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Posted: 7/17/2014 11:27:26 AM EDT
| Looking to get into reloading as I have started to shoot a lot more than I have in past years. I have a question about what is a good "budget" way to get into it? I have found a kit form Midway for ~$130 heres the link http://www.midwayusa.com/product/121744/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press-kit?cm_vc=PopCat Is that a decent kit to get started with? Or would i be better off to buy everything separate? Thanks in advance! |
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I have a strong dislike for the Lee safety scale. It can be accurate
if you're careful with it though. Other than that the guts of the kit will work fine. I spent many years with a single stage press as my only press. A little slow but good to learn on and gets the job done. |
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You can get the same kit for $114 with free shipping from Amazon.
I started with that exact kit and never used the scale, but used pretty much everything else. It's always good to start with a single stage and later down the line, if you shoot more, the upgrade to a progressive. It gives you a good grasp on reloading basics by individually and carefully loading each round. After a while though I went toward a progressive because I was sick of it taking up a chunk of my afternoon to reload enough ammo for one range trip. Now with a progressive it takes up a fraction of the time in comparison. |
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Well I know dryfalsh3 will come in and also direct you to this
http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=406 Second when it comes to shopping for sure look all around before you buy each website has some deals As the first post stated the Lee Scale is terrible. I have the hornady GS-1500 and its a quite decent scale for the price (also have a 5-0-5 RCBS manual scale as well) But the digital will give you less grief (specially compared to Lee Scale) Don't be afraid to get another manual. While most would recommend Lyman's 49th (I have myself) But don't hesitate getting Norma's book. It just came out. Why do I suggest it? Well there is still a powder shortage. And at least in my experience Norma hasn't been too popular of powder but their last book was quite awhile ago. I don't see many Nomra data in those. ETA: As to the above statement I know some would disagree, but if your gonna start reloading now you'll need to use anything just to do something. |
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Quoted:
Well I know dryfalsh3 will come in and also direct you to this http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=406 Second when it comes to shopping for sure look all around before you buy each website has some deals As the first post stated the Lee Scale is terrible. I have the hornady GS-1500 and its a quite decent scale for the price (also have a 5-0-5 RCBS manual scale as well) But the digital will give you less grief (specially compared to Lee Scale) Don't be afraid to get another manual. While most would recommend Lyman's 49th (I have myself) But don't hesitate getting Norma's book. It just came out. Why do I suggest it? Well there is still a powder shortage. And at least in my experience Norma hasn't been too popular of powder but their last book was quite awhile ago. I don't see many Nomra data in those. ETA: As to the above statement I know some would disagree, but if your gonna start reloading now you'll need to use anything just to do something. I had issues with that scale when I first started. I went to an rcbs 5-0-5 scale and have never looked back. I'm also partial to Hornady, RCBS, Redding, Dillon products. IMO the best thing Lee makes is the Factory Crimp Die. |
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Lee's Classic Cast press can be purchased for under $100 delivered. If you shop around you'll get one at your door step for close $85.00. It's as good as any major maker press on the market. I would strongly suggest that you not buy anything cheaper than that. Cast iron presses will last your lifetime, other materials probably won't.
