Getting back into reloading... which kit to choose?

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Shep546

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I am not new to reloading, but haven't reloaded in some time.

My previous kit was the RCBS rock chucker supreme kit.
I remember I enjoyed this kit but many pieces (the primer seating tool) felt really cheap.

Several years ago I sold all of my reloading stuff as I was shooting mostly in bulk.

I recently bought a .300WSM and wanted to get into reloading again.

What do you guys think I should go for? Just single stage reloading for larger rifle calibers.

I would like to keep my cost down and was curious which kit to go for and which retailer has the best pricing?

Cheers
 
I would built my kit around the Lee Classic Cast press. It is very good. They sell a Classic Cast Kit, but I really do not like what is included in it. My basic list would be:

Lee Classic Cast Press
300 WSM Lee Collet Die Set (you are fortunate that they appear to make them in your caliber)
Basic Lee Case Length Gauge, holder, and cutter
Lee primer pocket cleaner and chamfer tool
Balance Beam powder scale - I don't like Lee, but there are other good ones. A used Redding #1 would be my choice if you could find one.

Nice to have but not essential:

Lee Perfect Powder Measure - to charge your balance scale pan to just under the final load
Powder dribbler - to add the last few kernels of powder
Lee Auto Prime - to get better feel than the included primer tool on the Classic Cast
 
Lots of kits have its good and bad points. While I have the Rock Chucker press ( one of a few ) I don't use all the accessories. The press itself, as with any other kits is the most costly item. A solid press is the start of what you need and the most cash so buy the little parts later. I use my small presses for bullet seating and the larger presses for resizing large and full length or magnum rifle brass.


If you have already loaded previously, it should be a no-brainer of what is required and probably comes down to price.
 
The lee kit is only a few bucks more than the press alone... I guess I will go with the lee kit and upgrade from there.


I do remember hating how my RCBS kit threw spent primers all over the place
 
Shep546 said:
The lee kit is only a few bucks more than the press alone... I guess I will go with the lee kit and upgrade from there.
Click to expand...

Don't think that can be the Classic Cast Press kit. I make that out to be $456 at Higginson. The press alone is $204. I think you could buy the press and the rest of the parts I listed for less than $456. Will depend on how much you decide to spend on the scale.
 
Ron AKA said:
Don't think that can be the Classic Cast Press kit. I make that out to be $456 at Higginson. The press alone is $204. I think you could buy the press and the rest of the parts I listed for less than $456. Will depend on how much you decide to spend on the scale.
Click to expand...

Lee 50th kit is $190 where as the cast press alone is $170
 
Ron AKA said:
Don't think that can be the Classic Cast Press kit. I make that out to be $456 at Higginson. The press alone is $204. I think you could buy the press and the rest of the parts I listed for less than $456. Will depend on how much you decide to spend on the scale.
Click to expand...


The cast turret kit is $330 at Budget and $175 for just the press.

I would grap the kit and a better scale.

The one your looking at is the breach lock press for 456.
 
Shep546 said:
Lee 50th kit is $190 where as the cast press alone is $170
Click to expand...

However the Lee 50th kit does not include the Classic Cast Press which is the one I recommend for your 300WSM. The 50th kit has the lower quality and priced Challenger press. And I wouldn't recommend a turret press either.

Give careful consideration to the Lee Collet dies. You are very fortunate they are available in your 300WSM. They are a definite step up from the basic dies from Lee, RCBS, Lyman, Hornady, etc. All that is better are the bushing dies from Forster and Redding. But they are more than double the price... The collet dies will "save your neck" - literally keep the brass neck from cracking due to excessive resizing.
 
The first thing I would determine before considering different presses is if you like loading from the left or the right hand side.
The Lee Challenger press is designed to load with your right hand and pull the handle with your left hand.
The Hornady single stage press is designed to load with your left hand and pull the handle with your right.
I also have a Hornady LnL AP Progressive for mass production.

The Lee Classic Cast is a larger press than the Challenger.
It's a pain to load for large cartridges such as 300 RUM on the Challenger simply because you need to angle the round into the press.
I like Lee dies and really have no issues with Lee presses.
I do not however like Lee case prep tools.
Most of my case prep tools are RCBS.
 
If you need to bump shoulders on your brass, the lee challenger won't do it. I'd go with the classic cast if you're set on buying lee. Otherwise, look into the Rock chucker or Forster coax.
 
I bought a Lee Classic Cast and it's been superb. With larger calibers and full resizing I really appreciate its over built construction. Wholesale sports has had some great prices on Lee equipment and free shipping over $99 til the 16th.

Edit- I also have a Dillon 550B progressive loader and the caliber conversions for my larger calibers but prefer the Classic Cast. The Lee Breech Lock system is real slick and makes a single press as quick as a turret but with a much stronger frame.


Lee collet dies work great for me too! Highly recommended. Amazon is a great place to order dies.
 
thump_rrr said:
The first thing I would determine before considering different presses is if you like loading from the left or the right hand side.
The Lee Challenger press is designed to load with your right hand and pull the handle with your left hand.
The Hornady single stage press is designed to load with your left hand and pull the handle with your right.
I also have a Hornady LnL AP Progressive for mass production.

The Lee Classic Cast is a larger press than the Challenger.
It's a pain to load for large cartridges such as 300 RUM on the Challenger simply because you need to angle the round into the press.
I like Lee dies and really have no issues with Lee presses.
I do not however like Lee case prep tools.
Most of my case prep tools are RCBS.
Click to expand...

Agree with most everything you say. I think Lee's most outstanding products for reloading are:

1. Classic Cast Press
2. Collet resizing die (if you are lucky enough to have Lee make it in your cartridge - almost as good as high end bushing dies)
3. Basic hand Cartridge Length Gauge and Trim tool. (you don't need the ball, or the goofy zip trim or whatever. Just put it in a drill if you have a heavy case trim job)

Some other things I like just because of the price. They would be the MEH stuff like a funnel, primer pocket cleaner, etc. But their Perfect Powder Measure works well for the price and while I would never trust it to load cartridges direct, it is fine to under load the powder scale pan. Hand priming tool is very good for the price. You can pay more for one, but I don't believe it will work any better. Their powder measure is a Walmart model though. There are better balance beam scales out there.
 
rl4930 said:
If you need to bump shoulders on your brass, the lee challenger won't do it. I'd go with the classic cast if you're set on buying lee. Otherwise, look into the Rock chucker or Forster coax.
Click to expand...
Bull.
I'm bumping shoulders on 300 RUM with the Challenger press and I'm only 5'-3" and weigh in at 168 LBS.

If I do buy another single stage it will be a Forster Co-Ax.
 
For what it is worth I see Cabelas has the RCBS Rockchucker Supreme for $205 after rebate. I assume that plastic looking thing with two bins on it is to catch primers? If so it seems in the way, and it looks suspicious that it would actually work that well. I can see that thing going in the garbage...

Cabelas also has the Lee Classic Cast for $170 which is $30 cheaper than Wholesale Sports. The Lee has a plastic tube on the bottom of the ram that directs fired primers into a pail. Works perfectly.

For $35 less I would still take the Lee over the RCBS.
 
With the above prices buy the rock chucker and never look back. I've had mine for 40 years and tens of thousands of rounds never had an issue.
 
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