ORIGINAL: bigcountry
ORIGINAL: thndrchiken
I have to laugh about all the people who preach stay away from Lee, how many have actually used Lee products. While I admit they are not the highest quality, there is certainly nothing that would prevent you from loading quality ammo. If just starting out and on a budget then I highly recommend Lee to learn on, then when you have more of a budget to work with you can upgrade. The only exception I have is the Lee safety scale, don't waste your time, spend another $ 30 and get a Lyman scale.
I have and currently have two presses by them, (not in use and need to go on ebay).
I think you will find most people on here started with lee and learned thier lesson. I have to laugh at people who does not know better.
I have a Lee handpress, and it is good for seating bullets. It is tough to try to resize with it, unless you are the 800-pound gorilla in the room! In addition, you can't prime cases with it. I also have a Lee Turret press. It works OK, but it is no Redding, Forster, or RCBS! Same with Lee dies. About all I can say about them is that they work-but I would want another brand for precision ammo!
I started reloading in 1954 with a Lyman 310 tong tool with a .30/'06 die set. I currently have 310 dies for .45 Colt, .45/70, .30/06, 308 Win., 6.5 Jap, and .280 Remiongton. With the .308 and '06 dies, I can reload all .30 cal. rounds that have a case diameter no larger than the 7.62X54R Russian, and the others lend themselvces to loading other cartridges as well as the one thy were made for. For example, I can load 6.5mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer, 6.5X52 Carcano, 6.5X55, 6.5X57, 6.5/'06, and 6.5 Gibbs ammo with the 6.5 Jap dies. I can also load 7X57mm Mauser ammo with the .280 Remington dies. Yes, I have a set of 7/8X14 dies for all these rounds too, and many others as well. But it is sometimes amazing what you can make do with!