Author Topic: New H&R Owner Getting Back Into Reloading... (Read 922 times)

TBigLug · « **on:** February 10, 2012, 06:25:18 PM »

Hey everyone. Just picked up a new .223 and considering getting back into reloading. I want to start out just doing it to save a few pennies but want to eventually work into fine tuning my target/ varmint rounds. Mainly, I just enjoy doing it (or used to) to unwind and pass the time. When I was a kid I had an old MEC (Jr.?) that I made my own 12 ga reloads with.

I put together a list of what I want to put together. Keeping it simple and on a budget, speed is not a neccessity as I will probably only be reloading 20-50 cases a month. My work schedule keeps me pretty busy so i don't get to shoot as much as I should. I'm sticking with Lee because they are affordable and will probably make a round more accurate than I am right now anyway. Here's the list, anything I should add or that might not be needed, I look forward to everyone's advice. I put Lee's factory pricing in for reference only as I will be buying my stuff from my local gun shop (Schupbach's Sporting Goods) or online from FSReloading.

1. Modern Reloading; Second Edition & Lyman 49th Reloading Book $34.98
http://www.ebay.com/
2. Lee Breech-Load Challenger Kit $97.38
https://fsreloading.com/lee-bl-challenger-kit.html
3. Lee Deluxe Rifle Die Set $25.98
https://fsreloading.com/lee-delux-rifle-3-di-223-90604.html
4. Lee Factory Crimp Die $9.98
https://fsreloading.com/lee-factory-crimp-die-223-90817.html
5. Lee Decapping Die $7.98
https://fsreloading.com/lee-decapping-die-90292.html
6. Lee Universal Decapping Pin $1.50
https://fsreloading.com/lee-univ-decap-pin-90292-90783.html
7. Lee Length Gauge and Holder $3.80
https://fsreloading.com/lee-gage-holder-223-rem-90114.html
8. Stainless Steel Deluxe Reloading Kit $259.95
http://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/stm-complete-package.html

smokehouserex · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2012, 06:51:46 PM »

List looks pretty complete. I don't have a individual decapping, you should be able to get by with the regular die set. sometimes a reloading set is a little cheaper, the press in the combo picture looks like a much better press than the one on your list.
After you start, there is always something you will see that you need, or at least could use.
If you have ever stuck a case you would be glad if you have a stuck case remover, it wii save time. When getting started the odds are pretty good that you WILL stick a case in your die. lol
READ THE MANUAL AND DON'T HOT ROD YOUR LOADS, START BELOW MAX LOADS, WORK UP SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY.

sa

tacklebury · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2012, 07:12:22 PM »

List looks like a good starting point. Here's a link you might like to the Lee Factory Sales which is just down the road from the factory. Good guys and I have had nothing but positives working with them and they are normally cheaper than buying directly from the Lee site:
http://fsreloading.com/

Also, I'd highly recommend you buy the Deluxe Die set for that .223 if it's not an AR style. I neck size using the Lee Collet die and you don't have to lube and I can get about 3 reloads before I need to Full length size the brass again. If it's an AR, they don't tend to do well unless you full size em every time. Get a Lee Factory Crimp Die also, just don't over do it and crush your bullets down. hehe

BCB · « **Reply #3 on:** February 11, 2012, 12:48:08 AM »

I would look into researching some type of reloading kit rather than individual components...

You will save money...

I wouldn't give a dollar for the Lee Safety Scales...

Just my thoughts...

Good-luck...BCB

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 11, 2012, 05:55:16 AM »

I have the "C" press and while it works, I would still recommend an "O" press to anyone starting out. You will thank me. I don't have a problem with the Lee Safety Scale. This kit seems to cost less than your list and has all you need except dies
http://fsreloading.com/lee-bl-challenger-kit.html

BCB · « **Reply #5 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:15:03 AM »

I have a small cabin at my shooting range, and at times, I develop reloads over at that place rather than at my home…

I let a Lee Anniversary Kit at that cabin. I’m not knocking Lee, but the price of it is such that if someone breaks into my cabin and steals the kit, well, it isn’t worth near as much as would be an RCBS kit…

My more valuable reloading stuff stays at my house…

The Anniversary kit will serve someone just starting out adequately…

Plus, although it uses the quick-change bushings, it can still be used without them. I have never understood why one would adjust a die set and put it in a bushing. Adjust it without the bushing and screw it in and out of the press as needed…

Just screw a bushing into the press and tighten it securely. The adjust your dies as you would in a regular press and unscrew them and let the bushing in place...

You need a bushing for every die you use and they cost 10 bucks or so--Why use them?...

The quick change stuff is a gimmick as far as I am concerned…

As far as the Lee scales—well, I can’t read the adjustment end of them. I take an RCBS 5-10 with me to the cabin when I go there to reload…

I do have weights that I made from aluminum flashing that I weighed on an RCBS 304 scale. I cut bits and pieces off of them until they became a known weight. I will put them on the Lee scale and set the pointer to zero by adjusting the screw mechanism about the pan. I don’t bother to read the actual weight it is set at as I know the weights of my pieces of aluminum flashing…

The RCBS 5-10 that I have as a spare at home is much better…

Still the Lee system will serve you well—if you have patients!!!...

Good-luck…BCB

tacklebury · « **Reply #6 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:19:39 AM »

Should have mentioned, this is the kit I just bought to upgrade from my handpress kit after years of using it.

http://fsreloading.com/lee-bl-challenger-kit.html

TBigLug · « **Reply #7 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:28:54 AM »

Good call on the stuck case remover. Never even thought about that. Thanks for the input as well. I did look at the kits, the only real difference for me is I liked the Ergo Prime instead of the one that they had listed. But it is about half the price so I could probably look past some small differences!

