Brand new to reloading

[Daks]

OK, gurus, some questions to get me going:

What do you think about the starter RCBS kit in Cabelas, the RC Supreme Master Reloading Kit? It has a press, scale, Uniflow powder measure, hand priming tool, hex key set, case loading block, case lube kit, powder funnel, deburring tool. $260. About all I think I'd need is some sort of tumbler and a set of dies.

What about calipers? Do you need these to set up your dies?

I have a Remington pump rifle and two bolt actions. The pumper is a 35 Whelen and the bolts are a 270 and 30-06. I can use the same family of shell holders. Will I need small base dies for the pumper?

I plan on sticking to the book recipes for reloading. No deviations - I'm not an experimenter. Is reloading basically safe as long as I stick to the book and don't exceed the max's? What IS SAAMI max for my calibers? How do I find this out? If I find a load that is at the max SAAMI pressure for my caliber, is it OK to go with? I mean, as long as I don't go beyond a recipe listed as max SAAMI for my caliber, should I be OK?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[leverfan]

Daks-

Try Midsouth Shooters Supply for that kit.  They have it on sale for $219.99, and shipping might be less, too.  The item # is 044-9357.

www.midsouthshooters.com

It comes with the Speer reloading manual, which is a good one.  I'd also recommend the Lyman #48 manual.  Read the how-to sections completely, not just the load info.  

Yep, you should have a good set of stainless steel calipers.  You shouldn't need small base dies for the pump, which is good, because they can be hard to find in .35 Whelen.

As for pressures, that will be explained in your loading manuals.  Suffice to say, the reliable methods for measuring pressure are not often used by Joe Average Handloader.  You need a pressure gun, or an Oehler Research PBL to really measure pressure.  So, yeah, you rely on the manuals to give you a safe range of loads, but you never trust them completely.  Start well below the maximum charge, and gradually work your way up, keeping a sharp eye for any signs of high pressure.  If your load is giving sticky extraction or some other pressure sign before you reach the published maximum, stop, and reduce the load by a grain or so!  You're at the maximum for your gun.

Whole books have been written about all the nuances of reloading, and your best bet is to start reading them.  Your local library should have the ABCs of Reloading books, read the most recent one available.  Get multiple sources of load info, just to be sure your powder amounts are correct (yeah, they publish mistakes in those books sometimes, so always double or triple reference your loads).  Besides buying lots of loading manuals, most of the powder companies will send you a free loading manual.

In the same vein, never trust reloading data that you read on the internet, unless you can confirm its safety in your own published load manuals.  This is especially important for someone that's just starting out reloading.  You just don't know if the information you're getting is coming out of left field, not until you stick a bullet in your barrel or rupture a case.

Reloading is completely safe, if you do your homework first, and use some common sense.  Have fun, be safe.

[Daks]

Wow!!

Thanks for the in-depth reply!! I very much appreciate the time you took to answer so thoroughly and it looks like I've got some reading to do this winter. I'll pick up that book this week.

And thanks for the tip on the reloading kit. I'll check it out!!

[Reloader]

I've had very good luck with RCBS equipment. A couple of things you might want to consider.

You will need some method to trim your cases as they gain some length in the reloading and shooting process.  My trimmer of choice is the little handheld trimmers made by Lee.  Convenient and easy to use.  I've got a Lyman trimmer that only gets used when I do some odd case that I haven't purchased a Lee trimmer for ie. (my 8 mag) or if for some reason I want to go shorter than the Lee pilot will allow.  The shell holder fits in a cordless drill or screw driver and I generally just dab on a bit of polish after I trim and chamfer the case mouth.  I then spin it in a dry rag to wipe off the polish and give it a nice shine.  Only takes a couple of seconds to do and I can detect defects in the brass by feel that sometimes aren't readily visible.  My tumbler sees very little use.

Keep in mind that I am mostly loading for rifles and do small volumes (20-50) at a single sitting so time isn't that critical to me.

Start slow, read a lot, ask questions.

Good luck!

[stimpylu32]

Daks

The first thing you need to do is get at least one good manual and start reading , This will awnser most of your questions .

You will not need a set of calipers to set up your dies but you will need them for other things , so get a set .

Standard 7/8x14 dies will be fine for all cal. you plan to load .

Most important NEVER start at max loads .

Some guns will not take max pressures , keep that in mind .

If you need anymore help all you need to do is ask.

Something you may want to do is check with your local gun shop to see if there is someone around you that loads and would be willing to help you get started .

Also you may want to look at the LEE kits , some do not like Lee but they have served me well for over 20 + years .

[qajaq59]

The advice you go about reading the entire manual is probably the best advice another reloader can give you.

Keep in mind that it will be rare that the max load will be the most accurate. Begin with the starter load in the manual and just work your way up. Along the way you will find the best load.

[870 expressmag]

i am very new to reloading..being on a budget i purchased the lee anniversary kit....nice kit...working good on 223..30-06 ..7mm rem mag and 35 rem so far....i did replace the scale with a digital..personal preference..other than that i just added a few gadgets not in the kit...works good for me and the price was right

[leverfan]

i am very new to reloading..being on a budget i purchased the lee anniversary kit....nice kit...working good on 223..30-06 ..7mm rem mag and 35 rem so far....i did replace the scale with a digital..personal preference..other than that i just added a few gadgets not in the kit...works good for me and the price was right

That's the same kit I started with, several years ago.  It's a good choice for someone starting out, and the price is right.  Midway and Midsouth are both good places to look for that kit, too.  

Now, my Lee press is mounted on a portable stand for doing small jobs at the range and such, and a Redding T-7 is my main press.  I also upgraded from the Lee scale early on, but I went with another brand of  balance scale.

[all4abuck]

What is the best, and mid-range progressive press in your opinion.  I am looking to get a progressive and like to knew what everyone thinks about Dillon, Redding, and other brands.  What model do you recommand for ability to load both rifle and handgun loads, durability, ease of use, and accuracy.

I have not been doing this for a while and just do not know what is available out there.  Any help will be greatly appreciated.