I'm looking at getting into reloading and while looking up info on the Lee precision 50th anniversary kit and the Hornady kits I came across the Omega 800 kit. Can anyone here shed some light on these kits? I do not have a lot of space. My budget is limited and I will be reloading 9mm.
Omega 800 reloading kits
- Thread starter bigguy1
- Start date
Brother, it is not worth getting a set up to reload 9mm. You can buy bulk ammo cheaper than you can reload. That being said, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself:
How anal do I want to be for accuracy? How much ammo am I shooting per week/month/ year? Will this be the ONLY cartridge I will be loading?
If the answer to 1 is centre of mass at 25yds, then just keep buying bulk ammo. If it is competition, then you MAY need to reload.
If #2's answer is 500rounds a year. Just keep buying bulk ammo. If it is 500 rounds a month, then you MAY need to reload.
Since budget and space are an issue, then I would suggest an entry level product from Lee Precision. A turret press. There are two. A value one and a cast iron one. The reason for this recommendation is that you can use it as a single stage press until you learn the ropes on reloading and then run it as a progressive when your confidence increases. I load 200+/- .223 rounds an hour and closer to 250 .45ACP an hour on mine. I had a second-hand value turret press for 15 years and loaded tons of stuff on it.
Best part is that it will allow you to load larger rifle cartridges if you move up to that. It will still load .308 as a self-indexing press, but the with larger cartridges, you have to turn the turret by hand. Still faster than a single stage, once you have the load worked out, though. I used mine to load '06, 8x57, 7.62x54R, and .303Br. I found the .300WM to be iffy on that press, but it works on the Classic Cast turret press.
So, answer #3 is no, then, one of the turret kits is definitely your best bet. And it fits 1 and 2 as well.
Thanks rookie.
I do plan on getting into ipsc in the future. I also hope to be reloading other calibers. I see a 357 revolver and A 45 in my future.
I currently shoot approximately 2000 rounds a year. I have been reading on here that others can reload 50 cartridges for about $9.00. That is almost half the price. I have saved about 1000 round of brass and could easily get more.
The kits I have been looking at are all single stage. Lee anniversary, hornady lock n load and now the Omega. I guess my main question is, is the Omega made to last? It appears to offer more for the money, which could mean it lacks in quality.
I do plan on getting into ipsc in the future. I also hope to be reloading other calibers. I see a 357 revolver and A 45 in my future.
I currently shoot approximately 2000 rounds a year. I have been reading on here that others can reload 50 cartridges for about $9.00. That is almost half the price. I have saved about 1000 round of brass and could easily get more.
The kits I have been looking at are all single stage. Lee anniversary, hornady lock n load and now the Omega. I guess my main question is, is the Omega made to last? It appears to offer more for the money, which could mean it lacks in quality.
Rory McCanuck
CGN Regular
- Location
- Middle of Manitoba
Whether it is worth your while or not to reload 9mm is your decision.
My contribution will deal with the other part. The Omega 800 is SmartReloader brand.
You will be hard pressed to find a positive report on any of their...stuff, and the few positives I've read were quickly rescinded once the tool broke. They claim they have a warranty, and you only have to ship it to Italy to claim it.
For minimally more outlay, Lee's stuff is orders of magnitude better.
Other brand names are a good bit more expensive than Lee, and most of the stuff is a bit nicer, but the Lee kits are certainly usable.
My contribution will deal with the other part. The Omega 800 is SmartReloader brand.
You will be hard pressed to find a positive report on any of their...stuff, and the few positives I've read were quickly rescinded once the tool broke. They claim they have a warranty, and you only have to ship it to Italy to claim it.
For minimally more outlay, Lee's stuff is orders of magnitude better.
Other brand names are a good bit more expensive than Lee, and most of the stuff is a bit nicer, but the Lee kits are certainly usable.
For the budget minded Lee is hard to beat.
I have both a Lee challenger press (my first press) and a Hornady LnL on my bench.
The Hornady is practical because I also have a Hornady AP Progressive and I got it for next to nothing.
If I wanted to buy once cry once it would either be an RCBS Rockchucker or a Forster Coax.
I have not tried a coax personally so I can't say for sure.
Once setup you will be able to do 100 per hour if you get a good rhythm going.
I have both a Lee challenger press (my first press) and a Hornady LnL on my bench.
The Hornady is practical because I also have a Hornady AP Progressive and I got it for next to nothing.
If I wanted to buy once cry once it would either be an RCBS Rockchucker or a Forster Coax.
I have not tried a coax personally so I can't say for sure.
