My Reloading Equipment

My Situation: I'm primarily a pistol shooter. I shoot in Bullseye competitions, and practice for Bullseye one or two times a week. I shoot pistols, rifles, and occasionally shotguns for fun with friends or family every few weeks or so. I primarily shoot .22LR, 9mm, 45 ACP, and 20ga. Since it is not practical to reload .22LR (or other rimfire ammo), and I don't shoot enough 20ga to justify shotshell reloading equipment, that means I want to reload 9mm and 45 ACP. I want to reload accurate, light, and reliable loads for my 45 for Bullseye competition, which means accuracy at 50 yards, 25 yards, and 50 feet. I also want to make 9mm loads that work well in my Walther PPQ for practice and plinking. In the future, I might want to reload for rifles or shotguns or other handguns, and I might want to reload at a higher volume for action shooting competitions. Between myself and my friends and family, I generally go through about 100 - 350 rounds per week of all calibers combined, so I need to be able to reload about 100 - 200 rounds of 9mm and 45 ACP per week on a fairly regular basis.

What I bought (in April 2016, so some exact items and prices have probably changed):

I settled on a Lee Classic 4-hole Turret Press, because (based on what I've read) it can make good, accurate handgun ammunition at a rate of about 150-200 rounds per hour once everything is set up (NOTE: I can only load about 45-60 per hour, though), and it is capable of reloading a variety of pistol and rifle ammo. It can be used in single-stage mode when you want to, but in auto-indexing turret mode with a 4-die set, it requires 4 lever strokes to make a single round of ammo. You can buy extra turrets (the die holders) so that you don't have to remove and re-configure your dies to change calibers. And, perhaps most importantly for me, the price is reasonable.

