Henry Rifle Forums

I’m toying with idea that I should take up reloading for my 45 and 380. Question is it better to buy a kit all put together or should I buy the individual components. I have reloaded shotgun in all gauges but never pistol or rifle. Need some help here.
Thanks Bill

Buy a Dillon.

Just starting myself (for 357 [Henry BBS], 30-30, 308 and 45 ACP. Bought the Hornady Classic Lock N Load Kit "new old stock" on GunBroker for about 50% of retail. Ended up buying an RCBS powder loader/scale, as I didn't care for the "no see-em" die-load approach.

Lots of kits to look at - Lee, Hornady, etc. Seems like you get just about everything (except for the dies, of course) to get you started.

Best advice I got was to go with single stage vs. progressive to begin with. Dig deep on the Reloading Sub forum for lots of info and opinions.

If you don't already have one, get a manual or two and read them. I also recommend starting with a single stage kit. Which color is up to you and your budget. You'll get a lot of suggestions as to what color.

recommending a press is much like recommending a brand of truck .... the bottom line is they will all load bullets but some folks prefer one and others prefer another .... most of us seem to have started with a single stage press that was bought as a kit .... my personal preference is for a RCBS .... I used to suggest starting with one of their kits but I've come to realize that several key items in a starter kit are often upgraded rather quickly .... a balance beam scale is but one example .... for folks who are just getting into reloading I recommend trying to link up with someone who does and watch his operation .... even better if you can spend some time with more than one .... just keep the personal preference in mind

I have only used a LEE PRECISION Breech Lock Challenger Kit (single stage press). I had to buy .357 dies, quick change bushings, and few other tools, but it came with most everything I needed to get started and was comparatively inexpensive. I've been reloading with it for five years and see no reason to change.

Carver wrote:I’m toying with idea that I should take up reloading for my 45 and 380. Question is it better to buy a kit all put together or should I buy the individual components. I have reloaded shotgun in all gauges but never pistol or rifle. Need some help here.
Thanks Bill

What kind of volume are thinking about?
Competition shooting or recreational range shooting?
At some future date might you want to expand into rifle cartridges?

How much are you really going to shoot the 380? Most of the handguns in that caliber are not exactly target pistols. I have reloaded multiple handgun and rifle cartridges since 1969. I think in the 380 just buy some inexpensive full metal jacketed round for practice and box of good stuff to keep at the ready. The .45 A.C.P. is another story but you want to shoot someplace where you can retrieve most of you brass. Use lead bullets in the .45 unless it is a Klock.
. The lead slugs are a lot easier on you barrel. Also get at least two good reloading manuals . One should be The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. A good scale is very important if you like your face and eyes.

You might as well reload cuz my mission is to own all the factory 45 Colt on the planet....

Thats alot of cow punchin RR. Badger might have something to say about that quest.

JEBar wrote:recommending a press is much like recommending a brand of truck .... the bottom line is they will all load bullets but some folks prefer one and others prefer another .... most of us seem to have started with a single stage press that was bought as a kit .... my personal preference is for a RCBS .... I used to suggest starting with one of their kits but I've come to realize that several key items in a starter kit are often upgraded rather quickly .... a balance beam scale is but one example .... for folks who are just getting into reloading I recommend trying to link up with someone who does and watch his operation .... even better if you can spend some time with more than one .... just keep the personal preference in mind

Speakin of trucks I know you are a chevy man have you seen what there going to put out on the street in the HD version?

so, what's going on

https://www.motor1.com/news/285281/2020 ... -hd-debut/

It may appeal to some but Im not one of them

I'm not either .... that would not be a trim package I'd order

What does that have to do with handloading pistol cartridges?

CT_Shooter wrote:I have only used a LEE PRECISION Breech Lock Challenger Kit (single stage press). I had to buy .357 dies, quick change bushings, and few other tools, but it came with most everything I needed to get started and was comparatively inexpensive. I've been reloading with it for five years and see no reason to change.

I also started with Lee equipment 7 yrs. ago. A Breechlock kit. I'm still using it today. I enjoy the process and never felt the need to go faster.

Sorry Travelin. I just thought maybe we needed a new truck to haul all those new reloaded pistol cartridges and loading equipment to the range. I agree with the single stage idea especially for 45 colt. I own several Dillons and the larger pistol cartridges I still load single stage. Matter of fact if I didnt already have these dillons I wouldnt buy one because I just dont do enough volume to warrant it. Carver you might check Craigslist and ebay for used stuff. Also Gunbroker might be someplace to look for starter kits as mentioned there all good. I happen to like Redding and RCBS. But thats just me.

Thanks everyone for the information I’m going try and get together with some people that reload and see if I can come up with a workable plan.

Matter of fact if I didn't already have these dillons I wouldn't buy one because I just don't do enough volume to warrant it.

Probably the most 'prophetic' statement about reloading I have ever read.....

from the mid '60's until a few years ago the only press we used was our RCBS Rock Cruncher ( love that name ) single stage press .... during most of that time our sons and I would spend rainy days working together loading ammo .... for us, it was and still is a fun family activity .... once they moved away from home and had their own families, it became harder and harder for us to work it out .... enter for us the purchase of a Hornady Lock-N-Load press .... we use it for straight wall cases, bottle neck cases are still loaded on the RCBS .... or family enjoys range shooting and burns bunches of bullets in various calibers .... for us, having a progress press has really been a good thing .... this year alone it has been used to load thousands of 44 Mags, over a thousand 357's, I have no clue how many thousands of 9mm's, hundreds and hundreds of 45-70's .... for us, it has been a very worthwhile purchase .... hunting ammo is still loaded on the RCBS