New to Reloading

[Tactical30]

I am about to buy a new press kit (either the RCBS or Hornady LNL).It will be my first kit. I figured I would get into it with the .223 ammo so rare and expensive, plus get better accuracy. I also will be reloading .300 Win. Mag. and some 45ACP and 50AE but mainly for .223 and .300 Win. Mag. I am wondering do you get better accuracy and better loads with a single stage press weighing each load or doesnt it matter either with a proggressive or Single stage? Loading powder in each load is no big deal to me I am in no hurry and am not loading hundreds of bullets at a time. I want to get the best out of my guns as I can the .300 Win Mag is a custom built (pretty much a Surgeon Remedy Replica) and my .223 is built piece by piece custom. I am getting
Sub-MOA in the .223 with Remington 62gr, Premier Match bullets at 100yards easy. I was surprised cuz I never really got good accuracy with Remington ammo but I am sick of paying $27 for 20rds when I could be getting just of good groups if not better reloading ammo and saving a ton of money in the long run plus presses will last you damn near a lifetime. <span style="font-style: italic">Its time to buy</span>! I just dont know which way to go when it comes to presses.
<span style="text-decoration: underline">Single Stage or Proggresive?????</span>

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: New to Reloading

I'm a single stage rifle and progressive handgun guy.......

 

[our gang]

Re: New to Reloading

If you plan to shoot ordinary guns (no $5000 bolt guns or 1911s), you will be well served by the Lee Turret press, Lee dies and a good electronic scale/dispenser backed up by a quality balance scale.
I turn out MOA or better big game ammo with one with no anal prep.
In varmint guns 1/2 MOA is the norm.
As well as the Lee, I have a fancy Reddding turret press that is a fine piece of equipment. It mostly sits idle except for infrequent full length sizing chores or loading my 244 H&H which is a bitch (albeit a HOT one with 85 TSX at 3750 fps) and requires serious sizing every reload.
If you plan to get into benchrest, that's a whole different and expensive world.
Wilson die sets, Sinclair stuff and so on.
Typical Lee performance:
1952 Rem 721AC with ancient BalVar 1.5-5. Kills anything I shoot with it

Tikka 595 (old model) 22-250 S&B 4-16 Varmint

Good shooting!

 

[Casey Simpson]

Re: New to Reloading

Handloading for Competition, by Glenn Zediker. Get it. It's good.

 

[desertHK]

Re: New to Reloading

Single stage RCBS Chucker supreme kit

 

[Tims]

Re: New to Reloading

I started off loading rifle rounds with a RCBS Rock Chucker 20 years ago. I still use it for my precision bolt rifles. As my ammo requirements grew I got a Dillon 550 to load for my AR15's and 1911's. You can produce high quality ammo on either type of press. I would reccommend starting off with a single stage press.If you get to the point where you cant keep up with your ammunition requirements, then add a Dillon progressive press to your reloading equpiment.
If you buy some reloading equpiment dont be suprised if you cant find primers, powder or bullets. There is a big shortage right now.

 

[michaeltx]

Re: New to Reloading

I'd go with the single stage for bottleneck rifle cartridges. The progressive would work, but is likely to lead to more frustration when you're starting out.

For straight-wall pistol cartridges, progressive all the way, but for precision rifle ammo, slower is better.

 

[doc76251]

Re: New to Reloading

You might find something to think about here.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=96660#Post96660

Cheers,

Doc

 

[Savage_Jake]

Re: New to Reloading

My dad pieced together an awesome kit for me this past xmas. Rock Chucker Supreme SS press, RCBS dies, RCBS powder measure, a really old Reading scale with dampner. I love it for the little reloading I do. Mostly rifle. .223, .308, and .30-06.

 

[Winchester 69]

Re: New to Reloading

For a progressive to be effective, the powder measure is integral to the operation. Extruded rifle powders do not meter well, and require either weighing or being dispensed electronically. Either way, the production rate of a progressive press is negatively influenced. Further, brass prep will be a factor. You will see high-volume loading (AR) on a progressive, but most rifle loads are produced on single-stage presses.

Why buy a kit? A Redding or Forster press with an RCBS ChargeMaster Combo is a better start. Get your accessories from Sinclair. Take a look at their Satern funnels and Poly (or wood) loading blocks. VLD chamfer, Wilson trimmer, Redding and Forster dies, Imperial sizing wax, .... There are better choices available than those furnished in a kit. Sinclair has a free catalog. My purpose here is to broaden horizons; there are similar but less expensive tools available. If the Chargemaster is testing the budget, substitute a good beam scale and Lee dippers.