What else do I need?

[Honeybooboo]

I'm looking to get in to reloading. I've been a little nervous to jump in to it but it's time. I built a package through Dillon. What else do I need to load 9mm for sure and probably 45? 

Dillon XL650

- Case feeder

- Powder check

- Bullet tray

- low powder sensor

- 9mm pistol dies

- 9mm case guage

- D-terminator electric scale

- Primer flip tray

- primer pickup tubes

- digital caliper

- Lyman reloading book

- Dillon case cleaner

- case/media separator

 

[LilBunniFuFu]

All that's left is components. Good luck and happy loading.

[Kraj]

Case tumbler?

[Honeybooboo]

I have the case tumbler listed there. The smaller Dillon one. 

I guess my biggest confusion still is case prep. I was planning on buying the best brass I can to start. So Lapua. So after I load and shoot my first run, what's needed to get the brass ready to reload other than cleaning it?

[Bamboo]

Of you are shooting in competition where there is a power factor I'd suggest a chrono.   Also a can of

one shot lube.

 

[Honeybooboo]

^^^ good points. 

[aandabooks]

46 minutes ago, Honeybooboo said:

I have the case tumbler listed there. The smaller Dillon one. 

I guess my biggest confusion still is case prep. I was planning on buying the best brass I can to start. So Lapua. So after I load and shoot my first run, what's needed to get the brass ready to reload other than cleaning it?

There's no case prep in 9mm and .45.  You'll load the brass until the mouth splits, primer pocket gets too loose to hold primer or you loose the piece of brass.  Tumble and load.

If you are shooting competition I wouldn't invest in Lapua brass.  If you shoot by yourself and can guarantee getting your brass back then go for it.

[rustybayonet]

I wouldn't worry to much about the brass. 9mm seems to be easy to get .45 acp is a little harder, but you can always cut and trim .308, 30/06 or 8x57 for that. I use a tumbler 50/50 walnut and corn and have never needed case lube on straight walls.

[Hi-Power Jack]

don't need case gauge   ...    I use my chamber    

[IHAVEGAS]

1 minute ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

don't need case gauge   ...    I use my chamber    

They will have to pry my case gauge out of my cold dead hands  .

I use the pricey one from Ben Stoeger Pro shop (cheaper if you buy it today though) . Load 100, dump them in gauge, eyeball primer seating while you are at it, you are done. 

I agree that you do not need it, but if you load 1000's of rounds per year it sure is nice. 

[Hi-Power Jack]

13 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 I agree you do not need it, but if you load 1000's of rounds per year it sure is nice. 

I used to load 10,000 rounds/year, and never used one.  

But, I don't gauge all my rounds - just the ones I use for major events.   

[mikeinctown]

I'd personally skip these;

 Powder check

- Bullet tray

- low powder sensor

 

I keep my bullets in one of those akro bins like the machine has on it for dropping the finished cartridge and I have no problem moving my hand the 6" or so it takes to go from the bin to case mouth. The powder check is a light and my eyes. In fact I'd rather have a light in the press so I can see whats going on. Last is the powder sensor. The powder hopper is clear. Just look up and you can see how much you have. just take a moment to look every time you add brass into the casefeed, or add primers into the tube. (and if you insist on the powder check, then you'd know if something was going wrong anyway) 

[njl]

I've never seriously looked at the 650...but don't you need a strong mount, or is it included?  I agree, the low powder sensor is silly.  I'd also say you could get the caliper cheaper from Harbor Frieght (digital or analog...I kind of recommend both, because eventually your battery will die, you won't have a spare, and you'll want to do some reloading at night).  I'm distrustful of electronic scales, and would suggest you spend a bit less and get the Eliminator balance scale.

Save some more $ and skip the high $ brass.  Assuming you can't just pick up brass at the range or haven't been saving your own brass for years, shop around and get some once fired.  It'll be much cheaper, and work just fine.  When you buy the .45 brass, make sure you know what you're getting.  It comes in SP and LP.  If you're just getting started, it might make sense to buy SP, and skip large primers...one less component to stock.

[Southpaw]

I would also skip the powder check and low powder sensor.

Scale, tumbler, media separator, flip tray, and calipers you can get a lot cheaper than Dillon.  Most of that stuff you can get on Amazon.  I'm using this scale and it works great:  https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-GEM20-Precision-Milligram/dp/B00ESHDGOI/

I wouldn't get a single round case gauge since you can just use your barrel.  If you want a case gauge get a Hundo; they're pricey, but awesome.

I would also skip the reloading book.  I got one when I started reloading.  For pistol reloading I found it completely useless compared to the information on this forum.

I wouldn't buy new brass for handgun reloading.  If you don't already have a supply just buy range brass either locally or there are lots of places to get it online.