special equip. for .50 cal?

[predator86]

ok so i dont currently reload, i was reading up on reloading equipment and was just doing some price checking at the local scheels, i asked a couple people there if i needed special equipment for reloading .50 bmg, no one knew so i came here..will a standard press work? i would like to reload .308 and .50 BMG. if i can avoid having 2 presses then that would be great, also i am on a strict bugdet so if there is a way to do it cheaper that would be much appreciated!!

 

[rwilson452]

Look at the Lee classic cast press you can get a 50BMG kit for it. It's about the cheapest way I have heard about. Not that loading 50BMG is cheap anyway. Most presses can't handle the 50 BMG

 

[Jbar4Ranch]

Ya gotta have a press with a longer stroke than standard presses. I use an RCBS Ammomaster with RCBS dies. Standard die threads are 7/8" x 14, while .50 BMG die threads are either 1 1/4" x 12 (Lee) or 1 1/2" x 12 (RCBS & Hornady).

 

[slotracer577]

The lee press with dies is about $170, less than anyone elses dies alone. It will also do regular dies as well. The only thing I found it wouldnt do was the RCBS primer swager die. The ram was too big on the lee press. Had to buy a 2nd press to use the RCBS primer die.

Right now CCI #35 primers are about $27/100, Amax is $38/20 and new brass is $1+ per pc.

 

[Silentarmy]

I need a 20 on some of that $1/pc new brass! I'll take 500 pcs. The best i have found is $1.40 + shipping.

 

[slotracer577]

Midway has magtech brass $38 for 25, $333 for 250. Sportsmans warehouse also carries it, usually $32 for 25. They usually only have one or two boxes, but I have a couple hundred rounds that I have collected over the months.

I also found someone who had winchester primed for ~$1.50/round. http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

John

 

[imdarren]

The RCBS Rock Chuck will do 50BMG. Thats why there is a big threaded insert adapter in the top, to reduce the larger threads for the 50BMG down to the standard threads for the rest of us poor folks.
The Rock Chuck is about $125. Cant go wrong.

 

[Jbar4Ranch]

Your logic is flawed. An empty .50 BMG case won't fit into the Rock Chucker's window, even with no shell holder on the ram.

 

[imdarren]

I stand corrected.

Is the Redding single stage press tall enough? Anyone?

 

[slotracer577]

I thought you could get extensions for a rock chucker to do 50. Still the RCBS dies are $180+ just for the dies. The advantage over the lee setup is that lee uses 1 144 dies and everyone else uses 1 1/2 dies. So if you want a nice neck sizing die, you are out of luck with the lee setup. But then most of those dies are $200+

Someone does make a bushing to allow using lee 1 1/4 dies in a standard 1 1/2 threaded press. The lee dies are about $80 for the 2 dies, still the cheapest way to go.

John