What am I missing, what is the difference between these two kits?

[Clownpuncher]

Thanks for the input clownpuncher! glad to know this overwhelming sensation of having too many questions is normal. Sometimes I just need something to do that involves "guns". And sometimes my guns are all clean, and I can't shoot, so I wanna reload!

Lots of questions is normal. It seems like every question will create 3 more. You will hear a ton of opinions on stuff that you "have to have" You can spend anywhere from $200 to $2000 on a set up and you will hear good and bad with every brand. From what I have found they all work and they will all take care of you if something goes wrong. Kind of like cars. A kia will do the same thing as a BMW. One just has better fit and finish and maybe a few more bells and whistles which may or may not make life easier.
Like I said, I started with the Lee Anniversary kit, quickly added an inexpensive digital scale, tumbler, and bullet puller and I was loading a ton. There are a couple of things I bought at the beginning that I don't use anymore like trim gauges for pistol cartridges but other than that, I still use all of my original stuff.
Good luck with your quest. Just remember that reloading doesn't save you any money, you just get to shoot lots more.

[Rockit]

here is the first one for $108
http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm...0&src=exrbSrch

Got ya beat at $105.95

https://fsreloading.com/lee-breech-lock-challenger-kit-90030.html?utm_source=google_merchant_center&utm_medium=datafeed&utm_content=CSE&utm_campaign=google_merchant_center

OP//then you can use your gift cert for supplies

[roc_my_tims]

Fs shipping is more try fm reloading supplies and grafs & sons also. Grafs has free shipping codes floating around.

[Rockit]

Fs shipping is more try fm reloading supplies and grafs & sons also. Grafs has free shipping codes floating around.

You win. I added them all up and both yours beat mine.

[NotEnufGarage]

With either of those, don't forget that you need to spend about $4 for each die you use for a bushing for it.

[roc_my_tims]

Now I just ordered stuff from both places, fm reloading seem like great people and I love supporting smaller shop, but you should call them first and make sure the press is in stock as some lee stuff is backordered. Personally I was still oing research so I waited over 3 weeks for the lee classic turret press to come back in stock with them. After that wait I called them, told them to take the press of and ship the other items, then I ordered the press only for $10 at grafs. Both are in the mail now.

[johnny1290]

just my 2 cents from a noob reloader that's done 7k 9mm rounds.

I used a $20 digital scale and never tumble brass. I lose it before it gets too dirty.

If you ask me, id use the scale the kit comes with before shelling out money. If they didn't work they wouldnt be in a reloading kit.

You can clean brass without a tumbler. Search around for various methods. Clean brass makes it easier to inspect for flaws and looks pretty.

If you have more time than money, then you can upgrade later as needed.

Good luck. reloading is fun and on rifle ammo I'm sure you'll save some cash.

[Cheap Shot]

Hand priming is better for me. And the scale doesn't suck it is just sensitive (measures breezes and is picky about you setting it up on a stable level surface). Either kit would be fine to start. You will enjoy it and you will buy other tools to go along with it.

[ckyrulez]

I got the anniversary kit and a frankford arsenal digital scale. I love it and don't mind priming on the press. I have a hand primer as well but still prime on the press when I flair the case.
You'll want a tumbler and a kinetic bullet puller as well. The tumbler for brass and the puller for the inevitable mistakes. Again, frankford arsenal makes reasonably priced options.
Getting from Cabela's now is a good idea since they have the $5 shipping. The Lee pacesetter die's are great as well. I have a set for my 7mm. Work like a champ and decent price.
Lots of options and opinions on here. I started out the way you appear to be going. Wouldn't have done it any different and have been completely satisfied with my Lee setup. Even though I have moved on to a Hornady LnL progressive for my pistol calibers, I still use the Lee press for my precision rifle bullets.

As another beginning reloader, I'm trying to decide between the Hornady LnL kit or perhaps the Lee. Now that you have both kits yourself, would you recommend starting with the Lee and then upgrading later or going straight for the Hornady?

[bandook]

I know you didn't ask me, but I would never upgrade in the same class of press. That is a total waste of money. Also consider your upgrade path going forward as these so-called universal die sets have a not-so-universal powder through expanding die in them (they are powder drop manufacturer specific). Fewer dies to buy later if you can plan properly.

The way I went about this was... (don't do this as it wastes money) I got me a single stage (Lyman orange crusher) with Lyman 45 dies. Got a set of rcbs 38/357 dies a well and all was well (for a while).

So once I started shooting every week, the single stage became a time hog and was replaced with the Lee Classic Turret Kit. I got the kit, foolishly hoping I could sell the powder scale and the safety primes would work as well as my bench mounted rcbs priming tool, but nobody wants to give me even half price for a NIB scale and the safety primes are close to useless (at least for me. Lee acknowledges that safety primes need to be fine tuned, but once you see them you'll understand why it's impossible to fine tune a contraption that has a greater play in it than the size of a primer itself. Yes, I've been able to load primers by lowering the ram a little, but it's just not worth the aggravation.)

So once switched to the Lee Turret I had to now go get a powder through expander die for each of the calibers. Then, I figured the Factory crimp die would be a good addition and that brought me to the realization that it would be easier to just buy the deluxe pistol sets. So now the Lyman and RCBS dies are gathering dust (ok, not literally as they have been cleaned and put away in their boxes).

All in all, it would have been most cost efficient for me to just get the Lee Classic Turret press, the auto disk pro powder dispenser, a rcbs 505 scale and a hand primer. (and lee dies) Add a couple of manuals (lee is great if you use the auto disk powder dispenser). I'd add a cheapo electronic scale to supplement the beam scale as some powders meter less consistently than others and you just need a quick read on charge deviations and not necessarily on the exact weight.

Will I upgrade to a progressive? Only time will tell. As I decap/tumble/prime off press, I'm getting 250-300 rounds per hour once I get onto the press. I still resize as part of the load cycle and I realize that I can resize as I decap to save a press stroke, but I'm not really going of speed here - just convenience (as I need to stroke the 4 hole turret 4 times anyway, until I put on a bullet feed, there is nothing gained by removing the sizing die from the turret).

A progressive is tempting. Money can be arranged for a dillon/hornady but at this time I don't shoot enough to park a KiloBuck reloader in my shed when I get adequate production with my CentiBuck turret.

I do have to say something about an auto-indexing turret. As it indexes automatically, it is not easy to double charge a case. (not that I haven done it, the first time I used the turret I didn't think I flared the case 'properly' so I flared it again. This is ok on a single stage, but on a turret with a powder through expander die, it charges again too. Luckily, I took the case out to re-check the flare and saw a .45acp case almost full of Titegroup. Haven't made that mistake again.).

You can follow an upgrade path (ss/turret/progressive) for almost all the manufacturers other than Dillon. (because Dillon only make progressives).

[stand125]

I have bought both kits and the priming on the press is nice and quick. I returned my hand priming kit and got the 50th anniversary kit and really like it. Once you get the lee safety prime adjusted it is great in my experience. You just click with thumb and you are ready to seat on the down stroke. I would get the LEE Classic Turret press over the single stage press kit. It is well worth the money and can easily pump out a 50cnt box in about 14 minutes without rushing.