Ice hunter, isn't the saying, teach a man to fish and feed him for a life time give a man a fish and feed him for a day. a rifle without ammo is useless, ammo should be the priority of everyone who owns a gun and having a way to make it as well as acquire it is simply a prudent thing to do. some folks get it some folks don't. sorry you missed that in my post, further more advising one to invest in a common calibre is unwise as the investment looses 30% when taken out the door of the gunshop. Try giving good advice next time.
New caliber, or press?
- Thread starter jkc
- Start date
Ice hunter, isn't the saying, teach a man to fish and feed him for a life time give a man a fish and feed him for a day. a rifle without ammo is useless, ammo should be the priority of everyone who owns a gun and having a way to make it as well as acquire it is simply a prudent thing to do. some folks get it some folks don't. sorry you missed that in my post, further more advising one to invest in a common calibre is unwise as the investment looses 30% when taken out the door of the gunshop. Try giving good advice next time.
I almost switched sides with the argument posted here. I think I've made up my mind and I'm going with the reloading equipment.
I do have access to some reloading equipment, but there is nothing like owning your own. I'm going to put the barrel aside and go for the press.
Now, is the lee stuff that bad? I though I would start with the anniversary kit or the breech lock kit.
I do have access to some reloading equipment, but there is nothing like owning your own. I'm going to put the barrel aside and go for the press.
Now, is the lee stuff that bad? I though I would start with the anniversary kit or the breech lock kit.
K dizzy hows bout this advice..I bought a .416 rigby a few years back complete with brass and dies for $450.00. Did I need it..NO...did I want it..yes...years down the road I can sell it for 3 times what I paid for it.I can sell it right now and triple my money. If the fella has the money banked up..buy what you can right now as reloading can be a few bucks here and a few there..just build up your reloading gear pennies at a time...Edit to add....say he found a $400.00 buck barrel and could get it for $200.00 right now. He just saved $200.00 bucks on something he wanted...sounds to me like good advice...
Last edited:
RCBS, Hornady Redding, they all make good loading presses. Lee makes good stuff too, perhaps not as good, but he isn't loading for 458 Win.
Hornady ,RCBS, and Redding make very die sets. So does Lee. If Lee stuff is what you can afford , then buy it. FS
- Location
- AB foothills
Just curious, what does loading 458 Win Mag have to do with what loading press someone uses? A Lee Press wont load 458 as well as some of the other presses mentioned
??? I agree, Lee might not be the same quality as some of the competition but I am sure it will still turn out some good 458 Win Mag loads. Not sure why it wouldn't, but if I am wrong please correct me.
I agree about the RCBS as far as the press goes, but when it comes to dies you can keep the RCBS and I will take Lee or Hornady any day. I think you should spend your hard earned cash on a reloading set up, I did about 6 or 7 years ago and I have not bought factory ammo since. I reload all the ammo for me and my Dad, including metallic and shot shell. All told I probably reload for about a dozen center fire cartridges and three different gauges of shotshells.
Get the press. Rolling you own = cheaper ammo = more shooting
When faced with the choice between more shooting or more guns, I'd take more shooting.
As for what kind of press, I do not know, but I have a Hornady Lock-N-load. I was reforming fifty 45-90 starline brass into 40-82 brass in one plunge of the handle for each, and there were times when most of my 205 pounds was coming down on the handle and the press did not break. I don't abuse it like that on a regular basis, however.
When faced with the choice between more shooting or more guns, I'd take more shooting.
As for what kind of press, I do not know, but I have a Hornady Lock-N-load. I was reforming fifty 45-90 starline brass into 40-82 brass in one plunge of the handle for each, and there were times when most of my 205 pounds was coming down on the handle and the press did not break. I don't abuse it like that on a regular basis, however.
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
read that review i posted regarding the Lee Breech lock kit.
in the least you would want a better powder measure and scale than what is included - theyre all cheap plastic and sound very flimsy. im no reloading expert, but seeing as your safety hinges on the accuracy of this equipment i personally would not #%@$ around with something that could potentially wear/break and be inaccurate. in the best case scenario, you will have to replace the flimsy plastic bits after a few years anyway, so why skip them entirely and put that money towards something better?
this is where someone will say 'tens of thousands of people use Lee reloading kits' -- well, i wont be one of them after reading that review.
-the RCBS Rockchucker Master Kit is $300 in the US.
is there any place in Canada that does not charge nearly $500 for it despite the par dollar?
-how does the Lyman Expert Reloading Kit compare (T-Mag II press, includes ~$100 universal case trimmer)
ive been holding off on buying reloading equipment because of the ridiculous price discrepancy between the US>Can prices, so i was planning to pick it up in the States (which never happened), but i guess ill just break down and buy it here. maybe with the Lebarons discount its not so bad - that Lyman set is $470, so thats $423 after the discount.
in the least you would want a better powder measure and scale than what is included - theyre all cheap plastic and sound very flimsy. im no reloading expert, but seeing as your safety hinges on the accuracy of this equipment i personally would not #%@$ around with something that could potentially wear/break and be inaccurate. in the best case scenario, you will have to replace the flimsy plastic bits after a few years anyway, so why skip them entirely and put that money towards something better?
this is where someone will say 'tens of thousands of people use Lee reloading kits' -- well, i wont be one of them after reading that review.
