Starting to Reload .45, 9mm, .223

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Corey3

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I want to start reloading my own ammo, I've been looking at the Lee Deluxe Turret Press Kit. It's $146 and fits my budget, but if I could get the classic cast turret instead for a decent price that would be cool. I've found them for $129, but I imagine the cost of the associated parts and equipment would be alot more than the price of the cast press and the kit. I was looking at the Lee dies as well, the Deluxe 4 pistol die sets, and the deluxe rifle die sets for the .223. Is the safety prime a good idea? Thanks for any advice you can give, let me know if there is anything else I need to get that can make sure I do this right.
 
Considering you are embarking on loading for three calibers, I'm guessing you will be spending a fair bit of money on shooting.
My advice would be to spend the money now on quality hand loading equipment. For presses, I'd recommend going right to a progressive (start slow); Dillon 550 or 650 is a good bet and would do all three calibers, as would the Hornady LNL. Lee makes a decent crimp die and a few other pieces, but I'd steer clear of their presses.
 
For reloading those calibers, the Lee Turret Kit is an excellent starter kit. It has most of everything you need. Just need extra turrets, dies kits and the safety primes.

Changing calibers take a few seconds by just changing the turret and shell holder (once they are set up of course).

And when you do decide to upgrade to an (UGH) overpriced Dillon setup, you can still use your Lee for depriming, and experimenting with different loads, bullets and such. Always handy to have more than one press iregardless of make.

Also, if you pick up extra powder measures, once they are set to the right load, then you can leave them on the dies and changing calibers takes even less time. :)
 
I only shoot a few hundred rounds per month, I don't need a big expensive press to turn out 500 rounds per hour. The turret with 4 stations should be good enough for what I need, especially with the ability to change turrets with the dies already set up on them.
 
"...would be alot more than the price of the cast press and the kit..." Yep. Buying a kit gives you everything you need less dies and a shellholder. Mind you, buying turrets won't be cheap. You really only need the dies and shellholder.
Buying used isn't a bad thing either. You really have to work at damaging modern reloading kit.
"...only shoot a few hundred rounds per month..." That's not the point of reloading. It's about using the best possible ammo in your firearms. Quality is far more important than quantity.
Pop by here too. http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/
 
The lee 4 hole turret press is an excellent press to get started in reloading. Getting the whole kit at once is a good idea because it has everything for starters, minus dies. Buy the carbide pistol 4 die set which includes crimping die. Buy the reloading manual as well.
Keep the ram lubricated with a little 30 weight oil and it should last forever.
I have 3 lee presses, 1 Mec and 1 Dillon.
First press was Lee 25th Anniversary Kit.
 
My time is worth way more then sitting on a turret press pumping out a few rounds of ammo. I love my Dillon XL650. At the very least make sure it's an auto indexing press. You'd thank yourself later. If you're reloading for handguns, it is essential for reasonable ammounts of ammunition. Pay the upfront costs for the better (Dillon Equipment) and make some room in the basement that will be a "no-girl" zone (unless she's bringing your coffee and treats!)

There's really no reason to sell yourself short, and besides, it's really easy to sell of better quality equipment (Like to me for a lower cost then you paid for it)

Dutchie
 
Hi Corey - you are on the right track. If cost is a factor and you want a challenging learning experience, there is no need to go high-tech.

Yes, the four die sets work great. I started on a single-stage RCBS, and went to a Lee Classic Cast turret and am happy with it for speed. Like you and others say, turrets are so easy to change, so setting up for a different caliber only takes a moment. I did grind the stops from the linkage so it follows through and overcentres - I prefer that.

Lee's primer feeder is crappy - some use it, but I just pick up primers from the bench and load the arm.

Use Lee shell holders - others cause some problems with the Lee press - flipped and sideways primers caused by the little guide sleeve on the primer arm getting snagged on machining marks on the inside of the shell holder primer hole.

The disc type powder measure is fine - go to Canadian Tire and get new much-longer brass machine screws that fit the nice brass nuts that come with the measure and then you don't need to take the nuts off when you change discs - just loosen them.



