First Reloading Setup

torquimata

I just bought my 12 yr old his first varmint/deer rifle, a Savage 11 in .243. I would also like to save up for Christmas for a reloading press, dies, etc to let us both have fun reloading for it. He had a blast this summer when I took him woodchuck hunting for the first time with an H&R one shot .223, got 7 chucks but now it's time for a bigger gun for deer also.

Can you gentlemen recommend a good, preferably all-inclusive, setup that has press, good powder scale, etc., don't need anything fancy just want to make reasonably accurate handloads for chucking and deer, don't intend to do match shooting. I know a little bit about this, reloaded 38s and 44s for my S&Ws a few years back with a LEE kit.

Thanks for your help,

Jon

richbug

Midwayusa has the Lee aniversary kit on sale for $65. Add a set of dies in the caliber of your choice, a good manual(lee, speer, lyman), and components, and you are in business. The Lee isn't the best press out there, but for the money noone else comes close. If you want to spend more money, buy the RCBS kit for about $300, and add the dies and components. Lee dies are top notch.

.

dcso3009

Ill second for the RCBS kit. That was the base for my setup. With that, a cliper, dies, and components you should be set.
I load all kids of rifle and pistol rounds in my rockchucker. RCBS has been very good about getting me parts when I loose them (they never brake, just get lost when the wife cleans up my bench for me...)

deadeye46

I'd recommend checking out a Lyman Expert kit or orange crusher kit,more of what you need is in this outfit and it's good quality "stuff"

JustC

RCBS makes a hell of a press. Buy the rock-chucker press with whatever kit you buy and you will be good to go. A powder thrower would speed things up a lot too. The micrometer adjustment they make for that is worth the money so you can quickly go from load to load,..and even gun to gun if you record the settings.

why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?

GaBob

If you buy a Rockchucker then it will never have to be upgraded. It is already top of the line. Lyman also makes an excellent press. Both can be purchased as complete kits with all that is need to get started. The Lee kits are much less expensive and will do for moderate amounts of reloading. The Lee products that I have used worked fine but did not hold up well in heavy useage.
I once ordered a Rockchucker for a friend. His daughter "oiled" it for him with Locktite. Took a hydraullic press to get the ram out. When RCBS staff stopped laughing they sent him a new ram.

Keep Your Powder Dry
NRA Life Member
The only criminal class that is native to the United States is congress.
MARK TWAIN

ContacFront

Another Vote for RCBS. I started out with the Lee kit and quickly realize that you get what you pay for. The Lee WILL WORK but the RCBS is much nicer.

JustC....I have a new love in my life. *Evil grin*

GUNFUNCO

I like RCBS as well. Lyman, Redding and RCBS all all very good companies and back up their stuff very well, but with RCBS, if you break small parts-you usually just call them and they send you the part and you don't even have to mail the old part back to them. Lee is OK but they usually only warranty their stuff for a year and after that-they want you to send one half of the current retail price (and almost nobody pays retail on reloading equipment) and they will send you a current, replacement item. If and when you decide to go progressive-go with Dillon-they are just like RCBS.

Another thing with RCBS-I once bought some Lee (regular) dies to use to make some 7.65 Argentine Mauser Ammo-My plan was to form the brass from some 30-06 brass I had. I bought the Lee dies as they were less expensive but would not form and size the brass enough to chamber and when I called Lee-they told me that I would need case forming dies at extra cost. I called RCBS and they told me that I could use their regular reloading dies to form the brass so I sent the Lee dies back and bought the RCBS. RCBS was right. They worked perfectly! RCBS has been my company of choice for non-progressive reloading equipment ever since. And guess what-those dies were paid for after reloading only 2 boxes of ammo.

I would like to make several suggestions-

1) Get a good reloading manual (like RCBS) and look thru it to see what you're in for.

2)Check the auction sites like Gunbroker (or even the other sites nobody mentions here) for used reloading equipment. There is usually lots of reloading stuff and you might find an auction for lot more than what you would get in a kit for less money.

Or buy a starter kit from RCBS with a Rockchucker press, but plan to spend another $100-$200 for the extra stuff you will want to buy after you start with the basics. I bought my first Rockchucker in 1979 and still use it for small jobs and special operations when I don't feel like firing up one of my Dillons-(I have 4 of them).

3)Then, (or before) get in touch with other reloaders
in your area-They are the ones hanging out at your local gun club or shooting ranges. Ask them if they would be willing to show you how to get started-(this is not as hard as it sounds-most reloaders are very friendly and are willing to show you the ropes to get you started)-Sometimes they might even have extra equipment to sell for a lot less money than buying new. Plus you will have made a friend and have someone to swap info and other gun stuff with.

Most reloaders find that after they get started, making up loads and reloading is almost as much fun and relaxing as the shooting and often move into progressive reloading where you can really crank out the ammo.

The only drawback I've found is that since I have 2 boys, 10 and 13, I get so busy watching and trying to get to their sports games and other activities, I don't have as much time to reload as I would like, BUT it was quite gratifying when my son and I stopped at a range a couple of weeks ago (we heard they were having a shooting match where you shoot bowling pins in a combat match) and asked if we could join in and shoot a few rounds with them. These guys had been shooting this for a few weeks and we walked up and ended up taking first and third place for that evening. Well, we would never had gotten that much shooting experience without reloading (and shooting) so much out in our backyard. And guess what-My son said it beat the crap out of his video games!

Anyway-check it out! Reloading is rewarding for those willing to follow some simple directions! And good luck!

Warbirds

The suggestion of checking the auctions for good used presses is a great idea. I have tons of reloading equipment purchased used through auctions here on gunbroker, I would estimate I have about several thousand in reloading equipment and I was able to pick up most of that stuff at a fraction of the cost. RCBS and Dillon still honor the warranties to the fullest, since I've bought used equipment I never had the need to buy lee stuff. It's not just the presses you can pick up, it's all the accessories, digital scales, tumblers, dies, and everything else.

R/

Dave

People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.

-- A. J. Liebling

dcloco

Go with RCBS. Used (NOT at a gunshow)...but online auctions...expect to pay 1/2 or less. I purchased a Rockchucker, that is literally - like new, for $40.

I also checked, in person, several manual case trimmers - I purchased a Forster. Why? All of the other accessories new, are 1/2 what the others are.