A Beginner At Reloading

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 28, 2003
Messages
11,977
Location
Cajun Country, La.
Some of you know that I don't reload. But, I'm very interested in starting. Anyone that wants to start out by bashing me, PLEASE turn around at the door and head back the way you came in.
Okay, first of all, I am very limited on funds. What I want to do is start out by buying one piece at a time (Johnny Cash-One Piece At A Time). I want to dive into the deep end of the pool and start out by loading .357 SIG. Why this load? Because, I was told 9mm was the cheapest load to begin with, and .357 SIG shares the same bullet. I will move onto 9mm after I start getting a few rds. of Sig.
Any positive advice and suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank You.
smile.gif
 
You realize I have a similar thread right below:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub...st_#Post4691609

I have a lead on a used Hornady single stage press, and a deal on a Dillon 550 kit that are attractive, so they're in the running...

From my reading and research, I'd probably argue to NOT start with .357 Sig. Bottleneck brass has a more complex sizing and trimming process. I'd expect that you'll need additional trimming, case length equipment, deburring tools, different dies, more considerations and a higher learning curve for sig than straight wall brass.

I'm posting here because I'll share what aive observed and are thinking, and you can take that and/or others can make suggestions.

I don't want exposure to lead. So dry tumbling, even with dryer sheets is not my thing.

So depriming, wet tumbling with ss pins, resizing, and going from there seems like a good option. Bottleneck brass that needs to be lubed might need to be cleaned twice, to get lube out before reloading. Pistol brass just gets resized from the outside and a carbide die on a clean piece of brass seems ok.

From there, flare/fill, seat bullet and crimp (reprime is in there somewhere too; either by hand or part of a reloader action.

Measuring powder is VERY critical. Consistency is critical. Not double charging powder is essential.

From there, getting into rifle or 357 sig or other things can be done.

My 2c.
 
You might want to do some price checking on buying one of the reloading "kits" that are available from several of the reloading companies like Hornady, Lyman, and RCBS. They contain several of the pieces of equipment you will require to get started such as a press, powder measure, dies in the caliber of your choice, powder scale, etc.

You'll get a much better price than by purchasing separately. .357 Sig should not be problematic to reload for. The only thing I see is it is a bottlenecked cartridge, which means a carbide sizing die is either going to be unavailable, or else very expensive if you do find one. Carbide resizing dies are the way to go in straight walled pistol rounds, because they allow you to resize without lubing the cases. Which is messy, and requires an additional operation to clean the lube after resizing. Pistol ammo is usually done in volume because it's shot in volume. So anything to help speed up the reloading process pays off. Carbide resizing is one of those things.
 
Bottle neck cartridges offer a few challenges.

I’m not sure what “very limited on funds” means, it is all relative but buying it one piece at a time will almost certainly be more expensive and frustrating than buying a starter kit.

There has been a lot written about starting out reloading both here and other places, though somewhat less on an extreme budget.

My advice would be to save up and buy a kit, and start out with a straight walled cartridge.

Once you do get started attention to detail is paramount, make sure you have good lighting and develop a sequence you do not vary from. eliminate distractions. Do it the same way every time and make sure it includes a visual inspection and checks. Definitely include looking in the case to verify powder charge before seating a bullet. (I’m guessing that “very limited funds” won’t include a turret or progressive press with a powder cop)

I’m a Hornady man (I have a friend who runs a Dillon) and I have owned a Lee. Hornady, Lee and RCBS all have readily available kits with a single stage press. Lee will almost certainly be the least expensive.
 
For what it's worth, I've never trimmed a piece of pistol brass in the last 45+ years of reloading. It just isn't necessary. Most pistol cases will split at the neck before they ever need trimming. Especially any Magnum pistol cartridges. Yes, the .357 Sig is slightly bottlenecked. But it's not enough to warrant trimming like a high pressure Magnum bottlenecked rifle cartridge, that can grow in length considerably in just a few firings.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
From my reading and research, I'd probably argue to NOT start with .357 Sig. Bottleneck brass has a more complex sizing and trimming process. I'd expect that you'll need additional trimming, case length equipment, deburring tools, different dies, more considerations and a higher learning curve for sig than straight wall brass.

I'm posting here because I'll share what aive observed and are thinking, and you can take that and/or others can make suggestions.

I don't want exposure to lead. So dry tumbling, even with dryer sheets is not my thing.

So depriming, wet tumbling with ss pins, resizing, and going from there seems like a good option. Bottleneck brass that needs to be lubed might need to be cleaned twice, to get lube out before reloading. Pistol brass just gets resized from the outside and a carbide die on a clean piece of brass seems ok.

