Reloading equipment

[Pappy Hayes]

What would you suggest for a first timer at reloading to buy to start reloading? I will be reloading 44Colt, 44Russian, 44-40 and 30-30. The 30-30 is for my son-in-law. Eventually I will do some reloading using Pennicale bp substitute buy will start out with smokeless.

[Black River Smith]

I started with Lee single stage press 17 years ago and still like them. If not reloading excessive amounts of ammo the single stage works just fine, at least for me.  I started with the aluminum C press, then moved to the aluminum O (Challenger) and now have the cast iron O (Classic).  I still have all of them, they perform different functions for me.

I mainly have Lee dies, resizers and factory crimps.  I load the same calibers that you have listed (except the 30/30) plus others.  I do use Lyman dies for some calibers.

If cost is concern then start with the Challenger but for $60+ the Classic has the additional strength and secure feel when sizing and pressing hard.

Also I would buy a RCBS Rock Chucker for the right price but new is too costly for me.

[Bristow Kid]

Pappy,
I am also new to reloading and I was checking this out as a beginning set up.  Go to www .cabelas.com   Then look up stock number XT-21-0524.  Its called the Lee Anniversary Reloading Kit.  Looks like a good buy for the basics.

[Standpat Steve]

Howdy Pappy Hayes,

If you know that reloading is for you, and you want to buy one press that will load both handgun and rifle and use it for life-I would recommend the Dillon 550 (which is what I ended up with after a series of Lee presses). If, on the other hand, you are not sure if you will really be doing much reloading, or will try it and not care for it-the Lee turret press is a great value and a great place to start to see if reloading is for you. I am not sure if the Lee turret press will handle 30-30 however, so it would pay to ask before plunking down any hard earned money.

[Howdy Doody]

I started with the Lyman turret press. Worked fine until I found that I was shooting so much I needed a progressive press and went with the Dillon 650. I still don't have the case loader, but the time I spend loading has been cut by more than half.
Now a Dillon is a sizable investment, but it does save time. If you have the time then most anyones single stage seems to work well.
Any way you look at it, for CAS you are way ahead by getting into reloading, since you can now adjust powder and bullet weight for the short distances we shoot at. Plus there is a savings unless you shoot black.

[Cyrille]

I have said this before; for someone just getting into handloading, a Lee Loader (handloading in specfic calibers) is the most economical.
One loads entirly by hand or manually. There is no press; a resizing die is provided along with a decapping rod, priming rod, priming chamber, decapping chamber, powder dipper, bullet seater etc. Mine cost around $25.95 about a year ago.
But it is s-l-o-w going. However I enjoy it and it does the job.
Of course you'll need other things a scale to weigh the powder charge and/or bullets if you cast them yourself, a powder funnel is a must, a rubber or plastic hammer if you go my way; A kinnic bullet puller is also good to have, a powder tricklier is useful but not necessary.

[Arcey]

Whewwwwwwwwwwwwwww...............

That was longer ago than I care ta remember.

Circumstances ain't important but there was a time when I found myownself sittin' fer hours in a '68 GMC van with little ta do.  Was shootin' PPC back then.  Small charge ah Bullseye 'n a wadcutter in .38 Special.

Pack up all the stuff.  Pull the horn button off 'n there was the raw end ah the steerin' shaft – made for a nice anvil.  Sit there 'n hammer tagether a box or two.

Went a long time 'n never assembled a cartridge when I weren't getting' paid fer doin' somethin' else.

Hehehehehehe..  Wunner where that Lee Loader is?  Gottah be 'round here somewhere...

[Pappy Hayes]

I am looking at the RCBS RC Supreme Master Reloading kit from Cabelas. Between this one and the Lee Anniversary Reloading kit, which one would you veteran reloaders suggest. I would like a Dillon but they are expensive and I want to start out with something a little more simplier since this will be my first time in reloading. What dies and shell holdes will I need for the 44Colt/Russian and the 44-40?

