is this a good reloading kit for a noob?

[IrishPirate]

Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit

want to start reloading ASAP and got the midway newspaper in the mail today with this ad. would this be a good route to go for just starting out or should i get the RCBS rock chucker i've been saving for? My wife would LOVE IT if i could save as much money as possible getting my setup, but i'm not going to waste money on a junk press kit....i want something that will last.

What i'm looking for is I want something that is very easy to use, doesn't have alot of complicated parts or steps, wont break after a few 1000 rounds, and isn't going to break the bank. Adding a few upgrades to the Lee is no big deal if it is going to save me some money and work fine, and if that's something i even need to do.

I want to eventually have setups for .380, 9mm, .40, .45, .223, .308, 7.62x54r, and maybe .25, .32, 12g, 20g. Will the Lee press accomodate this if i decide to stay with a single stage press? Or, should I not waste my time? would you consider this a "full kit" or am I going to need buy more stuff before i start (aside from caliber specific dies). sorry for all the questions, but a reloading kit under $100 is very enticing, i just want to make sure it's worth buying.

thanks in advance!!

[pepsi2451]

You will also need a reloading manual, some calipers and you will probably want a tumbler. I haven't used any lee stuff except casting equipment, so I can't say how good that kit is. I bought almost all RCBS when I started and I'm happy with it.

ETA:
This is the kit I bought, it was on sale around $300 not to long ago.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=256779

[XDRoX]

That Lee kit is OK. The press will probably last longer than you, but the accessories are just not up to par with the RCBS. I would personally get the RCBS kit, in fact, I did and love it.

[XDRoX]

The Lee scale is junk from what I've read and I know the RCBS one is great. I don't know much about the Lee powder measure, but I know the RCBS one is great. But for triple the price I can see why you're considering the Lee. They make decent SS presses and great dies, it's just their other stuff that I don't care for.

[maschronic]

do yourself a favor and get a dillon. lifetime warranty. no questions asked exchange on same item. they hold their value.

[XDRoX]

Whatever you decide to do, I think you should definitely get a kit. You'll save a lot going this route. Buying all the stuff separately you'll get nickel and dimed to death.

[pisarski]

i have a lee challenger press and it works great ive had it for over 20 years and it is fine

[Bug Splat]

That lee kit is fine. I would upgrade your scale at some point but that press will do anything you need to start and with great results. Its very hard to screw up an simple "O" press. They all work the same for the most part and will teach you the key basics skill you need. Everyone scream "Dillon" in these threads. Dillon makes a great product but it can be more that most need. IMO everyone needs a simple "O" press on the bench even if you running a crazy progressive Dillon with optional foot rubber and ice cream maker.

[IrishPirate]

Thank guys

pepsi241: I like that press, it's a progressive right? seems like a good deal if it's only about $100 more than the SS RCBS. If i get heavy into reloading I might look into upgrading to that if i don't just start out with it. I hear it's best to start with SS rather than progressive though so i'll probably go low budget but high quality until I really get a feel for it and then upgrade from there (and don't worry everyone, i'll keep Dillon in mind too.... )

[Twinspool]

Unabashedly stolen from Grant Cunningham's blog:

Someone emailed and asked me to detail my reloading die setups. With pleasure!

For handgun rounds, my setup for .38 Special is typical (and, not surprisingly, my most-used.) The sizing die is a Lee carbide, which I've had for decades. I would prefer an RCBS die in this spot, primarily for the better decapping pin system and easier handling of it's knurled body, but the Lee is perfectly serviceable (and I'm too cheap to spring for the new die.) For certain other calibers I have RCBS or DIllon carbide dies, and as I mentioned last time I find them all acceptable - but my favorite remains RCBS.

The next station on the press carries a Lyman "M" expander die. The Hornady powder measure, like other progressive press measures, has an integral case expander, but I still prefer to expand using the Lyman die. It expands in a unique manner that reduces lead shaving and promotes straighter bullet seating, and it works as advertised. (I do reload a number of calibers for which I don't have "M" dies; for those I rely on the expander in the powder measure, which works perfectly well - the "M" die is just in a class by itself.)

The bullet seating die for all calibers is the Hornady with the sliding bullet alignment collar. It is, hands down, the best seating die I've used. That sliding collar definitely helps bullet alignment, especially if the bullet tips a bit on the way up into the die. The bullet seating depth is precisely adjustable via a convenient knurled knob, and they have a micrometer seating adjustment available as an accessory. Absolutely "best in class" in terms of features.

I never crimp in the seating die. I know, most people do, but I've found that crimping separately results in significantly better ammunition. In .38, I use the superb Redding crimp die. This die is unique, in that it applies a slight taper crimp first, then a roll crimp. It produces the best .38 ammo I've ever made, and would not be without it for any cartridge where I want to squeeze out that last little bit of accuracy.

