Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire New to reloading

You're correct - sorry, didn't know that.

Looks like Lee replaced the older press with their newer Challenger. Cost is now $110.00.

link

Just found a cheap brand, smartreloader, andy opinions good or bad?

Good information above. Only thing I would add is to get several reloading manuals and read the front sections until you understand the language of reloading. What is a split, separation , compressed load,ect.Know the body of the case. Where is the neck, head, sholder, etc. Learn the language first(terms) before you load this first case. And welcome to the 'fire.

Watch for a sale on the RCBS supreme kit, then along with the 50.00 rebate from Rcbs, your in for a little more than 200 bucks.


You now have all new equipment that will reload anything, last a lifetime and you wont constantly be up-grading.

Add a 20 dollar caliper and dies and your golden.

If thats too much you need to re-think if can afford to get into the shooting scene.

Lots of mixed reviews on the SR stuff. Some say it ok for the price, others say its junk? Seems to be Chinese copies of other brands with some QC issues. Haven't owned any myself so I don't have any first hand knowledge.

The Lee starter press kits are a good deal.
I bought my son one two years ago.

Spring for a good digital caliper.
I recomend Mitutoyo 6".

A single stage press will last you for many years.

And is versitile enough for rifle and piston.
Shotgun requires differnt tools and methods.

I used a 1976 Lyman single stage loader for 35 years!
And loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds with it.
.380 ACP to .375 Magnums
most of all 30-06.

I still use it for short runs or pressing issues.

It's junk-junk-junk. Junk that works, works well, and almost everybody that knows what they are doing started with. I spent a few bucks on a Lee Loader about fifty years ago to load for a Ruger .44 Magnum Carbine aka Deerstalker, and a Super Blackhawk revolver. Folks today buy Wilson reloading dies and think they have something new, but Lee was doing it a lot cheaper years ago. I bought a Lee hand press just so I could sit in the family room and deprime brass while watching TV. Toss a few Lee tools in the car/truck/saddlebags and you can reload anywhere. Good stuff.

You can download reloading manuals from nearly every major powder manufacturer and here is an excellent piece of software for your computer RELOADING MANUAL I think the Lee kits may be the most effective way for you to start, I have used equipment from nearly every maker since I started reloading 40+ years ago and I really have no problem with Lee stuff, their service is first class should you ever need it. The Smart Loader stuff is questionable, I have yet to see a good report on it and would avoid it. Keep one thing in mind, this is not a race! Take your time , double check yourself and aim for quality, not quantity. Remember a mistake could cost you your rifle and various parts of your anatomy.

LOL. Perfect response. I don't think that everything LEE makes is the best, but it does work. The only thing that I ever had of theirs that I did not care for at all was a progressive shotgun press that they were selling in the 90s. Tried everything I could to get it to work and it just wouldn't cut it. Ended up going to a MEC.

In Lee's defense though, they offered to take the press back and gave me full retail credit toward anything else in their catalog. Ended up with a Lee Pro 1000 that I use to this day. Outstanding little progressive press for the money.

I still use the Lee Auto Prime tool exclusively. Haven't found anything that will beat it for the money. I keep two of them set up on my bench one for small and large primer sizes.

and don't forget if not sure about something ASK someone wether thee fire or someone you know who reloads much safer then a mistake

Yep. Reloading has a lot of room for experimentation, but not when you are learning.

My dad taught me to reload and forced me to double check everything and then HE would check what I had done. It made me a lot more aware of what could go wrong. Thankfully, I've never had a serious reloading error.

Welcome to the fire...

I think someone should warn you about reloading!
Once you get started, it's like a disease that medicine wont cure!

Better hope you only got one gun, it will be a lot cheaper on you!
If you got several guns to reload for... then you'll be like us 'other poor folks'.

Oh, I beg to differ. There IS a prescription that helps with the disease of reloading:

Load two boxes and fire them in the morning.


(In truth, the only thing that stops a chronic reloader is a complete lack of empty brass.)

or a primer hoard fest