Reloading Advice


Heavy Metal

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Well, I've read around in the few reloading threads in here and am really excited to get into this. This is something I've always wanted to do since owning firearms. Unfortunately I do not know anybody that reloads around here...for a mentor, yet! But hopefully that door will open up some time.

So tell me what you would get for a press and all that. My price range is between $100-$200(max) for a press. What should I start with, and what the heck is "progressive" press and is a single stage press good enough? I will be reloading .44 rem mag for me and my son's rifles along with .300 savage.

I'm a total newb to this so you won't insult me!

Thanks!

Troy

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Were not going to insult you.

Reloading is a great hobby. One I have enjoyed for quite a few years.

A progressive press will allow you to use more than one die in the press at a time. You simply rotate the die into position to perform decapping and resizing then rotate to the charging and bullet installing die. Some have another station for crimping dies if you use them.

A single stage press has only a provision for one die and you have to change the dies over for each stage of the operation. You generally would decap and resize several cases then do the change over.

Presses are priced from as low as around $20 to over $ 1000 depending on what you want. Just for example though Cabella's has a Lee Reloading kit in their Shooters catalog for $ 104.99 which has everything you need to get started with, equipment wise. The kit includes a single stage press, a priming tool, a powder measure, powder funnel, case trimmer, chamfer tool, powder scale, primer pocket cleaner and a tube of sizing lube. This is a great starter kit.

There are several DVD's and manuals out there to choose from. The manual will be your Bible so to speak.

One word of advice!

Don't take anyone's advice on anything unless you can verify the information with a knowledgable source. Powder charges are not to be guessed at or any other stage of the process.

Check around at a local gunshop. The chances the owner will know someone who is a reloader. Generally the shopowner will know whether the reloader is good at what he is doing.

Here is a good example of not listening to everything you hear.

The press I described as progressive is actually a turret press. A true progressive press will actually perform more than one operation with each stroke of the press handle.

Lynn

Edited by LETMGROW
Corrected information
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I've got the lee Challenger press kit. It's close to the other one but as a few more things in it. I started reloading about 8 months ago and have now loaded about 1000 rounds of ammo. In addition to this kit and a manual (a must) I would get a good case trimmers (I use lee) caliper and a bullet puller to start off with. If you have a little extra I would get a tumbler and electronic scale.

After a few sessions you'll figure out other items that you'll want.

Good luck and go slow.

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