Reloading tools needed to start loading.

Mike A1

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Just a start of a lifetime hobby, a guide from older more experienced hand loaders is what we can offer anyone starting this great hobby.
Step up you hand loaders & share what you like & dislike about the tools you have used over the years.








 
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Mike A1

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Some fun things to discuss about our experiences with new reloaders I've never used the
tumbler with steel pins to clean our fired brass, I've just walnut & Bonami scouring powder
in the vibratory .cleaner.

I went from a bench mount primer tool to a hand priming tool RCBS.
 

CECannonJr

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Some fun things to discuss about our experiences with new reloaders I've never used the
tumbler with steel pins to clean our fired brass, I've just walnut & Bonami scouring powder
in the vibratory .cleaner.

I went from a bench mount primer tool to a hand priming tool RCBS.
I'm going to enjoy this thread since I'm a new reloader.
 

Mike A1

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I started with a lee loader in the box & moved from there to the RCBS Rock Chucker & of course
I bought everything RCBS as well. I still have 2 RCs & many RCBS Dies Pistol & rifle.

Some things I have exchanged for what I believed to be better tools were the Bench primer & the
Case length cutter.

First the RCBS Primer tool:https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/rcbs-automatic-priming-tool?ds_e=MICROSOFT&ds_c=Shop|Generic|AllProducts|High|SSCCatchAll&msclkid=228243b724e41bfbbd8722cdcac65f74&gclid=228243b724e41bfbbd8722cdcac65f74&gclsrc=3p.ds
From there I went to.:https://www.sinclairintl.com/reload...nd-tools/sinclair-priming-tool-prod37732.aspx

Then the case cutter:https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/rcbs-trim-pro-2-manual-case-trimmer-kit
From there I went to. :https://lewilson.com/case-trimmers

At the time we were loading 7.62x51 for competition it was necessary to load each one the same as the last one.
Priming was by feel & the hand primer was slower but I never saw any seating depth issues like with the overly strong Bench mount Primer press did at times.

After I set up the Wilson Case trimmer I really saw what that wobble caused by the RCBS trimmer did to my cases, it cut them unevenly.
The Wilson cut square & true like a professional tool would do. https://lewilson.com/case-trimmers
 

joepistol

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A few reloading tools I've settled on, after years of use:

I've been using Hornady's Unique case lube as my go-to for resizing lube.
Not a spray, it comes in a small tub, & I believe it's very similar to Imperial case lube, in appearance & usage, ( but at less than 1/2 the price of Imperial.)

I've been using my 1st tub for years..loading thousands of 223's, + 308, 30-30, 7.62 X 39, '30-06, & 220 Swift.
I bought 2 tubs, & after 15 yrs or >,I'm still using the 1st tub. I've never stuck a case using Unique.
Can't say the same about the RCBS case lube & pad I used when I started hand loading.
A happy day, when I threw out that lube & pad.
Unique is easy to apply, odorless, non-sticky, & wipes off easily.
A very small amount is needed to resize a case. Great stuff.

I started out using RCBS dies, used them for many years. Have switched to nearly all Lee die sets for a couple of reasons.
1st.. I have had issues with the decapping pins coming out of the stem, when resizing cases.
Most often with military brass, w/ crimped primer pockets.
I've had difficulty getting the expander ball tightened enough on the decapping rod to hold the decapping pins in place.
Expander loosens & pin falls out. I've also bent a decapping rod (piece holding decapping pin)
A big pain if you don't have a replacement part on hand. Replacement die parts are hard to find locally.

I bought 1 set of Lee dies, discovered how they use a 1 piece decapping rod , with expander & decapping pin all 1 machined part,
and Lee dies use a collet, that allows the rod to move upward, instead of bending / breaking the rod, or the pin bending or coming out of the rod.
Use 2 wrenches to loosen the collet, slide the rod down in the die, & retighten the collet. Then, back to work.

I recall how some advertisements hinted that Lee dies wouldn't produce rounds that were as accurate as some other brands.
Lee responded with an ad campaign that described their dies setting world records for accuracy. I started replacing most my
RCBS rifle dies with Lee die sets. Have even replaced a few sets of pistol dies with Lee.
The recent shortage of reloading equipment allowed me to sell most my old RCBS die sets.

