Addicting
Well-known member
Mine consist of the Hornday OAL gauges and a harbor freight digital caliper. Lol
Beginner Guide to Reloading - What equipment did you upgrade early on?
- Thread starter gwhunter
- Start date
Again, good information. Not knowing if I should spend hundreds on a caliper set or just get a $10 one at Harbor Freight is worth its weight in RL26.
I've heard good/bad about the Hornady OAL Gauge. Has it worked well for you?
Mallardsx2
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2015
- Messages
- 3,611
Get you one of these an put one on your bench. I have loaded THOUSANDS of shells with mine.
When I got mine, it cost $25....
When I got mine, it cost $25....
Addicting
Well-known member
Hornady measuring tools are a necessity on my bench.Again, good information. Not knowing if I should spend hundreds on a caliper set or just get a $10 one at Harbor Freight is worth its weight in RL26.
I've heard good/bad about the Hornady OAL Gauge. Has it worked well for you?
Just measuring bullet OAL with a digital caliper can have 50 different results in a box of 50 bullets. Those plastic tips are not uniform in length when you’re talking .001 measurements.
The ogive on a bullet is uniform.
I use the gauges to find the lands of the rifle, then set the dies to my desired staring point based on manufacturer’s recommendation.
Shoot 10 rounds over the chronograph at .2 grain increments, find a flat spot in velocity, then load groups of 3 at .030 increments. Whichever shoots best gets tested more thoroughly at distance.
When that process is done I just measure the OAL from the tips as a quality control to make sure nothing has moved.
44hunter45
Well-known member
I have two RC Supremes. Worth it.
millerkiller77
Well-known member
If your loading for precision, I'd say to go with a Forster Coax press and a high quality digital caliper.
ultimatereloader.com
Fourteen Reloading Presses Compared: Single-Stage Shootout – Ultimate Reloader
ultimatereloader.com
Gravelyctry
Well-known member
I did the same thing. I was reading everything I could and watching posts before I started reloading years ago, and I had just about got to the point where I wasn't going to do it. After reading so many posts and seeing so many warnings from internet experts warning about blowing up a gun and significant bodily harm, I had almost decided it wasn't worth it.
But I had started shooting IDPA around the same time, and I was going through ammo fast. Once I started talking to people there that reloaded (especially the less bright ones that were doing it successfully), I basically decided if they could do it, I could do it. I usually stay well within the reloading menus. My IDPA and bullseye pistol loads only have to be able to poke a hole in cardboard/paper, and higher velocity loads aren't the best accuracy either.
The Hornady manual that came with mine was really good at summarizing the different steps. It didn't go down any ratholes or try to sell any extra equipment. Just the basics of the steps you have to go through to make quality shells. There's no need to get wrapped around the axle when it comes to reloading, although its certainly possible.
Buying a reloading manual isn't a bad thing to do either - I know I've got a couple of different volumes of Hornady manuals as well as manuals from Nosler and Sierra.
I think I know where all of my free time this winter will be going when not carting around elementary aged children to all their different events!! Might even be able to get them interested if I can make it interactive enough. That might be worth the cost of the electric powder dispenser by itself!!!
It's going to be learning a new language for me in getting into this... meplat, lands, ogive, oal, coal, fire-formed, neck sizing, etc...!!!!
I think that is where I was at when I couldn't wrap my head around a topic I read with a takeaway that I assumed meant: "if you can't fit the cartridge into your magazine, you will need to seat it deeper" But if you seat the bullet deeper, doesn't that affect how far off the lands the bullet is? How can you adjust seating depth but still maintain distance to the lands??? That really cooked my noodle and I still don't have it figured out...
So how do I evaluate whether or not I would need or just want this over a RCBS?If your loading for precision, I'd say to go with a Forster Coax press and a high quality digital caliper.
Fourteen Reloading Presses Compared: Single-Stage Shootout – Ultimate Reloader
WYWINCHESTER
Active member
RCBS dispenser. Bought the Hornady and traded it in for the RCBS. Reprogramed it to speed up. I have 2 of them now. Saving up for the prize, AMP ANNEALER now. Buy once--cry once.
44hunter45
Well-known member
I use Frankford digitals for COAL and trimmed brass. I use a set of old school micrometers for things like bullet diameters and such.
Don't get a plastic dial caliper. They will fail sooner rather than later.
I don't have a case prep center. That is my choice because I'm retentive and into the process of doing the steps by hand.
Don't waste a pile of money on fancy COAL gauges, watch a video on the "locktight" method. Easy, accurate, and costs virtually nothing.