For all other pistol calibers, I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. It is different than any other crimp die: it has a carbide sizing ring that sizes all the way to the base of the case, which is difficult to do in the initial size/decap process. Then it applies a taper or roll crimp (depending on the cartridge.) The neat part about the crimp stage is that it is adjustable via a knurled knob, making it a cinch to get exactly the right amount of crimp. The combination of to-the-base resizing and perfect crimping make the FCD (as it's known in reloading circles) great for all calibers, but an absolute must for rounds going into autoloading pistols. If you're having trouble getting your reloads to feed, the FCD will solve the problem. (If you're using a Dillon sizing die, which doesn't size are far down the case as others, the FCD is especially useful.)

For rifle rounds I've taken then same mix-and-match approach. (For those who don't reload bottleneck rifle cases, there are two approaches to resizing: full-length and neck only. Cases going into autoloading or lever-action repeating rifles must be full-length sized for proper feeding. For a bolt-action or single-shot rifle, you can get away with just resizing the neck of the case itself. This results in much improved brass life and simplified reloading, as lubrication isn't needed.)

As mentioned last time, my preferred sizing dies are Redding and RCBS, for a combination of finish, smoothness, and decapping pin arrangement. In full length dies I've decided to limit my choices to RCBS and Redding, mainly because I haven't been all that happy with Lee's internal finish. If neck sizing only, Lee's Collet Dies are actually quite nice - I've had pretty good luck with them, though I still prefer Redding or RCBS because of Lee's decapping pin design.

When I'm reloading for rifles, I use the same technique that I do for pistol rounds: I don't seat and crimp in the same operation, as most rifle reloaders do. As I mentioned before, I've found that seating and crimping separately results in better quality ammunition, with more consistent seating depth and crimp tension.

Again, the seating die of choice is Hornady - their alignment collar is just as important for rifles as for handguns, and works just as well. I adjust the die body so that the crimping ring never touches the mouth of the case, thereby using just the seating function. I buy a separate seating die to do the crimping, and simply remove or adjust the seating stem so that it never touches the bullet. I've found - again - the RCBS and Redding seating dies are the best in terms of crimp quality. They don't shave brass from (or deform) the case lips when they're adding a heavy crimp, which both Hornady and Lee seating dies do. (This isn't important for a single-shot rifle, but for a tube-fed lever action it sure is!)

Sharp-eyed readers will note that I mentioned Lyman only once. This is because I have very little experience with their products other than the "M" die. Their external finish seems to be a notch below RCBS and a couple below Redding, though as mentioned I am impressed with the performance of the "M" die. Readers with more extensive Lyman experience are encouraged to comment on their other offerings.

As you can see, there is no one maker of dies that has everything I want; I'm forced to pick and choose the best for my needs and desires. It's taken me a long time (and no small amount of money) to get to this point, but I'm quite happy with the results!

[IrishPirate]

good info, thanks

[pepsi2451]

Thank guys

pepsi241: I like that press, it's a progressive right? seems like a good deal if it's only about $100 more than the SS RCBS. If i get heavy into reloading I might look into upgrading to that if i don't just start out with it. I hear it's best to start with SS rather than progressive though so i'll probably go low budget but high quality until I really get a feel for it and then upgrade from there (and don't worry everyone, i'll keep Dillon in mind too.... )

No, its a turret press. Its not a whole lot faster then single stage press, in fact I use it like a single stage press. I just like it because I can have all my dies setup and just change turret heads without having to readjust the dies. Each turret head holds six dies so you can use two three die pistol sets or three two die rifle sets per head and it only takes a few seconds to change to a new turret head.

Some people have left bad reviews saying the turret head has a lot of "play" in it. It does tilt quite a bit but everything seems to be consistent and I haven't had any problems with it. Some people also complain about the priming mechanism, I don't have a problem with it but I don't have anything to compare it to. I did break my priming mechanism but it was completely my fault and RCBS was quick to send a new one for free.

[FieldsofFire]

do yourself a favor and get a dillon. lifetime warranty. no questions asked exchange on same item. they hold their value.

I agree completely. Spend a little more money the first time around to do it right. If you take your time getting to feel your way around the press and set it up right the first time around, a progressive press as your first reloading setup is not bad at all. As you learn more, a single stage press just will not turn out rounds fast enough for you. Unless you want to be really, really precise with each round you load, just go with a progressive your first time around. A Dillon 550B, for example, will last you a long, long time and it is one of the best reloading presses around. I started with a Lee progressive press as my first setup and after a couple months, advanced fast enough that I wanted to move on to something with a faster load rate that would operate smoother as well. It was naturally going to be a Dillon.

[IrishPirate]

obviously i have more research to do.....thanks again though, this gives me alot to think about

[freonr22]

It depends on how much you want to reload, regardless of how much you shoot. imho. if you wanna put some shtf ammo away 2-20k rounds, get a progressive, (pleased very much with my Hornady) never reloaded before. if you wanna shoot/reload, 200 rounds a month,, single stage, rcbs, lyman, see whats out there used, money is still tight, swing a deal..