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Lettuce Discuss Reloading: Press Kits


ross

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What's everyone's setup?

I'm looking to start reloading over the winter months to allow me to shoot more often.

I'm most likely looking to start out with a single stage press but would like something that can be upgraded in the future.

Let's see some setups and hear some opinions.

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What's everyone's setup?

I'm looking to start reloading over the winter months to allow me to shoot more often.

I'm most likely looking to start out with a single stage press but would like something that can be upgraded in the future.

Let's see some setups and hear some opinions.

My dad and I use an rcbs progressive press for "plinking" rounds(5.56, .45 , 9mm, etc) and we are getting a single stage for the accuracy type tack driver rounds (.308, 50bmg, etc)

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My dad and I use an rcbs progressive press for "plinking" rounds(5.56, .45 , 9mm, etc) and we are getting a single stage for the accuracy type tack driver rounds (.308, 50bmg, etc)

I'm leaning towards the RCBS turret press because of the turret and also being usable as a single stage. I like that the turret press has to option of adding a primer feed and powder feed directly onto it.

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I started out on a Rcbs Junior single stage. It's a great machine to learn reloading on as there are less things to pay attention to on each stroke. It also makes for very nice accurate loads. I upgraded to a Lee progressive press last spring for the pistol stuff. Still use the Rcbs press for my rifle loading and load buildup for pistols as it is easier to set up and make small changes versus the progressive.

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I use an old Pacific tool (now Hornady) single stage press with rcbs dies for my .223 and .45 acp reloading. Lee makes a nice single stage press kit that comes with a lot of the basics, but some of the stuff included is pretty crappy quality. I use an rcbs 5-0-5 scale, redding powder trickler, and lyman case trimmer and have been very happy with all of those components.

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What are you planning on reloading? I have the Lee classic turret press with the pro autodisk. I would recommend staying away from kits for the most part because generally they include other things you don't need (to jack up the price) and lower quality additional parts. If you buy just what you need, you can usually get to the same price for the kit as the price break they give you is negated by the unnecessary extras. I searched for a long time for what press and what manufacturer I wanted and here is why I picked what I did:

turret - I wanted to produce 2 different styles of rounds, long range accurate rifle and plinking pistol. For the pistol, quantity is everything because you can go through so many in a day and the progressive presses were just too expensive. Single stage would be best for the rifle, but I am not going to buy two presses (at least right now, I'm not even reloading rifle yet). The turret is the best of both worlds; like you said you can go to single stage if you want but it also increases the speed of production by a substantial amount.

Lee - They are the best bang for your buck. They are very affordable, and if you know what you are getting, also very durable and well made. I would recommend to always spring the extra few $$ for the "classic" or "pro" versions as they are more heavy duty and better made. Dillon, RCBS and Hornady are usually much more expensive, sometimes justly and sometimes not. A single stage O frame is going to be pretty much the same anywhere, a little blue or green paint doesn't justify $100 or so more to me.

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What are you planning on reloading?

Lee - They are the best bang for your buck. They are very affordable, and if you know what you are getting, also very durable and well made. .

This is the best question and overall best general statement depending on what you are looking to do.

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Imprez

I'm in the same boat as you. I'll be reloading .45 and .380 and whatever else I buy in the near future as far as pistols are concerned. I'm looking to shoot more often so reloading the .45 will help multiply the rounds I can go through for the same $$. I will also be reloading 7mm and .222 and even if I only save a couple bucks per 100 rounds on those two I would be happy with that.

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I call b.s. Reloading is reloading? Technically u should not reload to save money anymore but to work a load that works best with your weapon

Just my honest drunkest opinion

I'm not sure your opinion is any good in your current drunken state! I'll review it tomorrow! :lol:

Actually, shouldn't reloading help out with both cost and optimizing a load for your weapon?

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I save about half on loading 40cal, we are just loading fmj but for plinking ammo it works just fine. 45ACP there is not as much savings, maybe only save 25 cents on the dollar for them. 357sig is the big winner, we load that for $9 per 50 when the same is selling for $30 at the gun store. I also load rare stuff, .303 brit, 7.65 Argentine, and my 30-06 ammo for the garands. Those three all cost roughly half to 1/4 of what new ammo runs for.

Check out this website to see how long it will take to pay back the initial outlay of cash on the press and all your reloading supplies versus just buying factory ammo.

http://10xshooters.com/calculators/Handgun_Reloading_Cost_Calculator.htm

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If youre going to be doing any precision shooting with rifle reloads, I HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest one of these. Made my life sooooo much better.

