In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

What brand?

EhlerDaveEhlerDave Member Posts: 5,158 ✭✭
edited June 2007 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
What brand of reloading equipment do you use and why? I see people all the time with the brand A sucks or brand B is just no good But I want to know why?

I have been using a Lyman press and Lee dies for almost 30 years never had a single problem, this does not mean RCBS is bad or Lee is better it is just what I have used, so if you have a reason for one being better could ya let me know?

Thanks, David.
Just smile and say nothing, let them guess how much you know.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • HandgunHTR52HandgunHTR52 Member Posts: 2,735
    edited November -1
    I have a Lyman and an RCBS press. I have Lee, RCBS and Hornady Dies. Lyman Powder Measure and Scale. All the other accessories are mixed bag. I have never had a problem with anything and I love to spend time in my reloading room relaxing. I have come to the realization that with reloading equipment, the old saying "Keep it simple, Stupid." is definately true. The more complicated the gadget, the more things that can go wrong with it. Therefore, I have nothing bad to say about anything that I own.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BHAVINBHAVIN Member Posts: 3,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I use a Dillon 550 and an RCBS Rock Chucker JR. I have used seveal different presses. I ran a gun shop for three years and we were Dillon dealers. I use RCBS and Dillon dies and a couple sets of Lyman. The Hornady titanium nitride pistol dies work well but the tolerances in the rifle dies tend to be a bit looser than RCBS in my experience. The same for LEE. Does this cause problems? Not usually. One of thee main reasons I use RCBS and Dillon is the customer service. Have you tried Lyman cust service?[xx(] Every time I have called LEE they want more money to fix anything. I have not used Hornady cust service in years but at the time they were fine. Redding makes great equipment but I have never needed better than what I use and it runs more $$$. That is my story and I am sticking to it.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We are involved in what the economic experts like to call a "mature field". There is very little else we can do with the simple process of resizing-repriming-recharging-and placing a bullet into a case.

    All manufacturers make a good product. I have dies from RCBS, Hornaday, Lee and Redding. For most of my new dies I tend to go with Redding because it seems the finish is better. Note I said seems. I could be wrong.

    I have a HUGE old Herters C frame press for pistol loading a RCBS Big-Max for rifle and a Lyman turret press for keeping various dies set up as I reload. All of them do fine. I sold the Dillon 1000 commercial loader to buy some high end rifle stuff.

    For practical applications of target shooting, and hunting there does not seem to be a dimes worth of difference in performance of the parts and pieces we use. You are just as apt to get a bad die from one as you are the other manufacturer.

    Ultra precision shooting like Bench-rest is a different animal. The equipment used by these guys is very custom for each gun barrel shot and insanely expensive to obtain.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • OdawgpOdawgp Member Posts: 5,380 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    like everyone else, I have a little bit of everything, ussually what ever they had when i bought the die's to start reloading that particular caliber. Lee is ussually the cheapest the lock rings leave a little to be desired but they work. Reading $$$$$ alot of money, i buy rcb's, lee , lyman , hornaday.. if you are looking to relaod a new cartraige just out, be prepared to pay top dollar for the die's as the manufature has a monopoly on the caliber for a short while. at least until everyone else can catch up. for istance when the 204 ruger came out for months after hornaday had the only dies and they where alot of money. not to mention they made most of the factory ammo for a long time and brass was hard to find also. anyway i'll buy what ever they have but it also depends on how much money i have to spend then i go from there.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I have mainly Lee stuff as Lee is generally cheapest and for shooting surplus rifles, does the job just fine.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • veemaxveemax Member Posts: 31 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    30 years agoo I started with a Rock Chucker which served me well.
    I only load rifle ammunition in various calibers and had dies from RCBS which are ok.
    some time agoo I bought a second press, a Forster Coax with Forster Bench Rest dies for the calibers I do load most frequently, and they have the advantage of the micrometer adjustment on the seater die, which I really like, because I keep record of the settings and they can be reproduced perfectly.
    I think, there is no really bad stuff on the market, because the customers quality awareness would have it shifted out immediately and the mouth-to-mouth advertising in our close community would have been killing the brand right away.
    I think, maintenance and use of the right oils and greases will keep our stuff on going almost forever.
    Regards,
    Paul Tummers.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sig220_Ruger77Sig220_Ruger77 Member Posts: 12,754 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Me and my dad have shared reloading equipment and supplies since I got into it and we have all Lee stuff, with the exception of a few things. Never really had any problems with it.

