Which kit for a beginner?

ben hunchak said:
I'm not recommending reloading equip. anymore, because you recommend some kit that is top notch but costs extra and folks go out and buy the cheapest. So why did they ask??
Why not just ask for the cheapest?
Click to expand...

Funny thing is I wasn't asking which brand of kit to buy, but I had narrowed my beginners kit down to those 2 choices, but most people start recommending another brand because its "Much better". I don't need the best, yet. Just something for me to dabble in and "get my feet wet".

I will most likely NOT be going with the RCBS to start off with. If I do want another then I will upgrade as funds allow and have 2 presses set up for 2 different calibers (.223 and .308 most likely).

Was just hoping to see which of those 2 kits, people would suggest as per the priming system mainly.
 
ATOM said:
Exactly. Some brands are more suitable to some peoples' tastes, others to others'. Don't get misled by emotion and bias. None of them are bad.
Click to expand...

By "tastes" if you mean some folks like less precise and lower quality at a slightly lower price, then you are right.
 
Major Sights said:
Funny thing is I wasn't asking which brand of kit to buy, but I had narrowed my beginners kit down to those 2 choices, but most people start recommending another brand because its "Much better". I don't need the best, yet. Just something for me to dabble in and "get my feet wet".

I will most likely NOT be going with the RCBS to start off with. If I do want another then I will upgrade as funds allow and have 2 presses set up for 2 different calibers (.223 and .308 most likely).

Was just hoping to see which of those 2 kits, people would suggest as per the priming system mainly.
Click to expand...

There is a reason why folks suggest a different brand - we have tried and used a bunch of kit and are passing our experience on. Take it or leave it; it is after all your $....
 
I have a Lyman T-Mag II press that I really like. Get a RCBS Chargemaster 1500 combo and don't look back.
 
1899 said:
By "tastes" if you mean some folks like less precise and lower quality at a slightly lower price, then you are right.
Click to expand...

That's your call, I guess.

Mine is that too many people are 'faddish' and buy by colour as opposed to real differences.
 
Don't skimp out when it comes to your press. Cheap presses like the Lee (with exception of the classic cast) flex a lot and have even heard of handles breaking off. Look at the linkage of the other presses and you will see why experienced reloaders are telling you to stay away from cheap presses. Rigid press=more precise reloads=smaller groups on paper.
 
You won't go wrong with either Lee kit. Whether or not you upgrade the scale sooner, later or never. I like to prime on the press if that helps your decision.

I think CGN sponser reloaders.ca has the lee kit for $126 last time I looked.
 
I would prefer to spend as much money as I could on all my toys right off the bat and get the best of everything, but I am not wealthy, nor am I coming into any large amounts of money any time soon, just a lowly chef. I would like to try reloading to see if a. I have the time for such a hobby (winter I definitely will, as the golf course usually gets slow around then :) ), B, I can do it effectively to bring my groups in nice and tight.

That is why I choose the Lee kit(s) to start off on, and upgrade along the way. I do believe I will be going with the 50th anniversary kit, with the on the press priming system.

Thank you all for your suggestions and advice, they were NOT taken lightly nor ignored. Just a lowly schmow on a budget.
 
I bought a Lee kit 3 years ago for the same reasons. I'm now not sure if my hobby is actually shooting or reloading but I'm still using the Lee equipment. I upgraded the scale and added about $1000 worth of other equiipment/gadgets along the way over time. LOL! . If I was independently wealthy I would likely have bought a Forster Coax.

I have bought Lee, RCBS and Redding Dies. For bottle neck rifle cartridges I have found the Lee Deluxe die set with the collet dies by far the best, the most economical and the most convenient to use. Of course other manufacturers make excellent high end die sets with micrometer seaters. But the Lee collet dies have to be tried to be appreciated.

Sorry for waffling.

Good luck, it really is an interesting and fun activity.
 
ben hunchak said:
I'm not recommending reloading equip. anymore, because you recommend some kit that is top notch but costs extra and folks go out and buy the cheapest. So why did they ask??
Why not just ask for the cheapest?
Click to expand...

Ben, we all know your love for great equipment and products, however, we don't all have the cash to swing it. I am reminded about a car a friend of mine bought. In 2000, he purchased the FIRST Honda 2000 in Canada, paid CASH for it. I loved driving that car! It was the tightest steering car I had ever been in, flew down the road, and had a great suspension. Could I see enough difference between it and his 91 prelude to justify the additional $15K, NOPE! Gets me from A to B, practically. You have different tastes and a different budget than others here. Please do not think we are slighting you, we simply can't get where you are in our circumstances.
 
warrenb said:
For bottle neck rifle cartridges I have found the Lee Deluxe die set with the collet dies by far the best, the most economical and the most convenient to use.
Click to expand...

