Bare essentials to start reloading?

[nralover]

Guys, what will I need bare minimum to start reloading? Will a Lee Anniversary kit plus a dial caliper and components do it? I am on a really tight budget....

[J Miller]

Guys, what will I need bare minimum to start reloading? Will a Lee Anniversary kit plus a dial caliper and components do it? I am on a really tight budget....

Short answer ... yes.
Long answer, yes and as you go along and learn more and get more experience you'll find things you'll want and need. But for starters I'm pretty sure that kit will do it.
I'm not aware of everything that's in it, so if they're not included, I'd suggest adding an Auto Prime tool and a good balance beam scale too. The dippers are OK but the scale is better.

Joe

[Lefty Dude]

A LEE loader in your caliber of choice, & a plastic mallet.

About $20.00 will get you started.

And a Lee reloading manual.

This is how I started 45 years ago.

[AJMD429]

Search on this forum using "reloading" and "basic" or "beginning" and you'll probably find lots of posts.

Others will perhaps disagree, but I'd say any of the Lee 'starter' kits will be decent.

Unless you need high volume speed, the Lee 'dipper' set will work for about any load, but I would recommend at least a minimal powder scale to 'confirm' your loads. I like the Lee AutoDisk PRO (the non-PRO one reportedly stinks) and it adds speed and is not too pricey. A turret press is nice, but a single-stage is often a bit cheaper; time is money, though, and the turrets sometimes are not that much more (I like my Lee Classic Turret 4-holer). Priming on the press isn't bad, although a separate primer you may want someday. Lee dies I've had I really like, but NOT the 'factory crimp' for .44 Mag - I've used their .44-40 factory crimp die for .44 Mag and it is GREAT - the latter is a 'rifle' die and crimps with a four-part collet, vs the glorified roll crimp of the 'pistol' factory crimp die they offer for .44 Mag.

Don't forget a chamfering tool of some sort (a 6-flute wood countersink bit works fine).

For case trimming I don't think anything beats the Lee tool, although I had the cutter turned to fit a drill chuck (instead of the cartridge holder, which means starting and stopping the drill each time to change cartridges - vs. putting a new one in the part you hold, and 'applying' it to the rotating cutter).

Hope that helps.

P.S. Lefty Dude is right - the little 'mallet' kit will work, or the Lee 'hand press' which uses standard dies (you can therefore get into loading more different calibers without 'wasting' money in that the dies will be useable later on any other press you go to).

[nralover]

A LEE loader in your caliber of choice, & a plastic mallet.

About $20.00 will get you started.

And a Lee reloading manual.

This is how I started 45 years ago.

Okay- do they make one for .44 mag? And does it crimp so I can fire them in my new Marlin 1894?

[AJMD429]

Yep - they make a .44 Mag and I loaded many rounds with one in the 1970's (there is a post from me recently where I mention how it isn't that easy to re-attain that level of accuracy even from my relatively new press).

A tad of case lube does help with doing the .44 Mag on the Lee mallet kit.

Check out their 'hand press' too, though... - LeePrecision.com I think is their site...

[Don McDowell]

Yup go with the Lee Kit, skip the calipers, and buy quality dies from Hornady,Rcbs, Lyman or Redding and you'll be good to go for as long as you can shoot.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I will give you the same answer I always give to beginners. Before you spend one red cent on equipment go out and buy a good reloading manual, and read it. The Lee book is fine, I learned on the Lyman Pistol and Revolver Handbook. Speer is very good too.

Read the chapter describing the reloading process, so you get the idea of the actual process of reloading. After you finish that chapter, a lot of your questions will have been answered.

And get a decent scale, don't rely on dippers for Smokeless pistol loads.

[fatoldfool]

I also started with a Lee Loader & plastic mallet in the 60's. I was loading for a .30-30 and used the dippers. I borrowed a loading manual from a friend. I consider a scale a necessity for PISTOL powder loadings! When you get ready for a press, consider the Lee turrent press, but don't try to use it to crack walnuts . I love that old turrent press, and the ability to change processes by turning the turrent to the next station, but most of all because of being able to change calibers in seconds. I have never had a problem with Lee dies, but I do not use them for any high volume loading.

[deerwhacker444]

Howdy

I will give you the same answer I always give to beginners. Before you spend one red cent on equipment go out and buy a good reloading manual, and read it.

+1 Get a reloading book or 2 and read it until you understand all the equipment involved and how it operates. Then you'll have a better idea of what you need and don't need. After you get started you'll wish you had more than 1 manual anyway. BTW, I started with an RCBS kit and a Speer reloading book. Also helps if you have a seasoned friend to help work out problems.

Good luck...

[Charles]

The minimum you need to get started on a budget is:

Reloading Press with the correct shell holder
A set of dies
A power measure
A way to lube the cases

Of course powder, primer, cases and bullets.Very shortly you will get tired of measuring each powder change on the scale and want a powder measure

After you have all of that stuff and have recovered you will then want

A good 1" micrometer
A case trimmer.

As others said, a good reloading manual (I would suggest Lyman 49) is the first item on the list. Read it cover to cover before you begin to buy equipment.

High quality reloading equipment will last several generations and there is much of it on the used market for less than you can buy cheap bottom rung new stuff.

Two weeks ago, I bought a minty Pacific Super C press for $20.00. Made in the 50's it is as good as new for all purposes. A primo set of Pacific reloading dies cost me another $8.00. The shell holder came with the press.

A fellow could assemble a first class soup to nuts set up buying used equipment for $100 to $150. Good brands are Lyman, Hornaday, Pacific, Hollywood, RCBS, Bair, Wilson and others.

[mikld]

I started much the same way as described here:


http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_no ... tes.htm/51

[O.S.O.K.]

