neebbie question

[ophchris]

Hi, I would like to start reloading. I need to start small my house is for sale I don't want to advertise guns in the house.I was looking at Lees breach lock hand press. Does anyone know about it or any other ideas?

[Wyobuckaroo]

If you have a friend who reloads, ask about buying your own consumables and using there equipment. Consumables being bullets, shot, powder, wads, cases, primers what ever you need. Also your own dies if you use calibers they don't.

Most people are more than happy to have someone to work with on this and more than happy to teach someone..................

Good luck
Wyo

[docsoos]

If you have a friend who reloads, ask about buying your own consumables and using there equipment. Consumables being bullets, shot, powder, wads, cases, primers what ever you need. Also your own dies if you use calibers they don't.

Most people are more than happy to have someone to work with on this and more than happy to teach someone..................

Good luck
Wyo

Good advice, Wyo.

The Lee setup will be the cheapest route to start I think, but if you plan on doing this long-term (i.e. the rest of your life, and why not.....it's MUCH cheaper than factory, and will be there for you if ammo ever does become unavailable at ANY price!), you might want to consider a mid-range price setup like an RCBS Rock Chucker press:

http://www.lg-outdoors.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SS%5F64468

I've been using a RCBS press for 20+ years, and it's STILL going strong, loading up ALL of my rifle and pistol calibers.....start out with your highest-volume shooters caliber, get the die set, and then expand over the years to include die sets for all of your weapons.....it's AMAZING how much reloading equipment one can amass after 20 years. :D

Here's a pretty complete Lee setup for $99, in stock as of this writing:

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=LEE90928&src=tpSlrCatHm

Be Safe, and Have Fun!

DocSoos

[ophchris]

Thanks for the advise don't know anyone that reloads.I would really like to get into 10mm.

[grumble]

chris, there are as many opinions about reloading equipment as there are about guns. And, until you get started, you can't form your own opinion.

Once you do get going, it won't take you long to see the shortfalls of what ever you happen to buy, and you'll start saving for something that will fix those problems you've discovered. Then you'll see things you don't like about the new piece of equipment, and want something else again. Before long, you'll have a reloading room so crowded you can't walk through it, and you'll need a new shop to move into. The only thing that will save you from this fate will be your wife. So, my suggestion is, if you want to get started reloading, get divorced first. You'll die much happier.

You can scrimp on everything you get when you first start out, EXCEPT for the powder measure. Make that a good one, like the RCBS.

[docsoos]

So, my suggestion is, if you want to get started reloading, get divorced first. You'll die much happier.

http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg467/doczeus40/rotflmao.gifhttp://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg467/doczeus40/rotflmao.gifhttp://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg467/doczeus40/rotflmao.gif

DocSoos

[ophchris]

been there done that. No tee shirt. I'm just damaged goods.:sarcastic:

[docsoos]

Thanks for the advise don't know anyone that reloads.I would really like to get into 10mm.

Good, POWERFUL round! The .40 S&W Magnum! Oh, wait..... the 10mm came FIRST, THEN the shortened .40 S&W. :D

I can see why you'd want to reload for that round.....BIG bucks for factory rounds in that caliber! I don't personally have a 10mm (OR a .40!), but I've come REAL close once or twice to getting a Glock 20 or a Delta Elite Colt 1911....

Like Tim The Tool Man used to say: "MORE POWER! Arr! Arr! Arr!" :D

DocSoos

[MichaelK]

Hi Chris
Long ago I still lived in a small apartment, but wanted to get into reloading. I built a little sawhorse out of 2X4s to mount a RCBS jr press. The sawhorse was just high enough to allow the press handle to swing down towards the floor without touching, but still small enough that I could store the horse away in the closet when not in use.

Everything else can just be spread out on the kitchen table when it use, but stored in a small box in the closet. No one will need to know you have this kind of setup.

Fast forward 30 years, and I have a house with a garage and a full-sized reloading bench. But, I still have that RCBS jr that I payed 34$ back in 1980. Buy quality equipment from the start, and you'll keep it for the rest of your life!

[Stinger]

Hi, I would like to start reloading. I need to start small my house is for sale I don't want to advertise guns in the house.I was looking at Lees breach lock hand press. Does anyone know about it or any other ideas?

Don't do that. The thing is next to worthless for anything except building up a specialty benchload while you're at a match. Trying to do any sort of reasonably productive loading (at home) with that device is next to impossible.

....... I've been using a RCBS press for 20+ years, and it's STILL going strong, loading up ALL of my rifle and pistol calibers.....start out with your highest-volume shooters caliber, get the die set, and then expand over the years to include die sets for all of your weapons.....it's AMAZING how much reloading equipment one can amass after 20 years. .......

No (internet) lie: I recently sold over $4,000 worth of Dillon and RCBS reloading equipment that I accumulated over the past 35 years. My well-used equipment was in perfect mechanical condition; and, needless to say, the buyer got a fabulous deal! It took him and two other fellows slightly more than 3 hours to disassemble and carry it all out of the house and down the driveway to his truck. (If you're wondering, yes, I had a tear in my eye; but, it was time for it all to go.)

During my last visit to the reloading section at Gander Mountain I was shocked - shocked - at how much RCBS has lighten up and downsized their new reloading equipment! My 35 year old (and pristine) Rockchucker press is, at least, twice as heavy and more substantial than what is, presently, being sold today.

What's the best advice I could offer to someone who's just starting out in reloading today? First, google up, 'portable reloading benches'; and, second, get one of these:

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/content/p/9/pid/25792/catid/1/BL_550_Basic_Loader

Good luck! Don't know how much money you'll save? (I rarely did; but my component and equipment costs were always very high.) It's a great hobby, a great way to get your mind off, 'the cares of the world', and your technical knowledge about conventional firearms and ammunition should become vastly improved.

[daboone]

Brand new here and this is my first post.
Before asking this question or making any hard and fast decision about handloading buy 2, or better yet 4, reloading manuals and read them. Reloading manuals are loaded with valuable information about all aspect of handloading interspersed with their companies flavor of commercials. they are also necessary references for load data. You'll get a great education on various tools and equipment and be able to frame better opinions of what you want rather than solely relying on peoples opinion.
I've seen companies come and go over the years I'm 66 and started reloading when I was 9 or 10 under my dad's watchful eye. Lee, Redding, RCBS, Dillon Forester and Lymans all make excellent presses, dies, and tools. Weather you start with Lee's little C-frame and or the biggest baddest toy out there should be base on your requirements and goals. But I assure you you will always find a need for a simple single stage press if reloading becomes a passion.

I think this quote from Lees Web page is very accurate:
Progressive presses are designed for experienced reloaders, and shooters who go through several hundred rounds per week. Unlike a single stage loader, a progressive press causes many things to occur at the same time and because of this, there are many more things to monitor.

There is no reason you can't start with a progressive press, but unless you go through over 250 rounds per week, a progressive press is not really necessary. The Turret press is both less expensive and easier to set up, and (once set up) will reload up to 250 rounds an hour in experienced hands. Setting up a progressive press requires patience and attention to detail.