I've reloaded on my dad's equipment for years but now I'm looking to move into my own equipment. I don't need a progressive set up up but I would like a little better kit than just a beginner set up. I've only used dad's kit which is all RCBS and I was wondering if that was a good kit to go with or if I should look at say, hornady or lee. I know I'll buy a nice powder measure. Dad is going to give me a ton of his duplicate dies but I'd love some advice on other good must haves. I'm looking to stay under 500 bucks (that budget doesn't include the powder measure). Let me know if that's reasonable. Thanks for the help.
- Thread starter Climate17
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I have one lee anniversary with the bushing system that I use to take to the range to work on the spreads.
In the reloading bench I have 2 other singles and 2 progressive but there is always room for the little lee.
Unless you reload the largests super magnums this nice little press will give you a lifetime of good reloads.
There is no difference in the rounds that can be made with quality dies so this is one everyone would enjoy
for the similar purpose even when one is using others for larger magnums or other reloading projects.
One thing, the mechanical scale is a good thing but the speed of an electronic is hard to beat that you can zero with
the case for a delta measure from the drop.
The other thing is you might want to later invest in a case prep system.
So my point is there is no one kit there that has what is best for you but at least some basic stuff you will
get with the lee and the press alone will serve you well to get started.
The powder measure works well with stick and flake powder but forget about spherical powders. It doesn't work.
The hornady progressive is working well for me so the hornady single stage with the set might be a good one too and
the powder dispenser is a lot better. Also good price/value whti the lock n load bushing for quick pistol changing.
Ask others about the hornady. It is not redding or rcbs but they do quite well.
In the reloading bench I have 2 other singles and 2 progressive but there is always room for the little lee.
Unless you reload the largests super magnums this nice little press will give you a lifetime of good reloads.
There is no difference in the rounds that can be made with quality dies so this is one everyone would enjoy
for the similar purpose even when one is using others for larger magnums or other reloading projects.
One thing, the mechanical scale is a good thing but the speed of an electronic is hard to beat that you can zero with
the case for a delta measure from the drop.
The other thing is you might want to later invest in a case prep system.
So my point is there is no one kit there that has what is best for you but at least some basic stuff you will
get with the lee and the press alone will serve you well to get started.
The powder measure works well with stick and flake powder but forget about spherical powders. It doesn't work.
The hornady progressive is working well for me so the hornady single stage with the set might be a good one too and
the powder dispenser is a lot better. Also good price/value whti the lock n load bushing for quick pistol changing.
Ask others about the hornady. It is not redding or rcbs but they do quite well.
Take a good long look at the forster coax-
second choice is the redding t7
RCBS chargemaster is an excellent powder measure
second choice is the redding t7
RCBS chargemaster is an excellent powder measure
My first press was a single stage. I now run a dillon xl650 and never looked back. Just my 2 cents.
I have the LNL progressive Hornady and a lil Lee classic turret. I can go fast on the Hornady, but I enjoy the hobby better on the slower turret. Grafs has a kit for it, too. I always hated Lee's powder measures though, get a good one of those..
wake me up when the nightmare is gone..(2016 I hope)
wake me up when the nightmare is gone..(2016 I hope)
I am just getting into reloading but I just bought the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Select Reloading Kit for 499.99 on sale on Cabela's website. After looking at the individual components and adding them up it was a really good deal plus it had a $50 rebate.
Theres several good presses out there.I use the rock chucker,but I don't load quanity.You need to figure out what your needs are.Are you going to load volume like 223 or pistol or do you want a single stage for precision rifle cartridges.And you will always find other components that you must have.
If I were doing it over I wouldn't buy a kit. I would find the press I wanted and then add all the other parts. The scale and the press is the only thing we use out of our original kit. We have upgraded everything else and we currently want to upgrade the scale. So, but the press you like and a good set of scales etc.
Piece it all together this way nothing in your setup will be chunk. I thought about going with a kit myself but was talked out of it. You may spend more now but its a lot better than spending a whole lot more later!
I got into handloading some time around 1994. I had the great fortune to find a used Dillon RL550B that a guy was selling to help fund his upgrade to a 650.
It is the only press I have ever owned and I'm not looking for anything else. The Dillon does the things a single stage press can do, as well as priming and charging. I can crank out hunting/ball-equivalent ammo in full progressive mode, and for match loading, the only step I add is to confirm/adjust individual powder charges.
It is the singular best marksmanship decision I ever made, and the entire setup, including scale and dial calipers cost me $250 back then. For five years it served as the team press for a handgun, and later, handgun and rifle shooting team (Marine Corps League Detachment).
It was replaced with a 650 when I moved to upstate NY and took my press with me. The team likes the 650 for handgun ammo, but misses the RL550B for their rifle ammo.
Nowadays, prices seem higher, but it's not just the press you're paying for, it's also the substantial time saving you get for that cold cash of yours. For going on 20 years, that press had paid for itself many times over. I have replaced the scale, added a powder drop tube, and someday I'm gonna buy a dedicated die lock nut wrench, but that's pretty nearly the lot. When you hear the term 'buy once, cry once', this is precisely what they're talking about.
Greg
It is the only press I have ever owned and I'm not looking for anything else. The Dillon does the things a single stage press can do, as well as priming and charging. I can crank out hunting/ball-equivalent ammo in full progressive mode, and for match loading, the only step I add is to confirm/adjust individual powder charges.
It is the singular best marksmanship decision I ever made, and the entire setup, including scale and dial calipers cost me $250 back then. For five years it served as the team press for a handgun, and later, handgun and rifle shooting team (Marine Corps League Detachment).
It was replaced with a 650 when I moved to upstate NY and took my press with me. The team likes the 650 for handgun ammo, but misses the RL550B for their rifle ammo.
Nowadays, prices seem higher, but it's not just the press you're paying for, it's also the substantial time saving you get for that cold cash of yours. For going on 20 years, that press had paid for itself many times over. I have replaced the scale, added a powder drop tube, and someday I'm gonna buy a dedicated die lock nut wrench, but that's pretty nearly the lot. When you hear the term 'buy once, cry once', this is precisely what they're talking about.
Greg
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I'm getting this kit shortly also, but if you look around you can find several places for $290.... Even with shipping
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