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Who Makes the Best (or Worst) Reloading Equipment?



What do you prefer?

This article starts with a discussion about Lee Precision.

Some reloaders poopoo Lee products, claiming that what they make is substandard. To the people who hold that view I say, Lee could not have remained in business for over 60 years if that was true. They have some so-so products, but other companies are similarly afflicted.

Regardless of what you prefer, it’s always good to keep up to date with everyone’s equipment. If you see something and believe it’s junk, don’t buy it! We all have different needs and expectations. Everyone has a budget. So if you do not care for RCBS, Lyman, Redding or Lee, read about their products and stay current anyway. Sometimes, innovation comes from the strangest places!

The rest is here. Who Makes the Best (or Worst) Reloading Equipment?

Excellent article!.. Although I do not have anywhere near Steve's extensive experience, my observations are very similar. There is a place for brand loyalty, but careful mix and match works best for loading gear.

I have a bunch of different stuff, a 50 year old Rock Cucker, an old Texan and a Lee hand press ( for changing OAL at the range) are my mainstays.
I used a Lee hand priming system for about 40 years bt now use the RCBS priming tool as well as their case master.
Fir trimming I much prefer the Lee lock studs and my drill press.
I use several different brands of dies but Redding. RCBS , and Lee are prominent.
I use a Harrel, and an old Lyman 55 for charging.
Scales are an Ohaus and a Redding that my father used when I was young- the price on the box is $14.00!LOL
I also have a Montana Arms BP measure, and Lee's scoops that get used regularly for my BP cartridge guns
Cat

Thanks, fellows. I use the Lee scoops too, Cat!

You’re right about the mix and match, Paul. It’s amazing what has come home over the years. All the best.

I still do my most of my loading with a Herter's cast iron C press that I bought in 1965 for around $13 and change. Bought a second off Ebay years later. They work forever if you keep them clean and lubricated. The problem with Herter's presses is the proprietary shell holders. Fortunately, I have a good assortment.

Being located near Higginson Powder, a distributor for Lee, I have accumulated a fair amount of Lee reloading products. I also have some Hornady, Lyman, RCBS and Redding equipment. They all produce usable ammunition. I have run across some anti Lee reloaders and bullet casters that spout the same rhetoric that one can find posted by Lee bashers on the internet. One bullet caster having never used a Lee bullet mould went on at great lengths about the inferiority of Lee products. For me the products perform as they should and I will keep using them.

Nick

Most of my stuff is RCBS which I purchased 45 years ago. The RCBS trimmer (cutting head) is a pos, so I have a Forster trimmer which I like, I put a drill on it.
I only have a couple Lee products....Crimp dies and a Ram prime, great products.

Some of the LEE products are quite innovative, though sometimes QC or execution are not that great. But they are affordable, and a good value for the price. I've used quite a few Hornady products that were poorly designed and/or poorly executed, but other innovations were great. I think whether its RCBS, LEE, or whoever, they have their strong products and their weak products.

Of the stuff in the article, the only thing I can say is a terrible product are the Satern funnels. The problem with them is the brass insert and the aluminum cone are not tightly fit and get even looser with time. Powder would get in between and you never know how much powder you lost. I switched to the Area 419 funnel set from Satern because like the author, I don't like plastic funnels because of the static.

Speaking of Area 419, they are very expensive as a company for most every product they make but all products are top quality and well-designed. I especially like their modular shell holders.

I had written my impression of Lee's Auto Bench Prime - their latest one - twice. When it first came out and one year later, after they made some improvements.


This was one of those times when Lee disappointed me. I have no proof of this, but I felt they released the Auto Bench Prime prematurely and let consumers test it and report their complaints. They addressed those complaints and released an updated version. I bought the updated version and it does work. They fixed the tray and feed ramp.

I have mostly RCBS equipoment but mostly I get what I can afford at the time. have a number of Lee tools and no complaints. I think a lot of people complain about them never having tried them and just figure for the price, they are junk, just not true!

I have been fortunate to grow up in a family of reloaders. Dad and his brothers and even his sister reloaded rifles, handguns and shot shells. Received the benefit of them using various brands.

Redding is my primary choice for most reloading equipment. That said, I also have dies from RCBS, Lee, Hornady, Lyman, Dilon and Herters. I have molds from RCBS and LBT. For several years I used the Lee hand priming tool, but I was having to replace them too frequently. I was loading a lot more than I do now and the plastic parts would fail. I went to RCBS with good luck for a number of years. Now I do all my priming on my Redding T-7 press.

RCBS the best for the money

I have only read the initial post. I am sure that the disciples of the "One True Brand" will dominate the responses.

Having now read the thread to this point, I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by the responses so far.

It's nice to have a polite discussion. Thanks all!!

A more appropriate question for you Redgwell is who makes the best Covid booster?

You pretty much nailed it. Like I said earlier in the thread, Lee wouldn't have lasted 60 years if everything they made was junk. It might be a Chev vs Caddy sort of argument. Most people would rather be seen driving around town in a Caddy.


That's cool. No one in my family reloaded, but we had a few shotgunners.

😂😂😂

I have an RCBS Rock Chucker, mostly used for de-capping and pulling bullets now. A Redding T-7, for loading my rifle rounds, and a Dillon 650 for pistol stuff. I would buy any of them again, and would recommend them.

Bullet molds. Maybe not the first thing you think of when talking reloading equipment...but I am curious, has anybody else run into current production (last 6 yrs or so) Lyman molds being wonky and casting bullets that don't mike round? I bought 2 different molds and was very disappointed, for almost 3 times the money than a Lee mold you'd expect a very good bullet. I have several old Lyman's that of course, are great. I have inspected, miked, measured, experimented with changing technique...still stumped. I know it's impossible, but it's almost as if the blocks were not bored as a pair or the locating pins were pressed in crooked. Anybody?