Startup Kit Recommendations

[RiskyBusiness]

Whats a great choice for someone starting out to reload? Best value under $500.

So far all i have on my list is a Hornady Lock n Load Classic Auto Charge Deluxe Reloading Kit for $247 and comes with 500 free bullets.

I also read that a lot of you like the basic Lee press and its just enough for your needs.

[someoneeasy]

What do you plan on reloading?

The Lee classic turret is a good press that a lot of people around here use.

Also, which hornady kit are you seeing for $247?

[iMigraine]

My shooting frequency is low, once a month, twice if I'm lucky. For me, Lee Classic 4 hole turret suits me fine.

[RiskyBusiness]

What do you plan on reloading?

The Lee classic turret is a good press that a lot of people around here use.

Also, which hornady kit are you seeing for $247?

223, 45, 357, 308 and maybe one day 458 or something exotic.

http://www.cabelas.com/style/218242.uts?WT.ac=DRF|209426&WT.z_pg_ref=cms12880

[RiskyBusiness]

My shooting frequency is low, once a month, twice if I'm lucky. For me, Lee Classic 4 hole turret suits me fine.

Sounds like my frequency. How much did you pay for the Lee Classic?

[someoneeasy]

223, 45, 357, 308 and maybe one day 458 or something exotic.

http://www.cabelas.com/style/218242....g_ref=cms12880

A Lee classic turret press sounds perfect for you.

The press is like $110 and the kit is like $240 or so? But you could piece it together for less and buy as you go.

[Calguns77]

A Lee classic turret press sounds perfect for you.

The press is like $110 and the kit is like $240 or so? But you could piece it together for less and buy as you go.

It really is the best bang for your buck. Unless you're a very high volume shooter you'll probably never need to upgrade from the lee. I've been debating whether or not to pick one up myself to replace my SS press.

[NorCalFocus]

223, 45, 357, 308 and maybe one day 458 or something exotic.

http://www.cabelas.com/style/218242....g_ref=cms12880

For the 223, 45, and 357 you'll really benefit from the Lee classic turret. You can run is slow as you want like a single stage, but once you learn the craft you can pick up some speed on those mass produced rounds.

308 is also fine on the turret. But if your doing it more for match quality ammo, you'll want to use it as a single stage.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/785993/lee-classic-4-hole-turret-press-deluxe-kit

-You'll need die sets of course. The Lee 4 die pistol sets are great, and will allow you to use the Auto Drum with them.
-I'd get a Lee rifle charging die so you can drop powder into your 223 brass.
-You'll need a trimmer setup for the rifle brass
-Frankford Aresonal makes a nice tumbler and seperator kit for $85


What kind of gun and purpose are you loading the .308 for? I assumed the 223 is for a AR and just plnking rounds.

[RiskyBusiness]

A Lee classic turret press sounds perfect for you.

The press is like $110 and the kit is like $240 or so? But you could piece it together for less and buy as you go.

i see a Lee precision kit for $213 on amazon.
is the hornady i listed for 247 overkill for a pleb like me? what are the differences in the two?

[RiskyBusiness]

It really is the best bang for your buck. Unless you're a very high volume shooter you'll probably never need to upgrade from the lee. I've been debating whether or not to pick one up myself to replace my SS press.

well damn thats another vote for the Lee and its really starting to sound like it'd be just right for the volume i'd be shooting at. I just need to mention i have two brothers and a father that shoot often as well so if i needed to up my production will this Lee still help accomplish it?

[RiskyBusiness]

For the 223, 45, and 357 you'll really benefit from the Lee classic turret. You can run is slow as you want like a single stage, but once you learn the craft you can pick up some speed on those mass produced rounds.

