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best reloading equipment

the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
edited September 2010 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I want too start a poll with everyone to see which company makes the best reloading gear. Include press, dies and powder measure.


Ive used Lee, RCBS, and Hornaday, just bought my first Dillon (a 550) and so far I love it!

Lee's press's are OK but their primeing systems just plain dont work!
their dies are all good though! but SOME of their powder measures
rock!

RCBS is good middle of the road stuff, press's are good but I have'nt good luck with their dies, And their powder measures are OK, I think Lee's are better especialy when you put price into the mix


I dont own much Hornady stuff but have used a friends alot and like it all. Near top end stuff.

But Dillon just plain ROCKS!!! every thing they make that I used so far as been the BEST bar none!! at least so far (about two weeks of use)


So tell me what you think my fellow reloading nuts, I'd really like to know!!
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Comments

  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, there's Camdex, and than there's the rest [:D].
    Dillon for pistol and plinking rifle, MEC for shotgun, RCBS for single stage stuff, and than we can start talking about the "accuracy at all cost" brands of equipment
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  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    I've never seen Camdex stuff. You say its pretty good?
    who sells it? I'm always game to trying new gear!
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  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,382 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    He was joshin' you.
    Camdex makes powered mass production machines for commercial reloaders. Prices about like a pretty good pickup truck.
    http://www.camdexloader.com/Default.aspx

    Google found one for $5000, another $6500 used.

    Redding makes fine single stage presses and dies.
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  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    Redding makes fine single stage presses and dies.

    How are their competition dies? worth the price?
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  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    He was joshin' you.
    Camdex makes powered mass production machines for commercial reloaders. Prices about like a pretty good pickup truck.



    maybe some day I can afford it! That would be my dream business!
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    For best value- Lee.

    For best quality- Redding, Sinclair, or Wilson. Not that I have much of their stuff but have been VERY impressed with that I do have.

    Still....my stock Savage 12 .223 will shoot sub 1" groups with quality components from a rest at 300 yards (now that I've really wrung over the various loads) using Lee collet neck dies..... hard to beat that for a production rifle with ANY brand of dies.
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by the middle
    Redding makes fine single stage presses and dies.

    How are their competition dies? worth the price?


    I love the competition seater from Redding, well worth the price in my book.
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you ever used a STAR Reloader with indexer and case feeder You would never be satisfied with any other Progressive press . I have loaded over 350,000 rounds on ONE of mine that was used when I bought it from a police department. I did break one decapping pin "Berdan Primed Case" and Parts are available. The powder measure is THE BEST hands down it will load MATCH grade AMMO Lower SD velocity and better taper crimp then Blue / Green /Red /Orange presses. "PRAISE THE HARD-BALL GUN"
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  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    I love the competition seater from Redding, well worth the price in my book.



    Do they stay consistant? I have the RCBS version for .308. I'm not real happy with it because it will float between +.002 to -.002 of the number I want. I load mostly Sierra, but it also does it with Nosler and Hornady, unless there is a trick to it I havent found yet!

    Thank You for the response.
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  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,382 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What are you measuring, OAL?
    That is going to vary a bit unless you are trimming the meplats.
    The seating plug bears on the ogive and the usual measurement is with a gauge that figures the jump to the lands. The Hornady (ex Stoney Point) or Sinclair tool is made for the purpose.
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  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    I'm useing a comparator length

    One rifle I load for is very picky with length, it likes the bullet .008 off the lands, which is fine. When its there it's a tackdriver, but as little as that +/- .002 turns it from 1/2 moa to
    1 1/2 moa! that picky!

    I've been reloading for on and off for about 8 years, and until recently I loaded for volume (to save money over factory) now I want accuracy, and I've found that a whole new ball game!

    Want I know is from trail and error (and a few stuck bolts and poped primers!) but I have a long way to go.

    You wrote about trimming the meplats, is there a tool for that and is it hard? any tricks?

    I thank you greatly for the response!
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  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    May not be the best, But I have always put my trust in Lyman turret presses. I am a horse of a different color. Reload Technique and Prep comes first, equipment comes second.
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  • .410shooter.410shooter Member Posts: 23 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have used Lee, RCBS, Dillon, Mec, Lyman, and Hornady. Dillon is my favorite for straight walled cartridges. I use a Lyman single stage for rifle cartridges, and Mec for shot shells. My first progressive was a Hornady Lock-n-Load, I never loaded a single round on it, could not get it to seat primers flush, spent 3 or 4 hours on the phone with Hornady, final decision, according to the tech guy I am not skilled enough to use a progressive press! Best thing that ever happened, took the Hornady back and ordered my Dillon 550 the same day. Turns out I am skilled enough to use a progressive that works. Dillons no bs warranty is just that, finally had my first part failure about 15 years after I bought my press, sent an e-mail requesting a replacement at my expense. Got a short e-mail back saying: part is under warranty send your address for a free replacement. Dillon is the best in my book. RCBS also has an excelent warranty, had to replace the switch on my power case trimmer 20 years after I bought it, RCBS sent me the switch and even offered to install it if I wanted to send the trimmer to them. Customer service like that will keep my business as long as I am able to reload
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  • fire for effectfire for effect Member Posts: 121 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by jonk
    For best value- Lee.


