Getting ready to make the leap

[originalsocko]

Hi everyone, I'm finally ready to make the leap into reloading. It won't be all at once but piece by piece, starting with pistol calibers first. But the hardest is which brand. I have need to be capable of .38 special to 300 win mag. for now. Single stage is fine, because I'm not in a hurry but if a progressive would be better.

[M&P Chris]

I would personally recommend rcbs rockchucker. It has been a very quality single stage.

[wanneroo]

Hi everyone, I'm finally ready to make the leap into reloading. It won't be all at once but piece by piece, starting with pistol calibers first. But the hardest is which brand. I have need to be capable of .38 special to 300 win mag. for now. Single stage is fine, because I'm not in a hurry but if a progressive would be better.

What is your budget?

What I did for each piece of gear was ignore brands but look at reviews and compare prices for my needs as a new reloader. For instance if I was buying a scale or set of calipers or priming tool, I read the reviews for what was reasonable in my price range and then bought it.

Also if you want to spend a lot you can buy the best, most automated tools. My thinking is start simple, go very slow, learn the basics and then upgrade tools when you are ready. Also I find going through the process at the bottom gives a better idea of what works for you, what brands you might like. My own view is that considering this is something that could blow up in your face, it's a good idea to go slow and do things manually so you understand what's going on and do your math. Hence you don't need all the latest power operated gizmos to start with.

[DavidTM]

I would personally recommend rcbs rockchucker. It has been a very quality single stage.

Yup....buy one 'n done. I have one for my bottle neck reloads. I also have a Hornady LNL for loading mass quantities of 44-mags, 45acp, and 357-mags.

Start with a single stage...it will "learn ya right."

Dave

[howiepa]

I say go with a progressive press and forget the single stage and/or turret presses. You can run a progressive similar to a single stage, wherein you process one case at a time -- I'll do this when first sitting down to do a run to make sure all the dies and the powder drop are set up appropriately.

For what it's worth I have a Hornady Lock'n'Load AP with a case feeder. I don't necessarily recommend the case feeder but I highly recommend the LnL.

[dk99358]

The majority of my equipment is RCBS and Lyman. Not real impressed with the Lee items I have. Single stage has done what I need since 1979.

Dale

[mp517prct]

I have just about every color reloading equipment.
Hornady L-L single stage
Lee Classic Cast Turret
RCBS Powder Dispenser
RCBS Hand Primer
Lyman Tumbler
Lyman Case Prep Center

I agree that shopping for the best regardless of brand is the best bet. RCBS makes fine equipment but you'll pay a pretty penny for the name.

Lee makes good equipment that cheap, but some of their stuff while functional is certainly not top of the line.

I think the Lee Classic Cast Turret press is a great starting point for anyone who is starting out and wants to load both rifle and pistol. I started out with the Hornady Single Stage and quickly realized that it was far too slow for pistol reloading. The interchangeable turrets make changing calibers effortless, however i think the scale in their kit is a waste considering how inexpensive digital scales are.

just my $0.02

[87hurricane]

I've been fairly happy with most of my Lee equipment. If you're on a budget, its definitely a good way to get started for not a lot of money.

[Delkal]

The RCBS rock chucker is the best single stage press out there.

RCBS equipment is much better quality than Lee (but its also 3X the price). I would say your decision should be based on how serious you are about getting into reloading. If you know your going to love it get RCBS. If you want to try it for a while then decide get Lee. It really is a no brainer getting the Lee startup set and a few of their dies for <$200 (the price of 6 boxes of ammo).

I started out with a Lee setup 25 years ago and there are still some Lee things I like more and still use. I like their hand priming system (the old model, never tried the new safety one) and prefer their case trimming system (its very fast if you chuck it in a drill). If you start casting their 6 cavity molds are a steal.

I do not like their scale (prefer RCBS 505).

There are numerous opinions on what setup to get but the real message is....just do it. No matter what system you get, buy some cast bullets and your set will be paid for in 500-1000 rounds.

[Argentum]

I started out with a progressive press - the Hornady Lock-n-Load AP - and I've been very happy with it. When I started, I just forced myself to take my time, learn the details of each stage, etc. - didn't run for bulk production right out of the gate.