I've never reloaded anything before, but I'm interested in starting.

My primary interest is in reloading for the 500 Magnum.

But before I buy equipment which can do that, I thought it
would be a good idea to ask some questions since I don't
know a thing about it.

It looks like a small majority of people think the Dillon
equipment is the best.

I'm not opposed to spending the $$$ for a 650, if that is
what I need.

However, if I reload for the 500 magnum, I might as well
consider loading for other cartridges too.

Is the Dillon 650 suited for loading rifle cartridges?
Like the 7.62x39 , 7.62x54R or a 30-06?
Shotgun? 12ga?

Thanks,

Dave

The rifle stuff yes, the shotshells no.

Look around, there are a ton of threads on reloading equipment, lots of good info.

__________________
MikeG

NEED has nothing to do with it. You could pick blindfolded and get good equipment. There is a learning curve for every brand of gear. Beginners who are accustomed to a brand are going to tend to favor it. Occasionally someone will have difficulties w/a particular item. If someone isn't there to help guide him thru the problem he MAY get resentful and start badmouthing the company. Be aware of this kind of comment.
As Mike said , there's gotta be at LEAST a dozen threads here advising on new equipment for beginners. Look around, get some basics so you can come up with a specific question.
Buy a Lyman Reloading Manual. Even a 2nd hand one will give more than enough info. If you decide to take the plunge you'll need several OTHER manuals for cross referencing loads.
We'll be here. Go for it. Pepe Ray

I found several threads before I posted.
And as was already mentioned, many posts were
badmouthing particular brands.

But none that I came across was specific about
whether one brand or model could do handgun, rifle,
and shotgun shells.

I'll keep looking,

Thanks.

Dave

Most of the presses around can do rifle and pistol. Can't think of a press that's pistol only, except some progressive presses.
Shotgun is another matter. But, most shotgun reloaders aren't real expensive, and they come with everything you need to load- no extras to buy.
So, you'll probably end up with a press for metallic, and a shotshell loader.
Dillon makes great progressive presses - which are designed to crank out a lot of ammo per hour. I dunno that you'd shoot a 500 S&W that many times per session that you'd need a progressive.....

If you look closely at the other threads on this topic you will glean a lot of useful advice.

Shotshell loaders are totally different that those for rifle/pistol. As stated, the lower end loaders are fairly economical.

If you plan to reload the odd pistol and/or rifle or two, a single stage press setup is all you need. If you figure on cranking out hundreds of rounds at a time, the progressive setups will be more worthwhile.

Be sure to include a good reloading manual (there are many - Lyman, Hodgdon, Hornady, Speer, Sierra, Nosler, Accurate Arms, Lee - with the initial purchase and read it carefully in the instruction portion before attempting to reload. Next critical item is a good measuring SCALE (not powder measure) and then a dial type caliper. Both are indispensible in reloading.

Brands are up to you - you can go economical and add as you go, buy a complete kit or go big time and buy the best of each individual item to make a complete reloading setup. Personally, I think first time loaders do better buying one of the starter kits from RCBS, Redding, Hornady or Lee.

Reloading is a very enjoyable and rewarding hobby - it won't save you money in lieu of buying factory ammo, just let you shoot more for the same amount and to tailor your loads to your own satisfaction.

__________________
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NRA Certified Police Firearms Instructor
NRA Certified Range Safety Officer
NAHC Life Member

"Firearms only have two enemies - rust and politicans" author unknown

Here's some basic "think about it" information:

Reloading Equipment Basics

Before you get any of the reloading equipment on the equipment list below, you’ll want to do some reading. You won’t need all of them, but here’s are some good manuals to start with:

The ABC's of Reloading
Metallic Cartridge Reloading
Speer Manual #13
Modern Reloading by Richard Lee
Lyman Metallic Reloading Handbook
Hornady 5th Edition Reloading Handbook (2 volume set)

1. A reloading press-for what you're doing, you’ll need to know what type of cartridge and in what quantities before a press can be advised, think on how much you think you'll shoot. Generally speaking, single stages are better for more accurate cartridges in rifle, with the RCBS, (Rock Chucker) Lee, (Classic Cast Press) Redding (Boss or Big Boss) and Forester (Coax) brands being excellent choices. If you go with the Rock Chucker, I'd suggest also getting a Hornady Lock N Load bushing conversion kit for the Rock chucker with another 10 additional bushings. The Lee is the least expensive of the bunch, is the latest single stage out and has compared favorably with the Rock Chucker and like the Rock Chucker, will accept the Hornady Lock N Load Conversion Bushing kit. With these, you adjust your dies once, tighten down the lock ring and next time you want to change dies, you just insert, twist and snap/lock in and you're done changing dies in about 2 seconds. I use these on my newly purchased Lee Classic Cast press and used Rock Chucker I just bought used and they're wonderful.