Item	Price	Notes
Lee Classic 4-hole Turret Press, Deluxe	$200.00	The Deluxe Kit includes the "Safety" powder scale, "Pro Auto Disk" powder dispenser, the Auto Disk riser, the"Safety Prime" primer dispensers (large & small, includes 2 flip trays), case trimmer/cutter & lock stud, chamfer tool, large and small primer pocket cleaner, Lee case sizing lube, and Lee Reloading manual, 2nd ed. NOTE: The Lee "Classic" 4-hole turret press is not to be confused with the Lee "Value" 4-hole turret press. They are different. NOTE: I bought the "Deluxe Kit" that includes all the stuff listed above, but you can also get just the press by itself.
Lee 9mm carbide dies - 4 die set	$37.49	Includes (1) Carbide sizing & depriming die, (2) Expander (flare/bell) and powder charging die, (3) Bullet seating & crimp die, (4) Crimp die with carbide "final" sizing ring. It also includes the 9mm shell holder (#19), powder dipper, and instructions.
Lee 45 ACP carbide dies - 4 die set	$37.49	Includes (1) Carbide sizing & depriming die, (2) Expander (flare/bell) and powder charging die, (3) Bullet seating & crimp die, (4) Crimp die with carbide "final" sizing ring. It also includes the 45 Auto shell holder (#2), powder dipper, and instructions.
Lee 4-hole classic turret (die holder)	$10.91	The press comes with 1 turret (die holder). You can get by with 1 turret... just unscrew the dies from the turret, and put different ones in, but then you have to re-adjust them every time you want to switch calibers. I bought an extra one, so that I have one for my 9mm dies, and one for my 45 dies, so it should only take a few seconds to switch dies to a different caliber. (Also have to switch primers and primer arm (large vs small), and change the powder settings, of course.)
Lee Storage Box Red (x2)	$4.14	This is a red plastic cylinder that holds a turret with the dies installed when it's not in the press. I bought them to keep the dies I'm not using from collecting dust. NOTE: Sometimes these are listed as being "3-die" storage boxes, but as far as I can tell, Lee part number 90535 is what you want.
Lee Auto-Disk Adjustable Powder Charge Bar	$7.88	This replaces the disk in the Lee Auto-Disk powder measure, and allows finer adjustments on the amount of powder dispensed into each shell. Supposedly also more consistent than the disks. Can be adjusted without removing the hopper. I bought this because I'm making ammo for bullseye competition shooting, so being off by a couple tenths of a grain is not ideal. NOTE: It turns out that this is actually less consistent than the disks when using less than ~5 grains of powder, and the disks are surprisingly accurate, so I don't use this right now.
Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press Indexing Ratchet	$0.53	Part number TF3567. This is a part of the Lee Classic 4-hole turret press that can wear out. It's a small plastic square that goes around the indexing rod and causes the turret to turn to the next die. If your turret is only turning halfway to the next die, you probably need to replace this part. NOTE: The way to ruin this part quickly is to remove the turret with the ram all the way down. Don't do that. Lift the ram so it's above the twisted part of the indexing rod, and then remove the turret.
Lee 3 Hole, 4 Hole Turret Press Shellholder Retainer Clip	$0.53	Part Number: TP2108 This is a part of the Lee Classic 4-hole turret press that can wear out. This is a clip that holds the shellholder in place. If your shellholder won't stay in place, you probably need to replace this part.
Hornady "Handbook of Cartridge Reloading: 9th Edition" Reloading Manual	$27.49	The Lee press kit comes with the Lee reloading manual, but this Hornady manual came highly recommended, and it's always good to have another perspective, so I bought it.
Hornady One Shot Case Lube 5 oz Aerosol	$8.29	Spray case lube. The Lee press kit comes with a tube of gel-type case lube, but you have to put that on each case separately with your fingers. With spray lube, you can spray it into a ziploc bag, then put a bunch of (pistol) cases in the bag, and shake it, to lube a bunch at once. You have to shake the can vigorously before use. And you have to let the lube on the cases dry for a few minutes before sizing them. With the carbide sizing die, in theory you don't have to lube the cases before sizing, but most people said they do anyway, because it makes the press run smoother, and probably extends the life of the die. Lubing the cases is a much bigger deal with rifle cases, because you're not supposed to get too much on the outside of the neck/shoulder, and you have to get some inside the neck. But with straight-walled pistol cases (like 9mm and 45ACP), just getting a small amount of lube on the outside is what you want.
Frankford Arsenal Impact Bullet Puller	$12.93	A bullet puller is used to disassemble a loaded cartridge, probably because you made a mistake while reloading, or because you made more rounds for testing than you really needed. Whatever the reason, you want to disassemble it so that you can reuse the brass case, primer, and, ideally the bullet, and possibly even the powder. This is a hammer-type bullet puller, where you put the cartridge into the head of the hammer (it is held in place by a collet), then you smack a piece of wood with the hammer, and the momentum of the bullet pulls the bullet out of the case. The bullet and powder are contained within the head of the hammer.
