Author Topic: Put it to a vote (Read 1048 times)

mookster79 · « **on:** January 28, 2007, 06:39:23 PM »

I know this is probablly a dead dog on this thread, but I have a decision to make. I am looking into reloading and will primarily be loading for the .223. I have been looking at different kits and am between the lee aniversary and the rcbs supreme kit. The cost of the equipment is not reallly and object to me. I am not heavy in the pocket, but I am willing to pay for what I get and want to be happy for many years with what I buy. That being said I have read the top post here on the thread for newbies, and took the advice of so many and ordered the lyman manual to start. I ordered the newest edition, but have paged through what I think was the previous and like is posted here, it seems to have ample info it it. Especially on the basics of reloading. I am also looking at the nosler and hornaday manuals as well because they are the two bullets I will most likely be using. I like to read and plan on looking through 2 or 3 manuals before I make my decison. I am figuring I will only need to prep for one caliber for a least a little while and am leaning towards the rcbs kit.

I am really interested in reloading and I am pretty sure I will be like a kid in a candy store as soon as I buy a kit and get started. I guess the main question I have is which kit should I start with?

Lee or RCBS, I put it to a vote. Now go ahead and let me have it.

hardertr · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2007, 07:03:00 PM »

A lot depends on which 223 you plan to reload for. If it's an AR15 you plan to blow rounds through.... my opinion is that it's not worth reloading for. You can get by with bulk or Wolf ammo for cheaper than you can reload. If you're looking for "match grade" reloading for an AR15, you can get the piggy-back set up for the rock chucker and have a pretty nice progressive that will crank out the rounds. If this is the route you plan to go....I would suggest a Dillon progressive.

The anniversary kit is what I started with...and still use on occassion. It's not quick, but it will do anything you ask it to....other than reload like a progressive. A lot of folks don't like them because they are alluminum. I don't think you will notice the difference.

I don't have NEAR the experience most of the guys here have, but for a beginner, I would suggest the Lee. That's how I "got my feet wet", and like I said, I still use it when I only want to load a box of rounds. I save my Dillon for the bigger jobs.

mookster79 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2007, 07:12:09 PM »

Yeah I should have been a little clearer about that. I buy lots of bulk wolf and cheap plinker ammo for that. I am mostly reloading for my .223 handi with the main purpose being a varmint rifle. I have a few hundred rounds of the ammo I like for it and am in no rush to and don't have to buy anything tomorrow. I may load a good amount of rounds once I find a load I like, but it will be mostly cutting paper out back until the woodchucks start popping up here in a couple of months.

In all actuality it may be better for me to here from the guys like me that just got into reloading to see what worked for them. I am sure if I start into it and decide I like it I will get into the other stuff, but for now I just need a solid platform for one main round until I figure out what the hell I am up tol.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2007, 11:47:07 PM »

IF you ever plan to do handguns or if you want to make up a bunch of .223s id look at a 550 dillon or a honday progressive. If you know for a fact that your not going to want to make up more then say 50 at a time id go with the rcbs or a lyman orange crusher. Either of them will last 3 lifetimes.

bigjeepman · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2007, 03:33:31 AM »

I'll be different here because we almost always advise in the direction we went. I went the the RCBS RC Supreme and I know I will be using this same equipment years down the road. A lot of reloaders go with Lee, Dillon, etc and I am convinced that equipment is doing everything they want it to and doing it well. All I know is what I did and what I have.

I will suggest the Nosler Reloading Guide especially if you are going to be shooting their bullets. I use Noslers a lot and their guide, along with suggestions from other experienced reloaders. I like Sierra's a lot too but then I use 5 different manuals for references.

I started out buying RCBS dies but have found the Lee Deluxe Die Sets to be perfect for my needs. They do not make them for all calibers but I have them for .223, .243, and .308.

Good luck and enjoy ....

beemanbeme · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2007, 04:48:55 AM »

It sounds like you have a firm commitment rather than a curiousity to see if you would "like" to reload. And so, I think the RCBS kit would be a good starter instead of the Lee kit.
I've never reloaded for any sort of pray and spray weapon but I've done a lot of Pdog shooting where a high amount of ammo is needed. I've used single stage presses for 45 years and they've always got the job done. I would think that only when you've a firm grounding in reloading should you move to a progressive.............. if then.

Don Fischer · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2007, 05:01:32 AM »

You pretty much answered your own question when you said: "....the cost of the equipment is not really an object to me". Go look at the different single stage presses and pick the one you like. They all have their champions and they all have their dertactors. Beeman said what I think is the right thing, "............should you move on to a progressive......if then". I agree with that 1000%. Like him I have been reloading over 40 yrs and tho I have a progressive press, I never use it. I inherited it and put it away.

steve4102 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2007, 05:18:43 AM »

jpsmith1 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 29, 2007, 10:52:11 AM »

I bought an RCBS kit just after I got married. No idea how many rounds that I've loaded, but it's a pile. It's a durable press for a decent price. I've talked to guys that have been using them for 20 years and more and they still work like the day they were new.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #9 on:** January 29, 2007, 10:55:18 AM »

Give the Lee classic cast alook easally as well built as any of the others I own several diffrent brands of equipment and only have a few small complaints.

darat100 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 30, 2007, 02:43:41 AM »

I enjoy my lee anniversary. It is simple, and has held up well. The scale is horrible though. I am not sure about pricing now if you were to buy another scale versus the RCBS kit. My lee kit with a different scale, tremendous value in my book.

