Reloading kits??? What to buy?

Otokiak

Otokiak

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
92   0   0
Location
Leduc, AB
I wish to start reloading again for 223 & have the following so far … I have the media / brass cleaner machine , I have the digital powder measuring tool, I have the dies(think that’s what we call them) … now I need to find a reloading kit with the press & am looking for suggestions or if others used different parts mixed to let me know. I used to use a friends reloader as he taught & showed me how but I can’t remember the brand he used & I moved south. I need to relearn & reread some things prior to reloading again. I prefer to purchase in the Edmonton area or would order online if I had to.

Suggestions welcome, advice welcome? RCBS kit from Cabelas good?

Thank you,

Otokiak
Leduc, AB
Canada
 
Last edited:
The kits seem like a good value but they often have things you wouldn't pick. I bought a bundled RCBC rockchucker supreme kit when I started and have pretty much replaced everything but the press with better versions. For a simple single stage press the rockchucker is good though. If I could do it over I'd just piece things together individually
 
Jon87 said:
The kits seem like a good value but they often have things you wouldn't pick. I bought a bundled RCBC rockchucker supreme kit when I started and have pretty much replaced everything but the press with better versions. For a simple single stage press the rockchucker is good though. If I could do it over I'd just piece things together individually
Click to expand...

I still use everything that came with my kit ;)
 
yomomma said:
I still use everything that came with my kit ;)
Click to expand...

Haha, well there you go. Maybe I just like trying different things then. I bought a kit without having any prior experience so wasn't really sure what I'd like. Reloading is kind of funny. For what is kind of a niche activity, there are a bewildering number of options and products for each step of the process.
 
I’d get a Lee turret press
Then once your dies are set you can leave them on the turret and if you want to load a different caliber just get another turret
Or you could start out with a nice progressive press but they have a steeper learning curve but are worth it especially if your going to be shooting lots
 
I am helping a younger local guy get started to reload - so we are going through about the same thing here - what to buy? I have owned many versions of stuff over the years - I gave a full reloading set to my brother - from spares - and he apparently gets along fine with that. I personally use an RCBS Rockchucker press that I got from CGN EE - an RCBS Chargemaster Lite to meter powder, but still have a Hornady balance beam scale, with a trickler, that does about the same thing, and there is a Lee powder scoop set on the shelf, if I wanted to use that for metering out powder loads. Is multiple systems available for trimming cases to length. Multiple ways to lube for sizing, and then de-lubing. Many ways to seat primers in the sized cases - I happen to use an RCBS Bench mounted tool for priming, although I have primed on the press, and had at least two Lee Precision brand hand primers.

And then, surprising to some - is loading manuals - I can not imagine even starting to do reloading without at least one manual on hand - and that is because of the first 1/4 or third of the book that tells you HOW to reload. There is like 8 brands of reloading manuals on my workbench - and boxes with triple that number of older, superseded editions. About biggest mistake that you will make is to take "one" source of information and use just that - without confirming from other sources - and that includes load recommendations from people who claim they use that in their gun - at minimum, understand, you are not likely using their stuff, nor are you using the stuff the people that wrote reloading manuals were using.

Is also about how many and what kind of cartridges that you plan to load for. I have loaders for 28, 20 and 12 gauge shotgun, which are different to each other and different to the press that I use for center-fire rifle cartridges. Is about 25 sets of dies here for various center-fire cartridges. Which leads to choices about how do you plan to trim cases, and how many shell holders do you plan to have. Is also no end of ancillary tooling - I suggested to the young guy to equip himself with something that will pull bullets without marking them - so they could be re-used - should be as easy to take down a round as it was to assemble it - you are going to make mistakes, sooner or later. Very big asset to be able to pull down the mistakes into components and start over again, and re-use the components.

You will note that I mentioned nothing about hand gun cartridges - I have never reloaded them. Nor target rifle / precision rifle things - is not a game that I ever got into. Someone else will have to advise you what to buy, if those are your interests.

And, as you have likely discovered, might be a challenge where you are to get a supply of components - bullets, cases, primers, powder - has been really challenging in past few years to find all - really inhibits experimenting with various components, or, I think, even doing basic pressure test work up for loads.
 
Last edited:
Otokiak said:
I wish to start reloading again for 223 & have the following so far … I have the media / brass cleaner machine , I have the digital powder measuring tool, I have the dies(think that’s what we call them) … now I need to find a reloading kit with the press & am looking for suggestions or if others used different parts mixed to let me know. I used to use a friends reloader as he taught & showed me how but I can’t remember the brand he used & I moved south. I need to relearn & reread some things prior to reloading again. I prefer to purchase in the Edmonton area or would order online if I had to.

Suggestions welcome, advice welcome? RCBS kit from Cabelas good?

Thank you,

Otokiak
Leduc, AB
Canada
Click to expand...