Just ordered the Modern Reloading, 2nd Edition and Lyman's Reloading Manual (49,000th edition or so, lol) last night. Got both off of eBay for about what Lee wanted for just theirs. Gonna do alot of studying up between now and the arrival of my returns. Looking forward to the good times!

TBigLug · « **Reply #8 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:36:39 AM »

Tackle- I like the looks of that kit. Might have to forgo waiting on additional funding.

tacklebury · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:42:53 AM »

This is the reloading center I just built to have a bench to mount it on. Cost me $95 in materials and about 2 weeks.

TBigLug · « **Reply #10 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:50:50 AM »

Nice! What part of Mi are you from? I'm over in Stockbridge, meaning I should be aver at the gun and knife show in Mason right now picking up some ammo so I'm ready when my scope and mount show up instead of staring at this darn computer! lol

max1138 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 11, 2012, 10:49:30 AM »

I would say go with the lee anniversary or challenger kit, they come with most all of your wish list. the anniversary kit has the challenger breechlock press and a ram prime setup with it. also the scale and powder measure,
the scale is accurate despite what some say its just about 2 lbs lighter than what I think it should be giving it a flimsy feeling. once you learn to use it its no problem
the little powder measure is great, works better with ball powder than stick but they all do that. mine throws to within .1 to .15 grains once its running and settled in. but I prefer to use it with a redding trickler to trickle up the last .1 rather than having to dump a charge and start over. others make good tricklers, theyre just light. the redding is Iron and just feels better more stable.

I had been using the press to prime with the safety-prime but today tried the auto-prime-xr I picked up a few months ago. cant tell a difference in primer seating and cant see one on my calipers either entirely different feel to hand priming tho.

cybin · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2012, 03:27:13 PM »

I'd go with Lee Dies--and you can forget the stuck case remover then--removing a stuck case is easy with Lee Dies

cybin

geezerbiker · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2012, 08:45:45 PM »

Skip the stuck case remover kit, it's way over priced for what it contains. If you work on your own car or motorcycle, odds are you have all the items or most of them in your toolbox.

You can duplicate the kit with one 6mm or 1/4" tap with matching drill bit, a socket, a washer and and a hardened bolt the same size as the tap. You can buy matched taps and drill bit sets at the hardware store cheap if you don't have them already.

The way it works is you drill the end of the stuck case opening up the primer pocket to take the tap. Thread the hole to take the bolt, then put the socket open end over the end of the die, insert the bolt with washer through the socket and tighten to extract the case.

Tony

LHitchcox · « **Reply #14 on:** February 13, 2012, 12:13:24 PM »

The decapping rod in the Lee dies is designed to b a stuck case remover. Also, the Lee RGB dies are much cheaper than the Pacesetter dies ($15 less), but they don't come with a shellholder.

TBigLug · « **Reply #15 on:** February 13, 2012, 01:33:04 PM »

Well, I think this is gonna be the final list. The STM tumbler will be my biggest splurge but not quite yet, maybe

. Depends on how comfy the couch is. Alot of guys will say I don't need the FC Die but some guys swear by them. For $10 I'll get it and see if it works or not. If not, I've wasted more money on less!

Also, the depriming pin is a back-up in case I break one, again, $1.50 what can it hurt.

geezerbiker · « **Reply #16 on:** February 13, 2012, 02:38:59 PM »

Quote from: LHitchcox on February 13, 2012, 12:13:24 PM

The decapping rod in the Lee dies is designed to b a stuck case remover.

Perhaps but I bent the crap out of one trying to get a stuck .30-06 case out per the Lee instructions. It ended well though. I took the die with the bent rod back to the place where I bought it to buy a replacement rod. The didn't carry them only the dies. When I complained to the manager about them not having common replacement parts, he warrantied the die set. I told him that the bent rod was my fault but he replaced them anyway.

If I ever have a stuck case again, I'm going to remove it the RCBS way but stuff from my toolbox...

Tony

MSP Ret · « **Reply #17 on:** March 12, 2012, 10:19:17 AM »

A tumbler will make your brass look pretty but you don't NEED it. I have been reloading for about 50 years and I don't have one. A friend I used to shoot with before he moved away had one to use if I needed one. He made it himself. For 20-50 rounds a month (or even double that) you can get by without one. You can always buy it later if wanted, but one is not neccessary for reloading....<><....

cybin · « **Reply #18 on:** March 12, 2012, 04:42:19 PM »

I have a tumbler that I have used a few times that I am thinking about selling--tumbling takes too long for me--like 12 to 20 hours for 50 pieces of .41 mag brass. Instead I use a Lee case trimer and scotch bright. I do 50 cases in about 15 to 20 minutes---it doesn't get the bottoms shinny--but what the heck. Tumbling in my opinion is a waste of time and electricity.

cybin

tacklebury · « **Reply #19 on:** March 13, 2012, 02:31:13 PM »

Quote from: cybin on March 12, 2012, 04:42:19 PM

I have a tumbler that I have used a few times that I am thinking about selling--tumbling takes too long for me--like 12 to 20 hours for 50 pieces of .41 mag brass. Instead I use a Lee case trimer and scotch bright. I do 50 cases in about 15 to 20 minutes---it doesn't get the bottoms shinny--but what the heck. Tumbling in my opinion is a waste of time and electricity.

cybin

I use franklin arsenal walnut with dry RCBS powder. I've use 5 powders in 3 years and still less than 1/2 way through the hulls. Takes about 1/2 hour to quick shine then use the Lee Universal decapper to pop primers. When my stuff gets a little weak it takes a bit more, but I only add the RCBS powder about 3 times a year to do several thousand brass.