So lets start with the basics. You’ll need a minimum level of equipment and there is really no limit to what you can spend if you want to load a lot of ammo very quickly.
1. A reloading press: There are several good quality press makers and if you are just getting started a single stage press can be had very inexpensively. Check estate and garage sales because when old guys pass, their family has no idea what that stuff is and what to do with it. RCBS, LEE, Forster and others make good single stage presses. By single stage, I mean you perform one function at a time and process your brass through several times performing different functions. More on that later.
This is a Forster co ax single stage I use for precision rifle. One die at a time goes in it and you perform one function of a series on all the brass before changing dies and performing the next function.
This is a Dillon 650 progressive press. It holds all the dies and moves the case from one die to the next until the entire loading process is complete.
2. Dies. These are the metal forming, processing pieces used with the press to perform the basic functions like punch out the spent primer, re-size the brass, bell the mouth, seat the bullet, crimp, etc. These are caliber specific and you’ll need a set for each caliber you reload. They aren’t real expensive, but get the best you can. Carbide dies are more expensive but are lifetime service items and really helpful for high volume loading on cartridges like the 5.56. Again RCBS, Lee, Dillon and others make good dies. For extreme precision there are micrometer dies that allow for extremely small adjustments of bullet seating but that’s not necessary unless you are bench rest competing or trying to wring every last ounce of accuracy from a weapon.
this is a Lee set for 44 cal. Upper left is depriving and sizing. Then the belling (pistol cases need to be opened up just a few thousand to allow the bullet to set on the case and get pushed in). The. Then the seating die which pushes the bullet into the case at just the right depth. Then the crimp which removes the bell and crimps the case to the bullet to hold it securely.
3. Tumblers: to clean brass you will need to tumble it in some media. There are a lot of different types of tumblers and media,with the most basic being a vibratory tumbler with walnut shell or corn Cobb media. Others include barrel tumblers and there are even wet media tumblers that use stainless steel pins in a liquid solution to process brass. All have pros and cons. Just remember that tumbling can produce dust which has lead in it so try no to do it indoors and keep the kids away from it. There are de-leading soaps and wipes you can keep around as a good idea. More on that under accessories.
this is the Thumlers Tumbler. Used for polishing rocks or tumbling brass. It’s the Cadillac of rotary tumblers. Vibratory tumblers are cheap but again be aware of dust.
4. Accessories. Like most hobbies the possibilities are endless but there are some that are really good to have.
Media separators. When you finish tumbling bass you want to sift the media from the brass, and this device will help you do that. You can also make your own from a bottomless wooden box and hardware cloth if you are so inclined.
Organizing trays: Being organized and neat will save you a lot of headaches and reduce the likelihood of making a mistake. Trays will allow you to place your brass upright and hold them in place as you finish a step on the press.
Various storage bins and labels help you keep your stuff organized so you don’t get confused about which primers are which and whatnot.
Primer flipping tray: this help you get all the primers facing the same direction to make it easier to prime. It’s tough turning all those over by hand.
Shake and magically all the primers land backside up. Set cover in place and flip and you have a tray of primers ready for priming.
Powder funnels: This is a caliber specific tool that fits snugly over the most of the cartridge and allows the pouring of powder into the cartridge case without spilling.
This one is made by Frankford arsenal.
5. Tools: you will need to be able to measure things very accurately. I suggest a good set of dial/digital calipers at a minimum. You can also buy various pre made gauges that measure case length, and whether your resized cartridge will chamber. I recommend a caliber specific gauge for rifle cases that will help you set the sizing dies accurately. You’ll also need various wrenches to tighten and adjust dies.
Powder scale. Very very important. The RCBS 10-10 manual beam scale is the gold standard of manual scales and are very reasonable. Get one, read the manual and learn how to use it accurately. If you start to push the envelope of a cartridge (hot loads) you will want to be very accurate as a few tenths of a grain error can spell BOOM really quickly. I have both an electronic powder dispenser and a beam scale and I always double check them against each other just to make sure.
Powder thrower. These are cool little devices that allow you to set a volume of powder to be dispensed via an adjustment and then every time you pull the lever it dispenses the same amount of powder. Very useful and just remember to periodically check the weights being thrown on a scale.
6. Reloading manuals. Don’t take advice from dumb rednecks on the internet. Manuals are produced by bullet manufacturers and have well tested loads under very controlled conditions for you to use in your development of a recipe. They’ll give you starting and maximum loads for each bullet and various recommended powders. Don’t make stuff up. Use the manuals. They aren’t that expensive ($25-$30). They also list cartridge specs and overall lengths that will help you set your dies up correctly.
I’ll get some photos of my equipment and edit shortly.
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