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Old March 31st, 2007
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Default Re: Reloading Equipment - Good ones you own, and the Not so good...

My reloading setup is single stage. I have a lot of Lee equipment and I really like most of it. The cast aluminum link on their Challenger press is the weak point, but that can be upgraded to a steel link for only a few $$. I have a Lee hand press that I must say is my favorite. I also have a Lee Challenger press, a Rock Chucker and Rock Chucker Jr.. (I'm thinking about selling the Rock Chucker).
I like the Lee Autoprime tool, it's simple, efficient and you get a good feel for consistent seating. The argument against them is that they need special shell holders. My counter argument is that those shell holders are inexpensive, and you can change calibers in a matter of seconds. I had the RCBS version of a hand prime tool for a short while. I promptly sold it, I'll take the Lee tool any day.
The Lee dies are said to be inferior, but I have yet to see why. I've been using them for more than 15 years without a problem. In fact I've replaced some RCBS dies with Lee just because I like the simplicity of the Lee dies. (I don't need an Allen wrench to make an adjustment to the Lee dies). Don't get me wrong, I have dies by Lee, RCBS, Hornady, Redding, and there is nothing wrong with the quality of any of them. Maybe if I were loading millions of rounds instead of thousands I might see a difference in longevity, but so far I haven't worn out any brand of die.
I like the RCBS deburring or neck chamfer tool as well as the primer pocket brush.
The Lee scale is plenty good for accuracy, but it is limited to 110 grains. That's sufficient for all powder charges I need to weigh, but not enough to weigh bullets. I have an old Redding scale for that.
The most I load at one time is usually 100 or fewer. If I had a need for high volume I'd be looking into a progressive setup. (I had a Green Machine by RCBS several years ago. It was a good enough setup but it took up too much valuable workbench space for just one caliber).
I've tried a lot of different lubes. My favorite is Red Wing Mink Oil. No, that's not a typo. Red Wing Mink Oil is lanolin and silicone. Just a little bit makes the case plenty slippery and it wipes off leaving the brass cleaner than any other lube I've tried. It's not very expensive, a tin of it will last a really long time, and you can use it on leather too.
I guess the bottom line is this:
Get what best suits your needs and your budget. You're making a good move by asking for advice, but don't try to take all of the advice you get, it'll drive you crazy. Just try to use it to find out why some people like or dislike some equipment, and what you might want to look for to suit your individual needs.
You can also pick up some good tips that you might never know about without asking.
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