Just Bought A Press - Questions

[Hillbilly77]

Can anyone recommend a good carbide die set? RCBS? Hornady?

The press I bought is a Hornady Lock and Load kit.

I like Hornady dies. They work well and you get free bullets.

You're going to buy dies anyway, why not get a $20-$25 box of bullets for free? (You do pay a few bucks for shipping.)

Plus, don't forget that you get 500 bullets for buying the press kit.

 

[Rule3]

I thought by buying it would save me time form having to size and trim.

I have reloaded but it has been a LONG time. But then I only did what my dad told me to do. We reloaded shot shells and rifle calibers.

You resize the brass every time you load it, the same step as depriming the old primer out.

As to trimming, I and others have never trimmed a handgun brass, Maybe once if you want all you crimps to line up perfect but that's it.

Rifle brass will stretch(grow) when resizing) so it needs trimming but again it is almost every time.

If you bought a Hornady press may as well just get the Hornady dies with the quick attach rings. Saves time rather than screwing them in ad out every time.

Have fun, do some reading before buying stuff, like a Hornady Manual

 

[fredj338]

No reason to buy exPensive new brass for any service caliber. Lots of places sell once fired reasonably priced. Imo, 230gr fmj are your best bet starting out. Lots of data & easy to get good results right away. Lead & plated can be finicky.

 

[pmhayden]

First, I second those who said that you should get a tumbler. Pick up your brass from the range, and clean it. Its just part of reloading and being thrifty.

Second, read a good reloading manual. People recommend the Lyman manual.

Third, find a mentor to walk you through the first few rounds. Its easier to learn to reload "hands on". Also, do not learn to sky dive from a book. Just saying.

I am a newish reloader by forum standards. But it does change the way you look at shooting, when you make your own ammo, weigh each charge, and measure each round.

 

[Engineer1911]

The Heretic of Clean Brass

45 ACP brass does not have to be trimmed. Brass coming out of an indoor range doesn't need to be tumbled or cleaned because there is no sand present.

Back in the mid-1980's I owned a M52 S&W target gun that fired uncleaned / untumbled brass resized in an RCBS carbide die set for more than 10 years. I sold the M52 20 years ago, but I'm still using the same die set. I shoot home cast bullets (with home made lube) 99% of the time. I never found that shiny, gleaming brass shot better scores than stained, tarnished brass. Cleaning primer pockets is another activity that consumes vast amounts of time better spent shooting.

 

[Deadctr]

Kanew, You mentioned you need to find a place to put your new press. Wherever you put it, make it solid...really solid. A press puts an unbelievable amount of torque on the edge of a bench.

Also, Range, or once fired brass, as others have said is the way to go. I got a tumbler from Harbor Freight, and use 3/4 to 1 inch pieces of copper wire, dawn and lemmyshine, and wet tumble.

....And read manuals, at least twice.

Be safe and enjoy

 

[forestswin]

Did you get Hornady's auto-prime for your single stage

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press Automatic Primer Feeder

It's nice to have a stack of primers, instead of feeding them one at a time

It also saves brass handling time, compared to a off press primer. It's a little finicky setting up, but once you figure it out...it's a piece of cake.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Did you get Hornady's auto-prime for your single stage

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press Automatic Primer Feeder

It's nice to have a stack of primers, instead of feeding them one at a time

It also saves brass handling time, compared to a off press primer. It's a little finicky setting up, but once you figure it out...it's a piece of cake.

No. It came with a hand primer tool.

 

[growr]

I know many military members that cannot have a permanent set up that attach their press to a Black & Decker Workmate....plenty solid and portable at the same time.

Might work for you as well.