Well given 44 Mag and a tight budget, then you may consider a Lee hand press kit, dies, safety scale, load book and dipper set.

Hand press kit:



$36 at Midway

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=624416

Lee Manual $13



Scale $22



Powder measure set $8



Carbide die set $27



That will get you going. $106

About the only less expensive way is the Lee Loader and it does work but is very very slow... I'd still recommend the manual and the Lee Loader is $22, so $38 and you can be in business. If you are only looking to do 50 rounds at a time and don't mind taking 2 1/2 hours to get it accomplished, then this will do.

[flyingfool]

I'm thinking of getting started in reloading as well.

In the last Natchez catalog good to the end of Jan. 2010 they had the Lee Breech lock Challenger press kit for $95. It has the press powder measure scale auto prime shell holders and separate auto primer. I think all you'd need is a couple books and the dies for the caliber of your choice and shell holder.

They also have the Lee reloading manual for only $11.49

Best prices I've seen. Midway USA also has this set up for just a few dollars more.

This is what I'm looking at. Maybe Santa will bring me one!

[Lefty Dude]

I bought a Lee nut-cracker press last year. I have it in my emergency kit W/ my spare set of .308 dies, 1000 primers & a four pound jug of Varget powder. I bought the Lee when it was on sale at Midway for $29.00.

I know many shooters who have a Lee Loader for every caliber of Rifle or Revolver/Pistol they own. I have a 12 ga. & 16 ga. in my emergency kit. The Shotgun Loaders are no longer made. I found mine at Garage Sales for $5.00 @.

When the bad times, it will be kinda hard toten a 40# RCBS Rockchucker around don't ya know.

[AJMD429]

I like O.S.O.K.'s answer...!

[n2t]

I got the lee aniversary kit about a decade ago. I use online load manuals like on the hodgden website. I would say lee kit, case trimmer, components, and you're good. It works for me.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I did not see a caliber mentioned.... BUT here is a BAREST EXPENSE OPTION.
You will need a hammer but a rock would work. If this is pistol or rifle you only need a nail (16 penny is GOOD) with the tip turned down to enter the flash hole and drive out the old primer & a washer to hold the case above a flat surface so the primer can fall out. An old plastic BIC pen case cut off about 2" longer than the case is used to drive a new primer in.
Fill with Black powder so inserted bullet compreses the powder a bit.
Using wire cutter carefully roll brass case mouth into bullet crimp groove.
I took a mold down & made lube using bees wax & olive oil.
READY to load and fire.
I did this for years in Peru as there was NO other means available & with ammo at $1 a round I needed some alternative. I am a bit more high tech down there now.
Lee makes the BEST low cost options.

[deerwhacker444]

Good morning
I did not see a caliber mentioned.... BUT here is a BAREST EXPENSE OPTION.
You will need a hammer but a rock would work. If this is pistol or rifle you only need a nail (16 penny is GOOD) with the tip turned down to enter the flash hole and drive out the old primer & a washer to hold the case above a flat surface so the primer can fall out. An old plastic BIC pen case cut off about 2" longer than the case is used to drive a new primer in.
Fill with Black powder so inserted bullet compreses the powder a bit.
Using wire cutter carefully roll brass case mouth into bullet crimp groove.
I took a mold down & made lube using bees wax & olive oil.
READY to load and fire.
I did this for years in Peru as there was NO other means available & with ammo at $1 a round I needed some alternative. I am a bit more high tech down there now.
Lee makes the BEST low cost options.

[Streetstar]

The most essential piece of equipment in my shop is the dillon calendar and a copy of the Blue Press ! Just kidding ---

I dont know how much $ the basic Lee kit is you mentioned, but i would probably start with that over a hand press. After you load a few hundred rounds, it may tell you what equipment is essential and what is optional. Although the fact that a ton of benchrest guys used to use the hand presses at the range is testament that they are capable of producing precision ammo.

For instance --- i consider a case trimmer optional if i am using once fired brass -- but becomes mandatory the more loadings you start to get out of it. If you have a pile of once fired brass to go through, you may not need one for a long time, but if you are reloading the same 50 cases over and over -- you will need one sooner

Scales--- balance beam scale is great, but after using a friends digital --- i put that on "the list" and saved some extra cash for one eventually. it is great, but i still keep the beam scale around for a "control".


Reloading is an aspect of the sport that is extremely hard to get "everything" up front --- you will always figure out something new to get or something handy ---- but to get started on a budget -- your on the right track with a basic Lee kit and a set of dies (as long as it comes with a scale) ------

[2571]

Borrow the book from a friend or the library, then use the 'net for more load info. Lee dippers work and dispensing propellant by volume may indeed be superior to weight measurement.

Lee loaders have been around forever & have loaded M's of rounds. It's just slower.

DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON SAFETY -- Buy EYE PROTECTION . That 1/million chance of a primer misadventure is too great a risk. There's nothing unmanly about safety practices in reloading.

good luck/be prepared to become addicted./keep us advised

[piller]

And finally, buy a good handheld shoplight of some sort to use for when you visually inspect each case with the powder in it so that you can verify that the powder charges all appear the same. This will help to prevent a double charge disaster. Caution is the best way to keep yourself whole while reloading.

[vancelw]

Another good book to read is Hornady's reloading manual. They do a good job explaining internal, external, and terminal ballistics. I think a lot of that can be found on Hornady's website now.

Once you get enough knowledge to get started...get started. I have not been reloading long and I learn more each time I load a batch. I am very careful not to load a double-charge or a squib load.

It's not an absolute must-have, but loading blocks are a big asset. You can make your own as plain or as fancy as you want. I have two of each size and wish I had three of each size. It makes it so much easier to stay organized an prevent missing a step on a round.