CAN ANYONE RECOMMEND A RELOADING SYSTEM

[shibumiseeker]

Yeah, there'll be the folks who tell you to start with Dillon and never look back, and if you have the money or the need, then go for it. You can't go wrong with blue.

BUT, if you are a cheap bastiche, or only shoot occasionally (like fewer than 50 rounds a week) and don't have cash to burn, then get a Lee single stage press. You can have your first 50 rounds loaded for around a hundred bucks including component costs if you shop carefully. Then you will always have a use for a single stage press if you upgrade later. If your goal is to get into reloading for serious precision rifle work then the RCBS Rockchucker is the way to start.

While they are cheap, Lee single stage presses are extremely good value for the money. Lee Turret presses are ok value for the money (90% of my reloading is done on one), and I would go with a Dillon or Hornaday before I would buy the Lee Progressive press again (I own one, can't recommend it).

I will also echo what many others have said here, get a reloading manual and read it before you start. Reloading doesn't have to be expensive or use a lot of equipment, a basic set of dies that use a mallet can be had for as little as $15. I have a set for each of my common calibers in a box with reloading components so I can reload a thousand rounds or so as part of my TEOTWAWKI preps.

 

[riverman67]

DILLON! Started on a 550, recently upgraded to a 650 with a casefeeder! Great service. AND I CANT BELIEVE I AM THE FIRST TO MENTION GREATEST CATALOGS EVER!!!

And calendars

I have owned a rockchucker for more years that I care to admit. I will keep it around for low volume/precision stuff ,it is a great single stage press.

my brother and I both started shooting uspsa about 2 years ago and there is no way that you can keep up with that amount of shooting on a single stage.
We went together and bought a 550 and we both liked it so much that when we got the opportunity to pick up a used one we did. We now have one set up for 40 and one set up for 9. It is really easy to load up enough ammo for a match 200-300 rounds in one evening after work.
If you have problems they are just a phone call away and the customer service is great

You will not save a dime but you will shoot a bunch more for the same money

 

[sti38super]

You can not beat a Dillon press. If you are shooting pistol and only shoot a few hundred rounds a year buy factory ammo. If you shoot a few thousand a year buy a Square Deal. If you are like me and shoot 20,000 to 40,000 rds. a year buy a 650.

 

[philagothon]

Shibumi, is your Lee turret a classic or the regular version? I am expecting to get the classic for my anniversary in the next couple weeks & curious if you would recommend against it. This will be my first press and I would like to get one I'll be happy with for years to come.

Sorry for the hijack but I thought it might apply to OP as well.

 

[philagothon]

Oops!

 

[shibumiseeker]

Shibumi, is your Lee turret a classic or the regular version? I am expecting to get the classic for my anniversary in the next couple weeks & curious if you would recommend against it. This will be my first press and I would like to get one I'll be happy with for years to come.

Sorry for the hijack but I thought it might apply to OP as well.

I got the regular version, though I now wish I'd gotten the classic, it looks to be built a little heavier. Other than the little plastic indexing thing which wears out every few k I have no complaints in about 12k rounds reloaded, mostly pistol, but some .223, .22-250, and .308. I typically load about a hundred rounds a week and it takes me about half an hour to do so.

 

[philagothon]

I misunderstood your reference to the Lee progressive presses and thought you were talking about the turret press. Sorry for the confusion, thanks for the clarification.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

I too have been looking in to reloading. My main needs will be reloads for a .270, .223, .35rem, .40s&w, & .45acp, maybe some 12ga too. My grandpa gave me some of his reloading books and manuals. I have completed 2 of the books and am working on #3 now. For my needs listed above which do you think would be the best press to fit me?

 

[shibumiseeker]

I too have been looking in to reloading. My main needs will be reloads for a .270, .223, .35rem, .40s&w, & .45acp, maybe some 12ga too. My grandpa gave me some of his reloading books and manuals. I have completed 2 of the books and am working on #3 now. For my needs listed above which do you think would be the best press to fit me?

How much will you need to reload and how much money do you have? FWIW, shotgun reloading setups are completely seperate from pistol/rifle.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

How much will you need to reload and how much money do you have? FWIW, shotgun reloading setups are completely seperate from pistol/rifle.

Well for as much shotgun shooting that I do, I can afford to buy shotgun shells. I am wanting to be able to keep a stock of say around 200-300 rounds on hand at one particular time for the .270 & .35, and for the pistols and AR I would like to keep 500-1000 rounds on hand. As far as pricing goes, I am hoping to get maybe a kit for say under $300 (or as close to $300 as I can get). For the .270, .35, and .223 I would like to be able to play around with getting the most accurate, longest distance bullet too, then once I find one that works best stick with it. Most of my shooting is done with pistols and the AR. And then my .270 and .35 are my hunting rifles.