-the RCBS Rockchucker Master Kit is $300 in the US.
is there any place in Canada that does not charge nearly $500 for it despite the par dollar?
-how does the Lyman Expert Reloading Kit compare (T-Mag II press, includes ~$100 universal case trimmer)
ive been holding off on buying reloading equipment because of the ridiculous price discrepancy between the US>Can prices, so i was planning to pick it up in the States (which never happened), but i guess ill just break down and buy it here. maybe with the Lebarons discount its not so bad - that Lyman set is $470, so thats $423 after the discount.
I am with man bear fella on this one. Save a few extra bucks and buy quality reloading goodies. The years of service that you get from say a good press versus the cost of a cheap one is nil in the big picture. I bought ny rcbs when I was 16 years old and am now 43. I use it on everything including the .460 and it has never once gave my a problem.
As for dies I have every type of em. The lee to me are cheaply made( just my opinion) wheras the rcbs and redding are great.Make sure to get a GOOD powder scale cause when you are playing with 40 to 60 thousand psi in front of your face you need to know that your scale is very accurate.
I guess one way to look at is ....how much are you willing to pay for your safety?? or your friends or family safety??
As for dies I have every type of em. The lee to me are cheaply made( just my opinion) wheras the rcbs and redding are great.Make sure to get a GOOD powder scale cause when you are playing with 40 to 60 thousand psi in front of your face you need to know that your scale is very accurate.
I guess one way to look at is ....how much are you willing to pay for your safety?? or your friends or family safety??
why you would buy a barrel just to 'put it aside' when you can buy reloading equipment youd use all the time is beyond me.
are .204 barrels going anywhere? and if they do, is it any big loss?
*oops that was meant to be an edit, i fail
I have barrels for my tc contender i bought years ago and havent shot yet. Why you may ask?? Cause i got a real good deal on them and saved money.I bought the barrel and was in no big rush and found deals on dies,brass etcetc.
There are lots of deals to be found in the ee for reloading equipment. I always found it to be easier to spend a few bucks here or there to get what I needed rather then jumping in with both feet and regretting a purchase after. For reloading equipment (basic) we are only talking like 400 bucks here.I picked up a complete reloading set up for my buddy out of the ee a year back for $350.00 bucks,and that included a as new tumbler as well as 4 reloading manuals.All rcbs equipment to boot.
its the internet and with 40 different ppl you will have 40 different streams of thought...
Just curious, what does loading 458 Win Mag have to do with what loading press someone uses? A Lee Press wont load 458 as well as some of the other presses mentioned
I agree, Lee might not be the same quality as some of the competition but I am sure it will still turn out some good 458 Win Mag loads. Not sure why it wouldn't, but if I am wrong please correct me.
I think Greg just threw out a calibre there. As we all know lee makes a cheap C press that can spring out of alignment whereas a o type shouldnt. The C type is what like $60 bucks or so? Might be good for resizing 38 special but for serious handloading and as a investment...not so good on the lee side of things...
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
this is what i was thinking.
the powder scale and powder measure in the lee kit are not exactly confidence inspiring.
can anyone comment on my RCBS vs Lyman question?
RCBS Rockchucker kit:
vs
Lyman T-Mag II Turret press kit:
this is what i was thinking.
the powder scale and powder measure in the lee kit are not exactly confidence inspiring.
can anyone comment on my RCBS vs Lyman question?
RCBS Rockchucker kit:
vs
Lyman T-Mag II Turret press kit:
myself you really dont need the rockchucker unless doing some serious case forming. But between the 2...buy the rockchucker kit,sell the powder funnel and buy the lyman case trimmer. The rcbs press is a O type so hell bent for strong. I am using a rcbs 3 press for everything. Even though its a tad bit small for the .460 and .416 rigby it works just fine
To me a good starting set up is rcbs press,powder scale..etc etc but buy a lyman trimmer cause the pilots are changed in less then 10 seconds for different calibres. One cutter head and the body is of a good construction..
manbearpig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Somewhere in the Third World
^that lyman case trimmer is $100.
that would bring the cost of the RCBS kit to over $600.
that would bring the cost of the RCBS kit to over $600.
Offset the cost of the kit by selling the powder tube thingy dispenser...for real good accurate handloads you want to trickle up to the charge. So by selling the powder measure ( which can be done with a inexpensive set of lee powder scoops) It helps pay for a better lyman trimmer...
Well I also thought of picking up the press in the states. I know the stuff there is a lot cheaper. I'll have to look at the RCBS stuff. I know a lot of people who say to buy the rock chucker. However it is the internet and there are a lot of people who stand behind the Lee presses.