For reloading pistol, you’d want to consider a turret or progressive press. If you are new, a turret would be the best choice, to have a bit more control and to get an understanding of what’s happening, though a progressive is “do-able,” you run a larger risk of making a mistake that could harm you or damage your pistol/rifle. Good brands of turrets are Lee (90932 4 station, automatic advance), Dillon (AT500, 4 station), RCBS (88901, cast iron) and Redding (T7, cast iron). For the lowest price, the Lee will do the job, get you started and if you decide to stay with it, you may want a more expensive turret or you may want to go progressive. If you want to go progressive, excellent brands are Hornady (Lock N Load {5 station fully automated; I have one and love it.}), Dillon (550 {4 station semi-automated turret or 650 station fully automated}) (I don’t recommend Dillon’s SBD because it’s dies won’t fit anything else, nor will any other dies fit it, so you’re stuck with Dillon dies and it doesn’t reload rifle.) and the RCBS 2000 (An excellent cast iron semi automated press with an excellent primer feed). A good economy brand is the Lee Pro 1000. The Lee is less expensive and can take some tweaking, but it can be done and it’s way less expensive to purchase, a serious consideration if your money is tight. Here’s a good how to website for Lee equipment:

http://www.geocities.com/leereloading/index.htm

2. Reloading dies for the caliber of your choice. I have Hornady and RCBS dies, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy and use Lee or Dillon, who also load excellent ammo. Rumor has it that Redding is the Cadillac of dies, but their prices reflect it. If money were no objection, I'd definitely explore the Redding dies. For pistol, you'll want to buy carbide or TiN coated dies. For a single stage press, you'll need a shell holder that matches the caliber you're loading.

3. A Powder measure/dispenser (Many kits include these.) I like the Hornady, RCBS and Redding brands for these. I have both the Hornady and Redding brands. Of these, the Hornady is an automated version and is more consistent (to me) because of the automated feature. It came with my Hornady Lock and Load Auto Progressive Press. (BTW, in my opinion, the Hornady progressive is the bomb when price, features and quality are taken into account. I have a price comparison vs. Dillon, but I'd rather not prejudice you. The Dillon guys will argue hot and loudly with me on this, because they love their Dillons as much as I love my Hornady.)

4. A powder scale, no matter single stage, turret or progressive, you'll need one of these. I like the RCBS 505 and 1010, the Hornady and the Dillon scales. I have a Redding, but wish I had gotten another brand because the fine adjustment is hard to see and can be bumped out of adjustment accidentally.'

5. A set of calipers to measure your cartridges with. I have a Frankford Arsenal set that's done well for me. Other folks spend a lot more money, but these have been more than accurate enough for everything I've loaded, including high-power rifle cartridges.

6. A reloading manual- I have and like my Speer #13, but Hornady, Lee and a couple other folks make excellent ones. I haven't heard much about Lyman's reloading manual, but their lead bullet manual is supposed to be pretty good. A good loading book on the basics like the ABC's of Reloading and Metallic Cartridge Reloading can help you understand the process a lot better. Read them a couple times it will get you to a good understanding. Read the directions that come with your press, dies etc.

7. Some snap lid plastic storage containers with bins to store all the little pieces and parts from the equipment. It might not be a bad idea to look at plastic fishing tackle boxes, as they have lots of storage compartments.

8. Some plastic bins to hold your brass, bullets and loaded cartridges while you're in the process of reloading. If you're loading single stage, you might need some cartridge blocks to regain the brass in various stages of production. Buy the cheapest bins out there, such as HarborFreight; they're all plastic so you gain nothing by paying more.

9. A couple of adjustable wrenches, one six inch and one eight inch. There may be other hand tools, but if you have a toolbox, you may already have them.

10. A kinetic bullet puller. I have the one made by Frankford Arsenal. If you whack it firmly, rather than as hard as you can and hit it upon a piece of hardwood, it'll last and do the job great. You can spend more, but this one works well and is only about $20.00.

