Whats a good starting set up

farnorthdan · December 9, 2007, 06:19 PM

I would like to start reloading my own ammo. I remember watching my Dad do it when I was young and even helped him from time to time but that was long ago and he's gone now...What are the basic tools/equipment I'll need including any good guides or books for beginners. I shoot many different hand calibers and some rifle. Any advise would be greatly appreciated...Thanks, Dan

Shoney · December 9, 2007, 07:17 PM

The press you "need" depends on a lot of factors:
1. How many cartridges do you shoot per week/per month/per year?
2. How many weapons are you loading for?
3. How much time do you have to load?
4. What is your budget?

amamnn · December 9, 2007, 07:19 PM

A lot of people start with one of Lee's kits. IMHO, if Lee is making a Classic Turret kit, that would be a good choice. Later, you will probably want to make some improvements in scales and powder measures and etc.. but the lee kits are probably the best value out there. If there is no classic kit then the deluxe turret kit will do. Do buy a 4 hole turret press not a 3. You will know why later. Buy Richard Lee's "Modern Reloading" book if it is not in the kit.

Lee's turret design is more stable than any other turret I have seen and I do believe I have seen them all. DO BY ALL MEANS grease the turret tracks and wipe down all Lee dies with a silicone cloth after use.

RC BS also has some good starter kits, but the Lees are less expensive, or used to be at any rate. You'll be getting the same quality in both brands of their starter equipment. I don't think RC BS has a turret kit and if they did I would not buy it unless they've leased the Lee patent and begun building similar presses.

You will undoubtedly hear a lot of screaming and breast beating about this post from the die snobs, but it's all about personal preference vs. bottom line at the entry level.

saands · December 9, 2007, 08:18 PM

I'm a fan of some of the Lee products, but not all. My experience is that if a Lee product has few moving parts, then it is likely to be one of the best that money can buy ... for less than half the price of some of its competition. Their single stage presses and turret presses are fine examples of this, as are their dies. Other people make dies, but IMHO the Lee's are as good as any.

I personally think that the Lee powder scale is dangerous ... it is just TOO easy to knock the ball around and end up with 5 grains more than you think ... RCBS 502/505 scales aren't that much more and are much nicer.

The Lee case prep tools have NO moving parts ... they are GREAT!

The Lee "Perfect Powder Measure" is anything but perfect! ... If you can live with just extruded powders, they are fine ... if you use flaked powders like RedDot, they OK ... but if you want to meter a fine powder like AA#9, you'll cuss a blue streak that would embarrass a sailor

An RCBS Uniflow will cost more, but might be worth it.

I haven't seen the new Lee Reloading Manual, but unless they really made some serious edits, I like the other ones better. I didn't like that Lee talked about all the stupid things that he did while reloading without really emphasizing that they were stupid ... it was more like they were legitimatized by being included as anecdotes. IMHO, a basic reloading manual should stress safety above all.

Remember: if you have doubts, ASK QUESTIONS!

Be safe,

Saands

enstorm · December 9, 2007, 08:37 PM

See the current post "another reloading dummy" for some answers, too

fourrobert13 · December 9, 2007, 08:40 PM

I would go with a Lee kit to start out with. I reloading is for you, then you can upgrade from there, but if not, you are not out that much cash.

stovepipe699 · December 13, 2007, 02:56 PM

My advice for you is to do with measuring the length of loaded rounds. Get yourself a dial/digital caliper, and a comparator kit. The kit I speak of fits onto your caliper allowing you to measure to the bullet ogive(curve)rather than the tip. Why you ask? Your bullet seating die pushes on the ogive, so if you measure to the same area you'll be able to record an accurate measurement. If you measure to the tip, and measure 10 rounds after bullet seating, you will find they vary A LOT!! So how can you record a measurement if you can't measure it properly in the first place? The other thing I wish I had done all along is to write down load info in a log, and keep the corresponding targets. I 3 hole punch them and put them in a duotang. Now I can look back and see trends. As for the first 5 years I reloaded, I have no idea where the info is. Good Luck loading!

skeeter1 · December 14, 2007, 02:31 AM

You can start with something as simple as a Lee hand press. That's what I still use for reloading .38Spls. It's a simple task to reload 50 in an evening, doesn't take up hardly any space, and doesn't require a reloading bench. I use the included powder dipper and fairly conservative loads, as I don't want to kill my handgun (or me). Invest in a reload block (or make your own out of a scrap of 2x6) and you're good to go.

jhansman · December 15, 2007, 12:52 AM

I started with (and still use) the Lee Anniversary kit. Has everything you need to load for under $100, except dies. I intentionally did not get a turret press because I wanted to learn from the ground up, and figured if I outgrew the Lee Challenger, I'd move up to a turret. A year later, and I'm still single-staging it. I may, however, 'upgrade' to Lee's new breech lock Challenger. I could use the faster die changing and better spent primer disposal.