 

[shibumiseeker]

But how much do you shoot, say in a week or a month? How much is your time worth to you? If you only shoot 50 rounds a month and have plenty of free time then a single stage press makes the most sense. Seeing as how you want to stay under $300 then the Lee Challenger press makes the most sense because while the press is cheap, each set of dies is going to set you back $25 or so, and when you start talking about turret presses or progressive presses each extra caliber can run $50-150 for dies and shell plates and the like. RCBS or Hornaday or Dillon dies cost even more.

If you shoot 50 rounds a day and your time is worth $100 an hour then a Dillon 650 with all of the trimmings makes more sense.

The answer depends solely on you.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

Currently I try and shoot at least once a month. I would like to be able to go shooting once a week or at least once every other week. When I do shoot I usually shoot 50 rounds of pistol, and maybe 50-100 of .223. I have read and heard of people loading 100-200 rounds in an hour using a single stage press and if that is the case, I would have plenty of time during evenings, weekends, and over the winter. I am thinking of getting a single stage press, such as the Lee Challenger that you mentioned above. I was actually looking at getting the kit... Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit - MidwayUSA The main purpose for me reloading is to be able to save some money in the long run, be able to get improved accuracy and groupings, have fun, and be able to pick up a new skill while doing it.

 

[shibumiseeker]

With a single stage press you can break the reloading down into stages. Decap and resize one evening, hand prime in front of the tv or the like another evening, then charging and bullet seating another. 200 an hour would be a very ambitious rate. I used to have 2 single stage presses side by side so I could use an autodisk powder measure on one and bullet seat and crimp on another and my best throughput for all stages was about a hundred an hour. With one single stage press about 75 an hour was my best rate.

 

[68kidd]

Thanks for the reply. The info has been helpful and i will consider it in my decision. i have looked at some and will make up my mind after further research.

 

[jimbo-indy]

I got the same Lee package a few years ago. The press is great as are Lee dies and the priming tool. The powder measure and scale are a joke. They are so cheaply made that they become a pain to work with. The powder measure tends to leak powder around the drum or, when adjusted tighter, the mounting bracket will bend. It works but it's not fun. I found the scale often stuck. If you tapped the table, the reading would change. A real pain when trickling in powder.
Bottom line: gave away the measure and scale. Replaced with RCBS products. What a difference! Scale is dead on and never sticks yet the magnetic dampening controls the movement reliably. Powder measure is super consistent. Mine has the micrometer setting and it is easy to get back to previous weights when changing powders.
Recommend you get the Lee press, auto-prime tool and dies. Spring a little extra $ for the scale and measure. RCBS, Lyman or Redding all make quality tools.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The Lee scale is junk, and I'm not impressed by their pro powder measures, but I really like the autodisk measure, the downside being that it is harder to fine-tune a load. For a cheap little measure it's easy to have one on each turret for each caliber pistol I load.

 

[Brett]

I got the same Lee package a few years ago. The press is great as are Lee dies and the priming tool. The powder measure and scale are a joke. They are so cheaply made that they become a pain to work with. The powder measure tends to leak powder around the drum or, when adjusted tighter, the mounting bracket will bend. It works but it's not fun. I found the scale often stuck. If you tapped the table, the reading would change. A real pain when trickling in powder.
Bottom line: gave away the measure and scale. Replaced with RCBS products. What a difference! Scale is dead on and never sticks yet the magnetic dampening controls the movement reliably. Powder measure is super consistent. Mine has the micrometer setting and it is easy to get back to previous weights when changing powders.
Recommend you get the Lee press, auto-prime tool and dies. Spring a little extra $ for the scale and measure. RCBS, Lyman or Redding all make quality tools.

I agree on the Lee Perfect Powder Measure and on the scale. I really like the Auto Disk measure with the updated Pro powder hopper. It doesn't leak for me at all and seems to be consistent. The Lee scale is a big joke.

 

[bambek]

Lee Classic Turrent Press is what I use. As long as you're careful and take it slow (like you should anyway) I think you'd be fine. And a plus is ...more cash to buy more guns by saving money on the press! Though I would admit if money were no object....I'd buy a better press....but money is an object.... around my house anyway.

 

[bambek]

Oh I forgot...I totally agree about the Lee Powder scale being junk. I never could get the hang of it. Bought a digital scale before I even started reloading!

 

[kludge]

I've had zero problems with the powder measure and the scale. Scale is accurate and repeatable as is the powder measure. In fact I have two Lee powder measures.
Scale is a bit hard to read and can be "touchy" but it does its job. I no longer use the scale, but it's the only thing from the Lee kit I bought 16-17 years ago that I don't use.