Is the Lee Breech Lock Challenger Kit worth it?

[crackerman]

I tried the search so bear with me, and I will eventually get a dillion 650 but with a baby on the way money is an issue.

What is everyone's opinion on the Breech Lock Challenger Kit? I am not looking to load massive quantities, mostly be able to load 9mm at a decent pace for light use, kill time when the baby is asleep, etc.
The major reason though is to be able to load my .30-06 and 7.62x39 ammo with lead free for less than the cost of my left kidney.

I figure a single stage is a good starting point, I can always use a single stage for rifle and its more gun stuff. I know I will need to add dies, and a case length measure but is this reloading kit a good starting place?

Is the Lee Breech Lock Challenger Kit worth it?

[rsrocket1]

Definitely worth it. I bought a Breechlock Challenger kit at the same time I bought the Hornady LnL AP and learned how to reload with the Challenger kit. It was very reassuring to learn how to load 45 ACP (a very forgiving round) one step at a time. You can load about 50 straight walled pistol rounds in an hour which would be perfect for those 2 hour breaks between feedings.

I would recommend the Breechlock Challenger Kit over the Anniversary Kit because the Breechlock Challenger Kit includes the hand primer instead of the press mounted "Pez" dispenser. With the hand primer, you can prime shells without being tied to the press. Everything else is the same between the two kits.

I prefer to still use the single stage press over the progressive when loading rifle rounds because once you deprime and resize, you still have to remove the lube, check lengths, trim and chamfer all off press. Once you reprime, all you do is drop powder, and seat the bullet and that can all be done with one die in the press so there is no advantage to a progressive. You will also be able to use the single stage press long after you buy the progressive for other functions.

The other parts of the kit will still be useful too. Although some poo-poo it, I find that the Lee Scale is extremely accurate and 100% useful for setting my powder measures or for individual case loadings. Just make sure you learn how to read a vernier scale, use the lock tab when measuring a fixed charge and periodically ensure you have a proper zero on the scale with an empty pan.

I have not been able to find a cheap source of 7.62x39 brass to where I can reload any cheaper than $0.25/round (Wally world com bloc ammo). On top of that, my Saiga shoots the cases out almost as far as the bullets so I would be more worried about where they went than about my shooting

You will definitely recoup your investment with 30-06 in a few hundred rounds. 9mm not so easily unless you cast your bullets, but it would be a decent round to learn on.

Good luck.

[Dark Mod]

Definatley worth it, the hand primer is highly useful and the whole kit works very well with the exception of the scale. If you go to a local smoke shop they have digital scales for about $15.

I wouldnt even bother reloading 9mm on a single stage, you will save like $20 per 1000 and it will take you about 20 man hours to complete that much. Unless your time is worth less than $1 per hour its best to pay someone else to make them for you.

Of course it is a fun and rewarding hobby in itself so it may make more sense for you to load 9mm just for the fun of it. personally i find it relaxing and try to do a little bit each day, With the hand primer i can prime a few thousand rounds laying on the couch watching a movie and its time well spent.

[crackerman]

I have not been able to find a cheap source of 7.62x39 brass to where I can reload any cheaper than $0.25/round (Wally world com bloc ammo). On top of that, my Saiga shoots the cases out almost as far as the bullets so I would be more worried about where they went than about my shooting

I have a CZ527 that I use as my brush hunting gun and its a bolt action 7.62x39 so its a lot easier to find the brass, and maybe instead of 9mm I can practice with .38spl for my Smith 442, you guys are right that 9mm is pretty stupid cheap to only reload for.



Is it worth springing for a case gauge right away of will a set of digital calipers work good enough to start with?

[Briancnelson]

Digital calipers work fine. They are more useful in general. I try to stay away from single purpose tools when I can get a multitasker that does the job.

[Dark Mod]

I have a CZ527 that I use as my brush hunting gun and its a bolt action 7.62x39 so its a lot easier to find the brass, and maybe instead of 9mm I can practice with .38spl for my Smith 442, you guys are right that 9mm is pretty stupid cheap to only reload for.



Is it worth springing for a case gauge right away of will a set of digital calipers work good enough to start with?

Id get both honestly, the calipers are only like $10 and they are useful in alot of other ways, the case length guages are less than $5 each and you kinda need those to trim with if your using the lee trimmer. but if you had to choose between the two obviously get the calipers.

.38spl is much better for reloading, and more rewarding as well. You should be able to load them for about the same price as 9mm if you already have brass.

[Clownpuncher]

I love mine. As for which kit, it depends on your taste. I have the hand prime and bought the anniversary kit with the pez dispenser. I do my reloading steps in batches so I prefer the Pez dispenser (safety prime) that came with the anniversary kit.

When I reload, I do it in big batches, meaning, I'll decap and size a boat load, then clean. Then I'll take the clean cases and bell and prime them on the press en mass. Then when I have some time that I know I won't be interrupted, I'll take the belled/primed cases and drop powder and seat bullets.

The case length gauge is good for rifle calibers, I havea yet to use them for my pistol calibers.

A caliper is essential. You will need to measure the OAL of the completeted round to ensure proper seating. I have a Frankford Arsenal that I picked up for about $15.

Nice to have (must have for rifle cases in my opinion) is a tumbler. Lots out there for a decent price from Harbor Freight or Frankford Arsenal.

Another nice to have is a digital scale, it makes life easier than the one that comes with the press kit. A Frankford Arsenal one will set you back about $20.

A kinetic bullet puller is useful as well since you will make mistakes. They run about $15

Finally, it's nice to have extra breech lock bushings. It's nice setting up your seat dies and crimp dies and leaving them set in the bushing so you can swap between without set up.

[rsrocket1]

maybe instead of 9mm I can practice with .38spl for my Smith 442

Aha, more info.

38 special is much more useful to reload than 9mm. The component costs will be almost exactly the same as 9mm, but factory 38 spec. is usually more expensive.
Low quantity prices:
$30 for 500 lead bullets (can be free once you learn how to cast)
$30 for 1000 primers
$16 for a pound of powder which is good for 1400-2000+ cartridges depending on the charge
FREE BRASS

The great thing is that you can then load anywhere from super low recoil loads to factory equivalent loads to +P loads (be very careful and don't take load data lightly) and not be constrained to what is on the store shelves.

[stand125]

I originally bought the kit with the hand prime and exchanged it for the safety prime which I like much better. I have a turret press also that uses the safety prime so I have back ups now. In response to your original question, yes it is definately worth it. My daughter loads on it under my siupervision than I do.