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I am looking for a complete reloading set, so I can start reloading some of my different calibers. Anyone know of a good brand to start with for someone on a budget.
How much should i look to spend?
which brands are good or bad?
What all do i need to have when looking for a complete kit and can i start reloading with one of the online kits?

I have been looking at these 2 lee starter kits as both are in my price range, but cannot tell the difference between them.

Amazon.com: Lee Precision II Anniversary Challenger Kit (Red): Sports & Outdoors

and

Amazon.com: Lee Precision Breech Lock Challenger Kit (Red): Sports & Outdoors

Any info/Advice is much appreciated.

thank you all.

JP
 
I wouldn't recommend lee... most of the stuff they make is more like a rental than actually owning (it usually brakes before too terribly long).

If you're really interested, there have been dozens of "new to reloading" threads on here... the search feature is your friend, I don't feel like recapping threads that have been done to death.
 
I have the Lee breech lock. It makes changing out dies quick and easy when reloading multiple calibers. I didn't like the scale and bought a rcbs 1010 other than that either one will get you started. .. good luck...HotRod
 
I went with the Rockchucker Supreme kit from RCBS, about a $100.00 more if you can find the coupon/rebate. From what I hear it's the best and will last a lifetime. I've done around 3K rounds through it, all handgun so far. Lee dies have worked well for me, as have used RCBS and Hornady. I do 9mm, .38, .45, .40 and .44.

Take some time gathering all you need, (dies/shellholders) it'll be a little tough "in these times" for components, (powder/primers). A caliper, a Harbor Freight has served me well. If you're going to do .38, .45 colt, .41-.44 mag you'll need a shell trimmer. It's imperative shells in these calibers are trimmed to the same length. Keep an eye on the NWFA classifieds daily for buys.

I would recomend starting with striaght wall handgun loading, to get a feel for it, before jumping into rifle ammo. I would also say "On a budget" and "Getting into reloading" aren't synonymous. If you shoot a couple hundred rounds a week you can see some great savings after a bit, but you need to buy components by the 10000, not 100 pack bullets. Other than for test purposes.

Searching, as AMProducts said too. There's been A LOT of discussion on the topic.

Good times!

Mike

Note: "Amazon.com" is who supplied $30,000.00 of the money for the "Seattle Gun Buyback". There will be NO amazon shopping from my household through Amazon for anything!
 
Note: "Amazon.com" is who supplied the lions share of the money for the "Seattle Gun Buyback". There will be NO amazon shopping from my household through Amazon for anything![/QUOTE]

Good info thanks........HotRod
 
I wouldn't recommend lee... most of the stuff they make is more like a rental than actually owning (it usually brakes before too terribly long).

If you're really interested, there have been dozens of "new to reloading" threads on here... the search feature is your friend, I don't feel like recapping threads that have been done to death.


You must be harder than Shih-Tsu on your Lee loading equipment. I still have some in use that has almost 40 years on it, even their plastic "crap". Hard to beat their dies for everyday loading and I even use one of their hand presses for range loading.

I'll agree that their progressives are for those who think a few hundred rounds a month are a lot but their single stage presses, and dies are OK. Another anomaly is their Perfect Powder Measure. It does almost as good a job dispensing difficult powders like Varget accurately. In some tests it was just as accurate as the Harrell's which cost 10 times as much.
 
Lee...
my Challenger press is going on 2 years now,and has done thousnds of operations.Their dies are fine.
Breech lock setups are just gimmicks that 'might' save u 25 seconds in swapping dies,and u only swap dies occasionaly,not every round,or every few minutes.
Yes,do start with straight..or nearly straight-walled pistol rounds.HOWEVER,for blasting ammo I gave up trimming them and cleaning primer pockets years ago.For very accurate rounds,and for rifle rounds,a trimmer is a very good thing to have down the road.

re: the 2 kits,looks like the difference is breechlock/no breechlock. keep in mind,with the BL press u'll need to buy extra locks for all your dies.PITA to me,but then I run a dillon..2 of them.

hope we aren't confusing u too much. there are just too many kinds of 'gadgets' out there to make it simple, lol
 
Good times!

Mike

Note: "Amazon.com" is who suppied the lions share of the money for the "Seattle Gun Buyback". There will be NO amazon shopping from my household through Amazon for anything!

I want to edit this.....Seattle based Amazon only donated $30,000.00 in amazon gift cards, Pemco insurance donated $118,000.00, and couple others.

Throckmorton....Respectfully disagree on trimming "Roll crimped" cases. It was a nightmare trying to get a consistant roll crimp on mixed headstamp .38 special brass. Once I trimmed all cases to within .002 it became a pleasure crimping!
 
I am looking for a complete reloading set, so I can start reloading some of my different calibers. Anyone know of a good brand to start with for someone on a budget.
How much should i look to spend?
which brands are good or bad?
What all do i need to have when looking for a complete kit and can i start reloading with one of the online kits?

I have been looking at these 2 lee starter kits as both are in my price range, but cannot tell the difference between them.

Amazon.com: Lee Precision II Anniversary Challenger Kit (Red): Sports & Outdoors

and

Amazon.com: Lee Precision Breech Lock Challenger Kit (Red): Sports & Outdoors

Any info/Advice is much appreciated.

thank you all.

JP




From Midway USA website:

Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit


What is the difference between the Anniversary Kit (Item# 423081) and the Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press kit (Item# 121744)?

"The main difference is the priming feature, the Anniversary kit utilizes a press mounted priming feature, when the Breech Lock Single stage kit utilizes a Lee hand primer and shellholders"
 

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