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I'm in the process of preparing to buy equipment to start reloading. I've ordered a Lee reloading manual.. should be here in a week or so. I'm a little overwhelmed on what equipment to buy.. I'm certainly leaning toward a progressive press. Looking for some recommendations on equipment for a basic setup for 9mm and 5.56, as well as some good resources for learning. I figured the book was a good place to start. Thanks guys.
 
Might I suggest a single stage to start out with?

Lots of guys will be along shortly to help you out with tools and gear to get.

The book is a great place to start. Lots of YouTube videos out there as well to help you get started!
 
I'm in the process of preparing to buy equipment to start reloading. I've ordered a Lee reloading manual.. should be here in a week or so. I'm a little overwhelmed on what equipment to buy.. I'm certainly leaning toward a progressive press. Looking for some recommendations on equipment for a basic setup for 9mm and 5.56, as well as some good resources for learning. I figured the book was a good place to start. Thanks guys.
Start your primer search now, they are somewhat difficult to come by right now.
 
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Certainly would be a cheaper way to get started. Can I ask why, other than the obvious (to me anyway) fact that it would be easier to not make a mistake, you would suggest a single stage? One option I have on my list is the Lee Challenger Kit.. it's on sale for $130 on midway (Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Kit). I'm definitely not super set on a progessive... I just feel like I'll end up buying one in the future anyways so.. buy once cry once and all that. Thanks for the response.
 
Start you primer search now, they are somewhat difficult to come by right now.
Yeah, I've heard and have looked everywhere.. all the way down to 5+ pages on google, can't find anything in stock as far as small pistol primers go. I suspect those are probably the rarest right now. Next weekend I'm going to go to a handful of local stores and see if I can find anything. Will be on the lookout all week online.
 
Certainly would be a cheaper way to get started. Can I ask why, other than the obvious (to me anyway) fact that it would be easier to not make a mistake, you would suggest a single stage? One option I have on my list is the Lee Challenger Kit.. it's on sale for $130 on midway (Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Kit). I'm definitely not super set on a progessive... I just feel like I'll end up buying one in the future anyways so.. buy once cry once and all that. Thanks for the response.
I have the Lee kit and it is a great value. That is where I would start too.
 
Yeah, I've heard and have looked everywhere.. all the way down to 5+ pages on google, can't find anything in stock as far as small pistol primers go. I suspect those are probably the rarest right now. Next weekend I'm going to go to a handful of local stores and see if I can find anything. Will be on the lookout all week online.
Check the classifieds here, they pop up occasionally but you will mostly likely pay a premium over prices from a few months ago.
 
I have the Lee kit and it is a great value. That is where I would start too.
Definitely would get me started sooner. Looks like I would be spending at least $500 on a progressive. $130 for that kit is pretty hard to pass up and I could order it now. It seems like a good deal even at the normal $200 price tag.
 
Check the classifieds here, they pop up occasionally but you will mostly likely pay a premium over prices from a few months ago.
Thanks for the advice. Even if I'm paying more, can't be worse than the outrageous 9mm prices right now. I've heard people say it's not worth it to reload 9mm because the margins are too thin. Even if it's still too thin, I don't mind because I'll be learning.
 
I learned back in the late 70's with a Lee Turret press kit. Its still what I recommend now. Back then I learned with just Lee's book. Now days the net is full of video's to show you everything. The press you may outgrow as time goes on but, they are cheap enough it's no big deal. As for supplies that will most likely have to wait till this latest panic shortage clears up. Can't hurt to start getting what you need together now though as it comes available.
 
I see the Lee Challenger Breech Lock Anniversary kit is only $16 more and has their quick change bushings and a press mounted primer tool. Very tempted to just order it.
 
The reason IMHO most including myself say start with a single stage press is that while not too difficult, every part of the process needs to be done just right and the exact same from one round to the next. It is easier to maintain and learn this absolute control one step at a time rather than try to control 5 steps at once. That being said, most will do batches of 50 of the same step then move on to the next step. The Lee Challenger kit is a good place to start.
Don't worry too much about "out growing" the single stage press most of us with progressives still have and use a single stage for small batches and specialty stuff.
 
The reason IMHO most including myself say start with a single stage press is that while not too difficult, every part of the process needs to be done just right and the exact same from one round to the next. It is easier to maintain and learn this absolute control one step at a time rather than try to control 5 steps at once. That being said, most will do batches of 50 of the same step then move on to the next step. The Lee Challenger kit is a good place to start.
Don't worry too much about "out growing" the single stage press most of us with progressives still have and use a single stage for small batches and specialty stuff.
Thanks man. I think im going to order the Lee kit today. What do you think of the quick change setup for the dies? Is it worth the money to buy the collars for it? I certainly like the idea.
 
I see the Lee Challenger Breech Lock Anniversary kit is only $16 more and has their quick change bushings and a press mounted primer tool. Very tempted to just order it.

Could not hurt. I ordered extra turrets for mine so I can just leave the dies in and set up. Either way works great. Also for pistol dies buy the 4 die set that comes with their Factory Crimp die, or if they are hard to find get the 3 die and buy the FC die. For strait wall pistol cartridges they are SO worth the one extra step.
 
Could not hurt. I ordered extra turrets for mine so I can just leave the dies in and set up. Either way works great. Also for pistol dies buy the 4 die set that comes with their Factory Crimp die, or if they are hard to find get the 3 die and buy the FC die. For strait wall pistol cartridges they are SO worth the one extra step.
That's not something you can do with a single stage though, right? Just making sure I'm understanding correctly. I was also wondering about the FC die, thanks for the info. I will try to find the 4 die set, looks like midway is out of both (4 and 3 die set) unfortunately.
 
Thanks man. I think im going to order the Lee kit today. What do you think of the quick change setup for the dies? Is it worth the money to buy the collars for it? I certainly like the idea.

They work, get enough for all the dies, once set up they make caliber changes easier and quicker.

I don't get the deal with "Making caliber changes easier" I use an RCBS Rockchucker. Changing calibers on that press just means screwing the die in, and unscrewing. I presume the Lee single stage works the same? A few turns of the die isn't drudgery? And I don't have to have a bushing for every die I have. Am I missing something? Now with a progressive press I can see where having 3-4-5 dies pre set-up is more convenient. But on a single stage?
 

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