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Author Topic: Stages for a Noob  (Read 4230 times)

downshift

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Stages for a Noob
« on: March 03, 2013, 09:21:06 pm »
Clean
Neck/Trim
Prime
Powder
Press

What am I missing?
Ready to buy a setup, trying to make that decision of single stage or progressive.
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Wounds heal, scars fade, But the warriors soul remains scarred, contained in an aging body, left to ask Why. Never regret growing older, its a privilege denied to many.

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    THE NORSEMAN

    • To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them. - Richard Henry Lee
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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #1 on: March 03, 2013, 09:44:44 pm »
    How many rounds per month do you intend to shoot?  What calibers do you want to load for?  Budget?
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    This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty. . . . The right of self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction- St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries

    downshift

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #2 on: March 03, 2013, 11:04:00 pm »
    Under 300 rounds
    .40, 9mm, .380acp, handguns; .308 and 6.5 creedmore rifle
    Under $400
    Yes, that says I should be fine, and can only afford, a single stage for everything
    The way I see it happening is 50 at a time
    Tumbler
    Neck and trim as needed
    Hand prime
    Hand charge
    Press
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    Wounds heal, scars fade, But the warriors soul remains scarred, contained in an aging body, left to ask Why. Never regret growing older, its a privilege denied to many.

    THE NORSEMAN

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #3 on: March 03, 2013, 11:12:35 pm »
    RCBS rockchucker kit, and a set of Hornady reloading manuals as a second reference would be my vote. That will put you right at or just above your budget cap, but it will last a lifetime. 

    Option 2 is a turret press like the redding T7.  That will speed you up measurably,  but it's will put you just enough over budget that I hesitate to push you that way.   
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    This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty. . . . The right of self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction- St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries

    downshift

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #4 on: March 04, 2013, 04:20:52 pm »
    Thanks Norse.
    I am jones'ing to roll my own 6.5 Creedmore and really see what this Savage long range hunter can do. I am impressed every time I take it out, and depressed that I need to spend $1200+ on a scope that can see as well as the $700 rifle can shoot =)

    Also, I should be able to afford to start competing with the IDPA/UDPL again if I roll 300 or so .40 or 9mm every month =)
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    Wounds heal, scars fade, But the warriors soul remains scarred, contained in an aging body, left to ask Why. Never regret growing older, its a privilege denied to many.

    Mikee5star

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #5 on: March 04, 2013, 09:32:52 pm »
    If you are in a Gun club or a range member, ask around.  I got my first Rockchucker for free from a friend, who got it from a friend barely used with 1982 price tags on most of the components.  I know friends that have sold extra gear to fund upgrades at reasonable prices.  If your in a gun friendly area go out and look at garage sales.  I got a complete Lyman T5 turret for $50, all I had to add was dies.  New is nice, but if you look around you might find a good deal. 
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    Alaska

    downshift

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #6 on: March 07, 2013, 05:03:33 pm »
    What About Dies?
    I picked up a rockchucker supreme kit, (came with the speer manual), a case tumbler (corncob media) and a hornady manual.
    Now it comes time to get the dies.
    Looking at RCBS, as an example, for 380ACP there is a 3 die carbide set for about $50, but it says it doesn't include the shell holder.
    Do I need a shell holder and a set of dies for each pistol and rifle caliber I want to load?
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    Wounds heal, scars fade, But the warriors soul remains scarred, contained in an aging body, left to ask Why. Never regret growing older, its a privilege denied to many.

    Outbreak

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #7 on: March 07, 2013, 10:59:19 pm »
    Yup.
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    TexasOutbreak

    I take my coffee black...like my rifles.

    I absolutely despise Glocks. That's why I only own two.

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    JesseL

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #8 on: March 08, 2013, 11:45:30 am »
    A lot of calibers can use the same shell holder. For example among the calibers I load; .45 ACP, .22-250, 6mm Rem, 6.5x55, .308, and .30-06 all use the same shell holder.

    .380 will generally use the same shell holder as .223/5.56.

    FYI, Lee dies come with shell holders and are ususally a bit less expensive than RCBS. No quality complaints either.
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    Arizona

    downshift

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #9 on: March 08, 2013, 02:50:29 pm »
    And after reading both manuals from cover to cover  :neener
    I am alot more educated now. I guess i could have you-tubed it too, but hey, I don't go the the same place for reloading info as I do cute cat videos and wake up prank compilations...

    Inspect brass
    Tumble overnight
    Press - deprime and size
    <Question - Do you clean the primer pocket?>
    Prime
    Charge
    Press flare/neck
    Press seat
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    Wounds heal, scars fade, But the warriors soul remains scarred, contained in an aging body, left to ask Why. Never regret growing older, its a privilege denied to many.

    JesseL

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #10 on: March 08, 2013, 02:58:31 pm »
    Rather than cleaning the primer pockets I usually follow something more like this process:
    Inspect brass
    Deprime with universal decapping die
    Tumble
    Press - resize (and incidentally clear out any tumbling media in the flash holes)
    Prime
    Press flare/neck
    Charge
    Press seat
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    Arizona

    downshift

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #11 on: March 08, 2013, 04:15:58 pm »
    Thanks Jesse. I hope to get started this weekend!
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    Outbreak

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #12 on: March 08, 2013, 10:59:37 pm »
    Quote from: JesseL on March 08, 2013, 02:58:31 pm
    Rather than cleaning the primer pockets I usually follow something more like this process:
    Inspect brass
    Deprime with universal decapping die
    Tumble
    Press - resize (and incidentally clear out any tumbling media in the flash holes)
    Prime
    Press flare/neck
    Charge
    Press seat

    I like to do a quick cleaning (30min to remove the big rocks), size/deprime, then trim, THEN clean for a few hours.
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    TexasOutbreak

    I take my coffee black...like my rifles.

    I absolutely despise Glocks. That's why I only own two.

    I'm glad that your chains rest lightly upon you. --JesseL

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #13 on: March 08, 2013, 11:11:07 pm »
    Quote from: Outbreak on March 08, 2013, 10:59:37 pm
    I like to do a quick cleaning (30min to remove the big rocks), size/deprime, then trim, THEN clean for a few hours.

    Do you end up with any media in the flash holes?
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    Outbreak

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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #14 on: March 08, 2013, 11:31:10 pm »
    No cuz the main toolhead starts with the universal decapper.

    I guess I shoulda mentioned I'm doing this on my Dillon. So the first toolhead is the sizing die and I plan on putting their trimmer in the second position (gotta be sized before you trim.) Nothing in 3-5. Then clean again and install the second toolhead which has the universal decapper to clean out the flash hole, then prime, charge, powder-check, bullet seat, crimp, done.

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    TexasOutbreak

    I take my coffee black...like my rifles.

    I absolutely despise Glocks. That's why I only own two.

    I'm glad that your chains rest lightly upon you. --JesseL

    THE NORSEMAN

    • To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them. - Richard Henry Lee
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    Re: Stages for a Noob
    « Reply #15 on: March 10, 2013, 01:19:02 am »
    Maybe I get a little overboard, but my brass gets cleaned twice-

    Once a quick clean-up in coarse media before sizing, and a second time in a fine polishing media after depime/size and trim.  I've seen several sets of sizing dies damaged by a piece of dirty brass.

    As for cleaning primer pockets?  My answer is "sometimes".  You get a feel for when it's needed after loading for a while.  You can usually tell by looking if they need it.  If you are nervous about it all?  Clean 'em.  Last thing you want is build up in a pocket causing a high primer condition.
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    This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty. . . . The right of self defence is the first law of nature: in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any colour or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction- St. George Tucker, Blackstone's Commentaries
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