I'm also a fan of Lee's case trimming system..Their cutter & lock stud (buy 1 set of these items) and then purchase individual case length gauges
for each caliber you load. I chuck the lock stud in a cordless drill & can trim cases to proper length pretty easily, with the case lenght gauge.
A great , inexpensive way to trim brass cases.

I had bought a Lyman case trimmer, with a bunch of collets for different calibers.
Problem is..you have to adjust a stop, held in place with a lock screw, to trim the cases to desired length.
As you trim case after case, using a turn by hand cutter, the adjustable stop can move..
& you may not notice until you've trimmed cases shorter than desired. Lee system, that isn't possible.
Case length gauge limits how much you can trim a case. Much better system IMO..
 
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CECannonJr

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A few reloading tools I've settled on, after years of use:

I've been using Hornady's Unique case lube as my go-to for resizing lube.
Not a spray, it comes in a small tub, & I believe it's very similar to Imperial case lube, in appearance & usage, ( but at less than 1/2 the price of Imperial.)

I've been using my 1st tub for years..loading thousands of 223's, + 308, 30-30, 7.62 X 39, '30-06, & 220 Swift.
I bought 2 tubs, & after 15 yrs or >,I'm still using the 1st tub. I've never stuck a case using Unique.
Can't say the same about the RCBS case lube & pad I used when I started hand loading.
A happy day, when I threw out that lube & pad.
Unique is easy to apply, odorless, non-sticky, & wipes off easily.
A very small amount is needed to resize a case. Great stuff.

I started out using RCBS dies, used them for many years. Have switched to nearly all Lee die sets for a couple of reasons.
1st.. I have had issues with the decapping pins coming out of the stem, when resizing cases.
Most often with military brass, w/ crimped primer pockets.
I've had difficulty getting the expander ball tightened enough on the decapping rod to hold the decapping pins in place.
Expander loosens & pin falls out. I've also bent a decapping rod (piece holding decapping pin)
A big pain if you don't have a replacement part on hand. Replacement die parts are hard to find locally.

I bought 1 set of Lee dies, discovered how they use a 1 piece decapping rod , with expander & decapping pin all 1 machined part,
and Lee dies use a collet, that allows the rod to move upward, instead of bending / breaking the rod, or the pin bending or coming out of the rod.
Use 2 wrenches to loosen the collet, slide the rod down in the die, & retighten the collet. Then, back to work.

I recall how some advertisements hinted that Lee dies wouldn't produce rounds that were as accurate as some other brands.
Lee responded with an ad campaign that described their dies setting world records for accuracy. I started replacing most my
RCBS rifle dies with Lee die sets. Have even replaced a few sets of pistol dies with Lee.
The recent shortage of reloading equipment allowed me to sell most my old RCBS die sets.

I'm also a fan of Lee's case trimming system..Their cutter & lock stud (buy 1 set of these items) and then purchase individual case length gauges
for each caliber you load. I chuck the lock stud in a cordless drill & can trim cases to proper length pretty easily, with the case lenght gauge.
A great , inexpensive way to trim brass cases.

I had bought a Lyman case trimmer, with a bunch of collets for different calibers.
Problem is..you have to adjust a stop, held in place with a lock screw, to trim the cases to desired length.
As you trim case after case, using a turn by hand cutter, the adjustable stop can move..
& you may not notice until you've trimmed cases shorter than desired. Lee system, that isn't possible.
Case length gauge limits how much you can trim a case. Much better system IMO..
Thank-you sir, for sharing your experience. I have started out with Lee equipment and dies. I have noticed a tendency by some in other places (not here) to say negative things about Lee. I must say that my experience at this point has been positive. As a Mechanical Engineer, I know a well designed and machined product when I see it, and I have found no issues. Lee seems to offer much better pricing than many companies and that may be the reason for the negative opinions. The old saying that you get what you pay for is true 99% of the time, but there are exceptions. Many factors come into play. Again, I enjoyed reading your post, and thanks for sharing your experience.
 

joepistol

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I've found reports by those that have experience with a product can offer better "reviews " than ad copy,
or so called "experts" who are paid to write reports for magazines, which rely on ad revenue to stay in business.

I have owned / do own dies made by RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, Dillon, Redding,
and Lee. So I have some basis for comparison

I'd offer this observation on Lee products, while some of their products may not appear to be as finely finished
as their competition, they do their intended job . Lee dies USED to be very inexpensive, compared to RCBS,
as their quality became known , Lee die prices have risen, while other brands prices dropped,
so that there is not as much of a price difference between the brands.

Pacific used to make Hornady dies (may still)
I have some Hornady dies in Hornady boxes, with the dies stamped "Pacific Durachrome".

My reviews, & comments I make, tend to get lengthy, as I try to provide a explanation for my comments.
Thanks for your kind words.
 
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1Sgt_Jerry

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Love the hobby / process. Started circa 1988. I'm always thankful for any information, but glad I leaned with my nose in books. Being an old stubborn aircraft maintainer, to this day, I still go back to a manual and mentally check every step before proceeding.
It's is indeed interesting to see others opinions.
I'm mad as hell over the current situation, not just for me, everyone, especially those just dipping their toes in it.
If it was organic, ( supply issues) would be one thing. I sense it may be more nefarious in nature. Hope I'm wrong. I do believe it will never be economical again
 

CECannonJr

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Love the hobby / process. Started circa 1988. I'm always thankful for any information, but glad I leaned with my nose in books. Being an old stubborn aircraft maintainer, to this day, I still go back to a manual and mentally check every step before proceeding.
It's is indeed interesting to see others opinions.
I'm mad as hell over the current situation, not just for me, everyone, especially those just dipping their toes in it.
If it was organic, ( supply issues) would be one thing. I sense it may be more nefarious in nature. Hope I'm wrong. I do believe it will never be economical again
Good points. I too believe it is more nefarious in nature. Primers can be mass produced by the millions in a single day using modern equipment and manufacturing processes. There is no logical reason for this unavailability of primers. And there is no way it is due to hoarding. There are far fewer reloaders than purchasers of ammo. WE THE PEOPLE are being lied to and set up for...God only knows what....but it ain't good.
 

CECannonJr

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Well, fellas. Time for an update.

I've come a long way in my reloading adventure. I managed to get enough components to start a nice reloading setup in my shop. I put up some walls and a door in one corner and created an 8x8 space with an 8 feet x 26 inches deep bench. I added some plastic shelves to store components on and it turned out pretty good. I added a small window to the shop so I can ventilate a small floor model air conditioner when it's hot and let some natural light in.

I've accumulated about 500 5.56 cases as well as 1000 9mm and 1250 45acp cases. They have all been decapped and run through a pin tumbler. They look shiny and clean, even the primer pockets are spotless. I've purchased a good number of 5.56, 9mm and 45acp projectiles and some good powder for loading all 3. H335, W572, IMR3031and W231. I also managed to get a good number of small and large pistol primers, since some dumbass decided SPP are good for 45acp, and I have a mix of both...750 SPP and 500 LPP brass. I was able to acquire some small rifle primers too. You have to watch MidwayUSA and Brownells like a hawk to get those.

I set up a Lee single stage press and have all 3 die sets. I've also purchased all of the other tools I needed. I'm not looking for volume. I load 50 at the time. It's a very fun thing to do and I've learned a ton of good stuff to know.

Don't ask me how much money I've spent. I've intentionally avoided keeping up with it so that when my wife asks me, I can honestly say I have no idea.:)
 

joepistol

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Well, I say if you've managed to get the equipment you needed, and components to load, you're doing very well, in these times.
Congratulations on being able to pull that off. as far as, " I've intentionally avoided keeping up with it".. that's probably a good idea.. for now, anyway.

