Reloading - What else do I need?
 

I purchased a RL550B and have it sitting on the shelf and now I'm ready to start reloading.

What other things do I need ?

I want have the equipment to reload:

.380 ACP
9mm
45ACP

5.56 NATO
30-06
.308/7.62 ATO
7.62x39

I'm buying the Caliber conversion kits.

What else? What is must have and what would make doing all of this a lot easier?

Lessons from snowman? :p

I don't know a thing about the Dillon presses.

I use a basic Lee single-stage press. None of that fancy stuff.

Red Beard, does your set up seat the primers or do you need a separate tool for that? I have an awesome RCBS primer tool.

Can I say I don't know?

Do you have the proper dies?

You'll need neck sizer/decapper, powder-through expander, and seating dies for the pistol cartridges.

You'll need a body sizer, neck sizer/decapper, powder, seating, and crimp dies for rifle cartridges.

You'll need a scale.

You'll need a caliper.

You'll need a case trimmer.

You'll need a case tumbler.

You'll need a media separator.

Case vibrator / tumbler the machine runs smoother & faster with less problems with clean cases. Lube for the bottle neck cases ?

Do you have powder, primers, and bullets?

Do you have reliable formulas for the calibers you want to reload?

Powder and Primers are coming. I'm looking to order bullets next. I want to order the other re-loading parts (Tumbler, media, separator, caliber change kits, etc) before I even attempt to do anything.

how many could you produce in a day?

Go to your local gun store and buy every reloading manual they have. Speer, Lyman, Sierra, Nosler, Hodgen, and anything else they have. If you are only getting one, get the Speer. Read the chapters on reloading techniques and principles. Become absolutely familiar with the mechanics of, and the reasons for, each and every step.

I would suggest shelving the progressive press and getting a good single stage press and attendant dies on which to learn. The progressive does much of it for you, often lulling even experienced hands into a false sense of security. It seems too easy, and attention to detail suffers when each step is not "hands on". I would only break out the progressive equipment when you have become intimately familiar with all of the operations required to reload metallic cartridges. A progressive press is not a beginning reloader's tool.

If you follow Jeff's advice, you can pick up an old single stage RCBS press for around $75 on eBay, learn on it and get your money back out of it. I always found the actual press work to be the smallest part of reloading. Brass cleaning, prep and priming are the time vampires. I found a guy who sold .45ACP SWC in 165 grain. I couldn't find a manual with a powder charge spec. for that, but called around and got a few opinions. Sure was nice to have those loads and you can't buy them anywhere. With a single stage press, you can crank out 300-500 in a busy day. I think when I was doing it, it cut my ammo costs down by 2/3. At that time, .45ACP wasn't too expensive to buy factory loads. I did it mostly for my .44 mag. SWC are the best for shooting paper targets. Looks like a hole puncher.

You need a gun to shoot all those bullets you are going to make.

I'm interested in learning about this also. I now have several "weird" calibers I'd like to be able to reload - the most unusual being 8mmx56r for my Steyr M95. Nobody even makes this stuff - anything you find is either a reload (sometimes modified 7.62x54r cases) or 1930s-era which is expensive (and getting a little old, although a lot of guys still shoot it reliably). I don't really see a downside to being able to reload, especially given where I think ammo prices are heading.

I'll start asking around at local stores about manuals and techniques/theories - this is a subject that I know almost nothing about. Does anyone know of a good class or online educational program that explains the process also?

rb
I have that machine myself, and yes, it seats the primers. I don't know if I would recommend it for a first press, I used a RCBS rock crusher for years.
You might try running single cartridge cases through every stage to get a feel for what's going on at every station. I remember I could feel a split case going through the sizing die with the single stage press, I'm not sure I could with the Dillon because so much is going on. They are a pretty well thought out machine, the '550' is the nominal rounds per hour it can turn out (if there was someone to keep the primer tubes full and keep supplies coming and going).
Jim

I second what Jeff says above. If you are a beginning reloader, DO NOT start out with a 550B. They are fine machines, but you need to learn at a slower pace, so you understand exactly what's happening at each point of the process.

Buy a single stage press, the necessary shellholders, and a hand priming tool. You can resell it later. Read the manuals, I like the speer book especially. Once you learn the basics, you can move up to the dillon. If possible, find an experienced handloader in your area who will mentor you. It will speed the process and help you stay safe.

Starting reloading with a 550B is roughly akin to doing your first DE with a 930 on race slicks, in the wet. It can be done, but the possibility of screwing up is high.

John

Since you have a 550 Dillon, go on their website and they have a video that I believe is free for all 550 owners! It covers everything step by step on the setup and reloading process.

Above comments are good. Go to gun shows or on Ebay for buying the misc stuff. Pick up the tumbling media at the gun shows to save on postage and buy a used tumbler, and get a big one.

Instead of getting a single stage press to learn with, do as Jim mentions above and do it one cartridge at a time, not fill every slot. Deprime each case, then resize and so on to get used to it. The 550 can be used as a single press then as you get used to it start doing more with it.

John[/QUOTE]

That is the most accurate analogy you could come up with. I have done both!
I single stage all my rifle ammo( Bench Rest & Hunting). Progressive all the pistol ammo.I did it the old fashion way one at a time prior to the progressive machine.

I just got into reloading also and there is a significant initial investment, especially considering what ammunition components sell for these days. I'm reloading .223, 9mm, .45ACP and .308 for now. I have a Lyman turret press and a Lyman Challenger 150XL digital scale and a set of digital calipers. I use Lee Carbide dies and I've bought some quality gear through midwayusa.com

I have everything I need, now I just need to get off my butt as well....