Get the best dies you can afford. Most of mine for hunting loads are RCBS. I have some Redding dies that are worth every penny.
Get a Lee Factory Crimp die for every caliber you load. Most are less than $20. They are tolerant of case trim length variances and make a better finish round.
Get a stuck case removal tool from RCBS. You will eventually stick a case. Without this tool you will be down until you can get one.
Ditto what others are saying on a digital scale - the full powder dispensing system if you can afford it. These units help you keep a rhythm. Rhythm is everything on the reloading bench.
If you load and shoot 5.56x45mm for 7.62x51mm, get the bench mounted RCBS primer pocket swager. Best damn thing ever invented. Small based dies for both calibers. I like the black box RCBS "AR" dies.
I love the L.E. Wilson cartridge gages. These will save you a lot of do-overs. They also add safety by allowing you to check your finished rounds without chambering them.
You will want a bullet puller for mistakes. I like the RCBS inertial, not the Frankford. The RCBS is one molded unit rather than an aluminum handle molded into the head. This was the old RCBS design, but they break. The new RCBS one does not. DO get Frankford replacement collets for your new design RCBS inertial puller. RCBS come with three or four collet sizes, the Frankford set come with more and you can fit a better variety of cases better. The Frankford work in the RCBS tool. The collets do wear out, have replacements on hand.
I like universal case mouth expanders. These are like a re-sizing die, but only have the expanding ball part. You set the depth to just flare your case mouths a LITTLE BIT to make you bullets fit in easier before seating. It galls me (pun intended) when I see a little arc of copper shaved off my bullet after seating. This prevents that and crushed case mouths. You set it for just enough to make the bullet enter the charged case easily. You set the seating die not to crimp, but just flatten out this flare. Then crimp in a separate step in the LFC (Lee Factory Crimp). This care will save you a lot of head scratching wondering why your groups have fliers.
I use a stainless steel pin tumbler for range pickup brass, a dry media tumbler at several steps in my process.
- A quick clean on already processed brass before it is lubed and sized. (This will keep junk off your lube pad and protect your dies from scratches)
- After sizing and trimming to get the lube off
- All my finished rounds get a tumble to get my skin oils off of them. I wear cotton gloves when putting my finished rounds in boxes. (I imagine some CSI wondering why my ammo has no fingerprints on it.)
Hammer Time! Think more like 3500+ fps
Last edited:
Gravelyctry
Well-known member
The reloading 'recipes' will define the cartridge overall length (COAL) for a specific cartridge and bullet choice. That dimension will be based on SAAMI specs for a standardized cartridge. A cartridge loaded to that length should fit any manufacturer's chamber and fire safely. It should also fit into any standard magazine designed for that cartridge.
The OAL is a variable that can be played with in the reloading process to tailor the load for your specific rifle. You may find a load that shoots best .010 or .020 off the lands. Some will find a load that is actually jammed (into the rifling). It depends what you're looking for and what you're trying to do. For my hunting rifles, I load within SAAMI specs. For competition guns, I'll tailor the load.
Addicting
Well-known member
Depends on how deep in the rabbit hole you want to go?
Most of us think we HAVE to turn a hunting rifle into a F Class bench gun accurate load.
Reality is most of the stuff you read online is for those folks. Same way we argue on here which Hey dudes are best for mountains…. Lol
A hunting load should be under 1 MOA, don’t feel like you have to chase little perfectionist groups. They make great pics, but this group could be much bigger and still kill out to 400.
Potsie
Well-known member
I started with a real basic kit inherited from Grandpa, which worked for a lot of years, until marriage and kids started to eat away all my free time. I'd immediately jump into an electronic powder dispenser/scale combo, and full electronic case prep tool (trim/chamfer/primer pocket all in one.)
The older mechanical powder dispensers work just fine for pistol stuff, but throwing/trickling up for rifle takes a lot longer for a consistent load. Might as well let a machine do the first part for you, at least to get within .1 gr.
And after trimming cases by hand, then wearing out my hands chamfering case mouths and cleaning primer pockets I spent the money on a Frankfurt case prep center. I haven't had it long, so not recommending yet - it has it's foibles, but the time suck is greatly improved.
The older mechanical powder dispensers work just fine for pistol stuff, but throwing/trickling up for rifle takes a lot longer for a consistent load. Might as well let a machine do the first part for you, at least to get within .1 gr.
