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Novice Reloader - Need advice on complete reloading set to start with for rifle.

Steverino

Steverino

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I have no experience with pistol or rifle reloading. Used to load shotgun shells in a progressive but that was many years ago. I want to load .44 and .44mag for my lever gun. A learned friend suggested a Redding T7 and I ordered one but it just went from 2 months out to 6 months out so I cancelled the order. I just want to load these cartridges when I can finally find a loader kit and someday large pistol primers - got everything else I think now.

So I have a feeling the T-7s are not available unless you want to pay an exorbitant amount. I don't. I also don't want cheap either so whats a good reliable loader that has all the accessories and will accept dies for the 44 spl and later on the 44 magnum.
 
Good luck finding equipment and better luck finding components. I went hornady lock n load several years ago, no complaints. RCBS is good, most my dies are rcbs, never used rcbs press but hear they are good. Lyman stuff from what I hear is also good. Sure others here with much more experience than myself will chime in.
 
Lee Turret is a great starter press, it will last a lifetime and much less expensive than the other presses. They have kits that include most everything you need except the expendables. The kit is OOS at Midsouth, but they do have the press right now, though it may be available elsewhere.

Classic Turret Press Kit
006-90304.jpg


Classic 4 Hole Turret Press
006-90064.jpg
 
I have an older Dillon press. Last time I checked you could still get the parts necessary to convert it to various calibers.
It has some components for 38 and 44 caliber.
I was never able to get the press assembled and make it work.
PM me for more details and a price.

I have a Lee progressive set up for 9mm and I can crank out quite a few per hour on it. I could probably change to 45 and with components in hand go from 9 to 45 in probably 45 minutes.

I can report this Lee auto-liader press throws and exact charge time after time. To me this is amazing but I have a 10-10 scale and would weigh every 10 rounds then that got to be silly went up and up and now it is up to 88 rounds (brass feeder capacity). Just remarkable accuracy.

OTOH the primer feed mechanism is a joke, only don't laugh as the tendency to not slide a primer into exact alignment with the brass is a frequent occurrence. Not aligned and the leverage from that handle bends/crushes/deforms the primer and could easily result in ignition and your primer reservoir can easy hold 200 and there is a gunpowder reservoir might close. Run-on sentence or not, be exceedingly careful.
 
Steverino said:
I have no experience with pistol or rifle reloading. Used to load shotgun shells in a progressive but that was many years ago. I want to load .44 and .44mag for my lever gun. A learned friend suggested a Redding T7 and I ordered one but it just went from 2 months out to 6 months out so I cancelled the order. I just want to load these cartridges when I can finally find a loader kit and someday large pistol primers - got everything else I think now.

So I have a feeling the T-7s are not available unless you want to pay an exorbitant amount. I don't. I also don't want cheap either so whats a good reliable loader that has all the accessories and will accept dies for the 44 spl and later on the 44 magnum.
Click to expand...

Do yourself a favor. Buy the correct set of 44 mag dies then you can reload 44 specials as well. No need for 2 different sets to start with.
 
shrimphead said:
E-BAY has a lot of redding t7
Click to expand...
They had just the press going for as much as the kit went at OpticsPlanet or the other name for the same company. Prices were robbery. I looked there first. I just want a one stop shop - get everything together that will make it work. I'm just gonna load for this one rifle I'm good everywhere else with the others.
 
Steverino said:
They had just the press going for as much as the kit went at OpticsPlanet or the other name for the same company. Prices were robbery. I looked there first. I just want a one stop shop - get everything together that will make it work. I'm just gonna load for this one rifle I'm good everywhere else with the others.
Click to expand...
dvor?

With reloading, you will always need more equipment. A good set of calipers is a must. If your kit does not include a good reloading manual, that is another must have. Some will have very good information for beginners. The hornady manual taught me enough to get me started.
 
DaveB said:
I have an older Dillon press. Last time I checked you could still get the parts necessary to convert it to various calibers.
It has some components for 38 and 44 caliber.
I was never able to get the press assembled and make it work.
PM me for more details and a price.

I have a Lee progressive set up for 9mm and I can crank out quite a few per hour on it. I could probably change to 45 and with components in hand go from 9 to 45 in probably 45 minutes.

