Well i just ordered a Dillon Square Deal B in 9mm, spare parts kit, dvd instruction manual, digital dial caliper. I have a rough homemade tumbler but want to upgrade it. I also have a bullet puller and some other reloading stuff as well like manuals.
Anyways, what tumbler would you guys reccommend (im a college student so nothing too pricey) and what all other supplies do I need to get started besides the ammo components?
Thanks,
Spencer
What tumbler and other supplies needed?
-
chrismartin
- Silencertalk Goon Squad
- Posts: 4226
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:18 pm
- Location: Tidewater, VA
Get a good case gauge (I like the Dillon ones) to test your final product.
To save a little, you can take a barrel out of your gun and use that, but it's not always as accurate because you have to know where a factory round sits in the barrel first.
I test each round with my gauge and as I do, I also check my primer seating depth at the same time.
I use a Frankford Arsenal tumbler I bought from MidwayUSA. It has worked perfectly, but now it's a little small. It should be good to start with though.
I bought a Dillon digital scale for weighing charges.
Typically, I weigh the powder charge for a bunch of the first set of rounds coming out. I do not assume that my throw will be where I left it. Once I get a consistent throw down, I stop weighing the charge.
To save a little, you can take a barrel out of your gun and use that, but it's not always as accurate because you have to know where a factory round sits in the barrel first.
I test each round with my gauge and as I do, I also check my primer seating depth at the same time.
I use a Frankford Arsenal tumbler I bought from MidwayUSA. It has worked perfectly, but now it's a little small. It should be good to start with though.
I bought a Dillon digital scale for weighing charges.
Typically, I weigh the powder charge for a bunch of the first set of rounds coming out. I do not assume that my throw will be where I left it. Once I get a consistent throw down, I stop weighing the charge.
-
generaldisarray
- Silent But Deadly
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:59 am
- Location: sho me state
You dont have to tumble.
You can clean your brass wet (sink) with dollar store bowls and a collander. Works especially well with pistol as it dries easy.
I dont know what comes in your kit but,
If you are doing only pistol look at a Rcbs little Dandy powder measure.
Scooping works but is very slow to reload any kind of quantity.
Priming tools of some sort
Primer pocket brush or similar
You need a scale too.
You can clean your brass wet (sink) with dollar store bowls and a collander. Works especially well with pistol as it dries easy.
I dont know what comes in your kit but,
If you are doing only pistol look at a Rcbs little Dandy powder measure.
Scooping works but is very slow to reload any kind of quantity.
Priming tools of some sort
Primer pocket brush or similar
You need a scale too.
My reloader is:
4 Station Progressive Loader
Station 1) resize/deprime
Station 2) prime/powder drop/flare
Station 3) seat
Station 4) crimp
Loads only the listed handgun cartridges Automatic Indexing shellplate Auto Powder / Priming Systems Uses special dies Manually fed cases and bullets Typical loading Rate is about 300-500 Rounds per Hour Comes Complete With Factory Adjusted Loading Dies Ready-to-Use, machine set up with proper primer size & shellplate installed.
By the way I am a complete reloading newb:
On 9mm ammo do I need to measure each piece of brass and trim it before I put it in or is that not required with handgun ammo?
Also since it is a progressive press and does all the middle stuff for me to I need a primer brush? I did not think I would be taking the brass out of the press til it was loaded once it goes in?
What I need:
Case gauge
Thanks,
Spencer
4 Station Progressive Loader
Station 1) resize/deprime
Station 2) prime/powder drop/flare
Station 3) seat
Station 4) crimp
Loads only the listed handgun cartridges Automatic Indexing shellplate Auto Powder / Priming Systems Uses special dies Manually fed cases and bullets Typical loading Rate is about 300-500 Rounds per Hour Comes Complete With Factory Adjusted Loading Dies Ready-to-Use, machine set up with proper primer size & shellplate installed.
By the way I am a complete reloading newb:
On 9mm ammo do I need to measure each piece of brass and trim it before I put it in or is that not required with handgun ammo?