Lyman 8-Hole Handgun Cartridge Checker Gage	$26.49	Part Number: 7833000 This is a block that has holes for 8 different common handgun calibers. It allows you to check your reloads. If your ammo fits in the hole, it should fit in your gun's chamber.
Lyman Turbo 1200 PRO Sifter Case Tumbler	$52.99	This is used to clean the brass before reloading it. Since the lid is a sifter, no need to buy a separate media separator (at least in theory). Problem with the sifter lid is that it allows dust out when it is running. I solved this problem by putting a shower cap over it. To help prevent the dust from sticking to the inside of the shell casings, put several used dryer sheets (cut into strips) into the tumbler when running. Note that this model does not have a built-in timer, or even an on-off switch (you just unplug it when you're done).
Lyman Turbo Brass Cleaning Media Treated Tufnut (Walnut)	$13.99	This is the "media" dumped into the tumbler along with the brass casings, and helps to clean them by "scrubbing" them.
Ground walnut lizard bedding (10 lbs bag)	$15.00	Bought this from a pet store, where it is sold as bedding for lizards. This is untreated crushed walnut shells. Used in combination with the treated walnut shells in the case tumbler to clean the shell casings.
Outlet Timer - Wentop Timer Switch Ac110v 15a USA Plug 24 Hours Heavy Duty Appliance Timer	$9.99	This is a simple electrical outlet timer, like people use for Christmas lights. I use it to automatically turn the tumbler off after a certain amount of time, because the one I'm using does not have a built-in timer.
MTM Universal Reloading Tray 50-Round Plastic Red	$5.59	This tray is primarily useful when loading single-stage. Not very useful when making complete rounds with the turret press.
RCBS Universal Reloading Tray 50-Round Plastic Green	$8.17	This tray is primarily useful when loading single-stage. Not very useful when making complete rounds with the turret press.
Frankford Arsenal Perfect Fit Reloading Tray 45 AUTO	$4.65	This tray is primarily useful when loading single-stage. Not very useful when making complete rounds with the turret press.
Frankford Arsenal Perfect Fit Reloading Tray 9mm	$4.65	This tray is primarily useful when loading single-stage. Not very useful when making complete rounds with the turret press.
MTM Peel and Stick Reloader's Labels Rifle/Handgun Pack of 50 and Colored Box Stickers Pack of 48	$3.23	These would be better if it were easier to erase pencil on them, if they had a spot to mark the crimp setting, and if they had 1 or 2 more blank lines for notes; but they work fine.
Frankford Arsenal Peel and Stick Reloader's Labels Rifle/Handgun Pack of 100	$7.10	I like the MTM labels better.
Akro-Mils 8212 Six Pack of 30210 Plastic Bins	$12.84	Stackable bins to hold bullets, cases, loaded ammo, etc.
Hygenall LeadOff Wipes	$9.99	To wipe off your hands after a reloading session.
D-Lead Abrasive Hand Soap - 16oz	$9.95	To wash your hands at a sink after a reloading session.
RCBS Hex Lock Ring Wrench, 1-3/16-Inch	$7.59	Lee lock rings should be "finger tight", but it's hard to get your fingers in there when all four dies are installed on the turret. Plus, if they haven't moved for a while, you might need a little help to break them loose.
MTM 40/45/10MM Cal 100 Round Flip-Top Ammo Box, Red	$3.59	Reusable box to hold loaded 45 ACP ammunition and carry it to the range. I was just going to reuse my saved ammo boxes from purchased ammo, but for $4, I splurged. I got 2 different colors in case I wanted one load for 50 yards and a different load for 25 yards.
MTM 40/45/10MM Cal 100 Round Flip-Top Ammo Box, Blue	$3.59	Reusable box to hold loaded 45 ACP ammunition and carry it to the range. I was just going to reuse my saved ammo boxes from purchased ammo, but for $4, I splurged. I got 2 different colors in case I wanted one load for 50 yards and a different load for 25 yards.
MTM 380/9MM Cal 100 Round Flip-Top Ammo Box, Clear Green/Black	$3.47	Reusable box to hold loaded 9mm ammunition and carry it to the range. I was just going to reuse my saved ammo boxes from purchased ammo, but for $4, I splurged.
Sharpie 1794273 Pro Bullet Tip Industrial Strength Permanent Marker, Assorted Colors, 4-Pack	$13.50	Permanent markers for marking my cases so I can pick them up at the range without confusing them with others.
Alliant Bullseye powder, 1 pound	$29.00	Bullseye is by far the most common powder used for 45 ACP precision pistol shooting.
VihtaVuori N-310 powder, 1 pound	$40.00	VV N-310 is another common powder used for 45 ACP precision pistol shooting.
VihtaVuori N-340 powder, 1 pound	$40.00	VV N-340 is a common powder used for 9mm.
Hodgdon Titegroup powder, 1 pound	$24.00	Titegroup is a common powder used for 9mm.
Winchester Large Pistol Primers, 1000	$35.00	45 ACP typically uses large pistol primers (but some use small pistol primers, so check your brass)
CCI Small Pistol Primers, 1000	$35.00	9mm uses small pistol primers
1/2" ratcheting combination wrench for adjusting the dies	$12.00	I had one in my regular toolbox already, but wanted one I could keep on the reloading bench.
Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Electronic Powder Scale	$29.99	The balance scale that comes with the press is way too time-consuming to use. Using an electronic scale is much faster and easier and it does some of the math for you. This was the cheapest scale I could find that measures to tenths of a grain and had decent reviews.

