ASSASSIN 1 Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hi all I am thinking of investing in a reloading press so i thought i would ask you guys that reload what your views are on a decent press. do you think a standard "0" frame single stage or a turret press is best? i dont think ill go for a progressive as i cant justify the cost but i want a good reliable press that can give me good quality ammo (when i buy good dies of course). I am thinking of buying a complete kit to get me going and add more advanced tools later as and when i need them. all the best assassin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doerdie 0 Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I have always heard that Lee is a good cheap starter set. If your just curious this is a good one to wet your feet with without getting hosed. They are very affordable and seem to hold up well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ASSASSIN 1 Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hi Doerdi I have heard that the lee dies have an o-ring that is near the lock nuts and this may be able to work loose , is this true? i have been looking at the Lee aniversary kit but wonder if a turret press would speed up the re-loading process? all the best assassin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doerdie 0 Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 You may want to check www.thefiringline.com in the forums section. They have an entire area devoted to reloading and tons of knowledgable folks. Just make sure you spend time here to! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I know you said no already ASSASSIN, but unless it is shotshell reloading (which I would suggest the cheap but well made lee load-all for, which I use myself), I would seriously consider a progressive press and extra dies from someone like RCBS that is a known standard manufacturer. figure its about the cost of a new gun, or even cheaper maybe for an englishmen like yourself, seeing how your country the guns are so expensive. It really depends what you are going to reload and how much so. midwayusa.com is a good place to really look hard at your options, which I am sure you have already done... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gizmo 0 Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Assasin, The most popular single stage shotgun reloader is the MEC jr. It is also inexpensive. Check it out here: http://www.mecreloaders.com/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Get yourself a good cast "O" ring press for starting out (either the RCBS RockChucker or the new Lee cast one would be fine). I would go for the RCBS Master Reloading Kit myself (that's the one I started out on 10+ years ago), includes 505 scale, case trimmer, etc. I still use it the most out of all the presses I have. Progressives and turrets are only really good for pistol rounds (unless you have one with at least five die stations (have to leave one open for the rifle case lube die)), and they are only really practical when you already have a good shooting pistol load worked up. Out of the two, a turret would (slightly?) be my first choice (if you really have to have a higher volume press starting out), and my preference is (no matter what the Dillon crowd says) is to have one that does *NOT* auto index for you automatically (get a powder check die instead). You can always (usually) upgrade the "O" ring single stage press to progressive later (I have heard nothing bad about the newer RCBS Piggyback 4 upgrade for the RockChucker Supreme press). Yes, (even though a bit slower), single stage presses can suprisingly crank out a high volume of safe & accurate ammo as opposed to progressives (I like to trickle charge as opposed to letting the powder measure drop the charge (the Uniflow powder measure seems most accurate on my Pro 2000 though) if you have all your components ready to go. Besides, there's something relaxing about pulling the handle on a single stage and not have to worry if the priming attachment, powder drop, etc. worked as it all should hopefully have each press cycle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ASSASSIN 1 Posted January 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Hi all I am going to be reloading 7.62x39 , 7.62x54r , .303 and 7.92 mauser at first. i will be reloading some .308 also for a friend. I just want to get a good cost effective setup , i will need to load around 300 rounds a month or so so its not real high volume stuff. thanks assassin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 whatever you decide, make sure it is an industry standard spec. and that there are lots and lots of compatible components and makers out there for it, and you really cant go wrong almost. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Heres the DIRT.... GO with the LEE reloader press, and then get the RCBS dies to reload.... you will have the best of both worlds.... good INEXPENSIVE press, and QUALITY dies that will last a lifetime, with good care and proper use. Its *THAT* EASY!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 Hi all I am going to be reloading 7.62x39 , 7.62x54r , .303 and 7.92 mauser at first. i will be reloading some .308 also for a friend. I just want to get a good cost effective setup , i will need to load around 300 rounds a month or so so its not real high volume stuff. thanks assassin It's actually more cost effective to just buy common military ammo in bulk (7.62x39, etc. (especially metal cased stuff)) than to go out an buy all the equipment you would need to load it. But I agree there is a certain satisfaction to be had when you bang off off a round of ammo you assembled yourself and find that it groups much better than the commercial stuff you had been buying up to then. Of course you are usually then stricken with the affliction of wanting to try out every different powder, bullet, brass, primer combination you read about, and (even worse! ) is how you lust like Ralphie after the Red Ryder B.B. gun in the Christmas Story when the first Midway or Natchez reloading catalog shows up in the mail and you see all the nifty reloading do-dads in it that you just can't live without (even though you seemed to do fine beforehand without them). Are you sure it's a sickness you want to burden yourself with (isn't lusting after new firearm aquisitions enough?). I still would recommend a good strong cast iron "O" press for starting out. Believe me, (like most reloaders find out), you'll still be reaching for it for some project or another years after buying it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 gaddis, you have a really good point there.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 I agree completely with you Gaddis... I am going to be purchasing my Lee reloader very soon... and the dies to reload similar to what assassin plans to do... and I know DAMN WELL how much of a sickness the "GUNBUG" can be... I saw a dozen models at Gander Mountain today that I just cant be without... and of course I will need to have *ALL* the stuff to reload for ALL my rifles... No matter how cheap milsurp is... you gotta reload to get CONSISTENT groups with GOOD accuracy for SOME cartridges... I mean obviously some rifles just *CANT* give you a good group no matter HOW GOOD The ammo you run thru it is.... but for the rest.... its GOTTA be perfection! hahahahaha Yes indeed... I am BITTEN by the bug... and its a nasty infection! It is a swelling sore that OOZES MONEY RIGHT OUT OF YOUR CHECKBOOK!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ASSASSIN 1 Posted January 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 Ok im most likely going to look at a few presses next weekend , i have the Lee aniversary kit in mind as its at a good price , includes nearly all i will need to get case stuffing except case length gauges , dies , heads , primers powder and i assume it comes with some reloading recipies? anyone used one of these? i hope to get rcbs dies for it as it seems they are of a higher quality but if not avaliable when i visit the shop lee ones will have to do. all the best assassin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaigaMan7.62 0 Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 Try Dillion Blue Press. I know a few champion shooters that use that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aka108 0 Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 I've been using Lee dies for years without any problems what-so-ever. Used a Lee "0" press for awhile until some of the pot metal components gave way. Then settled for a RCBS Rock Chucker (don't know where they coined that name from) and it is a great unit. Makes case forming easy chore. If you are shooting bolt action pieces consider case neck sizing as opposed to full length case sizing. Your cartridge cases will last a lot longer and you won't need to mess with case lube. Reloads for semi-autos, pumps and lever action pieces need to be full lenth sized. For handgun rounds a Dillon progressive loader is hard to beat. You can literally load hundreds of rounds per hour. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 The RockChucker name came from Fred Huntington's (the guy who originally started the RCBS line before Blount bought it out) love of hunting prairie dogs. You gotta give Richard Lee credit though, his line of moderately priced tools & equipment actually made reloading an affordable affair. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gaddis 1,689 Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 Well, guys, look at it this way. You could spend all your money on new firearms and ammo (or reloading & cleaning stuff for them), or your wife or girlfriends could spend it on adding even more new clothes or shoes to the closet (or God forbid! ) making Thomas Kinkaid even richer than he is now. Personally for me, I'd rather inflate the checkbook of a good American (or foreign) gun manufacturer. Plus, (as an added bonus (if I even need one? )), me going out and doing just that pi$$es off alot of people I don't really like (Clinton, Schumer, Brady, Moore, etc.). It's a win-win situation all around! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.