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Wanting my to start reloading

CountryBoy053

CountryBoy053

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Blount Co., TN
I browsed around on here and may passed up an old thread so apologies in advance if this is a repeat.
But I am wanting to get into reloading nothing extreme just for my occasional range time and to do some better quality hunting rounds for various rifles. (223 30/06 270 7mm )

So my question is what is the best kit to buy. Lee, Hornady or RCBS? or just start piecing together equipment. If piecing is the better option what all will I need to get.

Thank you in advance for the helps and tips.


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Yep, another thread same topic just finished up a week or so ago.

You happen to know anyone who reloads because a mentor can be very helpful.

The RCBS line has two great advantages: (1) they last forever and (2) they have great customer service but of course, they cost a bit more.

As far as quality goes you will get some consensus opinions that RCBS is tops or nearly so. Lee is generally at the bottom 0f the price and quality ladder (ha,ha that is what I use).

What I can for sure recommend is get quality components at the outset---pay once, cry once--


SO how many & what calibers are you loading for......you have a quiet place to work that is not close to heat sources...are you a close is good enough shooter or you like to shoot out the LEFT eye of a flea at 100 yards?
 
I got a Lyman T Mag Turret press kit years ago. It works great.
Lyman has a new line of presses out and I just ordered the Victory model to add to my bench.

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I just started last year and bought the Hornady lock n load kit that has about everything to get started. I knew that I would probably upgrade and make changes but that kit was the most cost effective way for me to get my feet wet. Buy the kit and upgrade as your needs change.
 
When I started my soon-to-be Brother-in-law mentored me. Only purchased what was absolutely necessary. Not even sure kits were available back then.

When you squeeze one off and Mr. Deer/pig/bear/coyote drops from a specific bullet and powder and primer from all the choices, it is a really good feeling of accomplishment.

You will find as you progress that of all the choices available here are those that perform better in your rifle than others. You may experiment but you look at your favorite deer rifle and know without a doubt there are 50 rounds in that box on the shelf that will hit where you aim and kill at any range you want to shoot.
 
rtaylor":1j82tl2w said:
I just started last year and bought the Hornady lock n load kit that has about everything to get started. I knew that I would probably upgrade and make changes but that kit was the most cost effective way for me to get my feet wet. Buy the kit and upgrade as your needs change.
Click to expand...

This is what I did a few years back and for the same reasons. I've added and upgraded over the last few years but really wish I had went ahead and gotten the RCBS press. Even their old JR presses are much better built in my opinion.
 
CountryBoy053":2cwc6jwf said:
I browsed around on here and may passed up an old thread so apologies in advance if this is a repeat.
But I am wanting to get into reloading nothing extreme just for my occasional range time and to do some better quality hunting rounds for various rifles. (223 30/06 270 7mm )

So my question is what is the best kit to buy. Lee, Hornady or RCBS? or just start piecing together equipment. If piecing is the better option what all will I need to get.

Thank you in advance for the helps and tips.


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Click to expand...
Pm sent. I have what you need if interested.

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DaveB":aq1fhew2 said:
Yep, another thread same topic just finished up a week or so ago.

You happen to know anyone who reloads because a mentor can be very helpful.

The RCBS line has two great advantages: (1) they last forever and (2) they have great customer service but of course, they cost a bit more.

As far as quality goes you will get some consensus opinions that RCBS is tops or nearly so. Lee is generally at the bottom 0f the price and quality ladder (ha,ha that is what I use).

What I can for sure recommend is get quality components at the outset---pay once, cry once--


SO how many & what calibers are you loading for......you have a quiet place to work that is not close to heat sources...are you a close is good enough shooter or you like to shoot out the LEFT eye of a flea at 100 yards?
Click to expand...

Eventually I would like to load several different round but I figured on getting my feet wet by starting with .223 for my ar. But eventually once I get the hang of things I've got 7mm-08 .308 30-06 30-30 .270 .35 Remington .35 whelen. I've got lots of different calibers that I would like to one day be able to hand load but like I first said just start small.
And yeah I have a portion of my basement that is not fully finished no heat sources. With work benches already built lol. Only thing would be my central heat/air unit about 15 feet away.
And I definitely like the aim small miss small moto.


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And one other thing are the dies interchangeable? say I buy the RCBS kit, will lee or Hornady dies work or just the RCBS


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CountryBoy053":2yahggye said:
And one other thing are the dies interchangeable? say I buy the RCBS kit, will lee or Hornady dies work or just the RCBS


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Click to expand...
Dies are interchangeable.


