Hi Guy’s, I’m looking at getting in to hand loading. I guess with the amount of hand loading I will be doing I will only need a basic setup. I have die’s (.223), primer pocket cleaner, lube pad and deburring tool. Now I need to get a press, scales, case trimmer etc.
What brand should I buy, should I buy here or overseas? Any advice on what I should purchase would be appreciated.
Regards, Tempo
Advice required for hand loading equipment
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zzsstt
Depending on how fussy you are, how accurate you want to be and how much you have to spend, there's a lot of choice! Buying heavy objects like a press from overseas may cost a fair amount in freight, so check that out first.
I have a Redding T-7 turret press. It's by no means the cheapest, and probably not the most accurate - though it's the only turret press recommended by Sinclair International, so it can't be all that bad. The big advantage is that I can have 7 dies (or other press fitments) available at the same time. I can seat a bullet and instantly switch to a Redding Instant Indicator to see the actual seating depth, or I can bump a case shoulder and check the headspace. I find this a great time saver when adjusting dies or experimenting. Or you could have two entire 3 die sets mounted all the time, if you reload for two calibres. You can also buy additional "heads", so if you have multiple calibres you can have all your dies mounted and swap an entire set (with no adjustments to make or check) very quickly. I think it's a great bit of equipment. If you don't need or want the flexibility, most of the single die presses available are OK for reloading .223, but if you think you might ever want to do any case forming or other work that puts high loads on the press you might consider one of the beefier (thus more expensive) units.
I'd get electronic scales if the budget will stretch, I find them easier and quicker to use. I guess all case trimmers do the same job. Some are more accurate and adjustable, but these then take longer to use. Possum Hollow make a "Quik trimmer" that looks like it would do a reasonable and very quick job, though I've never even seen one.
My own advice would be to forget the lube pad and buy a can of Hornady One Shot spray lube. Put all your cases in a rack, give them a quick spray and they're ready, no mess and no fuss.
I have a Redding T-7 turret press. It's by no means the cheapest, and probably not the most accurate - though it's the only turret press recommended by Sinclair International, so it can't be all that bad. The big advantage is that I can have 7 dies (or other press fitments) available at the same time. I can seat a bullet and instantly switch to a Redding Instant Indicator to see the actual seating depth, or I can bump a case shoulder and check the headspace. I find this a great time saver when adjusting dies or experimenting. Or you could have two entire 3 die sets mounted all the time, if you reload for two calibres. You can also buy additional "heads", so if you have multiple calibres you can have all your dies mounted and swap an entire set (with no adjustments to make or check) very quickly. I think it's a great bit of equipment. If you don't need or want the flexibility, most of the single die presses available are OK for reloading .223, but if you think you might ever want to do any case forming or other work that puts high loads on the press you might consider one of the beefier (thus more expensive) units.
I'd get electronic scales if the budget will stretch, I find them easier and quicker to use. I guess all case trimmers do the same job. Some are more accurate and adjustable, but these then take longer to use. Possum Hollow make a "Quik trimmer" that looks like it would do a reasonable and very quick job, though I've never even seen one.
My own advice would be to forget the lube pad and buy a can of Hornady One Shot spray lube. Put all your cases in a rack, give them a quick spray and they're ready, no mess and no fuss.
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ogre6br
- 300 Win Mag
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lube- forget it- go to the chemist and get some wool fat anhydrous B.P- just a little goes a long way
a 5 C pice in you palms and rub them together till it warms up and then just roll 3 or 4 or 5 cases at a time back and fowards between your palms to lube them.
equipment- press, dies (you have), shell holder, scale and powder dribbler
I like using the Lee hand primer but you can prime on the press if you want to and for 1 cartridge it would be easier.
with the scale you can make up a scoop from a cut down case of the one you are going to re-load that is quite accurate in reguard to powder measured.
cut the case to suit your load and it speeds up reloading as it gets you close to you desired weight straight up.
Scoop the powder into the scale and dribble up to weight with the powder dribbler
later
p
a 5 C pice in you palms and rub them together till it warms up and then just roll 3 or 4 or 5 cases at a time back and fowards between your palms to lube them.
equipment- press, dies (you have), shell holder, scale and powder dribbler
I like using the Lee hand primer but you can prime on the press if you want to and for 1 cartridge it would be easier.
with the scale you can make up a scoop from a cut down case of the one you are going to re-load that is quite accurate in reguard to powder measured.
cut the case to suit your load and it speeds up reloading as it gets you close to you desired weight straight up.
Scoop the powder into the scale and dribble up to weight with the powder dribbler
later
p
Or better still get a can of hornady one shot lube, as slick as pig shit and 3 seconds to lube 50 cases in a loading block and doesnt leave a greasy residue. Well worth the dollars IMO and ive even got rid of the lube pad.ogre6br wrote:lube- forget it- go to the chemist and get some wool fat anhydrous B.P- just a little goes a long way
a 5 C pice in you palms and rub them together till it warms up and then just roll 3 or 4 or 5 cases at a time back and fowards between your palms to lube them.
I have recently conducted a road test when full length resizing (.308 Winchester) with the Hornady 'One Shot' Lube, Selley's 'Easy Glide' (which seems to be a very similar product to the One Shot, but much cheaper and you can buy it at Bunnings) and the Anhydrous wool fat.MODEL70 wrote:Or better still get a can of hornady one shot lube, as slick as pig shit and 3 seconds to lube 50 cases in a loading block and doesnt leave a greasy residue. Well worth the dollars IMO and ive even got rid of the lube pad.ogre6br wrote:lube- forget it- go to the chemist and get some wool fat anhydrous B.P- just a little goes a long way
a 5 C pice in you palms and rub them together till it warms up and then just roll 3 or 4 or 5 cases at a time back and fowards between your palms to lube them.
Result....wool fat wins by a country mile. Why? You never have any failures.
If you are only necking the cases, One Shot and Easy Glide are good.
Regards,
Lindsay.
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prodj1000@hotmail.com
go to the Sinclair internet site for a look, cheap there and even cheaper if you get it shipped over, other places to buy from is the VRA and SA rifle club.
RCBS is a good brand and lyman. flash hole dburing tool is worth having as well.
it would be worth posting an add hear to see if tou can get anything second hand
RCBS is a good brand and lyman. flash hole dburing tool is worth having as well.
it would be worth posting an add hear to see if tou can get anything second hand