TOTAL	$809.04	Sorry... that $200 press kit is not even close to "everything you need" to start reloading. Figure at least $850 to get started, as an absolute minimum, because even this rather extensive list does not include the bullets (which you'll definitely need) or the brass shell casings (because I already had a bunch, but you may not already have them).

Other things you'll need (not listed above)

A workbench to mount the press on

Bolts or lag screws to mount the press to the bench (I used 5/16" hex-head bolts, and they seem to work great)

Lights... you don't want to try reloading in dim light

Bullets of your choice.

Brass shell casings (boxer-primed is what you want, berdan-primed are not usable).

One Year Update (Feb 2017)

It's been nearly a year, so I thought I'd give an update with some observations and a few things on the list above that didn't work out.

Time needed to reload

First and foremost, I don't know how people reload more than 100 rounds per hour with a turret press, while exercising any reasonable amount of care and safety. Once you have all the dies and the powder dispenser and primer dispenser set up, here's the procedure. You have to grab the shell casing, place it in the shell holder, pull the handle down, press the primer feeder, push the handle up to seat the primer, cycle the handle down and up to flare the case mouth and dispense the powder, grab a bullet, carefully place the bullet as straight as possible on the shell casing, cycle the handle down and up to seat the bullet, cycle the handle down and up to crimp, remove the finished cartridge, examine it for obvious anomalies, run your thumb across the base to confirm that the primer was seated flush or a little below flush, then place the completed cartridge in the ammo box. That sequence takes me about 35 - 45 seconds. But every tenth round or so, I also measure the powder charge to confirm that it's still ok, and use my calipers to measure the length to confirm that the bullets are getting seated correctly, and also to measure the crimp. And that doesn't count the time needed to replenish the primer feeder (it holds 100 primers), or my trays of shells and bullets, plus there's set up time (filling the powder hopper, labeling ammo boxes, calibrating the scale, etc.), and clean up time (emptying the powder hopper, marking the completed rounds, washing hands with de-leading soap, locking the rounds in the safe, etc.). The bottom line is that I can usually only average about 45 - 60 rounds per hour in a 1.5 - 2 hour reloading session, assuming all the components are ready, and I'm just making one kind of cartridge. It's much slower if you're switching bullets and need to change the powder amount or seating depth or crimp, etc. Even if you were not measuring the powder charge or seating depth or crimp every 10th round (which I'd consider iffy from a safety point of view), I still don't see how you could get over 100 rounds per hour without compromising on the straightness of the bullet or safety concerns.

And that is not counting the time needed to prep the cases (tumbling, separating media from cases, trying to wipe/wash all the dust from each case, lubing the cases, placing them mouth-up on a tray, inspecting them for obvious damage), or to get the bullets ready (buying them, inspecting them for excess or missing lube, placing them tip-up on a tray), or other maintenance tasks (cleaning the bench, press and tumbler, lubing the press, keeping load data records). And it certainly takes time to research which loads to use for your intended purpose, and research exactly which components to buy, and all that. Plus it takes about 45 minutes to set up the dies from scratch, and about 10-15 minutes of setting, measuring and tweaking, every time you change bullets (longer to change calibers). Honestly, the time needed to reload is the biggest cost.

How much money do I save?

I can make 45 ACP rounds with lead bullets for about 16 cents per round (bullet: 9 cents, primer: 3.5 cents, powder: <2 cents, brass: <2 cents per loading, assuming an average of 8-10 reloadings per case (17 cents per casing to buy)). I can make 45 ACP rounds with jacketed hollow points for about 23 cents per round (the bullets are about 7 cents more than lead ones). To buy factory ammo, or even buying from commercial reloaders, you're looking at about 32 - 50 cents per round, or more. I save about 20 cents per round, compared to the ammo I was buying before I bought my reloading equipment. That's $20 for every hundred rounds of 45 ACP I reload. In 10 months of owning the press, I've reloaded just over 2300 rounds of 45 ACP so far, for a savings of around $460. Not breaking even yet, but certainly by the 2-year mark, all my initial reloading expenses will have been paid off, and then some.

