I'm gonna buy a reloading kit

[polyphemus]

I hadn't considered a turret press though, and I will look into it.

Same space footprint,faster and more flexible,the auto indexed models reduce
chances of charging errors and cost is about the same as single stage.
Most serious rifle ammo reloaders prefer single stage but you mention pistol
cartridges,this is why I wondered about your early press type choice.

 

[Road_Clam]

I'm actually thinking about the addition of a turret press as well as my RC single. I'm loading .40 S&W and 460 S&W mag pistol and the extra step of flaring the case mouth is a real PIA. A turret press would be a slick way to decap, size , prime and flare all in one setup.

 

[Lost Sheep]

I'm actually thinking about the addition of a turret press as well as my RC single. I'm loading .40 S&W and 460 S&W mag pistol and the extra step of flaring the case mouth is a real PIA. A turret press would be a slick way to decap, size , prime and flare all in one setup.

A cheap (I am thinking Lee Pro-1000) progressive used for just some of the loading steps is an option. You don't HAVE to use it as designed. Doing two or three steps in one pass and doing the other steps in a second pass is on option. (I call it a hybrid batch-continuous process)

Just a thought. If you skip the steps on which the Lee press has weaknesses, you have a pretty good chance of a trouble-free and efficient operation. Remember, you are designing your own ammo production factory and are not limited to others' methods. Just their recipes (unless you also have a ballistics lab).

Lost Sheep

 

[Lost Sheep]

WVSig (post 37) and I are of like mind except for the Lee Reloading Stand. If it folded up, I might change my mind, but a Black & Decker or Stanley folding workbench (or the like) is more portable and just as quick to set up if you keep your press mounted on a 2x6 board that you could clamp into the workbench quickly.

Lost Sheep

 

[Lost Sheep]

My prescription

I Remember you posted this in another thread, Lost Sheep, and it helped me a lot!

You're welcome. It is nice to be remembered.

What calibers/chamberings will you be reloading?

9mm for the time being. Will add .38/357 and .45 down the road.

What quantities will you be reloading for those calibers?

(Per month) ideally 500-800 a month. That would be very ideal.

How much time will you be willing to devote to those quantities?

Sunday mornings would be my time, before church. A few hours at a time.

Those kinds of quantities suggest a press capable of at least 150-250 rounds per hour. The best turrets are close to that. On my Lee Classic Turret (and the Deluxe Turret would do 98% as well) I can produce 125 to 150 per hour (starting with cleaned brass and ending with finished, boxed, labeled ready-to shoot ammo, including replenishing hoppers, feeds and such). Most Progressives will be 150 to 500 rounds per hour.

I think you want more than that. But your budget mandates a turret to begin with and that you should be content with adding Wednesday evenings in addition to Sunday mornings.

How large of production runs before swapping calibers?

Until I master reloading, I'll be sticking to 9mm. I expect there'll be a lengthy period of slow, deliberate, learning...

One of the Turret's strengths is quick, convenient and economical caliber swaps which I believe you may want sooner than you think. But, again, your budget.

What is your budget for the initial purchase? (Not components, just the equipment)

I imagine somewhere near $300-$400, but I'll get what I need...

So, $300-$400 would put you a bit short of the production quantities I think you have in mind. I expect a decent progressive capable of producing your weekly 9mm demands in 2-3 hours of press time would be on the up side of $600. A Dillon Square Deal, scale, and all the other stuff. Add a turret for your other, lower quantity calibers later. Or a Dillon 550 which may be marginally slower but more flexible. (Consult with people more Dillon-savvy than I am.)

Will you want to get your entire setup at once or, after an initial setup that does all you need, add accessories and conveniences as your experience suggests and finances permit?

I want to be set up with everything I'd need to start without cutting corners from the get go. If I'm missing some nice to have gear but not mandatory that's ok, but I want to be equipped.

Yes, putting it away after each use.

How much space will you devote permanently to a loading area, if any?

Storage is ok, but I won't have a dedicated reloading space. We'd be using either my desk, the kitchen table, counter, or maybe the coffee table.

Do you want it to be portable? yes.

I have my setup configured to stow away in three toolboxes in the bottom of a closet. The largest toolbox is smaller than 24" x 9" x 9". The press (Lee Classic Turret) and a 2x6 board fits in the big box. Spread a tarp, bolt the press to the board and clamp in a folding workbench, set up and zero my scale on a separate table, fill powder hopper and primer feed, set the bullets and brass close at hand and a supply of boxes and labels in about 10-15 minutes and I am ready to produce. Putting it all away is, of course, a lot quicker.