RCBS Chargemaster 1500 Combo Scale/Dispenser

4nJERBRMGf0-taxD2sDT72LB9HR36jXazm7JSGIoDkLKLjApu6HGZdiwO5KygkU2aiXzl3YqQG0YLwblfg9HfN3tv4x8JYoA1OOueQGJIEeZdiPbRPPh4yvvx02g6M6V3TCVlBLLVrTOtaPtGm33hHR4mcHh6wPbQZOX7Q

Or a slightly cheaper but still quality version.

Hornady LnL Auto Powder Dispenser.

Sf3S00wdifD1NZwc3eoX7s04TFOmm6xqIyvQ4CwLuodskXEvQU6cRZBhhoYbuhA4HHqScIgpfkvmwBh2NNQVI01BK290mN59PSnoj1-kfqGNlP7dXMSs2z2dS3wGdc9HyIEGTxk0zf13Rjh6XBT-majJett7EQulJEBLmg

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I save about half on loading 40cal, we are just loading fmj but for plinking ammo it works just fine. 45ACP there is not as much savings, maybe only save 25 cents on the dollar for them. 357sig is the big winner, we load that for $9 per 50 when the same is selling for $30 at the gun store. I also load rare stuff, .303 brit, 7.65 Argentine, and my 30-06 ammo for the garands. Those three all cost roughly half to 1/4 of what new ammo runs for.

Check out this website to see how long it will take to pay back the initial outlay of cash on the press and all your reloading supplies versus just buying factory ammo.

http://10xshooters.com/calculators/Handgun_Reloading_Cost_Calculator.htm

Damn that website. I put the same thing together with an Excel formulas which also took into account your cost in loading equipment and compares it to the cost of purchased preloaded ammo. For precision 308 for me, it worked out to right around 250-300 rounds since precision 308 cost about $27-30$ for a box of 20 at the time. And I go through 100 rounds each time out so 3 events and I covered my costs.

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If youre going to be doing any precision shooting with rifle reloads, I HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest one of these. Made my life sooooo much better.

RCBS Chargemaster 1500 Combo Scale/Dispenser

4nJERBRMGf0-taxD2sDT72LB9HR36jXazm7JSGIoDkLKLjApu6HGZdiwO5KygkU2aiXzl3YqQG0YLwblfg9HfN3tv4x8JYoA1OOueQGJIEeZdiPbRPPh4yvvx02g6M6V3TCVlBLLVrTOtaPtGm33hHR4mcHh6wPbQZOX7Q

Or a slightly cheaper but still quality version.

Hornady LnL Auto Powder Dispenser.

Sf3S00wdifD1NZwc3eoX7s04TFOmm6xqIyvQ4CwLuodskXEvQU6cRZBhhoYbuhA4HHqScIgpfkvmwBh2NNQVI01BK290mN59PSnoj1-kfqGNlP7dXMSs2z2dS3wGdc9HyIEGTxk0zf13Rjh6XBT-majJett7EQulJEBLmg

Which do you use and is it OK with both stick and ball powders? Which type powder do you use in it?

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Which do you use and is it OK with both stick and ball powders? Which type powder do you use in it?

I have the charge master but only because i was able to order it through a friends dealer account and there was a $50 mail in rebate at the time. These types of units dispense and measure by weight so they work perfect with any type of powder. The hornady just came out last year at SHOT show and the RCBS has been around for years.

There are some vidoes of each on youtube and you can see how they dispense. Like I said, no problem with any type of powder and the RCBS will dispense up to 300 grains of powder in a single dump. Since these are electronic, they recommend not using them with black powder but most people use the pellets for muzzle loader now days anyway.

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Thanks for the input, many years ago I picked up one of the RCBS electronic scale only and when you tried to trickle up to the desired weight you would go over half a grain before it settled.

I'll head over to youtube to check out the vids.

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Dillon is certainly the best out there but the shit certainly caries the Ferrari style price tag also.

I purchased a Lee Loadmaster 5 station progressive press. I can currently load 9mm, .357Sig, 40S&W, and 45acp. I was able to afford 4 calibers and everything you see in this first picture along with making the bench and buying the light for roughly the same as a low end Dillon progressive in just one caliber. Currently have about 3k rounds through the press and other than a couple initial problems chalked up to the learning curve I have no problems doing 200-300 rounds an hour.

IMG_5241.jpg

Here is a shot zoomed back so you can see the entire bench with my RCBS single stage on the end along with the scale, tumbler and other stuff.

IMG_5243.jpg

Then if you turn around, here are two shots of the supply shelves (please excuse the messy condition, it's organized chaos).

IMG_5245.jpg

IMG_5246.jpg

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