Noob equipment question

[mike_the_wino]

I am just beginning my research into reloading. I did read the sticky Reloading 101 but I am also making my Christmas wishlist so....would this RCBS RS-5 starter kit give me the best bang for the buck? I will most likely only be reloading 30-30, 44 mag and .308. I know I will the individual dies for each but will this kit get me most of the way there? I thought it looked like it had about all I needed. But is there another, better, option?

Been reading....
And someone mentioned 1) Hornady Lock-n-load. Is this a more versatile, rugged, or otherwise preferential choice over the RCBS? 2) Used. Being cheap, I love this option but how do I know what's a good deal? Are replacements for lost/ broken pieces readily available on either of these two models? If I did go used, I would upgrade to the RCBS Rock Chucker.

Thanks for any input,
Mike

[coyotebait]

That's basically what I have, it's been serving me well for years. Just need a tumbler.

[bumpo628]

This RockChucker kit comes with a powder measure, hand primer, and the other accy's for $320.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=646599

Add calipers, impact puller, and a tumbler and you're gtg.

Don't forget the $50 mail in rebate:

http://media.midwayusa.com/pdf/Coupons/rcbs-save-50.pdf

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[Fyathyrio]

The Hornady LnL bushing system is nice, makes for easy setup. Add a couple of manuals, a way to trim, chamfer, and debur the rifle brass, and you will have the basics. A case gauge helps set up the dies to ensure loads will chamber also, but you can use your own chamber if you don 't mind taking your weapons apart. Another $50 or so will get you a manual operated powder measure that will make life much easier. Oh, and a way to prime the brass.

The Rock Chucker linked above is much more complete.

[BSlacker]

Is this a more versatile, rugged, or otherwise preferential choice over the RCBS?

They are apples and oranges the RCBS is single stage and the Hornady is progressive. The RCBS does one operation at a stroke and the Hornady does several operations each stroke and produces a loaded round after each stroke. Both will get the job done the Hornady is more efficient one stroke per loaded round compared to RCBS several strokes/die changes per round. If you shoot a lot of pistol get the Hornady if more rifle look hard at the RCBS. Actually get both they each have a place on a modern bench.

Are replacements for lost/ broken pieces readily available on either of these two models?

You can bet they both stand behind their product.

[Dark Mod]

If your looking for "bang for your buck" nothing is better than the lee anniversary kit. Use the extra money you saved to buy dies and components.

Cabelas has the whole kit for $89.99 right now with $.50 shipping

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Reloading/Presses-Dies%7C/pc/104792580/c/104761080/sc/104516280/50th-Anniversary-Breech-Lock-Challenger-Reloading-Kit/740258.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fshooting-reloading-presses-dies%2F_%2FN-1100195%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104516280%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104792580%253Bcat104761080&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat104761080%3Bcat104516280

The lee kit is just as good as any other kit out there and will outlast you and your grandchildren

[Fyathyrio]

They are apples and oranges the RCBS is single stage and the Hornady is progressive.

Hornady single stage is also called a Lock and Load...a bit confusing at times.

[sequoia_nomad]

If you go with Rcbs, I would definitely recommend the Rockchucker over the Rs5. The Rockchucker is a little bigger, a little beefier, and made of cast iron. The Rs5 is smaller and lighter and made of aluminum. There isn't much difference in price, and it's worth it in my opinion. I would also recommend giving www.grafs.com a look, they have flat rate $4.95 shipping on everything they sell.

[Justintoxicated]

Hornady LnL is typically the single stage and the Hornady LNL AP press is the progressive.

I would go for the rockchucker supreme kit with hornady LNL conversion or just grab the Hornady Kit because I think its actually a little cheaper if you factor in the 500 free bullets vs the Rockchucker Supreme + LNL bushing conversion - $50 rebate.

The RCBS press is cast iron where the hornady one is aluminum, but I'm not sure how much that matters. I think priming on the hornady may be a little better.

[Clownpuncher]

If you're looking for bang for your buck, especially in a single stage, get the Lee Anniversary Kit.
I have that kit and it works great. Get yourself dies, a cutter and gauge for your specific calibers, kinetic puller, calipers, and a tumbler and you will be set.

