Just getting started! need advice!

[bigo5552000]

So I am looking into reloading. I have been saving my brass and have accumulated 2000-2500 rounds of spent brass to get started with. I was thinking of getting a simple single stage press like the lee anniversary set. the only problem is I live in an apartment. what do yall think of reloading in an apartment?? Do yall think it is ok? I think it would be but I wanted the advice from someone has been reloading for awhile!
thanks in advance for the advice!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Majorlk]

Other than available space, I can't think of anything that would make reloading in an apartment any difference from a single family house.

Have fun!

[bigo5552000]

ok thats what i thought! i have a desk im gonna set up just for it!

[gtac]

I used to reload in an apartment. I had a Lee turret press set up on a little bench inside a walk in closet. You could also get or make something like this:

MidwayUSA - Frankford Arsenal Portable Reloading Stand

Just stash it somewhere out of the way when you're not using it.

[CopperKnight]

No reason not to reload in an apartment. You just need a solid desk to mount the reloader to. If you don't have a place to do a permanent mount, I have used clamps in the past to temporarily attach the loader to the desk. Have at it.

[automatic slim]

Before you do anything, check your lease. Many complexes don't allow storage of powder, primers or ammunition. Check the zoning and fire code too. The apartment I used to live in was like that, but I solved the problem, I bought a house.

[mlr1m]

ok thats what i thought! i have a desk im gonna set up just for it!

You might need to add some reinforcement to the desk top depending on what you are reloading. Full length resizing larger rifle cases can exert alot of pressure on it.

Michael

[boscobeans]

I used to reload in an apartment. I had a Lee turret press set up on a little bench inside a walk in closet. You could also get or make something like this:

MidwayUSA - Frankford Arsenal Portable Reloading Stand

Just stash it somewhere out of the way when you're not using it.

I've been using one of these for years. They are great if you have a lack of space or want to reload almost anywhere. Because they have a little wiggle when you are using them I would think they might NOT be the best setup for progressive presses.




bosco

[sniper58]

I started reloading (rifle) on a single-stage press in an apartment with no problems. I've since added pistol reloading (in an apartment) with a Lee 4-Turret press. I use a Black & Decker Workmate bench with two 1-inch slabs of oak bolted to the top (the cheap pine top will crack on resizing on the single stage press). The set up works fine for me and is portable if needed.

As for the lease and zoning restrictions, Autoslim is correct (but if your tail is on the line, will it really matter?). The apartment management/maintenance will have to see the storage of powders, etc., before they can do anything about it and they aren't likely to venture into a second bedroom to fix a water leak in the bathroom or weather stripping on the front door. If they're coming, cover your equipment or box it up.

[bigo5552000]

sweet thanks for all the advice guys!

also can I get a detailed list of everything you need to start up? I want to reload 9mm first! I was thinking single stage since it is cheaper! also how much would everything cost approximately?

thanks!!

[boscobeans]

An example of a nice kit to start with can be seen on the Kempf gunshop's website(nice folks).
Get a good reloading manual and a decent caliper and you should be good to go.

As far as prices... check out the above as well as Midway or any of the other online places that sell reloading equipment.

bosco

[Landric]

If you want a single stage kit, I'd go with this one:

MidwayUSA - Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit

In addition to the kit, you will need:

-Dies for each chambering you want to load ($25-$35 a set on average)

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=140349

or, if you want to seat and crimp in separate applications (which I like, but takes longer on a single stage):

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=885350

-Extra breech locks for the press if you are loading more than one cartridge ($8 per box of 2)

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tnumber=971565

-A loading manual ($12-$30, depending on the manual, the Lee manual is the least expensive and has a lot of information)

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tnumber=484416

-A set of calipers ($15-$30, depending on brand and digital vs. dial)

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=604242

-A bullet puller, for when you mess up ($15-$20)

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tnumber=630146

That should get you going. There is plenty of optional stuff, and you might want to consider some way to clean brass, such as a tumbler.

