should I reload for my .357

Not to start a fight but The only Lee item I will own is the auto prime. The rest is junk. Somebody gave me a Lee press and it is junk compared to the RCBS press I have. I bought a Lee carbide for my 357 when starting out, seemed like a good value. It was like running sand through the die. Then I got a set of RCBS carbides and have never looked back. All my carbides are RCBS.

I have also found the Lee shell holders are not held to as close tolerances as RCBS.

I do own a bit of everyones reloading gear including Dillion. Rifle dies include RCBS, Redding, Hornaday and Forster.

Can a guy build good shooting ammo with Lee equipment? Sure, but it's painful to watch when you know there is much better stuff out there.

Now as far as shooting lead goes, I shoot a lot of lead in 45 ACP as it seems they were made for each other. I have shot lead in my 686 but stainless and lead don't mix real well. If you are going to shoot lead don't be a bone head and shoot jacketed after shooting lead thinking you are cleaning the lead out. It's just not the case. Get a Lewis lead remover and take the lead out the right way. For 40 and 9mm I have Glocks and well I don't shoot lead in my Glocks. It's up to you what you shoot. I like buying the 140 gr. Rem Hp's from Midway when on sale for the 38/357.
 
"I would definately reload. But, I would stay far away from Lee equipment. I've had nothing but headaches with them, and very, very low quality ammo."


Sorry you feel that way HAwgleg 44 , I know LEE quality is not up to RCBS and or Dillon standards but my 3 have produced 10's of thousands of rounds in 38 and 45 ACP without issue. I'll admit the lee presses require tweeking from time to time but they keep on producing good usable ammo. I can honestly say that any "poor quality ammo" from mine was due to the loose nut behind the lever and not the machines quality or durability.
 
Tacoma-
That statement made me laugh. Not at you, but it reminded me of a mechanic friend of mine who passed away. He kind of took me under his wing and let me use his garage any time I needed to, and taught me just about everything I know about fixing my vehicles.

I was there when a customer came in complaining about a non-existant problem, and he told him he knew exactly what the problem was. It was the nut holding the steering wheel.

I was using Lee dies, and found that they were not resizing the ammo enough. That was back when I was just starting to do revolver competition, and I couldn't even use speedloaders because the rounds would not drop into the chambers. When I checked them with a micrometer (even more accurate than the Vernier callipers), they were off. It's been so many years now that I've been usind Dillon equipment that I can't remember how far off, but it was enough to cause problems. Their system for dropping the powder was less than perfect, and I regularly got squib loads out of it.

When I got Dillon equipment, after getting recommendations from club members, I love my Square Deal B. Unless it's my fault, I've never had a bad round come off of it. The only problem I did have was a bad primer drop tube where I would sometimes get a large pistol primer upside down. I called Dillon and they sent along a replacement for free.

I ended up getting a 550B when I started shooting rifle, too, and that is almost as fast as the SDB.

It's just like everything else. I had a very, very bad experience with Lee. Some people are happy with their equipment. They wouldn't be in business still if they didn't have happy customers. I moved up to Dillon and I don't have to worry about tweaking or adjusting. It just plain works all the time. Yes, they require more work, and money, to swap calibers and set up, but the quality of ammo you get from them is well worth it, IMO. But, if you are only starting out reloading one caliber, they come in set up for that caliber with a dummy test round reloaded on that press. Just adjust your powder measure for your charge and your bullet seating height, and you are good to go.
 
Reload for the 357?

Absolutely :p The Rock Chucker kit is a terrific place to start reloading. It has what is necessary and does a good job. You may want to add on or expand as time goes on but the press will last a lifetime.

As to cost :o The big cost element is the brass. You should be able to load good brass a half dozen times (depending on how heavy you load). Amortizing the cost of new brass over, say six reloads, causes the cost to decrease rapidly. Depending on what and how you choose to load the cost load will change but will, pretty much, always be less expensive than new ammo.

Finally, it is an absolutely interesting and fun hobby. I have been reloading for more than 40 years and am just as excited about it now as I was when I began.
 
Just a follow up on the Lee speed loader die I ordered to reload .357

I got it in the mail yesterday and screwed up 100 perfectly good cases. Not the dies fault though, mine.

With this die you only get 1 die so for a very simple press like I have you don't have to switch dies at each stage of the reloading process. However, you DO do alot of reconfiguring that single die while reloading.