    Jon
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bangbangusabangbangusa Member Posts: 69 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have been using a dillon 550 for years, And also, slowly but surely, have switched to their dies also. They stand behind their product, the press is a joy to use, and I can sit any pump out rounds for hours at a time, without having to reset the powder measure, due to superior design. I check it occasionally, but dont have to adjust it.

    The first round is the same as the last round.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mk 19Mk 19 Member Posts: 8,170
    edited November -1
    Dillon, you just can't beat the service.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bangbangusa
    I have been using a dillon 550 for years, And also, slowly but surely, have switched to their dies also. They stand behind their product, the press is a joy to use, and I can sit any pump out rounds for hours at a time, without having to reset the powder measure, due to superior design. I check it occasionally, but dont have to adjust it.

    The first round is the same as the last round.



    +1
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCorversSCorvers Member Posts: 2,063 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I gots what I gots because that's what was given to me or I picked up in a deal. They all do the job and are in competition for your bidness. The main factor is the nut at the end of the handle.
    My junk....

    RCBS Rockchucker
    Dillion 450
    RCBS (OHaus) scale
    Redding metric scoops
    Herters scoops
    Herter dies
    Lee Dies
    RCBS dies
    RCBS calipers
    Herters powder funnel
    Lyman Case cleaner
    Lee Auto prime
    Lyman case trimmer
    and a bunch of other junk. Werx fer me.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • veemaxveemax Member Posts: 31 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Mk 19
    Dillon, you just can't beat the service.

    Suppose, I will buy a Dillon and get some kind of trouble with it and need to replace a part to have it going again, does Dillon provide me for free with the parts over here in the Netherlands just as the do to owners of their products in the USA?
    Regards,
    Paul Tummers.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BHAVINBHAVIN Member Posts: 3,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't know about Dillon in regards to international shipping. Check out their web site it may help. www.bluepress.com
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • veemaxveemax Member Posts: 31 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by BHAVIN
    I don't know about Dillon in regards to international shipping. Check out their web site it may help. www.bluepress.com

    Hi,
    Thank you for your help, I just sent them a mail to find out what there is left of their unlimited lifetime warranty to the first-owner.
    If I have to pay for the parts or have to wait weeks or perhaps months for the parts to be delivered, due to the Export Regulations, there is not mucht left over from it.
    Fact is, I do not really need the press, but I like to play, and getting such a press making ammo exactly the way I want it, and my standards are very high, to is a challenge for me.
    Regards,
    Paul Tummers.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought Lee equipment about 25 years ago because it was cheap and I didnt know anything about reloading and was not going to drop a lot of money in it.Now I am like everyone else and have a little of this and that.I used the orginal Lee O frame press until about a year ago and bought a Lee cast iron press but the old one still works fine.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • geterdon69geterdon69 Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    lee stuff is pretty good and cheap but--- when you want to seat a bullet, i think you can do better .my opinion is you need a benchrest bullet seater die. i ck ebay frequently for these dies.they are there you have to look and wait sometimes ,but be patient .you can buy them for more than half the price of new or less.if you have problems buy a concentricity guage and tolerate less than 3,000 run out on bullet. 5 to 20,000 from rifling and i think, your groups will shrink and be very consistent. if you have more questions please ask.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • veemaxveemax Member Posts: 31 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by veemax
    quote:Originally posted by Mk 19
    Dillon, you just can't beat the service.

    Suppose, I will buy a Dillon and get some kind of trouble with it and need to replace a part to have it going again, does Dillon provide me for free with the parts over here in the Netherlands just as the do to owners of their products in the USA?
    Regards,
    Paul Tummers.

    Well, I now know a little bit more about Dillon's foreign policy;
    I asked for some spare primer decapping pins, I of course can have two for free, unfortunately the shipping will be $25.00 to The Netherlands.
    At Dillon they gave me the advise, to order some more pins/small parts to justify the shipping costs.
    Regards,
    Paul Tummers.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.