Another Annoying Newb Question

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Static030

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Ok guys, I'm sure most of you a sick of this question but I have flip flopped a bit in my decision making.
I want to get into reloading, but budget constraints have changed my options. Originally I wanted to get the Hornady LNL AP, but can't do that money right now.
First off, I will be looking at reloading 223 (bolt action for accuracy), 9mm and 45ACP. I will also need to swage the majority of my 223 brass (American Eagle) thanks to others pointing this out. Want to use the RCBS Swager Die, which says it can't be used in a progressive.

So this is what I am thinking right now.
Turret Press (possibly the LEE Classic Iron). The kit comes with pretty much everything the press needs (other than dies).
Can a progressive (say the Lee 1000) be used as a single stage (for the swager process)? That is the other option.

Other components that I was looking at getting to start......let me know if there is anything I absolutely need as well.
Dies, reloading trays, case length gauge, possibly a trimmer. Obviously powder, primers and bullets.

Anyway, I appreciate any opinions and advice! :)
One other quick question - do all the dies have the same threading? Can you use RCBS dies in a Lee or Hornady etc....
 
When I started out reloading 223 on my progressive LNL AP, I found that it was much faster to initially FL size the lot of brass that I was going to reload by lubing all the cases, then FL size, then set up the rest of the dies and reload as normal. Since you are a new reloader I suggest you slow down and do the initial steps like lubing and swaging seperatly from the rest of the reloading process. I have the RCBS die set that you are talking about and it works much better on a single stage, that said most all rifle reloading is better suited to a single stage press. My LEE CLASSIC CAST single stage is incredibly strong and I am amazed at the value this press offers. I have not used the LEE turret press, but I'm sure that others will chime in and say that it is a good press as well.

If you do go the route of a single stage, the LNL conversion kit , ie the quick change bushings, can be used on the LEE press by unscrewing the conventional threaded fitting. This makes die changes very fast with no loss in accuracy.

You will need a trimmer, check the EE there are always good ones for sale. Skip the case gauge and buy a caliper as you can measure more than just case length with one. You will also need a powder funnel and primer flip tray.

To answer the last question, all reloading dies except for the 50cal use the same 7/8-14 threads which means that all brands of dies will work in all brands of presses etc. I prefer to use the Hornady dies as they have excellent customer service, and come with the best locking rings as you can use a wrench to tighten them into your press and the allen key tightens on the ring not on the die which damages the threads (poor design on Redding, RCBS, Lyman dies) The Hornady die boxes are also big enough to fit the bushings should you go that route and the rifle micrometer seating stem will fit all there seating dies with different bullet tip inserts, ie you can reload 75gn 223 AMAX loads and then switch the micrometer to say your 308 dies and reload 175gn AMAX 308 loads. Love this system.
 
Static030 said:
Ok guys, I'm sure most of you a sick of this question but I have flip flopped a bit in my decision making.
I want to get into reloading, but budget constraints have changed my options. Originally I wanted to get the Hornady LNL AP, but can't do that money right now.
First off, I will be looking at reloading 223 (bolt action for accuracy), 9mm and 45ACP. I will also need to swage the majority of my 223 brass (American Eagle) thanks to others pointing this out. Want to use the RCBS Swager Die, which says it can't be used in a progressive.

So this is what I am thinking right now.
Turret Press (possibly the LEE Classic Iron). The kit comes with pretty much everything the press needs (other than dies).
Can a progressive (say the Lee 1000) be used as a single stage (for the swager process)? That is the other option.

Other components that I was looking at getting to start......let me know if there is anything I absolutely need as well.
Dies, reloading trays, case length gauge, possibly a trimmer. Obviously powder, primers and bullets.

Anyway, I appreciate any opinions and advice! :)
One other quick question - do all the dies have the same threading? Can you use RCBS dies in a Lee or Hornady etc....
Click to expand...
OP,
you are on the right track. The beauty of the turret press is that is can act both a single stage and a progressive. For what you are reloading, the original turret press will suffice (I reloaded several hundreds of .303, .308, and .30-06 on one for years). I can normally load a couple hundred .45ACP or .223 in about an hour, while it takes longer to do the larger cartridges, since I do them in batch lots on a single stage only using the turret to charge, seat a bullet, and crimp the case.
If you can afford the classic cast turret press, then do that. However, if you can only afford the "value" turret, then it will more than do the job for you.
I finally upgraded (last Christmas, my wife gave me both a Classic Cast single stage and a Turret) after 25years of using a Challenger and a pot metal turret press that were BOTH second hand when I got them. The Classic Cast stuff from Lee is better than RCBS presses.
 