I can report this Lee auto-liader press throws and exact charge time after time. To me this is amazing but I have a 10-10 scale and would weigh every 10 rounds then that got to be silly went up and up and now it is up to 88 rounds (brass feeder capacity). Just remarkable accuracy.

OTOH the primer feed mechanism is a joke, only don't laugh as the tendency to not slide a primer into exact alignment with the brass is a frequent occurrence. Not aligned and the leverage from that handle bends/crushes/deforms the primer and could easily result in ignition and your primer reservoir can easy hold 200 and there is a gunpowder reservoir might close. Run-on sentence or not, be exceedingly careful.
Click to expand...

You ain't just whistlin' Dixie with that comment in RED! That's the one part of the Lee progressives that I hate. You HAVE to watch that primer feed on EVERY stroke of the handle or you will have sideways primers crushed up into the primer pocket. They have that little pin that hits the grooves in the support shaft that is supposed to shake the primer tray enough to cause them to feed but it just does not work reliably.
 
This is a terrible time to get into loading ammo as nothing is available anywhere. Make a list with anything you can think of and none of it will be available. :) When things settle back down though one of the RCBS kits that includes practically everything is the best way to go compared to paying more and buying it in pieces.
 
I just bought the

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Reloading Kit

Has most everything I'll need to start including the manual which is highly praised. Bought the dies

Hornady Custom Grade Titanium Nitride 44 SPL / 44 Mag Series II 3 Die Set on Ebay.

I went with this because Hornady has been around along time, price was right 383.00 for the kit at Scheels online. I spent a lot of time reading the comments on Amazon and other places and they were mostly favorable. The other loaders mentioned here I've heard of and they are great but this one seems geared to people like me so I went with it. We'll find out someday when the primers show up for sale, thats all I need. I need to build a reloading table for the shop but I have the stuff to do that I think.

Being a pack rat always pays off. BTW thanks for all of your advice and help!
 
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I've never used the Hornady press but it's been around for quite a while and I'm sure will work fine. All single stage presses are basically the same design anyhow. Hornady makes a quality product. Eventually You'll need to add some kind of case trimmer and a dial caliper to measure case length with. It's more important with rifle ammo than pistol but can become an issue with handgun ammo when you have different brands cases and are trying to crimp but variations in case length cause problems.
 
I'll be using this ammo primarily in a rifle but also maybe in a pistol. I have 100 new brass for magnum and another 100 for spl to start with and loads of bullets. But I did order the Hogdun 2021 manual too. I'll look into the cailper and trimmer eventually too. I want to read those manuals first. Thanks!
 
The need to trim is more related to the cartridge than what firearm it's used in. What I mean is that the 44 Magnum is a pistol round and not nearly so subject to stretching cases with repeated firings as say a 270 Winchester would be. That's true whether or not the 44 Mag is fired in a revolver or rifle.

Of course as in all things gun related that's just a generality and can vary significantly with individual firearms.

Going further to say that you should be ok to load the 44 for a rifle without a trimmer at least until you start running into problems. Where the problem would show up is when you set your crimp die for a short case then crimp a longer case causing the brass to bulge out enough that it won't chamber. You'll run into those issues as we all did and do. :) Then it's time to get the ol' bullet puller out and start to work.
 
Hunter 257W said:
The need to trim is more related to the cartridge than what firearm it's used in. What I mean is that the 44 Magnum is a pistol round and not nearly so subject to stretching cases with repeated firings as say a 270 Winchester would be. That's true whether or not the 44 Mag is fired in a revolver or rifle.

Of course as in all things gun related that's just a generality and can vary significantly with individual firearms.

Going further to say that you should be ok to load the 44 for a rifle without a trimmer at least until you start running into problems. Where the problem would show up is when you set your crimp die for a short case then crimp a longer case causing the brass to bulge out enough that it won't chamber. You'll run into those issues as we all did and do. :) Then it's time to get the ol' bullet puller out and start to work.
Click to expand...
Thank you! Believe it or not - the kit is due tomorrow - talk about fast shipping. But it'll be a while before I can use it until I get the primers.
 

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