There is no doubt that reloading your own ammo, especially when it comes to long range and precision shooting, comes with many benefits. But the difficulty for those who want to start is usually based around two things: not knowing what is needed to get started, and not understanding how to do it.

How to do it, and do it correctly, is much less intimidating than people think. There are going to be many articles to come walking through the entire process in detail, but for now I’ll just list some of the basic gear you’ll need — we’ll go over the purpose and how to use each one later.

Essential Reloading Gear

• Cleaning method. Vibratory or rotary brass tumbler preferred. Hand tools for case neck and primer pocket cleaning can also be handy.
• Case lube. Needed to prevent cases from being stuck in the sizing die.
• Case trimming and chamfer tool. Repeated firings will cause the brass to stretch, and the case must occasionally be trimmed to the correct size. The chamfer tool removes sharp edges from the neck of the case that can damage bullets during seating.
• Powder dispenser and measurer. You must have accurate and consistent powder measurements.
• Reloading press. This will hold the dies and give you the leverage you need to resize the cases and seat bullets.
• Sizing die. Cartridge specific. This die forces the brass back to size after it has been fired and expanded in a rifle chamber. It typically includes a decapping pin to remove the fired primer from the case — if not included, you’ll need another method of primer removal.
• Seating die. This die pushes the bullet into the case for its final seating depth.
• Shell holder. Most presses rely on a shell holder to hold the case while it’s being used in the press, though some press styles don’t require this.
• Priming tool. This presses a new primer into the case so it can be fired again. Depending on the reloading press, this may be built in.
• Powder funnel. Helps get the powder into the case, especially useful for rifle cases.
• Reloading manual. Published data from powder and bullet manufacturers for many cartridges, showing what is a safe bullet/powder combination and how much powder of various types may be safely loaded into a case. Do not start loading powders without checking a published and approved source first on how much can be safely used.
• Loading block. Useful for holding cartridges as they go through the loading process. Can be either single-size or universal.
• Sturdy bench/mounting surface. Through the process there are times when the press will be under significant force — lowering and lifting the handle during sizing can add a lot of torque to the base of the press. Make sure it’s mounted to something solid enough to withstand that.

These aren’t exactly in order of where they fit in the process, and the list doesn’t include bullets, powder, and primers — but this will be enough to get you started. The majority of this equipment is universal across many different cartridges, but the resizing die in particular has to match the specified cartridge.

Get a Starter Kit

The best way to start would be to get a starter kit. This includes all the basic components you’ll need except for the cartridge-specific dies. My go-to is the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit from RCBS. RCBS is my go-to for reloading gear, and the press you get in this kit is phenomenal — I’ve used one for years, and even after purchasing more expensive presses, I find myself going back to the Rock Chucker. It’s very sturdy, gives great consistency, and covers everything you could ever need. RCBS is also my go-to for sizing dies. To start, you don’t need anything fancy: I’d recommend starting with the lower-grade dies, then upgrading as you become more experienced with the process and what you need.

Hopefully this gave you an overview and starting place to get your reloading setup going. Be sure to follow along and check back in as we dive more into the overall process of reloading.

Recommended Gear

Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit

Click the image below to view the kit on the RCBS website.