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For your AR loading of 223:
1. Are you going to buy once-fired brass? If so, you will need to buy small-base FL sizing die to bring the brass back to spec. SHould use only SB anyway but if you buy once fired it is almost a necessity.
2. H335 is a good powder to start with. 25 grains for 55 grain bullets.
3. Watch your overall length.

some component prices:
One pound of H335 will load about 280 rounds depending upon how neat you are. $23.00
1,000 55 gr FMJ for $79.00
https://brassmanbrass.com/product/22322 ... s-1000-ct/

2500 once fired remington headstamp non crimped $179.00
https://brassmanbrass.com/product/10w-2 ... e-2500-ct/

Primers go to Grafs.com because the HazMat shipping is the lowest and no sales tax
here is a sample: UNIS GINEX PRIMER 5.56mm NATO-SPEC 5000/CS $130.00
 
Don't forget the Dillon RL-550C. I've loaded or load for:

9mm
.40 S&W
.44 Spec/Mag
.45 ACP
.223/5.56
7mm-08
.308
30-06
.303 British
45-70

And probably a couple others I'm forgetting. Very versatile press. I have a single stage press around here somewhere; haven't used it since the 80's. Thank God I didn't start out with that; I would've quit reloading and taken up knitting or something. Pretty much a complete waste of time except for perhaps some single job you need done like primer swaging.
 
FTG-05":1klslw3k said:
Don't forget the Dillon RL-550C. I've loaded or load for:

9mm
.40 S&W
.44 Spec/Mag
.45 ACP
.223/5.56
7mm-08
.308
30-06
.303 British
45-70

And probably a couple others I'm forgetting. Very versatile press. I have a single stage press around here somewhere; haven't used it since the 80's. Thank God I didn't start out with that; I would've quit reloading and taken up knitting or something. Pretty much a complete waste of time except for perhaps some single job you need done like primer swaging.
Click to expand...

I started with a RCBS JR3 and a Hornady single stage. I then moved to a Dillon 650xl. I then sold the 650xl and went back to my single stage. The Dillon could crank out some ammo, but for what the OP is wanting which is higher quality rifle ammo, the single stage is better suited in my opinion.
 
I handload everything I shoot but I'm mainly a hunter so I don't load thousands of .223.

I have an RCBS Rock Chucker and it is the toughest press that I know of. I use it for sizing my SML bullets. My sizing dies are 7/8-14 thread so they screw right in. The full form dies actually have a piece of the barrel in them so as to actually cut the rifling into the bullet, They are the toughest to push thru so I made a multiplier and handle extension. In other words, I haven't been able to break the Rock Chucker with my 250 lbs on the extended handle. It is one tough press. The negative is that it cannot use quick release die adapters like the Hornady and Lee use.

I have a LEE PRECISION Breech lock Challenger press that I use for all of my reloading. For a cheap press, I have had excellent service from it. It uses quick release die adapters that I really like. For example, once the die is at the required height, a lock screw is set on the adapter. The die can be removed and reinserted with the settings such as bullet seating depth, amount of crimp, sizing die settings never changing. This is really handy when loading different calibers. I can take out 308 dies and insert 30-06 dies and they are already set so all I do is check the OAL of the first one. PRESS https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Br ... B008F5H636
Die adapters https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION-Br ... FP9WK7726A

Get yourself a good digital scale. I like the RCBS Chargemaster but it is over $300
I have a Lyman scale that has served me well. It is less costly. https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Micro-Touc ... rcbs+scale

Powder funnel https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-Powder-F ... r+trickler

Case sizing lube https://www.amazon.com/Hornady-9991-Spr ... Shot+Spray

powder trickler https://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Zee-Univer ... r+trickler

Universal Priming tool https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-90201-Unive ... sal+primer
 
FTG-05":14il5yl0 said:
Read up, no reason you can't have your cake and eat it too:

https://www.ar15.com/forums/general/True-or-False-Progressive-reloading-presses-produce-ammo-that-is-less-accurate-than-a-single-stage/5-2161927/
Click to expand...

Lol, did you actually read the comments?

It isn't about which "press" makes better ammo as much as which "process" makes better Ammo. Using a volumetric metered powder throw will never be as consistent (accurate) as individual weighed powder charges. Don't think you'll find many people with experience with both presses that will disagree. They both have their place, but one is not best at everything.
 
Sounds like you're taking it personal, don't know why. It *should* be a civil conversation.

Whenever this discussion comes up, people who argue against progressives for whatever reason seem to forget that a manually operated progressive, like the RL-550, can be operated as a multi-single stage press not just as a progressive press.

In other words, there's no reason to run 4 rounds through at once. You can do one, two, three or four as you need to. You can also do just one operation at a time (e.g. resize and deprime only).

Want to individually measure the powder for each round? Nothing stopping you. Just remove the resized and reprimed case out of the press, load the powder into the case via whatever you process you want, reenter into the press to seat the bullet and so on. It's not hard to load accurate rounds with it and then change it to full progressive and really crank out the rounds when you want to. Something that, by definition, can't be done with a single stage.

In other words, with a progressive like the RL-550, you have lots of options as you gain experience and decide to shoot and reload different calibers. The biggest downside is the cost.
 

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