Just getting started...

[JCN]

I now have an extra garage bay to set up a reloading station. Not quite sure where to start out. Any quick tips for a newbie?

Thinking about reloading 357 and/or my next Henry in 45-70.

[Jdl447]

I started with the breach lock challenger kit from Lee and a three die set in .357 mag.also Lee.
I did get a digital scale to start as the beam scale has a little learning curve at least for me anyway.
May want to look over this forum http://www.lee-loader.com/
Not a lot of members but they really know their stuff.
Good luck.

[Mistered]

You might want to START with a good manual. Unless you know someone who is already set up and reloading regularly you can learn from I cannot stress this enough. Questions on a forum about certain problems or techniques are great once you are up and running but until you are there you need to crack a book. The Speer manuals used to be a go to manual for new reloaders and 'The ABCs of reloading' is a classic standard. One standard word of advice - never ask on a forum ' Does anybody have a load recommendation for caliber X with a X grain bullet' as this will get nearly all reloaders who see responding with 'read your manual' or check the powder mfgs. Website. Waiting on a report of what manual you decide on!

[CT_Shooter]

I started a few years ago with the affordable Lee Breach Lock Challenger kit and their four die set for .357, which also does .38. I have several books now, but started with the Hornady 9th edition handbook, which I highly recommend. Mistered gave good advice when he advised, "NEVER ask on a forum for a recipe." Use published data and you'll be happy.

[JCN]

Thanks guys. I bought the Lees manual about a year ago so I have that as a reference.

[Mistered]

One recommendation I will make is bypass the roll crimp step with most seating dies and get a collet style 'factory crimp' die. While it adds an extra step it saves time by not having to adjust the seating due for a proper roll crimp and the frustration of all your rounds not getting crimped the same due to slight differences in case length. The collet die eliminates this problem. Note - this is only for those calibers that require crimping - such as most straight wall pistol and rifle rounds.

[Squatch]

I too started or kinda restarted hand loading a couple of years back. I purchased an RCBS rock crusher kit and an RCBS vibratory tumbler. My dies are also RCBS. The single stage Rock Crusher kit if very complete for the most part. Nice unit with a good beam scale.

I found a couple of add ons that make a huge difference.

A powder trickler and base. I set up alongside the scale. Many powders don't throw as precise as you might like. Especially when you are starting out. So I set mine a tad light and trickle over the scale pan to get precise measurements. I weigh each charge. Good practice when starting out.

The RCBS powder measure comes with a bracket for the press. I bought a separate stand and prefer that. It also comes set up with the large drum for rifle powder measuring. You will need to change that to the small drum for pistol cartridges and most of what you'll load for a Henry including 45/70.

When ordering dies get carbide when possible. It's worth the extra money to not have to bother with lubing cases. RCBS 45/70 doesn't come in carbide. Most pistol cartridges do.

Along with die sets you will need the shell holders for the press. Get 2 of each. One for the press and one for the priming tool. The kit comes with a hand primer which I really like.

I also bought Lee hand held case trimmers and the wooden ball handle for each caliber. Just like the single stage press. It's simple, slow, easy, and gives the beginner a good feel for the process.

For the tumbler I bought walnut shell lizard bedding from the pet store for media. cheap. It works well. Especially if I add a capfull or 2 of Nu-finish car polish and a cap of mineral spirits. Cut up a dryer sheet and add the pieces to each batch tumbled. This helps keep the media clean.

Several people told me to just go to a top end progressive press like a Dillon. I'm glad I didn't. I don't load high volumes of 9mm or 45 acp. And I think the single stage press goes a long way to learning the process one step at a time. Better safe than sorry. Take your time and go slow. Be deliberate and don't allow distractions when loading. Only have one powder out at any given time. Do one step till you are done then move on to the next step. Safety is the #1 thing to keep in mind through out the process. Double check everything you do then check it again. Especially powder measuring!

Shooting your own good handloads is very satisfying. But it's a patient persons game.

