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If you're going to reload, you have to have a tumbler, right? No, not necessarily. I've helped a number of friends get set up to reload over the last couple decades. Many if not most of them didn't stick with it, but that's beside the point.
What are the basic necessary tools to start reloading? If you just want to load a few rounds now and then, try it out and see how you like it, then it doesn't take much. If you're an experienced engineer with money to burn, who dives head first into new things and loves shiny new mechanical toys, then it takes a room full of expensive automated machinery, but that's beside the point too.
Anyhow, everyone seems to think that you need a tumbler, that you can't make nice looking and fully functional ammo without one. I picked up this 9mm brass at the range yesterday, and gave it the usual wash that I give all range brass when I get home- a bucket full of warm water with some Dawn and a little Lemishine. Mix them good for a few minutes wearing latex gloves (there are trace amounts of lead in there), rinse and do it again, sometimes a third time. It only takes a few times, then dry them on an old towel. I've owned and used tumblers for a very long time, and I do like shiny clean brass, but the brass in this photo is perfectly good enough to use without further cleaning in a tumbler.
I was recently helping another friend with reloading, and showed this to him. For the small amount that he will reload, at least to start, he was surprised to see that he really didn't need to spend money on a tumbler right now.
What are the basic necessary tools to start reloading? If you just want to load a few rounds now and then, try it out and see how you like it, then it doesn't take much. If you're an experienced engineer with money to burn, who dives head first into new things and loves shiny new mechanical toys, then it takes a room full of expensive automated machinery, but that's beside the point too.
Anyhow, everyone seems to think that you need a tumbler, that you can't make nice looking and fully functional ammo without one. I picked up this 9mm brass at the range yesterday, and gave it the usual wash that I give all range brass when I get home- a bucket full of warm water with some Dawn and a little Lemishine. Mix them good for a few minutes wearing latex gloves (there are trace amounts of lead in there), rinse and do it again, sometimes a third time. It only takes a few times, then dry them on an old towel. I've owned and used tumblers for a very long time, and I do like shiny clean brass, but the brass in this photo is perfectly good enough to use without further cleaning in a tumbler.
I was recently helping another friend with reloading, and showed this to him. For the small amount that he will reload, at least to start, he was surprised to see that he really didn't need to spend money on a tumbler right now.