Equipment To Get Started Reloading Rifle Ammo For Less Than $230

WeR0206

WeR0206

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#1
I just put together a video covering this:



I’d recommend not spending too much money at first to see if you stick with it. Reloading ammo can be tedious detail oriented work so it’s not for everyone but at the same time it can save some money, be very rewarding, tune ammo to your rifle, and mainly enables you to shoot more. Start with a simple single stage press and if you stick with it you can start upgrading in certain areas

Below is an example of all the equipment you’d need to reload 223 Rem/5.56 NATO:
Total: $229

*Note, the first thing to upgrade would be to get the Lyman Ideal C Frame Press (# 7726500) ($105) or other single stage press of your liking (I would also look at RCBS Partner/Special-5/Rockchucker, Redding Boss, etc.). The hand press will get the job done but it's hard on your arms/hands after a while
 
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#3
Kickin45 said:
Great info.
I think you have to add for brass, powder, primers and projectiles.
Can’t reload without any one of those.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Yes good point, components can definitely be costly, unless one collects their brass at the range, that's one piece that's "free." Although my post was largely focused on the bare min equipment a person needs to get started, not necessarily everything needed to actually build ammo which would include components. I just edited the thread title to be more accurate.
 
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#4
RCBS makes a kit with most of what need, I started with one like 15 years ago. I upgraded lots of things over the years but it was plenty to get started and I still have the press and the beam scale is in a box somewhere.

I think it was like $200ish and change.
 
#6
LawnMM said:
RCBS makes a kit with most of what need, I started with one like 15 years ago. I upgraded lots of things over the years but it was plenty to get started and I still have the press and the beam scale is in a box somewhere.

I think it was like $200ish and change.
Click to expand...
Yeah that’s a good point but most of the time those kits are well north of $300-400 and they usually come with a shitty scale, shitty universal reloading tray, shitty universal funnel, no calipers, no shoulder bump gauge, etc….but you can prob still find some on sale less than $300 and upgrade over time as you did. I guess my post is more of a custom kit that mainly needs an upgrade on the press and you’re almost set after that.
 
#7
Edsel said:
The Lee Hand Press is my only depriming tool.

Not sure I would use it to introduce someone to reloading rifle brass.

Pistol brass, you can probably get away with it…
Click to expand...
I loaded 223 with mine for a while but you def cant do large batches with it and your arms get tired as fuck especially during FL sizing but it’ll get the job done if on an ultra tight budget or very limited on space. That’s why I included the $100 Lyman ideal as an alternative if people want to avoid the hand press
 
#8
WeR0206 said:
I loaded 223 with mine for a while but you def cant do large batches with it and your arms get tired as fuck but it’ll get the job done if on an ultra tight budget. That’s why I included the $100 Lyman ideal as an alternative if people want to avoid the hand press
Click to expand...

I just finished depriming a few thousand 9mm cases I got for free through a promo from Dillon.

You should see the awesome pecs on this senile old coot…

…that being said, my fingers and wrists are screaming.
 
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#9
Edsel said:
I just finished depriming a few thousand 9mm cases I got for free through a promo from Dillon.

You should see the awesome pecs on this senile old coot…

…that being said, my fingers and wrists are screaming.
Click to expand...
Oh damn! That’s a lot. I usually stick with batches of 50 and call it a day 🤣 Youll def be sore the next few days for sure
 
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#10
Edsel said:
The Lee Hand Press is my only depriming tool.

Not sure I would use it to introduce someone to reloading rifle brass.

It’ll turn an enjoyable pastime into something outright painful.

Pistol brass, you can probably get away with it…
Click to expand...
I would recommend steering away from the Lee hand press if possible. It's a good piece of equipment but is hard on the hand.
 
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#11
Doom said:
I would recommend steering away from the Lee hand press if possible. It's a good piece of equipment but is hard on the hand.
Click to expand...
Just curious, I have been using an RCBS Rockchucker single stage since forever. Is there anything consistency/accuracy wise I am missing out on compared to a better press or would it just make things a bit easier? Asking you or anyone.
 
