Hornady, Lyman or RCBS!?!?!?!

Such a tough decision, I found a place online that has the RCBS Rock chucker supreme kit for $279 USD! Even with shipping at $90 I think it's still a bargain. Is it true that if purchasing a product from the USA, if said product is MADE in the USA then there are no duty charges??

Also, anyone have any 300 Win Mag loads they are willing to share? I'm shooting a 700 XCR Tactical, 26" 1:10. Strictly a target/bench rifle project that I'm starting.
 
polaris said:
RCBS is the most expensive set...

and there is a reason for this:

RCBS produces by far the BEST reloading Equipment
Click to expand...

Yep, and MADE IN CHINA TOO.......

Their presses are now all cast in China, and more stuff is being added to overseas production.


As for quality, how about our own Mysticplayer? Check this article, he is using pretty much bottom end Lee equipment, to make itty bitty holes at 345 yards...... See near the end of the article.

http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek075.html



762nato said:
Nope most Lee presses is a steel ram in an aluminum race, also different in the way you access your work. Absolutly has to be true....run out is no good in ammunition.
Click to expand...

So you are saying it was impossible for Mysticplayer to produce those groups with an all aluminum, Lee press?



All the characteristics of an expensive press, zero runout etc, does make it a piece of equipment to admire. But does it make better ammo? no....

Oh, and I will be picking up a Lee Classic Cast as another press to load some big/long cartridges my existing press can't handle.
 
The Lee Classic Cast is cast iron and steel. No aluminum. It is made in the USA, not China like the current RCBS Rockchucker.

For a load, I would use H4831sc powder, CCI BR-2 primers, and a Berger, Lapua, or Sierra match bullet bullet from 155 to 185 grains depending on your distance. Have a look at the bullets favoured in this link.

Accurate Shooter 30 Cal
 
I definately agree with Ron aka. I also like the Breech Lock Challenger Lee as well, and I don't think you'll be undergunned with it as found in their 50th anniversary kit for $82. Don't forget a case length gauge to go with that Lee trimmer.

Lee's modern line up of single stage Breech Lock, Classic Cast and their new Classic Cast Turret are very well made, but just suffer from the reputation of their single stage presses from 15-20 years ago. Their .300 Win mag dies can be had for $13.50 and they will do just as well as the other majors regular lines. If you find you're the long distance/benchrest type and you need something more then its not a big deal to move up to a Micrometer type set from another brand and sell off the regular ones.


Cuto in reference to duty. There will be HST/GST for almost anything you bring in, but there won't be extra duties like on alcohol/cotton etc for NAFTA compliant stuff. Such as American made reloading gear. You just have to pay GST and your provinces sales tax.
 
762nato said:
Nope most Lee presses is a steel ram in an aluminum race, also different in the way you access your work. Absolutly has to be true....run out is no good in ammunition.
Click to expand...

I have not yet managed to produce rounds with greater than 1 thou runout with my CoAx press
 
If you're going to stay in thegame, you might consider a turret (eg Redding T-7) as you'll get tired of changing dies on your single stage if you load in qty. If it's a relaxing hobby, then single stage will be fine.. "all" reloading hours are quality hours...
 
I would purchase and did purchase the lee 50th anniv. kit and try your hand at loading. It will get you started for not much cash. Then as you want you can add to it. If you deside to go to another make or model of press the Lee will be an excellent second press.
 
i like the hornady kit personaly i don't own a single stage as all i load right now is pistol but have used a few now and i liked the Hornady the best and the lee classic cast second my experience on them all is limited but that is what my experience is and when i start loading rifle i imagine hornady will be my choice as i haven't had alot of success with other lee products although i think they make one of the sturdiest single stages out there

Edit: on the note of turrets The Redding T7 is by far the nicest turret I have used
 
#2 has it cased that is the best dollar value set up around , I have a rock chucker,dillon 550B, lee classic cast, & and have had a few others over the years
 
So guys, I've narrowed it down to a Forster Co-ax or a Redding T-7 turret. The rest I plan on peicing together. So far all I've got is a Micrometer and redding deluxe dies. I'm thinking about these other components...

Lee Auto prime
Lee perfect powder measure
Quality digi scale, accurate to .01 grains
Redding 2400 case trimmer
Case lube pad
Powder Trickler
Deburr tool
A funnel

Any tips? All comments/concerns are very welcome. Bad idea to go with a Co-ax or Redding turret as opposed to just a O frame Redding or Lee?