It's inexpensive and you may wonder about it but I have compared it to my buddies RCBS and it does the same job and I got the kit and all the other stuff I needed for 3 calibers for the price of the RCBS kit.

[Bill Steele]

Yes, Rock Chucker Supreme Kit...

If you go with Rcbs, I would definitely recommend the Rockchucker over the Rs5. The Rockchucker is a little bigger, a little beefier, and made of cast iron. The Rs5 is smaller and lighter and made of aluminum. There isn't much difference in price, and it's worth it in my opinion. I would also recommend giving www.grafs.com a look, they have flat rate $4.95 shipping on everything they sell.

I agree.

[rsrocket1]

I agree that the Lee single stage kits are excellent bangs for your buck. For my $0.02, I would choose the Breech Lock Challenger Kit over the Anniversary Kit simply because it uses the hand primer rather than the press mounted primer "pez dispenser". Either way, you can convert your set up to the other method for about $30 if you decide to change your mind. Both will last a lifetime. The items that may be of complaints with these kits are the scale and the powder measure.

The scale uses a vernier to read tenths of a grain. You simply line up the 10th's with a line on the scale and voila. Some reloaders who are "all thumbs" or don't have the patience to use it curse it. I have no problems with it and use it exclusively for checking my powder measure loads. There is a small button that locks the slider and if you don't lock it in, you can bump the slider and accidentally move the measurement. Other scales use notches or the pointer to measure off 10th's so they don't need someone with as many fine motor skills.

The other item is the powder measure. It is nearly all polymer and starts out "not as smooth as silk". The instructions say to run a hopper full of powder through it or more. This gets the graphite coating of the powder to work its way through the measure. It may take a little adjusting of the tension screws to allow both smooth movement and not leak fine grained powder.

The RCBS and Hornady presses will last several lifetimes as will the Lee Classic Cast Single stage press. You will get your money's worth with all of them, and you can load just as quickly and accurately with all of them. It's simply a matter of your personal preference.

When you say you are cheap, the better part of $400 is not a low budget for a single stage press system. You are getting close to full progressive prices. If you spent $100+ for one of the Lee kits and other necessities, you will be in business and can spend the money for more shooting. If you spent the extra on one of the beefier systems, you certainly won't regret the purchase unless you run out of money and can't afford the powder, primers and bullets.

[epcii]

I'd go with the Lee Turret kit, if I were you. It's what I started on, and the only additional stuff I needed to buy were calipers, tumbler, media and dies & components--all for cheaper than any of the other kits.

[Clownpuncher]

When you say you are cheap, the better part of $400 is not a low budget for a single stage press system. You are getting close to full progressive prices. If you spent $100+ for one of the Lee kits and other necessities, you will be in business and can spend the money for more shooting. If you spent the extra on one of the beefier systems, you certainly won't regret the purchase unless you run out of money and can't afford the powder, primers and bullets.

EXCELLENT POST!!

As for me, this paragraph sums it up for me. I didn't want to spend $400+ on my first set up and not have enough to go buy components to shoot.
Now, I am shooting twice as much as before and I am taking the money I save and am going to go get the Hornady Progressive. I figure it will take me about a year to save the dough for it.
Either way, I will always use the single stage on my rifle rounds.

The other reason I went with the Lee is it was the cheapest. I went that way both as a bit of a budgetary concern but the main reason was because I got so many different opinions which brand/type kit I should get that I went with the kit that had the lowest price point. Now I use it, am happy with it, but when I upgrade I have the knowledge based on my own experience to decide what brand I go with.

[mike_the_wino]

When you say you are cheap, the better part of $400 is not a low budget for a single stage press system. You are getting close to full progressive prices. If you spent $100+ for one of the Lee kits and other necessities, you will be in business and can spend the money for more shooting. If you spent the extra on one of the beefier systems, you certainly won't regret the purchase unless you run out of money and can't afford the powder, primers and bullets.

When I say I am cheap, I mean I try to find the best deal that I can. And if used re-loaders are readily available, all the better. I should temper this with I also believe in pay-once, cry once when it comes to equipment.

Justintoxicated touched on the progressive versus single stage. I kinda like the notion of a progressive, one pull = one round concept but BSlacker mentioned pistol better for Progressive and single stage better for rifle. Why is that? Is a single stage more precise?