#12
Rodney65 said:
Just curious, I have been using an RCBS Rockchucker single stage since forever. Is there anything consistency/accuracy wise I am missing out on compared to a better press or would it just make things a bit easier? Asking you or anyone.
Click to expand...
I don't want to speak for everyone but the Rockchucker is fine IMO, there are pro PRS shooters using that press to make their ammo. Your process is probably more important than the press itself unless it's REALLY shitty which I've never heard a rockchucker being that bad.

One of the more popular single stage presses is the Forster Co-Ax. People seem to like that as an "upgrade."
 
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#13
WeR0206 said:
I don't want to speak for everyone but the Rockchucker is fine IMO, there are pro PRS shooters using that press to make their ammo. Your process is probably more important than the press itself unless it's REALLY shitty which I've never heard a rockchucker being that bad.

One of the more popular single stage presses is the Forster Co-Ax. People seem to like that as an "upgrade."
Click to expand...
Thanks, I appreciate the info. I wish my velocities were a bit more consistent but I think my spreads may be due to overworking the brass as I want to make sure it always chambers in different rifles and some has a lot of "springback."

Other than that I clean, size/deprime with full length sizer and spray on lube, trim with cordless drill trimmer if too far out of spec, clean again, prime with RCBS hand priming tool, throw charges with Chargemaster Lite, and seat with some unnecessarily fancy seating die. No one has ever come over to review my process so hopefully I'm not missing anything too important.
 
#14
Rodney65 said:
Thanks, I appreciate the info. I wish my velocities were a bit more consistent but I think my spreads may be due to overworking the brass as I want to make sure it always chambers in different rifles and some has a lot of "springback."

Other than that I clean, size/deprime with full length sizer and spray on lube, trim with cordless drill trimmer if too far out of spec, clean again, prime with RCBS hand priming tool, throw charges with Chargemaster Lite, and seat with some unnecessarily fancy seating die. No one has ever come over to review my process so hopefully I'm not missing anything too important.
Click to expand...
That sounds about right. There are so many variables in play it's hard to say exactly what is causing your inconsistent velocities but starting with good brass like Lapua/Alpha/Peterson/etc. helps a lot (they have more consistent case volume, wall thickness, etc.)

Here are my steps for reloading for gas guns:
  1. Clean brass in dollar store plastic bin (11x6x5) with hot water, a squirt of dish soap, and about a teaspoon of lemi-shine (put lid on and shake the bin up, let sit for a while then shake it up (repeat this a few times) then drain water and rinse brass off)
  2. After brass has dried out for a few hrs put it in a reloading tray and lightly lube the inside of the neck of every other piece (I use a Qtip and Lee case lube/Redding Wax)
  3. Set shoulder bump in full length sizing die with the expander ball/decap pin removed (to avoid overworking the necks). Make sure to run the brass into the die with authority. Check sized brass in your chamber with your bolt. Once bump is set put expander/decap assembly back into FL die
  4. While holding the neck of the brass lightly lube the bottom half of each case with Lee lube before running into FL die to decap, bump shoulder, and expand case neck
  5. Wipe lube off bottom half of case with rag that has some d-limonene or iso alcohol on it as a solvent
  6. Optional: Check primer pockets with go/no-go gauge
  7. If needed: trim/chamfer/deburr/brush neck
  8. Prime with RCBS universal hand primer
  9. Weigh powder with lee scoop set and hand trickle to get target weight (using RCBS check weights, a RCBS 502 beam scale, and this $20 GEM20 Digital Scale (goes to hundredth of a grain) for double checking)
  10. Seat bullet to target COAL with seating die (optional, use bullet comparator to measure CBTO especially for OTM bullets)
 
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#15
WeR0206 said:
That sounds about right. There are so many variables in play it's hard to say exactly what is causing your inconsistent velocities but starting with good brass like Lapua/Alpha/Peterson/etc. helps a lot (they have more consistent case volume, wall thickness, etc.)

