I am new to reloading and need a kit that has everything, except powder, brass, etc! I want a single stage press for precision! let me know what your ideas and experiences are!
- Thread starter brooTool
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No kit give you what you want.
Start with good press (consider a turret press too) and add what you want.
I like LEE, low cost does the job very well and after all it is you who is perfecting your loads.
For those who have more money to spend and want Quality and Precision. Go with RCBS.
Start with good press (consider a turret press too) and add what you want.
I like LEE, low cost does the job very well and after all it is you who is perfecting your loads.
For those who have more money to spend and want Quality and Precision. Go with RCBS.
Go ahead and buy this book:
Zediker Publishing
Read it once or twice and if you have any questions after let us know! Handloading for ELR isn't just something you do on the fly, you need to read... a lot.
Zediker Publishing
Read it once or twice and if you have any questions after let us know! Handloading for ELR isn't just something you do on the fly, you need to read... a lot.
I am going to start reloading regardless, my wife asked me what I want for xmas! So I was like HELL YEAH! RELOADING PRESS! I am going to buy the hornady reloading book and read it. I just want some advice on some good products.
Is this a decent starters press? Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Reloading :: Metallic Reloading :: Presses and Kits :: Lock-N-Load® Classic :: Lock-N-Load® Classic Kit
Is this a decent starters press? Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Reloading :: Metallic Reloading :: Presses and Kits :: Lock-N-Load® Classic :: Lock-N-Load® Classic Kit
Start with a Forster Coax and forsake all others. Buy Redding Competition Dies and then a good digital scale. At the end of the day you will be so much happier having started with good equipment and not having to upgrade later.
Need a new reloading kit! Everything for extreme LRS!
Having just gone through all this I agree with the above, start with a good reloading manual and read it. Then, when you think you know what you are doing, read it again. I missed a few things the first time around.
I ended up going with the RCBS Rock Chucker and love it. The thing is built like a tank and will outlast me and probably my kids and my kids kids.
Having just gone through all this I agree with the above, start with a good reloading manual and read it. Then, when you think you know what you are doing, read it again. I missed a few things the first time around.
I ended up going with the RCBS Rock Chucker and love it. The thing is built like a tank and will outlast me and probably my kids and my kids kids.
Sounds like a good plan. The coax will be my next purchase. Have used my fathers quite a bit. Really like the priming feature...although works the best with out a die in.
In addition to what comes with a decent kit, get a comparator (Hornady or other) to measure bullet jamb/seating length and headspace. This seems to be one of the most overlooked aspects when starting out; I certainly needed to backfill in this area after a couple of learning experiences. Also for the money send the balance beam to Scott Parker to have it tuned for $65 and you will never need anything else.
Surly, when using Co-Ax's priming tool, do you have a good feel on how tight the primer pockets for the brass?
I gave up quickly on using a press to prime due to not getting an actual "feel" and other irritations with presses. If you really want to get a feel on how your priming pockets are - use a hand priming tool. The Sinclair is king but if you don't want to grab a primer one at a time (and I wouldn't blame you), the RCBS universal works awesome for priming. It gives you great feel for the pockets and how the primer set. Plus you can band them out while drinking beer in front of the tv!
I can easily feel when a primer is seated when using my CO-AX. as noted above, much better with die out.
I happen to prefer Forster Dies, but the Redding and RCBS are also great dies.
CO-AX is hands down the best of my three presses.
I am not a fan of Lee products, or of Richard Lee.
All out long range work, arbor press from 21st looks good, and Wilson dies.
I happen to prefer Forster Dies, but the Redding and RCBS are also great dies.
CO-AX is hands down the best of my three presses.
I am not a fan of Lee products, or of Richard Lee.
All out long range work, arbor press from 21st looks good, and Wilson dies.
What do you have against Richard lee out or pure curiosity?
Need a new reloading kit! Everything for extreme LRS!
Here's a list that has everything you need to get started. I'm sure there will be differences of opinion on this however...
-Forster Co-Ax press
-Redding type S competition full length bushing die set for your caliber
-Redding TiN bushings for the above
-Redding carbide expander ball for above
-Case lubricant (I use Imperial wax)
-Hornady bullet puller die
-Hornady overall length gauge
-Hornady modified case for above tool in your caliber
-Hornady headspace gauge kit
-Hornady bullet comparator kit
-A 0-6" caliper of good quality (Mitutoyo, etc)
-Case trimmer (I use a Forster with 3 way head)
-Brass cleaner (I use wet stainless steel tumbling)
-RCBS Chargemaster
-RCBS hand priming tool
-Powder funnel/drop tube (I use a Satern funnel)
-Case loading blocks
-Ammo boxes (MTM, etc...)
