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As a beginner, reloading your own ammunition may be quite an overwhelming task. There are plenty of types of bullets, powders, and calibers among other components that are associated with ammunition in the market today. This may be a bit overwhelming while starting out.
You may have to make quite a big investment before you begin reloading your newly acquired ammunition. Not to worry though because there are multiple great reloading kits that will enable your reloading experience smoother and relatively inexpensive.
A reloading kit will mostly consist of equipment, accessories, and tools that you will require when reloading all in one package. All things considered, reloading kits are more cost-effective compared to buying a piece at a time.
What You Should Look for In a Reloading Kit?
Starting your journey into the world of reloading using reloading kits is not only wise, but it will also make the process much more seamless. However, the kit should be well-stocked. Meaning that it must contain all the components and tools necessary to reload your ammunition.
You should also invest in a weighing scale so that you can individually weigh your tools and components inside the press. Note that a proper kit must contain components that are compatible with one another. For instance, the dies and holders for bullet shells must be the exact fit for your ammunition.
All these things should function in synchrony so that it is easier for you to load your cartridges correctly. This minimizes the time it will take between you buying the ammunition and when you start firing it.
How to Select a Reloading Press?
There are various types of reloading presses. They are such as; single stage, turret, and progressive reloading press. This should be the first question that you ask before getting into the reloading process. There is, however, no correct answer to that question, since it is a subjective question. The answer is dependent on your objective and purpose for your ammunition.
Types of Reloading Presses
As mentioned in the previous section, reloading presses are of three types. There is a single stage, turret, and progressive reloading press. All of them have their advantages and disadvantages. Nonetheless, each and every one of them is capable of producing a great batch of ammunition cartridges if handled and used properly.
Single reloading press
This type pretty much contains one die station; hence, the name ‘single’. Each one of the functions on the cartridge is performed one at a time. This basically means that you process your brass in stages and have an unfinished cartridge all the way until the final stage of reloading which is known as crimping.
Progressive reloading presses
Unlike single presses, progressive presses deal with bulk ammunition in short periods of time. This type of press is usually an automated 4 or 5-stage press. Progressive reloading presses are capable of holding all the reloading dies at a go, with every single pull of the handle as it adds a piece of brass per processing.
Simultaneously, a shell plate rotates the next piece of brass to its subsequent station. In that station, it is sized and de-primed appropriately. At the same time, the third piece of brass has powder added to it and it is primed as well. The other piece of brass is crimped and it contains a bullet.
Once the press is properly set up and adjusted, you simply pull the handle. This then places a bullet at the top of the charged case and at the final stage, the finished bullet rotates and is dropped out. It functions similarly to an automated assembly line and it is a really amazing process to watch as you get going.
Turret Press
This is the third category of reloading presses. It has a similar mechanism to it that of the progressive press. However, it does not contain the same level of automation. This means that it requires manual intervention as you use it. Their advantage is that they are more cost-effective compared to progressive presses and more automated than single-stage presses.
Conclusion
It would be best to start reloading with a single-stage kit, especially if you do not have prior experience. The starting cost for a single stage is relatively small. It would be the best decision to take it slow as you enjoy the art!