What You Need to Load Rifle Ammunition [Must See My Checklist]
Reloading ammunition, at least in the early stages, can seem pretty intimidating. Even when you read up on all the information and have a good grip on the theory, in practice, things can often get overwhelming. And if you are struggling with load rifle ammunition, know that you are not the only one.
But the truth is, it does get easier over time. As you get more comfortable with the different aspects of reloading rifle ammunition, things become a lot more manageable. That does not change the fact that you need to power through the beginner phase of reloading, though.
In my experience, reloading, no matter how difficult it seems at first, becomes a lot easier when you have everything organized. And the first step here is to make a checklist of all the things you need to get started. Well, that is exactly where I am planning to lend you a helping hand.
In this article, I will give you a quick rundown of everything you need to load rifle ammunition so that you have your workbench neatly organized to make reloading easier for you. So without any further delay, let us jump in.
Get a Reloading Manual
First thing first, if you are a beginner, make sure you have an up-to-date, extensive reloading manual to consult in your hand. In the world of reloading, data is constantly evolving. What was good a couple of years back may become completely obsolete at present.
So it is important to have a revised version of your favorite reloading manual to look up proper load data and instructions. This will make your entire experience a lot better in the long run.
Reloading Rifle Ammunition Amazing Checklist
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the best checklist. Now, reloading can be expensive or pretty cheap, depending on how much you are willing to spend. So I won’t talk about specific products that I think you should use (I’ll save that for another article).
Instead, what I will do is give you a thorough breakdown of the crucial gears and accessories you need to load rifle ammunition efficiently.
01. Reloading Press
The reloading press will be your bread and butter when you are planning to reload ammo. There are three types of reloading presses out there, single-stage, turret, and progressive press. If you are on a budget, a single-stage reloading press would be the better choice.
It is also less complicated compared to an expensive progressive reloading press, making it a good option for beginners. You can also go with turret presses if you have a bit more budget to spare and want to get a higher speed out of your reloading press.
Reloading presses often come included as a package when you buy a complete reloading kit. However, I would not recommend using those presses as they are rarely any good. Instead, it is better to do your research and get a standalone reloading press later on.
02. Reloading Dies Set
The next item on your list of “things you need” would have to be your reloading dies. These come as a set of two, three, or even four separate dies and usually do not cost too much. There are also dies for different functions, for example, resizing dies, bullet seating dies, etc.
Now, if I were to explain how each die works, we would be here all day. So I will leave that to you to do your own research and figure out how to use them. Make sure you have the proper dies depending on what you are trying to do in the reloading press.
03. Shell Holder
Once you have your reloading dies set, you need to get the appropriate shell holder. A shell holder lets you align, push or withdraw the cartridge case from different dies. The good news here is that a single shell holder is typically compatible with different cartridges.
For instance, if you go with a 30-06 shell holder, you can use it with 22-250, 243, 308, and many other calibers without any issues. Just make sure you are going with a compatible shell holder, depending on the caliber that you are working with.
Incompatible shell holders can often jam the die inside the case, which can be extremely frustrating to fix. There are several shell holder charts out there that can help you pick out the right one.
04. Powder Scale
A big part of reloading is making sure you are applying a precise amount of powder to the casing. And that is not possible if you don’t have a powder scale to measure the volume of powder charges. I would always recommend going with a high-end powder scale, even if it costs a bit more.
Now, there are a lot of different powder scales out there in different price ranges. Accuracy should be your biggest consideration when choosing one, though. With higher accuracy in the scale, you will be able to apply a consistent powder volume without any risk of over or underfills.
05. Lube
Another essential item that you need to sort out before you can load rifle ammunition is lubricants. Before you can load rifle ammo, you need to make sure the case is well-lubricated to prevent the brass from sticking into the die.
Now, there are actually two things that you need when it comes to lubricant. First, you need the case lubricating oil, itself which will lube up the case before resizing. However, you cannot apply it directly to the brass as the application will not be even, and you will be wasting your oil.
The better approach is to invest in a couple of lubricant pads that will allow you to gently wipe the brass with oil to make sure you lubricate it properly without wasting anything.
06. Case Trimmer
When you fire a bullet, the cases usually stretch. So when you want to use the spent casing to reload, you naturally need to trim the case. While resizing, the case size is usually shortened, but the neck requires a case trimmer to bring it to the proper size.
This is not always the case, however. Typically, a case can be reloaded five to six times until the neck stretches beyond use. At that point, you will not be able to seat it properly without trimming it.
To trim a case, in addition to the case trimmer, you also need a pilot of the caliber you want to use as a reference. Some trimmers even require using shell holders. Whichever trimmer you end up using, make sure the case length is precise and accurate.
07. Deburring Tool
Burring happens both on the inside and outside of the case mouth when you trim it. With a deburring tool, you can make the case smooth again and get them all set for reloading. In fact, some might argue that deburring the case mouth is even more important than trimming the case.
Thankfully, there are plenty of great options out there when it comes to deburring tools. While some of them are pretty expensive, there are a couple of good, affordable options out there that can give you a good return on your investment if you reload often.
08. Powder Funnel
With a powder scale, as I already explained, you will be able to measure the exact amount of powder charge. But without a powder funnel, you can’t pour it into the case. And even if you try, you might spill some on the table, which will, in turn, ruin your precise measurement.
Powder funnels come in different sizes, and you should get one that matches the caliber size you are working with.
09. Slide Calipers
Some might argue that calipers are not the most important piece of equipment for reloading, but I disagree. With a pair of calipers, you will be able to measure case length, bullet seating length and take other important sizes without any hassle.
10. Priming Tools
If you want to reload like a pro, a priming tool is an essential investment. This is what lets veteran reloaders achieve that level of precision and consistency in their work. Now priming tools involve a couple of different items such as the priming unit, the primer tray, etc.
There are two types of primer tools that you can find these days, hand primer and automatic primer. If you are on a tight budget, just go with a hand primer and save yourself a few bucks. As long as the primer is accurate and consistent, it should serve you just fine.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of how it may look at first, reloading is actually a pretty fun skill to pick up. Sure, there are a lot of nuances at first, but once you push through these hurdles, it will be worth the trouble.
I hope my extensive guideline on what you need to load rifle ammunition could help make things easier for you. Good luck!