My other option would be to pay someone to reload for me if the lived close enough and could reload what I shoot.

[Howdy Doody]

Go RCBS all the way then. I love RCBS dies. I have nothing but good things to say about them. In particular I bought a set of dies when I bought my 38-55 rifle and had issues. I got a set of the RCBS cowboy dies for the 38-55 and it made a world of difference.
I have never had to get anything RCBS fixed or anything, but those that have, say they stand behind their products all the way.

[Arcey]

If money don't matter go with the RCBS.  Lee will get ya goin' without a doubt but there's no comparison in quality.  If ya keep it up, the RCBS stuff will never wear out.  If I told ya about their customer service, you wouldn't believe me.  In a word, Outstanding.

I will say I'd rather have Lee dies.  Even if ya get RCBS stuff, go out 'n get ya a Lee Factory Crimp die for everything ya load.  Ain't that the RCBS stuff is bad, just the Lee seems a l'il easier ta get along with.

[Delmonico]

I own Equpt. from most companies, to do it again I'd by one of the kits.

I have an RCBS press O bought used about 30 years ago, it is about 40.  I broke the handle a couple years ago, they didn't have one for it, but sent me complete linkage and ram for a newer model that would fit in my press, that way they could send me a handle that would work.

One thing, I like to see folks start out on a single-stage, it's easier to learn.  A single-stage is still useful when you decide to get a progessive.  Things like the 30-30, how many are you really gonna crank out.  Also useful for load testing.

[Bitterwheat]

I have five different Lee Presss. But I use the lee turrent press the most with the auto indes. you can get one thru Midway for about 62 dollars get your dies and the lee auto disc powder loader. and You can't go wrong

[Limp Along Charlie]

Greetings all, I would have to add my opine in the reloading equipment...go with Dillon. Over the last 35 years I have used LEE, RCBS, Lyman and  Hornady and I have to say Dillon is the best product line I have ever used. I am using an old 450 press with upgrades to a 550 that is IMHO the easiest and fastest reloading machine I have ever used. If I had bought a Dillon at first I would not have a ton of other unused equipment in my closet (much has been sold). If you have ANY poblem with a Dillon reloading product they will bend over backwards to make it right...no questions asked....even if it is your own fault...no matter who bought the machine or when.  I have called them for a couple of parts on the priming parts and they will send it out that day...not one but four of the needed small parts. I feel that in the sport of CAS where large amounts of ammo is spent a good progressive press is needed and you will save bucks by buying what you will probably end up with anyway. Go with a Dillon 550 (they will even set it up for you) if you will load more than one cal. and a Dillon Square Deai B if only one cal.( comes set up). Their life time warrantee is indeed a no questions asked life tim warrantee. Just my honest opinion, LAC

[Driftwood Johnson]

I think the RCBS press is a fine idea. I am a firm believer in learning to reload on a single stage press, not a progressive machine. Learning to load on a single stage you concentrate on the actual process of reloading, not trying to trouble shoot a cantankerous Rube Goldberg contraption. Once you have the skills and discipline of reloading down, you can always upgrade to a progressive machine. The choice between RCBS and Lee is purely one of money. You get what you pay for. Many folks learn to load just fine on a Lee and use them for years. But the RCBS equipment is sturdier. Dies you can buy from anybody. The threads are standardized, except for one model from Dillon. RCBS makes fine dies, and RCBS stands behind their equipment just as well as Dillon does. They just don't shout it from the rooftops. You will need specific dies for 44-40 and 30-30. For 44 Russian you should be able to use 44 Magnum/44 Special dies. I don't think anybody makes specific dies for 44 Russian. However, be sure you can thread the dies into the machine far enough to deal with the short 44 Russian cases. You might not be able to do so with all brands. Ask first to be sure. I have no idea about 44 Colt. All the reloading companies publish charts that list what shellholder is needed for what calibers. Many shellholders can be used for multiple calibers. You can use the same one for 44-40 and 38-40. I suspect you can use a 44Mag/Sp shellholder for 44 Russian, but I'm not absolutely sure. I have no idea about 44 Colt.

