I want to try reloading, suggestions on a press

[Dano4734]

I am a newbee, I am interested in reloading my 30-06 and some various handgun
Calibers. Suggestions?

[hounddawg]

Midway has the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme kit on sale right now for $247, add some dies, cases, bullets, powder, and primers and you are in business. It even comes with case lube

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/93...tage-press-kit

[Doyle]

Well, if you don't mine doing things slow and you aren't sure you'll stick with it look at a Lee Hand Press. They will do everything a regular press will do (including resizing to a different caliber) but it isn't fast. Big advantage though (which is why I bought one) is that I can fit the press, dies, calipers, scale, etc. all in a large tool box. That's nice if your reloading equipment has to go back into a closet between sessions.

[surveyor]

This is worth a read.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=230171

Production needs, as well as workflow are a part of equipment choices.
I found that the lee classic cast turret met mine.

Since then, I'm using a progressive for pistol, and the lee turret for rifle.
Mainly because it fits my workflow better.

Your needs may be diffrent, so your equipment choices may be diffrent.

[hdwhit]

If I were getting started in reloading today (rather than in 1977), I would buy exactly the kit that hounddawg mentions in his post.

As it is, I "cheaped-out" and bought an RCBS Reloader Special instead and since RCBS single stage presses are essentially a lifetime investment, I've regretted the decision ever since.

[Blindstitch]

I second the lee hand press. And later if you want to do more or set up a bench go that route. The hand press can always be used for depriming.

[Brassguy]

I would recommend the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme mentioned earlier.

[HiBC]

It matters how many you intend to load in a batch. My recommendation will be different for the person who might load 300 or 400 rounds a year versus 1000 a month.
At entry level,its good to keep things deliberate till your levels of competence develop. Basic is good.
Over time,you will change and develop your own adaptations to circumstances and what works for you.
In other words,buy your "ultimate" press when you can make your own recommendation. Don't spend $150 to $400 or more on a press yet.
Even if you later get a Dillon 1050 or a Redding turret,you will always have use for an auxillary basic press.
Lee offers economical,basic ,functional equiptment.
The suggestion for a Lee hand press is good. I still use one,and I have several presses.
The Lee Challenger bench mounted press can be had for very small investment.You can load ammo just fine with it.
Later,if you buy a $1000 production press,you can still use your Lee Challenger for small batch and load development. Sometimes the setup work for a production press is overkill for 40 rounds.
If you later buy a high end single stage ,two presses on the bench,set up with a 2 die set,can be pretty efficient.
I'd hold off on spending a bunch on the ultimate press.
Instead,I'd look for a really good powder scale.Mine is an Ohaus 1010. I've had it for decades.Either RCBS or Redding sell it by another name.
A good calipers is a necessary investment.I suggest E-bay.
Calipers are a whole 'nuther thread.My career was in the machine shop. As a 65 yr old Goober,my preferred loading bench calipers are used,satin chrome quality Vernier scale calipers. Etalon is the sweet set,but Mitutoyo,Fowler,SPI,etc are fine. You have to learn the skill to read the scale. They are a bit slower to read.However,no batteries,no little gears,racks,etc.
Stone cold dependable and rugged. Cheap,too. Generally in the $30 range on e-bay .Look for something that looks quality that came from Boeing or similar.
It will work when the digitals are dead and the dials have jumped the rack.
A good powder measure,Redding,Hornady,RCBS,etc will really help.
And at least two 50 round loading blocks.
50 round molded cartridge boxes. A record notebook. At least a loading manual for your favorite bullet company and your favorite powder company.
The loading manuals are a reference for the reloading process. Your how-too. Most all the answers are there.
You need a chamfer/deburr hand tool to prep brass.
Later,as you gain knowledge,you can get a few more advanced items.

But ALL of the gear I described works with a $29 Lee Hand Press,a $300+Redding turret,or a Dillon 1050.

Measuring you powder,cases,chamfering,etc is where your ammo safety andquality is,and your knowledge and experience.

Which press you use matters little. Invest in the process,not the press.

Having said all that,you can't go wrong with the RCBS Rockchucker press outfit recommended above.
As long as a single stage outfit meets your needs,its a lifetime press.
And it would sit just fine next to any Dillon progressive 5 years from now.

[Marco Califo]

Lee hand press is inexpensive, works fine, will get you going. Mine still gets used more than any other press I own.

[BOOGIE the oily]

Well, if you want to try reloading, before getting any equipment, I would suggest you start reading.
I'd highly recommend "Modern Reloading" by Richard Lee, and the "Lyman Reloading Handbook".
The Lee reloading book is a little difficult to read, but once you get past all the cheap publicity, and the efforts to discredit the competition's merchandise, it does have a ton of great info.

[OzeanJaeger]

X2 on readying Lyman first.

I say buy a used press first and see if you even like doing it. Some people don’t.

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by Dano4734

I am a newbee, I am interested in reloading my 30-06 and some various handgun
Calibers. Suggestions?

Lee Classic Turret Kit.

[TruthTellers]

Oh God no, don't buy a Lee any press Kit or else you'll be stuck with a powder scale that looks like it's been made from aluminum foil, a book you could probably get for free, and I've heard people have issues with the Lee Safety prime on the LCT.

I do like the LCT, plan to buy one myself, but I'm not buying the kit and neither should the OP.