Here are my steps for reloading for gas guns:
  1. Clean brass in dollar store plastic bin (11x6x5) with hot water, a squirt of dish soap, and about a teaspoon of lemi-shine (put lid on and shake the bin up, let sit for a while then shake it up (repeat this a few times) then drain water and rinse brass off)
  2. After brass has dried out for a few hrs put it in a reloading tray and lightly lube the inside of the neck of every other piece (I use a Qtip and Lee case lube/Redding Wax)
  3. Set shoulder bump in full length sizing die with the expander ball/decap pin removed (to avoid overworking the necks). Make sure to run the brass into the die with authority. Check sized brass in your chamber with your bolt. Once bump is set put expander/decap assembly back into FL die
  4. While holding the neck of the brass lightly lube the bottom half of each case with Lee lube before running into FL die to decap, bump shoulder, and expand case neck
  5. Wipe lube off bottom half of case with rag that has some d-limonene or iso alcohol on it as a solvent
  6. Optional: Check primer pockets with go/no-go gauge
  7. If needed: trim/chamfer/deburr/brush neck
  8. Prime with RCBS universal hand primer
  9. Weigh powder with lee scoop set and hand trickle to get target weight (using RCBS check weights, a RCBS 502 beam scale, and this $20 GEM20 Digital Scale (goes to hundredth of a grain) for double checking)
  10. Seat bullet to target COAL with seating die (optional, use bullet comparator to measure CBTO especially for OTM bullets)
Click to expand...
I do most of that. I use dry media to tumble clean not wet. I do use a comparator to check COAL to ogive. I just spray inside case necks and do not smear lube inside. I check primer pockets by feel when sesting primers. Some have had no/minimal resistance so I load them for practice but I have never had one back out.

Just to see what other people do I asked a fellow shooter about his procedure: his first four steps were about primer pockets and I didn't do any of them.

I reload so I can shoot accurate, economical ammunition. If I had all the money and time I would make test batches of variations in every reloading step to see what matters and what doesn't but it's good enough for my purposes. I don't even anneal and rarely mess with seating depth.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread but I like hearing about how other people do stuff. One really good PRS shooter said he tries a known load in a new barrel plus a few either side of that charge weight then doesn't change anything or even clean the barrel, ever. I thought that was interesting.
 
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#16
I would skip the Lee hand press and buy the Lee breach lock reloader press (90045), also it’s cheaper.

One of the most difficult things is to find the lowest prices on every single item from the same store. If you buy from different stores paying shipping and taxes is the killer.
 
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#18
honzo said:
I would skip the Lee hand press and buy the Lee breach lock reloader press (90045), also it’s cheaper.

One of the most difficult things is to find the lowest prices on every single item from the same store. If you buy from different stores paying shipping and taxes is the killer.
Click to expand...
Yeah that's an excellent point.
 
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#19
WeR0206 said:
I loaded 223 with mine for a while but you def cant do large batches with it and your arms get tired as fuck especially during FL sizing but it’ll get the job done if on an ultra tight budget or very limited on space. That’s why I included the $100 Lyman ideal as an alternative if people want to avoid the hand press
Click to expand...
I'm a cheap bastard by nature, and gave about 10-15 secs thought to a hand press. Even for someone living in a tiny apartment it seems awkward and too much physical work when you could sort out a mounted press with a little ingenuity, and only a little. How was re-sizing bottleneck cases on that hand press?
 
#20
Rodney65 said:
Just curious, I have been using an RCBS Rockchucker single stage since forever. Is there anything consistency/accuracy wise I am missing out on compared to a better press or would it just make things a bit easier? Asking you or anyone.
Click to expand...
Don't have one but have used one when I first started reloading. About the only real issues with any press would show in in case concentricity until you get to the 50 BMG presses. Any D or O style press is going to handle any cartridge well until you get to the specialty cartridges like the 416 Barret or larger in my opinion.
 
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#21
flogxal said:
I'm a cheap bastard by nature, and gave about 10-15 secs thought to a hand press. Even for someone living in a tiny apartment it seems awkward and too much physical work when you could sort out a mounted press with a little ingenuity, and only a little. How was re-sizing bottleneck cases on that hand press?
Click to expand...
It definitely sucked. I probably did about 5-10 50 round batches with it before I had enough. By then I knew I would stick with it and bought a Lyman Ideal press that I mounted to a 6x6x1” plastic HDPE sheet. I'm also very limited in space (hence the hand press) so I wanted something smaller and still not permanently attached to my work desk (I just use 2 6" c-clamps to secure the press to my desk).

IMG_4735.jpeg
 
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#22
You have the 1st hand experience, no pun intended, to talk about whether it's worth one's time/money/effort to load on that hand press. And you can say, "nope, tried that, wish it worked easier and now I know." That's more valuable than rejecting it only on theory/imagination!
 
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