One thing about progressives and single stages. Eventually you will probably want to move up to a Progressive. Progressive presses really come into their own for pistol ammo as we tend to shoot lots and lots of rounds out of pistols. You may want to keep your single stage around for 30-30 though. Most rifle shooters don't burn up anywhere near as much ammo as pistol shooters, and the single stage may be fine for that. I kept my single stage press when I moved up to a progressive, and I use it today to load 45-70.

[deucedaddyj]

Since we're on the subject, what would someone need to do if he wanted to upgrade a standard kit to handle black powder?

[Driftwood Johnson]

Since we're on the subject, what would someone need to do if he wanted to upgrade a standard kit to handle black powder?

That's a pretty controversial subject. I started out reloading BP with a set of Lee dippers. About $10. I still reload my BP shotgun shells on my MEC Jr with the Lee dippers. For my progressive machine I eventually bought a Lyman BP powder measure and mounted it on the machine. A little over $100 if I recall correctly.

Of course this equipment has nothing to do with specialized bullets and lubes. That's a whole nother story.

[Ozark Tracker]

here's a link to Powder Inc. website, here in Arkansas.  they have a black powder measure,  anti static kit they sell.  It might be of interest to some.

http://www.powderinc.com/cgi-bin/bpstore/perlshop.cgi?ACTION=thispage&thispage=anti_static_kit.htm&ORDER_ID=212364435

[Dakota Widowmaker]

NOTE: Reloading equipment is like religion, everyon has one and thinks theirs is better and flame wars have started cause of an innocent question. I am not saying other loading equipment is bad, just that Lee has done a pretty fair job with theirs and caliber changes are easier and cheaper than with anyone else's setup.

[If I were only going to load 2 calibers, I would just get a pair of Dillon Square Deal B setups and be done... hindsight is 20-20]

Well, for BP loading, a turret or a progressive is kinda tricky.

I use a Lee Pro1000 with the older self returning AutoDisk measure. I load the hopper with Pyrodex or such and just work it as normal. I use PRS or Mav Dutchman style big lube boolits.

The nice thing about the Pro1000, you can swap die sets on top with just pulling out the old and putting in a new. If you don't have to change shell holders, its a 15 second swap. Otherwise, its and extra 10 mins to swap carriers and/or plates.

I keep a small primer and a larger primer carrier base for when I swap calibers. I actually picked up a couple extra of each on ebay and other places for cheap. so, when I want to change caliber, I don't mess with much at all.

The Lee die holder plates are like $8.

I will say this about Lee, you must keep it always CLEAN AS POSSIBLE!!! Spilled powder or such requires getting out the vacumm and compressed air immediately.

Watch carefully the primer tray and powder resivoir. If either gets low, you end up with bad primers or flipped. Worse yet, squibs if you don't watch your powder level.

The Lee powder measures will work with Pyrodex just fine and even GOEX. (I only tried goes in my hopper for a while, until I made the decision to get rid of all of my Pyrodex first)

The dies are cheap, sturdy, and easy to use.

[Montana Slim]

I started with a Lee Turret press 18 yrs ago ....and am still using it to load all my CAS and other ammo. The auto-disk powder measure and other add-ons are easy to setup, use and change out to other calibklers/loads. The machine doubles as a single-stage, when that is handier. Nothing wrong with Lee Dies, either. Load lots of 44's on it including 44 Russian & 44-40...... Down-side...it's only a semi-progressive, so the Dillon can triple your output. 200 rds per hour has worked ok for me, though.

I load a LOT of calibers & the Lee gear has kept the cost fairly low, quick / simple to re-configure.
I second the idea of buying a Dillon if your only going to be loading 1-2 different cartridges.

Slim