Hello all,
To save on ammunition, I am looking into purchasing an affordable reloader. I will be shooting the .45 LC in my SASS hobby. I know that through the forums everyone has an opinion, any suggestions on keeping the initial cost down and resouces that can teach a new dog the older, more successful tricks.
Thanks - John W Grit (SASS Member 08.2010)
Welcome to the Guide John.
Start out with two or better yet three good manuals. I would suggest Lyman, Lee, and Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook. They will give you the information you need to get started. After you have read them all and have digested most of what they have to teach you, then come back with specific questions. THen you can begin to consider what tools to buy.
You will need a press (I always recommend starting on a single stage press) and there are lots of good ones out there. Get an "O" frame as opposed to a "C" frame as they are stronger and better made. Lee, Lyman , Redding, Hornady, RCBS and others all make good quality "O" frames and it doesn't really matter which one you get, though their prices will range from $80-$150.
Next comes a set of carbide dies. Lee has good ones for the best value, and get the set 4-die set that includes the Factory Crimp. There will be a rudimentary setup for priming that comes with the press, but I do not recommend you bother with it and instead get either a hand or ram priming unit like Lee's AutoPrime (handheld) or AutoPrime2 (press mounted ram style). A decent dial caliper will be one of your most used tools and a 4" unit will do everything you need. Either a set of dippers or a powder measure and a good powder scale (don't go for cheap Lee plastic units) will keep you safe and accurate (I like RCBS Uniflow or Lyman #55 and RCBS scales are made by Ohaus - the best). A chamfer/deburring tool will be needed for case necks.
Then you'll need components: cases, bullets, primers, powder. Unique is a good powder to start out with. The rest you will have to see what's available and at a decent price. It pays to shop around to see what's on sale. Like with anything else, count on whatever you bought going on sale the next week for 25% less.
Welcome aboard John
If you go for the single stage press, pick one with the little priming arm at the bottom (Hornady, Lee Classic Cast, etc...), it will save you lots of time as you can prime before expanding without removing the brass.
Lee's Turret are quite inexpensive and can be used as single stage for your learning period (and they have the little priming arm...). The new 4 holes has a more durable indexer for later.
And can you believe that there is now a remake of True Grit? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403865/
kg
simple is better you'll never outgrow a single stage.
but a turret would be excellent to start with.
especially since you are only doing one caliber, set it and forget it.
second the reading first, assembling a tool list second.
John,
I was faced with a similar situation as yourself. I was getting into IDPA and factory ammo prices were killing me. I was shooting about 600 rounds a month of .45 ACP. At ten-dollars a box I was spending way more than I wanted to.
My wife bought me a single stage RCBS Reloader Special 2 and although it was simple and reliable, it was also very SLOW! I moved on to a progressive press and although it was an expensive investment, it continues to save me hours of time.
If you’re only shooting a couple hundred rounds a month you can get by with an inexpensive single stage. A turret press adds cost to your initial investment but increases production to some extent. Lee’s Classic Cast turret is an auto-indexing turret and looks like it could produce quite a bit if ammo, if that’s what you’re looking for. If you’re shooting over 400 rounds a month and working full time you might want to consider a faster set up than a single stage.
The ‘Selling and Swapping’ forum at Cast Boolits sometimes has used dies if you want to spend as little as possible and buy used. If you check Ebay you might find a used press for sale. I used to use a set of Lee dippers along with a good scale for powder charging.
As far as learning how to load on a single stage, I think Versifier is right. Learning how to reload is complicated by the mechanics of a progressive. A turret shouldn’t be too tough to learn on, though. Even though I now have a progressive press, I still use my RS-2 all the time for reloading rifle cartridges because it’s ease of operation.
A very basic set up doesn’t cost a whole lot, but you sacrifice speed and convenience.
Go to your local library and see if they have any books or annual publications of reloading. You will want to buy at least one manual and you should buy at least three. "ABCs of Reloading" and the Lyman #49 manuals are excellent.
Shop on Midway and try to find downloadable copies of the manuals to see what you like. Go to YouTube and watch videos of different presses.
A C-frame press is just fine. You aren't planning to wildcat or reform cases for a different cartridge. All you are do that takes any strength is resizing your cases.
You can get the little Lee Reloader Single Stage Press (on sale at Midway for $24.99). It isn't much of a press, but you don't need much of a press. Heck, you could go back to "Cowboy" days and get a Lee Classic Loader for 45 Colt (Long Colt) for $21.99. All you need is a leather or plastic mallet.
I still have my little Lee press for decapping or to tide me over if my main presses ever break. With the little press, you will still need a powder measure and a powder scale.
The other option is the the Lee Challenger or Turret (with auto-indexing) kits. For the difference in money, I would get the Lee 4 Hole Turret Press with Auto Index Deluxe Kit for $110. This press will allow function as a pure single stage press or as a semi-progressive. Quite a bit of functionality for so little money. All you need are dies, powder, primers, bullets, and your cases.
Thank you all for your feed back... a lot to digest. I have been looking at the Lee, but I believe that I am going to start with the books (already ordered). I appreciate and will post updates of my progress in addition to more (I am sure) questions that I will need from the older dogs. I am not sure about the True Grit remake, kg42 not sure about Jeff Bridges playing John Waynes character in the movie. If you think of it, when ever John Waynes character has a question he leans into you with thin grin and slits for eyes, when ever Jeff Bridges characters have a question they lean back and his face goes nutty and he rubs his hand through his hair. Guess we will have to wait and see - lol.
I agree with everything versifier said except for the Lee FCD. I have one in ,45acp. All it does is resize your cast bullets down to an unacceptable diameter and makes you cartridges look nice.
If you can afford it, a used Dillon 450 press will last you a lifetime, is easy to use and if you only intend to load pistol cartridges is perfect for loading the volumes you will need for IDPA. I got the 550 as initially I was loading some rifle on the press. The Dillon 450 only loads pistol and uses proprietory Dillon dies. Neither is an issue for you if you only intend to shoot pistol. Even used Dillon respects their lifetime warranty so you really can't go wrong.
Take Care
Bob