Reccomended setup for someone who wants to load 9mm, 380 and 7.62x39

[BobbyB]

I am a newb, just starting to consider getting into loading and casting so please forgive this question if it is very basic. I don't want to spend a ton but if I can spend 1-200 more and make my life much easier I am willing to do that. Can I get one press and swap out dies or turrets and load the three calibers I mentioned? What tools do you recommend? Thanks.

[BobbyB]

Another question that is probably absurdly newbish I can't seem to find an answer to: does a turret press also size and lube a cast boolit, or do I need a different tool altogether for that? Thanks.

[Bzcraig]

I am a newb, just starting to consider getting into loading and casting so please forgive this question if it is very basic. I don't want to spend a ton but if I can spend 1-200 more and make my life much easier I am willing to do that. Can I get one press and swap out dies or turrets and load the three calibers I mentioned? What tools do you recommend? Thanks.

Before you buy anything spend the next few months reading all you can about casting and reloading, including lots of time on this site, which is, bar none, the best site of its kind on the Internet, both the information it contains and the folks who provide it. Components are still hard to find so you won't be losing time reading. The short answer to your question is yes, with die changes you will be able to use one press for all three calibers. By reading you will be able to decide what equipment best fits your shooting and budget. Be sure to check out the Swapping & Selling forum for some sweet deals along with the vendors here. Welcome aboard!

No, a turret press will not lube & size a Boolit. Only a lubri sizer will do both at one time.

[Randy C]

welcome aboard
YouTube watch http://ultimatereloader.com/2009/07/11/redding-t-7-loading-44-magnum-hd/

[Randy C]

Galvin uses most new presses, watch and learn you will learn the lingo and see how things can be done.
click on Hornady, Redding, Dillon, LEE, RCBS, these are some of the main manufactures sold in stores. It helps to be able to buy local no shipping. Each time you click on a name it will give you different video's for that manufacture to chose from. Lee is in the price range you were talking about.

[jmort]

I would not rush into it as suggested. Check out the Lee Precision Classic Turret while you are at it.

[Copper75]

+1 on reading LOTS before you get started.

It depends on how much you are going to be loading and shooting and how fast you want to load on the equipment. I started out with a RCBS rock chucker before moving up to Dillon progressives. Still use the RCBS for most rifle and two different Dillons for pistol. I shoot lots more pistol than rifle.

You can load everything you asked about on a single stage press and it costs a lot less to change between calibers. Just not as fast to load large volume.
Sizing/lubing will require different equipment even with progressive.

[BobbyB]

A lot of good advice. Thank you.

[garym1a2]

If you are going the Lee push thru sizing and lube technique you can use the lee classic turrent press to size them. I do this all the time. You could even keep a 4 hole turrent filled with 4 sizer dies and keep them organized easy. This is a great press for the beginner that wants to load small to medium volumne of different types. Caliber changes are very fast with it. Cost will not bereak the bank. With a little practice you can load at least 200 round per hour with it. You can also change calibers in only a minute.

Keep in ming the Lee classic cast turrent press is not the same machine as the standard lee turrent press. Its a much better machine. It is also better than all other turrent presses. The next step up from this press is a Dillon 550B.


Another question that is probably absurdly newbish I can't seem to find an answer to: does a turret press also size and lube a cast boolit, or do I need a different tool altogether for that? Thanks.

[Epd230]

Before you buy anything spend the next few months reading all you can about casting and reloading, including lots of time on this site, which is, bar none, the best site of its kind on the Internet, both the information it contains and the folks who provide it. Components are still hard to find so you won't be losing time reading. The short answer to your question is yes, with die changes you will be able to use one press for all three calibers. By reading you will be able to decide what equipment best fits your shooting and budget. Be sure to check out the Swapping & Selling forum for some sweet deals along with the vendors here. Welcome aboard!

No, a turret press will not lube & size a Boolit. Only a lubri sizer will do both at one time.

Can't put it any better than that!

[dverna]

Most important question is how many cartridges a week will you want to shoot and how much time are you willing to put into the task?

You will never go wrong with a good single stage press. You will learn the basics and the ONLY downside is that it is very very slow. Say 50-75 rounds/hr. You will keep it forever - I still have mine and it is over 40 years old.

I load all my rifle ammo on a single stage press.

If you buy one, you will soon want a true progressive press if you shoot much pistol ammo. I think that is the best option. Two presses make sense to me and they are the kind of investment that will last a lifetime with very little maintenance.

[wv109323]

Yes, all modern presses can be changed to different calibers. A shell holder is required for the caliber being loaded. The shell holder could be described as a bushing between the ram and base of the case. All modern dies and presses use the 7/8 X 14 threads.
Lee makes a push through sizer that will allow you to size your bullets with a reloading press. They must be lubed external to the press.
Sizing is more commonly done in a Lubri-sizer that sizes and lubes at the same time.

[USMC87]

Take your time to learn a while, Welcome aboard.

[BobbyB]

The 200 rds an hour sounds good to me that garym1a2 described. Thanks. And thank you for the welcome.

