Essential equipment for a new shooter

[TheOtherLeft]

Hi all,

I am just getting into CAS and have 2 Ruger New Vaqueros (.38/.357), a Stoeger 12G and a Uberti 1873 (.38/.357) waiting for me at my local gunshop.

These are my first firearms so have no equipment etc and hence starting from scratch. I have a Lee Classic Turret Press but need to find some 38 cal dies as they seem to be sold out everywhere.

What would you recommend as essential equipment I should buy?

Thanks.

[pony express]

Are the dies sold out at Graf's, Midway, etc? If so, maybe try e-bay, that's probably where all those sold out dies went. Do you already reload? Do you have any leather gear? Maybe you could borrow some and go to a shoot(or go to a shoot and borrow some, at most shoots there's guys with extras.) Or you could order some "entry level" leather gear from Cabellas, Midway, etc. Basically you'll need a belt, couple of holsters, some way to carry some shotshells. A shotshell slide that goes over the gunbelt is the simplest solution. Also, at least some kind of shooters bag or saddlebags to carry extra ammo, empty brass,and such. I wouldn't worry about a gun cart at this time, if the range you go to doesn't have rifle racks, you can probably hitch a ride on someone's cart for a few shoots. Basically, don't spend too much on extras right now, you'll probably "evolve" through several sets of equipment if you stick with CAS.

[Bugscuffle]

Good choice on the lee turret press. To get you STARTED at the reloading bench:
Reloading manual
Powder measure
Powder scale
Lee hand primer – or similar. I just happen to like the Lee.
Universal de-primer die
Micrometer for checking case length, bullet seating, etc.
Brass cleaner (vibrator type) with media. I prefer the ceramic type, but a lot of folks are now using the stainless steel type.
Loading blocks – at least two
Primer pocket cleaner/ uniformer
Case lube – even if you use the carbide dies
Bullet puller – the impact type are just fine
Twice as much brass as you think that you'll need
HINT: Use a different turret for each caliber that you reload. It will keep your reloads consistent and greatly speed up your set up time.

[Shotgun Franklin]

Here's my prepared answer I give everyone.
Go to some local club shoots. Take about 100 rounds of low velocity lead revolver rounds, .38 Spl or .45 Colt and a box of 12 or 20 ga shotgun shells, Dove loads. The Shooters will let you try all kinds of guns, including different makes, shapes, grips and actions. Then you can make an educated guess as to what you want. I suggest you go to 3 matches before you decide. Several people will likely have guns they want to trade or sale. If you're a club member you'll likely get a better deal. Also take an old felt Cowboy Hat and a thick wide belt to hang a holster on. Yep, you can pickup leather gear too.
I'm betting that you can save yourself hundreds of dollars by not buying before you try.

[TheOtherLeft]

Here's my prepared answer I give everyone.
Go to some local club shoots. Take about 100 rounds of low velocity lead revolver rounds, .38 Spl or .45 Colt and a box of 12 or 20 ga shotgun shells, Dove loads. The Shooters will let you try all kinds of guns, including different makes, shapes, grips and actions. Then you can make an educated guess as to what you want. I suggest you go to 3 matches before you decide. Several people will likely have guns they want to trade or sale. If you're a club member you'll likely get a better deal. Also take an old felt Cowboy Hat and a thick wide belt to hang a holster on. Yep, you can pickup leather gear too.
I'm betting that you can save yourself hundreds of dollars by not buying before you try.

I went to a few shoots at different clubs and tried their guns before purchasing mine.

[Johnny McCrae]

Just checked the Midway USA website and they have the Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set in 38 Special, 357 Magnum available.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/309802/lee-deluxe-carbide-4-die-set-38-special-357-magnum

You will like the LEE Classic Turret Press.

[TheOtherLeft]

Just checked the Midway USA website and they have the Lee Deluxe Carbide 4-Die Set in 38 Special, 357 Magnum available.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/309802/lee-deluxe-carbide-4-die-set-38-special-357-magnum

You will like the LEE Classic Turret Press.

Thanks for the tip

[cpt dan blodgett]

you may find a dial or digital caliper more useful than micrometers.  Mics are needed in 1 inch increments.

[Lead Waster]

I'm also starting out, On top of the two pistols, rifle and shotgun, I had to buy;

Leather gun belt (a tool belt would have worked) about $40, a tool belt would have been $10
two pistol holsters - $100 for two medium priced, mass produced ones.
Shotshell slide that attaches to belt - $25 or so

Hat - Got one at Sierra Trade Post for $40 shipped, it was on sale, but even then wasn't as expensive as some other fancy ones. Seems silly to require a period hat, but part of the game is "dress up".

Boots - $100 from Sheplers - Ropers in black so I could actually wear them UNDER jeans and they look just like black shoes if you don't look close.

Shirt - I found a white dress shirt my wife got from work, it says "WebEx" in bright green/blue over the left pocket, which I'll remove and use that shirt because that's good enough.

Pants - Levis jeans, I'm not cutting off any loops from pants I wear everyday, but I did find that Walmart sells $10 jeans labelled "rough rider". $10, sure, I'll cut the loops off those!

Underwea, socks - LOL, I wonder what cowboy underwear was!  But for socks, I think you need long socks for boots, I dunno, I've never worn cowboy/roper boots before, to be honest and only got them for this game. The only other boots I have that have no "lugged" sole are motorcycle boots, but they have plastic shin guards on them, which I'm guessing cowboys did not have!

So ... yeah, not "equipment" per se, more like "stage props" that you still need to get into the sport, though I'm guessing that with hat and boots, other shooters won't be too picky if you don't wear them, but if you are going to play, you might as well get into the spirit of the game!


For reloading, I would HIGHLY suggest a Lee CLASSIC turret  press. I've been reloading for 15 years, I have a rock chucker single stage and a dillon 550b progressive (I shoot USPSA). If I were starting out again, I'd maybe go for the LCT press because it's well made and not as tedious as a single stage, but less setup than a progressive. I will, of course, use my progressive, but like I said, I've been reloading for 15 years so it doesn't intimidate me. Adding calibers to a progressive is more expensive.

If you get the Lee kit, it will come with most things you need, except maybe dies.