I started reloading with mostly used equipment picked up hear and there. Gun shows are a good place to start. I have seen everything that you would need at the last two shows that I went to. As stated above a single stage press is all I ever use and I reload lots of 44 mag.
A press, scale and dies along with some case prep tools will get you started. My prep tools were a sharpened screw driver to clean primer pockets and hand chamfering tool.
A caliper for measuring and eventually a case trimmer. I still use the Lee powder dippers. I now have multiples of everything and have yet to own a powder measure (thrower).
Start small and you will acquire what you need as you become more familiar with the process.
Remember reloading is not a chore it is a hobby to support the passion of shooting, that is what it means to me.
David
 
Reloading for accuracy, get a single stage press.

I do all my reloading on a single stage, even pistol ammo for two friends (only 9mm 'cause I don't got THAT much spare time) and it works for the amount I currently shoot. If you shoot a lot of pistol ammo, yeah, maybe that progressive is starting to look a lot better now.
 
I also think you should get a single stage for accuracy. Learn how to use it well and then in a little while, you can upgrade to a progressive for the pistol stuff.

There will be plenty of other things you will need to buy for well done 223 reloads like a nice case trimmer, a powder trickler, a Lee Collet neck sizing die, (no more lube, yah!), a really accurate digital scale and a competition seating die.

I don't shoot large volumes of rounds but I do dabble in Cowboy Action and IDPA and I can easily make a couple of hundred pistol rounds in just an hour here and there through the week. I use a carpenters belt, load it full of brass and full length size and de-prime the lot one night. Then next night I flare and prime, night after that, I set up the Lee Perfect Powder Measure, charge with powder, place the bullet and crimp. I say try it first as you'll want the single stage anyway.
 
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Single stage is what most people start on and most never need anything more. If on the other hand you are shooting large quantities, a progressive is a real time-saver. The turret press is sort of in the middle.

Welcome to the dark side.

PS - everybody starts somewhere. Credit to you for asking the right questions first.
 
I started with an RCBS Partner press and 5-0-2 scale, a set of LEE RGB dies and a plastic spoon for a trickler/powder thrower. A Lee case trimmer with lock stud in the caliber of your choice is also cheap.

I now reload rifle and pistol on a Forster press. I don't shoot a lot of pistol, I'm more into rifles.

I do everything in stages. I just resized, trimmed, sorted by brand and tumbled all my 22-250 brass. My next step will be to prime it all and then store it until I'm ready to load it.
 
I use a Lee Pro 1000 for reloading .223, mind you, I have only done 30 rounds (still waiting to test them at the range), I use it as a single stage to size and de-prime them. After that I trim to length and chamfer the case mouth by hand. I then put in the die to open the case mouth and pour in the powder charge, as well as the bullet seating die (2 stages in the head). After all that, I put the factory crimp die in location #1 and do the factory crimp. I have extra aluminum die heads so I keep them all set up on their own heads, makes it easy.
 
Product_477_1.jpg

http://www.budgetshootersupply.ca/frame.cfm?ItemID=477&CategoryID=19
A set of dies and a caliper, and you're set.
You could do an awful lot of reloading before needing anything more.
 
Rory McCanuck said:
Product_477_1.jpg

http://www.budgetshootersupply.ca/frame.cfm?ItemID=477&CategoryID=19
A set of dies and a caliper, and you're set.
You could do an awful lot of reloading before needing anything more.
Click to expand...

That is the kit I was thinking of starting with. Seems to have everything (other than dies etc) to get started. Just waiting to hear back from Budget about shipping.

I appreciate all the feed back. I understand the idea of starting with a single, but knowing myself, I will eventually go to a progressive, so I was thinking a turret might be a better start, especially if I can use it as a single stage to start.
 
Not sure why you are swaging American Eagle brass. It is commercial ammo, none of the primer pockets I have ever re-loaded had military crimps, but hey. whatever floats your boat.
 
ykkid said:
Not sure why you are swaging American Eagle brass. It is commercial ammo, none of the primer pockets I have ever re-loaded had military crimps, but hey. whatever floats your boat.
Click to expand...

I stand to be corrected but I was advised to look at the AE brass, it has a red dye or marking around the primers. Been told this is an indication of crimped primers. The brass I am talking about is .223. I don't think any of the AE pistol brass I have has the crimped primers.
 
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