reloading start up

[kingmt]

Does the scale measure in gn? I doubt any of his other equipment will do you any good.

 

[Lost Sheep]

(edited for focus) If you want to get into reloading without spending much money then a "Reloading Kit" is the way to go. Even if you have some things already buying things separately will cost you alot more money. I didn't buy a kit when I start reloading by myself but I already knew how to reload as I had be using my fathers and friends reloading gear for a long time. The problem with going out and buying everything separately when you dont know exactly what you want is you will buy the wrong thing or something that wont do the job properly, even if you have a few things now I can guarantee it will cost you alot more then buying a kit. IMO you would be better off buying a cheap kit now learning how to use it, then upgrading stuff you know you want and need. Just buy the Lee 50th Anniversary Breech Lock Challenger Kit, plus Dies and Case Length Guage (in whatever caliber you plan on reloading). If you know someone that reloads that can take you under there wing and show you what you need to buy, then look at getting everything separayely, if not then a "Kit" is the way to go.

Fullboar,

We differ on almost every point, (except your first paragraph, which I took out of the quote box) but I recognize that your view is valid. Here's my reasoning.

A reloading kit does save some money from buying the pieces IN THE KIT separately. But some of those pieces are 100% wasted as in they will never be used. Some of those items will not be liked by the owner and will be traded off (for a net loss, somewhat less than 100%). I contend (admittedly without much math done on the project) that the savings of a kit is less than the loss on the trade-ins and discards.

But the main reason I like assembling one's own kit is the thought process of choosing the pieces. There is effort that goes into that that does two things. 1) Lets the handloader get very close to exactly what he needs for only a little more than a commercial kit would cost if anyone made an identical one and 2) the owner now has invested some study and gained some knowledge of his equipment.

The new owner is MUCH better off that someone who opens a box, looks at a tool and says to himself "what's this for?" That knowledge is gained a LOT easier than dryly reading (even with the tools in front of him) an instruction manual that may or may not come with the kit. That's my belief. I could be wrong. Or I could be wrong for some people but not for others. That's OK. I don't mind people being different from me as long as they acknowledge my right to be different from them.

Likewise, buying a cheap kit to "try out" the hobby before going all in is an approach that is valid for some people. The OP might be one of those. But quality equipment is always salable for at least 75% of its new price (Dillon, RCBS, CERTAIN Lee products, Hornady and Redding all keep their resale value if you keep them clean and unabused.

Again, I say that there is room for both approaches and belief systems (or more). In my post # 22 I didn't mention the existence of opinions other than mine (on the kit or not kit approach). Sorry about that. I thought it was long enough already.

Thanks for reading.

Lost Sheep

p.s. The "gn" kingmt mentioned is "grains". There are 7,000 grains in one pound. Shotgun measures are often noted in drams or dram equivalent of black powder and the shot in ounces. For less reading (as in converting your metallic cartridge powder charge weights into grains), your scale should read out in grains or you should get a scale that does.

xxxleafybugxxx,

All this background information is readily available in the loading manuals so highly and heartily recommended by EVERY POSTER CONTRIBUTING to you in the thread. None of us are paid and all of us have some degree of experience and, perhaps, wisdom.

Promise us you will read a couple of loading manuals (check them out at the library at no cost) and eventually we will quit bugging you about it. The knowledge gained will 1) keep you safer, 2) save you money 3) improve the quality of your questions and 4) quicken your learning curve and get you on the range and in the field with substantially accurate ammunition on your schedule.

 

[xxxleafybugxxx]

Yea, I'll do some reading

And I'm not going to law school. If anything in the CJ field, it will be law enforcement.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Yea, I'll do some reading .

I don't think anyone here is trying to twist your arm, just trying to be helpful.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Yea, I'll do some reading

And I'm not going to law school. If anything in the CJ field, it will be law enforcement.

I think any LE officers of recent graduation will confirm they get their share of criminal law classes. You may only get one or two classes and only a little case law, but I bet you will get cross-eyed sometime during the experience. I could be wrong, though.

Lost Sheep

 

[Pacsd]

If he doesn't think much of reading I wonder if he read all 31 posts. As having spent several years as a cop and a few of them as an instuctor in a police academy makes me wonder how he's going to get through college and continue to pursue a career in the CJ field where there are tomes upon tomes of study material to comprehend and retain. My advise is to forego reloading and buy factory ammo as has been mentioned before.

 

[xxxleafybugxxx]

I wish people here would stop giving me life advice. Does reading have to be your favorite thing in the world in order for you to do it? NO
Can reading not be that fulfilling to you, but your still able to do it? YES
Did I ask for people here to mentor me and tell me how successful they think I'll be based on knowing reading isn't one of my main hobbies? NO
Please, stop with all of the advice I'm not looking for.

 

[SharkHat]

Stick with factory ammo.

