4-5 years is a long time to wait. The hand press is perfect for 38 Special. Even when you upgrade to a bigger press in the future, you will still find a dozen uses for the hand press. I have three bench mounted presses and I still find uses for the hand press. The current version sold by Lee uses their "Breach Lock" quick change bushings, which could be very practical in your case. I wanted to stay with screw in dies so I went on Ebay and found one of the older style for $30. The argument could be made either way.
And yes, get a scale.

 

[Hasbeen1945]

A lot of folks started reloading to save money. But truth be known it turns into a fun hobby. You really don't save any money. You just get to shoot more for the money you had available to spend.
Equipment is another story. I agree a single stage is probably all you're going to need. But it took me years to learn what my Dad told me years ago. " buy once and cry once ". You will save money in the long run by getting quality equipment the first time.

 

[glenwolde]

Another vote for the Lee hand press. It sounds like you don't currently have a good location for a bench mounted press and 4-5 years is a long time to wait. The hand press is perfect for 38 Special. Even when you upgrade to a bigger press in the future, you will still find a dozen uses for the hand press. I have three bench mounted presses and I still find uses for the hand press. The current version sold by Lee uses their "Breach Lock" quick change bushings, which could be very practical in your case. I wanted to stay with screw in dies so I went on Ebay and found one of the older style for $30. The argument could be made either way.
And yes, get a scale.

Don't get me started on the "Breech Lock". It works fine but what a completely pointless additional feature. Well I guess it's not pointless to them. They get to sell you the bushings......DOH! there I go.....

 

[mikld]

"I do not want to get a press until we move in the next 4-5 years, but I do want to learn to reload 38 special."
One reason I suggested a Lee Loader. I guess it's OK to suggest a single stage (or turret?) when the OP already stated he doesn't have the room for a press...

 

[BE Mike]

Progressive loaders are meant to load lot's of one caliber and they don't make the most accurate ammo . I like accurate ammo .

I can't comment on rifle loads, but Dillon progressive presses are capable of loading extremely accurate target loads for handguns. I've verified this by using a Ransom Machine Rest at 50 yards.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Started with a single-stage press in '75 and am still using the same one today. Wouldn't start out any other way.

Same here. 40+ years of reloading and I am back to my single stage. I retired the progressive when I retired from shooting competition.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I do not want to get a press until we move in the next 4-5 years, but I do want to learn to reload 38 special. Would handloading be a good start to learning, or should I just wait until I can get a progressive press like a Dillon whenever I move to our forever home? Currently reading about reloading as basic research before doing anything else.

I started reloading since I was a LEO. A lot of my coworkers started because I did but they got burned out.

How much 38 Special do you shoot now? If you shoot monthly it is a great hobby. If you only shoot 100 or 200 rounds a year you might be better buying your ammunition by the case.

 

[rwsmith]

I had a Rockchucker......

I had a Rockchucker single stage mounted on my bench in the garage. It can be too hot or too cold out there.

I had a sturdy desk in a spare room, make a board to mount the press on, C clamped it to the desk and now I load in comfort.

 

[oldman10mm]

Do you know what strikes me as odd about any of the "What kind of press?" threads on any forum? The recommendations to get a turret press because it's easier to change dies. Really? How difficult is it to change a die? If it's difficult, you're doing something wrong.

No, it's not difficult to change a die, but a turret press makes it not necessary to do so. Convenience. As an example if you don't like the the bell flare that was made, rotate the turret back to the sizer die and run it thru the sizer die again to bring the mouth back.

 

[GypsmJim]

No, it's not difficult to change a die, but a turret press makes it not necessary to do so. Convenience. As an example if you don't like the the bell flare that was made, rotate the turret back to the sizer die and run it thru the sizer die again to bring the mouth back.

Don't you flare after priming? Thus, if you go back won't you pop out a good primer?

 

[GypsmJim]

Another vote for the Lee hand press. It sounds like you don't currently have a good location for a bench mounted press and 4-5 years is a long time to wait. The hand press is perfect for 38 Special. Even when you upgrade to a bigger press in the future, you will still find a dozen uses for the hand press. I have three bench mounted presses and I still find uses for the hand press. The current version sold by Lee uses their "Breach Lock" quick change bushings, which could be very practical in your case. I wanted to stay with screw in dies so I went on Ebay and found one of the older style for $30. The argument could be made either way.
And yes, get a scale.