I just loaded a bunch of .30-06 AI with Redding dies (plain ones) and .308 Win with Lee dies. Both were with the same lot of 180gr Nosler Ballistic Tips. OAL with the Redding dies was DEAD on for the vast majority of the cartridges, with a few being +/- 0.001". With the Lee dies every cartridge OAL was different than the one before it. The variation was +0.005" to -0.008", for a total variation of 0.013" from shortest to longest. I didn't measure runout, but I suspect the results would be similar.

BUT, does it make a difference for hunting/plinking? No.

I am not suggesting to be elitist or anything...it is better to have some kit than to have none. I didn't get a set of Redding dies until 20 years after I started reloading. I used RCBS, Hornady and Lee dies, and still use them. But, as funds permit, I will switch to Redding for all of my dies. BTW, I also use a Lee auto-prime and like it very much.
 
I had the Lee scale and took it back.
I now have the Ohaus and it works slick, meaning I do trust it.
I bought the Rock Chucker press from a friend of mine. Good deal to boot.
If I had to do it all over again, I would buy the Rock Chucker kit.
Buy once, pay once and hurt once.
With all the bits and pieces had have purchased after the RCBS press, it would
of been cheaper to buy the kit.
Gun shows are a good place to puchase reloading dies. If you have the time and
your eyes are keen, you can find what you need for about half $$ as new.
Welcome to the reloading club.
Cheers.
 
I am fairly new to reloading as well and bought the 50th anniversary and think it works great.I dont use the scale that came with it and upgraded to a lyman digital and also dont use the primer tool.I just prime off the press one at a time as I never load any more than 40-50 rounds at a time but the press seems to work fine for me.
 
Personally I'm running all Lee equipment as I just don't feel justified spending the extra money on more expensive reoading gear. Really I feel that the more expensive gear is nice to use, but is not needed if you are not abusive to you're equipment.

If I were to start over the way to do it would be to buy things individually. Personally I find I don't use the powder measure as I weigh all my charges anyway so a scoop works just as well, and I think the balance scales are extremely inefficient(so I use a good digital). If you just buy things individually from a decent source(factory sales for example), skip the powder measure and balance scale and spend the money on a good quality digital scale(few hundred dollars).

*edit*

I you can afford it get the cast iron lee press as well. The aluminum is fine, but the cast iron will be a one time purchase for life.
 
jawsman said:
LEE, RCBS, Lyman, Redding, Hornady, Dillon ALL make good products. There are a number of people on here that have loaded for years and years (decades even) with equipment from all the major manufacturers. Do not be swayed by some people's emotional ties to the colour of their reloading press. I have Lee, my buddy has Dillon. When we load ammo, both goes bang and makes a clean hole in paper, or the particular animal we are hunting.
Click to expand...

My reloaduing experience is in it's third decade, believe me I am not fooled easily by press colours... what a nonsense, get real man!
 
Amphibious said:
another vote for the RCBS kits. buy good gear now, and you'll never need to upgrade or replace it later.
Click to expand...

with great equipment like RCBS, you will not only learn to reload the proper and safe way!!!!!, but you will enjoy it for decades like I did.
 
newb to pistols , have had a 45acp for a week or so now, can see a reloading kit in my future$$$$$$$$ are the kits you discussed the "best"? or a more economical choice? i noticed a set up at our local store, i dont remember the brand, but i think it was around $500... then the salesman told me i would need another $500 in supplies! it kinda scared me off reloading..was he just full of cr@p? or trying to sell me a machine that does more than i need?
 
killer1963daddy said:
newb to pistols , have had a 45acp for a week or so now, can see a reloading kit in my future$$$$$$$$ are the kits you discussed the "best"? or a more economical choice? i noticed a set up at our local store, i dont remember the brand, but i think it was around $500... then the salesman told me i would need another $500 in supplies! it kinda scared me off reloading..was he just full of cr@p? or trying to sell me a machine that does more than i need?
Click to expand...

it was likely a hornady kit, which is really good from my research. i started off wanting to buy that one but it wasn't in stock where i wanted to get it from. i ended up getting a lee pro 1000 and like it very much. it is picky with feeding primers at times, but for the $150 (ready to go outside of consumables) i paid, i really like it. i ended up getting a second one in 9mm which has very little primer feeding issues (my guess is due to smaller primers). i will likely grab the hornady press once i get a better pay.
 
Reloading cannot be compared to driving a car from point A to point B, it's far more important than that. Barrel makers strive for perfection with their barrels, trigger makers like Jewel make triggers that break like an icicle, bullet makers try to make every bullet the same. Makers of brass cases like Lapua stake their reputation on consistency......so why would you cheap out on flimsy equip. to save a few bucks and make ammo that has lots of runout, each round is a diff. length, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom