Where to buy reloader?

[revolver club prez]

Hello , GLENN54 .
The first thing you should buy is a good reloading book like the Lyman 50th reloading manual . The next thing to look for is a gun shop that has a set up with some presses and someone who knows what they are talking about . The first is easy , the latter , difficult . Read what ever you can find on the topic of hand loading /reloading .

Handloader magazine is well worth the price . Various books can be found , although UTUBE has supplanted print to some degree .A lot of loading manuals have a preamble on loading equipment .

Lastly when you are the absolute authority on loading cartridges , remember not to mock some one who makes a mistake in describing an equipment 's name .

Regards

 

[rkittine]

If you are looking for precision loading equipment, Sinclair International, Harrell's, PMI and a few others. If for everyday loading, check eBay and Amazon if you know exactly what you are looking for.

 

[H Richard]

Depending on your time frame, check out estate sales, and "Sporting Goods Auctions". Quite often some real bargains can be found. I have seen numerous MEC shotgun loaders, RCBS, and even multiple Dillon press's over the last 3-4 years, and I am from a fairly rural area with a 70,000 county population.

 

[Glenn54]

The Lyman 50th Edition is sitting beside me now. As far as I know, the nearest shop that would have reloading equipment is at least 100 miles away. I will ask around to see if I've missed something. I do a lot of ordering off Amazon because I live in the country. Definitely plan on watching plenty of Youtube videos. I will check out Handloader Magazine too. I am not sure I will ever be an "authority" on reloading but I promise I will not mock anyone. Thanks to all for the suggestions. This should give me plenty of places to search.

Hello , GLENN54 .
The first thing you should buy is a good reloading book like the Lyman 50th reloading manual . The next thing to look for is a gun shop that has a set up with some presses and someone who knows what they are talking about . The first is easy , the latter , difficult . Read what ever you can find on the topic of hand loading /reloading .

Handloader magazine is well worth the price . Various books can be found , although UTUBE has supplanted print to some degree .A lot of loading manuals have a preamble on loading equipment .

Lastly when you are the absolute authority on loading cartridges , remember not to mock some one who makes a mistake in describing an equipment 's name .

Regards

 

[venomballistics]

I would go further. Reloading demands attention to detail. I would suggest the OP just stay out of reloading. It's not for everyone.

yeah ... thats part of why I just don't contribute like I used to.
Had a guy in here that made a federal case out of every part of the process right down to the tool marks left from sizing.
I
Just
Couldn't
Take
Anymore

 

[Gamecock]

BWTM: The Dillon 550 comes with no useful instructions. If you are asking where to "buy a reloader," you have no chance.

 

[Boudiepitbull]

I lived in a state and city where just about everything about reloading was either a felony or a fire code violation. I could own equipment but I couldn't use it until I moved. In the meantime I downloaded and read everything I could find online, I asked questions here, and watched hundreds of hours of youTube videos on reloading the calibers I was interested in. I ordered equipment piece by piece over about 2 years as I anticipated what I might need. I wanted to do this that badly. Give the OP a break. With the help I got here I was finally able to get started. Once I moved I was able to set up an entry level loading bench and get going quite quickly. We all start somewhere and sometimes it isn't always a place that's that good...but we all start at the beginning.

 

[tlawler]

Nearly all of my reloading equipment has been from garage and estate sales, eBay, Craigs List, and gun shows. Saved a LOT of money. My finished rounds don't know the difference.

Mine too. I started out with a NIB Lee Classic Turret kit that a guy bought and never opened. I peruse craigslist and find whole setups that people are selling who are getting out of reloading. Down here in Florida, a lot of people move down to retire and no longer have the room or inclination to reload. They sell their stuff for pennies on the dollar, then I turn around and sell the stuff I don’t need. My only rules are no open powders and only recent primers, and there is plenty of that.

