I've been looking at reloading kits lately because I think I'm going to start reloading. I was going to get a starter kit (one of the one's that says it has everything except dies) and then buy the extras (i.e. tumbler, electronic scale) after that. The 2 names I'm seeing the most are Lee and Hornady. Is there a certain brand that is going to make the ammo any more accurate or affect the ammo in anyway?
- Thread starter tanda10506
- Start date
Re: Quality Question
Don't know about one is more accurate than the other. I think that the tolerance for those kits and dies included is not going to be substantially different. Ultimately, I think it's the loader setting up the dies and all that makes the difference. If one were sloppy with the OAL, case prepp, etc..., then the result would be less than satisfactory.
Don't know about one is more accurate than the other. I think that the tolerance for those kits and dies included is not going to be substantially different. Ultimately, I think it's the loader setting up the dies and all that makes the difference. If one were sloppy with the OAL, case prepp, etc..., then the result would be less than satisfactory.
Re: Quality Question
tanda, try out the RCBS kit.
I prefer it to the hornady kit because it comes with a balance beam scale... yeh it doesnt take batteries but honestly it works and I have loaded extremely accurate rounds with my RCBS kit.
I deal with electronic scales every day and to be honest, unless its a high end bit of gear I wouldnt trust it 100%. Dont get me wrong I eventually want to get a chargemaster combo, but for the time being an accurate beam scale does me no harm.
tanda, try out the RCBS kit.
I prefer it to the hornady kit because it comes with a balance beam scale... yeh it doesnt take batteries but honestly it works and I have loaded extremely accurate rounds with my RCBS kit.
I deal with electronic scales every day and to be honest, unless its a high end bit of gear I wouldnt trust it 100%. Dont get me wrong I eventually want to get a chargemaster combo, but for the time being an accurate beam scale does me no harm.
Re: Quality Question
I got the RCBS kit and am more than happy with it. The only things I bought after that was a Trickler, Tumbler, Concentricity Gauge and Dies. Little things you will have to buy as you go bu this will get you started easily. It did for me.
I got the RCBS kit and am more than happy with it. The only things I bought after that was a Trickler, Tumbler, Concentricity Gauge and Dies. Little things you will have to buy as you go bu this will get you started easily. It did for me.
Re: Quality Question
+1 ^^^ Get the RCBS kit, it has worked great for me.
+1 ^^^ Get the RCBS kit, it has worked great for me.
Re: Quality Question
"Is there a certain brand that is going to make the ammo any more accurate or affect the ammo in anyway?"
No. The differences are a purely personal taste - or prestige - thing, not quality of ammo related at all.
Any kit works as well as any other, if they didn't they wouldn't have survived in the market. And no kit is truly complete. Most loaders locked into a specfic color have little or no experience with others and have chosen based on web hype, not merit. Most experienced loaders have a wide variety of tool colors on their benches.
Digital scales and ultrasonic case cleaners are perhaps the quirkyest fad things going today. Stick with beam scales and vib tumblers.
You are going to need a precision caliper for measuring stuff too. Get a 6" stainless steel dial type, Harbor Freight tools and MidwayUSA sell them for around $15, on sale, and they are as good as reloaders need. Actually, the other reloading branded calipers are made in the same Chinese shop, they just charge you more for the brand.
"Is there a certain brand that is going to make the ammo any more accurate or affect the ammo in anyway?"
No. The differences are a purely personal taste - or prestige - thing, not quality of ammo related at all.
Any kit works as well as any other, if they didn't they wouldn't have survived in the market. And no kit is truly complete. Most loaders locked into a specfic color have little or no experience with others and have chosen based on web hype, not merit. Most experienced loaders have a wide variety of tool colors on their benches.
Digital scales and ultrasonic case cleaners are perhaps the quirkyest fad things going today. Stick with beam scales and vib tumblers.
You are going to need a precision caliper for measuring stuff too. Get a 6" stainless steel dial type, Harbor Freight tools and MidwayUSA sell them for around $15, on sale, and they are as good as reloaders need. Actually, the other reloading branded calipers are made in the same Chinese shop, they just charge you more for the brand.
Re: Quality Question
A skilled reloader can make excellent quality ammo with practically any reloading equiptment on the market these days.
That is: its the Indian not the arrow.
A skilled reloader can make excellent quality ammo with practically any reloading equiptment on the market these days.
That is: its the Indian not the arrow.
Re: Quality Question
There is nothing wrong iwth over the the typical counter stuff and few will find fault with it; maybe some perferences of one brand over antoher but few real faults.
To go to an extreme moves one into the benchrest equipment world, and the vast majority of folks will never see (or need) the token "improvement" of the semi-custom products. But you will see th eprice differences.
Grab a name brand kit (I like RCBS for most stuff with a personal prefernce of Redding dies) and USE/ENJOY IT!
There is nothing wrong iwth over the the typical counter stuff and few will find fault with it; maybe some perferences of one brand over antoher but few real faults.
To go to an extreme moves one into the benchrest equipment world, and the vast majority of folks will never see (or need) the token "improvement" of the semi-custom products. But you will see th eprice differences.
Grab a name brand kit (I like RCBS for most stuff with a personal prefernce of Redding dies) and USE/ENJOY IT!
Re: Quality Question
PS, I have a couple electronic scales and am not that thrilled with them. One I like because its so portable but reality is they tend to be termperature sensitiveand I am always wondering avout variances. Have a untrasonic cleaner on order so no experience there, want to stop digging media out of primer holes.
Start with the basics, you will not be disappointed.
PS, I have a couple electronic scales and am not that thrilled with them. One I like because its so portable but reality is they tend to be termperature sensitiveand I am always wondering avout variances. Have a untrasonic cleaner on order so no experience there, want to stop digging media out of primer holes.
Start with the basics, you will not be disappointed.
Re: Quality Question
Just a note on the ultrasonic cleaners. I was pretty skeptical but they actually do a really good job cleaning up the cases. Be sure to use a little soap though. Plain water doesn't quite do it.
Just a note on the ultrasonic cleaners. I was pretty skeptical but they actually do a really good job cleaning up the cases. Be sure to use a little soap though. Plain water doesn't quite do it.