For 9mm, the savings are much less, mostly because the cost to buy factory ammo is much lower. I can make 9mm rounds for about 13-16 cents per round (bullet: 7-9 cents, primer: 3.5 cents, powder: 3 cents, brass: free, because I already have thousands of once-fired brass from factory ammo I've bought and used). To buy factory ammo, it's about 21-24 cents per round. So,I figure I save 7 cents per round with 9mm. I've only reloaded about 300 9mm so far, for a savings of about $21. It hasn't even paid for the 9mm dies yet, much less the separate powder, primers, turret, and ammo boxes.

One other thing to consider is that it's not ONLY about the money. I can choose my components and tweak my ammo to fit my gun and my purpose. So, in a very real sense, I'm not just making equivalent ammo for less money, I'm actually making better ammo for less money.

A Few Things That Haven't Worked Out

1) I don't use any of the reloading trays that I bought. Those are useful when reloading on single-stage presses (or in single-stage mode on a turret press). I have never resorted to loading in single-stage mode, so I've never used them. I initially used the tops from Chinese food containers to hold my bullets and prepared shell casings, but have since bought a set of metal trays made for toaster ovens, because they are bigger, flatter, stronger, and easier to clean. When the finished cartridge is pulled from the reloading press, I put it right into an ammo box that I can take to the range.

2) I don't use the Lee Auto-Disk Adjustable Powder Charge Bar. I was having a hard time getting it to deliver consistent powder charges. I've since read that it tends to be inconsistent with very small powder charges (less than 5 grains). I've also read that this issue can be fixed with some JB Weld (Lee Auto Disk Pro: How to make it a champ, not a chump). Anyway, I use the disks that came with the press (as part of the Auto-Disk unit). They work great, and deliver surprisingly consistent powder charges (+/- 0.1 grain).

3) I haven't used the Frankford Arsenal Peel and Stick Reloader's Labels. I like the MTM Peel and Stick Reloader's Labels better. I'd like them even better if it were easier to erase pencil on them, if they had a spot to mark the crimp setting, and if they had 1 or 2 more blank lines for notes; but they work fine as is.

4) The balance scale that comes with the press is probably pretty accurate, but it's VERY slow to use in practice. So I bought the cheapest electronic reloading scale that measures to tenths of a grain that had decent reviews. Most of what I want to weigh is the powder charge (although I do occasionally weigh bullets, shell casings and other items with it, too). When I want to measure the powder charge, I'll prime the shell casing, remove it from the reloading press, put it on the electronic scale, press the "Tare" button, put the shell casing back in the reloading press, dispense the powder into the shell casing, and then weigh it again. The new weight shown is the amount of powder. That takes about 10 seconds, maybe less. Doing that (and the corresponding math) with the balance scale took about a minute; it was brutally slow. UPDATE (June 2017): I've since upgraded to a better electronic scale, a JS-VG Gem Scale that I bought used from another reloader. It is noticeably more accurate and consistent than the Frankford Arsenal one listed above. I paid $50 for it used, but they are ~$100 new.

5) I can't recommend reloading without having a case gauge, but I must admit that I don't use mine very often any more. I used it frequently when I first started, but I never made a cartridge that didn't fit (isn't that what the sizing die is for?), and it only measures the diameter, not the length, so I feel like it's usefulness is pretty limited for straight-walled pistol cartridges. If I were reloading bottlenecked cartridges, I'm sure I'd use the case gauge much more often.

I also haven't yet had to use any of the spare parts that I bought for the press itself. But that's a good thing, and doesn't make me regret buying them. Everything else on the list gets used, and seems to work out reasonably well.