First Reloading Press? What You Need to Consider Before Making A Purchase.
This is a Hornady Lock-N-Load AP Press. This is a Progressive Press because the shell holder rotates and One round is produced each lever pull.
If you are new to the world of reloading ammunition, it can be a little daunting trying to figure out which type of press is best for you. This article will help guide you through the process and answer some common questions like: hat is a reloading press? What types of presses are there? What other tools do I need for loading ammo? And finally, How much does it cost to get started with reloading?
Reloading is an excellent hobby for the outdoorsman or avid shooter looking to save money. It also has other significant benefits over factory ammo, such as increasing precision or in the instance there is an ammo shortage, the reoloader can reload until ammo is back on the shelves.
What is a reloading press and what are the benefits of using one?
First, let's cover the basics of reloading. Reloading is a means of manufacturing ammunition using components manufactured to tighter tolerances, than commercially available ammunition so as to achieve a higher level of performance from each round. As you can imagine, reloading takes some time and effort on your part, but it also has many advantages! Reloaders are often able to load ammunition in greater quantities than what they could afford commercially, and reloading can be a great way of building a precise round for a precision shooter or hunter.
I have heard people talk about handloading their ammo. Is there a difference between "handloading" and "reloading"?
Although there is no clear defined webster's definition that seperates the two terms, there can be a slight difference but they are normally used to mean the same thing.
If you hear someone talking about "Handloading" ammo, the process most likely (I say most likely because many people use these terms interchangeably) takes place using a manual single stage press or turret press focused on precision. "Handloaders" typically pride themselves on being precise and very accurate on every detail of the loading process. This maticulation results in ammo that will perform as near to perfect as possible 99.99% of the time. Normally, "handloaders" will be using new brass or extreme attention will be given to recycled brass to make sure it is flawless. "Handloaders" are more concerned about reliability and precision over quantity.
"Reloading" is typically used to describe ANY process by which an INDIVIDUAL puts together different components to create ammo. This process can use a simple machine like a single stage press up to a complicated machine such as an electronic automatic progressive loader.
The term "reloading" would mean to "load again". Almost all "reloaders" have the intention to reuse the brass cartridge case more than one time. Even if new brass is purchased for loading, the brass will most likely be loaded again. Thus, they will "reload" the cartridge.
Brass vs Steel vs Aluminum Cartriges for Reloading
Steel cartridge cases are generally not reloaded. They will only be used once and then disposed of or recycled into new steel products. You can buy certain dies and make modifications to reload steel but I think it is a waste of time and money. Steel is a harder metal and less malleable than brass which makes reloading a headach with steel. Durable but not malleable.
Aluminum cartridge cases can also typically only be loaded one time before they have to be discarded. Aluminum is a softer metal than steel and expands more when fired which causes the metal to deform easily and wear out. Aluminum casing should not be reloaded. Malleable but not durable.
Brass cartride cases are the best cases to reload with because they are in the Goldy Locks zone of malleable and durable. Just the right amount of durability and just the right amount of melleability. Most brass can be reused anywhere from 3-7 times without wearing out. However, it is always important to check for stress marks, cracking, or warping before reloading any cartridge case.
Stages to Reloading
There are typically 5 stages to reloading ammo:
Clean Used Brass
Stage One: Depriming the old spent primer
Stage Two: Expanding the case neck to receive a new bullet
Stage three: Priming
Stage four: Adding powder propellant
Stage five: Adding bullet projectile
Which type of press should I buy - Single Stage, Turret, or Progressive?
Single Stage presses:
work well for low volume shooters who load a lot of one caliber and are focused on precision rounds. A single stage press will provide you with the most precise ammunition possible because it allows you to manually control every aspect of how your cartridges are prepared. The typical process for a single stage press is to run a certain amount of cartridges through stage one. Change the dies then run them all through stage 2. Change the dies, and run them all through stage 3. You can pick up a good single stage press for around $100.
Single Stage Press:
Easiest to learn how to use
Lowest Price Point $75-$100
Focus on Precission
Slowest Option - Realisticly produce 50-100 rounds per hour
Turret presses:
are used for those who load a lot of different calibers and want to save time. Most turrets have two or four stations that can be adjusted as needed. The press will automatically index from one station to the next, making it possible to produce large amounts of ammunition quickly without needing any adjustment on your part. A turret press keeps the cartridge in a fixed position while the dies and powder stages index from one stage to the next each time the lever is pulled. So, on average, a bullet is produced every 4 lever pulls. Some downsides to a turret press are that it can't produce ammunition with the same level of precision as a single stage press. Where as the single stage press focuses on running batches of cartridges through one stage at a time, the turrent press runs the different stages through one cartridge at a time.