It sounds like you have read up some - great. Have you decided on a pistol powder yet? I've tried these ones:
Hodgdon Universal - not very consistent velocities at ACP pressures.
Hodgdon Clays is a very consistent powder for 45 acp ( sorry I haven't loaded 9 mm,) and measures accurately - my favourite accuracy powder.
Hodgdon Longshot is slower burning and needs more barrel to burn in
Hodgdon Titegroup is a good target powder - a little goes a long way.
Hodgdon Lil Gun - slow burning - for your 454 when you get it
Hodgdon HP38 - not a favorite of mine - it seems to have powder dust in with the larger grains of powder.
Alliant 2400 - for your 454 long barrel too.
Aliant Bullseye - Bullseye is great, but maybe wait until you are proficient with your stuff as Bullseye is very compact and allows you to double-charge without noticing.

Check your reloading manual and you will notice that some powders need much heavier charges so a pound of powder won't go near as far - and notice that lots of cans of powder are not a full pound either.

Remington primers are the only ones I would shy away from - they don't seem to be large enough to stick in an oft-reloaded case.

Magnum primers will give a little more pressure so back the powder down a notch if you use them.

Your .223 will be very efficient of powder compared to larger cased calibers shooting the same weight of bullet the same speed.

A double-disc kit might allow you to use your pistol measure to powder your .223. Another way is to double-cycle a single disc and weigh your charge.

Your big cost for reloading will be your leads - Rainier copper plated work fine but cost adds up - even lubed cast bullets cost far more than your powder and primers. Reloading will cut your cost in half I think but casting your own bullets will bring your cost way down - less than 2.00 a box for my .45.

A heavy bullet may cycle your action better at lower target velocities.

A flattish point on a bullet leaves a little nicer hole in the paper target.

If you load cast, keep checking for lead and learn how to remove it.

Midway has the classic cast turret on sale right now - 77 bucks. This might get you there.


http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...oryId=8605&categoryString=9315***731***680***

My brain is going to sleep - goodnight
 
You are in Southern Ontario - I am in Northern Ontario - I can sell you my Turret Press and likely whatever else you need for reloading and get new stuff myself - I can get stuff through customs rather easily as I live near the border. My turret is less than a year old. Hmm - what else do you have on your list to buy? I can give you some .45 tumble-lubed bullets. I have a spare set of .223 dies - RCBS - I can look tomorrow to see what else I have to set you up for cheap. I may have a box of bullets for .223 also. Guess you would need a set of scales too. Not ready to think yet this morning. I have a one - year - old Rockchucker too - if you want single-stage.
 
Wow, thats very generous of you. What part of Northern Ontario are you in? Also, how does grinding off the stops on the linkage arm affect the operation of the press? Thanks!
 
Nearly at the Manitoba border. No big deal. RCBS presses allow the ram to come up and then go back down just a tiny bit as the lever linkage goes past centre. This is hard to explain. Lee stops the ram at the top - which is hard to tell if it has hit the stops and is at the top or whether the case is stiff resizing and needs to go further. If I get another the same - and I would, the first thing I would do is grind the stops off - if you want to try it with the stops on, the linkage can be flipped over - there are another set of stops on the links - you would flip it back - It is better without. I can get the kids to post a picture if you like.
 
IMG_0171.JPG Okay - my first attempt to post a picture - you can see where I took the old stops off and the remaining stops which could be used if you flipped the linkage arms. EDIT *** Use your imagination *** For .45 acp, I use an rdbs carbide sizing/decapper die, a Lee powder-through expander, an rcbs seating die and finish with a Hornady taper-crimp die. For 9 mm and .45, you would just use a four die Lee set. You would likely take out the twisted turret advancing rod for rifle.

For .223,
You would clean any dirt from your cases and inspect them,
then lube them with a spray lube or lube pad, ( Don't forget this step)
then you might dry-lube the inside of the case mouths with a brush or swab
then you would use a full length resize/decap die on your batch
then clean the primer holes a little, ( don't ream them out - just a little)
then trim cases to length if necessary,
then chamfer inside case mouths and deburr the outside
then prime cases using the press or a hand primer,
then add powder using either a scoop+trickler+scale+funnel or a measure
then seat and crimp in the bullets (very lightly)
or then crimp as a separate step if you have the special crimping die
then enjoy!