Though I have both a single stage & a progressive ( Dillon 450) .. I too have slowed my loading process, considerably.
I'll load 100 rds, maybe 200-300, if I've got a lot of cases I want to load. I have used (in the past) lead bullets, almost exclusively.
Due to several factors..
1) I usually load pistol ammo to < 1,000 fps,
2) cost of projectiles.
3. why load fmj or jhp pills to punch holes in paper ? Didn't make sense to me.
Several yrs. ago, I read about , then tried polymer coated bullets.
I only buy bullets that use the HyTek coatings..(as It'd been in use for > 20yrs.
Some coat their bullets with powdercoating..which I believe would be harmful to a barrel. HyTek coatings use a lube to prevent bore wear.
I've used Falcon brand (not in business anymore) Bayou Bullets ( was my usual place to order, after Falcon closed.
Recently read about & tried DG Bullets.. Last 2 orders placed with Bayou took > 5 mos. to ship. They've got a huge backlog or orders.
Recently tried DG, and they shipped my order in < a week! Seem to be good bullets, too..but they have a limited inventory.
Not as many bullet weights / shapes per caliber, and only ltd. cals. are available. ( no 380's)

Just wanted to suggest trying polymer coated bullets, if you haven;t considered them. Can load up to about 1200fps, (so they say)
I have shot a bullet into a durt bank & examined it..the polymer coat remains attached to the bullet, even if the bullet deforms.
I know Federal is now loading some of their ammo with their own polymer coated bills.
I will add that there is no smoke (from bullet lube) and NO leading (@ all! ) in the barrel when shooting these polymer bullets.
 

CECannonJr

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Well, I say if you've managed to get the equipment you needed, and components to load, you're doing very well, in these times.
Congratulations on being able to pull that off. as far as, " I've intentionally avoided keeping up with it".. that's probably a good idea.. for now, anyway.

Though I have both a single stage & a progressive ( Dillon 450) .. I too have slowed my loading process, considerably.
I'll load 100 rds, maybe 200-300, if I've got a lot of cases I want to load. I have used (in the past) lead bullets, almost exclusively.
Due to several factors..
1) I usually load pistol ammo to < 1,000 fps,
2) cost of projectiles.
3. why load fmj or jhp pills to punch holes in paper ? Didn't make sense to me.
Several yrs. ago, I read about , then tried polymer coated bullets.
I only buy bullets that use the HyTek coatings..(as It'd been in use for > 20yrs.
Some coat their bullets with powdercoating..which I believe would be harmful to a barrel. HyTek coatings use a lube to prevent bore wear.
I've used Falcon brand (not in business anymore) Bayou Bullets ( was my usual place to order, after Falcon closed.
Recently read about & tried DG Bullets.. Last 2 orders placed with Bayou took > 5 mos. to ship. They've got a huge backlog or orders.
Recently tried DG, and they shipped my order in < a week! Seem to be good bullets, too..but they have a limited inventory.
Not as many bullet weights / shapes per caliber, and only ltd. cals. are available. ( no 380's)

Just wanted to suggest trying polymer coated bullets, if you haven;t considered them. Can load up to about 1200fps, (so they say)
I have shot a bullet into a durt bank & examined it..the polymer coat remains attached to the bullet, even if the bullet deforms.
I know Federal is now loading some of their ammo with their own polymer coated bills.
I will add that there is no smoke (from bullet lube) and NO leading (@ all! ) in the barrel when shooting these polymer bullets.
Thanks for that. Buying polymer coated bullets may be the way to go for me too. It would definitely be easier. I see others who have concerns about powder coating being harmful to barrels. What makes it harmful?

I really enjoy reading all of your posts and I appreciate your willingness to share your reloading experience. Thanks!
 

joepistol

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You're welcome. True powder coat is a very hard coating.
I had my Harley tanks & fenders powder coated, back in the early 80's.
The color faded over time, but it hasn't cracked or chipped.
I would think pushing a bullet with powder coat down a barrel would (?) could (?) be very abrasive to the bore.
I read a lot about the Hytek coating, & was intrigued by the fact that they reported their formula has a lube included.
A lot of the competitive shooters @ my club use Bayou bullets, and they shoot....a lot.
Have not heard of anyone wearing out a barrel by using the Hytek coated bullets, but I haven't heard of anyone
that's been powdercoating their bullets wearing out a barrel either. Maybe , with X ? # of rds. fired ?
My local gun forum has a number of "bullet casters" that use Harbor Freight powder coat, to coat their bullets.
It may do no harm, but at the moderate cost of Hytek coated bullets, I figure, why risk wearing out a barrel by using a cheap coating ?
 