 

[oneounceload]

For metallic, you will needs press, scale, powder dispenser of some sort and dies....that is the absolute base minimum needed to turn out some rounds. You will also want to add things like a powder trickles, calipers, anda dismantled for taking apart the screwups that happen Lang the way. Once you get really going, case prep tools and other equipment Stratton go from nice option to mandatory
Start by acquiring a few good manuals, lose the 'tude dude, as they say, and you'll find everyone here to be more willing and able to lend assistance

 

[Certaindeaf]

I wish people here would stop giving me life advice. Does reading have to be your favorite thing in the world in order for you to do it? NO
Can reading not be that fulfilling to you, but your still able to do it? YES
Did I ask for people here to mentor me and tell me how successful they think I'll be based on knowing reading isn't one of my main hobbies? NO
Please, stop with all of the advice I'm not looking for.

We're not really telling you what your given hobby should be.

I am telling you that reading/the written word is the only form of knowledge transference. Well, pretty much.

I gadated form scool hard noks yo!

 

[xxxleafybugxxx]

and I said I will read manuals...

 

[Lost Sheep]

On chilling:

I wish people here would stop giving me life advice. Does reading have to be your favorite thing in the world in order for you to do it? NO
Can reading not be that fulfilling to you, but your still able to do it? YES
Did I ask for people here to mentor me and tell me how successful they think I'll be based on knowing reading isn't one of my main hobbies? NO
Please, stop with all of the advice I'm not looking for.

What you post on the internet (Facebook, forums, wherever) stays around for a long time. You are seeing this on a small scale with your single remark about not reading your textbooks. You will probably be catching replies to that single remark for the next six months. Get used to it.

Right or not, you get life advice from family and strangers alike. It is human nature.

I don't have any advice on how to get people to stop giving unsolicited advice. So here's some more. People in law enforcement (which I am guessing is your career interest) REALLY need to know how to let irritating behavior pass. If you let a perp, citizens or a victim irritate you (whether the irritation is intentional or not) your career will be short and unsatisfying.

Let it go. Responding to each new mention of the reading thing only extends its life.

Lost Sheep

 

[RandyP]

For just the .308 rifle round, an $82 Lee Anniv. single stage kit will suffice. Add some $10 Harbor Freight digital calipers, dies and components, plus a case trimmer and you would be good to go equipment-wise.

Figure 'about' 50 rounds per hour output.

Is that worth your time, effort and $$? Only you can decide that. Some powder and bullet manufacturers have reloading data available for free on the internet and you local library may well offer a few reloading books.

 

[popper]

You stated .308/7.62. They are NOT the same. What rifle are you reloading? I think others here are just wanting you to be safe. It's not hard, but 'the devil is in the details' so to speak. That said, the Lee kit that uses a hammer will work and doesn't cost much.

 

[xxxleafybugxxx]

Thanks Sheep and Randy. I'll likely start after this semester, maybe sooner if I decide to take the plunge

 

[Fullboar1]

Fullboar,

We differ on almost every point, (except your first paragraph, which I took out of the quote box) but I recognize that your view is valid. Here's my reasoning.

A reloading kit does save some money from buying the pieces IN THE KIT separately. But some of those pieces are 100% wasted as in they will never be used. Some of those items will not be liked by the owner and will be traded off (for a net loss, somewhat less than 100%). I contend (admittedly without much math done on the project) that the savings of a kit is less than the loss on the trade-ins and discards.

But the main reason I like assembling one's own kit is the thought process of choosing the pieces. There is effort that goes into that that does two things. 1) Lets the handloader get very close to exactly what he needs for only a little more than a commercial kit would cost if anyone made an identical one and 2) the owner now has invested some study and gained some knowledge of his equipment.

The new owner is MUCH better off that someone who opens a box, looks at a tool and says to himself "what's this for?" That knowledge is gained a LOT easier than dryly reading (even with the tools in front of him) an instruction manual that may or may not come with the kit. That's my belief. I could be wrong. Or I could be wrong for some people but not for others. That's OK. I don't mind people being different from me as long as they acknowledge my right to be different from them.

Likewise, buying a cheap kit to "try out" the hobby before going all in is an approach that is valid for some people. The OP might be one of those. But quality equipment is always salable for at least 75% of its new price (Dillon, RCBS, CERTAIN Lee products, Hornady and Redding all keep their resale value if you keep them clean and unabused.

Again, I say that there is room for both approaches and belief systems (or more). In my post # 22 I didn't mention the existence of opinions other than mine (on the kit or not kit approach). Sorry about that. I thought it was long enough already.

Thanks for reading.