    If you mean cheapest then I would have to agree, but best value hardly.
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  • Pistollero1050Pistollero1050 Member Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Started out 30 yrs ago with a lyman all-american turret press with RCBS dies and thought that was the best. I mixed in Lee,Lyman,Hornady,Redding dies and found Lyman,and redding were fine. Thought Hornady was junk because the decapping pin rod would slip all the time. Lee was okay just did'nt feel right. Today I still use the turret for large cal rifle. Now I use and love my Dillon 550B for pistol. And Lee dies are really getting good. They have a crimp die that resizes the brass as it taper crimps and I just think its the cats meow.
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  • the middlethe middle Member Posts: 3,089
    edited November -1
    The new Lee dies are good, compared to the older ones. especialy the carbide pistol dies.
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fire for effect
    quote:Originally posted by jonk
    For best value- Lee.


    If you mean cheapest then I would have to agree, but best value hardly.
    I will humbly disagree, or agree to disagree.

    To me best value means: accomplishes the goal I set forth to achieve at the lowest price while not taking any longer or more effort than more expensive options- or if it does, not appreciably longer at any rate. On the other side, if it costs more, it must do the job better and/or faster to warrant the extra money.

    Lee dies and a lee press will reload ammo as quickly and efficiently as any other single stage press or dies (I do think their progressive presses are chinzy), and as accurately as most off the shelf standard full length dies will- i.e. good enough to allow a factory rifle to realize full potential.

    If we're talking benchrest shooting, Lee wouldn't be my choice.

    However if we're talking loading ammo for shooting a factory hunting rifle, old military warhorse, or paper puncher at 300 yards or less, Lee provides fine service.

    Ergo they meet my definition of 'best value.'

    Take their reloading scale. It DOES work, but is slow, hard to adjust, calibrate, and check, and takes awhile to get the hang of it. It is a functional tool but compared to a digital scale of twice or three times the cost- the digital scale is the better value.

    So there are examples on both sides. Buy what you like. I'll keep buying Lee for 80% of my needs and save my spare money to buy more components to shoot more, thanks.
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  • 44shotdoctor44shotdoctor Member Posts: 178 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well I have something no else seems to have. It's a metallic M-11. Made by Ponsness/Warren Inc. out of Idaho. This is a semi progressive loader. I got it when my father pasted. Many of my fellow shooters and friends have used it and all think its a fantastic piece of equipment. They are on line for viewing if you want.
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  • charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,572 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    +1 On you are the quality control guy. Poor quality components assembled with poor technique even on the best equipment usually results in substandard preformance.

    I had a Varmet Special Remington in .223. It would shoot less than 1/2 groups with factory ammo. I tried 3 different makes of dies/ shellholders on 5 different presses. I tried nearly 20 powders with at least that many bullets and half that many primers. I could never get it shoot better than about 1moa with my ammo. I gave that rifle away to a friend that didn't mind buying factory ammo.

    Enjoy the hunt for accuracy. Keep a good log book. Oh and I have seen bad equipment from almost every manufacture, it happens. The better ones will swap it out.
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  • midnightrunpaintballermidnightrunpaintballer Member Posts: 2,233 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
    +1 On you are the quality control guy. Poor quality components assembled with poor technique even on the best equipment usually results in substandard preformance.

    I had a Varmet Special Remington in .223. It would shoot less than 1/2 groups with factory ammo. I tried 3 different makes of dies/ shellholders on 5 different presses. I tried nearly 20 powders with at least that many bullets and half that many primers. I could never get it shoot better than about 1moa with my ammo. I gave that rifle away to a friend that didn't mind buying factory ammo.

    Enjoy the hunt for accuracy. Keep a good log book. Oh and I have seen bad equipment from almost every manufacture, it happens. The better ones will swap it out.


    Did you try playing with the OAL? I have a rem .223 that has the opposite problem you describe. It shot like crap with factory ammo and after playing with handloads, I've got it to consistently around half MOA at 100yds so far. Tightest so far was .312" Factory ammo was around 7" and NO I did NOT forget the decimal point there!
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