If you were to start again...

[Orion]

Pacific 007 press
RCBS and Lee dies plus Lee Factory Crimp dies for everything.
Pacific M scale with Targetmaster tricker.

 

[Odders]

One thing anyone using the Lee case trimmer should do is keep an eye on the trimmed length, as the pilot DOES wear down over time - about 0.002" per thousand cases would be my guess.
They're cheap enough to replace anyhow.

 

[Edinburgh Rifles]

So the simple question is, if you were starting again, what would you buy or avoid?

Press - RCBS,
Dies - Lee,
Case trimmer - Lee,
Scales - any old digital and a decent powder thrower

Or would you buy a specific kit and be done with it?

Quickload!!
paid for itself in saved powder several times over!

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Präzipress 2 hole mounting press if you want the Swarovski version. They are only 40 km from my home.
The second press getting great accuracy of build reviews is the MEC Marksman much cheaper but not far behind imo.
Here is a comparison review of a bunch by the anal reloader press tester channel.

 

[Oly]

I bought Redding Competition kit first time around at massive cost.

Second time around I bought just the essentials, all Lee kit. The difference was certainly sub 0.25MOA

My cut down kit now lives in effectively a big wooden shoe box so easy to store/retrieve without having to have a dedicated space (my press is the Lee hand press).

I get a lot more satisfaction from reloading now too

 

[stubear]

I really like Lee kit - great prices and you cant go wrong.

The thing I wouldnt do again now is buy the Lee Classic Loader kits that I did - I've moved to FL sizing everything and using the hand press, digital scales etc. I wish I'd just gone down that route to start with rather than trying to Lee loader kits first. Purely because I get WAY better results with the proper dies.

But quality wise though Lee are the mutts.

 

[JabaliHunter]

with hindsight I would have just bought this lot straight off...

Press: never regretted buying my Forster

Dies: hard to go wrong with a FL bushing die Whidden, Redding Competition or Forster. Redding TiNI bushings. Sinclair expander mandrel die and Sinclair decapping dies too.

Case tumbler: if I were doing it again I’d get a small rock tumbler with wet/stainless media. Could happily get away with a wonder cloth, nylon calibre size brush and primer pocket cleaner though.

Trimmer: one of those things you use on the initial case prep then hardly ever need again. probably a WFT if starting again. Get the correct angle chamfer tool too

Neck Turner: probably PMA tool model B with a carbide cutter preset by who-ever chambered my barrel. If not, feeler gauges and a calculator make set up a doddle

Balance: like my Lyman/Ohaus M5 but would be better with a big, solid levelling base. Would love one of the auto-trickler digital setups though...

Thrower: Lee Classic (perfect with the new metal body) otherwise a Harrell (not had a jones)

Trickler: e.g. redding

Tweezers, saves getting shouted at every time you steal the wife’s

Callipers: Mitutoyo dial and digital

Micrometer: hardly ever need it, but mitutoyo again

Priming tool: Sinclair one has served me well

Concentricity gauge: nice to have but not vital, e.g. 21st Century

Lube: imperial wax and dry neck graphite

Metal funnel and drop tube if needed

Chrono: magneto speed

Probably missed something...

 

[Howa]

I think that I would go down the Wilson route for dies, expensive but so accurate.

 

[Pete6.5]

Find a wamadet press if you can great bit of kit and you don't have to bolt it to a work bench. Kwick and easy

 

[Selous]

I have had lots of Lee kit over the years including dies, presses, priming tools,, powder measures, priming tools etc and now use only one bit of it (which is the primer pocket cleaner). The rest has either been sold or scrapped.
If I were to start again I would buy a Forster CoAx or RCBS Rockchucker press, Redding or Forster Micrometer top dies, a powder thrower and scales of some description which could be electronic all in one like a charge master or a beam scale (RCBS 505 or 1010), target master trickler and volumetric measure like an RCBS Uniflow or Redding equivalent. I do like my Gem pro electronic scales for when I'm being totally anally retentive. I am happy with the RCBS Hand priming tool and Trim Pro with power adaptor and K&M VLD chamfer tool but you do need an outside deburring tool too. Mitutoyo for calipers and Micrometer. I have learnt the hard way to buy once cry once.

