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November 10, 2007, 08:40 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: September 21, 2007
Location: Colorado - Paradise
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Buying a reload setup for rifle...Lee turret?
Hello all, I'm looking into a reload setup to take up some of the cost of firing 223 wssm. $1 per round is really beginning to bother me considering what a tiny little round it is.
So, I've been using the search feature all day and reading a ton online. I'm leaning towards a Lee 4 hole turret kit for $105 from midway along with lee dies etc but thought I should throw it out in front of the experts and see what you think. I will also end up loading 30-06 and likely 300 wsm as well. My handgun is a .40 glock and I'm sure I will end up loading some of those too. Your thoughts, should you have any would be appreciated. Bill Damn addiction is taking another step |
November 10, 2007, 09:02 PM | #2 |
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It depends on what you want to do. If you are loading for accuracy, I would say get a good single stage, measure, scale and dies. Bargains can still be had online.
I had one of the older Lee 3-hole turret presses. There was too much play in the turret for my liking. Seating depths always seemed to drift around. The auto-disk measure was great for throwing charges but actual charge weights varied too much for precision rifle ammo. If you're just plinking then it won't matter.
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November 10, 2007, 10:38 PM | #3 |
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I am in fact loading for accuracy. I didn't know there would be a difference in such between a turret and a single stage. Thanks...I'll keep looking.
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November 10, 2007, 10:59 PM | #4 |
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Start off with the RCBS ammocrafter and go from there
WildstartsmallthenstartspendingAlaska TM |
November 10, 2007, 11:07 PM | #5 |
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I have the RCBS Rockchucker kit like this one and couldn't be happier with it and RCBS customer service.
http://www.grafs.com/fc/product/171944 For rifle reloading it includes almost everything you need except calipers, safety glasses, dies, tumbler, and components. I bought the Lee Classic Turret later for various pistol rounds and really like the press for that purpose but still use the Rockchucker for all my rifle reloading. The turret won't really save you any time for large rifle reloading and you'll appreciate the quality accesories like the powder measure, scale, and hand primer that come with the RC kit. BTW you may want to research into reloading for the .40 Glock. Legend on the internet suggests they are more susceptible to "Kabooms" when using reloads than other guns due to an unsupported chamber. I'm not saying I believe it but the stories are out there. |
November 11, 2007, 12:38 AM | #6 |
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Two presses come to mind. the Rockchucker and the Lee Classic Cast
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November 11, 2007, 09:05 AM | #7 |
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Ok after more lengthy use of the search feature....I have decided on the rockchucker master kit. There are many many recommendations in the archives but nobody ever says the rockchucker is a bad unit...so hard for a beginner to find a reason not to get one.
Next question....which dies to use? Stick with RCBS? x-die or standard? |
November 11, 2007, 10:18 AM | #8 |
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Since you are loading for accuracy, a single stage press is the way to go IMO. I am a personal fan of the Lee Classic Cast.
As far as your dies, both you have choosen are nice sets. Depending on what type of gun you are loading for, you may want to look at getting a neck sizer. Neck sizing, and using a bolt action rifle can produce excellent accuracy.
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November 11, 2007, 10:41 AM | #9 |
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As in all new hobbies, so many things to learn here...which would be next to impossible without forums like this one. Thanks alot gents! Slowly but surely my shopping list is coming together.
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November 11, 2007, 01:11 PM | #10 |
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Make sure you spend the extra few $$ and get quality...stuff will be lsting a lifetime. I have a set of RCBS dies around here from my first marraige
WildiammovinhtoreddingmyselfAlaska TM |
November 11, 2007, 01:34 PM | #11 |
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A single stage is fine for low volume reloading. I use the Lee classic cast turret for rifle but I started out with a single stage. The more recent designed presses seem to do a lot better with capturing and disposing spent primers. That keeps the press and your loading area cleaner. - Phil
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November 11, 2007, 02:37 PM | #12 |
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I'd go with Redding dies. I bought a set for my .243Win and that's all I'll use now. They are of the utmost quality and the box has a loading block on top of it. I love them. They make Lee dies look and feel like toys, to put it mildly.
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November 11, 2007, 04:21 PM | #13 |
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Rockchucker
I have loaded from .380 (as an experiment) to 300 Win Mag.
Mostly I load .223 and 6 mm Rem. Then for Handgun everything from 9mm to 45 LC. My Rockchucker is over 25 years old and I have worn the rubber handle so much that I have replaced it with a very good quality bicycle grip. My suggestion before you spend the money is to go to the following web site and look at some of equipment that they have for sale. Its very high end reloading equipment but money spent early will get you much better equipment to start out with. I would also go with Redding dies. The other thing you need is a good case trimmer, look at the L.E.Wilson case trimmer. Sinclair has them and there the best thing I have ever used. This morning I trimmed 150, 223 cases to length and I was done in less than an hour, try that with any other trimmer. And when I was done they were all within .002 of each other and that was with out retiming a single time. http://www.sinclairintl.com/ |
November 11, 2007, 04:32 PM | #14 |
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A lot of folks go with Lee because of the price
But look here and you will see more posts about problems with Lee (especially the powder measure) and anyone else.
I would recommend RCBS, or Lyman from personal experience, C-H, Redding, and Hornady have good reputations. Remember, this is stuff you will only be buying ONCE, don't scrimp, it will come back to bite you in the long run. I have Lyman and RCBS presses and dies that are pushing 40 years old, and they are every bit as good as the day I first took them out of the box. Take care of the stuff, and it just doesn't wear out (except for decapping pins) reloading for the kind of rifle you describe is best as a low volume process. And by low volume, I mean round per hour. Take your time, and enjoy the process. Don't try to turn yourself into an ammo factory right off the bat. A good single stage press (like the RCBS Rockchucker ot Jr) is a fine start, and will handle everything you will want to do. I used progressives for a while, and then went back to my old single stage presses. I just like them better, and since I load for a number of different cartridges, they are easier to switch back and forth.
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November 12, 2007, 07:20 PM | #15 |
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Join Date: October 20, 2007
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Do not judge value by price alone.
Some of the suggestions above are biased toward; the more you pay the better it is. I have usually found the Lee equipment has unique features. That gives you real value for your dollar.
Their case trimmer trims every case to the exact length by their patented trimmer design. The trimmer passes through the flash hole and stops against the lock stud so length is exact on every case and the mouth end is perfectly square to the axis of the case. Cost is dirt cheap compared to other systems. Check their website www.leeprecision.com |
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