bigbulls

Between myself and my kids I am starting to aquire enough rifles that it is getting expensive to go to the range every other week. So I am going to have to start reloading seriously. I have dabbled a little in the past but have lost some equipment over the years with moving. So what I need from you experts is a review of what I think I am going to need to tool back up. I will be reloading for a .270, 444 Marlin, 30-06, 300WSM, 338 RUM, 30 carbine, and very likely a .243.

About all I have anymore is an old but very useable Rock Chucker press and dies for the 444 and 270. Most everything else I will be purchasing.

Here is a list of the items I 'think' I will be needing. Feel free to comment and advise on different pieces you may have found to work better and/ or easier than what I have listed. Or an item that works equally well but may cost less. Keeping in mind that all of this reloading will be for hunting applications and general range time.

RCBS standard precision die sets for all calibers.
RCBS case tumbler
RCBS manual case trimmer
RCBS hand priming tool
RCBS primer tray
RCBS range master 750 electronic scale
RCBS flash hole deburing tool
RCBS case deburing tool
*not sure on the best case lube kit*
*Planning on weighing each charge but if the powder throwers are equally as accurate I will consider this as well.*
Of course a few reloading manuals such as Barnes, Nosler, Hornady, Speer.

charlie brown

Also a set of calipers to measure case and cartridge length.
Allen key tool. RCBS makes one, pretty handy
Some loading blocks.
And maybe in the future, at least an inertia bullet puller. You may think you won't reload a round that just will not work, but trust me, you will, hehehe

bigcountry

I suggest a 505 beam scale. I can load much faster on a beam than electronic. Digitals are nice to have but not necassary. Also, for those big cases, you need a powder trickler. Hey if you need anything, email me. You have helped me out a bunch with my bowtech, and would like to help anyway I can.

bronko22000

Bigbulls, you disappoint me. I though you were like the rest of us and knew everything!!
Judging from your list, it looks like you have been doing some homework. You can eliminate the primer tray as the hand primer will have on with it.
As for the lube, I'd go with Hornady One Shot. Great stuff and no mess.
Also, the other guys guys gave good advice. I'd also opt for the RCBS 505 scale and a dial caliper.
RCBS' Trim pro is an excellent case trimmer and it come with the popular sized pilots and shell holders.

Roskoe

I would get Redding dies, not RCBS. For powder measures, Irecommend the old Lyman Model 55 (Culver conversion optional). I also agree with Big Country on the powder scales - digital is no advantage for me.

stubblejumper

I personally find that I can weigh charges much faster with equal precisionon my electronic scale.

mossy33oak

primer pocket cleaner too..... and I have an electronic scale (rcbs) which I have abandon due to inconsistent weights. I would weigh a charge up, dump it back in and get sometimes +/- .3 grain. I went back to my 505 beam scale and havent looked back. I think some of my initial problems in accuracy were due to this.

firstshot

Stoney Point guage so you can measure distance to lands based on bullet ogive.

firstshot
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Make your first shot count!

Rootsy

you can make your own gauges if you are handy and have access to a lathe... take a piece of aluminum round stock... and face an end.. part it off, flip it around, face the other end then run the center drill in it... measure the groove (smallest) diameter of the bore of your rifle and run a drill of this size through the aluminum in the lathe... then change to a drill that is just a wee bit larger than bullet diameter and run it half way down...

I bought a rcbs rockchucker kit a long time ago... to that i've added a digital scale, powder trickler, more reloading blocks, an rcbs hand priming tool (comes iwth the priming tray for orientation)... primer pocket sizer, cleaners and deburrers... i also have a tumbler and i also have the rcbs case trimmer and a few pilots it doesn't come with but i also find myself using the Lee case trimmer setups.. you need one for each cartridge variation though...

i also have measuring tools but then again i have those cause i need them in my line of work...

an electric drill makes trimming and cleaning operations much more efficient...

bigcountry

Congrads. I don't know how that is possible, cause there is always a lag in electronics and a beam is real time as it gets, but whatever floats your boat. You have anything to suggest to the man, or just refute my suggestion?