Shiloh Rifle Forums

Think of it an invasion of space.

If you build your own building, it stops the alien invasion..

Well I guess a loading bench can serve another purpose if said alien is willing!

I have a 12x12 shootin shak in the woods 100 yards from my house. Jeanne has a "Bitch Barn" log cabin in the woods 100 yards from both, the shootin shak and the main house. That works out very well for both of us.

Bought a nice clean barely used RCBS Rockchucker at a gunshow 2 weekends ago for $45. At the show I saw scales, measures,dies,trimmers, chamfering tools hell everything one needs to load ammo some of it with real reasonable prices compared to new and unavailable or even new and available. Going to take some of you
guys awhile to figure out if you want to keep shooting you need to see to your component and ammo supply from a-z rfn. I mean every damn thing you need to make your own. Voting incorrectly against someone because his manner offends you has consequences. The op asked for opinions and I just gave him better advice for free than anyone else has. Bobw

I use the Lee classic turret 4 hole press mainly because of the quick change tool heads and good price. I use it as a single-stage. It works for what I need it for loading my 45-110 and 45-70. I got tired of changing dies in my older Hornady single die press.

I remember when I started reloading. All I wanted to do was reload my empty shells for my .22 Hornet. Ah, the innocence of Youth!

I would imagine most people start out that way. Then they figure, ‘Hey, I know how to reload; I always wanted a gun in that other caliber...’ and soon the reloading becomes a supplemental hobby in itself.

Here’s my advice: start with a good, up-to-date reloading manual. After reading that, start thinking about the prospective reloading setup you contemplate as if you’re thinking about buying a new computer. Think about what you want to do right now, and imagine what you might want to do in the future once you’ve learned how. Whatever you get into, you will need a powder scale; that’s my recommended second purchase.

Short of mass-production for the high-volume shooting in some of the pistol disciplines, a single-stage O frame press with compound leverage is the best general-purpose tool for the reloader, especially if he is just starting out. It slows and separates the processes of sizing, belling, priming, loading and seating so the beginner can concentrate on each of them and develop the muscle memory and habitual routines that facilitate safety and precision. The press itself is a workhorse that will resize, reload and reform cases, size and swage bullets, and basically handle almost every rabbit hole the reloader is likely to want to explore in the future. It will be a long time (maybe never) before such a press becomes unsatisfactory, for whatever reason, and by that time you should be a reloading expert, and fully cognizant of what you want to do next and what you need to do it with.

Get a .45-70 three-die set, with cast bullet expander die and compression die added. (Nothing like finding a real deal in fired cases that don’t fit your gun without full length resizing.) I have mostly RCBS and Redding dies, but also have die sets from most other current and defunct companies. Only a couple haven’t worked as advertised. RCBS will stand behind their products even if you buy them used. Check gun shows and local listings for a press. They are often found rusty and grungy, (and cheep), but I’ve never seen one that is worn out. I’ve got a ridiculous amount of reloading equipment, almost all of it bought used. Most of my reloading has been done on a 1962-vintage Rockchucker, which I gave a while back to a beginning reloader so I could get the 2-A I’d picked up into regular use. Turrets, Co-Ax’s and other machines might have their advantages in one direction or another, but the compound O-frame is what does 90% of my work.

Eventually you’ll need bullet moulds, casting pots, lubrisizer, patch board, etc. But that’s another inquiry.

I have used quite a few presses and by far the best of the lot is the Forster Co-Ax press. It is as precise of any other, but the dies slide into a spring loaded machined recess that allows one to change dies without having to screw the die into a threaded hole. When working up a single load, this saves an enormous amount of time. And yes, the Co-Ax is expensive, but well worth the money, if within your budget.

I started with a RCBS Ammomaster (a little more room for long cartridges than the Rockchucker). My press of choice is a Redding T7 turret for the advantages already post by Don. It is more efficient by far for the loading of 60 cartridges for a Silhouette match. I also have the Shiloh inline press adaptation which give the smallest run out of any press. I use this press for final insertion of the bullet (grease groove or paper patch).

a thing in common with many disciplines is adive for new guys on what is basically necessary.
as the threads develop, it become apparent that you will need a kanworth and a million dollars to get the basics and cart them home
the old dead guys had an awl, a piece of wood with a hole in it, and a bullet mould if they did not buy bullets.
somewhere in the middle is the answer.