Then you just need components (primers, powder, and projectiles) to go with your saved brass. There are plenty of options with 9x19mm. I like Hodgdon HS-6 for it, but Titegroup, W231, and many others are also good powders. Pretty much any small pistol primer will do for 9mm (and get what you can find right now), but avoid magnum primers. In my experience, small pistol magnum primers work fine in larger cases, but in 9mm they can cause significant pressure and velocity increases over standard primers. As for bullets, I really like Missouri Bullet, www.missouribullet.com. Unless you are totally against shooting lead, go with them. They are inexpensive and good quality, plus they have excellent customer service and very fast shipping.

As for the apartment issue, I just bought a house last year. I started handloading in 1994, and from then until 2008 I handloaded in various rental property, apartments and houses over the years. I don't see any reason not to do it, so long as you have space.

I would not attempt to cast boolits in an apartment. I just took that up myself this year, now that I have a place to do it.

[bigo5552000]

If you want a single stage kit, I'd go with this one:

MidwayUSA - Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit

In addition to the kit, you will need:

-Dies for each chambering you want to load ($25-$35 a set on average)

MidwayUSA - Lee Carbide 3-Die Set 9mm Luger

or, if you want to seat and crimp in separate applications (which I like, but takes longer on a single stage):

MidwayUSA - Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set 9mm Luger

-Extra breech locks for the press if you are loading more than one cartridge ($8 per box of 2)

MidwayUSA - Lee Breech Lock Quick Change Bushings Package of 2

-A loading manual ($12-$30, depending on the manual, the Lee manual is the least expensive and has a lot of information)

MidwayUSA - Lee "Modern Reloading 2nd Edition" Reloading Manual

-A set of calipers ($15-$30, depending on brand and digital vs. dial)

MidwayUSA - Frankford Arsenal Electronic Caliper 6" Stainless Steel

-A bullet puller, for when you mess up ($15-$20)

MidwayUSA - RCBS Pow'r Pull Impact Bullet Puller

That should get you going. There is plenty of optional stuff, and you might want to consider some way to clean brass, such as a tumbler.

Then you just need components (primers, powder, and projectiles) to go with your saved brass. There are plenty of options with 9x19mm. I like Hodgdon HS-6 for it, but Titegroup, W231, and many others are also good powders. Pretty much any small pistol primer will do for 9mm (and get what you can find right now), but avoid magnum primers. In my experience, small pistol magnum primers work fine in larger cases, but in 9mm they can cause significant pressure and velocity increases over standard primers. As for bullets, I really like Missouri Bullet, Missouri Bullet Company. Unless you are totally against shooting lead, go with them. They are inexpensive and good quality, plus they have excellent customer service and very fast shipping.

As for the apartment issue, I just bought a house last year. I started handloading in 1994, and from then until 2008 I handloaded in various rental property, apartments and houses over the years. I don't see any reason not to do it, so long as you have space.

I would not attempt to cast boolits in an apartment. I just took that up myself this year, now that I have a place to do it.

thanks for the great rely!!
is it necessary to crimp the rounds?

[Landric]

For a semi-auto, or anything with heavy recoil, semi-auto or otherwise, you want to apply at least some crimp. You don't have to do it as a separate step though, the bullet seat die can be set to only seat the bullet, or to seat and crimp at the same time, saving the extra step of crimping as a separate application.

I like to seat and crimp as separate steps, but I do the huge majority of my handgun loading on a progressive or 4-station turret press. Since I have to pull the lever anyway on the progressive, or four times per round on the turret anyway, it makes sense to do it as a separate application. However, when I did all my handloading on a single stage (as I did from 1994-2001), I always seated and crimped in the same step.

Assuming you have no experience handloading at all, you might consider just starting out seating and crimping in separate operations. Lee sells 4-die sets perfect for that, and they cost slightly less than the three die sets from other manufactures and also include a shell holder. The seat die included with the 4-die set will also crimp if you want it to, but they also include the factory crimp die with the set.

[boscobeans]

Great advice and great links from Landric.

You may want to look into a tumbler and some medium for it if you intend to use already fired brass. Not needed all the time but polished brass is cleaner to work with and helps keep your reloading dies cleaner as well..

bosco