You will likely do better buying piece by piece.
Do you really need a powder dispenser when you will need a scale to check each charge anyways?

-Up-to-date Loading Manual
-Reloading press
- Case lubricant & pad*
-Primer tray
-Powder scale (graduated in grains avoirdupois)
- Powder funnel
-Two loading blocks
-Dial indicating caliper (graduated in 0.001” increments) buy the one from crappy tire when on sale for like $24.00 or less
-Case trimmer with pilot
-Deburring tool.

Of course you will need the die set and shell holder for caliber of choices(s) and powder along with primers.
Buy, a Green or Red or Orange single stage press... the Hornady single stage press has a cool feature where they have a the Lock-N-Load insert .
Google as my descriptive will be long drawn out and boring.https://www.hornady.com/reloading/presses/
Anyways, the buying of the bits and bobs is easy, finding powder, primers and projectiles will be the fun part.
Tight Groups and Safe Reloading.
Rob
 
I started with a Lee anniversary kit, added their hand priming tool.

I have long since upgraded a lot further but for a start it works.

You have a powder measure, I would add any single stage press, priming tool, and choose a method for case lube.
 
If you have not already done so, I recommend reading at least two different reloading manuals for the type of reloading you want to do (rifle, handgun, shotgun).

Reading at least two different manuals will give you a range of ideas. I read the Lee and the Lyman manuals before I bought any of my reloading equipment.

Each brand of manual (e.g. Lee, Hornady, Lyman, Nosler, RCBS, etc) will highlight their own gear, and provide a different perspective. Some companies have online learning resources with lots of photos and videos (of their own brands of course). And there are hundreds of YouTube videos showing various equipment in use.

After all my reading and online research, I ended up buying individual equipment items from several different companies. None of the kits were complete for what I wanted, or had stuff I did not want in the kit. But a kit may serve your needs too. My advice is to inform yourself as well as possible before you start.
 
Depends on your objectives. Volume? Number of calibers besides 223? Precision required?
I load everything on Dillon 550, from 9 mm to 6.5 Creedmoor. Single stage is for ppl who have way too much time on their hands, for precision obsessed, or as a second press to do specific operations.
 
What sort of volume of 223 are you going to be shooting and what kind of precision are you looking for?

Progressive presses are great for volume. Not that you can't get precision on a progressive but it's easier on a single stage.
 
I'm just starting as well and as was mentioned primers are the hardest to find for a decent price. Check EE often and they do come up. Thanks to some members I found large rifle primers for $220 and $150. The other size primers are more available from online shops
 
Reloading YouTube videos can give you a general idea, they tend to gloss over the fine details,it makes for boring watching. But in the manuals they go into the details, and it's in the details where reloading makes the difference.
 
"details" - yes - is what the person is happy with - some people very pleased to produce something that goes "bang" - others want 1/2" 5 or 10 shot groups at 100 yards - both are possible, but usually very different levels of effort and "detail".
 
Well, I started reloading 1 1/2 years ago. Bought a manual, about 2 months in, and only for the recipe's, and some casing info. Most of the things that I have wanted to load, or powders, bullets are not in the manual, so it has proven fruitless for that. About the best was as a reference only to cross with more than one source. One brand will have different min and max powder measures from others. There are a few online sources as well that you can use free.

As for reading the beginning of the manual for the process, I have yet to do that as well, and at this point probably won't happen.

I ended up doing a bunch of you tube video's of reloading. Some great resources, Gavin at Ultimate Reloader, has great video's from tools to processes, as well as Cortina, among many others I watched. Gavin's videos on presses are a bonus.

I ended up piecing what I wanted on my bench instead of a kit, and started on the higher end of things. Does everyone have to, to get good hunting ammo? No, it is about consistency on the process, and consistency on the things you do and why. I have upgraded a few things like a better trimmer, and better calipers, now that I spend more time on the bench, and want to get more consistent on my reloads. It is a LARGE rabbit hole, if you want it to be, chasing accuracy, but there is also a point of diminishing return. Effort for better ammo.

ASK yourself, Why are you reloading? For plinking, hunting, saving money, shooting more, accuracy? Then go about setting yourself up for that way (system). Little things like a bench mount primer press are huge, when you are reloading 500 rounds of 44 mag. Can you do it on a press? Yes, but be prepared for triple the required time.

I personally went with a Forster coaxe press. I like the no shell holder compared to others when I change my cartridges, plus it is a bit nicer. Do you need the best press for the best ammo? No, but it is easier. Like driving a pinto or a ferarri. Both will get you from A to B, but B just does it in more comfort, style, precision.

My first year I shot over 1300 of my reloaded rounds, and I'm already at that point and only 1/2 the year done. That is not even counting the pistol calibers, or 22 lr that I shoot as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom