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Back in 1978 I bought my Rockchucker Supreme reloading kit with a voucher I'd won in the local R&GC Christmas raffle. I've been using it this afternoon, like I use it most weeks since 1978. Back in the day I reloaded 5 rifle cartridges and seven pistol - now it's just the five rifle cartridges - but sometimes three version of the same calibre.

Back in 2002 I got given a Lee turret press by a giver-upper, already set up with .357Mag carbide dies. I no longer shoot 800+ rounds a week like I used to before my revolvers were taken off me, so I doubt I've actually loaded more than round 5000-6000 or so since then. However, it works very well with the neck-flare die/powder dispenser and I couldn't be happier with it.
 
Might consider a hand deprimer, particularly if starting out with a single stage/hand press.

Can decap while watching tv/movie etc, without bothering folks. Haven't used a hand press yet, but have one for later learning/range use load workup perhaps...hand de-primer seems far easier for that step of the process vs simply the size of the hand press.

Frankfort arsenal platinum series hand deprimer currently $38.11 on Amazon.

Not sure that I have that exact model, perhaps an earlier version?

Anyways, it works well. No issues decaping 9mm, have had some rifle cases get stuck, but quick mild twist & pull with pliers fixes those.

Mind, that I started out on a progressive, so there's that. Have hand decapped quite a bit, but not always, maybe half.

Mind 2: I've only fully reloaded 9mm so far, and haven't in a long while due to cost of factory being so inexpensive / available time. Hoping to learn to reload rifle coming up tho. Have started processing rifle brass tho.

Reloading is a skill set everyone should learn, and have the components / equipment available to do so. IMO.

As mentioned above, for the next blight, or for simply making better / more cost effective / precision rounds. Speaking of rifle here, ATM in my future case, however would easily apply to pistol for specialty rounds as well.
 
30+ year old Lee Single stage press, its loaded literally 10's of thousands of rounds and still works perfectly well...
There's NO WAY you could have loaded 10K+ rounds - aluminum isn't strong enough to hold up! :eek::rolleyes::D
Think of the Chillens! ::sarcasm::

So? I live in a 974 square foot house. All it takes is a small solid table in a corner.
Yeah, when I lived in a 2br apartment (following divorce), I'd keep all my loading paraphernalia in a tub in the storage room, and a 2'x2'x1" plywood board. When I'd load, pull it out, clamp it to a small table, then rock-n-roll.
 
Sure, I have an RCBS priming doo-dad that you load up a choob and it puts a primer in with a couple of dwangs of the handle, but I've always done the .357s with a Lee primer putter-inner that you squeeze and behold, you is primed. I looked at the fancy RCBS tape-strip primer doohicky a few years back, the item that goes on the press. Personally I didn't see how it worked, especially at the outrageous price of the thing here in yUK.

Even THIS is $90 here......................:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

1574440180496.png
 
@THOT_Guy_Josh,
screw the 9mm. $46 for the lee carbide dies, and at current prices, you'll have to reload a few thousand 9mm to recover the cost of your hardware. Go directly to 308 & 450 Bush and watch the savings roll in (in theory).
The Lee setup posted earlier in this thread is a very good deal.

All you need is someone to show you the ropes on bottle neck cartridges. I'd be happy to but I'm slammed until the middle of February.

That's what I've been saying since I started. The whole reason was because I was tired of paying $2+/rd for quality rifle ammo and have gotten a few loadings done for less than a quarter. 9mm just isn't worth it.
 
There's NO WAY you could have loaded 10K+ rounds - aluminum isn't strong enough to hold up! :eek::rolleyes::D
Think of the Chillens! ::sarcasm::

Yeah, when I lived in a 2br apartment (following divorce), I'd keep all my loading paraphernalia in a tub in the storage room, and a 2'x2'x1" plywood board. When I'd load, pull it out, clamp it to a small table, then rock-n-roll.
Lee presses and commercial airliners, both junk aluminum :s0140:
 
Modern Jumbo Jets - where Budweiser cans go to die.

I wasn't really wanting to put down the Lee set. If you want to save money then Lee is the way to go. It's just that when I started loading, a mere 9 years ago, I got input from the sporting goods manager at Bimart. They carry RCBS, so that's what I got. I know no durability issues with Lee. I use Lee dies and have had no issues.
 