How about a Hornady LnL, should I give it some thought as well. The LNL beginner kit actually looks like it's got some great stuff in it.
 
troutseeker said:
Quite frankly, reloading will not save you money... When you facture in the cost of equipment, supplies, and your time it is way cheaper to just buy ammo...

If you need a new hobby so you can spend less time with your wife, then by all means, reloading is for you.
Click to expand...
Bulls**t

I'll elaborate in a second when I dig up my other post.

I posted this on an american forum which may explain some of it.
These were my calculations for loading pistol ammunition on a progressive press.
Obviously loading precision rifle cartridges is a little different but you can make your own calculations to see how it comes out for you.

I shoot on average 300 rounds or 6 boxes a week of .45 ACP.
Here in Canada, when purchased locally, it costs roughly $30.00 + tax for a box for .45 ACP.

So to go shooting for a couple of hours on a Sunday I would spend $180.00 + 5% Federal Sales Tax. + 8.5% Provincial Sales Tax (compounded) for a total of $205.06 per week.
That's a total of $10,663.12 a year for 312 boxes of ammunition.
Remember this is after tax dollars we're spending since we pay income tax when we earn it.
This doesn't include my IPSC Black Badge Course or any competitions I shoot.

My material cost for manufacturing .45 ACP is as follows:
Winchester Large Pistol Primers $37.99/1000
Winchester 231 $23/Lb.
Cam-Pro Plated Bullets $138/1000
Once Fired Brass $180.00/2000 (reloaded 8 times)

My material cost per box is $10.08 or $60.48 + 5% Federal Sales Tax. + 8.5% Provincial Sales Tax (compounded) for a total of $68.90 per week.

That's a total of $3,582.80 a year for 312 boxes of reloaded ammunition.

I just spent $1500 + Taxes ($1708.87 including Taxes) on a Hornady LnL AP along with a bullet feeder, case feeder, different caliber dies, shell plates, RCBS Lock Out Die, etc.
If I amortize this equipment over 10 years my cost would be $170.89 per year.


If I want to look at labor cost I must do it objectively.
I make $33.00/hour which nets me $20.73 per hour after taxes. (Yes this is Canada).
With my press I can put out around 900 rounds/hr or 18 boxes per hour. This puts my labor cost at $1.15 per box or $358.80 per year.

All prices after taxes
Cost of store bought ammunition $34.18 per box or $10,663.12 a year.
Cost of home made ammunition, material only, $11.48 per box or $3,582.80 a year.
Cost of home made ammunition with equipment amortization $12.03 per box$3,753.69 a year
Cost of home made ammunition with equipment amortization and labour $13.18 per box or $4,112.16 per year.

Now to get to my conclusion.

For me to shoot 300 rounds a week of store bought ammunition I need to work for 9.9 hours at my job.

For me to shoot 300 rounds of my own ammunition with equipment amortization and paying myself for my labour I need to work 3.8 hours a week.

That's a savings of 6.1 hours a week or 317.2 hours for a pre tax savings of $10,467.60
Here is the Handgun Cartridge Reloading Calculator http://www.10xshooters.com/calculators/Handgun_Reloading_Cost_Calculator.htm
Here is the Rifle Cartridge Reloading Calculator http://www.10xshooters.com/calculators/Rifle_Reloading_Cost_Calculator.htm
 
Ron AKA said:
The Forster Co-Ax has some razzle dazzle features (which can have some issues), but does not load any better ammo than the Classic Cast.
Click to expand...

When you make a statement like that, it is immediately apparent that you have not spent much time with the Co-Ax press. It is head and shoulders above ANY other single stage press out there.
This is not intended to denigrate any other press....there are many fine presses out there, but to say that the Co-Ax will not load any better ammo than the Lee is misleading to the extreme.
The very way the Co-Ax works allows bullet seating to be accomplished with less runout, the bane of the reloader.
On my reloading bench right now are three presses: Co-Ax, a Rockchucker and a Lyman Crusher.
For hunting and average reloading, the two latter get used. If I'm serious about real quality reloads, then the Co-Ax gets the nod every time. Eagleye.
 
Hey troutseeker, it's Jeff's neighbor, I had met you over the little party at his place this summer. Remember the nail game? Hah...

I missed your post... why so grumpy and negative? I am absolutley sure reloading will save me money, especially when you consider that I'm paying $60 for a box of 20 premium shells. Either Nosler or Federal GMM.

