Just getting started

[farmboy1432]

Hey guys, I've been doing some looking into reloading ammo. However there are lots of different styles and brands... fairly confusing. Just curious if someone could give me some advise on how to get started and how you did it. As far as what Im looking to reload. 9mm, 44 mag, .22lr, 223/556, maybe shotgun shells... thanks in advance.

 

[Bfish]

Well you need to decide what you want to reload most to start. You will need a completely different press to reload shotgun than you will your pistol and rifle rounds.

 

[bulletsmith]

I believe I'd suggest starting with the 9mm. They are probably the most forgiving of the ones you list. Make sure you look through the sticky threads on the top of the reloading section of these forums too. That may help you develop more specific questions.

BTW - You can not reload rimfire ammo like 22lr.

 

[oldpink]

Dunno what kind of press you have, or whether you have one at all, but I would definitely suggest getting a block O-frame single stage type press to start with over a progressive.
Single stage presses are definitely the way to start out, and you can always upgrade to a progressive later should you want to produce ammo more quickly in the future.
I'm an RCBS (Rock Chucker Supreme) guy, but I've heard lots of good things about the Redding Boss presses and the Forster Coax.
This is just my opinion, but I would avoid the turret type presses because they aren't quite as rigid as block-O frame presses, and rigidity is essential to loading concentric ammo.

 

[Mgderf]

BTW - You can not reload rimfire ammo like 22lr.

You are mistaken.
It ain't easy, and sure isn't economically feasible, but...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZENTes2jZQc

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

I'm not sure where you're located but the best piece of advice I can give is to start here--> https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...y-llc/386184-june-july-reloading-classes.html

Those classes got many of us started and are well worth your money and time if you have it to spare.

 

[throttletony]

An RCBS sinle stage would be good.
i have a Lee classic turret press and think it's fine for beginners. YouTube is tour friend for seeing how these different presses work

 

[Fishersjohn48]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-reload-but-you-don%92t-know-where-begin.html

 

[bocefus78]

I'll add that I 2nd the lee classic cast turret press. The keyword here is cast. Don't buy the other one. It can be used as a single stage, or turret style, and caliber changes couldn't be easier. I started on one, moved to a progressive (simply for higher volume output) for handgun ammo, but I still use my turret for 223 and 44mag.

 

[Leadeye]

I think 44 mag is a good place to start, you will get your quickest return on dollars spent. Straight wall cartridges are pretty easy and 44 mag is very versatile if you reload.

 

[Bennettjh]

I started with a Hornady LNL single stage with 9mm. Probably go .45 or .380 next.

 

[bulletsmith]

You are mistaken.
It ain't easy, and sure isn't economically feasible, but...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZENTes2jZQc

I will stand corrected! That's a first for me. Ok, I'll reword my statement: It's not likely that you will reload .22Lr.... Nice find btw.

 

[Markus]

Do the Profire class! Well worth it.

 

[Seancass]

Pick a caliber, preferably the one you shoot the most.

Read the sticky posted elsewhere in this thread.

Watch youtube videos on reloading presses.

Reconsider how much you spend shooting your chosen calibers. If you shoot 50 rounds of 44 a month, you'd save about as much reloading it as you would shooting 200 rounds of 9mm per month. For example(off the top of my head, but I have a spreadsheet made up somewhere), I can make 44mag for $13/50. I can make 9mm for $7/50. The price goes up from there, for me. If you only shoot 20 rounds of 44 a year, it's not going to pay off very quickly. However, if you enjoy the guns at all, you'll be able to tailor your loads and make the guns more fun to shoot!

Don't buy a progressive. Why? Because you didn't open this thread saying you shoot 500 rounds of 9mm per week. At 4-500 rounds of 9mm/week, I got sick of how much time I was spending with my Turret press. So, if you're only shooting 100 rounds per month, you don't need a progressive.

Don't know the difference between a progressive and a turret? Reread the sticky and a million other sites around the web.