[Nickle]

First off, I reload professionally, own an ammo business. Been reloading in one form or another since before I was 10, and I'm 58 now. It's a passed down family business.

So, I've used a lot of stuff, learned a lot of things.

Now, we've got 2 separate things here. Reloading and boolit casting. Related, yes, but separate processes. Lets keep them apart, as it's easier that way.

Boolit casting, I'll address first, and keep it simple. There's lots of info out there, some good, some not so good. So, who do you listen to? I'll give you the short and sweet answer. Right here is where to get the good info. Read, learn, figure things out and make decisions. You really can't go seriously wrong. FWIW, I'm fond of the Lyman brand here.

Reloading is an area where I really shine.

If you bought it all new, and bought really good stuff, it's a lot of money. So, how do we beat that, yet still have primo equipment?

There's only a few things that definitely should be new. I think a new powder scale and powder measure will suffice. Experienced loaders can make use of a used measure, but new loaders should buy new ones, until they gain experience. It's a case of knowing for sure when one isn't right.

Presses and dies can be used. I do that all the time. I have bought a lot of stuff on eBay. It's usually good, but watch out for fools bidding stuff over it's worth. You can see what it will cost you new, by checking out MidwayUSA and/or Brownells. Check the shipping, and add that to the price, no matter where you buy. That's eBay and the vendor. Amazon is good too. Lots of deals there, especially if it's a "Prime" (potential free shipping) item (and you use Prime).

A key word to bear in mind is RCBS. I haven't seen much of their equipment that isn't right. That said, they aren't always the best, nor the cheapest, nor the best way to go. But, they are always acceptable.

My press suggestion is to buy a used RCBS Rock Chucker, locally or on eBay. Dies, same thing. Straight pistol cases, buy carbide sets. Only the sizer will be (or need be) carbide.

Case trimmer, I suggest Forster. I use and like them. Lee is OK. Cheap and slower than death. Really only need them for rifle calibers.

Do make sure to buy a decent 1 inch micrometer, and a 6 inch dial caliper. They are invaluable.

Avoid a progressive press initially. You learn more with the single stage for one, and even if you buy a progressive, you'll still want to have the single stage for some work.

I use some Lee products, and sometimes, they are the best thing out there. You should buy a deprimming (or decapping) die. Buy that new, if you can. A Lee hand primmer does an excellent job too. Benchrest competition shooters have used them a lot. Both these are fairly cheap to buy new, so I would (and I do).

Progressive equipment, I'm partial to Dillon. I use mine a fair amount. BUT, as I said, that comes later.

Now, the most important thing is to not be afraid to read here, learn here and definitely ask questions here. The ONLY dumb questions are, 1. one you already know the answer to, and aren't just making sure, and 2. the one you don't ask. You avoid those 2 situations, you'll be OK.

And, feel free to send some folks a PM to ask a question. We don't bite. We will help. What's in it for us? We keep the knowledge alive. We've been in your shoes before. We're all family here, and family helps each other.

[joec]

I have two presses the Lee Classic Turret and Lee Classic Cast. Now I load 9mm, 45 ACP, 454 Casull, 45-70 government on the Lee Classic Turret. Now the Lee Classic Cast I use for sizing and lubing, Lee Quick sizing dies for brass, bulge buster die from Lee for 45 ACP, RCBS Cowboy dies to load Magtech brass shot shells and with a universal decapping die so I can deprime before cleaning my brass. Now my setup of dies is Lee 4 die sets for 9mm and 45 ACP. Now the 454 Casull I use a Lee 3 die set with a Lyman M die and final crimp with a Redding profile die. 45 Colt and 45-70 are Lee sizing and powder through and RCBS Cowboy bullet seating/crimp and expander die. I use the Lee Pro Disk for all but the 45-70 and there I use the Lee Perfect Powder measure mounted on the Lee powder through expander die as it meters the stick powders better than the Pro disk system.

I spent some time studying what I needed to load and then compared prices and quality. Later I fine tuned it hence the mixing of dies in some of my setup due to mostly loading cast bullets.

[texassako]

A lot of good points listed above. I especially agree with starting on a single stage, and they are always useful if you go to a progressive. It lends itself well to checking and rechecking what you are doing as you learn. I never did upgrade my press from a Lee Breech Lock Challenger press as I had planned because it works fine even though it is not considered as strong as others. A single stage press is also handy for using the Lee sizing dies, which are about the cheapest way to size boolits.

[odis]

I'm not mentioning brands, I think the O frame single stage press is extremely important. I use a progressive but I also have 2 O frame presses. I would sell my progressive before my O frames.

[KYShooter73]

Get your single stage, shell holder, dies, scale, and tumbler. Then get your progressive after you learn the basics. Nothing wasted that way, because you will always need a single stage to handle odds and ends even after you get a nice progressive press.

[bangerjim]

"This hobby that was going to save me hundreds...................is now costing thousands!"

Once-bitten by the reloading bug, you are hooked.

Even if there is no shortage of food for your guns, it is still fun to smelt, alloy, cast, and reload....not to mention SHOOT! And this site is the best there is on the subject.

bangerjim