[Mistered]

Several people told me to just go to a top end progressive press like a Dillon. I'm glad I didn't. I don't load high volumes of 9mm or 45 acp. And I think the single stage press goes a long way to learning the process one step at a time

This is better than a tip - it’s great advice - reality being what it is very few shooters really need the capacity of a progressive.
Unfortunately there are a few new reloaders who think they do (or take the advice they do) and get in over their heads and loose interest quickly. Some will load a large amount of one load and not shoot it up for a while or realize it is too involved to create small batches of a load which is considerably easier on single stage. I have bee loading for nearly 40 years and have never needed the capacity of a progressive. Developing a good system of prepping cases in batches goes a long way to being able to turn out fairly large amounts of ammo (or at least as much as an ‘average’ shooter will use on a single stage. Once set up, with prepped cases, I can knock out a couple hundred rounds in a very short amount of time. The only change I have made over the years is adding a Forster CO-AX as my now primary press over my Rockchucker and while faster is still a single stage. Also You tend to see a lot more used progressives up for sale than anything else.

[GaHenryFan]

I have 2 Lee single stage presses now, and I'm thinking of adding another one. I've also added a universal decapping die and a universal neck expanding die. These additions have really sped up my loading process. Watch ebay and you can find great deals on like new equipment.

[Mistered]

A 2nd press is a great addition - but not essential and certainly not for a beginner. Take the time to develop a system to determine if you actually need a 2nd press. And adding a 2nd press is not necessarily meant to speed up your reloading but as convienince to perform certain tasks while freeing up the other for possibly your primary reloading. You are NOT equating ‘progressive’ reloading with two presses and a progressive press is not a replacement for two single stage presses.

[GaHenryFan]

You are NOT equating ‘progressive’ reloading with two presses and a progressive press is not a replacement for two single stage presses.

I didn't say I was trying to equal the speed or complexity of a progressive press. Having 2 single stage presses is VERY convenient, and not difficult to master at all.

[Mistered]

I didn't say I was trying to equal the speed or complexity of a progressive press.

And I didn’t say you were trying to either. If you read my post properly I too was supporting the convienince of having two AND in my final sentence simply trying to ensure a distinction was made that two presses are NOT intended to EQUATE a progressive and vice versa. YOU was a metaphor for any new reloader - not you, GaHenryFan.

[GaHenryFan]

Then I owe you an apology. I started out with one press against the advice of a friend with years of reloading experience. When I finally decided to purchase a second one, I immediately understood why he wanted me to have 2 in the beginning.

[Mistered]

No apology necessary. I still would not advise a new reloader to start with two until he/she got the basics down but I will admit I wish I would have got a 2nd one much sooner than I did.

[GaHenryFan]

Reloading is therapeutic to me. I enjoy the process and the precision of the final product. Even if I needed the capacity of a progressive press, I think it would steal some of joy away.

[Mistered]

I have known far too many people who ‘drank the Kool aid’ and got into a progressive without really realizing what they were doing, much less understanding the idea of a progressive is to load large quantities of ammo for say, heavy competition with a SA rifle or pistol. The average, or even above average shooter (like me) is still far from needing progressive quantities of ammo. Besides like you reloading is a hobby for me and also therapeutic and I agree on loosing the joy of it!

[JCN]

Awesome advice. I'll document my process getting set up in a different thread.

Going to start with buying a work bench for my garage!

Will start with 357 for my GP100 and Henry BBS.

Thank you all for the input.

[Mistered]

Will start with 357 for my GP100 and Henry BBS.

Great 'first' caliber to start with - easy to load and lots of options - and MY favorite round!

[Squatch]

Agree on the 357. Straight wall cases are pretty straight forward to reload. Good way to get your feet wet.

It's nice to be able to just pop out 20 rounds or so and go to the range to test them. it can take a while to find just what you and your gun likes. If those 20 work out well then by all means make 50 or 100 next time!

To me working up pet loads is a big part of hand loading. Nice to save some ammo money. But that's not the primary for me.

Like others have said the precision work and the concentration factor are big pluses as well. Before I retired I worked a multi tasking high stress job for a few years. It took it's toll on my focus. I find handloading has done a lot to get it back. Satisfaction in a job well done is kinda nice too.