OCD is a very strong trait in a reloader.
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Advice for novice. (Getting started)
- Thread starter DrManhattan
- Start date
Are you looking for acccuracy or just plinking? I would scrap the progressive and start with a single first. That will be cheaper in the beginning and a whole lot less mind numbing. Then when you get knowledgeable and comfortable you can sell your single stage on here and get as fancy a progressive as you want.
Reloading takes a crap ton of focus and repetition. I tried to start on a progressive and it was frustrating to the point it was aggravating. Just putting the thing together takes an Act of Congress. With a single stage you learn the process and why. After months of reloading on an RCBS Rock Chucker I know feel I would be comfortable moving to a progressive but I am more interested in accuracy and don't think it would benefit me personally. You will also spend a small fortune on this hobby.
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Reloading takes a crap ton of focus and repetition. I tried to start on a progressive and it was frustrating to the point it was aggravating. Just putting the thing together takes an Act of Congress. With a single stage you learn the process and why. After months of reloading on an RCBS Rock Chucker I know feel I would be comfortable moving to a progressive but I am more interested in accuracy and don't think it would benefit me personally. You will also spend a small fortune on this hobby.
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Thank you very much for all the thoughtful replies. I just received the Second Edition Modern Reloading from a recommendation and will be diving into it after Easter.
Initially I was looking at this to be an option to churn out lots of training ammo in 9mm and 5.56 but I think after listening to everyone a progressive will be an upgrade in the future. I do like the idea of testing my specific loads to see what my rifles like. That being said it seems the single stage is probably the more prudent first step and will last for precision reloading when I do dive into progressive for volume.
Re personality, I do have a touch of OCD and am very detailed oriented. I also do not touch alcohol or other mind altering substances.
Thank you everyone I have spoke to a couple members in PMs and will follow up once I have time to get through a couple manuals and develop a "buy list" hopefully by that point the world will have calmed down a bit.
Initially I was looking at this to be an option to churn out lots of training ammo in 9mm and 5.56 but I think after listening to everyone a progressive will be an upgrade in the future. I do like the idea of testing my specific loads to see what my rifles like. That being said it seems the single stage is probably the more prudent first step and will last for precision reloading when I do dive into progressive for volume.
Re personality, I do have a touch of OCD and am very detailed oriented. I also do not touch alcohol or other mind altering substances.
Thank you everyone I have spoke to a couple members in PMs and will follow up once I have time to get through a couple manuals and develop a "buy list" hopefully by that point the world will have calmed down a bit.
keep in mind i can load(from prepped and primed brass) 100 rounds of .223 on a single stage press in an hour easy.
find someone to show you how to reload. learn the ropes on a single stage press first before moving on.
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The Lee manual is a good one. RCBS and Lyman are also very good additions to the collection and offer additional insights and advice on reloading.
Sounds like the right path.
I do mainly rifle ammo right now.
I like my single stage. I like being able to handle each case and make sure it feels right. If you have incipient case head failure, you will likely feel it before you see it.
Most folks I know who have progressives set them up single stage for rifle ammo.
One day, I might get a progressive for pistol ammo (case failure with 9mm and 45 is pretty much not a thing.) Pressures are just a lot lower. Brass doesn't get worked very hard.
One side note-if you load .40, be extra careful. That round works the brass real hard. It's an exception vs most pistol rounds. Especially if you shoot Glocks with factory barrels. That .40 will leave a little 'smile' at the bottom and you will need to get a special resizing die to take it out. You will see all kinds of pressure signs in a 40 that you never would in most pistol rounds. I know the gun is designed for it, but that brass is getting worked hard. I wouldn't reload it more than a couple times. (Lone wolf does make a barrel which won't produce that 'smile.' Might be worth looking into if you like the round.)
I know some people love .40, but it ain't for me. It's essentially a super-hot 9mm. Recoil is very quick and I don't shoot it well. I mainly dislike what it does to brass. I definitely would learn the ropes on a forgiving round like 45 acp before I screwed with 40. It's different from other pistol rounds. Much closer to the edge.
great advice! But im guilty of drinking a beer when im on the press. I will only have one though. I have been loading a VERY long time though and I can “feel” something when its “off” in the handle. Limit distractions and get your muscle memory down. ALWAYS look at powder charge that was dropped into case EVERY round. It becomes muscle memory after a while.
Go ahead and start off with the Lee Classic Turret press. Put it in single stage mode for your first few months till you get the hang/feel of each stage. ONCE you are comfortable with each stage put the indexing rod in and SLOWLY start producing one round with four pulls of the handle. I started with a Lee single stage press then the classic turret.