I don't mind buying the Nosler stuff because apparently it's PREMIUM Norma brass that they are using and just stamping it Nosler. So far I've got about 160 casings which means I spent around $500 !!! Makes me shudder to think of it.

I take it I can reuse that brass about 5 times at least, factor in Bullets and Powder and my time, I can remanufacture 160 bullets that are going to be much better than the original Nosler customs, and FAR below the cost I paid. This is why I'm so excited to get into reloading.
 
thump_rrr said:
Bulls**t

I'll elaborate in a second when I dig up my other post.

I posted this on an american forum which may explain some of it.
These were my calculations for loading pistol ammunition on a progressive press.
Obviously loading precision rifle cartridges is a little different but you can make your own calculations to see how it comes out for you.

I shoot on average 300 rounds or 6 boxes a week of .45 ACP.
Here in Canada, when purchased locally, it costs roughly $30.00 + tax for a box for .45 ACP.

So to go shooting for a couple of hours on a Sunday I would spend $180.00 + 5% Federal Sales Tax. + 8.5% Provincial Sales Tax (compounded) for a total of $205.06 per week.
That's a total of $10,663.12 a year for 312 boxes of ammunition.
Remember this is after tax dollars we're spending since we pay income tax when we earn it.
This doesn't include my IPSC Black Badge Course or any competitions I shoot.

My material cost for manufacturing .45 ACP is as follows:
Winchester Large Pistol Primers $37.99/1000
Winchester 231 $23/Lb.
Cam-Pro Plated Bullets $138/1000
Once Fired Brass $180.00/2000 (reloaded 8 times)

My material cost per box is $10.08 or $60.48 + 5% Federal Sales Tax. + 8.5% Provincial Sales Tax (compounded) for a total of $68.90 per week.

That's a total of $3,582.80 a year for 312 boxes of reloaded ammunition.

I just spent $1500 + Taxes ($1708.87 including Taxes) on a Hornady LnL AP along with a bullet feeder, case feeder, different caliber dies, shell plates, RCBS Lock Out Die, etc.
If I amortize this equipment over 10 years my cost would be $170.89 per year.


If I want to look at labor cost I must do it objectively.
I make $33.00/hour which nets me $20.73 per hour after taxes. (Yes this is Canada).
With my press I can put out around 900 rounds/hr or 18 boxes per hour. This puts my labor cost at $1.15 per box or $358.80 per year.

All prices after taxes
Cost of store bought ammunition $34.18 per box or $10,663.12 a year.
Cost of home made ammunition, material only, $11.48 per box or $3,582.80 a year.
Cost of home made ammunition with equipment amortization $12.03 per box$3,753.69 a year
Cost of home made ammunition with equipment amortization and labour $13.18 per box or $4,112.16 per year.

Now to get to my conclusion.

For me to shoot 300 rounds a week of store bought ammunition I need to work for 9.9 hours at my job.

For me to shoot 300 rounds of my own ammunition with equipment amortization and paying myself for my labour I need to work 3.8 hours a week.

That's a savings of 6.1 hours a week or 317.2 hours for a pre tax savings of $10,467.60
Here is the Handgun Cartridge Reloading Calculator http://www.10xshooters.com/calculators/Handgun_Reloading_Cost_Calculator.htm
Here is the Rifle Cartridge Reloading Calculator http://www.10xshooters.com/calculators/Rifle_Reloading_Cost_Calculator.htm
Click to expand...

X2
i shoot a similar amount and i also come up with huge savings
 
Ron AKA said:
I would not go with any of those choices. Here is what I would suggest

$130 - Lee Classic Cast Press
$75 - Redding Model 2 Balance Beam Scale
$30 - Lee Perfect Powder Measure
$30 - Lee Auto Prime XR Hand Primer
$5 - Lee case trimmer
$5 - Powder trickler (whoever)
$3 - Lee shell holder
$2 - Lee primer pocket cleaner

Total cost $280. And yes, I would not have gone with the Redding dies. Forster have as good or better at a bit lower cost.
Click to expand...
X2 on this excellent posting. Heed this advice.

I've been using a very comparable list of kit like this for the last 20yrs with no complaints.

.
 
hey man check out the RCBS pro 2000 auto index ,it's pretty hot south of the border.i got one from Henry N on here for less than what's going for in the US.oh yea i have the rock chucker as well and some crappy lees, i gave one away and the other one is used for my free chex.
i think for a newbie the rc supreme kit with the chargemaster combo would be the way to go. my 2 cents
 
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