what starters kit for a new reloader?

killer243 · 10-17-2004, 04:45 PM

hey everyone i have been wanting to get into reloading for about a year now and now that i have some time i think i am going to give it a try. i have never reloaded before but i have been reading up on it for awhile now. i manly want to reload for my 243 yet down the road i will prob. reload for all my centerfires but for now all i want is for the 243.

i don't want to spend much but i don't want junk that is going to break either.

what starters kit would you recumend?
what powders do you think would work best with a 85-100 gr. bullets?

i don't know if it matters at all but the bullets i really want to use are the barnes 90 or 95 gr. x's and nosler partitions (sp) if i can't get the barnes' to shoot well.

Gundigest · 10-17-2004, 09:01 PM

I would recommend the RCBS master reloading kit, thats what I started out with. Cabelas sells them for about $260 and at Christmas time they usually go on sale for about $220. I use the Barnes XLCs in my 7x57mm, 30-06, and 300 WSM. All three shoot a .6" group or better at 100 yards with the max load in the Barnes book. If I was loading for a 243 I would start out with the 85gr XLC and 44gr of IMR 4350 (max load) at 3300 fps, because my guns like the faster velocities and I have had good luck with 4350. IMR 4320 is one of the powders recommended by barnes and 39gr is the max (3200).

good luck

BarnesX.308 · 10-17-2004, 09:33 PM

If they still make it - the RCBS RockChucker. You really don't need much to reload for hunting. I inherited my reloading stuff and I don't use half of it. I chamfer and debur (sp for both?) my cases, roll them over the case lubricating pad with WD-40, use a Q-tip to swab a little WD-40 around the case mouth and resize. My Rockchucker has a primer stuffing arm on it so I prime on the down stroke. Then I take a paper towel and dry off the cases (outside and inside the neck). Then I use a balance beam type scale to weigh my powder. Then it's pour into the case amd shove a bullet in. I have never trimmed a case. I shoot each round 2 or 3 times and throw it away. By the way - I get 1" MOA groups out of a .308Win, .30-06Spr, 7mmRemMag.,300WinMag and 300 Wby Mag. These groups are with Barnes X bullets, to boot!

James B · 10-18-2004, 05:08 PM

There is nothing wrong with the Lee starting kit either. It will load good ammo and its cheap. Check MidwayUSA. I have a Rock chucker kit but have loaded a lot of shells with the Lee outfit as well.

etothepii · 11-17-2004, 12:08 PM

I was going to ask this same question. Looks like the Lee is good enough for the money, if you're only going to load one caliber.

Now I just have to decide if I want to get into reloading now, or after hunting season ends.

firsttimeelkhunter · 11-17-2004, 07:12 PM

I agree w/ James B on this one. I started witht he Lee kit. Infact, I believe that Midway has it on sale this month. I have loaded .22-250 up to .338 on it w/o a hitch. JMHO