 

[enfieldspares]

Press - Australian Simplex Master (a copy of Lyman's Orange Crusher) but ONLY as I now load .30-06 which I prefer the taller window of the Lyman. If not RCBS Rockchucker
Dies - Redding - Standard Dies but with their optional extra carbide expander ball replacing their standard steel expander on the decapping rod.
Case trimmer - Forster
Scales - As long as Ohaus made it I don't care if it says RCBS or Lyman on the branding and box it came in.

 

[Scuttlebuttin]

I had too many problems with Lee equipment and when trying to get stuff sorted out on warranty, I gave up as it took 2 weeks of waiting to get something ordered from Hannams or Kranks in the UK delivered. I then ordered from Titan Reloading in the States, order on Monday and it was on your doorstep on Saturday.

I then went exclusively to RCBS and never had an issue.

 

[User00040]

I haven't ventured in to the world of reloading before, its never really "floated my boat". But, with the prospect of copper coming its making more sense to me and possibly because I'm quite keen on precision.

So the simple question is, if you were starting again, what would you buy or avoid?

Press - RCBS, Forster, Lee, Lyman, Redding or what?
Dies - RCBS, Forster, Lee, Lyman, Redding or what?
Case trimmer - RCBS, Forster, Lee, Lyman, Redding or what?
Scales - RCBS, Forster, Lee, Lyman, Redding or what?

Or would you buy a specific kit and be done with it?

Get a Lee Classic Loader, maybe a primer pocket cleaner and trimmer too.

The kit does everything (deprime, resize neck, prime, charge and seat the bullet), but nothing particularly well.

For a bolt action they are not bad. Been eclipsed due to the popularity of handloading for other types of rifle in North America that require full length resizing (semi-auto's and lever actions).

If you want full length resizing without a press get a Vise die from Simplex (but use case lube!). Knocks a case back to SAAMI spec without the worry of something going out of adjustment.

I like the idea of hand dies versus a bench mounted press; the old methods still work despite what different companies and their marketing departments want you to believe.

 

[Odders]

I picked up a Rockchucker Supreme Master reloading kit in the US back when it was $2 = £1 & apart from removing the threaded die bushing & replacing it to use Hornady L-N-L it's served perfectly from day 1, except for the crap primer catcher.
That's another thing Lee have got right on some of their presses, with the spent primers being ejected down the ram into a bottle.

 

[User00040]

From the man who invented the kit.

Seating and sizing dies had been around long before, but he economised everything through good design.

The first Lee Loaders were actually for shotgun cartridges.

 

[Brighty3006]

RCBS

 

[8x57]

I had too many problems with Lee equipment and when trying to get stuff sorted out on warranty, I gave up as it took 2 weeks of waiting to get something ordered from Hannams or Kranks in the UK delivered. I then ordered from Titan Reloading in the States, order on Monday and it was on your doorstep on Saturday.

I then went exclusively to RCBS and never had an issue.

I too have had a few problems with Lee in particular their custom dies where they sent entirely the wrong size die twice. Both Kranks and Hannams admitted that they had issues with Lee supplying the wrong product on occasion and also problems with delays. Titan on the other hand were very quick supplying ordered standard products.

The RCBS warranty is legendary, that's why I will stick with them in future.

 

[6.5a square]

I have heard this loads. It seems to be the cheapest too which is ideal. Unfortunately, i have spent £££ buying then buying again.

Bought my lee beginner set more than 10 years ago. Never felt the need to buy more expensive kit
Yes cheap and cheerful but very effective. Produced thousands of rounds of various calibres all suited to my rifles. Saved an awful lot on not buying factory ammo. So satisfying knowing you have produced your own rounds trailer made for your own particular rifle.

 

[TURNBOLT]

Press Forster or Combi press
Dies Redding or Forster.plus L e Wilson for seating.
Redding powder measure.

 

[Cawdor118]

From the man who invented the kit.

Seating and sizing dies had been around long before, but he economised everything through good design.

The first Lee Loaders were actually for shotgun cartridges.

I have one of these kit, but its all a bit tedious and i never got passed depriming.