Never again will i buy factory ammo!

EBR_nut

EBR_nut

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So after getting my P.A.L last year and acquiring a few older guns, I decided to take the plunge and go buy a Marlin 1895 guide gun in .45-70 . After a few trips to wholesale sports for ammo and reviewing my receipts, im blown away by the amount I've spent on ammo. So needless to say I've decided im not going back to the range until im shooting ammo that I've reloaded. That Being said ive been looking at a few entry level kits to get started and am in need of some guidance, and since i dont know anyone that shoots guns, the sage wisdom of a few veteran CGN'ers would be greatly appreciated. Here are the kits ive been looking at, The Lee breech lock challenger kit or the Lee hand press kit. I would like to get started for under $350 if possible and will be loading .45-70 and .270, does anybody have any budget ideas for reloading other than a lee loader classic? I have heard that they dont work so great on lever guns.

Thanks in advance
 
I use it, and its great enough for hunting/range work. If you are gonna be a serious benchrest competitor or whatever, Maybe others would be a better choice, but the quick change breech lock bushings are a godsend if you reload multiple calibers. Set them once, and forget them. Mine has done well over 1000 hunting caliber reloads (.444 marlin, .270win, .30-06, .25-06, 300 and 338 win mag. ) No problems yet.
Get a motomaster digital caliper when they go on sale 2x a year. (14$)
Its a lot easier than I thought it was gonna be. I had no mentors either. Just got to get over the mental hump of "Doing it". Lube/size cases/trim brass/prime/charge with powder/ seat bullet,and optional crimp. (just crimp and forget)
You'll be golden. I got started for less than 350. I ordered the Lee challenger Set for $179 + shipping.(25), plus dies were $35. Of course, primers are about 5 bucks/100
Powder is 27-40 a lb, bullets are 20-50 per 50/100 depending on lead or solid coppers/bonded bullets.
 
The Lee breech lock challenger kit is an excellent kit, it will do everything you want it to. If you decide a few years down the road you want to upgrade you can add a piece here and their. I would recommend you get the Lee dies as well, they are inexpensive and work very well, they also come with a shell holder. All you would be missing is Bullets, powder and primers.
 
I think that because you have a 45-70 is reason enough to reload, alot of the factory is pretty weak as there are alot of old guns that cannot take to high of pressures and with the wonderfull 45-70 you will be able to load way down for fun plinking and will be able to snort it up as well. I am not familiar with the kits you are talking about but I have always used the RCBS rockchucker with no problems for many years. That being said now that I am reloading for my revolvers as well I am thinking of going to something a little quicker, I am now a slave to the reloading bench
 
The Lee Breech Lock anniversary kit is an excellant choice. I'm just over the river from you in Surrey. I can set you up with one for $125.00 + tax.
I also have bullets, powder, primers & New brass in stock. I can order a Die set in for you too.
You can pick it up & save yourself the shipping.
Regards, Henry
 
If you can handle the wait, go to the next HACS show. It's in your neck of the woods and is a monthly show. Go around and ask the exhibitors about reloading equipment.

Last fall, I picked up a complete RCBS Rock Chucker with a die set, scale, powder measure, funnels, lube pad/lube, two sizes of primer feed tubes/attachment and a box of Lee shell head holders, in excellent condition for $250. Most of these sets, don't see a lot of use. The previous year, in Lumby, I picked up a Hornady "Turret" style press for $80.
If your money is tight and you have patience, there are many good deals to be had.

The one set I didn't see mentioned, is the Lee hand held set. They are quite good. I used one for HBR reloading for years. It loaded consistent, straight cartridges on a steady basis. Thousands of them. I do prefer the bench mounted press but if you're cramped for space, this product may be exactly what you're looking for. You should be able to pick up the complete hand held kit for around $150.
 
I'd hold out for decent equipment, like the poster above, even a used press will be best if it is a quality make, RCBS, Lyman, Redding, Forster, same with dies. Some of the heavy flat point 45/70 slugs cast, are the most effective on game and most cost effective. Down the road you will want to get into casting your own, same thing here, buy the best quality you can, even if you have to save awhile.
 