CECannonJr

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You're welcome. True powder coat is a very hard coating.
I had my Harley tanks & fenders powder coated, back in the early 80's.
The color faded over time, but it hasn't cracked or chipped.
I would think pushing a bullet with powder coat down a barrel would (?) could (?) be very abrasive to the bore.
I read a lot about the Hytek coating, & was intrigued by the fact that they reported their formula has a lube included.
A lot of the competitive shooters @ my club use Bayou bullets, and they shoot....a lot.
Have not heard of anyone wearing out a barrel by using the Hytek coated bullets, but I haven't heard of anyone
that's been powdercoating their bullets wearing out a barrel either. Maybe , with X ? # of rds. fired ?
My local gun forum has a number of "bullet casters" that use Harbor Freight powder coat, to coat their bullets.
It may do no harm, but at the moderate cost of Hytek coated bullets, I figure, why risk wearing out a barrel by using a cheap coating ?
I agree with you. Powder coating seems like a lot of work and it's time consuming too. I took a look at the DG Bullets site. I think they'll have a new customer.
 

switchback

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Another fan of Lee dies here, work very well in my RCBS press. And I also use RCBS hand primer over bench setup, easy and I can move setup around. Added the Lee FCD to all my pistol die sets, yes another step, but I'm all about the best quality ammo and not necessarily the fastest to completion.

As far as extra steps, after deprime and sizing, I was my brass in hot water with dawn dishsoap and a splash of CLP. After very thorough rinsing , its laid out to dry well prior to use.

Been considering using the "pins" for tumbling. Have used organic media but always looking for best alternatives. Will the pins work in a vibratory type tumbler?

Great thread, encouraging. I need to get back to the loading bench. Thanks for the bump to get going

Stay safe, stay aware, its truly nuts out there
 

1Sgt_Jerry

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If I can interject a bit. Cured powder coating is hard. I dont think hard enough to affect a gun barrel much.

Where it could be affected is possible abrasiveness. Pigments and some other ingredients may be a bit abrasive. I can't tell you what they are exactly, as a technician, I don't know. The only way to know is through full disclosure. Only provided to customers who request it and sign a NDA.

I do know that un cured material is somewhat abrasive. This is indicated by the excerpt below. Please bear in mind that water in a river over a rock will erode the rock over time.

Coatings like Hi Tec should be less abrasive I would think?

The most common wear part is the venturi sleeve. This is the white plastic nozzle that the hose assembly hooks up to on the powder pump. The sleeve takes the powder and condenses it for travel up the hose to the gun. It accelerates the powder by condensing the volume of air, so the sleeve naturally gets hit with pressurized particles. The wear from the propelled powder hollows out the tube and sometimes cuts grooves into the sleeve.

A lot of us have probly shot both powder and a Hi Tec type coating. We may as well throw in jacketed, and the one I think is at the top of the bad list, Bi-Metal.

This generates more questions about variables and data than is feasible to discuss intelligently without judicious testing.

Here is my offer. Send me 20k powder coated 9mm and 20k Hi Tec type coated 9mm. I have a new wolf 9mm bbl for my G22 and will buy a second. I can establish an accuracy base line with factory jacketed ammo before and after the 20k to evaluate potential wear side by side.

I can't assume the same for everyone, but I don't shoot any one gun enough for it to matter. Plus I'm getting up there in years. I'm not going to wear anything out. I'll shoot what I can get, afford and enjoy.
 

joepistol

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This made me laugh out loud. :...

" I don't shoot any one gun enough for it to matter. Plus I'm getting up there in years. I'm not going to wear anything out."

Only because it is SO true.

I'll admit it, I'm overly cautious about my firearms..
I clean them too often, try new cleaners & lubes, handle them carefully, keep them locked away,
and transport them inside soft cases, within a hand-made sleeve- made by my wife, from an old, soft blanket.

I've owned old coins, fresh new Krugerrands, .. but consider my handguns my real "precious metals":)
 
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