And after trimming cases by hand, then wearing out my hands chamfering case mouths and cleaning primer pockets I spent the money on a Frankfurt case prep center. I haven't had it long, so not recommending yet - it has it's foibles, but the time suck is greatly improved.
millerkiller77
Well-known member
When I was looking at single stage presses, the build quality and and smooth operation of the co-ax completely justified the $150 higher price than a rock chucker. The co-ax is a higher quality press with tighter tolerances, but there are plenty of satisfied rock chucker users out there. Need vs want is tough to answer, the rcbs will be just fine for your hunting ammunition.
Appreciate that feedback. Like @Addicting was saying, since it's going to be used for hunting purposes I don't need 3 shot groups to fit into a penny (nice shootin by the way!!). Moreso, looking at the buy-once, cry-once type of purchases that will help me over the long term of hopefully the next 30 years of doing this. $150 is doable as a nickel and dime add on. I was hoping to get away with an initial investment of around $2-$3k. Looks like the expensive chronograph and all the extra electronic do-dads and stuff I don't need will be the real killer.
Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. Looks like I've got some searching to do in order to get the best prices. Any websites you guys aware of that sell these components and tools at the cheapest price? Midway? Natchez? Amazon?
Addicting
Well-known member
Buy on a holiday weekend.
Amazon is usually more but the prime shipping may make the difference.
Good luck and when it gets to the: is it the rifle, is it me, or is it the load questioning. It’s good enough to kill an elk, go hunting.
Like others have said, get the Rock Chucker. It's bomb proof.
And another vote for the case prep station. I've got the Lyman and it's worked well for about a decade if not more. No trimming, I still do that manually with an RCBS trimpro.
I'm an analog scale guy. My distrust of electronics isn't great, but I want a manual way to set zero and confirm my scale rather than trust imported, cheap electronics. Trickling the last couple of grains of powder for hunting loads isn't that much effort and I get total control for my OCD, which is only applicable to reloading thanks to a couple of fun charges.
100% get a tumbler. It's about case inspection just as much as it's about appearance and feeding. I've got a Lyman and a Frankford Arsenal. The Lyman is much better quality and has lasted twice as long as the Frankford Arsenal that I've replaced after about 6-8 years.
RCBS & Hornady dies for the mainstream stuff. Redding for competition and Ch4D dies for the obscure stuff.
Imperial sizing wax for case lubrication. The sprays & powders haven't been that good for me. Wax is tactile & I know if I hit each case.
For starting out, focus on the actions rather than the products you use. the Basic Rock Chucker kit has everything you need to get rolling your own and figure out what tools/equipment you don't like as is, or would make the job easier.
Your components are going to be the most important piece. Once you get a load developed you like - stack up on brass, powder, primers and projectiles that make that load.
And another vote for the case prep station. I've got the Lyman and it's worked well for about a decade if not more. No trimming, I still do that manually with an RCBS trimpro.
I'm an analog scale guy. My distrust of electronics isn't great, but I want a manual way to set zero and confirm my scale rather than trust imported, cheap electronics. Trickling the last couple of grains of powder for hunting loads isn't that much effort and I get total control for my OCD, which is only applicable to reloading thanks to a couple of fun charges.
100% get a tumbler. It's about case inspection just as much as it's about appearance and feeding. I've got a Lyman and a Frankford Arsenal. The Lyman is much better quality and has lasted twice as long as the Frankford Arsenal that I've replaced after about 6-8 years.
RCBS & Hornady dies for the mainstream stuff. Redding for competition and Ch4D dies for the obscure stuff.
Imperial sizing wax for case lubrication. The sprays & powders haven't been that good for me. Wax is tactile & I know if I hit each case.
For starting out, focus on the actions rather than the products you use. the Basic Rock Chucker kit has everything you need to get rolling your own and figure out what tools/equipment you don't like as is, or would make the job easier.
Your components are going to be the most important piece. Once you get a load developed you like - stack up on brass, powder, primers and projectiles that make that load.
Caseknife
Well-known member
Midway is great, about all I use. Get a couple reloading manuals and read them a couple times through the process, think I have about 10. Started reloading about 1982 or so. Started with a Lee press, that is now dedicated to a decapping die to keep the dirt centralized. Now use a Hornady press, Rockchuckers are great and easy to find. I am the anomaly, my scale is a RCBS 5-0-5 beam scale that I have had for close to 50 years. I also have electronic scales, but have problems with certain types of powder binding them up. I have the Lee Dipper kit that speeds up the process. I don't look to my reloading room to try to be as fast as possible, but I like to take my time.
DON'T GET DISTRACTED!
DON'T GET DISTRACTED!
