thejoe Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I'm seriously looking at getting a Springfield XD40 as soon as I can and with prices for ammo going up I'm thinking I should start reloading. I don't have anywhere for a press or all the stuff that makes it easy but I can easily get a Lee loader which I think would work fine for me in the present situation. The question is, what manual would you folks recommend to a new reloader? I'm pretty sure I can't just buy a Lee loader and get right to it because I'll probably destroy my gun and/or me. joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy_fuentes Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I'm seriously looking at getting a Springfield XD40 as soon as I can and with prices for ammo going up I'm thinking I should start reloading. I don't have anywhere for a press or all the stuff that makes it easy but I can easily get a Lee loader which I think would work fine for me in the present situation. The question is, what manual would you folks recommend to a new reloader? I'm pretty sure I can't just buy a Lee loader and get right to it because I'll probably destroy my gun and/or me. joe Take it from others that are experienced. Go ahead and get a Dillon progressive reloading press and be done with it. You may thing that you are going to reload a few rounds and any press will work for you. You will end up buying a Dillon. You will load more than you think. I tried some of the others and around '86 or '88 I bought a Dillon 550. I have loaded several hundred thousand rounds on it until about 3 years ago and I bought the Dillon 650. I still use the 550 (every week) for 9 mm, 9x23, and .40 S&W. The 650 is used for .45 acp. On the 550 I load about 100 rounds in 17 mins. and the 650 loads about 100 rounds every 10 mins. I have had very few problems with breakage, but when it does...Dillon is to the rescue at no charge! Try that with another brand. I load 100 rounds of 147 LRN 9mm's for $ 7.00 or less when I buy the bullets right ($28.00 per K). Good Luck, Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 The Lee reloading manual has a great technique section for a new reloader. The Lyman manual is also pretty good. One thing that everyone notices, is that each manufacturer that publishes a manual is heavily biased towards their own components. Owning a few manuals is a good thing and it'll allow you to have several sources for the same info. If your money is tight, start with a Dillon Square Deal B rather than the Lee loader. My $0.02. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 (edited) +1 on the SDB advice.... loading for IPSC/USPSA type shooting with a single stage press would drive me crazy in no time... Of course in my case it isn't a long trip! The SDB is quite compact...... Reloading manuals? Quite a few avaialble online now! Edited January 24, 2007 by Trooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittlePistol Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Joe, I completely understand where you are coming from in regards to .45ACP ammo prices as well as reloading concerns. I already own 1 .45ACP and am in the process of ordering a custom .45ACP from Dawson. On countless recommendations from friends and fellow shooters, I am purchasing a Dillon Square Deal "B" next month. I read your post and went online in search of reloading articles and manuals and the best one I found was on Dillon's website. Dillon's SDB manual breaks down every part on the press (by part # - gotta love that support) and explains exactly how to set it up and use it in laymans terms. One definately doesn't have to be a pro to start reloading with this manual. I also completely agree with buddy as far as support goes. Knowing that a No-BS lifetime warranty is actually there leaves me with warm fuzzies. Sorry, I forgot the links. http://dillonhelp.com/manuals/english/SDB_v4_5.pdf? http://dillonprecision.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD Niner Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 +1 on the Lyman manual. It is an excellent source of general reloading information for a beginner (like me six months ago.) Also, +1 on the Dillon progressive presses. A SDB is a good choice for your first press if you're planning just one pistol caliber. If you do elect to move up in the future, you will be able to recoup most of your investment when you sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy_fuentes Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 The Square Deal is a good press if you are loading for one caliber, but I understand that the rascal is time consuming to change calibers. The 550 is maybe 5 mins. and the 650 is about 10 to 15. You can locate about any load from on line sources, but make sure you double check your source and start below the recommendations and work up, for safety sakes. Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Bell Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I'm seriously looking at getting a Springfield XD40 as soon as I can and with prices for ammo going up I'm thinking I should start reloading. I don't have anywhere for a press or all the stuff that makes it easy but I can easily get a Lee loader which I think would work fine for me in the present situation. The question is, what manual would you folks recommend to a new reloader? I'm pretty sure I can't just buy a Lee loader and get right to it because I'll probably destroy my gun and/or me. joe My first reloading experience was a Lee loader for 30-06. My second experience was with a Lee loader for .357. The first one worked great. The second one didn't work worth a darn. I later filled it with lead, stuck a bolt in it and used it for a counterweight for my hunting bow. Yes, I know it's wierd, but it's what I had, and I didn't have money for a proper counterweight. By the way it worked much better as a weight than as a loader. I'm with others, go for the Dillon. If you're only going to do pistol, or better yet, only going to do one caliber, take a good look at the Square Deal. Otherwise, consider the 550B. You won't be sorry you did. Back to the question, though, of the manuals I own, I prefer the Lyman Reloading Handbook. I also have the Speer book, but have found some pretty serious inconsistencies and a few certain errors. When I called Speer to discuss the errors, they pretty much deflected my question rather than deal with it. So, they're no longer on my list of favorite companies. As good as the Lyman book is, though, there are other options. Pretty much all of the component companies have some kind of internet information available. I particularly like, and always at least check, information provided by the powder manufacturers. It's their product, suggesting that they may just know the most about it. Mostly, I use Alliant powders, so I downloaded, and keep their information handy. Taking it one step further, I copied pages from my Lyman manual that apply to the calibers I reload, printed information from Lyman and anyplace else that had information I though might help, and put it all in a loose leaf notebook, ordered by caliber and bullet weight. I add information I develop myself and keep it all handy in the room where my reloading equipment is set up. I use that book more and more, and the manuals that provided my initial information less and less, but I still have, and use both. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 (edited) The Square Deal is a good press if you are loading for one caliber, but I understand that the rascal is time consuming to change calibers. The 550 is maybe 5 mins. and the 650 is about 10 to 15. You can locate about any load from on line sources, but make sure you double check your source and start below the recommendations and work up, for safety sakes. Buddy The SDB isn't hard to do a caliber switch on if you have a toolhead all set up the way you want for the new load. Take off the powder measure, remove four screws, pull off the old toolhead and put on the new. replace the screws and powder measure, switch out the shell plate and locator buttons, and you're done, except for adjusting the powder measure drop, which you'd need to do on any of the presses anyway, unless you have separate measures set up, and maybe changing primer sizes in the feed system, again a step needed in any progressive. +++ on having multiple resources on reloading info. Edited January 25, 2007 by kevin c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 I used a Lee Loader for a while when I was in college, but that didn't last long. It took me all week to load up enough ammo to shoot a match and a practice session or two a week...built up my arm strength though! After a while my Dad sent me a Square Deal B so that I could spend more time studying and less time loading....bless him for that!...I still have that press many years later. I actually would mount it on a coffee table with two quick grip clamps and some weight on the table to keep it steady. Clamp it up, run off several hundred rounds and put it back in the closet...no problem. It's worth it if you can swing the extra $ In addition to a full reloading guide, consider getting one of the cartridge specific books by Loadbooks USA. Each one is for one cartridge and covers lots of different bullets and powders. They use exerpts from all the big loading guides so you get most of the data that's out there in one place...very handy. Good luck, it's an addiction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sturmruger Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 I have heard a lot of good things about the SDB from Dillon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ButchW Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 (edited) I have heard a lot of good things about the SDB from Dillon. If you are looking for used Dillon 550 go to EBay. Otherwise I think the 650 is the better press (don't find them on ebay at less that 85% new) so I would buy new. The major difference is powder check system that I really really like on bottle neck cartidges. If you get a 550 or 650 I would also get a good spot light that shines on the filled cartridge station. BrianEnos.com has as good as prices you are going to find on Dillion unless you have a local guy in town. Brian does a good job of not shafting customers on shipping. I have had my Dillon 650 4 months and can run about 400 9mm per hour even with the occasional jam. Buy for sure extra primer tubes, spare parts kit. When you start a second caliber buy extra heads and extra powder dies and may be a quick change. Modern reloading manuals (Lyman & Speer) are out of date for modern powders. ALWAYS look on the manufacturer's website first! Following