Need reloading kit, what do you suggest?

Rifter · October 7, 2002, 10:50 AM

Im going to start reloading, whats a good kit to start with, i have herd good things about the RCBS Rockchucker master Reloader Kit. Which dies should i get to go with it? I will be loading for accuracy not volume. Thanks.

Bogie · October 7, 2002, 03:22 PM

What calibers?

Rifter · October 7, 2002, 03:37 PM

.308 to start with.

Steve Smith · October 7, 2002, 04:21 PM

Nothing wrong with the Rockchucker, BUT at least add the Hornady LNL system to it.

Personally, I'm a turret press fan and the Redding T-7 looks great.

dakotasin · October 7, 2002, 05:28 PM

i reload quite a few rifle calibers and one handgun.

the rockchucker seems kind of slow for pistol applications...

but, i do produce extremely accurate rifle ammo w/ it, and can produce it fast enough to make me happy.

were i to do it over again, i'd go w/ the rockchucker system.

for dies, perhaps you want to consider redding... rcbs dies work fine, and in the calibers i use them in, i get great accuracy (not benchrest accuracy, but certainly better than anything the factory puts out).

sleeping dog · October 8, 2002, 06:08 AM

I got the rockchucker kit and I like it. I also got Lee Deluxe Rifle Dies which seem to be good. Then a tumbler, a dial caliper, some RCBS spray case lube, and a RCBS Universal Decapping die (so I can de-cap before cleaning the brass).

I use the powder dispenser that came with the kit, but for more precise loading with extruded powder, I use the kit's 5-0-5 scale, lee scoops, and a RCBS trickler. If you stay with ball powder or short extruded, you won't need the scoops or trickler, the kit's dispenser is pretty good.

Regards.

sricciardelli · October 8, 2002, 10:39 AM

RCBS Master Rock Chucker Reloading Kit and the RCBS Accessory Kit.

Might as well stay with RCBS for your dies, also.

WESHOOT2 · October 9, 2002, 04:30 AM

RCBS or Redding.

Khornet · October 9, 2002, 06:17 AM

the Rockchucker fans. I like some of Lee's dies, esp. their collet dies for neck-sizing, but I prefer RCBS press. Lee, RCBS, Redding dies are excellent. You can get pretty fancy too: Sinclair neck dies, Forster competition micrometer seater, etc. All good fun.

But invest in a good seating depth gauge, like the Sinclair 'nut', and good case gauges. And get a log book, to record EVERYTHING about each batch--you'll learn a lot. And my handloading log has turned into a sort of diary as well; I add little notes such as which of my kids helped with a batch, when and where I fired it and with whom, what '06 loads took a deer. It's amazing, when I go to look up a particular recipe, the memories that come back! Go for it, you'll have a great time.

Ala Dan · October 10, 2002, 01:11 AM

Another vote for the R.C.B.S. "Rockchucker" kit!

I prefer Lyman's tungsten carbide dies; but RCBS dies
aren't bad.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

Rifter · October 10, 2002, 10:04 AM

Ok, I will be getting the R.C.B.S. Rockchucker kit with the RCBC Dies. What are some good loads you suggest? Im ordering some Winchester 748 powder and winchester brass, and some sierra matchking bullets, 168 grain HPBT. I will look in the manual that comes with the kit when i get it but im sure you guys have some loads that work well for you, note i dont have a gun YET. Im waiting for my PAL, sent in the paperwork and am just waiting to get my card. But when i do i will be buying a Savage 10FP LE2, thats a Bolt action with a 26" Barrel. Thanks guys.

dakotasin · October 10, 2002, 02:44 PM

varget and rl-15 work very well w/ that weight bullet.

i also like cci br-2 primers. have had luck w/ federal large rifle, too, but gravitate toward the cci br's. for brass, my preference is winchester.

beyond that, some experimantation is in order on your part - and that is where the fun begins.