308 is also fine on the turret. But if your doing it more for match quality ammo, you'll want to use it as a single stage.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/785993/lee-classic-4-hole-turret-press-deluxe-kit

-You'll need die sets of course. The Lee 4 die pistol sets are great, and will allow you to use the Auto Drum with them.
-I'd get a Lee rifle charging die so you can drop powder into your 223 brass.
-You'll need a trimmer setup for the rifle brass
-Frankford Aresonal makes a nice tumbler and seperator kit for $85


What kind of gun and purpose are you loading the .308 for? I assumed the 223 is for a AR and just plnking rounds.

just the basic ar15 for the 223 but i'd like to really get trying out +60 gr ammo to experiment with two barrels i have. the 308 would be for a garrand.

[NorCalFocus]

i see a Lee precision kit for $213 on amazon.
is the hornady i listed for 247 overkill for a pleb like me? what are the differences in the two?

The Hornady kit you have listed is based towards a precision rifle setup. For someone who's going to measure everything at every step of the way to make the most accurate ammo they can.

The Lee Turret kit is based on giving you a little more of a production rate. You can use it to produce match quality ammo as well, but its not best for that. The Lee kit comes with a auto powder dropper. So you won't have to measure your powder out every time.

just the basic ar15 for the 223 but i'd like to really get trying out +60 gr ammo to experiment with two barrels i have. the 308 would be for a garrand.

Yup thats fine you can use what ever bullet you want on that press. If you really want to start chasing accuracy, then you get into lots of little things that we can walk you through when you get there.

For Garrand ammo, I'd load it up and crank it out as fast as I could on that Lee press.

[Calguns77]

i see a Lee precision kit for $213 on amazon.
is the hornady i listed for 247 overkill for a pleb like me? what are the differences in the two?

That Hornady is a Single Stage press and will be painfully slow. Definitely not the right choice if you're loading for multiple people. Not sure what you and your brothers needs are but if your going to be loading thousands a month i would conisder the Hornady LnL AP.

Cabelas has the Hornady Lock n Load progressive on sale for $389 OTD and the free 500 bullets still apply.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hornady-reg-Lock-N-Load-Auto-Progressive-Press/739991.uts

Imho the AP and the Lee Classic Turret are the best values on the market.

[SquidBilly]

My main calibers are 38 Special and 44 Magnum, and I have rifle and pistol in both.

I.don't typically reload rifle rounds, although i'm not out of the realm of doing it. It's simply a matter of dies and time, like the rest.

But all i'm working with is a Lee C press, powder dippers, a caliper and a scale. I could sufficiently handle any reloading job I needed to for right around $100 new, only extra cost would be dies.

It's slow and steady, and I could typically deprime and size, prime, powder and seat a few hundred in a weekend.

Which is plenty for me and I enjoy the process.

I looked into the kits, but it was unnecessary for me. I don't need a hand primer...I thoroughly enjoy a Lee Ram Prime...I don't need a mechanical scale, a cheap eBay digital unit will work if you know how to use it.

Trimmers, reamers. and other equipment I don't exactly need now.

If I loaded rifle rounds it would be a bit different. I'd be more concerned about case length and not having to load each case with a dipper by hand.

If you know what you want and.shop around and keep Lee itemsin mind, you can put together something you'll actually need. You can save much over a kit.

[RiskyBusiness]

The Hornady kit you have listed is based towards a precision rifle setup. For someone who's going to measure everything at every step of the way to make the most accurate ammo they can.

The Lee Turret kit is based on giving you a little more of a production rate. You can use it to produce match quality ammo as well, but its not best for that. The Lee kit comes with a auto powder dropper. So you won't have to measure your powder out every time.



Yup thats fine you can use what ever bullet you want on that press. If you really want to start chasing accuracy, then you get into lots of little things that we can walk you through when you get there.

For Garrand ammo, I'd load it up and crank it out as fast as I could on that Lee press.

so Lee can produce match quality and the hornady can produce precision ammo, but the hornady produces it at a very slow rate compared to the Lee if im following correctly.

Well im sold on the Lee classic, now like someone earlier mentioned it'd be cheaper to buy everything separately. Thanks so much guys, the amount of input shared in the reloading thread is amazing.