some of the loads in these book will blow up your gun. In one caliber I load. Lyman 48 is 30% over Alliant's website. Butch Edited February 3, 2007 by ButchW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revopop Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 (edited) Ok, I'm going to be the contrarian and not recommend a Dillon press...yet. I also recently started reloading. I also don't have anywhere to put a press. I was looking at a Dillon SDB, because that's what all my IPSC buddies said I had to get, and then I started looking at getting a 550, because they all said I'd be happier with that. Nevermind the fact that I had absolutely nowhere to put it in my one-bedroom apartment. Then I asked my girlfriend's dad about it. He's a very experienced reloader and loves to reload. He suggested I maybe see if I even like to reload before I haul off and spend a ton of money. He then gave me a Lee Hand Press. I think this was a good way for me to learn the mechanics and basics of reloading (yes, I do like doing it BTW). Is it slow? Yes. But it's a lot faster, more productive, and more versatile than a Lee Loader, and it's still cheap. You also don't have to have a hammer and a hard surface (like the bench you don't have). I do most of my reloading sitting in my La-Z-Boy in front of the TV. And now, I do want to get a Dillon. But because of a $20 hand press I'm able to reload and gain valuable experience while I save up for that $300+ Blue Press. BTW, he got me the kit, but I'd just get the press by itself. If you get carbide dies, you don't use the case lube, the funnel by itself is only a couple of bucks, and I haven't even touched the Ram Prime because he also gave me a Lee Auto-Prime which works great and is also pretty cheap. You'll also need a scale, and a powder measure would be helpful. I don't have one yet, and it makes it much more time-consuming. A bullet puller and a loading block are also necessary. That's everything I have, and I've probably spent more buying bullets, powder, and primers than he did on giving me the whole setup. I'm using the Lee Carbide Speed Die, which is fast and efficient but doesn't give you any flexibility with the crimp. Edited February 9, 2007 by Glockopop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 For a beginning reloader I'd recommend something like the Gun Digest Book Of Handgun Reloading or the Handloaders Digest. Both can probably be found at Barnes & Nobles and are good reads for someone just starting. I started with a Lee hand tool & after a few thousand 357's went to an RCBS, after a few thousand more went to a Dillion 550. I would love to move to a Dillon 650 but the reloading room won't allow it. Buy what you can afford to start with & upgrade when the time spent reloading exceeds the money for the upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Of course I'll second the 20 or so Dillon recommendations in this thread. Don't waste any money on the Lee, all the feedback I get is bad, always. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revopop Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Of course I'll second the 20 or so Dillon recommendations in this thread. Don't waste any money on the Lee, all the feedback I get is bad, always.be I'm not saying don't get the Dillon. But if you don't have anywhere to put a solid reloading bench (as both I and the original poster don't), you're not going to be able to have a Dillon or any other bench-mounted press. The hand press certainly has a lot of disadvantages, but for all its drawbacks, it fits in a box that goes in the closet. For me, it was handpress, don't reload, or start shopping for a new apartment. I went with the most logical choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulture Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 I will give you my long version of setting up to reload. Last year (jan 06) i decided i would start reloading Jan. 07. So i started buying stuff every month spread out through out the year. A scale this month a thousand bullets next month so on. I had every thing to reload before i had the reloader including a chrono. A couple of gift cards for christmas from the local sporting goods store and my dillon 550 cost less than $200. I spent the year researching loads and was able to get things on sale quite a few times. I also built a work bench from plans i got from a woodworking magazine I get. If you don't have a garage or at least a room to put it you may have to get creative, (kitchen table ). I had never reloaded before and found the Dillion 550 easy to assemble and use. I have been using it for about a month and feel very comfortable with the loads I have worked up. Do some research and buy the Dillion when you are ready, you won't be sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buddy_fuentes Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Mid-Way and others sell a small round reloading "bench" that you can mount your press onto and crank away. It comes apart easily for storage or will fit in a corner. It is made of hi-impact plastic and has a couple of trays that hold bullets or whatever. I thought it was junk, just looking at it, but a friend has one and it is a nice little set-up for about $60.00. Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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