Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

Beginner Guide to Reloading - What equipment did you upgrade early on?

Definitely started way too focused on doing everything perfect. Lots of annealing, some neck turning, over prepping/sorting brass.. Upgraded chargemaster with an autotrickler. Wish I woulda just bought a progressive right off the bat and burned out 223 or 6 br barrels with thrown powder charges rather than dicking around with a million meaningless tweaks on magnum hunting rifle ammo.

Case prep sucks, anything that saves time there is a good place to start IMO.
I love dicking around with magnums. mtmuley
 
I’m rocking an old rcbs press, Lyman digital scale, Lee powder dispenser, Lee hand primer, foster case trimmer, dry media case tumbler and at the moment hornady dies.
I'm using a Lyman powder dispenser that is probably at least 40 years old. Rockchuker and RCBS dies. Redding too. And Forstner case trimmers are awesome. And a beam scale. mtmuley
 
I started with the bare minimum but lucked out with my press. Bought a used Bonanza Co-Ax with a box of reloading odds and ends for $50. Went from the Lee Loader to a Co-Ax in one swift move. Had a Lyman beam scale that I upgraded to an RCBS beam scale. Used an RCBS trickler since day one and still prefer it with rifle ammo. I finally did try an RCBS uniflow powder measure and now have 3 set up for different favorite pistol loads. They have been a big improvement in volume. Still use the Co-Ax for most everything. Have a used Dillon sitting on pieces still that I haven’t set up yet and a handful of other single stage presses that don’t get used that I’ve picked up along the way. The Co-Ax is an awesome press for me and it’s done many thousand revolver rounds and a couple thousand rifle rounds for me already. Not getting rid of it!

I haven’t found a brass prep method/tool that I like yet but I’m cheap and haven’t bought a prep station yet.

I would like to get into annealing at some point.

I started with Lee dies and have switched out all of those sets to RCBS, Redding, and a lone set from CH4D.

My first advice to newbies is to read the ABC’s of Reloading (newest version is my Phil Massaro, whom I really enjoy reading) and then a good Lyman hardcover manual. I use multiple sources for load data but I started with a Lyman 49th and still buy and use the newest version as they come out.
 
Don't suppose you have had a chance to play with, or know someone who has played with that new FX Outdoors chrono have you? Supposedly reads more consistent that a Labradar.
You might be interested. Both beyond my current budget.
SKIP to the end for chrono comparison...

The Fastest Rifle Bullet (and the newest chronograph)
Backfire | FX Outdoors v Labradar...

FX Outdoors: "New King of the Hill"

 
This thread is gold, especially for someone like me who's done a little loading with a borrowed setup, and currently saving towards my own. I had planned to get a FA M-Press but y'all have me thinking the RCBS is a better long-term option.

The only thing I have to add is to echo that when I first got started, I was way too focused on perfection. As a beginner I was obviously incapable of it anyway, but it took me a long time to settle in to the reality that I'm making hunting loads for a caliber that's good on deer and elk to ~500yds max. I don't need 2" groups at 1000yds.

I'm intrigued by some folks saying you don't need a chronograph. I need one. Or at least, I feel like I need one. Don't take my chrono away!
 
Cheapest in the world, lee whackamole. Got my latest one for 30 bucks a month ago for the 22 hornet and a hand me down one for the 222 rem. NoNof
 
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