The best reloading kit?

[JasonTX]

Now that I have a few hundred once fired 7mm WSM, and a few thousand .45 ACP Winchester brass saved up I want to get started. The LGS and online retailers offer some kits to make getting started easier but I do not know which to go with so I was wondering if I could get some recomendations (brand, model, etc.) I dont want to buy what I dont need or need what I did not buy. I plan to reload both rifle and .45/ 38 super, so if possible I want equipment that will do both. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Cheers! J

[samson7x]

Everyone will likely advise you to buy a few reloading books and read them before making a purchase. I have "Lee modern reloading" but there are many others. I would think about starting with a single stage kit for the rifle to learn the process and later buy a progressive for the pistol rounds, depending on your shooting quantity demands.

[JasonTX]

I just bought the RCBS book but have not read it yet. My .45 needs are typically 200-400 rounds per week. Rifle no more than 40. I dont know if this is considered enough to warrant a progressive. (or is it?)

[Fa2]

Lee turret press use it as a single stage to learn on, then enable the auto index to crank out a few hundred 45s per hour.

[rfd]

from my perspective ... understand the reloading process, at the very least get the lyman's 49th edition and do that right now, think about how much ammo you require per week, how much time you have to devote to loading, how many dollar$ you got to spend.

there are 3 press styles - single, turret and progressive. all will get the job done for pistol ammo, just with varying degrees of speed.

for a newbie looking to make a few hundred rounds per week, i always recommend the inexpensive lee classic turret press. buy a really good powder scale, at the very least something like an rcbs 502 or 505. get carbide pistol dies. press or hand prime - read up about both and make an educated guess as to what you think will work best for you. none of this stuff is that expensive. when it comes to powder, pick a powder that will allow a large working range of weights as that will give you the largest margin of start load to max load of safety. for reusing brass, a tumbler is mandatory, too.

but, if you have the need for volume loading, the desire to do so, and the buck$ - a dillon 550b progressive is a thing of speed and beauty. not saying you need one, just saying it's surely a progressive of choice by many if not most.

[pleasant1911]

i am new to reloading too. I seen alot of presses, before i bought my lee single press. I think i bought the whole 50th anniversery ed. for about 120 or so. it came with everything. its fun and simple. but if you have like 200+ to spend, i would get one that would look really nice in your shop. but i think you should not go single stage press, even if your new. go with at least the turrent presses.

[Nathan]

I like this kit from Lyman. It is a good wat to learn and make about the volume you want. If you want more volume, you will go progressive eventually, but this kit will still get used.

http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-T-Mag-Ma.../dp/B005I0KUZC

Personally, I prefer the beam scale, but the price is right here. An electronic scale usually can't be trickled into like you will likely do for your WSM.

That kit is here:
http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Reloadin...6910851&sr=1-2

[TheTinMan]

I really like Hornady's single-stage kits except for the crappy, battery powered scale. Hornady's quick-change bushings are great because they make swapping dies very fast and your die settings stay consistent. (Note: you can get a conversion insert from Hornady that will fit in RCBS and several other single-stage presses.) Hornady's powder measure is really good in terms of consistency. Just be aware that you need both the rifle rotor and the pistol rotor. Trying to throw accurate pistol charges with the much larger chamber of the rifle rotor is a PITA. The hand-held priming tool comes with two plastic trays - one for Hornady shell holders and another for RCBS shell holders. Also, Hornady bullets are pretty popular and I always want the manual (or at least data) from the bullet manufacturer if possible.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/149...ess-deluxe-kit

I mentioned the cheap electronic scale. A good balance beam is a much better alternative in terms of accuracy and consistency than an inexpensive electronic scale. No matter what kind of scale you get, please get a set of check weights too. That's the only way to be confident that you're getting the charge weights you think you are aiming at.

If you are loading rifle cartridges, you also need a case trimmer, chamfer and deburring tool(s), and a case gauge of some sort for each cartridge (Wilson's are good).

A decent set of calipers is essential.

Sierra's "Exterior Ballistics" site is a wealth of good info:
http://www.exteriorballistics.com/re...sics/index.cfm

[markbob45]

I have the Lyman kit shown in post #7. I've had it almost 20 years. It's been a good kit to start with, nearly everything you need. The nice thing is you can do several steps on a given caliber without changing dies. Or leave the seating and crimping dies in place for a couple calibers to make it easier to switch back and forth. I've been very happy with it.

[dewidmt]

I loaded many thousands of rounds with a simple Lee Anniversary kit. Still load all my pistol on a single staqe, I just like the simple things I guess. I typically load about 2-300 hundred a week during the IDPA season.

[nevada 1911]

The newer lyman press is not the same quality as the old orange press by far, I like the Hornady equipment, first class and very well made.

[markbob45]

Originally Posted by nevada 1911

The newer lyman press is not the same quality as the old orange press by far, I like the Hornady equipment, first class and very well made.

I think your right. I have noticed the other components of the new Lyman kit do not seem to be of the same quality as the ones in my kit from 20 years ago. My press is orange. I don't now about the quality of the new press itself though.

[rfd]

if yer talking turret presses, imho none can touch the redding t-7 for robust precision. my t-7 turret is loaded for both .45acp and .38spl ...

[markbob45]

Originally Posted by rfd

if yer talking turret presses, imho none can touch the redding t-7 for robust precision. my t-7 turret is loaded for both .45acp and .38spl ...

That does look solid. I like my Lyman turret but I do notice a small amount of flex on the turret when pressure is applied during decapping/resizing, and sometimes even during seating/crimping.
I like turret presses idea because they save time and frustration getting dies set. but a single die press like a RCBS rock chucker is probably more solid.
Any vertical movement in turret with the redding?

[rfd]

i was told there is an *intentional* .005" vertical movement, but danged if i see or feel it. redding should call this t-7 press the "t-rex", it's that massive, SOLID, 100% USA made and built like a brick, well, er, you know.

[BYJO4]

Been loading over 35 years now and really enjoy it. Based on what I've learned over the years and the fact that just starting out you plan to load about 400 45 rounds a week, I would get a progressive. I also suggest that you look at the Hornady LNL AP. I think it is a great progressive for the money and can easily be used as a single stage if conditions warrant it. Good luck with whatever you decide on.

[bflying]

Never met anyone with a Dillon that didn't like it.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/

[TheTinMan]

Originally Posted by markbob45

That does look solid. I like my Lyman turret but I do notice a small amount of flex on the turret when pressure is applied during decapping/resizing, and sometimes even during seating/crimping.
I like turret presses idea because they save time and frustration getting dies set. but a single die press like a RCBS rock chucker is probably more solid.
Any vertical movement in turret with the redding?

Lyman's T-Mag II turret press has an adjustable stem in back which allows you to limit flex to almost nothing. I don't try to resize .308 Winchester cases with the T-Mag II, but it's fine for expanding, seating and crimping any pistol cartridge IMHO.

Originally Posted by bflying

Never met anyone with a Dillon that didn't like it.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/

While I understand that your Dillon press makes you very happy, this really isn't a constructive contribution. Please look at rfd's post #5 as an example of a constructive recommendation for a Dillon press.