As for what the OP might want to look in to, I'd say go with the Lee single stage and buy the hand RCBS priming tool, whichever scale not made by Lee, a non-Lee powder measure, and some Lee dies.

Here's a link to the press. Don't believe what others say about how cast iron is the only thing worth buying because your grandkids great greatkids will still be using it. By then gun ownership will be outlawed and robots will rule the Earth.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/17...le-stage-press

[Dufus]

Got to eBay and get one of these: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...press&_sacat=0

I have been using one since 1967 and it is still going strong. I have 2 more "just in case".

If you want something heavier duty then get this one. I also have 2 of these.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RCBS-Rock-C...MAAOSwHytZ5OZH

I would estimate that I have handloaded over 150,000 rounds with them over 50 years.

[TJB101]

Originally Posted by lee n. field

Lee Classic Turret Kit.

Ditto... I bought a Lee single stage press and in retrospect wish I had purchased the Turret as it can be run as a single stage or as a true Turret unit.

Also plan on getting calipers, case gauge, manual scale, powder throw (RCBS has been nice to me), case cleaner (I wet tumble but there are ton of options), case trimmers (for rifle cases primarily to make sure length is dead on).

Read and watch a bunch of YouTube vids to familiarize yourself with steps. Iraqveran8888 has a great one hour long intro video on reloading.

Sure you’ll save money. Ok, not really until you’ve paid off the costs of all the goodies but it is very enjoyable.

[HiBC]

Dufus post #14. Good idea!

[cw308]

Been reloading for 25+ years with one press , RCBS Rock Chucker .

[hounddawg]

While I own a Lee hand press for range use I have to say it sucks at doing a full length resize. Using it to do full length resizing of a .223 requires a lot of "ooomph", I tried it one day when I had my bench torn apart for remodeling. I think I did 2 cases before I decided it was not worth the effort

It is a great tool for seating bullets at the range and depriming and I imagine it would be acceptable for neck sizing. While it could be be done I cannot imagine doing a 30- 06 or a .308 on it. Pistol brass would be fine but I would love to see someone run about fifty 30 - 06's through a RCBS X die using one. The design just does not have the leverage that a bench mounted press has

[MarkCO]

I have been through a bunch of presses over the years, LEE, Lyman, Hornady and a few others. I have two on my bench today...a Dillon 650XL (over 1M rounds on it) and a RCBS Rockchucker (about 40K on it). I use both several times a month.

Read Lees Modern Reloading, find a mentor, try out some presses, figure out what you think your ammo consumption might be (then double it) and choose appropriately. There are a lot of good, a few great and a few bad systems out there. Your attention to detail, efficiency, etc. all play in to your choices. I have had a few folks where reloading was not a good fit...they did not enjoy the process and or did not shoot enough, or need the precision, to make it worth it. A few just did not pay attention enough.

I have friends who have different set-ups that work for them, but which I do not prefer, and vice-versa. Getting hands on, maybe even taking a class, is what I suggest before you plunk down any money.

[TailGator]

The Lee Classic Turret is modestly priced, easy to set up and use, and can produce a box of ammo in the neighborhood of 20 minutes without rushing. Someone new to reloading can go as slow as they want so they can see and understand every step of the process. Caliber changes are very simple, taking just a couple of minutes to change turrets and re-mount the powder drop. (You leave the dies in the changeable turret so they don't have to be readjusted.)

It is available as a kit from kempfgunshop.com, different from the Lee kit. The Kempf store leaves out the Lee scale, which frequently gets less than stellar reviews, and packages the press with your choice of powder drops (with the price varying only very little), a primer feed, and your choice of die sets. They throw in a couple of ammo boxes, too, but don't include a bunch of gimcrack that increases the price without increasing the utility. Nice family-run business, easy to work with, and the price is quite competitive.

The LCT is a good learning tool that you can stick with and do a lot with. As a person who has started reloading relatively recently, I would recommend it.

[Dano4734]

Lots of great suggestions. I won't be shooting thousands of rounds but I do go to the range every week and do 100 or so. I like a progressive press idea. I don't want a single stage eve though being retired time is not much of a factor anymore. I have about 300-500 budget to blow on one so I thank you so much for all advice

[gunrunner1]

I would get a Dillon 550. It can be used as a single stage until you get the hang of reloading, then you can reload up to 300 rounds an hour.

[hounddawg]

Is that 300 to 500 budget for everything or or just for the press itself?

In addition to the press at minimum you will need a die set for each caliber, a scale to check the powder charge, calipers for bullet seating depth settings, primers,cases, powder, bullets, a tumbler to clean the cases etc etc

I bought a progressive when the wife was going through pistol ammo like grease through a goose. Even though I had been using a single stage and a turret for years I found the progressive easier to make a mistake on and get a double charge or a squib. Mine sits under the bench most of the time these days only coming out for binge loading pistol fodder by the hundreds.

You might want to consider a turret, they are a good compromise between single stage and progressive

[MarkCO]

Dillon 550 is a great choice based on your latest response.

[Damon555]

Originally Posted by hounddawg

Midway has the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme kit on sale right now for $247, add some dies, cases, bullets, powder, and primers and you are in business. It even comes with case lube

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/93...tage-press-kit

Just cut to the chase and get a quality set up right off the bat.....No matter what type or how much loading you do you will want (need) a good single stage press. Start with the Rock Chucker and you will not be sorry.....I could write a dissertation to support my point but my opinion mirrors much of what can be found online over and over again.