 

[Glenn54]

OK, I see your point. I did not include enough info to make things clear. I intend to use the reloading press for handgun reloading. I have reloaded shotgun shells in the past on a MEC. I don't currently shoot that often but intend to shoot more. I am strongly considering a Dillon 550C even though that may be over kill. Part of my reasoning is I'm trying to make it easier due to shoulder, wrist and hand issues, arthritis. I started out with a used RCBS Ammomaster but it turned out it was missing too many parts. I have no doubt I can learn how to reload and do it right. I rebuilt my first car engine when I was 17. I have a bachelors degree in accounting. So while I'm old, I am not brain dead. One of the shops I looked at online was Creedmoor Sports but I don't see any mention of them on this forum.

to be fair, the thread title is "Where to buy reloader"
This is clear as mud.
We are reloaders ... hopefully not for sale since the emancipation proclamation.
Alliant has a line of rifle powders ie "Reloader 7"
there are various tools ranging from presses to magazine reloading tools to which "Reloader" can be applied.
Logical deduction may lead us to "Reloading press" however, this is still quite vague. Shotshell? Metallic cartridge? Progressive? Single stage? Turret? odd gadget like the Lee Loader? .....

Closest thing we have to clarification so far has been "Dillon 550" ... other things offered lead me to points of concern.
His nearest KNOWN reloading shop is 100 miles away.
What kind of live in the flesh support does he have?
It's not that tough to learn, and it can be self taught. But it's best to learn the process with as little machine as possible in the way. It's kinda like learning how to drive a car while fitting piston rings with a progressive.
Its better to learn to drive first, then overhaul engines later.

 

[Glenn54]

Thanks venom. I appreciate your advice as well as others. This will be more of a hobby than anything. I'm looking forward to it.

good .. we aren't uninitiated.
flank the 550C with something like a cheap Lee C frame for load development and other problem solving roles and you should be set.
Grafs seems to have them for 430 ... Dillon sells factory direct, which may be a better option as the options are better presented which can shorten the research curve.

 

[roscoepc]

Glenn, maybe a short description of what I'm reloading for might help a bit, might not!!

I bought a 500 S&W Mag back in 2014 that I absolutely fell in love with!! There was 2 problems though that I found out about a couple of month's later: One was the only ammo I could find for the gun was heavy Magnum rounds which, while enjoyable, severely reduced the amount of range time because I could only shoot just so many of those Beasties before I had to quit!!

This is the point where Ya'll can call me a "Sugar Cookie" if you want!!

The other problem was the cost of the Ammo: $3.00/round WHEN I could find any which the main one I was looking for was the Winchester 350gr Reduced Recoil.. A Great shooting round in my gun and it seemed like I could shoot it all day long.

So my reasons for reloading were twofold: Availability, and Cost..

I researched and asked question for about 2 months before deciding on what my needs were and what press would do what I needed which turned out to be the RCBS Rockchucker I've got now.

Why??

I load for 1 caliber..

I load between 50 to 100 rounds per session, normally 50..

The Single stage works out great for me because I'll prep/prime my cases in lots of 50 but, I'll throw the powder/lock the bullet in lot's of 1...

There are 2 things I'm very anal about when reloading:

1- Seating the primer and checking for flushness. I use press for this instead of a hand primer because I think I get better results and while reloading, I'm in NO hurry!! At all...

2- Throwing the powder and locking the bullet. I weigh EVERY throw with a digital scale and then seat and press the bullet. I also recalibrate every 5 to 10 throws. And I will not throw the powder without seating the bullet!!

While I would load like this using any powder, for right now, I'm using Titegroup which, while it does not do a good job of filling the case, it gives me the performance I'm looking for which is about 1200fps. A double throw of this powder will most likely blow up the gun so I don't break my rules when I'm loading.

Why Titegroup?? It was all I could find that would meet the spec's I wanted. Now that more powder types are on the store shelves I'll most likely try something different and will fill the case better..

Oh yeah, Cost?? About $.35 to $.87 per round depending on whether I'm loading solid nose or hollow points..

A bit better than $3.00 per round I think!!

I hope this helps and Have Fun with it!!

 

[hotshot357]

Your local gun shop would be the first place that comes to mind. I have bought two presses from mine. If they are a stocking dealer you might be able to "dicker" a good deal and you won't have the shipping cost. Also they may have a good selection of used presses. Mine does.

 

[Psweigle]

Call your local gun shop, and ask where they recommend. I found a guy local to me that deals in reloading supplies and equipment. He also happens to be an ammosmith, so his help and guidance was awesome to have .

 

[kirchc]

Dillon vs RCBS

What members are trying to convey to you is that a Progressive press will make large quantities of ammo. The 550 is a great press I have 2. But i started in 1969 on a RCBS Rock Chucker single stage.

Once you learn the basics on a single stage you are less likely to become confused and make a bunch of ammo with no powder in the shells. A primer can get the bullet into the barrel but not out, the next round fired without clearing the squib load will usually cause a catastrophic failure. Just not a good situation. I have bought from Dillon direct and that have a military discount as well.

The RCBS single stages presses work great and in my experience will last a lifetime.

Good luck whichever you choose.

 

[Glenn54]

Thanks. I always forget to ask if places have military or senior discounts.

 

[Ackley1952]

Larry potterfield loves and supports our sport and the NRA as well. His support on television brings in young people which we desperately need. Midway gets my business unless their price is severely beaten .

 

[jim lock]

Call Dillon, talk to one of the techs. I would venture he will point you in the direction of a 550. You can use it as a single stage or as you get aquainted use it as a progressive. Great warranty and better customer service than any other I've seen. On a side note--If you decide reloading is not your deal, you'll sell that 550 and not have to give it away. Just my two cents. Jim

 

[g-dad]

Glenn, you've received a lot of good info here. After months of research and asking questions I did as many others and purchased the Rock Chucker from Natchez. At the time they had the best prices. One round at a time is time consuming but that doesn't bother me. After several years I purchased another Rock Chucker and strictly use it for depriming. Still have no plans for a progressive press but will not rule it out.

 

[Titan Tom]

There have been several excellent suggestions made so far, including starting off with a single-stage set up, and even more important, getting a comprehensive reloading manual and reading it cover to cover.

The above suggestions are exactly how I started out back in '81, but the reason I did start that way is because I was lucky enough to have the single most important asset to a neophyte reloader, and that's a MENTOR.

Actually I had two, and, even after all these years, I still have regular contact with both of them, and see at least one of them on a monthly basis. What makes that remarkable is that we didn't grow up together, or even come from the same towns or even states - we did, however, serve in the Navy together Back-in-the-Day.

A good Mentor will definitely get you started out on the right foot, and help keep you safe. Note that I said a GOOD Mentor! You don't need some BS artist who has been lucky enough not to hurt himself yet, but I think you're a smart enough man to know the difference.

A good Mentor will show you how to properly set up your new gear, and will impart you with all of the 'little tricks' that might not be included in any instruction manual, but make the process 'flow' more efficiently.

I know that one of your goals is to make some affordable ammo, but once you discover that you are now making better ammo, you'll come to find out why most of us reload, and enjoy it so much.

I abandoned the notion that I reload to save money long, long ago. I have spent GOBS of money that will never be saved in the reloading process, but it's been worth every penny!

God Bless and Good Luck in your new hobby!

Tom

 

[Glenn54]

Thanks to all for the good suggestions. I am going to give this subject/hobby some more thought before making a decision.

yeah ... thats part of why I just don't contribute like I used to.
Had a guy in here that made a federal case out of every part of the process right down to the tool marks left from sizing.
I
Just
Couldn't
Take
Anymore

Glenn, you've received a lot of good info here. After months of research and asking questions I did as many others and purchased the Rock Chucker from Natchez. At the time they had the best prices. One round at a time is time consuming but that doesn't bother me. After several years I purchased another Rock Chucker and strictly use it for depriming. Still have no plans for a progressive press but will not rule it out.