want to buy a starter set

I disagree with any progressive for a beginner, there is just too much going on at one time. Progressive tools increase the opportunity for error hugely, compared to a single stage press.
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Understood. The learning curve can be accomplished on a 550 by just placing one piece of brass in the shell plate, de-prime and size, move plate and fill with powder, move plate and seat bullet, and move plate to crimp. Continue to do so until the person is comfortable in the process and has a good understanding then they can fill the shell plate and us it as a progressive
 
I disagree with any progressive for a beginner, there is just too much going on at one time. Progressive tools increase the opportunity for error hugely, compared to a single stage press.
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Understood. The learning curve can be accomplished on a 550 by just placing one piece of brass in the shell plate, de-prime and size, move plate and fill with powder, move plate and seat bullet, and move plate to crimp. Continue to do so until the person is comfortable in the process and has a good understanding then they can fill the shell plate and us it as a progressive
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Yep...and you'll never have to upgrade the press nor dies unless you get into a shooting 'sport' where 500 rounds a weekend is the norm. You'll have to shop for the small tools: scale, calipers, components and dies but in the long run, the Dillon 550B or C model makes a lot of sense. Rod
 
44 AMP said:
Also be aware that the shellholder usually doesn't come in the die set.
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Except Lee. As far as I know, all Lee die sets include the shell holder, and shell holders are more or less universal -- should work in just about any single stage press.

Shell holders (or "shell plates") for progressive presses, on the other hand, are specific to the press and are not included with dies.
 
BBarn said:
I would stay away from the small Lee C press and the Lee APP press. Both are rather small for resizing with carbide dies unless you also use lube, especially the APP if using the X-Press shellholders that make automatic case feeding possible. The APP is nice for de-priming and belling, but I consider it too small for resizing anything without lube, and even then only smaller cases.
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He's mainly focusing on .32 and maybe some .38/.357, he's not exactly reloading .300 Win Mag here.

The Lee presses are cheap and will work fine.
 
Some version of a turret press. I hear the Lee Classic Turret is good.

I have a Redding T7 which is kind of a Cadillac as far as turrets go, and much pricier than the Lee. But as far as operation, I'd never go back to a single-stage for pistol ammo. My single-stages only get used when loading precision rifle ammo now. Too slow for loading hundreds of pistol rounds for the range.
 
RCBS

I don't like Hornady bushings but they have quality stuff too. What calibers? Progressive or single stage?
 
To clarify my earlier statement, I don’t mean you can’t load rifle on a Lee cast turret press, I have and it works fine. I just meant to load rifle on my single stage for bench accuracy. I have and will load plinking ammo on my turret with no problem. I get good solid 2MOA ammo from my turret but for the .5-.75 stuff it’s my single stage.
 
I just started saving my spent shells. Must have about a gallon zip lock bag totally filled. I admit I didn’t start saving them soon enough. Lesson learned. The amount of relevant info
is astonishing. But that’s why this is my primary forum. Boy do I have a lot to learn. I really messed up my 327 with lousy AMMO. $500 + for a revolver is not peanuts. All my other side arms are in great shape.

Please keep up the advice.
 
Once you start reloading, especially handgun rounds, you will realize it is pretty darn easy to do. You just don’t want to get complacent when loading, that can get you into trouble.

Maybe have a friend you don’t like shoot your first test batch for you...:D.
 
Most simple and cheapest start is . . .

Doc:
The most simple and least expensive way to start is with a Lee Loader. All you have to add to that kit is a plastic mallet, your components (powder, brass etc.) and you are good to go. They cost about 40 bucks.

I started with the lee loader and it helped me learn about reloading. I probably loaded a couple hundred 44 mag with it before I moved up to a press. But by then I understood reloading a great deal more than when I started.

Wear gloves and hearing protection when you seat the primer.

Life is good.
Prof Young
 
It's all about money and investment. And of course space. It doesn't matter weather you use red, green, orange, blue or red again they all do the job it's just the level of investment that changes.

I'm short on space so I use a Lee hand press, Lee trimmers, Lee and RCBS dies, Lyman scale and some other stuff. If I ever get space I'll bolt down the RCBS JR2 press. The upside is no matter how much one person tells you your red, blue, green... suck they all have great warranties. RCBS replaced my press's handle and ram after it broke for the price of shipping it out to them. Lee replaced a few decapping pins, broke press base that was all my fault for shipping to me. I just had to send them pics of the broken pieces.

