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I will politely say that you need to do more research. And the marks on the bullet are cosmetic and cause no real world problems (Unless I suppose if you are pulling heavily crimped and glued military bullets) (Good luck ever getting those out with an inertia puller.)

Earth to Son of the Gael, he is just starting to reload. enough of the 40 years of experience, just look at the simplicity of getting started with the least amount of expense and unnecessary tools.

I'd want to start him off with the best advice I could. Wouldn't you?

Yes and no. You can do a lot with a few things, and add as you go. I wouldn't buy junk.

IMO after the press, digatal and balance scale, calpers. Powder measurer, and trickler, puller. I like hand priming, but started out one at time on the press. Tumbler for lube if resizing, is my preference. Lots of manuals. Add stuff as you go, and see that it is for you.


With anything you need good enough, that you don't get discouraged. But should be careful spending lots of money on something you don't know if you will stick with.

I've added check weights, prep center, COL gauge. Want to get an electric trimmer. May someday get electric powder dispenser.


Myself I'd read some manuals. Load some brass, shoot, and add stuff. How fast you add, will depend on you.

I started out on handguns, and did nothave as much of this stuff. When I started loading rifle I added more.

I have reloaded since 1965 and I have never used a hand primer. Probably loaded in excess of 50,000 rounds, many different chamberings, both in rifle and handgun. Initially in an old Pacific press ,then a Rock Chucker with the primer tool attached. The pPacific was used when I got it and I used it so much I fatigued the threads where the handle screwed in and it broke off.

About half those rounds were loaded on a Dillion Square Deal and it had it's own priming attachment.

Those that say you don't have feel for seating a primer using a press haven't done it much. Talk to an bunch of guys that use progressive presses. I bet they don't sit there and hand prime a thousand rounds sitting watching TV.

A lot of these things are strickly marketing ploys.Remember when the priming strips came out .That didn't last long

I agree. Priming on a press works fine and you can definitely feel the primer seat. I'm not sure why the bench mounted priming tools would be favored over just using the press. A hand priming tool does give one the option of priming away from the bench. And in fact, even though I mentioned earlier I'd probably go with an RCBS or Frankford Arsenal hand held if mine failed today, on second thought, I might not. My old Lee hand held works fine and it was cheap. The new Lee gets mixed reviews though. The RCBS and Frankford Arsenal are significantly more expensive. I'd probably just use the press to prime and spend that money on something else.

The Lee Classic Turret is an outstanding choice for a beginner. It costs about the same as a single-stage press, it will do anything a single stage press will do, and it about 2.5x faster than a single stage press. What's not to like?

If you want automatic powder dispensing, you have to use one of the Lee powder measures, as far as I know.

The auto disk measure is a true PIA to get set up. They do offer an adjustable charge bar, but it only has enough capacity for handguns. I bought two of them, and stacked them, and that works fine, using the double disk kit. But the auto drum replaces all that, and is the correct choice for the press. You'll probably also need a riser for it, to clear the dies.

Harbor Freight has 4" calipers for about $15. They work fine and are more handy than 6".

The priming tool on my Rock Chucker Supreme sucks ass. That's why I use a hand primer.

Here is a very helpful thread with lots of good advice:

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2359815/New_to_Reloading_info#Post2359815

Seems that a lot of people don't like a hand primer, but to me they are a great thing. I like the old Lee, the second version not so much. Have not tried the third one. I like the old Lee better than an RCBS and I have not tried anything else. To me they are worth the money. I would rather have that than a vibrating case cleaner. miles

I like the hand primer because I didn't have a primer feed on press. Less handling of primers.

I also like to double check that it is not in backwards or high. It's a personal thing. They are cheap and I like doing it in my chair.


As far as who likes what, I think it depends who you talk to.

I bought another RCBS powder dispenser with quick change spouts. You can leave them set and change out. But stuff like this is add on as you guy. But myself I would buy one with the capability. Though I also gave my first set on a common charge for me. If I was rich I would have one for every load.

If you have a measure with a repeatable adjustment like a Redding BR-30 or Harrell's all you need to do is keep a notebook for your particular lots of powder. Dial to the prescribed setting, throw a few dummy charges to settle things in, proceed to filling cases.

One important item I would add to your list: a friend.