Randy

 

[keithherrington]

One more consideration...and an important one

The one topic not yet discussed is health concerns associated with cleaning brass. If tumbled then the dust associated with that process is highly toxic. Large quantities of lead (if the brass was loaded with lead bullets) and large quantities of toxins such as mercury from the primers, are present and can be both absorbed through the skin and through the lungs. Wearing masks and rubber gloves is critical if you intend to stay healthy over the long run. Regularly washing your clothes is just as important as is washing all exposed skin. If you are going to process brass don't do it without taking the proper steps to protect yourself. Liquid cleaners help reduce the airborne risk but if used without proper protection INCREASE the risk of absorption through the skin. Properly disposing of the contaminated liquid is also an issue. Flushing it down the toilet or pouring it down the sink is NOT an appropriate option.
Keith

 

[Rule3]

Here is a good thread to show you how to spend all your money. It never ends!!

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/406473-so-youre-thinking-about-getting-into-reloading.html

Research and do more research before you go buying stuff.

 

[LAA]

Clue me in here. When I tumble brass, the container is sealed. Very little dust. Very little ! I don't see toxic dust clouds during this process.

 

[fredj338]

I know many military members that cannot have a permanent set up that attach their press to a Black & Decker Workmate....plenty solid and portable at the same time.

Might work for you as well.

Randy

Works fine for a ss or turret, but problematic with progressives.

 

[fredj338]

Clue me in here. When I tumble brass, the container is sealed. Very little dust. Very little ! I don't see toxic dust clouds during this process.

It's emptying the tumbler where the toxic dust comes into play. Though some tumblers have open tops, not recommended.

 

[Rule3]

It is really not to difficult to figure out how to pour out the brass and media and avoid any dust.

Kinda like not spitting into the wind.

Most media separators like the RCBS are made by Berrys. Theirs also will sort brass by caliber.

Only Dillion was not smart enough to put a lid on theirs.

 

[LAA]

It's emptying the tumbler where the toxic dust comes into play. Though some tumblers have open tops, not recommended.

We better start wearing gas masks, along with protective eye & ear ware, when firing our semi-auto rifles & pistols. All of those toxic gases are escaping right past our noses!

Just thought about that, thanks to this thread.........if there is any scientific credibility to live small arms, firing emissions.

BTW-- I do use those used dryer sheets to soak up part of the toxic emissions.

 

[SteveFi]

Works fine for a ss or turret, but problematic with progressives.

i am using a workmate knockoff & it works well for my single stage press but I do have 2 pieces of 2'x2' 3/4" plywood bolted to the top - solid & am able to take apart easy enough

 

[keithherrington]

Clue me in here. When I tumble brass, the container is sealed. Very little dust. Very little ! I don't see toxic dust clouds during this process.

Simply answer this question. When you open the tumbler and pour the brass through a strainer or some other separating tool, what happens to the media? If you do it like most folks it falls through into another container and in doing so clouds of dust are created. Breath it in and the toxins come with it.
Keith

 

[keithherrington]

It is really not to difficult to figure out how to pour out the brass and media and avoid any dust.

Strongly disagree with your comment, and I have to wonder how useful it is to new shooters or new reloaders who are wanting good, accurate advice on how to minimize the negative side effects associated with shooting and reloading. In my case frequent blood tests that monitored the level of lead in my blood convinced me of a need to be far more careful with things that I had given little thought to over the previous 50 years. In my particular case it was a direct contributing factor to contracting a chronic but treatable form of leukemia. My advice I think may help others from contracting the same disease.
Keith

 

[keithherrington]

A real need to take more care with our health

It is really not to difficult to figure out how to pour out the brass and media and avoid any dust.

Strongly disagree with your comment, and I have to wonder how useful it is to new shooters or new reloaders who are wanting good, accurate advice on how to minimize the negative side effects associated with shooting and reloading. In my case frequent blood tests that monitored the level of lead in my blood convinced me of a need to be far more careful with things that I had given little thought to over the previous 50 years. In my particular case it was a direct contributing factor to contracting a chronic but treatable form of leukemia. My advice I think may help others from contracting the same disease.
Keith