Looking for some experience.

[375snot]

I'm interested in reloading for the 300 WM, 5.56mm and 9mm and was wondering if someone with experience in the matter would recommend equipment that has worked for them.

I'm really busy so I can't sit around all day and crank out rounds.

Experience appreciated.

 

[repiv]

Re: Looking for some experience.

One thing you didnt mention was a budget. There are lots of "kits" out there to get startd. However most of them you will end up replacing most of the stuff in them and they are not designed to save you time. There is one exception and its a "kit" from RCBS. This kit is not cheap but it does have alot of the stuff you would end up buying anyway. If I were starting over this is the only kit I would buy. Plus get a caliper you like.

RCBS Kit

Then you will need dies. I perfer the Redding Type S Full Length dies with the Competition Seater I use a bushing that gives me about .0015 of tension. (search for this on the site there is alot of info here) There are many different options for dies and most all of them will get the job done. It also matters if you just want to make rounds to hunt with or if you want to go for the ultimate in precision.

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Looking for some experience.

Build your own "kit" around a Lee Classic Turret press. It's cast iron bodied, large and strong enough for loading .50BMG. With it's auto-indexing turret you can load much faster than with any single stage. The heads are inexpensive enough to have one set up and ready to use for each cartridge, simple to exchange by hand in seconds and no tools are required to do it.

You do NOT want a progressive press to load for three wildly different cartridges. Progressives are too slow, expensive and time consuming to swap cartridges and get set for things as different as what you will be doing.

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Looking for some experience.

Buy the bare bones Redding Big Boss 2. It's almost the same price at Midway as the RCBS RockChucker.

Unless you're doing match grade ammo and turning case necks, just buy Redding standard die sets. You will want a carbide button sizing die for the 9mm.

 

[375snot]

Re: Looking for some experience.

thanks guys.

 

[jet_lagged]

Re: Looking for some experience.

I went with the Dillon 550 to get started in reloading for 9mm, .223 and .308/.30-06. May be a bit more than Lee or RCBS, but excellent customer service and very well engineered.

Their 650 press has auto indexing, but that makes it a hassle to change calibers, so not really worth that route unless you are going to be making at least a 1000 or more of one round before you change to another caliber.

Any brand of carbide dies for the 9mm. Dillon says they have a bigger entry radius on theirs to make initial alignment less critical, but who knows.

For rifle dies, make sure you get or can change the "ball" on the decapping rod to a carbide one. Makes it easier to get down the neck. Standard on Dillon rifle dies, not on Hornady, and don't know it is available for that brand. Available for RCBS dies.

 

[samnev]

Re: Looking for some experience.

I'd buy individual pieces starting with the Rock Chucker and the RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Combo dispenser/scale. I'd also look at the Dillon 1200 Power Trimmer. Hand trimming can be a tedious task. The Giraud trimmer may be better, but the additional cost makes the Dillion trimmer more attractive to me. Then add additional pieces as you find you need them. One thing I'd absolutely get right away are Wilson case length gauges in the calibers you intend to reload.