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February 14, 2019
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I am really thinking about starting to reload my ammo. I know what press I want, I am just trying to find everything to get started. I am trying to build a list, but I might be forgetting something. Here is what I am looking at.
dillon xl750
resizing dies
case feeder
bullet feeder, will probably wait for now
good scale
reloading books
Maybe a strong mount
caliber conversion kit
then I would need a brass tumbler
primers
powder
bullets
i might start with 44, but will also want to do 357 and 38 special and 9mm. I am probably forgetting something. I have watched about 4 hours of videos and read quite a lot on it so far, but it is all new information so only part of it has stuck so far.
February 21, 2011
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Start with SMALL 10/12 round batches.
Read to the point you understand them before even loading one.
Go one setup at a time till you become a little experienced.
Have fun & forget about "Saving Money", you wont, but you will shewt more.
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
Dans Club
February 24, 2013
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You’ll probably also need:
1. 5 gallon bucket and a sifter to separate tumbled brass from the media.
2. Corn cob media and an additive like Flitz media additive.
3. Primer flipping tray
4. Impact bullet puller
5. Timer to auto shut off tumbler
I’ve had a hard time finding large and small pistol primers for a fair price for a year now. Finally found gun powder (Hogdgon Tite Group) recently for fair price.
I’m still fairly new to reloading myself. So far I’ve loaded 3K rounds 9mm 115gr jacketed round nose. I’m gonna also do 45ACP, 45LC, 44 mag, 357 mag, and 38spl.
August 8, 2016
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I started out with a Hornady LNL AP progressive press back in 2013 - I bought it a couple days after Sandy Hook...
I shoot a ton of 357 mag and the best value on jacketed soft points are the Zero brand bullets from Rozedist.com. I've been buying them since 2013 and just last week they raised the price by about $15-$20 per 1k for the first time. Not the end of the world.
Good luck finding a quality 158 gr JSP for 12 cents each SHIPPED.
Roze Distribution: 38 Special (.357 Diameter) - 158 GR JSP $ per 1000
They make a 44 cal 240 gr JSP but they've been sold out for almost 2 years now. They do allow you to call and place a backorder on them though. 15 cents for those. Glad I bought a bunch of them before they went OOS - at that time they were 13 cents. That really helped drive down the cost of reloading 44 mag.
August 8, 2016
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If you want to stand a chance of scoring primers and hard to find powders online, join the reloading server on Discord. People post in stock items and you get alerts. Here's an invite:
Go to the sidebar and click on "notification-selection" and choose what you want to be notified for. Also make sure to select a state channel and/or press brand, to show that you're somewhat active on the server and not a bot. Otherwise the mods will delete you within a week or so.
Another good option is getting on the shootbot email list. You get email alerts.
I've scored cases and cases of primers over the last couple years because of these apps/servers. I did stock up on primers before the STHF so I'm set on primers for at least the next 4 years or so.
August 8, 2016
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I think the case feeder is a waste of money unless you shoot A LOT. I shoot USPSA/IDPA and average at most like 8k rounds of 9mm per year. I don't use a case feeder or bullet feeder. I can do about 300-400 rounds per hour on my Hornady LNL AP.
August 8, 2016
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Also Starline Brass is now accepting backorders on their 357 mag brass - if you need any. They do this every couple weeks. Basically the backorder means they'll ship your order within a couple weeks.
357 Mag Brass - Magnum Small Pistol - Brass Cases (starlinebrass.com)
Dans Club
February 24, 2013
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Great info there Andrew! I’m gonna sign up on both Discord and ShootingBot.
I bought my Dillon from a friend and with it I got 5K small pistol primers, 1K large pistol primers and 4 lbs of gun powder. I still have a lot left of each left, but want to get more so I never run out anytime soon.
August 8, 2016
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Powdervalley has 8 pound jugs of 2400 powder in stock. This is my go to magnum powder. I get crazy accuracy with this powder under the 158 gr JSPs linked above. 👌🏻👌🏻
https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/product/alliant-2400/
need to play the refresh game.
also Natchez has magnum SPP in stock
https://www.natchezss.com/cci-standard-primers-550-mag-small-pistol.html
Dans Club
February 24, 2013
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Holy cow that Discord is not what I was expecting. But, I really like it!!! It’s kinda like Facebook in that it’s a social media platform, but way better cuz nobody’s controlling the dialogue via “fact checking” (aka censorship). I quit both YouTube & FB 1.5 years ago for this reason.
June 8, 2009
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I don't know anything about Dillion presses. I have used a Rock Chucker since the '70s so some things may not be needed.
A good scale to check weights.
A good measuring device for measuring lengths.
I use a separate depriming die so I can deprime and clean the cases before they go into my dies.
I seat bullets and crimp in 2 steps. I like the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp dies for crimping handgun rounds.
Once you get the hang of handloading, consider bullet casting if you can get lead somewhere. .44, .38, and .357 (maybe use the same bullet for the .38) are very easy to make.
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