Will this be all I need to load 9mm?

[spaniel]

Great thread, information. Not to hijack, but I think what I am asking may help the OP with his decision also.

For us newbies that are considering reloading, could you throw together a checklist of good equipment, without robbing the bank, that includes everything needed to start reloading? Good enough that we may never need to upgrade to get good quality, consistent results. Like you, I hate to get a bunch of items that either I don't need or will need replacing in the near future with a better item. I have been considering 9mm and 5.56. Thanks.

The problem is that peoples' opinions will differ. So it could be debated forever. But I'll give you some generalities, based on MY OPINION. Others will differ, and that's fine, I'm not going to debate it.

-Press - I don't like the cheaper Lee presses. A RCBS Rockchucker is the best deal in a single stage. IMHO everyone should start out on a single stage press. If you shoot a lot of pistol this will suck after awhile, so you will want to upgrade to a progressive. But I suggest you learn on a single stage. I reloaded even pistol on one for years, I just did it in the winter when I had time for the slower process.
-Dies - Lee carbide dies for pistol. RCBS best economy for rifle.
- Caliper - RCBS digital is fine
- Scale - I went from a crappy $30 digital to a RCBS Chargemaster. The Chargemaster is awesome, but pricey. But I'd look at equivalent scales to the scale component. Sorry, no experience to give you specifics.
- Lee dippers are great if reloading pistol on a single stage. Alternatively, a simple powder thrower. Tricklers are not for the sane person.
- Have to have a Hornady case gauge if you need to bump back rifle case shoulders
- I have a cheap Lyman crank trimmer. Works fine. Important to have one with good adjustment locks.
- A Lee or RCBS hand primer. I have the Lee with a shell holder kit.
- A Hornady ogive case measuring tool (clips to caliper) is pretty necessary to get rifle rounds set right.
- A hand chamfering tool for rifle cases that have been trimmed
- Powder funnel
- Reloading blocks, or get a block of wood and a spade bit and make your own

I think that about sums up the basics? I started with this and other than the crappy scale, have not felt the need to upgrade anything (other than getting a Hornady LnL progressive). My original load-out didn't cost much more than a kit.

 

[Cemetery-man]

The problem is that peoples' opinions will differ. So it could be debated forever. But I'll give you some generalities, based on MY OPINION. Others will differ, and that's fine, I'm not going to debate it.

-Press - I don't like the cheaper Lee presses. A RCBS Rockchucker is the best deal in a single stage. IMHO everyone should start out on a single stage press. If you shoot a lot of pistol this will suck after awhile, so you will want to upgrade to a progressive. But I suggest you learn on a single stage. I reloaded even pistol on one for years, I just did it in the winter when I had time for the slower process.

That is one reason I went with the Explorer + set-up. The press is the next step up from the Rockchucker and according to RCBS it can be converted to a progressive if needed.

-Dies - Lee carbide dies for pistol. RCBS best economy for rifle.

I ordered a set of Lee carbide 9mm and .223

- Caliper - RCBS digital is fine

The kit comes with a dial caliper. Will get a digital asap.

- Scale - I went from a crappy $30 digital to a RCBS Chargemaster. The Chargemaster is awesome, but pricey. But I'd look at equivalent scales to the scale component. Sorry, no experience to give you specifics.

The Explorer + kit comes with a digital scale included. How good is it? I guess I'll find out before I upgrade.

- Lee dippers are great if reloading pistol on a single stage. Alternatively, a simple powder thrower. Tricklers are not for the sane person.

Explorer comes with both so I guess I'm all set there.

- Have to have a Hornady case gauge if you need to bump back rifle case shoulders
- I have a cheap Lyman crank trimmer. Works fine. Important to have one with good adjustment locks.

Ok. I'll check into them.

- A Lee or RCBS hand primer. I have the Lee with a shell holder kit.

RCBS Included with the kit.

- A Hornady ogive case measuring tool (clips to caliper) is pretty necessary to get rifle rounds set right
- A hand chamfering tool for rifle cases that have been trimmed

Ok

- Powder funnel
- Reloading blocks, or get a block of wood and a spade bit and make your own

I think that about sums up the basics? I started with this and other than the crappy scale, have not felt the need to upgrade anything (other than getting a Hornady LnL progressive). My original load-out didn't cost much more than a kit.

Great! Thanks for the list. It looks like the upgraded RCBS kit has almost all of what you listed. Besides the dies, I also ordered the Hornady die bushing kit to put on the press which was recommended on many of the YouTube reloading videos. I bought a 3 lb. tumbler at Harbor Freight a few years back and it is still unopened in the box. I guess now I'll finally get to use it.

 

[RMC]

There are a few other VERY important things you'll need......... a comfortable stool or chair because you'll be there for hours, a radio/stereo for some raw tunage, a clock so you know how long you have before the wife really gets ticked off at you, and a notebook to write down all your load data so when you find what works best in your gun you can replicate it.

 

[THE BIG SITT]

There are a few other VERY important things you'll need......... a comfortable stool or chair because you'll be there for hours, a radio/stereo for some raw tunage, a clock so you know how long you have before the wife really gets ticked off at you, and a notebook to write down all your load data so when you find what works best in your gun you can replicate it.

Lets see... I need a stool of some sort, already have a pretty decent stereo in the garage, stereo has a clock, and I can't read/write so I guess I'll just wing it.