Lost Sheep

Hey Lost Sheep

Look I agree with what you said about buying a reloading kit (I didn't buy one either but I knew how to reload and what I wanted and needed). The reason I stated get the Lee Reloading Kit was in the OP he stated "Can I buy a Reloading Press for $30. I said only get the kit if you have no one who can show you how to reload and what to buy. I helped a guy out a while ago who wanted to get into reloading didnt know anyone and purchased to Lee Kit. I help him set it up and showed him how to use everything and like I said its not the best thing to buy but everything in the Lee Kit is usable (the first thing I would replace is the scales). Starting with the kit will give him the gist of reloading and what it takes, if he decides it's not for him he hasn't lost to much money as I dont think he has much or wants to spend much on reloading gear.

When I purchased my reloading gear I started with what I think is the best.
Lee Classic Cast Press (also had an older Rock Crusher my Dad gave me)
RCBS 10-10 Scale
Redding Model 3 Powder Measure
RCBS Hand Primer x 2 (1 for small primers and 1 for Large Primers)
Wilson Case Trimmers (also had a older Forster Case Trimmer my dad gave me)
Lyman and Forster Case Prep Tools, Case Gauge ect
Mixed Lee, Redding and RCBS Dies
Mitutoyo Measuring Tools (Verniers, Micrometers)
I could go on but I am sure you get the picture. I also have a Turret Press that I dont really use that much and I have added stuff to this as I need and can afford it like a RCBS ChargeMaster Powder Dispencer/Measure (that I have to send back for warranty) and I added a Lee Hand Press, Digital Pocket Scales ect so I could start loading at the range as it takes me 40 minutes to get there and its only open on the weekends from about 8am to 3pm.

IMO the first thing LeafyBug needs to do is go and read some books or find person that already reloads that can show him how and what he needs or some place that holds reloading classes (even our LGS have them here once a month, so I am sure someone would hold them over there).

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

seems to be some discussion on the usefullness of kits. all i can say is i bought the rockchucker supreme master kit and i use every single piece of equipment that came in the kit. i certainly had to add some pieces down the road and i still had to do my research, but the kit got me loading quickly on solid equipment and at a good price with the RCBS mail-in rebate. i can't comment on other kits.

i'm not saying go buy the same kit i did, or any kit at all. what i'm saying is you can't lay down blanket statements like "kits aren't the way to go" or "everyone should start out with a kit". it should be handled on a case-by-case basis. it all depends on your goals, budget, and comfort level.

 

[Lost Sheep]

seems to be some discussion on the usefullness of kits. all i can say is i bought the rockchucker supreme master kit and i use every single piece of equipment that came in the kit. i certainly had to add some pieces down the road and i still had to do my research, but the kit got me loading quickly on solid equipment and at a good price with the RCBS mail-in rebate. i can't comment on other kits.

i'm not saying go buy the same kit i did, or any kit at all. what i'm saying is you can't lay down blanket statements like "kits aren't the way to go" or "everyone should start out with a kit". it should be handled on a case-by-case basis. it all depends on your goals, budget, and comfort level.

I agree, case by case, based largely on your personal style. But there are generalizations that can be useful.

In general, those who are patient and enjoy doing the background research do better assembling their own kits (but only if they are REALLY WILLING to put in the work on their learning curve, and it is a lot of work). Those who are able to follow instructions do better buying a ready-made kit that comes with the instructions. The lucky few whose needs are at the confluence center of those two groups (as I suspect NeuseRvrRat is) are blessed.

Just an opinion.

Lost Sheep

 

[Lost Sheep]

Like I said, what appears on the internet takes on a life of its own

This thread has attracted attention on another forum. The thoughts there are a lot more reactionary than what has been posted here, but enlightening and entertaining.

xxxleafybugxxx, you might want to read it to see what people were likely thinking when they criticized your posts here. Also, to see how badly things COULD have gone.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=479612

Lost Sheep

 

[Lost Sheep]

xxxleafybugxxx, some amendments to my earlier advice

I rarely recommend the Lee Loader (also known as the Lee Load-All or "Whack a bullet") ( the one powered by a mallet), but considering the OP's (xxxleafybugxxx) needs (paper punching and getting out into the hunting field by fall), the ultra-minimalist approach might work.

So, I suggest it as a possibility.

The Lee Loader neck-sizes only (which is actually good for a bolt-action rifle if that's what your 308 is, auto-loading, not so much, but can work for ONE RIFLE). It is very inexpensive and capable of producing some very accurate ammunition, but is slow, but is very inexpensive, yet still capable of producing accurate ammunition. $30 plus a mallet (not a metal hammer but a plastic, hard rubber, rawhide or wooden mallet) and a board so you don't dent your furniture. Use the suggested powder with the dipper supplied in the kit or, better yet, get a scale to expand your choices of powders and power levels. (Or use your Father's scale in it weighs in grains.)

Its chief good attributes are its low price, small size, accuracy and simplicity. Its chief bad attributes are that it is slow, noisy and a little scary to watch someone else use.

Lost Sheep