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New reloader help


Broski

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Ok guys, now that I've got an open gun I guess it's time to get myself into reloading. Here is my quandary. I have an offer to buy a used Square Deal B with 2 calibers (9mm & 45acp) for $400 plus shipping or I can get a new 550 from Dillon. Being brand new to this I don't know which way to go, so I figured I would ask you guys. What would you guys recommend I do?

Edited by Broski
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1 hour ago, Broski said:

used Square Deal B with 2 calibers (9mm & 45acp) for $400 plus shipping

or

a new 550 from Dillon.

 

With Dillon, there is NO advantage to buying New, or disadvantage to buying Used,

because of their great guarantee.

 

I think you should be able to do a little better than $400 for the SDB ...

 

That's the way I'd go (and did) unless you're going to start reloading rifle or .40 Major.    :) 

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The Square Deal will only load straight wall Pistol and uses proprietary dies. The 550 will load just about anything and uses standard dies. As others have said $400.00 is a bit high for a used SDB, BUT, you are getting dies for two calibers so if those what you need then maybe. If your loading 40 S&W or 38 Super.... and have to buy dies to get started .....then perhaps give this a bit more thought.

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I'd go Square deal for auto index and buy a single stage for rifle if you want to load minimal rounds (like hunting) type qty's per year.  Personally I think not having auto index is a show stopper on a "progressive press"

 

If money is the "only" consideration ie the deciding factor for you, I would look at a hornady LNL progressive as it's auto index and uses any standard dies.  If you can save some, you'll probably be best served to wait until you can afford a 650 as that will be all the machine you'll ever need.  You can later add a case feeder and bullet feeder if you decide to when money permits.

 

I started with a single stage, then Hornady LNL, then 1050, then 650.  I now prefer loading on my 650 over anything else for reference.

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Right now I'm only loading 9 minor for my carry gun and production div and 9 major for my open. So I really have no use for the 45acp, at least not at this time. I think he is asking a bit much for the SDB considering there is no strong mount or bullet tray with it, so I would have to buy those. I definitely like the 650, but I don't have the 1200-1500 to get all in for reloading right now. Unfortunately, having purchased an open gun is pushing me to start reloading much quicker than I planed on. Wish I could find one used at a good price but you can wish in one hand and well you know the rest of that statement.

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Broski I know money is tight but loading 9 major it's nice to be able to use things like the lee u-die. You can't do that with the square deal. 

 

If you can stretch to $609 I'd go that way and get the 650. 

 

All youll need to add are 9mm dies which are $40 for a set of lee dies. It comes with everything else ready to go. 

 

The 650 has many advantages over the sdb and over the 550 it has a couple of important benefits too. 

 

5th station. 

 

This is a biggie and is not something you can later add to a 550 or sdb. 

 

It allows flexibility to do things like:

 

progressively size with regular sizer then u die in station 2. Run a powder check. Run a bullet feeder. Seat and crimp separately with other combos of powder check etc. Much more flexible with the 5th station. 

 

You dont need the strong mount (in fact I prefer it better without). 

 

As you go you can add things like roller handle, case collator etc as funds permit. But the base model 650 with a set of lee dies will get you going for little money. 

 

The press doesn't come come with the brass collator but it does come with the case feed parts so you can just drop brass into the tube which is already faster than having to feed them into the shell plate. Some people rig up extra tubes so they can prefil them before loading even. 

 

I think it's worth spending the extra if you can. :)

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2 hours ago, BeerBaron said:

Broski I know money is tight but loading 9 major it's nice to be able to use things like the lee u-die. You can't do that with the square deal. 

 

If you can stretch to $609 I'd go that way and get the 650. 

 

All youll need to add are 9mm dies which are $40 for a set of lee dies. It comes with everything else ready to go. 

 

The 650 has many advantages over the sdb and over the 550 it has a couple of important benefits too. 

 

5th station. 

 

This is a biggie and is not something you can later add to a 550 or sdb. 

 

It allows flexibility to do things like:

 

progressively size with regular sizer then u die in station 2. Run a powder check. Run a bullet feeder. Seat and crimp separately with other combos of powder check etc. Much more flexible with the 5th station. 

 

You dont need the strong mount (in fact I prefer it better without). 

 

As you go you can add things like roller handle, case collator etc as funds permit. But the base model 650 with a set of lee dies will get you going for little money. 

 

The press doesn't come come with the brass collator but it does come with the case feed parts so you can just drop brass into the tube which is already faster than having to feed them into the shell plate. Some people rig up extra tubes so they can prefil them before loading even. 

 

I think it's worth spending the extra if you can. :)

Amen! I started with a 550 and one of the first comment I got was,"I'll give you six months before you get a 650". I made it longer than 6 months but not by much. :)

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Yeah 550 I feel is the press for the guy with 5+ caliber and just one press. 

 

But for someone loading 1-5 calibers and mainly loading big volume of 1 or 2 the 650 is ideal. 

 

The 550 for me has a few deal breakers for any volume. 

 

No auto index - I want an auto rotating shell plate. It's a safety thing and speed thing. 

