Newbie

[Goodman]

I'm wanting to start reloading .44, .45 and maybe 9. Should I buy a starter kit and where's the best place to shop for supplies and kits?
Thanks Guys

[micro911]

I bought a Dillon 550B for all my pistol reloading. It worked out very good.

[Joefear7]

I second the Dillon 550.

[Jason_2111]

Third for Dillon 550. Skip the Lee crap-master, you'd just end up selling it off in a couple of years to buy a Dillon anyway, so just go straight to the 550.

(Full disclosure: I ran a Lee turret for like 10 years before switching over and never looked back.)

[aspenvalley]

I would say to start with a Lee Turret press. What volume are you looking at?

[Boris_LA]

I would say to start with a Lee Turret press. What volume are you looking at?

Agree!
Start with Lee Classic Turret (4 holes) and use it as a single stage or turret for learning and load development.
When/if you need high ammo volume later, add progressive press and still keep the Turret press for smaller tasks and test batches.

[wpod]

I have the Lee crap-master Turret press.
It was good for learning on as it can be used in single-stage mode for learning.
I don't reload high-volume, I can top 200 rounds in an hour when I get in a good rhythm.
I reload 9mm, 38/357, 44spl/mag, & .223.

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[TexasJackKin]

I would recommend a good single stage press (Rock Chucker, or similar). No matter where you end up down the road, you will always have use, even if only occasionally, for a single stage press.

A single stage press, helps you learn and understand what you are doing at each step of the process, and that flattens out the learning curve if/when you go to a progressive. Is it 100% necessary? No, but like I said, you will always have use for a single stage press anyway, so why not start out with one?

[One in the pipe]

Forth for a dillon 500. I bought it a year ago loading 45 and it's great.

[wpod]

Just last week I bought my son a Lee hand press to learn on.


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[davek8s]

I started with a single stage Lee press and upgraded to a Dillon after about 5 years.

The Lee press is still on my bench and gets used.


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[jdfthetech]

I use a Lee precision 1000. It was the press I learned on when I was a kid and so when I started loading here (in CA) I figured I'd use the same system.

I wouldn't recommend it over a Dillon if you have the money.

If you don't have the money, it works fine but it's finicky and has a lot of quirks. I've done a few mods to mine to get it to run properly.

If you go with one, I'll be happy to answer questions or point you in the right direction, but as others here have said, the Dillon 550 is pretty much the gold standard.

[JagerDog]

I would recommend a good single stage press (Rock Chucker, or similar). No matter where you end up down the road, you will always have use, even if only occasionally, for a single stage press.

A single stage press, helps you learn and understand what you are doing at each step of the process, and that flattens out the learning curve if/when you go to a progressive. Is it 100% necessary? No, but like I said, you will always have use for a single stage press anyway, so why not start out with one?

That's my thought.

What kind of volume you expecting OP?

Kits can be a good place to start, but they always make some compromises on the peripherals.

Look what's in the kits and consider piecing together from used of a bit higher quality peripherals.

[rm1911]

[Red9]

Pricey caliber swaps, and proprietary die size.
550 uses standard dies. Also patience and you can find used caliber sets or powder drops pretty cheap.
Yes I have a Dillon 550. Bit have a few single stages too. I bought the single stages after the Dillon btw.

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