First you have to size the case. Now when I reloaded for .45 with a 3-die set, the decapper and sizing operation happened all at once. Not so with the Lee speed die. You have to remove the decapper, install the case sizer and size your cases. Then you remove the sizer, reinstall the decapper which pops out the spend primer and opens up the mouth of the case a bit to allow easy setting of the bullet.

This is where I made my mistake in not reading the instructions. I thought the case sizing and decapping step would happen all at once. So when I was pulling the case down out of the decapper/sizer combo the sizer closed the mouth of the case. Anyone know of a good way to bump open the mouth of a case with a live primer in it?? If so I don't have to throw away those 100 cases.

Once I got the die instructions figured out I was able to load without any trouble. Again, my whole reloading rig (press, scale, auto primer, die) costed less than $70 and I can reload just fine. This is the second caliber I've run through the press and while it's not super fast it gets the job done.

All in all - I would never be hesitant to buy Lee reloading gear. Good price and functions just fine, at least IMO. I'm surprised to hear so many with bad experiences.
 
When it comes to brass costs, it's non-existant for me. Most of the clubs I shoot at are full of non-reloaders. That means, they love it when I pick up after them.

Plus, in .40 S&W, I get it all from our PD qualification. That ends up being a little over 2000/year.
 
HAve to agree with Hawgleg on Brass costs. About the only brass hard to come by at my clubs is the coveted 45 acp. 357, 38 and especially 9mm and 40 S&W empties are always left behind. To get started, just buy some Winchester ammo at wall mart and save the brass. It's cheaper than buying new brass.
 
After the initial layout for equipment, reloading is the best, and most inexpensive way to shoot more, and shoot more often.

I've got close to 1500 brass casings in both .38Spl and .357 Magnum. I bought the first 200, the rest were once-fired brass I scrounged from all the non-reloaders at my range.
 
Same here with the brass. I have probably 3000 .357mags, 6-7000 .38's, and over 20,000 9mm's and .40's. .45's are only about 2000, though.

I've bought almost none of that. All been picked up at ranges over the years. I don't keep rotating them or mixing them, either. I just keep enough out to reload and use and not run out. When they crack, I just throw them out and grab a handful of new stuff.

The .357's definately crack quicker, probably after 6 or 7 reloads. But out of a lower pressure .38spl, you can get 12 or 15 reloads out of it. Same with the 9mm's.

If you do actually buy brass, don't get nickel cases. The seem to crack quicker. I think the nickel coating process hardens the brass and makes it brittle. Brass cases always last twice as long as nickel for me.
 
my $.02 worth

Had to get my $.02 worth in on the issue.

I have the Lee turret press.

Advantages:

Versatile- I reload 10mm, 45acp, 38, 357, 44mag and am getting some rifle dies in soon. I swap out turret, dies and all, and am ready to reload another caliber in a few seconds.

Works fast enough for what I shoot. I load about 150 rounds an hour.

Durable enough for what I do- I don't keep track, but have made at least 10000 rounds with no discernible wear.

Cheap- Cost me less than $100 dies for 1 caliber, scale, press and the whole 9 yards. It paid for itself in the first 400 rounds or so. I have a buddy who bought a single stage RCBS press for more money and doesn't use it because it takes too long.

Disadvantages:

I can't load fast with it.

If I was going to get a progressive press, I'd probably get a Dillon, but I would expect to have to tweak it to get it to work and then use it for 1 caliber only. Which eventually I will probably do- when the kids move out and I get to shoot all the time. Until then, I'll continue reload what I need during the week on my Lee press, and shoot on the weekends.

Lead vs. cast bullets:

At slower velocities with good lube, cast bullets don't lead that much. jacketed don't lead at all.

I cast mine from wheelweights when I want to shoot cheap. It's a dirty job, but it's fun if you're into that sort of thing. I started with jacketed bullets and still use them for hunting or a match where I'm going to shoot a lot.

Ditto on whoever said buy bullets in bulk. Shipping can kill you when you buy small amounts, and pay to ship lead. I buy jacketed Zero bullets, at least enough for free shipping, from Northwest Loading Supply. I know a lot of people who are very happy with Montana Gold, too.

Whether to get started reloading at all:

You can tailor your loads to your guns or your specific needs.

You really can shoot cheaper loading your own.
(Tell your wife that.)

