David III

Bud - I sure agree with you on Unique. One of the reasons I like it is that a double charge is either really easy to see or it just pours over the top of the case.

P95Carry

Indeed as Bud says - I am stuck on Lee - too late to change but it suits me fine for what I need. Shoot me a PM is any major snags you find.

Agreed too on Unique - not the cleanest powder but one of the safer ones overall.

The auto-disk Lee measure is fine for most powders but I hate it for H-110 - leaks a lot!

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

joe/OH

Beam scale works for me. Digitals are convenient - but will do nothing a good beam scale won't do. You might want to stick with the beam scale until you get into it for a little while - then make the decision on whether you need to drop the $100 for one. It is definitely not required to get started...

frankmako

I started reloading around 1973/74. I started out with a Lyman Spartan single stage press, Lyman carbide .357 mag dies, and a Lyman D-7 precision scale. Found a Lyman reloading handbook (1970) and a Speer Number Nine reloading manual (1973).

Then in 1980, I started NRA Silhouette competition shooting in El Paso Texas. Shot every silhouette match they had (rifle and pistol). My wife also shot every match. The only way to shoot this much was to reload. At this time I got one of the first Dillon 550 made and a high dollar Pro-Tach chronograph to test my loads.

Then I got into bullet casting. During the summer months I was at the reloading bench six days a week to keep up with the ammo that my wife and I needed for practice and matches. Pickup a second single stage press (Texas Star) for rifle loads. During the 80, I got in deep with the reloading, casting bullets, trimming brass, making up wildcat loads, testing loads, etc. But I love it.

Then we started shooting IPSC along with Silhouette. More reloading was needed and I love it. I use my Dillon for pistol only and the two single stage presses for rifle cases. Still use the old Lyman scales, no reason to change something that works. Got a RCBS powder drop and an old no name powder drop for rifle and they stays on weight. The Dillon drops on weight too. With the Dillon the best way is to have a complete tool head setup for each cal that you load. Love the set and leave it that the Dillon gives you, just change out tool heads to change cal. But a single stage press is the best way to learn how to reload.

These are the loads that I do: .25 acp, 380 auto, 38 Sp, 357 mag, 9mm/357 ***** (home made wildcat load, a long story), 9mm, 40 cal, 44 mag, 45 acp, 7mmTCU, 30-223, 7mm-308, 308, 30-06, and 5.56mm (223). I have work/tested most of the powders and bullets made and have found the ones that work well with above cals. I have match, practice, and protection load data for the above. This summer I am going to do a workup for the 9x18, (9mm Mak) with home made cast bullets.

When I started I took the book loads and work up or down from there. Made the reloads to fit each gun. Pro-Tach chronograph helped to workup a good load. If you need help let me known and I will be glad to give you my load data and tips.

frankmako


Frank - split this up a bit into para's - easier to read - Chris