December 9, 2007, 06:19 PM	#1
farnorthdan Senior Member Join Date: December 3, 2007 Posts: 371	Whats a good starting set up I would like to start reloading my own ammo. I remember watching my Dad do it when I was young and even helped him from time to time but that was long ago and he's gone now...What are the basic tools/equipment I'll need including any good guides or books for beginners. I shoot many different hand calibers and some rifle. Any advise would be greatly appreciated...Thanks, Dan

December 9, 2007, 07:17 PM	#2
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	The press you "need" depends on a lot of factors: 1. How many cartridges do you shoot per week/per month/per year? 2. How many weapons are you loading for? 3. How much time do you have to load? 4. What is your budget?

December 9, 2007, 07:19 PM	#3
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	A lot of people start with one of Lee's kits. IMHO, if Lee is making a Classic Turret kit, that would be a good choice. Later, you will probably want to make some improvements in scales and powder measures and etc.. but the lee kits are probably the best value out there. If there is no classic kit then the deluxe turret kit will do. Do buy a 4 hole turret press not a 3. You will know why later. Buy Richard Lee's "Modern Reloading" book if it is not in the kit. Lee's turret design is more stable than any other turret I have seen and I do believe I have seen them all. DO BY ALL MEANS grease the turret tracks and wipe down all Lee dies with a silicone cloth after use. RC BS also has some good starter kits, but the Lees are less expensive, or used to be at any rate. You'll be getting the same quality in both brands of their starter equipment. I don't think RC BS has a turret kit and if they did I would not buy it unless they've leased the Lee patent and begun building similar presses. You will undoubtedly hear a lot of screaming and breast beating about this post from the die snobs, but it's all about personal preference vs. bottom line at the entry level.

December 9, 2007, 08:18 PM	#4
saands Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1999 Posts: 1,573	I'm a fan of some of the Lee products, but not all. My experience is that if a Lee product has few moving parts, then it is likely to be one of the best that money can buy ... for less than half the price of some of its competition. Their single stage presses and turret presses are fine examples of this, as are their dies. Other people make dies, but IMHO the Lee's are as good as any. I personally think that the Lee powder scale is dangerous ... it is just TOO easy to knock the ball around and end up with 5 grains more than you think ... RCBS 502/505 scales aren't that much more and are much nicer. The Lee case prep tools have NO moving parts ... they are GREAT! The Lee "Perfect Powder Measure" is anything but perfect! ... If you can live with just extruded powders, they are fine ... if you use flaked powders like RedDot, they OK ... but if you want to meter a fine powder like AA#9, you'll cuss a blue streak that would embarrass a sailor An RCBS Uniflow will cost more, but might be worth it. I haven't seen the new Lee Reloading Manual, but unless they really made some serious edits, I like the other ones better. I didn't like that Lee talked about all the stupid things that he did while reloading without really emphasizing that they were stupid ... it was more like they were legitimatized by being included as anecdotes. IMHO, a basic reloading manual should stress safety above all. Remember: if you have doubts, ASK QUESTIONS! Be safe, Saands

December 9, 2007, 08:37 PM	#5
enstorm Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2005 Posts: 217	See the current post "another reloading dummy" for some answers, too

December 9, 2007, 08:40 PM	#6
fourrobert13 Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: South West Ohio Posts: 336	I would go with a Lee kit to start out with. I reloading is for you, then you can upgrade from there, but if not, you are not out that much cash.

December 13, 2007, 02:56 PM	#7
stovepipe699 Junior Member Join Date: December 10, 2007 Location: an igloo in the Great White North Posts: 11	My advice for you is to do with measuring the length of loaded rounds. Get yourself a dial/digital caliper, and a comparator kit. The kit I speak of fits onto your caliper allowing you to measure to the bullet ogive(curve)rather than the tip. Why you ask? Your bullet seating die pushes on the ogive, so if you measure to the same area you'll be able to record an accurate measurement. If you measure to the tip, and measure 10 rounds after bullet seating, you will find they vary A LOT!! So how can you record a measurement if you can't measure it properly in the first place? The other thing I wish I had done all along is to write down load info in a log, and keep the corresponding targets. I 3 hole punch them and put them in a duotang. Now I can look back and see trends. As for the first 5 years I reloaded, I have no idea where the info is. Good Luck loading!

December 14, 2007, 02:31 AM	#8
skeeter1 Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2006 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 3,403	You can start with something as simple as a Lee hand press. That's what I still use for reloading .38Spls. It's a simple task to reload 50 in an evening, doesn't take up hardly any space, and doesn't require a reloading bench. I use the included powder dipper and fairly conservative loads, as I don't want to kill my handgun (or me). Invest in a reload block (or make your own out of a scrap of 2x6) and you're good to go.

December 15, 2007, 12:52 AM	#9
jhansman Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2007 Posts: 680	I started with (and still use) the Lee Anniversary kit. Has everything you need to load for under $100, except dies. I intentionally did not get a turret press because I wanted to learn from the ground up, and figured if I outgrew the Lee Challenger, I'd move up to a turret. A year later, and I'm still single-staging it. I may, however, 'upgrade' to Lee's new breech lock Challenger. I could use the faster die changing and better spent primer disposal.