Turret Press Quick View:
Mid Range to learn how to use
Mid Range Price Point $150-$250
Mid range on Precission
Mid range on Speed - Realisticly produce 150-250 rounds per hour
Progressive presses:
are the best option for high volume shooters, or people looking to produce ammunition quickly. A progressive press requires more attention than other types of presses because there is always something happening in the rotation process which means it's easy to make a mistake. Even though people talk about how quick and efficient their progressive presses are, it probably took them a while to get it all figured out. There are so many moving parts that one mistake could cause a kink in the system. Powder could spill out over the moving base plate requiring you to shut down the operation until everything is cleaned up. There are a lot of add ons you can get for Progressive Presses. Such as auto case feeder, automatice primer feeder, powder measures and drops, powder checkers to confirm the correct amount was poured, and bullet feeder. So, you could start off with a Progressive press for around $350 and produce about 250 rounds per hour. Then over the years you could upgrade with new add ons until you get to a press that requires you do do nothing but pull the lever and make sure it all runs smoothly. All of these add ons would bump your overall cost up to $1500 but your would be pumping out 1000 rounds per hour.
Progressive Press Quick View:
Hardest to learn how to use
High Price Point $300-$1500
Lowest range on Precision
Highest Range on Speed - Realisticly produce 250-700 rounds per hour
I know, there are ammo plants too! But I am not getting into those in this article. Ammunition Plants are fully automated and can pump out 1000s of rounds an hour but also are very expensive.
Should I buy new or used equipment?
Although you can pick up a new press for less than $150, it might be worth considering buying a used one instead. If you decide to purchase a used press you might end up spending a little more on repairs, but it will still be cheaper than buying a new one.
A word of caution: when looking for a used press in good condition you should make sure the seller has provided plenty of pictures and that they have inspected the machine to ensure there are no missing parts or damage."
What are some other tools you will need for reloading ammunition
The reloading press is one piece in a complete set of tools that you will need if you wish to make your own ammunition at home. There are other things like a scale, a reloading manual with the specifications for your ammunition.
You will need:
Dies for each caliber your will load
Brass Casing for your caliber
Bullet For your caliber
Powder that is designed for your round
Tool List:
Case Cleaner
Deburring tool
Scale
Tool kit with wrenches and allen wrenches
Measuring tools like cups
Funnels
Air canister to blow out powder in tight spaces
Lube for brass
Primer tray / flipper
Ammo checker
Calipers
Shop towels
Case Loading Block (if using a Single Stage Press)
Precision loaders will want to add:
Case Trimmer
Powder Trickler
Primer pocket brush
The four Main components of Ammunition are: Brass, Primer, Powder, and Bullet
How much does it cost to get started with reloading
It matters on which system you decide to go with. A progressive press is going to be the most expensive, followed by a turret press and then single stage. (Check prices above)
(As I am writing this article I am blown away by current prices for the following components. They have sky rocketed recently and am hoping they come back down to Earth but not keeping my fingers crossed. Even though these costs have gone up, the cost is still less expensive than buying ammo off of the shelves, which is hard to come by.)
In order to get started you will need to get the following components for ammunition. A can of powder will cost around $30 and based off of the caliber can load 1000 rounds. A box of bullets will cost $20 for 100-200 rounds . A bag of brass will cost $30 for 100-200 rounds. Primers will cost $8 for 100.
So, just to get started your should expect to add the following on to the cost of the reloader just to get started:
Tools $175 + Ammo parts $90 = $265
You can expect a minimum of $350 for everything needed to get started with a basic Single Stage Press setup, $415 for a Turret Press basic setup, and $565 for a Progressive Press basic setup.
In Conclusion:
Reloading ammo is a hobby that can save you money over time and give you more control over the ammo you shoot. The costs of reloading equipment depend on what level you want to start at, but the cost will be worth it in the long run if your goal is to save money and have fun with this new skill. Just make sure you know if you want to focus on speed or precision of your reloads, how much you want to spend, and how much you plan on shooting.
Do you have any questions before buying a reloader?
What input would you like to add about getting started or why people should try it out?