I managed to have my gear stow in 3 medium toolboxes by selecting down my equipment to the bare essentials, but I do lack for nothing. My good judgement, such as it is, comes from experience. We all know where experience comes from....bad judgement.

What are your shooting goals? Cheap ammo? Ultimate long-range accuracy? Casual plinking, Serious competition - what kind? Cowboy Action Shooting? Strictly hunting? Personal defense? Skills development?

I would like cheap ammo, yes please. Haha. Mostly so I can put more rounds down range at a time. I wouldn't mind getting into competition later but for now I just want to practice with my weapon.

Synthesizing your information leads me to suggest budgeting $800-900 to buy (in adition to the other basic items, Scale, Calipers, bullet puller, manuals powder meting devices, etc) a Dillon 550 and a Lee Classic Turret. They can share dies (which the Dillon Square Deal cannot), the Dillon 550 set up for 9mm will fill your needs within your time budget (Sunday mornings) and the Lee Classic Turret can fill in for all your other chamberings in lesser quantities. As you add volume to those other chamberings, you can pull the dies out of the Lee's turret disks and install them in Conversion Kits for the Dillon.

One alternative is to save a few bucks with the same hardware outlined above with the substitution of Dillon Square Deal. When you graduate your lesser-quantity calibers from the turret to the progressive, you will have to buy dies that fit the Square Deal, but your old dies will be saleable if you want to recoup their cost.

Another alternative is to substitute a Dillon 650 or Hornady AP for the Dillon 550. Both are more money, but 5 years from now, when your quantity will probably be more than you imagine right now, you will not regret the significantly higher initial investment.

If you MUST stick with your original $300-$400 budget, Kempf's Lee Classic Turret kit plus manuals and a balance-beam scale and calipers will do it. Add other tools as money allows. And here is a testimonial: I have had conversations with Sue Kempf and trust her.

I hope my thoughts help.

Lost Sheep

 

[Metal god]

I have and use the Hornady press/kit . The bushing system is fantastic if you are loading multiple calibers . Although I believe there are better , stiffer single stage presses out there . The die bushings Hornady uses make there press worth the press deflection I get . Now all that said , I'd recommend the Lee classic turret press for your needs . Cost is low for the quality of the product and loading pistol rounds on a single stage press sucks . If I did not have those quick and easy die bushings I would not even load hand gun on a single stage . I will be getting the Lee turret press soon just to load 9mm & 45acp . I've considered going progressive but don't shoot pistol enough to justify the expense and prefer the precision of a single stage for rifle rounds .

Digital scales are fine when loading rifle rounds that take many grains in weight . I how ever would not use a digital scale loading handgun rounds . A lot of times the difference between min & max load is less then a grain . Unless you're spending big money on a digital scale the beam scale is the way to go IMO . Now yes the beam scale takes longer to weigh charges but when loading for pistol you will be throwing most of your charges and only using your scale to confirm/check your weights . That reminds me , I recommend a set of check weights . I use check weights every time I load .

As for space , I'm one of the lucky ones . I have a home that I can dedicate one of my small rooms to reloading . I how ever don't use a bench but rather two large oak desks . The pics below were taken awhile ago so some things have changed but the concept is the same .

 

[Shootest]

There is a great bunch of knowledgeable guys here. However after all the advice you are probably more confused that ever. Some things you have to consider for yourself, loading handgun on a single stage is really slow and a couple hours Sunday mornings may not produce enough ammo for you. So a turret press may be your best bet. The Lee Classic ( Not the Deluxe ) will be the least $ and will work well. The powder measure and the scale included in the Lee kit, will or can be made to work but they are cheaply made. If that doesn’t bother you then go for it. If it does cause concern then you may want to look elsewhere. Now I know some will say they work great for them, but they are not you, and we are trying to guide you.
If you still want a single stage just about any will be OK, but you probably want a light weight aluminum one to aide in portability aspect.
I recommend mounting the press to a piece of 2X8 board and C clamping that to your table / desk.

Happy and safe loading

 

[mikld]

In Modern Reloading,2nd Ed.Right on Pg 28 there's a picture of Robert Frey.
The caption reads:..dramatically demonstrated the excellence of the Lee Collet Dies.In sanctioned competition,he set a record for the smallest group at 1000 yards".
Unlikely that he fit those on a Lee Loader.

I got my info from Modern Reloading (I guess 1st Edition) page 49 and it states that Rick Taylor "...he dropped me a note advising that he had established a world record for the smallest group at 1,ooo yards . He had used his modified Lee Loader to load the ammunition", his modification was to lessen the neck sizing. I also saw the photo of Robert Frey with the caption about his use of collet dies, but it's on pg. 33 of my book. Yep his record holding ammo was assembled with a Lee Loader...

