Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Reloading kit

I have been doing lots of research and I would like opinions on the best starters reloading kit. Is there really much difference between Rock Chucker, hornady LNL, Redding, and Lyman? I want to load 44 special/mag, 223, 30-06, and 338 win mag. Would anyone suggest starting with Dillon 550B? Thanks for all responses.

I would strongly urge you to begin reloading with a Dillon 550B. There are tasks a reloader might get into that require a strong cast-iron single stage, like case forming, but a 550 is the single most useful, versatile press ever designed, IMO. You can run it just like a conventional turret press, working on single rounds, or full progressive, as needed.

Uniquetek's toolhead clamps are what I reccomend for loading rifle ammo. For a bolt gun, you can use Lee Collet dies and that bypasses the need for lube. If you want to load a stick powder that doesn't meter well through the Dillon powder measure, Dillon sells an adapter for standard manual RCBS type powder measures, or you can use a funnel.

Bought a Rockchucker in 1975 because it was big and strong and made by RCBS. Since then, Big Green has proved to me that I bought the right one by outstanding customer service. Still going strong and loading good, reliable, accurate ammo for only 16 or 17 different cartridges.

There`s nothing wrong with a Dillon 550, and if you shoot a lot of ammo, say 500 rds a week it becomes a very handy tool.
For most a much cheaper single stage like the Rockchucker, or Lee "cast iron classic" serves just as well. Unless you are shooting IDPA weekly or have need for large volumes of ammo the single stages allow you to control the process easier, are cheaper and easier to switch cartridges on, and (possibly)as good if not more accurate ammo.
The trade off between the two types is the time it takes to load a round and what more speed is worth to you dollar wise.

Winter time is the perfect time to get ahead of the game. I size and decap all my brass, trim to length, clean, deburr, and reprime. Sort by manufacturer, and then when it comes time to get loading, I only have to charge and seat the bullets. Amazing how quick it goes when you get ahead of the game.

I'm not a large volume guy now, but I used to shoot between 3 and 5 thousand 38 specials a year for a lot of years, and because I never watched a lot of TV, I always found the time for that and to load hunting ammo for several friends as well. I did have the piggy-back conversion unit for the rockchucker and it worked pretty good once I got it set up. I timed it for an hour -- actual 60 minutes, and I was getting about 350 per hour -- not just extrapolating 50 rounds in so many minutes.

I tried the Lee 1000 progressive. Didn't like it -- glitchy as all get out, for me. SOme guys love them. Dillon makes a great press, though. Just couldn't justify the extra expense when I already had the RCBS.