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2/4/2012 6:25:05 PM EDT
I have a Rockchucker and everything to load normal calibers but want to reload .50 BMG.

What will I need over and above the standard items to load the 50?

I was thinking of getting the Hornady kit.  Is there a a better setup I should be looking at?  What will I need that isn't in the kit?

Thanks
2/4/2012 6:39:59 PM EDT
[#1]
I am an avowed fan of the Blue Koolaid... But seriously consider the Lee kit.   Well under 200$ for a press and dies.   Big downside is that the .50 dies are proprietary sized where green, big red and such are all on one standard,

The Lee kit included all I needed other than a trim gauge and a case neck chamfer / deburr tool and a crimp die.   It included a FL sizer and a Seater die as well as a ram prime for use on the classic cast press (also part of the kit, a very solid press by the way).  The .50 kit also included a ram head for "standard" cartridges as well as the primer arms for small and large primers... If I had to start over reloading, that kit would be high on my list.

I got a trimmer and gauge pretty cheap used and grabbed a chamfer.deburr tool intended for big safari cartridges and the Lee crimp die was cheap... Well under the price of the RCBS dies alone and I was set to reload for my AR50.

Thusrar, I have had no complaints on the Lee kit.  I have only been neck sizing brass that has been fired once in my rifle though, my tune might change if I were to have to FL size some brass pumped through Ma Deuce.

I generally will suggest Lee as a decent beginner point... But in this case, their product made sense for my needs and has filled the role nicely to date.
2/5/2012 7:06:20 AM EDT
[#2]
The Lee Kit is good togo for use on Ma duece brass, as I recall when I was sizing once fired Ma duece brass I'd lube the case very well using Imperial and start the sizing stroke til it got difficult, back off smooth out the lube a little more and then finish full length sizing. This worked very well for me.

I loaded 200 rds long ago and I'm still shooting them... but I'm starting to get low on loaded rounds.



Jason
2/5/2012 10:38:06 AM EDT
[#3]
I bought the RCBS ammomaster kit for the 50 and have been happy with it. The Hornady is virtually the same press. I heard their dies are a little bit better than the RCBS ones.
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