11. A brass trimmer. I have an RCBS automated version, but I used to compete in high-power rifle, reload lots of rifle cartridges that need to be trimmed to length occasionally. For smaller quantities of brass, a hand trimmer would be sufficient and much more fun to use. You will need to check your brass is not over the maximum allowed length. After trimming, you will need a de-burring tool cleans up the inside and outside necks so the case-mouth isn't sharp and bullets insert smoothly without damage.

12. Cartridge gauge. These are nicely convenient to check to see if your reloaded cartridges are within SAAMI specification.

13. Case lube - I use Hornady One Shot on my rifle cartridges, but I find it and their cleaner lube handy for lubricating moving parts on my progressive that I don't have grease and oil getting into. For rifle cartridges you can lube with a pad and case lube (such as the one included in the RCBS kit) or use something like Hornady one-shot or try out Imperial Sizing Die Wax, which I hear is another excellent product.

14. Brass - I recommend you research and buy a better brand of brass, particularly what the majority of folks shooting your caliber are loading, it'll generally be (but not always) the best compromise of quality and price. Occasionally something new comes along that whips the "standard" pretty badly.

15. Powder - Again, start with the "Old standby" for your cartridge (if one exists) and then move out to other brands as you gain reloading experience.

16. Bullets - FMJ is great, but lead is cheaper. I'd advise buying them in bulk, 500 to a thousand at a time. You'll want to learn how to reload before you even think about making your own lead bullets. With the caliber you're shooting, this will certainly result in significant savings.

17. Safety glasses, wear them while you're reloading, just like you do when you're shooting.

18. You will need to clean the brass. If you are reloading for small quantities, don't bother with fancy tumblers, you can clean it with a vinegar formula such as the one the NRA suggest and just wipe the brass down with a rag and dry it. If you want the formula, I'll be glad to post it. You also have the option of a tumbler/sifter combination. Bose's Guns, (http://www.bosesguns.com/) has a Frankford Arsenal combination that does well, it's the one I have. Another more expensive alternative would be the Dillon combination (Dillonprecision.com).

Hope this helps,

Dave in Oakwood, GA

First off unless you do skeet or trap shooting I see no reason to reload shot shells. If so MEC is the choice. If price is no object then jump in Dillion, Redding and on, but most start out with a Lee or Rcbs Rock Chucker. If you like this hobby you will still be using your starter equipment after you have advanced to turrets or progresive press's. I know I have.
Jim

My opinion,

Start with published loading data on the S&# 500. I believe that Hogdon has data. I know that Lyman has data in their new manual. Some is on the net.

Dillon 550 is a good press. Dillon has a video tape to show you how to set it up. I have used Lee, Lyman, RCBS, Texan, and others. I like my 550 . I can load 200 plus rounds per hour in both rifle, and pistol. Currently I load 9mm, 45 ACP, 44 mag, 500 S&W, 223, 308, 350 Rem Mag, 30-06. Once I have it started, every stroke produces a finished round.

I load 12 guage on an old Texan progressive.

If you shoot 300-400 rounds per week consider the 650.

YOU MUST HAVE A POWDER MEASURE. Look at the scales when you buy. The best is one with decade intervals. You know-- 10,1,.1,.01,.001 etc. (Less chance of error when setting the scale)

__________________
Have fun, be safe.

Bob

Saw an article said the Hornady progressive press was especially good and fast if you're interested in quantity.