Val · « **Reply #11 on:** January 30, 2007, 03:52:11 AM »

I would go with the RCBS, not only for the better quality more durable press, but also RCBS is excellent for warranty repair and support. They fix their stuff for free and often ship out repair parts for free.

Wingman26 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2007, 07:51:30 AM »

The comparison you are looking at boils down to a Yugo versus Mercedes, do you want cheap crap or a press that will last a lifetime? Very few experienced reloaders use anything from Lee, it is built down to a price, not up to a standard. Other companies try to walk that fine line between a quality product or price, most companies do a good job because they want products that work well, and the good companies stand behind them with lifetime warranties.

Experience has shown that it is far cheaper to buy quality the first time, rather than go cheap and then have to upgrade. I made that mistake when I first started reloading, and all that cheap red stuff ended up in the dumpster where it belonged, and was replaced by better quality equipment, and that is a lot more expensive to have to replace that stuff than buying quality equipment in the first place.

MnMike · « **Reply #13 on:** January 31, 2007, 05:41:18 PM »

I am a Lee user and happy with my set up, but I have always said that if money is no object, buy the expensive stuff. I will admit that some Lee stuff is not as friendly as the RCBS, Lyman, Dillon, etc. I put up with this but if money is no object, why bother. I get accurate ammo, but with a bit more effort than with the high end stuff.

Good luck,

mike

mookster79 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2007, 09:44:41 AM »

I want to start by saying thanks for all the info. Also, it is not that money is no object, it is just that I will put up a little extra front if I feel like it will be better for me down the road. After reading all the info here and with all the responses I think the RCBS setup is the one I would choose. I don't think I will ever have the need for a progressive press, especially not for a while. I am sure I will start to spend all the extra dough on the little extras that I find once I get moving. Now I just have to decide when I need to buy everything and where to put it. I guess I should pick out a room and set up a bench in the near future. Thanks again for all the info.

williamlayton · « **Reply #15 on:** February 01, 2007, 10:28:43 PM »

HUMMMM---Hornady LNL is a very good piece.
Blessings

Daniel · « **Reply #16 on:** February 02, 2007, 04:29:02 AM »

Personally based on what you've indicated, in the long run I think you'd be better off buying individual pieces of equipment that are best suited for each task rather than going the kit route. At least that's what I'm thinking. I went through this same process several years ago, did my research and ended up buying a Forster Co-Ax press, Forster and Redding dies, a Wilson case trimmer, RCBS hand primer, Redding beam scale and so forth and so on. The folks at Sinclair Int'l were very helpful to me.

BTW, here's a link: www.sinclairintl.com

mookster79 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 02, 2007, 09:51:09 AM »

Yeah I have looked at everything individual, but since I am loading basically one round I want a good kit, a set of dies, and I will piece the rest of it together as I go. I looked at the RCBS and if I ever decided to go with a better or further down the road press I am sure it would not lose its place on the bench. I really just want to get started for a reasonable price and take it from there. Thanks to this thread I won't be jumping in completely blind.

mjbgalt · « **Reply #18 on:** February 02, 2007, 02:18:40 PM »

i started with a balance beam scale and a LEE anniversary kit. i have the kit still but pitched the measure and scale in favor of a Lyman electronic setup that not only throws a charge, it weighs it too. push some buttons and that's it...a perfect charge every time. more time to do other tasks and less annoying.

it will cost you about $400 to really get everything you need...why not make $200 of it be on that Lyman and the rest on lube, dies, and a decent press?

that's what i would do if i were doing it over again.

-Matt

qajaq59 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 03, 2007, 02:00:40 AM »

Quote

Personally based on what you've indicated, in the long run I think you'd be better off buying individual pieces of equipment that are best suited for each task rather than going the kit route.

I tend to agree with this advice because it is what I did years ago and I've been very happy with all the gear no matter what brand name was on it.

longwinters · « **Reply #20 on:** February 03, 2007, 03:29:43 AM »

Unless you go with buying individual items you will most likely update some of your equipment. I started with a RCBS Turret kit. There were still things I had to buy like a trimmer, tumbler etc... But I figure why buy something twice? Do your homework, see what other guys started with and what they eventually upgraded to and then make your choices. I have a real good buddy that started with a different name brand kit. He just sold the whole thing at 1/2 what it cost him and replaced it all with RCBS.

That being said, I don't think you can go wrong with RCBS, Redding and a couple of the other major players. But buying individually will probably save you money over the next few years.

Long