From there, flare/fill, seat bullet and crimp (reprime is in there somewhere too; either by hand or part of a reloader action.

Measuring powder is VERY critical. Consistency is critical. Not double charging powder is essential.

From there, getting into rifle or 357 sig or other things can be done.

My 2c.
JH - you will not need to trim .357SIG brass even though it is a bottle-necked case (at least I have never seen a need to in the 10K+ I have reloaded). Bottle-necked rifle cases are another matter and will need trimming and likely annealing at some point to prevent neck splitting.

One thing I would like to ask is about the lead contamination. Are you stating this due to the use of casted bullets or? I have had lead tests performed (for some jobs I had in the past) and I have never had an issue with lead in the blood and I have only dry tumbled all these years. With that said, I do not use casted bullets (what is the point anyway).
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
You realize I have a similar thread right below:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub...st_#Post4691609


I have a lead on a used Hornady single stage press, and a deal on a Dillon 550 kit that are attractive, so they're in the running...

From my reading and research, I'd probably argue to NOT start with .357 Sig. Bottleneck brass has a more complex sizing and trimming process. I'd expect that you'll need additional trimming, case length equipment, deburring tools, different dies, more considerations and a higher learning curve for sig than straight wall brass.

I'm posting here because I'll share what aive observed and are thinking, and you can take that and/or others can make suggestions.

I don't want exposure to lead. So dry tumbling, even with dryer sheets is not my thing.

So depriming, wet tumbling with ss pins, resizing, and going from there seems like a good option. Bottleneck brass that needs to be lubed might need to be cleaned twice, to get lube out before reloading. Pistol brass just gets resized from the outside and a carbide die on a clean piece of brass seems ok.

From there, flare/fill, seat bullet and crimp (reprime is in there somewhere too; either by hand or part of a reloader action.

Measuring powder is VERY critical. Consistency is critical. Not double charging powder is essential.

From there, getting into rifle or 357 sig or other things can be done.

My 2c.

I'm sorry, I didn't see your thread. Even though the threads are similar, we seem to be going in a different direction. Please, don't be offended, but I can only afford one piece at a time (depending on cost) while I'm sure you can buy the whole set up from get go. I was hoping my thread could possibly stay around as I start my journey and just come back here to update my build/progress.
I need a hobby to occupy my time.
smile.gif
 
I've never once worried about any kind of lead contamination in over 4 decades of bullet casting, case tumbling, and reloading. (Both cartridge and shotshell). In bullet casting lead is not heated hot enough to give off toxic vapors. That requires heating lead to as high as 1,200F. Almost twice the normal bullet casting temperature. And when you're tumbling brass it is contained. And there simply isn't enough lead involved to be concerned about.

If you want good, accurate information on lead, and bullet casting go here: It is an excellent forum with a wealth of information from very experienced bullet casters that have been at this game for a very long time.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?121103-Lead-Fumes-let-s-settle-this
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
reloading "kits" that are available from several of the reloading companies like Hornady, Lyman, and RCBS. They contain several of the pieces of equipment you will require to get started such as a press, powder measure, dies in the caliber of your choice, powder scale, etc.


YES - one piec at a time gets expensive fast.

Also check craigslist ads. I bought a huge "tackle box" with a ton of misc reloading stuff on craigslsit for $25! It had a set of dies that I don't need (.30-06) that I sold on ebay and that made the kit almost free.
 
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
Please, don't be offended, but I can only afford one piece at a time (depending on cost) while I'm sure you can buy the whole set up from get go.


I wish you lived near me - - I would gladly sell off "extras/doubles" that I don't need

You need to get involved with local shooters/re-loaders.
A lot of the little pieces (powder trickle, brushes, etc) are things they'll often sell you very cheap or even free if they have extras (like I do some things)

Face to face relationships are how to get the best deals.

These new friends would also be a WEALTH of experience getting you down the right path.

If you lived near Waco, Texas - I know a guy who would walk you through the whole process for FREE!!!
All you do is bring supplies!
Bring your bullets, primers, cases and powder, and he'll sit down and help you reload all your ammo as you visit and talk about the process, all on his own equipment. He is a great guy to know, and I bet you've got one like him around your area also.
 
Having gone down this road-I will advise that buying "one piece at a time" and "upgrading along the way" has cost me a lot more than if I'd just bit the bullet(figuratively speaking) and bought everything to start.