-Chronograph
HTH
Here's a list that has everything you need to get started. I'm sure there will be differences of opinion on this however...
-Forster Co-Ax press
-Redding type S competition full length bushing die set for your caliber
-Redding TiN bushings for the above
-Redding carbide expander ball for above
-Case lubricant (I use Imperial wax)
-Hornady bullet puller die
-Hornady overall length gauge
-Hornady modified case for above tool in your caliber
-Hornady headspace gauge kit
-Hornady bullet comparator kit
-A 0-6" caliper of good quality (Mitutoyo, etc)
-Case trimmer (I use a Forster with 3 way head)
-Brass cleaner (I use wet stainless steel tumbling)
-RCBS Chargemaster
-RCBS hand priming tool
-Powder funnel/drop tube (I use a Satern funnel)
-Case loading blocks
-Ammo boxes (MTM, etc...)
-Chronograph
HTH
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This is a great starter kit. I like the bushings on the press. Makes switching dies a breeze. As mentioned, no kit will give you everything you need. You'll find when you start loading that you'll want other bits and pieces to make your life easier.
You can feel them but the difference is that they are given the same amount of force each time. So, every seated primer will be the same. They talk about it on there site.
Keep in mind, you WON"T learn how to reload from reading a book. Yes a good manual such as Lyman's 49th will help you get all the critical base knowledge, but experienced trial and error is how you learn the full process. I've been loading for about a year now, and still in a learning curve. It's VERY gratifying ! BTW I initially purchased the RCBS Rock Chucker supreme kit to get me going.
Too long of a story...
I full-length size and decap on a mature RCBS A2 with Dillon Carbide (308) or Redding button (300 WM). If there is a stronger press, I don't care because I don't need it. I do not use an expander. I have never used a CO-AX press. They look sweet but I don't see enough advantage over what I have. I have three A2s, one is rigged for bullet swaging. I have Wilson neck dies for most calibers. That is okay for a single-loaded BR gun but my LR rifles feed from a magazine and I want no feed issues.
I hand-prime with a Sinclair tool. I have been doing that for all rifle cases (except for 5.56) for about 23 years and I haven't had a problem. Speed aside, what is the issue with handling the primers? I have loaded about 15,000 rounds this way - that's 3 cases of primers. My priming tool is in the picture.
I use a RCBS CM for powder. I have fiddled with the parameters a little to make it faster and a little more consistent. I check the weights every 10 or 20 cases, it is always fine. If it meters a heavy charge, I pick up the pan and dribble a few grains back into the hopper. That usually beings the weight back where I want it.
I seat bullets using a Wilson seater with the Sinclair micrometer top and an arbor press that I bought a long time ago - it might have been a Forster. I haven't seen one like it for sale for a long time. It is not pretty but it is very stout. I am attaching a picture with the priming tool and seaters. Does anyone knows where I can get another press like that one? I want to give it to my son who recently started to handload. I also have a Sinclair arbor press but I rarely use it - not stout enough
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do you have an email or contact info for Scott?
Rock chucker supreme here. Picked up lee and rcbs dies to try them both out, love the rcbs not a huge fan of the lees. Just don't seem as well made. Overall the rock chucker kit came with a lot of the small stuff and leaves you options on what type of product to go with for you trimmer and comparator. Couldn't be happier with mine
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Rock Chucker Supreme here as well with Forster Ultra NM dies with Micrometer seating dies in .223 and .308. Love my Saturn funnels and Omega II powered trickler.
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Lol. You need to do way more research before you start or your going to be buying junk to end up replacing later once you find out theres better tools. Get ready to pony up some money too... you will end up with junk if you buy a kit. All the good stuff is sold separate. Sinclairs usually has the higher end stuff. Slow down and research stuff... buy it as you need it once you hone skills... you got a long way to go. Start with a good single stage press, then research powder dispensing tools... one step at a time...
I really like the following tools. They are admittedly not cheap, but they do their job very well, consistently and are a joy to use:
Accuracy One concentricity gauge
21st century shooting stainless priming tool
Satern powder funnels
A&D fx-120i scale
Whidden dies
Sinclair/Wilson trimmer
Redding T-7 turret press
Forster Co-Ax press
Inline Fabrication quick change press stands
Redding comparator die
My advice is to buy the good stuff straight away.
Accuracy One concentricity gauge
21st century shooting stainless priming tool
Satern powder funnels
A&D fx-120i scale
Whidden dies
Sinclair/Wilson trimmer
Redding T-7 turret press
Forster Co-Ax press
Inline Fabrication quick change press stands
Redding comparator die
My advice is to buy the good stuff straight away.