The Lee stuff is ok, except for the powder thrower, which sucks.

My suggestion: Buy at least two loadin manaulas and read the stuff they have to say. It is important and will guide you in all you do.

make a list of the Must Have stuff, and go to a couple gun shows.

You need at least one loading block to hols shells;
a lee Auto prime for priming.
A powder thrower - Redding, RCBS or Lyman
Press
Dies
case lube
primers
Powder (H335, 3031, 4895 for the 45/70 and 4831SC for the 270
Primers (Standard large rifle from anyone)
A shell mouch champfering tool
A vernier caliper (I prefer a dial )
 
When I started, I've got myself the Lee 125 Anniversary kit that included the Lee Challenger press and everything else you need... I still use it with great success and haven't felt the need to "upgrade" yet. Cabelas(dot)ca sells it for $125 and you can try factorysales(dot)com as well, as they seem to have everything Lee for much cheaper and ship to "Kanukistan". I got the Lee Modern Reloading manual from them (hardcover) for $12 plus a multitude of other stuff on a few occasions (like Lee RGB dies sets for $13) and I was very happy with the quick service every time.

However, if you're not gonna go with a kit and will choose to buy your items separately, I suggest the following essentials: Lee Classic Cast press, Lee powder scale and powder measure, powder funnel, case trimmer and deburring tool, Lee case lube, Lee press shell holder set and a kinetic bullet puller tool (for fixing newbie screw ups!)... and of course a complete die set for every caliber you need to reload for. Factorysales has everything as far as reloading equipment is concerned... except for bullet pulling tools (I got myself a new Lyman tool on eBay for $25 shipped).

Good luck and you'll love this new addiction... just make sure you READ the entire manual(s) before even attempting to reload, or you might screw up big time and possibly injure yourself. It's not complicated, but it's very important to understand the basics 100% before proceeding!

:cheers:
 
If the rifles are for hunting, go full length resizing. Lee dies offer factory style crimping and that die is available with their full length 3 die set. You will want to factory crimp for your 45-70 lever. The Lee Anniversary press is just fine. All the items in there work just fine. Add the case length trimmers from Lee. The quick change bushings are great and won't add much cost for two calibers. Case boxes are handy and the aforementioned reloading manuals you read twice before you start. Keep a log book of what you do. Keep track of how many times the brass has been loaded and fired. Lastly, carpenters say "measure twice, cut once". Do the same by double checking everything before you start a run. The cartridge blocks make it easy to separate cartridges as you go through the reloading steps. Wear safety glasses and handle those primers with care. No distractions allowed at the bench.
 
spend the extra 100 or so and get the RCBS rockchucker superime kit it's all you need to start off with and you woun't need to up grade in a few years so in the long run you save , thats what i did and i'm really happy ,i have buddy's with lee stuff that come over and use my stuff and hee and haw that theres is so much cheaper and that they saved so much but they don't want to use it ,using mine instead go figger eh? the kit is a pretty good deal shop around mybe you run across some one selling akit on the EE or kijiji or e-bay.
 
you should have bought guns in normal NATO caliber, and then bought the ammo in mass amounts. But you are on the right track with the reloading. I couldn't take a stand and tell myself no more shooting until i can reload, though.
 
With $350 bucks to spend, I'd go for a Lee Classic Turret. Will load your two calibers now, and whatever you will probably want to load, including substantial amounts of pistol calibers if you wish.

Add the usual side dishes. Henry N. can set you up with all your tools/equipment/components.
 
Can't believe no one has said to drink the Blue Cool-aid yet, guess they will be along shortly.

I agree with easyrider, classic turret can be used as a single stage to get you going and when you are confident you can make the turret do its business.
 
hunter64 said:
Can't believe no one has said to drink the Blue Cool-aid yet, guess they will be along shortly.

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Click to expand...

That's because he said he wanted to load 270 and 45-70. A dillon is probably not his best choice for either, he would be better served with a single-stage, IMHO.
 
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