Best beginner kit?

[Guest logansdad]

After resisting the need to take up reloading for many years, I have finally succumbed due to the skyrocketing price of ammo. So, in order to get started, I would like to solicit some opinions on the best beginner reloading kit. I will be sticking with a single stage or manual turret kit and want one with all - or most all - of the basic necessities included. It will primarily be used for handgun cartridges (.41Mag, .45Colt, 10mm, .38Super, etc.) but would like to have the capability to move into rifle cartridges in the future.

FWIW, I have reloaded shotshells before, but never metallic cartridges. So, given the cost of dies, ease of set-up/operation, and other factors, what would you recommend and why? Redding, RCBS, Lee, Hornady, Dillon, Lyman, ???

[Rightwinger]

I have the Lee Anniversary kit as my starter but immediately started spending more so will no longer recommend it. The press is OK, but my brothers Rock Chucker is the much better press. Also the scales which are so critical in loading are plastic and aluminum beams scales. I hated even trying to get it zeroed with the little ball bearing. I got a Dillion digital and never looked back. You also need a powder trickler for fine tuning your charges and a good set of calipers.

I would look for deals on RCBS stuff.

Are you talking occassional 40-50 round sessions or trying to reload hundreds in a weekend? This will determine what items you'll need.

Case trimmers, a tumbler to clean the brass, lubes...

I think if you get with a reloader near you and go through a session with them you will have an idea of what you want and need.

[Curiousgb]

I have the Lee Anniversary kit as my starter but immediately started spending more so will no longer recommend it. The press is OK, but my brothers Rock Chucker is the much better press. Also the scales which are so critical in loading are plastic and aluminum beams scales. I hated even trying to get it zeroed with the little ball bearing. I got a Dillion digital and never looked back. You also need a powder trickler for fine tuning your charges and a good set of calipers.

I would look for deals on RCBS stuff.

Are you talking occassional 40-50 round sessions or trying to reload hundreds in a weekend? This will determine what items you'll need.

Case trimmers, a tumbler to clean the brass, lubes...

I think if you get with a reloader near you and go through a session with them you will have an idea of what you want and need.

+1 on the RCBS Rock Chucker. I started with the RCBS Master Kit 15 or so years ago. Still have it. Also have a Dillion 550. A friend bought a Lee press. IMPO it is a POS compared to the RCBS.

I also agree that you will need a few extras, tumbler, good caliper, trickler. I also recommend a hand primer. Save your ducets and get the good stuff, or you may end up buying twice.

[musicman]

I started on a Lee Deluxe turret press and still use it. It works great for me and I think it's a good set for a beginner. However, I will admit its very slow, and when I get the hundreds and hundreds required to buy a Dillon and it's accessories, I will be doing that.

[DWARREN123]

I only do one cartridge, 40 S&W and have the Lee Anniversary Kit. It works great for me and I am very happy with it. Decide on how much and what cartridges you want to reload and then decide from there.

The Lee kit I have would be slow doing anything but what I am using it for.

[enfield]

I have NO complaints about my RCBS equipment. It's done everything I've wanted it to do for the last 25 years or so.

[kckndrgn]

I started with the lee anniversary kit, and still use it for the calibers I shoot the least (rifle cal mainly).

I was acutally able to snatch up a Dillon Square Deal B press for a hundred bucks. A couple of parts were busted, a quick call to Dillon and the replacements were in the mail - no charge. The wife got me a caliber conversion kit for the press, but they had changed the way the powder drop system worked, another call to Dillon and the needed parts were on the way, again no charge!

Now the SDB cannot do the rifle cartridges, but the 550 can. I can't complain about the Lee press, It worked great as a starter press using it as a single stage press while I learned how everything worked.

[Guest FNandGlock]

RCBS is a great kit but I started with the Lyman Turret kit. You get all you need with the upgraded press and it works great I have had it for a year now and man I love it. If you ever go Dillon progressive let me know I can get the 550B or square deal cheap and brand new.

[Guest Dragonman]

Getting started in reloading is expensive but it more than pays for itself in the long run. RCBS rock chucker kit comes with almost everything you need to reload. Trick I learned is if you live reasonably close to a distributor make a big purchase and go and pick the stuff up yourself. They'll charge less than stores do for brass, bullets, primers, powder, etc. Plus you don't have to pay the Hazmat fee for powder and primers. Your costs in gas usually are less than the S&H fees no Hazmat fee and you're saving the money the store charge for markup.

[et45]

The only thing Lee makes worth a damn is their dies.I broke 2 Challenger presses before I wised up and got a Rockchucker and later a Dillon.

[Guest FNandGlock]

I started out with the Lyman Turret T Mag kit, little more heavy duty gets you what you need for low cost and a great press. I then bought a RCBS RC and man what a difference in feel. I bought a Lee Challanger press just to decap and resize pistol and I sold it within 3 days. I suggest LYMAN or RCBS if you know you will stick with it otherwise you will be spending the money later anyways. You get what you pay for I found with presses, but it does depend on how much you reload.