Advice on Reloading

[spandexlurch]

I'm seriously considering using some of my government "stimulus" refund to either buy ammo, an optic for my AR or to try and get into reloading. My primary interest in reloading would be 9mm, 45 ACP, and .223/5.56. I'd probably want to start with 45 as I don't have much in the way of that caliber and would want to stock up. Does anyone have any tips/tricks, or advice on how I could get started into reloading, i.e. tools needed, books, or sources for supplies? I work with a guy that reloads and he was giving me recommendations on a press but I'm also trying to be cost efficient and not go hog wild right off the bat. Maybe looking to spend $400-$500 to get started, if that is even possible. Have to approve everything with the wife and she is a really hard sell when it comes to spending money, especially larger amounts of money. Thank you all in advance.

[Driswalds]

Buy a good reloading manual. Hornady or Lyman are good.
Dont go out and buy a progressive. Start out with a RCBS or Lee single stage press kit.
A digital scale as a add on to the press kit is a must have.

[cephas]

Some good people here with ideas: http://forum.pafoa.org/forumdisplay.php?f=25
Listed in the firearms discussion section.
53 pages of advice to start with in the stickies: http://forum.pafoa.org/showthread.php?t=40420

[spandexlurch]

Some good people here with ideas: http://forum.pafoa.org/forumdisplay.php?f=25
Listed in the firearms discussion section.
53 pages of advice to start with in the stickies: http://forum.pafoa.org/showthread.php?t=40420

My bad, guess I was being a little lazy and didn't look in that area.

[oldengineer]

If you have a lot of time to spend you can probably get a single stage press and get in for $500 but my .02 would be to sweet talk the wife into like $2000 and get a Dillon RL550 or equivalent and going from there. Die sets, caliber conversion kits, scales, case gauges ,micrometers, case prep, and case cleaning stuff adds up quickly.

[Walleye Hunter]

I am just one step ahead of you in this process. I've been accumulating the tools to do this for a while and I'm there. I bought a used Dillon 550 and am not sorry about it. It came with four caliber change kits, which alone are worth what I paid for it. If you buy new you have to piece all of that stuff together.

[scott125]

Search the classified ads on here. Seen a few very fairly priced packaged deals over the past few months. The ones I saw had everything you need to get started.

[Yoder]

Everyone says start on a single stage press. If you plan on loading large quantities on pistol ammunition you will want to kill yourself doing it on a single stage.

[God's Country]

I'm going to say now is not the time. Everything is scarce. If you find some stuff at a good price and want to begin collecting that's fine, but understand it may take a couple years unless you spend a lot of $$. You may find a RCBS kit in stock for $400, but I doubt it. Good luck finding pistol primers, or powder that isn't way over priced, and the moment it's stock somewhere at a fair price it will be gone in 15 minutes. If you truly need ammo I would be scouring looking for reasonable deals and stock up where you can. If you're GTG then go with plan A with the understanding it will take a long while to accumulate enough to do more than small quantities.

ETA: If you even remotely want to consider progressive, and Dillon is interesting Dillon dies are pricey and have a different thread. So don't purchase a bunch RCBS dies thinking they're going to be useful on that pretty dillon for $500.

[Gunsnwater]

If you have a lot of time to spend you can probably get a single stage press and get in for $500 but my .02 would be to sweet talk the wife into like $2000 and get a Dillon RL550 or equivalent and going from there. Die sets, caliber conversion kits, scales, case gauges ,micrometers, case prep, and case cleaning stuff adds up quickly.

650. 550 is hand turned (indexed). 650 with case feeder is pure joy. I will have the bullet feeder one day.

The square deal will get you the 45 and 9 but the drawl back is it doesn't use standard die sets and isn't going to do those 556.
However is a used deal on one should present it's self you could not have a better entry.

Single stage is laborious but does have it's place. Not everything can be done on progressive presses.