As others have said, watch for kits. At a minimum, I suggest the following:

1. Press
2. TWO loading trays(you can work with one, but life is much easier and you're less likely to mess up with two)
3. Dies in the caliber you want, along with a shell holder(more on this later in the post)
4. A QUALITY reloading scale
5. Since you're dealing with a bottle neck case, you will want a lube pad

Most of these(dies excluded) can be bought together in a kit at a big savings.

A few other things:

Most single stage presses have a priming set-up, but I've never seen one I particularly liked. For single stage, I recommend a hand priming tool. Lee makes a workable one, and RCBS makes a really nice one.

Weighing each charge gets old really fast. If you're going to do handgun cartridges in volume, you NEED a powder measure. I love my Lee Auto Disk, although it does have its limitations. You also MUST use either a Lee expanding die or a separate Lee powder through die to activate the measure.

I like Lee dies, but some folks will steer you toward other brands. I have RCBS and Redding dies also, and they are much nicer "feeling" than the Lee dies and also somewhat more flexible. Still, when buying Lee dies are perfectly serviceable, a lot less expensive, and include a shell plate. You ESPECIALLY want carbide for straight wall cartridges for any brand.

Equipment brands can spark a holy war. Lee actually largely makes decent stuff, but can be "quirky." I like RCBS for everything else.
 
Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
You realize I have a similar thread right below:

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub...st_#Post4691609


I have a lead on a used Hornady single stage press, and a deal on a Dillon 550 kit that are attractive, so they're in the running...

From my reading and research, I'd probably argue to NOT start with .357 Sig. Bottleneck brass has a more complex sizing and trimming process. I'd expect that you'll need additional trimming, case length equipment, deburring tools, different dies, more considerations and a higher learning curve for sig than straight wall brass.

I'm posting here because I'll share what aive observed and are thinking, and you can take that and/or others can make suggestions.

I don't want exposure to lead. So dry tumbling, even with dryer sheets is not my thing.

So depriming, wet tumbling with ss pins, resizing, and going from there seems like a good option. Bottleneck brass that needs to be lubed might need to be cleaned twice, to get lube out before reloading. Pistol brass just gets resized from the outside and a carbide die on a clean piece of brass seems ok.

From there, flare/fill, seat bullet and crimp (reprime is in there somewhere too; either by hand or part of a reloader action.

Measuring powder is VERY critical. Consistency is critical. Not double charging powder is essential.

From there, getting into rifle or 357 sig or other things can be done.

My 2c.

I'm sorry, I didn't see your thread. Even though the threads are similar, we seem to be going in a different direction. Please, don't be offended, but I can only afford one piece at a time (depending on cost) while I'm sure you can buy the whole set up from get go. I was hoping my thread could possibly stay around as I start my journey and just come back here to update my build/progress.
I need a hobby to occupy my time.
smile.gif



Not offended. You're right, mine was more oriented towards the economics. But there is a good amount of info in there. I'm at the same knowledge level as you on this topic - so we're both learning. You're asking other questions and I'm piggybacking on yours
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: bunnspecial
Having gone down this road-I will advise that buying "one piece at a time" and "upgrading along the way" has cost me a lot more than if I'd just bit the bullet(figuratively speaking) and bought everything to start.

As others have said, watch for kits. At a minimum, I suggest the following:

1. Press
2. TWO loading trays(you can work with one, but life is much easier and you're less likely to mess up with two)
3. Dies in the caliber you want, along with a shell holder(more on this later in the post)
4. A QUALITY reloading scale
5. Since you're dealing with a bottle neck case, you will want a lube pad

Most of these(dies excluded) can be bought together in a kit at a big savings.

A few other things:

Most single stage presses have a priming set-up, but I've never seen one I particularly liked. For single stage, I recommend a hand priming tool. Lee makes a workable one, and RCBS makes a really nice one.

Weighing each charge gets old really fast. If you're going to do handgun cartridges in volume, you NEED a powder measure. I love my Lee Auto Disk, although it does have its limitations. You also MUST use either a Lee expanding die or a separate Lee powder through die to activate the measure.

I like Lee dies, but some folks will steer you toward other brands. I have RCBS and Redding dies also, and they are much nicer "feeling" than the Lee dies and also somewhat more flexible. Still, when buying Lee dies are perfectly serviceable, a lot less expensive, and include a shell plate. You ESPECIALLY want carbide for straight wall cartridges for any brand.

Equipment brands can spark a holy war. Lee actually largely makes decent stuff, but can be "quirky." I like RCBS for everything else.
The RCBS Rockchucker kit is very nice for the money. Right now RCBS has a $100 rebate if you spend $299. That's a steal.
 
Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
From my reading and research, I'd probably argue to NOT start with .357 Sig. Bottleneck brass has a more complex sizing and trimming process. I'd expect that you'll need additional trimming, case length equipment, deburring tools, different dies, more considerations and a higher learning curve for sig than straight wall brass.

I'm posting here because I'll share what aive observed and are thinking, and you can take that and/or others can make suggestions.

I don't want exposure to lead. So dry tumbling, even with dryer sheets is not my thing.

So depriming, wet tumbling with ss pins, resizing, and going from there seems like a good option. Bottleneck brass that needs to be lubed might need to be cleaned twice, to get lube out before reloading. Pistol brass just gets resized from the outside and a carbide die on a clean piece of brass seems ok.

From there, flare/fill, seat bullet and crimp (reprime is in there somewhere too; either by hand or part of a reloader action.

Measuring powder is VERY critical. Consistency is critical. Not double charging powder is essential.

From there, getting into rifle or 357 sig or other things can be done.

My 2c.
JH - you will not need to trim .357SIG brass even though it is a bottle-necked case (at least I have never seen a need to in the 10K+ I have reloaded). Bottle-necked rifle cases are another matter and will need trimming and likely annealing at some point to prevent neck splitting.

One thing I would like to ask is about the lead contamination. Are you stating this due to the use of casted bullets or? I have had lead tests performed (for some jobs I had in the past) and I have never had an issue with lead in the blood and I have only dry tumbled all these years. With that said, I do not use casted bullets (what is the point anyway).


Good to know about cases. So is it how they headspace, or something about the pressures, that it's below the "cusp" so 357 sig at 44k psi is ok but 55-60k psi is not?

Lead exposure isn't about the bullets, handling the bullets, etc.

It's about the dust from corn cob tumbling, which I don't care to have in my house, garage, back lot, etc. I know the dust can be knocked down a lot y adding polish and/or dryer sheets, but I personally like the idea of doing it wet, even if it needs to be dried.

Maybe I'll learn my lesson. Maybe my opinion will change. Seems that there are divergent schools of thought in most every part of reloading.

I'm a big fan of polymer coated bullets (have shot >1000 rounds of federal syntech), so Ill be running those for sure.
 
Originally Posted By: hatt
bunnspecial said:
The RCBS Rockchucker kit is very nice for the money. Right now RCBS has a $100 rebate if you spend $299. That's a steal.


Just looked up what the kit contains on Midway, and I agree that it's an absolute steal for that price. A Rock Chucker by itself is ~$150. For those that don't know, the Rock Chucker has a well-deserved reputation for being virtually indestructible.

The kit also has the "good" 500 series scale. I use a 502, but the 500 series from RCBS are something of another classic piece of equipment.

You will need a set of dies-$30-60 depending on the brand.

I've not used the powder measure included, but it should work great once you've calibrated it for your powder.

I would suggest adding a second case tray-as I said I prefer a two-tray workflow and it can cut down on errors. The RCBS trays are excellent but they are pricey. I have a bunch of MTM trays, which are inexpensive and quite good.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1009912681/mtm-universal-reloading-tray-50-round-plastic-red

I like that RCBS priming tool, and it's quite comfortable to use. My only criticism is that Lee sees to be the only company to realize that primers come in square or rectangular trays and not round trays.

My only other comment is that I wouldn't want to have the Nosler manual as my only loading manual. I have one(you can never have too many loading manuals), but the data is heavily biased toward Nosler bullets which are $$$. I consider the Lyman manual probably the best general purpose one, and it's about $30.
 
I've been hand loading for over 30 years and best advice is
start simple. Single stage press and pick a reloading manual
and follow it religiously. It can all seem confusing but it
is really simple. It does require attention to detail. You
will learn the most from shooting your own loads and reading
the brass and groups on what to improve.
 
I recommend taking the NRA reloading course if it's offered in your area. It's a one-day session and covers the basics of pistol and rifle reloading, equipment and safety.

That being said, I was in your position two years ago and I've learned a lot since I started.

I currently reload 9mm, .40, .357 Sig, and .45 ACP. The .357 Sig is the most challenging for me because of the short bearing surface in the neck and you have to get the taper crimp right to prevent set-back. I reload them, but I really take my time with them.

I started out with a Hornady single-stage press kit, but I've since gotten a Lee turret press and related equipment and use that exclusively now--I highly recommend it. PM me if you want to discuss in more detail. --Rob
 
I picked up a second hand RCBS press, regular dies for .223. and carbide for the .44Mg. Case trimmer for the .223.

Powder scales, and a set of lee dippers.

Weigh every charge for the .223 and use the scoops for the .44.

It doesn't cost much to get going.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top