Cheapest reloading setup

[five.five-six]

If u want to throw your money away after trash buy a Lee. They’re junk.

At least buy a used rock chucker or something but everything Lee produces is one step below the quality you need to reload efficiently.

I’m not even a lee fanboy although I do own a few of their dies and their factory crimp dies are a game changer for bulk production of necked cartridges.

That’s a heck of a statement you just made there.

[Bumslie]

Get what you can afford

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[fal_762x51]

Probably a blue fanboy.

[SanDiego619]

I am going to order that reloading book first before I buy any equipment, I think that would be best. Then I can look for used stuff. I am not going to be reloading 1000 rounds of 223, if I get my 6.5x55 Mauser then I think reloading would be fun. I also have a 308 rifle so I'ld probably reload those too. Even if I don't save much money it would be fun to learn how to do it.

[five.five-six]

Gunpowder will ignite by spark, heat, or pressure.

Premature ignition by pressure for a hobbyist reloaders following safe reloading practices as
spelled out in any reputable reloading manual, is, thankfully, highly unlikely.

Remind me later to tell you the story of the assistant who told the lead firearms examiner that
it's impossible for cartridges to ignite on a motel room style hot plate.

[five.five-six]

Probably a blue fanboy.

[five.five-six]

Thanks for the videos and tips!

I always wondered this: can the powder explode when you are putting the bullet in the case? Either from compressing the powder when you push it in or if a flake of powder got between the case and bullet when you pushed it in? It seems like it could blow up.

[bigbossman]

That is a demonstrably false statement, and marks you as a person whose opinion is of no consequence.

[Gunsrruss]

Dillon 550 press

That is a demonstrably false statement, and marks you as a person whose opinion is of no consequence.

My first press was a lee progressive. I was so excited to get it, but soon I was dismayed by how much the plastic parts failed and soon I was using it just fo r size and decap and that was 20 years ago.
A friend loaned me a 550 for awhile. I was always critical of them until I used one with the slide bar powder measure. I guess I died and went to heaven. 619, never try to reload on the cheap....cheap is expensive and expensive is cheap...remember that......I reload 6.5 X 55 so save your brass. Buy a Dillon 550 press as soon as you can. They are pricey but you will never look back

[DolphinFan]

Dolphin fan a fan of high top shoes. Never a Lee handloader use a c or h single stage press. Uniform results and better quality loads a lot easer on the hands. The Lee presses are fine. I have a rockchucker and a lachmiller and a CH.

Full Disclosure, I do have a Lee Single Stage press and all the dies for all my calibers. I also have a Lee Hand Load set.

The OP asked for the "Least Expensive way to reload. I think it doesn't get any cheaper than the minimum hand loading tools.

As for high tops, I have a pair.

[five.five-six]

Probably a blue fanboy.

Good call.

[bigbossman]

My first press was a lee progressive....

Mine too, in 1996. Still going strong after 100,00 plus rounds.......

[Donny1]

You base this on what?

I haven't been reloading that long, 4 years maybe, but in the first few weeks I was producing ammo far superior to boxed target ammo made by Remington and Winchester on a Lee Turret press. The Chronograph does not lie, factory target ammo like WWB is terrible by comparison to even the first rounds I ever loaded.

Is Lee the best?? No. Will it produce quality ammo?? Absolutely.

[tabascoz28]

Still have my Lee turret press and it's job is to make all the small to midsize ammo I don't shoot a lot. My Rock Chucker makes my precision stuff and my Lee Breech Lock Pro makes my 9mm and 223 in bulk. Also have a Lee Load all for 12g. I think Lee is best for price/quality ratio for the average shooter. I'm sure you can get more expensive stuff that shoots 1/4 moa for competition but most people don't need that and at this time people are getting in it to make their own ammo on a budget.

Note that a turret press most likely won't index for true turret efficiency for your application. I tried to do 308 and that's only a 51mm. Your goal was to make rifle rounds and for that you'll have to index by hand or it will get stuck. So your choice is to either get the turret and do it by hand and have a press that is ready to do pistols and small calibers with ease. Or you can get a single stage strong press that will handle that brass and future large rifle calibers. The RCBS turret press and others that look like it index by hand all the time. It also looks like it can handle something larger than a 308 with ease but as a beginner it will be easy to confuse the operation.

[drkphibr]

Lee Precision was founded in 1958...61 years ago.

A company that's 61 years old does not stay in business making trash. They do, however continue to remain in business (and grow, if you followed Lee's history) by making quality (and innovative) products at exceptionally reasonably prices (have you looked at versatility of the APP?) with a great warranty (BTW, have you tried to use the Blue "NO BS" warranty lately? Looks like they dropped the "NO" portion).

Does someone just starting their reloading journey (and who are probably cost sensitive considering they are starting from scratch) need to spend $80 (or more) on a set of dies when you can get a set of Lee dies for $35 (I used 9mm as my pricing example to search current online prices)?

Simply put, Lee products get the job done and I'd be willing to bet Lee's price points have brought more people into reloading than any other brand, they have certainly been around longer than most. There will always be more expensive, flashier products with additional bells and whistles that at the end of the day do the same thing...produce quality reloaded ammo.

And before the fan bois bash me for being a Lee zealot, I have products (presses, accessories, etc.) from more vendors than I can currently remember.