Reloading Kit

[davidebt]

Good morning America.

New forum member from the UK.

I would like to start reloading my own .243 Win ammunition and need some help.

I have a friend visiting Houston next week and have asked him to buy me a reloading kit. He's not a shooter so he can't make decisions or choices.

I have given him the follolwing information. Am I correct?

Will I need to ask him to buy shell holders as well as dies?

Any recommendation would be gratefully recieved particularly Stores in Texas where he might be able to buy the kit. The pricies I have shown are from websites.

PREFERRED
Lyman Crusher II Expert Kit ($250.00)

OPTION 2
RCBS Rock Chucker™ Supreme Master Reloading Kit ($250.00
Would need to add to the above an RCBS Case Trimmer (if available $70.00)

OPTION 3
Lee Anniversary Kit ($70.00)

Regards

Lord Lucan

[rwilson452]

Assuming your not going to be using over 200 rounds a month. I would suggest the Lee anniversary kit would be a good place to start. you will need to get the proper gauge and shell holder for the cutter for trimming the cases. The lee method of case trimming is about as fool proof as you can get. I don't like the Lee safety scale as much but it is accurate but difficult to read. you will need different shell holders for the press and the hand primer. Lee shell holders are about $5.00 US each. you will also need a set of calipers to set your C.O.A.L. You can get them locally I suspect as they are used by machinist world wide. get three data manuals. I would suggest Lyman's 48th edition and the ABC's of reloading for two. Lee dies run about $20 for pacesetter dies and come with a shell holder I think. check their web site. the Deluxe set does and comes with a neck sizing die also. All you need after that is brass, powder, primers and bullets. If you have been shooting factory ammo in your .243 I hope you saved your brass, a large part of the expence of reloading.

A final warning:
Reloading is extremely addictive. When you start going to the range to shoot so you have more brass to try a new formula you know your doomed

[rwilson452]

a tumbler would be good for cleaning cases.

[SDLAW]

I really try not to be critical of Lee equipment, but if I was going half way around the world to get reloading equipment I would buy top of the line stuff. The RCBS kit is top notch, has everything you need other than calipers and will last several life times. You will need shell holders to match the shells you are loading. The label on the die set lists the shell holder needed. Welcome to the forums.

[Leftoverdj]

Yeah, I like Lee stuff, but in the circumstances, go with the RCBS. Get your friend to pick up the Lee set of shellholders, the Lee AutoPrime II, and the Lee casetrimmer for the .243. You don't really need the expensive trimmer.

Pick your store and put your order in as soon as possible. The store may have to order some of the stuff from a distributor.

[Unclenick]

Let me suggest a different approach. Use the mail order houses and have them ship to the hotel your friend is staying at or to a place of business or to friends or family he is visiting. You likely will save money. The advantages to retail stores is to be able look over the gear, to have a place for immediate returns if there is a problem, or to get instruction or other help, or just to maintain good relations with your local gun dealer. For these advantages you usually pay a bit more, plus you pay any sales tax there may be, the two coming to a total greater than mail order cost plus shipping. This is especially true if your order combines multiple items in the same shipping package. Since you can't take advantage of the added local service, why pay more? Moreover, most retail stores have much less stock than the mail order houses, so your friend is likely to wind up running around to several places and still may not find exactly what you want.

Most mail-order houses will take a major credit card. You will probably get stuck with some kind of currency exchange fee of around 3%. The lust of banks for fees knows no bounds. However, those same mail order houses will not ship overseas, having no wish to contend with the paperwork. I hope that doesn't affect their ability to accept a credit card whose billing address is overseas? You can e-mail them and ask up front.

The choice of equipment depends upon your purposes. The Lee kit plus dies should do well enough if your primary interest is hunting loads and your volumes are in the range mentioned in the earlier post. If you want to do accuracy loading you will probably want additional tools and a heavier press. I prefer the Forster Bonanza Co-ax press. It has a universal shell holding system built in, so you don't need to buy shell holders, though you do need to buy their die stop setting nuts or Redding's. It is used by more national match winners for Highpower Rifle (not bench rest - those guys all use arbor presses and special dies) than any other press, and allows quick change of dies, so it is a little faster than an "O" press. It is about $190 out of Midway. At a minimum you will want to add a Redding Competition Seating Die or its equivalent.

So, let us know your purposes a little better, then equipment details become easier to recommend.

Nick

[Eghad]

I just purchased the Lee Anniversary Kit, plus the Lee Reloader pack from Midway...for about $92.00 plus threw in some $ for the NRA.