Here's some of what we need.....
1. Presses- One of the key components you're gonna need is a press. This is what we use to actually size the brass and seat the bullet. There are basically three types of presses, single stage, turret and progressive. They all three do the same function, size brass and seat bullets. I'll outline the differences in the three.
Single stage- Only accepts one dies, regardless if it is a sizing die or seating die. You can only do one operation at a time and must change the die to do another operation. This is the most common of the presses.
Turret- Accepts multiple dies and you can do mulitple operations and calibers without changing the dies. However, you'll have to change shellholders for different calibers.
Progressive- Does numerous operations, at the same time. Most size, prime, meter powder, bullets, cases, etc. Great for kicking out large volume of ammo.
2. Powder throwing and weighing- This is how we "throw" or "charge" our powder and weigh it. We weigh our powder in grains, not to be confused with grams. For future reference, if you see GR or gr, this is in reference to weight of powder or bullet. For "throwing" and weighing powder, there are various different ways to do this. For all my reloading, I use an RCBS Chargemaster. It electronically dispenses and weigh a programmed powder charge automatically in one step. However, there are various manual dispensers for "throwing" powder, as well as various assorted beam (manual) scales as well as digital scales for weighing charges.
3. Brass Preperation- We only need a few basic tools to process our brass for loading. Below are is a basic list for brass prep.
Case tumbler- Most are vibratory tumblers that polish or clean the brass. Used in conjunction with corn cob or walnut hull media and brass polish, these clean the brass and make it look "like new".
Case Trimmer- We use this to trim our brass to length. As we fire and reload the brass. it "grows" or stretches past spec length. You refer to your data for "trim length" for the specific cartridge you're loading and trim to this length. Without trimming, it can cause a multitude of preoblems and create unsafe problems with the ammo.
Champher and De-burring Tools- These are used after trimming to remove the burrs on the mouth of the case. Trimming creates burrs on the outside and insdie the neck of the brass. There are numerous tools out there, both manual and power versions for this process.
Primer Pocket Cleaning Tools- Tools used to cleaning the burnt residue from the primer pocket itself. Cleaning the pockets makes it easier to prime and will aid in accuracy, due to a more uniform primer burn.
4. Calipers- Mechanical (dial) or Digital measuring tools. Used to measure case length and OAL (Overall Length) of the cartridge.
5. Dies- These are used to size the brass and seat the bullet. The most common types are two die sets, sizer and seater. For pratical purposes, we'll be using a standard Full Length (FL) sizing die, it sizes the entire length of the brass and a standard seating die.
6. Shell Holders- This is used in conjunction with the press and dies. It's what holds the rim of the cartridge during sizing and seating. Each caliber has a specific number size holder, you can buy these individually or as a set.
7. Case Lubrication- We have to lube the brass prior to sizing. Without lubrication, the fricition created will seize the brass in the die. Most lubes are liquid, paste or spray. We'll get into lubes further a bit later on. You'll also need a case lube pad, it's used to roll the brass across during lubing.
8. Reloading Data- This is crucial, we can't just throw "whatever" powder we want in a case, seat a bullet and shoot her off. There are strict guidelines by the powder manufacturers for reloading. Different powders have different burn rates and may/may not be compatible for different cartidges. Read twice on ever bit of data you have for your cartidge/powder/primer/bullet combo. Data is available on-line from most manufacturers and in printed form. All your bullet and powder manufacters produce reloading manuals and have info available on-line. Research is your friend!
9. Brass, Bullets and Powder- Self-explanatory
10. Primers- There are many different types of primers available. Again, due diligence and attention to detail is paramount here! Make certain you don't mix up primers. If you are loading a standard large rifle primer and accidently stick a large rifle magnum primer in a load, the results can be catastrophic. In other words, a simple slip such as this could cause a weapon to blow up!
11. Priming Tools- We use these to put the primers in the brass prior to charging them with powder. Whether hand held or press mounted, they do the same thing.
12. Reloading Trays- What we use to set our brass in during charging. Makes life a lot easier and handier at the bench. Some are muli-caliber and others are caliber specific, not crucial, but handy.
Most of the above items can be purchased in a kit form and all are available individually. There are several different manufacters/brands out there. What you choose to use is your choice.
The next step will be in the following section. We'll concentrate on getting our brass ready to load and go from there.