You might hit up amazon for deals as it's a guarantee to keep going during this virus mess.
 
I started with the lee loader and it helped me learn about reloading. I probably loaded a couple hundred 44 mag with it before I moved up to a press. But by then I understood reloading a great deal more than when I started.
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The downside is if you live in an apartment all the hammering is not going to be admired. Buy one of those as a toy, trainer, last ditch camp tool and so on. Yes I used them and still have 2 for 30-06, 30-30, 300 win mag, and 12/20 gauge kits.

Lots of people talk about buying arbor presses to use with them. By the time you go that route go full out normal press.
 
Prof Young said:
Doc:
The most simple and least expensive way to start is with a Lee Loader. All you have to add to that kit is a plastic mallet, your components (powder, brass etc.) and you are good to go. They cost about 40 bucks.
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The problem here is that Doc Holliday wants/needs to reload at least three different cartridges. That means three separate Lee Loader kits, since the kits are caliber (cartridge) specific. If he wanted to get started with a really manual operation akin to the Lee Loader, IMHO a better choice would be the Lee Hand Press.

However, I don't think a Lee Loader or a Lee Hand Press is a good choice. As I commented several posts above, I started out with a Lee single stage press kit, and I very quickly learned that I could not produce handgun ammunition fast enough to support even my rather modest requirements. Upgrading to the Turret Press solved the through-put issue without getting into the relative complexity of a fully progressive press.

Here's a link to a short video showing the Lee Loader in action. There are other videos of it on Youtube, but this one is short and it shows the basics. Yes, it can produce ammunition. Personally, I'm not interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSCiRE4m70o

Here's a video showing the Lee Hand Press in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2u6Zb6VFR4
 
I started in 1994 with a single stage press kit. I haven't had a good reason to get anything faster yet. For the amount you plan to shoot a Lee turret press would be a great start. You can set it up for a single operation at a time to get used to the process. Then you can install the auto advance operating rod and step up the pace. If I were to start shooting pistols more I would go with a Lee turret.

YouTube has a bunch of different videos on using different presses. Spend some time watching several different people run different presses before you decide. Just search for reloading.
 
The Lee turret is a good press, but it's not perfect. Due to the design I'll have slight inconsistencies with bullet seating depth and at times crimping. Are they big enough differences to make a difference down range? IDK, but consistency is the goal for all reloading.

I still suggest a single stage for a beginner because even if you become an expert a single stage will always find use. The Lee hand press was my first press and while I use the LCT for most everything that hand press is used frequently be it with the universal decapper or for crimping.

I don't use it for re-sizing anymore, my collarbones aren't made of steel.
 
I started reloading for a scoped Lee Enfield. With my reloads, I shot 1" groups at 100 yards. A buddy shot clover-leaf groups with his re-barreled Interarms 7mm Rem Mag. I've been hooked on reloading since and like my single stage RCBS Rockchucker. A Lee, Lyman, or Hornady would all have worked fine. If I bought a progressive, I'd spend extra money to buy a Dillon or Hornady because it'll be less trouble. I own an RCBS Piggyback that converts my single stage to a progressive press but it jams a lot. And so, I'd look for a quality progressive press. Dies are another issue. If you want inexpensive, buy the Lees. I use RCBS including their competition dies. I never compared reloads using different sets but am slowly transitioning over to Forster Dies.
 
I've read everyones comments & I'm going to get the best set that meets what I want.
I shoot mainly 9mm & 32 calibre S&W long. My 2 main daily carries are my G43X & my 327 in magnum revolver. I'm pretty sure that my first kit will make me ammo for my 327
in magnum revolver. This ammo is weird to get. Since my wife can no longer carry her 327
revolver, I will carry her revolver. I've found that Hornady makes a great SD load of S&W
32 calibre long 80 grain FMJ ammo.
Many thanks to all of the replies to my post. Since I'm in lock down, this should really keep me occupied & not bored. Also since there's a tremendous amount of ammo being bought, well evryone understands why certain ammo is difficult to get.
 
Start with a single stage and take your time so you don't make a mistake. Anything could work. Mine's was a RCBS Rock Chucker 30 years ago. I also have the "so-so" RCBS piggyback attachment that jams and needs some coaxing to turn. But it converts the single stage to Progressive if I have to reload a lot of rounds. This works for me. But, if I wanted a really nice single stage press, I'd choose a Forster Co-Ax, used.
 
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