 

Not desiged to be case fed. Yes they sell an add on but the press is really desiged to be hand fed. That's a big no no for me. 

 

4 station means it's not designed to be bullet fed either as bf on 550 means seat and crimp in one which sucks. 

 

De-primer/primer system. I hate the Rube Goldberg type primer system which deprimes and primes at the same station with that little contraption that holds and the releases spent primers. 

 

So the 550 has a place but bulk loading is not its forte. 

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Ok so I got a msg back from him. I think I'm going to go ahead and grab the SDB. $350 for the SDB in 9mm with a digital power scale. This should allow me to get the other things I need and be up and running for less than $600 with everything I need besides my consumables. Plus when I decide to upgrade later, I can either keep the SDB or sell it for close to what I got it for. 

 

So, with that being said, guys, what other items would you specifically recommend? Tumblers, separators, case gauges, etc? And which specific ones would you purchase again if you had to do it all over again?

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A case gage is nice to have. If you have a Harbor Freight locally their vibratory case tumbler is the least expensive I have found, the Frankford is the next least expensive. The Harbor Freight digital caliber 6" $15.00 ish also inexpensive and the same as many name brand ones that cost twice as much. For tumbler media use crushed fine walnut reptile bedding from the pet shop. I put some nu-car auto polish and mineral spirits into it make sure you have it fully mixed into the media before putting bass into the tumbler. Use a plastic kitchen colander from the dollar store to separate media for now.

 

On edit: If you need to buy handloading books get used at amazon

Edited by firewood
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7 minutes ago, firewood said:

For tumbler media us crushed fine walnut reptile bedding from the pet shop. I put some nu-car auto polish and mineral spirits into it make sure you have it fully mixed into the media before putting bass into the tumbler.

 

Like firewood said, Zilla Desert Blend is the walnut betting you are looking for. I got a 10 quart bag, and my tumbler uses only about 1.5 quarts. I didn't try mineral spirits, but I am using the Nu finish too.

Edited by eboos
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case gauge.  EGW 7 hole (7 or 8 I forget) is fine.  The 50 or 100 round is mo betta but not cheap.

 

Harbor freight digital micrometer or calipers (6" is fine)

Harbor freight tumbler, I have the huge one but the small is fine and probably all you'd want.  I can easily run 2 gallons of 9mm brass in the big one.

 

Frankfurt arsenal primer tube filler for $50, not necessary to start but worth every penny in my book.

 

Recycle buck, save spent primers and bad brass and take to salvage yard to buy more stuff.

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I would case gauge off my barrel, but being that it's an open div Glock, it's a bit more cumbersome to strip. I think I'll get myself a case gauge of some sort. Hoping to start building the bench it will go on next week, and start getting all the small stuff ordered... I knew I shouldn't have bought that damned open gun... lol

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Just my personal experience on case gages the DAA 20 cavity is very tight and a tad expensive. The single cavity Lyman is a bit looser and only costs about $20.00 I have not had a single FTF since I started gage every round I make.

 

On the zilla media I mix 50/50 NuFinish with mineral spirits, mix it before you put it into the media and run for 15 minutes before putting the brass in. Helps cut down on the dust and polishes the brass some.

 

If you need some range brass you can buy 6000 pcs 9mm once fired mixed from northeast reloading for $131.00 delivered.

 

Cabelas sells plastic 100 round ammo boxes for about $2.99 Every time I go there I pick up a few now I have too many!  Walmart and Harbor Freight sells those approx. 30 cal. plastic plano boxes for about $5.00 these are good for bulk ammo storage.

 

Are you going to shoot major or minor?

 

And welcome to the handloaders club. Once you get started you will lose the excuse of not having any ammo to shoot Ha Ha!

Edited by firewood
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firewood... I actually picked up a plastic ammo can at Academy sports a couple weeks ago for $28 that came with (10) 100 individual ammo boxes inside. Normally at Academy those 100 round boxes are like $4 each, so i couldnt pass that up. I will likely go grab another one or 2 just too keep on hand. Thanks for the heads up on the NuFinish/Mineral spirits mix. That will save a ton over buying bottles of "brass polish" from dillon or anyone else... Right now I'm shooting minor until I can work up a good major load for the Glock and get some springs delivered.... Looking like it will be CCI primers, 124gn Blue Bullets (maybe), and good ole range brass... just got to figure out what powder to use... I know I can get TightGroup and I think Power Pistol at my local academy.... but there is a guy at the gun club I'm joining that sells reloading supplies, so I have to see what he can get his hands on.

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Personally I'd go for the Lyman 1200 tumbler. It has a slotted lid so you don't need a media separator (saves some $) also it comes with media (Lyman green corncob) that will last you about a year. I messed around with walnut etc too. The Lyman media is amazing. No need to add anything to it. 

 

The lyman is $55 at cabelas but then you are sorted for:

 

tumbler

media for 12mths (or around 10-15,000 cases)

media separator (just add a bucket)

 

by the time you buy cheapo tumbler, walnut, polish, separator you'll be up more than that and the Lyman does an amazing job. 

Edited by BeerBaron
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