Once setup you will be able to do 100 per hour if you get a good rhythm going.
ShooterReady.ca
Expired Business
- Location
- Abbotsford, BC
if you are reloading pistol just buy a progressive press from one of the big names. single stage sucks for any sort of quantity and unless you are shooting 50 yard bulls eye then the extra precision of a single stage isn't required. if you are reloading single stage 9mm you really are better off finding an extra couple hours at work instead.
If you're only shooting around 2000 rnds +/-, you can easily get away with a single stage press. If you're married and/or parent with limited time on your hands, go with the progressive. I reload on a single stage Lee press and I do my reloading in stages. I'll flare and prime brass ahead of time and store them in a tub with a desiccant pack. It only takes about 15mins to flare and prime 100 cases so I normally do 100-200 when I get home from work during the week and that helps me wind down after a long day. On the day I do my reloading, I just have to dump powder and seat the bullets which really speeds up the process. Once you get your technique streamlined etc, you can really get moving at a decent speed.
Best of both worlds...Lee Classic Cast Turret Press. I would have to quadruple my annual round count before I moved up to a progressive. A couple of hours a week nets me 500 rounds.
Compare apples to apples...ANY of Lee's cast stuff will be better than the RockChucker, ALL DAY! (I have both) at half the price.
As for Lee's value stuff, I used it for a quarter century without issue. I don't shoot competition, but I shoot for me and friends. Lee's warranty is as good as any in the industry and many of their products are innovative. Some of them could be better, it it isn't their presses. You could drive an Escalade or a Jetta to work. They both do the job quite nicely but you didn't spend enough to feed a 3rd world community on the Jetta and it does not cost as much to run, so while you don't get all the cool, look at how much I spent on reloading "points" when you buy Lee stuff, you DO get quality product and the best prices in the industry.
I was on a budget, still am. I have a mix of stuff on my bench, but I own one of each of Lee's presses and only one RockChucker.
I have FL resized .30-06 cases on the "value" turret press for years before moving up to the cast stuff. I necked .308 down to .243 on a Challenger with no problems.
There's a reason Lee puts a single stage Classic cast press in their .50BMG reloading kit...because it will do it, the RockChucker won't, even at double the price.
In the end, it is your call, OP, but the whole "buy once, cry once, stay away from Lee" drivel is just that for an average shooter. You said you shoot about 2000 rounds a year. Me and my wife shoot 6 and I consider myself an average shooter and I don't have a progressive anything. I don't worry about pinpoint accuracy in my .45 or .223 plinking ammo. I just run it through. It all goes bang quite reliably. I DO however, take great pangs in getting the best accuracy I can out of my hunting rifles, making better ammo than factory all the time. And I still use Lee dies and presses (as well as Hornady, Hornady Custom, and RCBS dies) I don't get any better ammo from those than I do Lee, but, YMMV.
Enjoy your hobby,
Ted.
Compare apples to apples...ANY of Lee's cast stuff will be better than the RockChucker, ALL DAY! (I have both) at half the price.
As for Lee's value stuff, I used it for a quarter century without issue. I don't shoot competition, but I shoot for me and friends. Lee's warranty is as good as any in the industry and many of their products are innovative. Some of them could be better, it it isn't their presses. You could drive an Escalade or a Jetta to work. They both do the job quite nicely but you didn't spend enough to feed a 3rd world community on the Jetta and it does not cost as much to run, so while you don't get all the cool, look at how much I spent on reloading "points" when you buy Lee stuff, you DO get quality product and the best prices in the industry.
I was on a budget, still am. I have a mix of stuff on my bench, but I own one of each of Lee's presses and only one RockChucker.
I have FL resized .30-06 cases on the "value" turret press for years before moving up to the cast stuff. I necked .308 down to .243 on a Challenger with no problems.
There's a reason Lee puts a single stage Classic cast press in their .50BMG reloading kit...because it will do it, the RockChucker won't, even at double the price.
In the end, it is your call, OP, but the whole "buy once, cry once, stay away from Lee" drivel is just that for an average shooter. You said you shoot about 2000 rounds a year. Me and my wife shoot 6 and I consider myself an average shooter and I don't have a progressive anything. I don't worry about pinpoint accuracy in my .45 or .223 plinking ammo. I just run it through. It all goes bang quite reliably. I DO however, take great pangs in getting the best accuracy I can out of my hunting rifles, making better ammo than factory all the time. And I still use Lee dies and presses (as well as Hornady, Hornady Custom, and RCBS dies) I don't get any better ammo from those than I do Lee, but, YMMV.
Enjoy your hobby,
Ted.