I normally don't make up stuff for posts on forums...

 

[skizzums]

i know everything that needed to be said on this thread has been. but i just wanna add one more thought. if your simply going with a single stage press, i see absolutely no reason not to just go with the LEE. they, are all pretty much the exact same thing, some with a bigger pieces of cast metal and more ridgid ram. i can attest that my breech lock 50th anniversary is showing zero signs of ever wearing out despite loading five hundred to a thousand rounds a month for the last 3 years. if you were diving into a progressive, i think this would be a more valid conversation, but do yourself a favor and just save yourself the money and grab the LEE. i don't know what others think is wrong with the product, but nothing is wrong with it. and there are no extra exspenses, it comes with everything that i needed to start loading on day one after getting the dies for my caliber. every single stage press is going to make ammo to the specific sizes/tolerences of the dies that you are using, no exceptions, they are just that simple of a tool. none of them are going to make better ammo than the next, period. go ahead and pull the trigger on the kit and you won't be disappointed. it has a great consistent powder measure, a very simple primimg system that always works and comes with the sets for large or small primers and the scale(although dainty) is accurate and reliable. i recommend adding a pair of cheap calipers from harbor freight for 8$ and that's it, then your ready to crank out bullets. whatcha waitin for, it's 109$ dollars and it's payday by the way, if you didn't notice.

 

[Metal god]

. every single stage press is going to make ammo to the specific sizes/tolerences of the dies that you are using, no exceptions, they are just that simple of a tool. none of them are going to make better ammo than the next, period.

Although generally l true I don't completely agree with the bold section . My Hornady LnL single stage press has quite a bit of deflection . When sizing hard to size cases like long action cases or cases fired in a 7.62x51 full auto chambers . I get quite a bit of deflection in the linkage of the press . That results in inconsistent sized cases . Not a big deal if you know what's happening and adjust your sizing method to compensate . Using comp shell holders or shimming the case up from the deck of the shell holder with feeler gages helps the problem . There are other presses that have very little deflection in comparison so those IMHO will sizes cases better if not using advanced reloading techniques .

Now none of that matters to the OP at this time because they only plan to size pistol cases and press deflection is a non-issue there . They how ever may start loading for rifle some day and thinking all single stage presses are the same is not really true .

 

[flashhole]

The Lee Classic Turret at Kempf's is an excellent choice, especially for handgun loading beginners.

I have and have had lots of different presses on the bench. My setup for 40 S&W is the Lee Classic Turret. You can use it as a single stage or with the auto indexing rod for higher production rates. The system produces excellent quality ammo. Lee press, Lee Dies, Lee Shell Holder, Lee Funnel, Lee Dipper Cups, Lee Manual, Lee Case Trimmer, Lee Lead Pot, Lee Bullet Molds. It comes together nicely as a system.

This may flame a few people but IMO the bushing system that allows "quick" change of dies is a solution for a non-existent problem. They can introduce unpredictable error in the loading steps. I tried them, I am not a fan of them.

Also, if you plan to add multiple calibers with the Lee set up you just get an additional turret for the press, they cost about $12. Change out from cartridge to cartridge is a few seconds once the dies are set up.

Note there is a lot of difference in the Deluxe Turret and the Class Cast Turret. The Classic Cast is the one you want.

This may flame some folks too but I don't like Hornady reloading equipment. I've had problems (their fault not mine) and their customer service was sorely lacking.

 

[wiiawiwb]

We're in the same boat as I am just getting together my equipment list to start reloading.

Here's my best suggestion. Spend a ton of time (and I mean a ton) pouring over posts on this forum and other reloading forums. Also spend as much time on YouTube watching videos of the entire process, from start to finish, done by others. Watch several people using a single-stage press or using a turret press. Finally, watch people using a progressive press. After a while, you'll get the hang of things and be able to decide for yourself what processes will work for you and which ones won't.

You might lean toward a certain press, say a Lee Turret press. If so, watch every YT video you can that shows the good points and bad ones too about that piece of equipment. Doing so has allowed to eliminate certain equipment or processes that I knew were inconsistent with how I'd felt comfortable proceeding.

There is more information that can be gleaned from a video where there is demonstrating and watching than from the written word where there is describing and reading. See how a press operates, see how bullets are seated or crimped, see how someone measures out powder or cleans their brass.

There is wealth of information out there and wonderful people willing to share their experience.

 

[Brotherbadger]

Here's my best suggestion. Spend a ton of time (and I mean a ton) pouring over posts on this forum and other reloading forums.