You will not save money reloading.
You will shoot more.

Do more research.

Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Redding, Lyman, and others make perfectly good presses at reasonable prices.

Here's my suggestions:

0-50 Rounds per caliber Per Month: Lee Loader

50-150 RPM: Lee Hand Press

150-800 RPM: Lee Classic Turret Press

800+ RPM:Lee classic Turret, for at least 5,000 rounds. Then start thinking about something else, if you want.

I don't currently have any use for a single stage press.

Thank you and good night.

 

[jglevyjr]

I have both single stage and progressive presses (RCBS Rockchucker and Dillon 550B). I'd be glad to get you proficient on first the single stage, then the progressive. I've owned the Dillon 650 and Hornady Lock-n-Load presses also. Send me a pvt message if interested (or, if unable to do a pvt here, reply to this thread and I'll give you my email). and, of course, no charge! It would be fun for me to do this. I have everything for 9mm, 40 S&w, 38 special, and .223 Remington/5.56 Nato. I also recommend the Profire classes (great folks at Profire!).

 

[bulletsmith]

I have both single stage and progressive presses (RCBS Rockchucker and Dillon 550B). I'd be glad to get you proficient on first the single stage, then the progressive. I've owned the Dillon 650 and Hornady Lock-n-Load presses also. Send me a pvt message if interested (or, if unable to do a pvt here, reply to this thread and I'll give you my email). and, of course, no charge! It would be fun for me to do this. I have everything for 9mm, 40 S&w, 38 special, and .223 Remington/5.56 Nato. I also recommend the Profire classes (great folks at Profire!).

Now there's an answer you can't pass up.

 

[jglevyjr]

forgot to mention: I also had a Dillon 450 (the ancient predecesssor to the Dillon 550B). I purchased it many years ago (I think in the late 1970's or early 1980's). About 2 years ago when suddenly I couldn't find any 9mm ammo at Gander Mountain, I went to the attic, found my old 450 and it had been sitting idle for so many years its piston had frozen solid. I sent it back to Dillon; they honored their no-BS warranty by sending me a brand new 550B! Great guys at Dillon (and Hornady support is also very good).

 

[looney2ns]

I don't agree with the advice about not starting out with a progressive, unless a person has no mechanical aptitude at all. Then you probably shouldn't be reloading.

You can purchase a Hornady LNL progressive and with their rebates, the price is about a wash compared to buying a single stage.

There isn't any reason you can't simply use a progressive like a single stage in the beginning if you want.

A Lee [STRIKE]turret[/STRIKE] Progressive is a tinkering nightmare, if you want to spend as much time tinkering to get it to work as you do reloading, then it's the press for you.

I've been reloading now for 4 years, bought a Hornady LNL progressive as my first and only press and have not looked back.

Yes you can save money, but you need to purchase components in bulk. Buying 100 bullets, 100 primers or 1 lb of powder at a time will not save you much if anything.

As a bonus, you can say "what ammo shortage?"

For example: I'm reloading 9mm and 380acp for $9.50 per 100 using range brass.

 

[Seancass]

I
A Lee turret is a tinkering nightmare, if you want to spend as much time tinkering to get it to work as you do reloading, then it's the press for you.

... Hornady LNL progressive as my first and only press and have not looked back...

On what experience do you base this claim? I've NEVER heard of a Turret being a tinkering nightmare. The Lee progressives are another story. Their turret presses absolutely the best first press on the market. To claim they take tinkering is either ignorance or a lie. I can start with a mounted press and a set of dies and be reloading a new caliber in minutes.

One could buy a progressive as a first press, absolutely. However, as I stated, if you don't shoot much, a progressive is a complete waste of money.

 

[VERT]

Gotta agree with Sean, my Lee turret press has been very easy to use and economical. I currently have both my Lee and Dillon setup for different 9mm loads. A Lee cast Clasic turret or RCBS RockChucker would be my recommendation for a first press.