However, if you get addicted, you will shoot exponentially more and will spend more on shooting than you spend now on store-bought cartridges.
(You may elect not to tell your wife that.)

A side note:

If you want to start out with a single stage press- nothing wrong with that. If you decide to reload more it's handy to have a single stage press around. Also, Lee Loaders are really neat, although I admit I hardly use the ones I have. If you wanted to try reloading really cheap, you can get a Lee Classic Loader for $14 on midwayusa.com and try it out. The only objections I've heard is they're slow- and some people get nervous tapping a primer in with a hammer.
 
What Tim R said, mostly.

there are characteristics (detail oriented, orderly mind, average or better 'hands', etc.) which are helpful to enjoying and safely handloading.

for one caliber and 50 rounds a week, getting into handloading is not worth it - unless to explore the why if different powders, bullet weights, shapes, and materials.

can't speak to lee equipment. i started with rcbs stuff (rockchucker master kit) and have no complaints at all.

go to the reloading forum and lurk for awhile.

cheers - shu
 
If I was going to get a progressive press, I'd probably get a Dillon, but I would expect to have to tweak it to get it to work and then use it for 1 caliber only.

Tweaking to make it run right? No. If you are planning to use just one caliber, the SDB comes in all set up already in that caliber. Just set your powder charge (no tools needed) by just turning an adjusting nut on the charge bar, and you'll have to check you bullet seating hight since they set theirs with jacketet bullets. Not sure what weight for each caliber.

Once I start reloading, I check the first few powder charges to make sure they don't need an adjustment. Then, I check one every 50 rounds or so. They are always fine, but I do it for piece of mind anyway. Of course, I always visually inspect every powder charge before putting the bullet on top at station 3 to be seated.

Speed wise, it takes me less than 3 minutes, at a reasonable pace, to reload a box of 50.

Why would you want to use it for only one caliber? Just change the shellplate and toolhead (and primer tube is you are changing size), and you are ready to go. If you buy an extra powder measure for each setup like I do, you won't even have to adjust your charges. All that's required to change calibers is an allen wrench, which comes with the press, too.
 
I didn't mean to put Dillon in a negative light, especially since I don't have any first hand experience with one. When I finally break down and buy a progressive press, it WILL be a Dillon, for sure.

I just hear all the guys at the range talking about Dillon presses, and I keep hearing " you have to adjust the_____" "Well, I bent ____ to keep it from _____ing", "you need to add a screw in the______" " Just get the new ______ and your press will stop ______ing"

Fill in the blanks with very technical sounding jargon. Just sounds kind of complicated.

Of course, I think these guys are always adding bullet feeders, case feeders, low powder alarms- whatever gadgets they can get.

"Speed wise, it takes me less than 3 minutes, at a reasonable pace, to reload a box of 50."

Is that with the Square Deal, or one of the better presses?

Maybe I'll forgo the next gun and get a new press instead....
 
I've never added case or bullet feeders to my presses, or powder alarms, etc. I just use them the way they came from the factory, and there's no tinkering or adjusting, just making outstanding quality ammo.

I have two presses, a Square Deal B and a 550B. If you are going to shoot nothing but pistol calibers, go with the SDB. Anything else is a waste of money. If you go with the 550, production will take longer since you have a longer throw on the lever and you have to index the shellplate manually. I know they advertise the 550B as being faster than the SDB, but I can't see how. I asked them on the phone one time when I called for a replacement primer tube, and they had no explanation. I think that, since the 550B costs more, they advertise it as being faster. Not that you can't produce the advertised number of rounds per hour with the 550B, but you can definately produce more than what they advertise you can with the SDB.

I do reload one handgun caliber on the 550B, .40 S&W. That's only because my friend had a conversion and he didn't shoot that caliber anymore, so he loaned it to me. If I was buying the conversion, it would definately be with the SDB. Not that the 550B is a bad press, but if you aren't reloading rifle ammo, it's not worth going with it at all. If I didn't reload for .30 Carbine, .223 & .30-06 (there used to be more, but that's it for now), I'd be more than happy with my SDB.

I'd hold off on a gun purchase to pick up a faster press to spend more time with the guns you have now.
 
A lot of people pooh-pooh the Lee stuff, but it will do the job, it's just something of a pain the way some of it is set up.
I hear their new Classic Cast press is very good, every bit as good as a Rockchucker. Don't jump on me, it's what I heard.
Redding makes the best in single-stage equipment IMHO, and the best dies, bar none, but you'll pay for them.
To me, reloading is most economical if you do it in lots of 1,000 or 2,000. Reloading 100 at a time usually isn't any cheaper than buying range ammo. Depending on caliber lots of 1,000 can save 40-60%.

