I am looking into getting some reloading equipment and was just wondering what would be the best "worth the money" stuff to get. I am assuming hornady is good, but are you paying a lot for the name? The lee kits scare me because of the cheap prices.
Would it be better to piece the reloading equipment together or buy a kit?
I am in the market for a press myself, I was doing a price break down just a few night ago.
price in the midsouth shooters catalog:
Lee aniversary reloading kit
Perfect powder measure
Lee Safety scale
Challenger? or classic cast press? (I don't know which one that they put in it)
case preparation tools (case length gauge, shell holder, locking stud, and trimmer)
lee auto prime and shell holder set
lee reloading manual
kit: $89.80 + Shipping
cost just a piece at a time: lee classic cast press $172.79 + shipping or w/lee challenger: $132.30 + shipping.
dies are not included.
I am pricing Lee because of the price, it is whatI am looking at right now and I good just for a example to help ya out
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Knight usak and 50 disc orginal
win apex 45cal
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sidelocks
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cva plainsman 50cal flintlock
stone mountain 50cal silver eagle
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mosin nagant 91/30, and fig 9mm
The Lee Anniversary kit is a great way to get started and get your feet wet without breaking the bank. You will figure out once you get going what you want to upgrade from there. There is nothing wrong with the Lee stuff, but RCBS, Hornady, and others are more solid and probably a more long term solution.
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Just a gun enthusiast looking to gain more knowledge.
Just a side note, I have been using the Lee Anniversary kit for a year now, with no problems whatsoever. I also use a cheap Lee Reloader press, their $22 press for decapping and crimping. I broke mine a couple of weeks ago and returned it to their factory and they warrenteed me a new one free of charge and it only took a week and a half. Not too bad considering we are on opposite ends of the country. So, even though they may not have the very top of the line equipment, thier customer service is top notch in my experience. Thats something that cannot be said about too many companies nowdays.
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Just a gun enthusiast looking to gain more knowledge.
Lee also has a replace repair replacement after the warrenty for half of list . I have 4 lee die sets and haven't had any problems . I like RCBS presses I have a partner and 2 rock chuckers a Lyman scale RCBS powder measure 2 MEC shotgun presses and a Lee turret press . I started out w/a RCBS kit . My manuals include lyman speer hornady Ballistic Products and misc.mags and net sources
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"I was powerfull confused for a month or two once but never lost " Brian Kieth in Mountain Men.
Well the more reading I do the more I think it would be better to get into a little better setup than the lee. Everyone says it is for beginners etc, but I want one that will out last me. I think I will be trying to get into an rcbs rock chucker kit at around $230 instead. It may be a little more start up, but in the end I will be saving money instead of upgrading. Plus I will be reloading a lot of different calibers, 223, 22-250, 270, 30-06, 300 rum (that's where it will save me the most), .45, etc.
Is thisa wise choice? I have reloaded with a friend and enjoyed it.
Is there any manuals I should get? Last night I ordered lyman 48th edition, and hodgdon 27th edition, I want the new nosler when it comes out.
Location: S.W. Pa.-- Heart in North Central Pa. mountains-
Posts: 2,508
RE: lee, hornady, etc. Loading kits
Lokks to me like you're pretty much headed down the right path. The Lyman manuals are an excellent source of knowledge on an all-around basis, as are the other manuals produced by the bullet manufacturers. Read them intently, and if there are things you don't understand, post questions here. All will be glad to help.
I also think you made a good move by deciding on the RCBS outfit right off the bat. You are going to save yourself money in the long run. I have used several presses over the years, and find my RCBS the best to my liking, although an old Pacific three-station press I still have is a good one too. Just learn to understand what you are doing at each operation, why you are doing it, and how it affects the process. A good manual will help immensely.
IMO the RCBS Master kit is the ticket. I bought mine 15 yrs ago, have loaded thousands of rounds on it, and have never had an issue with any of the components. Everything you need except a set of dies and calipers to get started.
That being said, I would still look at the Hornady Lock & Load Classic. Higher retail price but with the free bullet offer they have it may really be the deal. Quality between Hornady and RCBS would be a toss up and probably come down to whether you wanted green or red. I also like Hornady dies which also have a free bullet offer. I just bought a $29 set of 7mm and got $25 worth of .44 bullets free.
In addition to the manuals you already have ordered, your local gun shop should have free reloading pamphlets from the various powder manufacturers. Hodgdon also produces a Reloading Annual magazine that is worth the time. Read all you can. Multiple manuals shouldn't confuse you. Actually they should help you form a general consensus.
Bottom line, don't buy something cheap "to get by until you can afford better". Buy quality now and you won't have to replace.
lee, hornady, etc. Loading kits