I have never used a hand press, so shoot me down if I'm wrong. I just can't imagine squeezing with my hands a hundred times or more just to load a 50 round box. Makes my fingers sore. OTOH, the old plastic mallet causes no pain.

I bought a recent mfg. Hornady that was also a breech lock press. I mounted the bushing, then drilled it and pinned it, filling the holes with a dab of JBWeld. Screw in die press in seconds. Of course, now I have 2 un-needed bushings.

 

[Cdog]

My built like a tank Lee Classic Cast single stage has the quick change bushing, an option at the time of purchase. After using it a bit I knew I had made a mistake by choosing the QC version.

I took one of the original flat bushings and tightened it as far as it would go. I then marked it, removed and filed a new slot for the spring loaded bushing lock. It's locked in as tight as can be and works like a press drilled and tapped with only 7/8X14 threads.

Lee has since improved/redesigned the bushings that no longer use the spring loaded lock. Those work great, but my single stage still uses the modified original.

I know for a fact that disdain for changing dies isn't what keeps me using a turret. It's things like being able to create a single complete test cartridge in seconds instead of minutes.

An yes you can remove any case mouth over expansion without a full stroke, therefore the primer is untouched.

Simply because some like different, doesn't not make them lazy, incapable, or any less competent than other closed minded loaders.

 

[glenwolde]

I have never used a hand press, so shoot me down if I'm wrong. I just can't imagine squeezing with my hands a hundred times or more just to load a 50 round box. Makes my fingers sore. OTOH, the old plastic mallet causes no pain.

I bought a recent mfg. Hornady that was also a breech lock press. I mounted the bushing, then drilled it and pinned it, filling the holes with a dab of JBWeld. Screw in die press in seconds. Of course, now I have 2 un-needed bushings.

I've reloaded .38 Special with everything from a Lee Loader to a Dillon. In my opinion the Lee Loader is more work than the hand press. With the hand press I use my thigh to close it up. It's easier than you'd think.

Between the half a dozen presses (include the Lee Loader) I've loaded with, they all make equally (and very) accurate ammo. The only difference is speed.

I did have some problems getting really accurate loads out of the Lee Loader. I tried a few boxes and they were O.K. but accuracy was iffy. The problem with the Lee Loader is that the method of crimping is inconsistent. It's really hard to whack each crimp exactly the same.

I found a big thick washer I put over the cartridge and on top of the base to act as a "stop" when applying the crimp. Once I got a consistent crimp accuracy went way up.

The other issue with the Lee Loader is using brass that wasn't fired in the gun you are loading for. Since it only neck-sizes, sometimes you can run into ammo that won't chamber because the brass was fired in a different gun with a slightly looser chamber. The hand press will of course full-length re-size.

 

[mtgianni]

Don't you flare after priming? Thus, if you go back won't you pop out a good primer?

With the Lee dies you flare with the powder dump. The flaring stem never reaches the primer or bottom 4/5ths of the case. The primer stays in place.

 

[GypsmJim]

With the Lee dies you flare with the powder dump. The flaring stem never reaches the primer or bottom 4/5ths of the case. The primer stays in place.

My comment referenced putting the case back in the sizing die after it had been flared, in order to REDUCE the flare.

 

[mikld]

Do you know what strikes me as odd about any of the "What kind of press?" threads on any forum? The recommendations to get a turret press because it's easier to change dies. Really? How difficult is it to change a die? If it's difficult, you're doing something wrong.

A couple things left out when discussing different types of presses. First is die changes are faster/easier with a turret press. But one of the most important things about learning to reload is die adjustment. Most handload trouble shooting involves die adjustments and standard remove, replace, adjust dies gives newer reloader more practice to learn and refine their die adjustments. Without knowing how/why to adjust dies it's all a shot in the dark.

Another fallacy often mentioned is cost. Just me, but in over 40 years of reloading I have not considered my handload cost vs factory ammo costs. I have never figgered out if I "save" any money by reloading and more than likely never will. I started reloading out of curiosity (looking at some recently fired brass; "I wonder if I can reuse these?). I reload because I like to. I enjoy my time at my bench, pulling the handle on my Co-Ax and listening to some Do-Wop or Willie. Not necessarily "therapy", but a very enjoyable way to spend a few hours of peace and quiet "working"...