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What are the costs of getting set up?
Mr. Perfect
Member, Moderator Posts: 66,437 ******
If I want to get set up for hand loading, what are the costs of the equipment I will need? I'm not talking total cost, just for equipment.
What does a press and dies, and the various other misc. tools cost for decent stuff?
I'm just looking for a rough ballpark, you know, from the guy who just got into it last month and it cost him $40quantillion out the door for everything he needed (minus powder, lube and other consumables).
What does a press and dies, and the various other misc. tools cost for decent stuff?
I'm just looking for a rough ballpark, you know, from the guy who just got into it last month and it cost him $40quantillion out the door for everything he needed (minus powder, lube and other consumables).
Some will die in hot pursuit
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Comments
All in -equip, but no powder, primers or bullets- you COULD start reloading for as little as $200+/-.......
This would depend on the relative quality of what you buy as well as whether you buy new or used, etc.......
The press and MULTIPLE sets of dies aside, ALL THE LITTLE STUFF -calipers, lube, lube pad, tumbler, media, shell holders, bullet puller,....and the list goes on -really CAN add up.
1)Single stage press. Lee, Lyman, RCBS, Hornady(if they make one?), ect.
2)Powder scale & powder measure. I use a balance beam, but others use digital & check its accuracy with the beam. The measure I use is the Lee measure.
3)Priming tool. (on press, or buy seperate hand tool)
4)If you are doing pistol, you won't NEED a case trimmer if you use carbide dies, which you WILL. If reloading rifle you DO need a case trimmer.
5)Carbide die set. (at least for the full size die) I think everyone is in agreement that Lee & RCBS are the choice.
6)Case deburring tool for in & out.(Cleans metal edge after trimming)
7)Primmer pocket cleaning tool.
8) Loading block to hold brass while going through the stages of loading.
9) Probably the first thing I should have listed was a Speer or Hornady or Lyman reloading manual. It explains the process, does & don't, gives load data & is a must for a new loader.
10) Tumbler is not a must. Some may disagree with me. (I've never owned one.)
11) Imperial size wax or case lube.
12) shell holders for press & primer tool
There are probably somethings I'm forgeting and someone can fill in the blanks.
I payed:
$50 -RCBS 5-0-5 powder scale
$20 -LEE powder measure
$67- Used RCBS Rock Ckuker II, $125 LEE Breech Lock Classic, Free T-Mag Turrent Press (supplied by FrancF[8D]) $100/each for 2 shotshell loaders
$35-40/each LEE die set
$15 used hand powder trickler
$100 ultrasonic cleaner
$40 Manuals
$30 hand debur tools/primer pocket cleaner
$25 used LEE prime tool
I would recommend looking on www.leeprecision.com or www.rcbs.com to price the equipment new price. They should have everything I listed and anything a loader needs. Also both these companies sell a complete reloading kit for starting out. Take a look at the inventory.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
https://fsreloading.com/
They have the best prices by far and great customer service. I buy everything I need from them.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
If you just shoot precision rifle, you can start very inexpensively and turn out match grade ammunition with a simple Lee Loader Set.
It you shoot pistol competitively, you'll want a progressive press.
Long term the RCBS Rockchucker kit at about $360 is a great investment.
ASSURE you buy an "H" style press and not a "C" style.
+1 on the FSreloading.com web site.
The "O" press is stronger, I cracked a "C" press recently. The "O" presses are going strong.
Only thing I'd add to the Challenger sets are a micrometer to measure; a bullet puller, because you're going to make mistakes; and an electronic scale, because they're much easier and more acurate than my eyes and a beam scale were.
Welcome to the club!
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Two lines of reloading, Casual or Volume. I find a turret press as a happy medium, faster than a single stage, but slower than a progressive.
JW
Then got a used single stage press ($25.00) and a used balance scale (free). Got an adjustable powder measure for free(had to have it repaired free except for shipping).
Bought a vibrating case cleaner $69.00.
Bought an electronic scale $50.00. Bought a powder tricker $15 and a case trimmer $40. Bought a set of calipers $20.00.
Upgraded to a progressive, had to buy shellplates for all my die sets. $300 + $45 per shellplate (I needed to buy five). Bought a power case trimmer with multiple stations $129
Bought an automatic electronic powder measure with scale $289.00.
You can start inexpensive and upgrade as funds and required speed dictate.
If you go with Lee, I would recommend-
https://fsreloading.com/
They have the best prices by far and great customer service. I buy everything I need from them.
+1 best bang for your buck, especially for getting started!
I am a novice, bought one a month ago and am up to 10-12 223s a minute and I do better than that with a 38 super set up with a case feeder.
I might add I have never reloaded ever before, and do not experiment, I go by the book.
YMMV
I leave each cutter in it's own power adapter, then all I do is insert into the drill. No adjustments necessary.
if you can try yard sales and flea markets to find items needed along with the auctions and you might even have fun doing it.
It really pays to read the stuff in the front of the book rather than just going by "someone said".
Cheap spray case lube can be made with anhydrous lanolin 12-1 by volume with denatured alky, it will go a long way with bottleneck cases. $1-2 pump sprayer from your local "mart" will do.
This is the homebrew of Dillon spray lube.
Anhydrous lanolin can be had at your local health nut store.
Denatured alky in the paint/chemical section of the hardware store or homecenter.
The ingrediants will cost more than a small bottle of lube but they will last a really long time vs. that one small bottle.
I put the cases in an XL zip type bag, spray, close the bag, aggitate then remove the cases and let them air dry.