There's NO WAY you could have loaded 10K+ rounds - aluminum isn't strong enough to hold up! :eek::rolleyes::D
Think of the Chillens! ::sarcasm::

Yeah, when I lived in a 2br apartment (following divorce), I'd keep all my loading paraphernalia in a tub in the storage room, and a 2'x2'x1" plywood board. When I'd load, pull it out, clamp it to a small table, then rock-n-roll.
I do that whenever I don't want to drill holes in a bench.. use flat head elevator bolts (still have to recess a bit) on a hunk a ply and then C clamp that to the bench/table.
 
That's what I've been saying since I started. The whole reason was because I was tired of paying $2+/rd for quality rifle ammo and have gotten a few loadings done for less than a quarter. 9mm just isn't worth it.
There's a whole bunch of $1+/ea 9mm ammo.
I think. My plinking/woods loads for decades is a hard SWC loaded hot.. for about $3/100. Way better than the BB or Underwood Outdoorsman (very expensive too) ammo.
 
OK, everyone keeps claiming I am anti-Lee (not here so far, and I am not, just pro-truth), but when I got into reloading (WHOA! 1968?!) there were two Lees, both started by Dick Lee (see DBI Handloading Digest #17 for whole story and why they call him "DicK", those who have talked to him know why) and the major other company was RCBS (yes, Beur, Herters, C-H, Lyman, Pacific, etc., etc. and yes I bet I could dig up stuff from all of them here).

Lee is one of the few reloading companies that does NOT offer a life time warranty and does NOT stand behind their stuff. Sure you can usually get small stuff repaired/replaced, but a press? HA! They admitted my Lee LoadMaster was warped from improper heat treating/cooling, but that did not mean it would be replaced! Went round and round and round, after returning it 24 times in two years, where it was not repaired/replaced/or even unlocked up when it seized up completely, just put in a box and sent back all 24 times, after endless calls to CS (which is or at least was horrible, there are claims that the kid when he took over has improved it considerably, but that is like saying the oceans are cleaned up because some one took a few dozen plastic bottles out of them), they sent me a nice letter that I had sent it back to them 24 times in two years under warranty, and they never repaired/replaced it, even though they admitted it was their fault, and NOW their worthless 24 mo. warranty was out of warranty! Sorry, too bad sucker! The mould with the top side sheered off with a 1/4" groove across the top where you pour the lead in, yes they replaced it, and sent a nasty letter I still have somewhere.... well the list is endless. Basically if the company has a two year warranty they DO NOT stand behind, well they know what they are putting out! Nearly every OTHER reloading company has a LIFE TIME warranty they DO stand behind, so they kniow what they put out too.

Lee puts out some great stuff, like dies. I have worn out Lee carbide dies, yes they do wear out, still the best bang for the buck, shell holders, case lub (only buy one tube at a time, every tube I've bought has ruptured and dried out after a year or two, even if not opened), bullet lub (developed for the US Navy, it is just "Z-Bart" and sold on E-bay MUCH cheaper), reprimer tools (like the old one MUCH better than the new one, although the new one seems to work, it just looks like a explosion waiting to happen), etc. Just know if you get a Lee lemon it is MUCH easier and cheaper, not to mention much easier on your nerves, to throw it away and buy another (hopefully from someone who does stand behind their stuff!) and get on with life. Anyone who thinks I am making any of this stuff up should go to the Lee "fan" web sites and see what people who LIKE Lee have to say about the presses, CS, etc. You do get what you pay for, and if starting cheap is what you can do, go for it, you can always upgrade later when you know you like reloading.

As to reloading 9mm, Wally is getting rid of all there handgun ammo, and "assault weapon" ammo, selling it, just not ordering more, and they are (in some areas anyway) down to $15/100 FMJ 9mm, aluminum and brass. I figure it costs me about a dime to load 9mm, so how many rounds do I have to load to "pay" for press/dies/primers/powder/bullets/etc., etc.? 15,000? More? People seem to forget they are buying primers, powder and bullets each time, unless they cast bullets and then they are going around to scrounge lead, smelt it all down, pour into ingots and then remelt it to cast the bullets, cost of the moulds (want to have fun? If you ever see Mike Ventrino ask his opinion of Lee moulds! Just stay far enough away so you don't go deaf and get spit all over you), bullet lube, gas checks if needed, etc. Time is "free" of course as you are "enjoying" yourself. I absolutely support the idea of HAVING everything you need to do it, who knows what will happen tomorrow or the next day or whenever and after it is paid for it does eat much, but right now it is not cost effective, like the other 90% of the stuff I do "for fun". Like posting on various sites and spreading truth.
 
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