But be warned, you won't save ANY money reloading. I don't know anyone who has, because you just go ahead and bankrupt yourself by shooting MORE! Which is good, you'll be a much better shot for it.

Other advice besides getting at least three manuals, is that the maximum loads are rarely the most accurate, even though I love my magnums, I don't load them to the firewalls.

Lead bullets are OK for range work, but you can't drive them very fast. Hardcast lead like Cast Performance LBT series bullets can be driven with pretty stout loads, but are almost as costly as jacketed bullets.

Be warned, reloading is as much of an addiction as shooting and collecting guns, you'll soon find the need for a room entirely dedicated to reloading and the associated equipment.
 
Lead bullets are OK for range work, but you can't drive them very fast. Hardcast lead like Cast Performance LBT series bullets can be driven with pretty stout loads, but are almost as costly as jacketed bullets.

That's something I don't agree with at all. If you are using some cheap, swaged bullets, then yes, they will lead badly. If you are using some good quality cast bullets, sized to your bore size, push them as fast as you want, within specs of course, and you won't have a problem.

Take the .44mag for example. There are wide variations in bore diamerer, but the most common size cast bullet is .429". I slugged my bore and found a .430" diameter. That means, if I reload with a .429, I'll be getting gas blow-by, causing leading. I size .001" over as a rule, so .431", and have no leading issues at all.

Everyone blames the cast bullets for leading, but if you slug your bore and use the appropriate size cast bullet, leading is not an issue.
 
If you are using some cheap, swaged bullets, then yes, they will lead badly.
Click to expand...

He's talking about buying bullets, so yes, that's what I'm talking about. The only good "bought" bullets I've found are hardcast bullets. If you're going to cast and size you own, then you're absolutely correct.
 
There are some cast bullet companies out there who will offer their bullets sized to your choice to match your gun. One company who does in M&P Cast Bullets in Brattelboro, VT, 802-254-5296.

I used to cast my own, but I never had a nice place set up for it. It just wasn't worth it to me. So, a friend of mine is all set up for it. I give him buckets of wheelweights I get for free from tire shops, and he gives me bullets in trade for them. He keeps about half of the material, and I get bullets equaling the other half. It works for me, since I get so much free lead, I could never use it all. I get them unsized and unlubed and just do that myself on a Lyman 450 luber/sizer. After trying out his Star luber/sizer, I really want one of those! No need for different top punches or anything like that. Just put in our choice of sizer die, and use any undersize blunt top punch and put them through upside down. It's very fast and works great.
 
Let me put my 2 cents in on this 'reloading' debate.
I've only been reloading for about 26 or 27 years, and
I only reload for three pistol calibers, and five rifle
calibers. I am still using that dinky little RCBS RS3
press I got with a 'starter kit' back in '78 or '79.

Of course I have bought a few accessories, a case
trimmer, a hand primer, and other odds and ends that
just make it a little quicker or a little easier to reload,
but I am basically using the equipment I bought 27 years
ago.

I started reloading to save money on ammo. My first set
of dies was .45 acp. I must have reloaded 3000 rounds
the first year. Now, I reload for accuracy. I have a
22.250 rifle that will put five shots into one ragged hole
at a hundred yards, if I do my part. It took me four
months to work that load up, testing different powders,
different bullets, even different primers. I was a 'man on
a mission' for a while, but when I finally found "THE" load
for that particular rifle, the sense of satisfaction was
amazing.

I'm going through the same process now, working on a
load for a 300 WSM rifle. It's slow, it's 'trial and error',
but it is an activity I enjoy, and when you finally find that
"sweet load", it's a great feeling.

Walter
:)
 
I had a Winchester M70 in .243 with a free-floated heavy varmint barrel and glass bedded action. I tried working up a load for it, but never found one that would shoot as well as Federal Premium 60gr HP's using Sierra bullets. That would shoot 3-shot groups the size of a quarter at 200 yards.

I'm planning to pick up a .223 for coyotes and woodchucks again, and I'll begin my search for the "perfect" load. I hope I get mine withing 4 months, too. It takes a lot to make it work. You definately deserve congratulations with your success.
 
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