It is very possible to do the same process case by case using the advance function of the turret press - but don't start that till you are a smooth operator.

I see the value of the turret press for rifle is not the advance function so much as the time and fuss savings of not having to reset your dies for each step or batch.

One thing that I don't see sold by Lee is a method of adapting other powder measures to fit the turret - I made my own. A separate stand will work fine.

You will need some loading blocks - the Lee kit has one I think - you may want more.

A die wrench is nice - cheap from Lee

You need a method of trimming caselength for rifle - not for 9 mm or .45.
 
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I was thinking it would be better to disable the auto index for rifle since there are only 3 dies and that extra step every time would get annoying. Although, I could get a 3 hole turret from Lee. Would an RCBS powder measure fit on the cast turret press? My grandfather is helping me start with my kit and he has a whole bunch of gear, minus a press. My uncle thinks he has dies for .45 auto, .223. and .38/.357. He has the case lube, the case lube pad, plastic shell holders, a few RCBS scales, an RCBS powder measure, a few tricklers, some loaded .223 and cases, and a bunch of cast .355 calibre bullets. :D I dont know if I'll use cast lead in my 92FS though. Thanks for the info on .223, sounds like a bit of work. I was looking at the full length Lee resizing die for the .223 that doesn't require any trimming. Would I be able to use that and load it just like pistol rounds with the autoindexing and safety prime? Thanks again for your help!

Edit: Here are the Lee rifle dies I was talking about: http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1209352428.5168=/html/catalog/dies-dlxrifle.html
 
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Yes - for now disable it as you say -though not because it is a bother to double cycle, but because it is better to start out less complicated.

I still put higher value on the cast press with four position turret for your handguns.

I had to make an adapter to fit my RCBS powder measure to the press. For now, just make a little separate stand to hold the powder measure - you will want to weigh almost every charge for a while anyways - which would require more fuss if it is mounted on the press.

Use a Lee Autodisc for your handgun stuff.

Cast is not second-best - lube them with Alox ( not too much) even it they have other lube on now.

Trimming is necessary to fit the case into the chamber - too long and it won't seat properly on the cartridge shoulder, but rather on the case mouth or crimp - raising pressures to exciting new levels. I - um - don't know of a die that would avoid the trimming operation. There are a number of ways to trim - pick one.

.357 dies work on 9 mm? I donno.

The work is really play if you have time and stress to get rid of - like playing in a sandbox.

Safety-prime : aggravation - make sure the floor is clean and dry and tidy so you can find each primer that you attempt to load. Mine would look good in your junkbox.

Great to have family to borrow dies or stuff or direction from - I have things that I will likely never use - Ebay was a source at one time - not so active now that they won't sell bullets or anything to do with directly firing a gun.

Be very careful of old things - learn all about zeroing your scale and cleaning lead outa your barrel and not just ramming something that doesn't feel right and advice from old geezers with bad memories.
 
I've been looking at the Lee case trimmers that go on a drill, seems like that would work pretty well. If you still want to post that picture of the press, you have to upload the image to a site like imageshack then post the link here.
 
What did you want to charge for the press? Do you have any of the auto disk powder measures? Let me know what stuff you have that you would like to sell, thanks!
 
I started years ago with the Lee kit, found the press to be decent but the scale that came with it sucked.
Better to get the same 4 stn. progressive press that's in the kit but buy your own scale, Lyman 500 (min.) or inexpensive electronic one.
Buy, Lyman reloading manual. Lee "auto prime" is a great hand priming tool and its cheap, around $23. I think.
Lee dies are fine for what you,ll be doing.
Buy extra turrets, its worth the money to have em so that once your dies are set up you lock em in place and leave em, just exchange the turret when you want to change calibers. This saves alot of grief in set up time.
This is just the beginning.
M.
I own,,,,,,,,,,
Lee Progressive (pistol/basic rifle)
RCBS Rock chucker (precision rifle, redding dies)
RCBS Ammo Master (.50 BMG)
Mec Sizemaster (12 ga.)
Mec Jr. (.410 ga.)
 
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