NotQuiteSane · October 11, 2002, 03:08 AM

Hmm, I'm gonna make a diffrent suggestion than the others.

Don't buy a kit.

Yet.

find someone who will let you use their press. crank out a few hundred rounds under their supervision. then start looking. for non-wildcats, any press on the market should be fine. especially if you're only neck sizing the brass.

I've gotten by loading .45 acp and .30-06 for almost a decade now with a lee hand press. slow, but it was cheap (especially since I bought it as a teen), and it works.

but reloading (and casting, also fun) takes money to get started. make sure you want to do it before you invest

NQS

Rifter · October 11, 2002, 10:03 AM

Im sure i want to do it, I have always been into guns, I have had many airguns some of them match quality, now im moving up to centerfire it just took me so long because i have to be 21 in canada's near impossible gun laws. That said the main use of my new gun will be Long rnage target shooting as well as hunting, i cant afford 2 guns so i need to get one that will do both, i have been told that the savage will be accurate enough for target shooting as well as light enough and durable enough for hunting with. I may have got a deal on a used reloading kit, which is good cause now i may be able to get a aftermarket stock for the gun, i hear the savages can be a little flimsy. I will reload mostly match quality ammo, and am going for accuracy over speed. I will buy cheap surplus ammo for general plinking and use the handloads when im trying for real accuracy. Thanks again for all the help guys.

October 7, 2002, 10:50 AM	#1
Rifter Member Join Date: August 21, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 82	Need reloading kit, what do you suggest? Im going to start reloading, whats a good kit to start with, i have herd good things about the RCBS Rockchucker master Reloader Kit. Which dies should i get to go with it? I will be loading for accuracy not volume. Thanks.

October 7, 2002, 03:22 PM	#2
Bogie Senior Member Join Date: June 5, 2000 Location: Job hunting on the road... Posts: 3,827	What calibers? __________________ Job hunting, but helping a friend out at www.vikingmachineusa.com - and learning the finer aspects of becoming a precision machinist. And making the world's greatest bottle openers!

October 7, 2002, 04:21 PM	#4
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	Nothing wrong with the Rockchucker, BUT at least add the Hornady LNL system to it. Personally, I'm a turret press fan and the Redding T-7 looks great. __________________ Favor the X. Steve Smith NRA Life Member

October 7, 2002, 05:28 PM	#5
dakotasin Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2002 Location: south dakota, U.S.A. Posts: 136	i reload quite a few rifle calibers and one handgun. the rockchucker seems kind of slow for pistol applications... but, i do produce extremely accurate rifle ammo w/ it, and can produce it fast enough to make me happy. were i to do it over again, i'd go w/ the rockchucker system. for dies, perhaps you want to consider redding... rcbs dies work fine, and in the calibers i use them in, i get great accuracy (not benchrest accuracy, but certainly better than anything the factory puts out). __________________ Hunting is not a matter of life or death. It is much more important than that.

October 8, 2002, 10:39 AM	#7
sricciardelli Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2001 Location: Montana Posts: 489	RCBS Master Rock Chucker Reloading Kit and the RCBS Accessory Kit. Might as well stay with RCBS for your dies, also. __________________ http://stevespages.com/page8.htm

October 7, 2002, 03:37 PM	#3
Rifter Member Join Date: August 21, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 82	.308 to start with.

October 8, 2002, 06:08 AM	#6
sleeping dog Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2000 Location: MI Posts: 536	I got the rockchucker kit and I like it. I also got Lee Deluxe Rifle Dies which seem to be good. Then a tumbler, a dial caliper, some RCBS spray case lube, and a RCBS Universal Decapping die (so I can de-cap before cleaning the brass). I use the powder dispenser that came with the kit, but for more precise loading with extruded powder, I use the kit's 5-0-5 scale, lee scoops, and a RCBS trickler. If you stay with ball powder or short extruded, you won't need the scoops or trickler, the kit's dispenser is pretty good. Regards.

October 9, 2002, 04:30 AM	#8
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	"KITS" RCBS or Redding. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

October 9, 2002, 06:17 AM	#9
Khornet Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2001 Location: NH Posts: 585	I second the Rockchucker fans. I like some of Lee's dies, esp. their collet dies for neck-sizing, but I prefer RCBS press. Lee, RCBS, Redding dies are excellent. You can get pretty fancy too: Sinclair neck dies, Forster competition micrometer seater, etc. All good fun. But invest in a good seating depth gauge, like the Sinclair 'nut', and good case gauges. And get a log book, to record EVERYTHING about each batch--you'll learn a lot. And my handloading log has turned into a sort of diary as well; I add little notes such as which of my kids helped with a batch, when and where I fired it and with whom, what '06 loads took a deer. It's amazing, when I go to look up a particular recipe, the memories that come back! Go for it, you'll have a great time. __________________ The M1 does MY talking!

October 10, 2002, 01:11 AM	#10
Ala Dan Member in memoriam Join Date: August 13, 1999 Location: In The HOT, Humid, and Mu Posts: 6,116	Another vote for the R.C.B.S. "Rockchucker" kit! I prefer Lyman's tungsten carbide dies; but RCBS dies aren't bad. Best Wishes, Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

October 10, 2002, 10:04 AM	#11
Rifter Member Join Date: August 21, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 82	Ok, I will be getting the R.C.B.S. Rockchucker kit with the RCBC Dies. What are some good loads you suggest? Im ordering some Winchester 748 powder and winchester brass, and some sierra matchking bullets, 168 grain HPBT. I will look in the manual that comes with the kit when i get it but im sure you guys have some loads that work well for you, note i dont have a gun YET. Im waiting for my PAL, sent in the paperwork and am just waiting to get my card. But when i do i will be buying a Savage 10FP LE2, thats a Bolt action with a 26" Barrel. Thanks guys.

October 10, 2002, 02:44 PM	#12
dakotasin Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2002 Location: south dakota, U.S.A. Posts: 136	varget and rl-15 work very well w/ that weight bullet. i also like cci br-2 primers. have had luck w/ federal large rifle, too, but gravitate toward the cci br's. for brass, my preference is winchester. beyond that, some experimantation is in order on your part - and that is where the fun begins. __________________ Hunting is not a matter of life or death. It is much more important than that.

October 11, 2002, 03:08 AM	#13
NotQuiteSane Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2002 Location: Klamath Falls, Jefferson Posts: 142	Hmm, I'm gonna make a diffrent suggestion than the others. Don't buy a kit. Yet. find someone who will let you use their press. crank out a few hundred rounds under their supervision. then start looking. for non-wildcats, any press on the market should be fine. especially if you're only neck sizing the brass. I've gotten by loading .45 acp and .30-06 for almost a decade now with a lee hand press. slow, but it was cheap (especially since I bought it as a teen), and it works. but reloading (and casting, also fun) takes money to get started. make sure you want to do it before you invest NQS __________________ Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. -- Daniel Webster Right the wrongs with the Bill of Rights Smith for Prez!

October 11, 2002, 10:03 AM	#14
Rifter Member Join Date: August 21, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 82	Im sure i want to do it, I have always been into guns, I have had many airguns some of them match quality, now im moving up to centerfire it just took me so long because i have to be 21 in canada's near impossible gun laws. That said the main use of my new gun will be Long rnage target shooting as well as hunting, i cant afford 2 guns so i need to get one that will do both, i have been told that the savage will be accurate enough for target shooting as well as light enough and durable enough for hunting with. I may have got a deal on a used reloading kit, which is good cause now i may be able to get a aftermarket stock for the gun, i hear the savages can be a little flimsy. I will reload mostly match quality ammo, and am going for accuracy over speed. I will buy cheap surplus ammo for general plinking and use the handloads when im trying for real accuracy. Thanks again for all the help guys.