It sounds like you're trying to find out what's available and what it will do. If you break it down to basics you have three choices. Hand tools, single stage presses and multi-stage presses. Hand tools range from the classic Lee Loader that can give you an idea of what reloading is all about with a low equipment cost (they're about $25) to some of the specialized bench rest stuff. Forester makes a set of dies that just need a way to squeeze the dies togehter. They're designed to use with an arbor press but I've seen guys use a hydraulic jack and squeeze the dies under a truck frame. Most of the hand type tools are made for a specific purpose and they work well for that purpose but are a real pain for general reloading. Multi-stage presses are either turret type presses or progressive presses. Turret presses hold several dies on a plate that is usually turned by hand. The idea is that you only have to set up the dies once and just turn the head to change between the dies. A reloading operation for a single cartridge usually uses two or three dies, depending on the cartridge. What they give up for this convenience is strength. Some turret presses won't load large bottleneck cases and the ones that do are usually pretty massive. Progressive presses usually have all the dies and accesories mounted in the top of the press and have a rotating shell plate at the bottom on the ram. The idea is to insert a fired case on each stroke of the press. On each stroke the shell plate rotates the case (or cases) and at each station goes through a different die or process. After a couple of cycles you get a finished round for each cycle. Progressives vary from hand operated units where you insert the fired case, insert a primer, charge the case with powder and insert a bullet into the case by hand to fully automatic setups where you dump all the parts into hoppers, turn it on and just watch. Progressive pressses are nice if you need to turn out a lot of ammunition and don't have much time. The convenience costs a pretty penny, especially for models that will do full size bottleneck cases. I left single stage presses for last because that's what I recommend for a beginner. They're strong, versatile and relatively cheap. A single stage press holds one die and one case at a time. Normally you reload in stages with a single stage press. You start with the first die and run all of your cases then change the die and run all of the cases through the next process and so on. Single stage presses come in several forms depending on the frame type. There are C-frame, O-frame and coax types that I can think of, there may be more that I'm forgetting. The C-frame is not as strong as the O-frame or coax. Some people think they're more convenient but I've used one and really don't think it makes enough difference to be worth giving up the strength. I haven't seen a C-frame in years so they might not be available any longer. I've never used a coax press but most people that have them love em. The majority of single stage presses on the market are O-frame or a variant. A single stage press will work fine for most reloaders and you'll probably never wear it out. I still use an old RCBS single stage that I bought in the late 60's or early 70's. At one point I was shooting competitively and was shooting and reloading about 1000 rounds a month on a single stage. Versatility, no matter which type of press you get, depends on the strength of the press, the length of travel on the ram, and the dies that are available. Most presses use standard size dies so you can mix and match dies and presses. Some presses use proprietary dies so you have to buy that particular brand of dies to use in their presses. If you choose one of those make sure they have dies for all the different cartridges that you want to reload! Ram travel on most single stage presses are pretty close. You just have to make sure that the longest case that you will reload will fit between the ram and the bottom of the die with enough room to inset a bullet during the seating stage. Pretty much all of them will do any pistol cartridge and all of the popular rifle cartridges. Shotgun shells can also be reloaded on a single stage press if you can find the dies. RCBS used to make dies for 12 guage, 20 gauge and 410 but I think they've been discontinued. I have some of the shotgun dies and they're a pain. Unless you only load a box or two every once in a while it's worth it to buy a seperate press made for shotgun reloading. As for brands it's kind of a toss-up. Each brand has it's own features that set it apart from the others but which one is best for you depends on what features you want. You won't really get hurt with any of the major players. Dillon, Hornady, Lee, Lyman, Redding, RCBS, they're all good. For a beginner without a mentor it's usually best to get a package deal. All the major brands have a package deal that includes all the basics that you'll need for a resonable price. All the major brands of presses and dies are high quality now days so just pick the one you like. I started with a single stage press and worked my way up through turrets and progressives and now some 35 years later I'm back to a single stage. With a single stage you have more options on the control you have over your ammunition. I hope this helped and make sure you beginners check back with us and let us know how you're doing. Make sure to ask questions!
Will

Hi Dave,
My advice to you is not about a particulair manufacturer or type of equipment, but about a manual.
When I was thinking about handloading, the first thing that I did was go to a local Gun Shop and look at the various loading manuals. The one that I found most helpful and interesting was the Lyman manual of the period. It had detailed step-by-step instructions covering the "mechanics" of loading. There was an excellent chapter on working up loads,pressure etc. I have the current (?) Lyman #48 manual. It is full of useful information. Various types of equipment is used in easy to understand examples. After reading it, you will probably be able to decide what type of press (single stage,progressive) and accessories etc. to invest in.
From there, look up some of the threads on this site for equipment manuafactures that others use. Like most folks, I have an assortment of different manufactuer's dies and other tools. I try not to buy the most expensive, but not the cheapest either. Beware of "gagititis" and start with the basic stuff and see if you like to handload (bet you will). After that, watch your new hobby grow!
Hope this is of help.
Scott in Vermont

__________________
Don't take life too seriously.........You won't get out alive!

Per your question about getting into reloading. I have been reloading and shooting for the past 45 years and have went thru several different types of reloading equipment. Follows is what is now on my bench and my recommendation. This equipment is all from USA Midway with their part numbers. You will have around $400.00 in the reloading stuff. You will still need a bench, some storage and powder, primers, cases and bullets. I also recommend a four foot shop light hung over your bench.