Join a shooting club/range/whatever. Find someone near you who reloads. When I first started reloading, I was fortunate enough to have a 30yr. vet across the street. Cannot count the times he bailed my sorry carcass out. Seriously, after several hundred deniero shelled out, I was standing in my garage ready to reload (.338 Win Mag it was) for the first time. Had everything I needed ... er, well, except ... a funnel. Forgot the damn funnel. Fortunately for me, it only cost me 5 minutes and a walk across the street ...

Anyway:

For the caliper, I would recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/Resistant-IP54-Electronic-EAGems-Measurements/dp/B00Z5KETD4

It might sound a bit corny getting a caliper from "E A Gems," but for $30, it is a thing of beauty. It's even digital -- much easier to read accurately than a dial.

Not everyone is as anal as me about reloading. I'm and engineer, so my claim is I can't really help it. But, if you want the best dies ...

neck sizer - Lyman. They have one with a carbide expander. I really don't understand why all manufacturers don't do this. You won't need any case lube at all ...

full-length sizer - doesn't matter a whole lot. If you're having to F-L resize, then the loads aren't going to be optimum anyway. But I would recommend Redding.

bullet seater - Forster Ultra Micrometer Seating Die. Best there is short of bench-rest options. If you get into accuracy at all, you will love the micrometer ...

crimp die - lots of varied opinions on this, but I like the Lee Factory Crimp dies. I use them on all of my loads.

I also did not see a hand de-priming tool on your list. Keep all the crud out of your press and de-prime before you clean your cases. Frankford arsenal makes
a nice tool for this. Frankford also makes a nice tumbler that will clean your cases with stainless stell pins and dawn dish detergent ...

The turret press???? Consider the Hornady Lock-and-Load single-stage option. You can get their "classic" 007 press for about $140, and it actually works. Swapping
dies takes about 10 seconds ...
My "friend" uses an RCBS rock chucker single-stage (also about $140) and loves it. Takes him a minute longer to change dies, but the press is probabaly a bit
stronger structurally. I personally don't think the turret buys you a dime for rifle reloading unless you are planning to be a one-gun guy (nothing wrong with that) so
only have one set of dies that you leave in the thing forever ...

Top plates for the Lee Classic Turret are $10 each. I have one for each cartridge I load almost. I can switch from loading 5.56 to 30-06 by snapping out one plate and replacing it with another. Setting up the powder dump on top of the charging die takes another couple of minutes.

Welcome to the forum Mike. These threads bring out a lot of responses from a lot of experienced loaders. I started loading on a Lee Anniversary Kit in 1997. I still use the same stuff today. It flat out works for the hobbyist like me. I am not an expert by any means. I am not a competitive shooter and I don't crank out a lot of ammo, but I do like accuracy. The Anniversary Kit, pretty much the cheapest kit on the market, has given me ridiculously good accuracy out of some pretty ordinary rifles. These were the first loads I cranked out for a $275 Savage 22-250.

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You have selected equipment that will do the same for you. You can spend a lot more, but it is not necessary unless you intend to get into competition.

Heck,my first reloading was for competition. We shot AP's (Armor Piercing) or pulled military ball bullets we bought from DCM for 1-2 cents each,surplus 4831 powder for 48 cents a pound and .06 brass we were allowed to pickup at the range or DCM brass. In those days, the clubs got DCM ammo for next to nothing and it w as given to the shooters.

I initially shot an old 03 Springfield with 2 groove barrel that I bought for $12 or $13 from Montgomery Ward.

Our club had a loading room where you could use the equipment. Sequence of loading after sizing was to scoop up a case full of 483, tap it on the bench add little bit more and seat the bullet.

I still have the steel can that the 50 pounds of4831 came in.

1. In my experience a conventional style neck size die, carbide ball or not, will not in general produce brass and assembled cartridges as straight as a Lee collet die.

2. This is simply not true. If there's a good match between your chamber and your FL die then superb ammunition may be made therewith. Redding isn't the end all in FL dies either. A Forster with its neck section custom honed to go with the brass you prefer is a better item.

Lots of different opinions on the subject as you see. I think it's a good thing to have options, because there are many ways to skin this cat. There's also more than one way to make accurate ammo, and definitely different levels equipment and prep involved to get there. My choice was and still would be the RCBS Rockchucker kit as a starting point. Not much of anything with the Lee name on it excites me... I'd chose Redding, Forster, or RCBS full length die sets to start with. Later on ,if you get serious about accuracy you'll be looking for better stuff, like , but not limited too sizing dies that don't over work the brass and produce a straighter case as well as better seating dies that help produce more concentric ammo. It's a never ending thing. Just so you know...