This is a very good suggestion. I spent over a year reading forums(including this one) before I bought my first piece of equipment. I read and re-read the abcs of reloading a few times and bought a few reloading manuals, then read them. You can never be too informed.

 

[Lee6113]

Hey all, I know it's been 6 months since I made this thread and I wanted to thank you all for your input and suggestions. Your help has been tremendously valuable to me.

I've decided to go with Kempf's Lee Classic Turret kit.

Thanks a ton, guys!

Lee

 

[Clark]

I got the RCBS rockchucker reloading kit when I started reloading in 1999.


1) Rockchucker press .. don't use it anymore,
2) "Speer 12" reloading manual... don't use it.
3) Bottle of glycerin for lube... don't use it any more
4) Pad for applying glycerin... don't use it
5) Brush for lubing inside of case neck.. don't use it any more
6) Loading tray made of plastic... don't use it.
7) Wire brush for cleaning primer pockets. Don't use it.
8) Funnel, don't use it
9) case trimmer, don't use it anymore.

----------------------------

10) Inside outside neck chamfer [ Wilson OEM] I still use it.
11) Uniflow powder measure.... I still use it.
12) 5-0-5 scale [Ohaus OEM]... I still use it.

 

[SARuger]

I didn't read every post but one of the best additions to my LCT was the LEE Auto-Drum. That is a very easy to set up powder measure and its very accurate! I have several sets of drums already set up for caliber/type powder/bullet gn. I still re-check my loads on the safety scales every 10 loads but I have not found one high or low yet.

I still have my LEE Auto-Disc with the charge bar in it and I leave it set up on my .223 turret since I only run one grain bullet and one powder for my .223 bolt gun.

The charge bar works good with rifle or large handgun loads but I couldn't get consistency with small handgun like 9mm or .38/.357

 

[TailGator]

I've decided to go with Kempf's Lee Classic Turret kit.

Good choice. Enjoy it and keep us posted on your progress.

 

[spacecoast]

I, too, have had very good success with Harbor Freight calipers.

The only thing is, though, that even when "off" they tend to eat batteries.

I've had mine at least 5 years and I'm still on the first battery.

 

[evtSmtx]

I started with a lee classic turret. eventually moved to a dillon xl650 for stuff I shoot a lot of but stll use the lee for lower volume things like .44 mag

 

[Lee6113]

Hey guys, I don't mean to keep bumping my thread but I figured I wouldn't start a new one.. I decided to start with 38special for my revolver until I get the hang of it, then add 9mm pretty easily after that.

I've placed my order and am eagerly awaiting its arrival. I wanted to ask about a few other things. Here is what I already ordered, and hopefully you all can spot me on anything I'm missing.

--- Kempf's Lee Classic Turret Press Kit. ($245.74 with shipping)
-Lee Classic Turret Press
-Lee Deluxe 4-Die Set for the pistol caliber of your choice. ( 44/40 and 357 Sig are 3 Die Sets)
-Lee Auto Disk Powder Measure
-Lee Safety Prime System (Large AND Small)
-Lee Auto Disk Riser (Required for the Safety Prime System)
-Six MTM 50 round Plastic Ammo Boxes

And I added the Pro Auto Disc Measure upgrade.


Then, on top of that I ordered: ($59.97)
-Frankford Arsenal Reloading Scale
-Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-Ez impact bullet puller
-Frankford Arsenal Electronic digital calipers


That is all the tools I've purchased so far. Total investment is $305.71 so far.


So next up I need a few more things:
- Reloading Manuals
- Some sort of folding work bench or portable mount.
- Components

And Ive read the following are useful but not mandatory.
- Tumbler? Not critical when starting, especially since my .38 brass will all be shot first by me and ejected directly into a box for empty brass. Not flying out into the mud, mums eventually I do want one but not year if I don't have too.
- Loading blocks? I don't really know what these are really for... I can use plastic range ammo boxes to hold brass, can't I?
- A balance scale? I read it's better to have one as well as digital, but is it really necessary since I've got the Frankford Arsenal digital scale?


As for loading manuals I've picked up 3 books as the library.
-The Beginners Guide to Reloading Ammunition
-Handloaders Digest 18th Edition
-The ABCs of Reloading

And I've been recommended these:
- Lee Manual
- Lyman 49th Edition
- Hornady 8th and 9th Editions
- Sierra reloading manual


And finally, for my set up, if I can mount my turret press to a 2x6 board, would I be able to C-Clamp the board and mounted press to my desk/table/counter or would it be recommended I get a folding work bench (someone recommended Block & Decker or Stanley Folding Bench) and just keep my components, scale, etc on the table next to it?


I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help guide me as I start up. You guys are invaluable.


Cheers!

Lee