Why would I recommend this equipment? I have used most of the major brands and finally ended up with this on my bench. This equipment works and works well even though it is not really expensive. It will also get you “into reloading� in a way that if you decide to move on to expensive multistage presses you will have a good foundation in basic reloading and if you decide it is not your cup of tea you have not invested “real� money in equipment.

I would never get into a debate as to which reloading equipment is best, because there is a lot of good equipment out there. I know for sure that most of the forums that I have read there are folks that tend to go into the equipment/gun/scope/mother-in-law bashing modes. Ignore them.

I hope that regardless of what equipment you end up with you have as much fun as I have over the past 45 years reloading, shooting and hunting.

For shotshell reloading:

Lee Loadall 2, 12 gauge/or 20 gauge shotshell reloader # 436640 31.99

For metallic cartridge reloading

Lee Anniversary Reloading Kit with “Modern Reloading Manual
# 820810 78.99

Lee Pacesetter 3 die set 7.62X54 Rimmed #459745 18.99

Lee Case length Gauge & shellholder 7.62X54 R, #702303 3.19

Lee Pacesetter 3 die set 7.62X39 Russian #529116 18.99

Lee Case length Gauge & shellholder 7.62X39, #529116 3.19

Lee Pacesetter 3 die set 30-06 # 520790 18.99

Lee case length Gauge & shellholder 30-06 #459337 3.19

Lee Carbide 3 die set 500 S& W #90288 19.99

Lee cutter & Lock stud for 500 S&W # 153052 9.99

Lee case length gauge & shellholder, 500 S&W # 5.99

Lee Cutter ball grip # 136199 (3 each at 4.39) 13.17

Lee Universal 3 Jaw Chuck # 352653 10.59

Lee Case spinner spindle w/drll shank for 3 jaw chuck # 174316 2.69

Lee universal deprinimg and decapping die # 136543 8.79

RCBS Powder Trickler # 317787 11.59

Frankford Arsenal Case tumbler w/rotary separator kit # 616153 69.99

Frankford Arsenal stainless steel electronic caliper # 604242 34.99

Frankford Arsenal 50 round reloading tray for 500 S&W
# 882114 (4 at 4.99ea) 19.96

Frankford Arsenal 50 round reloading trays for 30-06 and
Smaller # 536734 (4 at 4.99) 19.96

Frankford Arsenal Impact Bullet puller # 215517 10.99

Lyman Vidio Introduction to Reloading # 776555 16.99

__________________
Bob from Idaho

I don't realy have anything to add to the advise given above, but I must say I am impressed with the amount of time and consideration several have invested in this question to help another shooter. It is involvement like that that keeps me coming back to this board. Well done, guys. --Mykal

__________________
Mykal

Can't comment to the shot shell reloading part of your question but as to the 500....

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech...h_notes.htm/49

This link takes you to an archive file in this forum. The relevancy is that the 45-70 is a large straight wall cartridge that houses a big bullet. The 500 is not likely something you'll shoot up in the same quantities you would a 45ACP and you'll probably want to make sure you get the most performance from the load as you can. I would suggest you start with the 500 as it is a straight wall cartridge and should be fairly easy to handload. You will have lots of questions regardless of how much you read. The same process steps you see listed for the 45-70 apply to the 500 S&W as well as a lot of the equipment shown in the write-up, clearly, the dies will be different but a lot of the other equipment will be common to any cartridge. I like to use the Lyman large deburring tool on my 45-70. It will work well on the 500 too.

Good luck.

If you have never reloaded before..start with a single stage press...there aren't any bad ones..I like my Rock Chucker a lot...but I also have a forty year old Lyman that I use too....

Dave,
welcome. ou do realize that once you start down this road, you may never return? Reloading in funny that way. Kind of like the dark side. "You mean you make your own bullets?????" You will be asked that.

How much room do you have to work with for reloading? Will it stay fixed/set up the whole time or will you have to take it down from time to time? The reason I ask is that these are other considerations when it comes to presses. How big is the press you want and how much room do you need to operate it? If you have a whole 10x10 foot room then progressive is fine but if you are like me and reloading at the kitchen table and the lady in your life thinks of it as her kitchen... Well she is really cute so I do listen. Lee makes a hand press that does work for handgun as well as bottlenecked rifle cartridges. I reload up to 416 Rigby with mine. Sorry I can't help with shotshell reloading. I dont do any.

__________________
Be popular? Heck, I have enough friends.
and...
"That way lies madness".