Buy Imperial Sizing Die Wax, it's the best lube available and you won't need a pad because you apply it (lightly) with your fingers Lee makes the cheapest dies, I don't recommend them. They "work" fine, but are inferior in every way to any other brands. You get what you pay for. Buy a mechanical scale. A cheap mechanical scale is head and shoulders better than a cheap electronic scale. While I understand your basic need (want) to get started with the least possible expenditure, you will end up replacing every piece of economy reloading gear you buy if the bug takes hold. Buying things twice is the biggest waste of money known to man. Buy decent equipment to start with and it will stay with you until the day you die. |
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Quoted: Ok thanks guys! I will be reloading mostly for 9mm. Does this press have the ability to reload 5.56 as well? I plan on buying an AR pretty soon too. And I read some of the reviews and most said they bought a different scale. Then give this thread a look. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/263380_Everything_You_Wanted_to_Know_About_Reloading_But_Was_Afraid_to_Ask.html That kit you linked will also load 223 with the proper dies and shellholder. That's a starter kit, as you gain more experience you will probably want to upgrade some of the tools. |
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Quoted: Lee's Classic Cast press can be purchased for under $100 delivered. If you shop around you'll get one at your door step for close $85.00. It's as good as any major maker press on the market. I would strongly suggest that you not buy anything cheaper than that. Cast iron presses will last your lifetime, other materials probably won't. Buy Imperial Sizing Die Wax, it's the best lube available and you won't need a pad because you apply it (lightly) with your fingers Lee makes the cheapest dies, I don't recommend them. They "work" fine, but are inferior in every way to any other brands. You get what you pay for. Buy a mechanical scale. A cheap mechanical scale is head and shoulders better than a cheap electronic scale. While I understand your basic need (want) to get started with the least possible expenditure, you will end up replacing every piece of economy reloading gear you buy if the bug takes hold. Buying things twice is the biggest waste of money known to man. Buy decent equipment to start with and it will stay with you until the day you die. Welcome to reloading. I like reloading as much as shooting. Maybe my definition of cheap is different, but I respectfully disagree with the statement above, in red. If I were to start over procurring reloading equipment from scratch, I'd buy one of the kits, and then buy a decent electronic scale second. It's the first upgrade I recommend to anyone new, even before tumblers/vibratory cleaners. My opinion, FWIW. Disclosure, I use a Pact scale like this one: http://pact.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=31 Looks like their $90 now, straight from Pact. I think I paid less than $60, but that was probably 10+ years ago. Mine's still going strong. I've been reloading since 1995, and currently reload for almost 40 different cartridges. |
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Quoted:
Welcome to reloading. I like reloading as much as shooting. Maybe my definition of cheap is different, but I respectfully disagree with the statement above, in red. If I were to start over procurring reloading equipment from scratch, I'd buy one of the kits, and then buy a decent electronic scale second. It's the first upgrade I recommend to anyone new, even before tumblers/vibratory cleaners. My opinion, FWIW. Disclosure, I use a Pact scale like this one: http://pact.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=31 Looks like their $90 now, straight from Pact. I think I paid less than $60, but that was probably 10+ years ago. Mine's still going strong. I've been reloading since 1995, and currently reload for almost 40 different cartridges. Quoted:
Quoted:
Lee's Classic Cast press can be purchased for under $100 delivered. If you shop around you'll get one at your door step for close $85.00. It's as good as any major maker press on the market. I would strongly suggest that you not buy anything cheaper than that. Cast iron presses will last your lifetime, other materials probably won't. Buy Imperial Sizing Die Wax, it's the best lube available and you won't need a pad because you apply it (lightly) with your fingers Lee makes the cheapest dies, I don't recommend them. They "work" fine, but are inferior in every way to any other brands. You get what you pay for. Buy a mechanical scale. A cheap mechanical scale is head and shoulders better than a cheap electronic scale. While I understand your basic need (want) to get started with the least possible expenditure, you will end up replacing every piece of economy reloading gear you buy if the bug takes hold. Buying things twice is the biggest waste of money known to man. Buy decent equipment to start with and it will stay with you until the day you die. Welcome to reloading. I like reloading as much as shooting. Maybe my definition of cheap is different, but I respectfully disagree with the statement above, in red. If I were to start over procurring reloading equipment from scratch, I'd buy one of the kits, and then buy a decent electronic scale second. It's the first upgrade I recommend to anyone new, even before tumblers/vibratory cleaners. My opinion, FWIW. Disclosure, I use a Pact scale like this one: http://pact.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13&Itemid=31 Looks like their $90 now, straight from Pact. I think I paid less than $60, but that was probably 10+ years ago. Mine's still going strong. I've been reloading since 1995, and currently reload for almost 40 different cartridges. Great advice, I figured I would get an electronic scale. Seems to be more accurate and fool proof. my question is which kit to get? Like I said I dont want to spend a great amount of money just getting into it, but at the same time if I need to spend more for a decent kit I will. |
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OP, I was in the same boat as you, and looking at that very same kit for 223/556, 300 BLK and various pistol calibers. However, after doing quite a bit of reading online and asking others who reload, I'm going to get this kit from Hornady. You get more of the tools you are going to want to have, and overall better quality for the press and equipment. I'm sure you can find this for a better price online. My .02, YMMV et al
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