I want to start reloading. HELP PLEASE.

[ShooterInPA1]

I am not trying to jump out the gate and sprint. I am fully aware of the dangers in reloading. Plus I am close to owning only 1911's and have only one that cost me under 500. I have been watching videos, doing reading, and I still don't feel confident in attempting my first try by myself. I plan on weighing and carefully inspecting every round before I shoot. Thanks for the warning though. I have got an offer and will be meeting with a gentlemen this weekend to go over the basics and load my first 9mm rounds. I really didn't think 1k in an eight to ten hour period was being to ambitious. I do think 500 an hour is a little to much of a risk that I will never try to accomplish.

For the first 50 or so, that is a great idea. I remember the first time I pulled the trigger on one of my reloads I was nervous as hell. Then it is all fun!

[pensfan76]

I have only been reloading for less then a year, i've learned allot in that time frame and still have a ton to learn. I also remember shooting my first reloaded round, i thought i was gonna ^&%$ a brick while i was pulling the trigger, but when it went bang along with the next 5 rounds and i was still standing, i was like, yeah, i'm da man, i make my own ammo.

Can't reinforce enough, take your your time, mistakes happen when you are not paying attention, and yes your attention will wander while you are doing it. Slow down and enjoy yourself, it's a relaxing hobby once you get everything set up

[reichebrown]

I started on a dillon SDB. A friend of mine brought his SDB to a club Idpa practice one night to show me how it worked. He let me borrow it for a week and I knocked out 2k in a week. I was hooked on a progressive press from the start. At my peak I was shooting about 10k of 9mm a year and the SDB was more than capable to keep up. Recently I bought a die set in 45 and a second tool head and the calliber change does not take too much work. I am in the process right now of getting set up to load .223 on an RCBS rock chucker. I would not suggest a dillon 650 out of the gate. I have been doing pistol rounds on my SDB for several years now and the amount of work needed for a rifle round seems daunting to me. Check out the Brian enos forum. He has an excellent explanation of all the dillon line that he sells and who they are right for. I do not suggest a 650 as your first press though unless you have a friend/support system with experience for help.

[vapochilled]

I started less than a year ago with a Hornady LnL(buy dillon).
A progressive can be used as a single stage very easily, so I don't think the "buy a single stage press" argument holds water.
I typically deprime, then clean the case in an ultrasonic bath, rinse and lay them out to dry, 500+ at a sitting.
Over the next few days as I let them dry, I'll move them about and inspect the cases as I'm doing it.
Once dry, I'll set the press up to prime only, then each case again goes through my fingers and is inspected, before being primed.
Once primed, each case in again checked for primer seating, before going into my "sized,primed and flared" box".
Then, once a load has been worked up, and I have the data from the chrony and targets to back me up, I'll sit down and run the primed cases through again, this time, dropping a charge and seating a bullet. I check every 10-15 cases for powder weight, I also run with a powder cop, which I've "wired" to a flashing red LED if the charge is off. (I also run the LED when priming to tell me if the shuttle is not in the correct position).
Point is, I'm NOT comfortable with the press yet to run it as a full progressive, so I run it as a "semi" single, with all the advantages of a progressive.
I see no reason for any smart person to buy a single stage press at all.
With the right mindset, a progressive is just as safe.
And once I am confident, I'll likely still run it the way I do now, because it eliminates any errors that I may make along the way.
As has been said, speed is not your concern, even doing it my "slow way" I can run out 1000 .45 in a weekend without breaking sweat.
And when I pull that trigger, I'm not thinking will this go bang or BANG!!!

[jd179]

Once you get set up and would like to share k5, let me know. I'm right in northeast Philly and have been wanting to do this for years. Unfortunately, my shooting right now is limited to my funds available for purchasing rounds which is why I am looking to get into it, I'll look forward to hearing from you

[k5blazerobsession]

I want to thank you all for the suggestions. I had my first experience with a progressive press and I have got to say it is not for me. I can see why You all have told me to stay away there is allot going on and things can easly be missed. The powder measure would not stay consistent it kept creeping up. I would have to say just about everything that could have went wrong did with me getting hurt thank god. It did not stop there. While at the range i had undercharged round barely enter the chamber and obstruct the bore. Thank god I only use automatics and it caused a failure and such a dirty casing i took apart my 1911. I am not at all detered from reloading but will be weighing every round. I will be buying the abc's of reloading but wanted to hear your guys suggetions on which manuals you all use and how many different manuals you suggest i cross reference to make sure I am using the correct loads. I want this to be my first and last obstructed bore.

[Sparxfly72]

Squib loads are a wakeup call. Luckily you knew not to rack in another round behind it and fire. I have the ABC's of Reloading and Speer's Reloading manual #13. Lee makes alot of reasonably priced equipment and makes up 90% of my reloading gear. I like my Lee Classic Turret press, and in fact loaded up a cpl hundred 44 magnum rounds earlier today. Consider it another hobby and not a means for cheaper ammo fast and you're headed in the right direction.

[k5blazerobsession]

One more questions What type of powder do you you all suggest?

[Sparxfly72]

For? 45acp? lead bullets or FMJ? There is no one powder for everything. Some powders are good all around powders such as Bullseye, W231/HP38, Unique.

[dkf]

There are a lot of good powders on the market. For a newbie use a "bulky" powder. By bulky powder I mean it fills more than half of the case with the proper powder charge. This makes double charges blatantly obvious. Stay away from a low volume powder like Titegroup or Clays. If you are loading for .45acp take a look at Hodgdon HS-6 to start out with. The HS-6 is a "bulky" powder and has a fairly wide range from min to max. Oh and start out with a jacketed bullet. You don't need to deal with the extra care plated and cast bullets can require as you are getting started.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

The powder measure would not stay consistent it kept creeping up.

Was it a new powder measure? New powder measures can have static which makes the powder cling. A good wash in soapy water and allowed to dry helps. Whipeing it down with a dryer sheet helps too.

When you are setting up the powder measure I found it is best to cycle the press as if you were actually reloading. Dump the first 10-15 powder throws back in the powder bottle before you start weighing charges. Weigh charges until you get a consistent powder drop every time. Take a look at the powder level (to make sure it approx where it should be) in the case before the bullet is put on. As you are loading you will want to weigh the powder after every 5 or 10 rounds since you are just starting out.

It is not hard but there is a learning curve and certain things that can help things go easier.