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Thread: Beginning reloading

  1. #1
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    Beginning reloading

    Since I retired I have been looking for a new hobby. with a recent purchase of a .44 special reloading seems just the ticket. Thirty plus years ago I would have just used my father’s RCBS rock chucker set up but he sold it all off because I didn’t have the time. I will be buying everything and I plan to start with a rock chucker supreme; then move onto a Dillon progressive. Any suggestions? Other models?

  2. #2

    You are gonna have a lotta fun...

    Quote Originally Posted by Poconnor View Post
    Since I retired I have been looking for a new hobby. with a recent purchase of a .44 special reloading seems just the ticket. Thirty plus years ago I would have just used my father’s RCBS rock chucker set up but he sold it all off because I didn’t have the time. I will be buying everything and I plan to start with a rock chucker supreme; then move onto a Dillon progressive. Any suggestions? Other models?
    Nothing wrong with the Rockchucker, I still have the one Dad bought when I was about 15yo. But... starting off with 44 Special I would consider jumping into a Dillon 550. When you are getting in your groove it is easy to load one cartridge at a time if you want.

    If you eventually see yourself loading for low volume rifles, then you will appreciate having a single stage, and no harm in starting there.

  3. #3
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    Dillon 550 is never a bad choice. I have an old RCBS jr too

  4. #4
    Site Supporter entropy's Avatar
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    Apr 2012
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    At the risk of starting a maelstrom of poop, let me just say that you shouldn’t limit your color to “blue”. I have use “red” exclusively for many years. Like anything, pluses and minuses right?

    I load for .44spl as well. (Pretty much a necessity.) Great learning cartridge...big, fat, straight, easy to handle. Look back through here and there are a few great threads with tons of info. When you’re ready, drop me a line and I’d be more than happy to send you a handful of various bullets to try out...much better than spending coin on boxes of 100 that “don’t work out”.

    Pretty soon you’ll be loading for rifles, measuring out by the kernel, and searching for high end micrometers! Enjoy!!
    Working diligently to enlarge my group size.

  5. #5
    For a straight walled case I would say do not start with a single stage. Single stage presses have their purpose, but most people just buy them because they’re cheap. For straight walled cases they just aren’t the right tool, and buy cheap, buy twice.

    Dillon 550 is a great first (or only) press and easy to learn on.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Member SecondsCount's Avatar
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    Feb 2011
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    Utah, USA
    My first press was a single stage, started off loading 45 Colt then migrated to 9mm and 45 ACP. As soon as I started loading the 9mm on the single stage I realized this was going to take a lot of time.

    6 months after I bought the single stage I bought a shiny new Dillon 550. The only thing I use the single stage for now is some rifle calibers. The 550 is a great press and you can easily set it up as a single stage.

    In case you have not done the research, besides the press you will need-

    The 44 Mag/ Special conversion kit which may come with the 550.

    A set of 44 dies. Some die sets will allow you to load both 44 mag and special. Get a set with a carbide or similar sizing die, makes life easier for just a little more cost.

    A way to clean your brass. I still do the dry media/corncob tumbling but there are several methods out there.

    Dial calipers- I have an old mechanical set and a Harbor Freight digital set. Both work well.

    Powder scale- Beam type scales work well but I really like my digital scale. If you go digital, make sure to let it "warm up" for a few minutes and then do a simple calibration if it has not been used in a while. Don't leave anything resting on the scale platform for long periods of time.

    Just like when shooting, safety glasses are a necessary nuisance.
    -Seconds Count. Misses Don't-

  7. #7
    Hokey / Ancient JAD's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    Kansas City
    If you eventually plan to load say 6 hours a week, I would try to talk myself into springing for the 550 up front. It’s a lot of jack, though. If you just want to mess with it first, start with a Lee single stage.
    Ignore Alien Orders

  8. #8
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    The deciding factor is how many rounds you shoot, or plan to shoot. If you're shooting 50 rounds a week, you'll be OK with a single stage. If you're shooting hundreds of rounds a week, it's 550 time. I load 9mm and .45 auto on my 550s, but all others on a single stage.
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Hambo View Post
    The deciding factor is how many rounds you shoot, or plan to shoot.
    And perhaps including how many other cartridges you might ultimately load for.

  10. #10
    I like the Dillon 550 if you shoot any sort of volume.
    #RESIST

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