Also since it is a progressive press and does all the middle stuff for me to I need a primer brush? I did not think I would be taking the brass out of the press til it was loaded once it goes in?
What I need:
Case gauge
Thanks,
Spencer
-
generaldisarray
- Silent But Deadly
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:59 am
- Location: sho me state
I personally have never had to trim my pistol brass. You may need to trim when the firing count gets higher. Just measure. You should get friendly with your calipers. Measure your whole bucket of cases. The length is in the book just like the coal is. Keep your brass between max and trim length.
Almost without exception people I know prefer to prep ( deprime/resize, clean, prime) before assembly.Maybe you can alter your setup to do that
If you can, try to run it as a single stage to get your feet wet. Once you get the hang of it add more functions.
The only thing that I see you are lacking is a scale and primer pocket cleaning tools.
9mm luger is a good cartridge to start with.
I am not familiar with the crimp in the fourth station you have.
I crimp in the bullet seating die. Just enough to remove the small ammount of flare I put in. Which is just enough not to scrape the plating off of Berrys or lead off my castings.
Almost without exception people I know prefer to prep ( deprime/resize, clean, prime) before assembly.Maybe you can alter your setup to do that
If you can, try to run it as a single stage to get your feet wet. Once you get the hang of it add more functions.
The only thing that I see you are lacking is a scale and primer pocket cleaning tools.
9mm luger is a good cartridge to start with.
I am not familiar with the crimp in the fourth station you have.
I crimp in the bullet seating die. Just enough to remove the small ammount of flare I put in. Which is just enough not to scrape the plating off of Berrys or lead off my castings.
What's a good budget scale to use? I know the SDB has a powder feeder to deliver the same amount of powder each time based on grams so I was thinking I would not need a scale but I may be wrong as well.
I have a single stage press as well, should I get a de-priming die for it to de-prime all my brass and then use a primer pocket cleaner to clean them before tumbling?
Also, is it worthwile to save cheapo ammo brass like Monarch brass ammo and Winchester WWB?
Thanks,
Spencer
I have a single stage press as well, should I get a de-priming die for it to de-prime all my brass and then use a primer pocket cleaner to clean them before tumbling?
Also, is it worthwile to save cheapo ammo brass like Monarch brass ammo and Winchester WWB?
Thanks,
Spencer
WWB is ok for sure, not sure about Monarch since I have no experience. You definitely need a scale though.rsm688 wrote:What's a good budget scale to use? I know the SDB has a powder feeder to deliver the same amount of powder each time based on grams so I was thinking I would not need a scale but I may be wrong as well.
I have a single stage press as well, should I get a de-priming die for it to de-prime all my brass and then use a primer pocket cleaner to clean them before tumbling?
Also, is it worthwile to save cheapo ammo brass like Monarch brass ammo and Winchester WWB?
Thanks,
Spencer
-
chrismartin
- Silencertalk Goon Squad
- Posts: 4226
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:18 pm
- Location: Tidewater, VA
grains, not grams. Completely different thing here.rsm688 wrote: based on grams so I was thinking I would not need a scale but I may be wrong as well.
There are 15.4 grains per gram. So, if you were to put 3.8 GRAMS of powder in a 9mm case, not only would it over flow, but would be the wrong charge and blow something up.
Also, most reloading equipment drops powder based off of volume, not weight. You adjust the volume until you get the correct weight delivered. So, depending on the powder you use, it will be a different setting. You cannot assume that if you set your machine for 3.8 grains of Winchester W231 it will be the same if you use Unique or any other powder for that matter. You must re-weight and re-tune the press if you change powders.
Again, I even re-weigh every-single time I start up my press. I don't want to blow anything up.
So, yes, you will need a scale, there is no way around that.
I would recommend digital, but they are more expensive. They are faster than a beam scale though, but the quality can very dramatically. Read up on the one you want before you buy. I'm very satisfied with my Dillon digital scale (D-Terminator I think it's called) but it was expensive.